Witch Powers: "Well, If It's That, I'm the Expert"
"Indeed, when it comes to that, I am the expert." My second-year senior, the witch Alice Bukureshti, who specializes in doll magic, savored the cake and coffee I'd bought her with a leisurely air, clicking her tongue in pity.
"And you're from the legendary Witchcraft bloodline, no less."
"It's only been a short while since I found out..."
"A disgrace to your ducal family..."
"That too..."
"I thought you were the hope of our next-gen MZ witches!!"
"Do I have to hear that from every witch I meet?"
"Keep talking like that, and a Witchcraft fist would come flying."
"No."
It was bad enough being turned from boy to girl, but getting treated like this on top of it? Was there no favoritism or coddling among fellow witches? But even as I said it, I hadn't called Senior Onozuka Yungmei either. I figured she'd just hug me out of pity, and I'd end up folding into a three-way origami witch. Plus, I wasn't used to my own chest yet—I didn't want to get comfortable buried in someone else's.
"Normally, I'd pass on the hassle regardless of witch or whatever. But since you introduced me to that goblin maiden, I'll lend a hand."
"Believe it or not, I'm the best at making maidens."
"Yeah, definitely the easy-birthing type... If you're gonna do it, make it pure love... Witches tend to be pretty lewd..."
"Are we somehow missing each other here?"
"So, how do you make a maiden?"
"...By turning a guy into a girl?"
"You're insane."
Senior Bukureshti shook her head, admitting it was seductive but no one sane—short of first-gen Witchcraft levels—would try such madness. I had a ton I wanted to say, but I cooled my burning insides with some iced coffee.
"Anyway, before dolls, have you bonded with your familiar?"
"Nope, my bad—stupid question."
With it shoving its face right up like Master, I love you! and showing it with its whole body. Senior Bukureshti rubbed under her nose, praising the sticky bond between familiar and master as the ultimate connection.
"Well, the familiar I raised lost its maidenhood. So I let it go."
"Why would you..."
"Told it to come back once it became a familiar master in twenty years."
"That's worse than straight-up abandoning it."
Anyway, Senior Bukureshti—who said to hit her up if I wanted to learn abandonment techniques too—spread her fingers, explaining she was an expert in doll magic, but dolls moving on their own without spells were super rare.
"Monster mimicking a doll, evil spirit possessing one, or a puppet/golem type with ego or curse infused. But that one's gotta be the first."
"But there's nothing inside!!"
"So not a mimic, then..."
She tilted her head, saying even with her knowledge, this was a first. Then she pulled out a monster encyclopedia borrowed from the second-year library section and started slowly checking for similar entries.
"Thought you were prickly, but you're surprisingly sweet?"
"She says it's 'cause Beatus is a rare virgin succubus type, so she's sucking up to get close."
"You had to tell me that?"
"You're my precious friend..."
"Thanks for the heads-up before the unicorn skewers you..."
Beatus, flipping through a first-year monster encyclopedia, sighed and took a sip of coffee. Meanwhile, Senior Yungmei sitting across from me smoothly shifted topics...
"...?"
"Hmm, so as a Witchcraft witch, how strong are your abilities, anyway?"
"S-Senior? Since when have you been here? I didn't sense a thing."
"Came looking for my little Shti~ Seniors can't stand being lonely~"
I didn't point out she must have friends in third year too. The hand grabbing mine naturally felt inhumanly evil-powered. It hurt less than a top-student punch or greatsword bruise—what the hell kind of strength...?
"You said you don't even know your own abilities? And you only just learned you're a witch?"
"Y-Yeah."
"Hmm~ Probably sealed or suppressed 'cause it's super dangerous then~ But First Gen isn't the type."
"Why not?"
"She made a meteor shower on a village at age five 'cause a friend stole her doll. No way she'd suddenly care about that."
"Why didn't the witch get wiped out?"
"Only First Gen could pull that off."
The head senior groaned that there was so much she needed to explain. First, she said witch potential and aptitude varied wildly person-to-person. Witches had diverse power natures and insane peaks unlike others, but it funneled into personal thinking, so abilities usually grew in specific directions.
"Witches can learn normal magic too, easier than regular folks training to be mages."
I nodded at the explanation—they manifested spells via mana equivalence exchange, unbound by circles. Mages must hate witches for that.
"Our Shti specializes in doll magic, but as a witch, she's attuned to divine magic. Meet the conditions, and she could summon an archangel."
"Hmm..."
"And despite appearances, I'm the death side—surprising, right? Sounds grand, but it's basically necromancy-adjacent. Or spirit summoning and exorcism."
"Ah..."
Witches could manifest phenomena with mere thought in their affinity. Currently, the strongest was First Gen—the hell-crawling evil god, with chaotic evil strength that's legendary. I didn't really want to know, but apparently she contracted demons, evil gods, demon lords, etc., slaving them to improve witch image and culture.
Bad witches? Mostly exterminated by First Gen, followers too—no grudges there. But some evil First Gen followers existed, so watch out, she sighed.
"Before how to handle witch powers, first: the three great taboos to avoid."
"Taboos...!"
Witches could do anything, but that talent ironically led to taboo-reaching categories, the head senior explained. I desperately avoided eye contact, Beatus gauged my mood, and silence hung over the cafe. All the first-years froze like time-stopped, watching me, then chattered on like nothing happened.
"Alright, keep the taboos in mind, and I'll teach you how to handle your powers."
"Yes'm."
"Honestly, you're already doing great from what I see—surprisingly simple."
Self-imposed limits on what you can do, plus a vow of if you do, how. With those two, you'd never use powers asleep from lack of control, she said. My imaginary friend freakout? Treasure stress/anxiety triggered witch power to self-protect.
"Near-death, witch powers surge massively."
So emotional control was key. Lose your mind at death's door? Catastrophe. Head senior sealed hers by not wielding her scythe. Senior Bukureshti—still encyclopedia-deep—used prayer as condition. Witches didn't need it, but magic mid-meal from thought alone? Disaster.
"...Hmm, should I add chanting then?"
"Ahaha! Fun idea, junior? Only for failing half-witches or 'all-purpose' types."
She petted my head, advising witches avoid chants to grow powers—like elves worshiping world trees or dwarves singing to iron/fire; it's pride, taboo or not, don't chant. Especially Second Gen me—First Gen followers might kill me as witch shame.
"Seriously."
"If it's too hard, I can teach weekends?"
"No, Senior? When did you get here?!"
"Shti zones out when focused—adorable."
She hugged me tight with a crack, so Beatus and I scooted back. Anyway, I declined her invite—club stuff, but classes first.
"I'm honestly on the failing edge."
"Flunk and shame the witches—seppuku?"
"Wah, Senior Bukureshti. Should I use an object like Head Senior?"
"What object?"
Saw it in a video Mom rented back home to watch together—doesn't she know? She recoiled in shock at "video," horrified. No way... she doesn't know VHS? How do city folks watch stuff then?
"You're worse than I thought..."
"Country bumpkin has limits... Anyway, if using a medium, beware: no medium means no witch powers."
Senior Bukureshti warned it could backfire-block potential, so choose carefully. Bonus advice: master self-control like First Gen for free use. Right now, witch awareness lacking, common sense blocking it.
"No exam anxiety crushing you, no big issues."
"...What happens if crushed?"
"Tell me if so? Expel you."
Senior Bukureshti shuddered at the thought; Yungmei too, scary stuff. Anyway, growth tales later—she found something, showing a book titled Myths and History.
"Our world has a negative dimension called the Void. Void Emperor-mimicking hollow balloon thing called Void Abomination. Its minions all empty inside but human-like."
"...That's it?"
"Dunno, first time seeing Void here. Hey."
She tipped that from here, I should investigate—familiars don't talk, but contracts let you sense thoughts/feelings. Bond deeper, know its nature naturally.
"Simple: raise affinity."
"Ah, thanks!"
"Start with a name."
"Since from the Void, you're Void Mask."
It shook its head happily. Wonder what the Void dimension even is if seniors don't know...
"...Hope observation logs don't spawn extra prof assignments."
"As third-year: walking thesis, three years torment. New species."
"Eek."
Plus flunking edge? Profs would love it. At merciless Head Senior's words, I thunked my head on the table.