Chapter 1

**Chapter One** of the first volume of the *Witch Hat Atelier* manga series.

## Summary

Coco is seen washing sheets at a river. While hanging the cleaned sheets, she sees a pegasus landed in their village. Excited, Coco, rush downstairs and encounters a young man standing at their front door. People who came from the winged chariot goes to Coco's shop to buy some laces.

The young man whom Coco encountered was also there to order some smoke-colored cloth. Coco offers to do the measurements for the young man's order since her mother is busy with the other people's orders. While doing the measurements, the young man eagerly stares at her work and tells her that she has a great concentration and has a lot of skill because the cloth was cut accurately and he thought that there are such marvelous artisans in the village and tells that it's magic.

Flustered by the compliments of the young man, Coco tells the young man excitedly that magic is more mysterious and sparkly. The young man then asks Coco the reason she likes magic that much.

Coco reveals that when she was young, her mom took her to a fair to the castle and she bought a thin book from a witch. But her mother told her that people do not become witches, they are born that way. Since then, Coco reveals that all she could do was to enjoy watching it. While in the middle of their conversation, a loud noise appears from outside. It appears that the winged chariot broke because of two village kids.

The young man offers to fix the winged chariot and revealed himself to be Qifrey, a witch. Coco offers Qifrey to use their shop for the spell since he can not do it outside. Qifrey then asks Coco to guard the door outside so nobody would peek. The two village kids from earlier try to sneak up on the roof to see the magic but Coco sees them. Saying that it's not fair, Coco also climbs up to the roof but unfortunately, the curtains of the windows are shut. Suddenly, a noise appears and Coco is able to enter the shop. Coco witnesses Qfirey drawing magic. After hearing Qifrey calling her name, Coco rushes to the outside door where she is initially told to guard. Qifrey successfully fixed the winged chariot. QIfrey bids farewell and tells Coco that may their paths crossed again.

That night, Coco draws some patterns she sees at the book she bought when she was a kid and manages to draw some magic.

Meanwhile, in a forest, Qifrey is having doubts about the picture book.

Coco manages to draw some magic and learns that ones drawn bigger are more powerful than tiny ones and the neat ones last longer than the messy ones. In order to get a neat drawing, Coco tries to put a paper under the light and trace over it. Barely saving Coco from behind, Qifrey manages to get away from the magic drawn by Coco. Qifrey then asks what magic Coco draw but Coco was unable to identify it since she only copies the patterns of the book.

Coco's mother goes outside to look for Coco but unfortunately, she is affected by the magic which turned her into a crystal-form like figure. Qifrey then says that anyone with special magic ink and chose magic glyphs can use magic and he needs to erase Coco's memory since she knew too much.

Coco refused and insistently told Qifrey that she can tell everything in the picture book and promise to find the book to save her mom. Qifrey then though that if the picture book is someone's whom which he fears, then when he erases her memory, he will lose his only lead. With these thoughts, Qifrey decides not to erase Coco's memory. Qifrey then told Coco that if he can't erase the truth she knows then he shall have her to become the one who keeps it a secret. Qifrey then tells Coco that she is now on her way to becoming a witch.

## Characters by Appearance

* Coco *(Debut)*
* Qifrey *(Debut)*
* Coco's Mother *(Debut)*
* Iguin *(Debut)*
* Three Unknowing rich sisters with a Pegasus Carriage.
* Two Unknowing village boys who break the Pegasus carriage.

## Chapter Notes

* The Pegasus Carriage and Pegasus were introduced in this chapter.