Chapter 17

**Chapter Seventeen** of the third volume of the *Witch Hat Atelier* manga series.

## Summary

Tartah is surprised Coco wants to use magic to help him. Taking inspiration from the Wall Breaker Seal, Coco inverts the keystones to produce the opposite effect. The result is a spell that gathers small particles and gives them shape. Since Tartah studied the herbs before being powdered, Coco attempts to return them to their original state so the boy can identify which ones can be used to make medicine.

However, the spell only succeeds partially, arranging the dust into a shapeless mass. Coco feels embarrassed that her spell failed, but Tartah believes he can figure out how to perfect the spell. Since Coco only drew the top and bottom keystones, the spell lacked balance. By drawing the right and left keystones aswell, Tartah manages to return the powders to their original state, but none of them turn out to be medicinal herbs, so he goes back to the storage room to look for the right ones. Tartah uses the spell and identifies a number of herbs, eventually finding the one that can be used to cure Coco. Suddenly, a doctor enters the room and asks Tartah what he’s doing there.

The doctor explains that the hospital would never be without staff: she was preparing the west wing to receive the fire victims. She reprimends Tartah for trying to give Coco medicine without knowing wether she had been prescribed another treatment. As the doctor feeds Coco a substance, she explains that medicine can easily become poison if one doesn’t acquire the proper knowledge. She does, nonetheless, compliment Tartah’s knowledge on the different herbs and asks him if he would be interested in studying medicine. However, she sees his hat laying on the bed and realizes he’s a witch.

Elsewhere in the city, Qifrey rescues a baby in a burning building. As more witches arrive, Qifrey tries to leave, but a man tells him the shop is still on fire and he should stay and help. The man tells Qifrey that he could put out the fire easily if he wanted because he’s a witch. The other witches tell Qifrey they can handle the fire on their own and he hurries to the hospital, finding Coco and Tartah asleep.

By morning, Coco’s fever has come down. She thanks Tartah, and the boy thanks her back for helping him be of use. Mr. Nolnoa and Qifrey wait for them outside. At the port, Nolnoa tells Tartah he was worried because there was a fire that night and he didn’t make it back home. The old man thanks Qifrey for informing him. Tartah asks Qifrey about the big flash of light from the last time he visited the shop, but he doesn’t seem to know what Tartah is talking about. Tartah decides to keep investigating the issue on his own. As the ferry departs, Tartah promises Coco he’s going to make her a pen, cross the river using his own magic and deliver it to her. Coco responds she’s looking forward to it.

On their way back home, Coco confesses to Qifrey she couldn’t sleep due to her nightmares, but she feels better now. She thinks that, if she inverts the keystones of the spell that turned her mother into stone, she should be able to reverse it. They get back to the atelier and meet with Olruggio and the other students(Agott, Richeh and Tetia). In another place, two Brimmed Cap witches comment that the Pointed Hat Witches are more resourceful than they initially thought. The Brimmed Cap witch that gave Coco the book of forbidden magic asks the other Brimmed Cap witch if he will be making his move next. The figure is revealed to be an empty cape and hat suspended in the air. The Brimmed Cap witch says he won’t let his chance slip by when the time for the test comes.

## Characters by Appearance

* Coco
* Tartah
* Unknowing doctor that treats Coco
* Qifrey
* Unknowing civilians near the fire
* Unknowing bar owner
* Nolnoa
* Agott
* Olruggio
* Richeh
* Tetia
* Iguin
* Sasaran *(Debut)*