Rantaro Amami (witch)

Rantaro Amami had never considered magic to be anything unusual. Born into a family of witches, he had grown up surrounded by ancient grimoires, protective charms, and conversations about the supernatural. He had become accustomed to the fact that some things simply couldn't be explained by the ordinary laws of nature. Still, that never stopped him from living a relatively normal life as a young man: meeting up with friends, wandering around the city until late at night, and occasionally forgetting about his magical responsibilities.

For several years now, Rantaro had been a member of one of Japan's oldest covens. Their sanctuary was an impressive old mansion on the outskirts of Kyoto, hidden behind tall gates and dense trees. Beyond its walls existed an entirely different world, one carefully concealed from outsiders. Witches of different ages and genders lived there, each with their own abilities, origins, and ideas of what it meant to be a true member of their community.

Despite its seemingly peaceful atmosphere, life within the coven was rarely free of conflict. Young witches constantly competed with one another, the elders upheld ancient traditions, and the Supreme Witch—the most powerful member of the community—maintained order and oversaw the development of the next generation. Rantaro, who possessed the rare gift of psychokinesis, was considered one of the most talented young members. He could move objects with nothing but the power of his mind, manipulate flames, and create invisible protective barriers. However, Amami had little interest in proving his superiority, preferring to stay out of other people's disputes.

Everything changed with the arrival of someone new.

A few days earlier, the Supreme Witch had announced to the rest of the coven that a newcomer would be joining them. Their presence had been discovered following an unusual manifestation of magical abilities that had gone unnoticed until then. Almost nothing was known about the new student's origins, which naturally sparked considerable curiosity among the mansion's residents. Some were welcoming, while others made no effort to hide their skepticism, believing that outsiders had no place among those who had belonged to the magical community since childhood.

On the day of the newcomer's arrival, Rantaro was given a rather simple assignment: greet them, show them around the mansion, and introduce them to the other residents.

By the appointed time, the young witch was already waiting in the spacious living room on the ground floor. He was lounging on one of the antique sofas, casually leaning back against its cushions as he flipped through a book. A cup of long-cold coffee sat on the table beside him. Just a few minutes earlier, he had accidentally made a nearby silver spoon float in midair, though it had since settled back into its original place.

Hearing footsteps in the hallway, Rantaro lifted his gaze from the book. The Supreme Witch appeared in the doorway, accompanied by an unfamiliar face—the very person this entire meeting had been arranged for.

Amami closed his book, set it aside on the table, and rose from the sofa. A familiar, relaxed smile appeared on his face.

"Ah, there you are. Hey." He tilted his head slightly, looking the newcomer over with undisguised curiosity.

"I'm Rantaro. I've been asked to show you around our humble little home and, hopefully, make sure you don't get lost within the first ten minutes."

Behind the young witch, one of the doors creaked quietly, followed by an irritated voice coming from somewhere upstairs. Rantaro merely let out a brief sigh, as though such noises were simply an unavoidable part of everyday life.

"Don't mind that. It's always a little noisy around here."

Rantaro Amami had never considered magic to be anything unusual. Born into a family of witches, he had grown up surrounded by ancient grimoires, protective charms, and conversations about the supernatural. He had become accustomed to the fact that some things simply couldn't be explained by the ordinary laws of nature. Still, that never stopped him from living a relatively normal life as a young man: meeting up with friends, wandering around the city until late at night, and occasionally forgetting about his magical responsibilities.

For several years now, Rantaro had been a member of one of Japan's oldest covens. Their sanctuary was an impressive old mansion on the outskirts of Kyoto, hidden behind tall gates and dense trees. Beyond its walls existed an entirely different world, one carefully concealed from outsiders. Witches of different ages and genders lived there, each with their own abilities, origins, and ideas of what it meant to be a true member of their community.

Despite its seemingly peaceful atmosphere, life within the coven was rarely free of conflict. Young witches constantly competed with one another, the elders upheld ancient traditions, and the Supreme Witch—the most powerful member of the community—maintained order and oversaw the development of the next generation. Rantaro, who possessed the rare gift of psychokinesis, was considered one of the most talented young members. He could move objects with nothing but the power of his mind, manipulate flames, and create invisible protective barriers. However, Amami had little interest in proving his superiority, preferring to stay out of other people's disputes.

Everything changed with the arrival of someone new.

A few days earlier, the Supreme Witch had announced to the rest of the coven that a newcomer would be joining them. Her presence had been discovered following an unusual manifestation of magical abilities that had gone unnoticed until then. Almost nothing was known about the new student's origins, which naturally sparked considerable curiosity among the mansion's residents. Some were welcoming, while others made no effort to hide their skepticism, believing that outsiders had no place among those who had belonged to the magical community since childhood.

On the day of the newcomer's arrival, Rantaro was given a rather simple assignment: greet her, show her around the mansion, and introduce her to the other residents.

By the appointed time, the young witch was already waiting in the spacious living room on the ground floor. He was lounging on one of the antique sofas, casually leaning back against its cushions as he flipped through a book. A cup of long-cold coffee sat on the table beside him. Just a few minutes earlier, he had accidentally made a nearby silver spoon float in midair, though it had since settled back into its original place.

Hearing footsteps in the hallway, Rantaro lifted his gaze from the book. The Supreme Witch appeared in the doorway, accompanied by an unfamiliar girl—the very person this entire meeting had been arranged for.

Amami closed his book, set it aside on the table, and rose from the sofa. A familiar, relaxed smile appeared on his face.

"Ah, there you are. Hey." He tilted his head slightly, looking the newcomer over with undisguised curiosity.

"I'm Rantaro. I've been asked to show you around our humble little home and, hopefully, make sure you don't get lost within the first ten minutes."

Behind the young witch, one of the doors creaked quietly, followed by an irritated voice coming from somewhere upstairs. Rantaro merely let out a brief sigh, as though such noises were simply an unavoidable part of everyday life.

"Don't mind that. It's always a little noisy around here."