̊+‧꒰ა Beldaruit ⋮ Witch Hat Atelier ໒꒱ ‧+ ̊

{{Character |Katakana =ベルダルート |gender = Male |birthday = January 30th |status = Alive |occupation = Wise |affiliation = [[Three Wise]]
[[Pointed Hat Witches]]
[[Riliphin]] (Apprentice)
[[Qifrey]] (Former Apprentice) |manga =[[Chapter 30]] |image gallery = yes |name = {{char}} |alias = The Wise in Teachings |hair = Silver |eyes = Light grey |residence = [[Great Hall]] |french=Berdalute|spanish=Beldarut|german=Beldaruth}} '''{{char}}''' (ベルダルート, ''Berudarūto'') is one of the [[Three Wise]]. His title is the "Wise in Teachings," and he is responsible for overseeing the education of new witches. He was also [[Qifrey]]'s master.

==Appearance== {{char}} has long silver hair and grey eyes. He has noticeable wrinkles under his eyes, and a gentle gaze. {{char}} has a diamond-shaped motif on his hat tassel and robes. He has a [[sealchair]] that has the legs and horns of a ram.

His regular outfit consists of white and sky blue robes, and his pointed hat is also blue with a white gradient.

Due to chronic health issues (hypermobile joints, and need of a mobility aid perhaps indicative of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome), he cannot move much, and spends time bed-bound, interacting with the Assembly for his daily activities using clones made from smoke magic - unless the event he is attending is important enough for him to be there in person.

==Personality== He loves magic and is described by [[Olruggio]] as a inconceivably powerful but eccentric witch. He also seems to be a little irresponsible for his job that one of the members of the [[Knights Moralis]], [[Luluci]], has told Olruggio that "Lord {{char}} tends to be light on details when relaying information".{{Ref|m|31}} He doesn't have the highest esteem of his job, who he considers lesser compared to matters of justice and diplomacy handled by the other two Wise Ones{{Ref|m|31|6}}. His love of magic manifests in great skill at drawing, and he gets carried away talking about its wonder when meeting Coco, who shares his passion for the art.

He appears to be very fond of children, and is seen surrounded by a group of very young ones in the Assembly{{Ref|m|34|18}}, telling them stories accompanied by smoke illusions{{Ref|m|33|19}} and playing with them. His fun, flashy personality and showy magic also delights Coco, but aggravates adult witches.

Around his fellow Wise Ones, he shows a slightly more serious side, but remains extroverted and outspoken{{Ref|m|48}}.

==Relationships== ===[[Qifrey]]=== Qifrey is his first student. He saved Qifrey from being buried alive by the Brimmed Caps, however, the two now seem to have strained relationship.

=== [[Riliphin]] === Riliphin is his current student.

==Plot== ===[[Great Hall Arc]]=== [[File:Wise {{char}}'s first mention.webp|thumb|301x301px|The Wise of Instruction has ordered the witches to the Great Hall.]] After a grave situation, [[Luluci|Luluci,]] a member of the Knights Moralis, declares that everyone’s presence is requested at the [[Great Hall]]. As Luluci brings the message, [[Olruggio]] draws attention to Qifrey’s critical state and says he's in urgent need of medical care. Luluci assures that the order can wait until [[Qifrey]] is in a better state, but reminds Olurggio of his duty to report as the Watchful Eye. Suddenly, Qifrey faints, and Luluci offers to assist in bringing him to the [[Medical Spire|Great Hall’s Medical Tower]] through the windowway she arrived at. Olruggio asks her to promise that the children will be interrogated civilly; otherwise, they will leave. Luluci accepts this and clarifies that she wasn’t summoned by the [[Knights Moralis]], but by one of the three wise: {{char}}, the wise of instruction. The group frets over what that means for them before Luluci guides them through the [[windowway]]. As they follow, [[Ekoh]] and [[Etlan]] enthusiastically dash past them to look for any remaining witches inside the cave. [[Coco]] finds [[Agott]] rather angry about not finishing the second test, saying the trial was very important to her. Coco assures her that they only made it out because of her, and Agott reacts uncomfortably to the compliment.

The group arrives in the Great Hall, and Coco realizes that the stronghold is under the sea. Olruggio explains that the dense [[magic]] fog surrounding the hall allows them to breathe. He says that it's no surprise that Qifrey didn’t explain this to her, because he doesn’t have fond memories of this place. At the Medical Tower, [[Sinocia]] greets and helps Qifrey get medical care with the help of another doctor, [[Ermile]]. Coco wonders why none of the doctors are witches, and Luluci explains that it is illegal to practice both professions because of unsanctioned actions of the past. Sinocia comes back to announce that Qifrey’s wounds aren’t deep, and after some rest, he should be ok. Luluci attempts to keep the group moving to meet {{char}}, but Sinocia demands that everyone needs rest. The group relents and stops arguing, settling to spend the night at the tower. The next morning, Luluci continues to guide Olruggio and the girls to the wise’s domain by riding a [[Bubble Carriage|bubble carriage]]. Once they arrive in the hall, Luluci explains that at the end of the corridor, the silver gardens and wise {{char}} are waiting for them. Coco’s brushbuddy and Luluci stay behind as the group moves forward. Coco asks Olruggio what kind of person the Wise of instruction is, and Olruggio describes him as a great teacher and a creator of many great magics. He describes him as a monument in the Witch community in the present age. He is great…as a witch that is.

Coco is seen marveling at the [[Silverwood Tree|silverwood]] grove in the underwater stronghold. To her astonishment, Everyone drops to a bow, and Olruggio addresses himself before one of the three wise, {{char}}. After a moment, Olruggio grabs a tree branch and swats at the wise witch to discover he's only a smoke illusion. A voice calls to them from above, and the real {{char}} whines at Olruggio for ruining his extravagant entrance. Olruggio scolds the wise witch, saying he should act more dignified as the Wise of Instruction. {{char}} states that this is even more of a reason not to be, and that education is predicated on interest. He goes further to share his enthusiasm for a grand entrance with Coco, before explaining that, unlike [[Engendale|Engendill, the wise of friendships]], and [[Vinanna|Vinanna, the wise of principles]], his role is merely to lounge in his gardens and listen to what people have to say. Nevertheless, affairs related to tests and trials fall under his domain, and he gently coaxes the apprentices to tell him what happened at [[Cape Romonon]]. [[File:{{char}} offering to proctor exam.webp|thumb|238x238px|{{char}} offering to proctor the apprentice's second exam.]] After hearing the girls explain the situation, {{char}} assures that a search party will be sent out for [[Alaira]] and [[Euini|Eunie]], and ponders the matter of their interrupted exam. He suggests letting him proctor the little apprentice’s [[The Pentagram Test|Sincerity of the Shield retest]]. Agott bursts out in excitement at the idea, before realizing he addressed all the girls, not just her and [[Richeh]]. {{char}} acknowledges that all of them passed the first exam and further explains that the Sincerity of the Shield exam tests one's loyalty to magic and to protecting one's teachers and comrades. He proposes that they all work together to surprise him with magic within a timeframe of three days, to which Richeh agrees that working together will give them the best chance they have at passing. {{char}} states that they have the freedom to try as many times as they want at any time they choose, before disappearing in a giant cloud of sparkles and colors. The girls realize they had been talking to another illusion the whole time. As the group is leaving, Coco voices her amazement at meeting the wise witch, describing how he felt like Qifrey. Richeh and [[Tetia]] complain about how hungry they are, while Agott acknowledges that a bath would be great, before starting the exam. Olruggio agrees to take everyone to eat and bathe, but Luluci stops him. She reminds him that as a [[Watchful Eye]], his duty is to report what he witnesses. Olruggio argues that he told {{char}} everything he saw, but Luluci says that all reports that come through {{char}} first come out disorganized and chaotic. Olruggio relents and agrees to submit another report directly to her. As he leaves, Tetia and the others offer to give Coco a tour around the Great Hall, since it's her first time there.

After a rest day, Coco finds herself awake in the Medical Tower and thanks Sinocia for letting her stay the night with her mentor. Sinocia tells her it's no issue, since the magic tools they use ease the workload and leave more time free. She continues to tell Coco that she recognizes her worry for Qifrey’s well-being and to not fret too much. Later in the day, the girls gather to watch {{char}} from ways away, while trying to come up with magic that will surprise the Wise witch. Agott gains the courage and goes first, displaying a giant sand bridge like Olruggio did back at the Stairway River. The bridge spell is a very helpful and commonly used tool, so {{char}} compliments her but admits it is nothing extravagant. Tetia and Richeh try their luck, conjuring flowers from sand and crystal ribbons individually. {{char}} commends them once more, but admits that they’re creating predictable spells. The Wise witch then makes a display of all of their spells combined: a huge sand castle slide with crystal ribbon toppers and a flower field. Coco marvels at his work before {{char}} encourages them to stay strong and disappears into a mirage of fireworks and smoke, revealing him to be a smoke copy yet again. The little disciples head back to the Medical Tower to rest after the magic test attempts, whining about how difficult it's turning out to be. Coco elaborates that it makes sense he's desensitized to their attempts, given his constant exposure to amazing magic. Olruggio inquires about what they're struggling with and to fix it by changing their perspective on what he asked, to think of him as a client rather than a proctor. [[File:{{char}} recognizing Coco's determination.webp|thumb|205x205px|Wise {{char}} acknowledges Coco's enthusiasm for a new idea.]] After Olruggio’s advice, the girls decide to spend a day observing Wise {{char}} and analyzing what magic he’d want from them. The next day, the plan is put into action, and the girls split up to watch {{char}} in secret. Coco observes him from above as he plays with children, mulling over the possibility that his age has made him harder to impress. As she's mid-thought, a young male witch interrupts her after realizing she's wearing the same uniform as Agott. He asks Coco if it's true that Agott failed her second test and is now retaking it. Coco explains that they were held back by many external factors, but didn’t flunk. The boy voices his disagreement, going so far as to explain how she was kicked out of her family's apprenticeship as the daughter of the [[Adina|Arkrome family]]. When Coco inquires, the young witch tells her that Agott was kicked out because she stole someone else's magic and passed it off as hers on her debut. Coco rises to defend her friend, but finds Agott already listening to their conversation. In a panic, Agott rushes off, and Coco takes off after her, calling her name and asking her to wait. Agott finally stops and questions Coco if she believes what the witch, named [[Loroga]], said about her. Coco reassures her that she didn’t believe a word, because she knows how hard-working she is and that she’d never be ok with such a thing. Agott voices her goal of working hard, proving herself, and becoming the librarian the family needs. Hearing that, Coco finally comes up with an idea of what {{char}} wants to see from them. Coco leaps from the balcony railing and lands with her [[Sylph Shoes|sylph shoes]], catching her wind. {{char}} rests his eyes on her and smiles, recognizing the tell-tale signs of enthusiasm for a new idea. [[File:{{char}} pondering the exam's last day.webp|thumb|219x219px|{{char}} and Coco pondering the exam's last day.]] Coco reconvenes with Agott, excited and ready to discuss her idea. Agott then stops her short before she can continue, stating that it's her idea, so she shouldn’t share. Coco goes on to explain that she can’t put the idea on paper, so planning together is more efficient and fun. Richeh and Tetia join in and agree with Coco that combining their skills will be their best chance on the test. Agott takes time to consider viewing the exam through a different lens before telling Coco that she wants to help, too. After pulling out their materials, they celebrate and get to work. Back at the Medical Tower, Sinocia scolds the girls to get some rest after noticing them still working under their bed covers. Olruggio arrives, and Coco takes the opportunity to ask how to go about drawing a glyph. Olruggio notices her improved problem-solving skills and praises her. To his surprise, Agott agrees with him on Coco’s improvement. Olruggio quickly realizes the time, ushers all the girls to bed, and then heads to see Qifrey. Olruggio relays his thoughts on how fast his apprentices are growing, and that he’ll miss it if he doesn’t wake up. He also expresses that he needs him to wake up to discuss something important, something that will determine what his decision is. In his bed, {{char}} is seen up late, smoking a pipe and mulling over the fact that the test ends tomorrow.

As the next afternoon passes, {{char}} begins sulking, wondering where the little apprentices could be. As he starts to reconsider the timeframe he gave them, a tiny pouch comes and beckons him to follow down a staircase. As {{char}} and a few children approach the alleyway stairs, the passage adapts to allow his [[sealchair]] through. When the Wise Witch and the little witch children make it to the end of the staircase, they witness water raining down from the bottom of the sea. Coco reveals herself, holding an umbrella with the sky's light casting down from the inside. She emphasizes that rain at the bottom of the sea is a sight nobody in the Great Hall has seen. Each apprentice explains their role in making the beautiful display and surprise. Amid the children’s confused exclamations, the group gazes up as a rainbow forms under their umbrellas, the sun and rain combining.

Wise {{char}} confirms that the little ones wouldn’t have seen a rainbow, since they were raised under sea level. Coco jumps and shrieks in excitement from their achievement, making {{char}} laugh. He goes on to say that what surprised him most was his eagerness to attend in person, not through a smoke illusion. Wise {{char}} congratulates the girls and announces that they have officially passed their second test. Before the girls can rush back to tell their professors, Coco is dragged out of it after noticing the pouch jumping for her attention. The pouch tells Coco to follow the smoke and meet at nightfall, alone. As nightfall arrives, Coco is seen following the little pouch's instructions, using a guiding orb to lead her way to where the smoke takes her. [[File:Coco entering the Wise {{char}}'s chambers..webp|thumb|227x227px|Coco discovering she entered the Wise of Instruction's chambers.]] Coco wanders through the Great Hall, leading her to a huge pair of doors full of doorknobs. She reminds herself to follow the fog as she wonders how to open it, allowing her to find the right nob and push the doors open. A voice beckons her after she enters and finds the Wise of Teaching sitting in his chambers. {{char}} apologizes for calling her there, but states he's been meaning to talk to her. He invites her in for some tea, reaching for the dishes. Coco offers to help, but {{char}} assures her he’s alright. He pours some tea using a magic tool, and the drink suddenly takes the form of a dragon curled in the teacup. The Wise Witch tells Coco that the spell is called [[Palm Dragon Teacup]], a magic item that functions by combining a magic [[Spells|sigil]] on the plate and a magic circle on the bottom of the cup. Coco marvels at the unique and pretty magic, complimenting the idea. {{char}} enthusiastically agrees with her and further praises her and her fellow apprentices’ performance. He goes on to appreciate every detail and express how genuinely excited he was by the magic. {{char}} expresses that trial and error, learning, and achievement drive his love for magic. Coco concurs, and they both express their love for the art. [[File:The Wise of Instruction was Qifrey's professor.webp|thumb|282x282px|{{char}} revealing Qifrey was his first apprentice.]] The Wise pulls down a wooden desk from above his bed and draws up a smoke dragon spell. Coco watches the small smoke dragon fly around her before {{char}} speaks further to her. He explains that those who love magic equally thirst for knowledge, and magic quenches that thirst with love. Coco resonates with that because of her [[Outsiders|newer perspective on the world of magic]]. As the Wise finishes his words, the smoke dragon agitates and flies into her, disappearing on impact. Coco grows weary of the Wise’s words in tandem with the suddenly aggressive magic imagery. {{char}} apologizes for the surprise, stating he's heard all about her from someone. To Coco’s confusion, the Wise witch clarifies that the teacup magic was a gift from his first apprentice, a witch who specializes in water magic. Coco realizes that the person {{char}} refers to is Qifrey. As the Wise witch of instruction, {{char}} feels it's his duty to ensure every witch’s safety when learning. Due to this, he offers Coco the opportunity to become his apprentice, so he can protect her from the [[Brimmed Cap Group|Brimhats]], the Knights Moralis, and even Qifrey himself. Coco pauses and questions why she needed protection from Qifrey, too. At present, in the Medical Tower, Qifrey awakens and asks for Coco.

While Olruggio and Qifrey debate about their views on Coco, Coco bristles and questions why the Wise of instruction wants to keep her from Qifrey. {{char}} explains that his fate was intertwined with the Brimhats and that he might just bring her closer to them. Coco retorts that Qifrey risks his own life to protect them, and that it's not his fault they now haunt him; it’s her they want. {{char}} states that he thinks that's all the more reason for her to stay at the Great Hall. He adds that under the guise of protecting her, Qifrey might chase his personal grudges against them instead. Presently, Coco grows curious at the mention of his past and asks what happened between him and the Brimhats. {{char}} gives in and agrees to tell Coco about Qifrey’s past, since he hasn't. [[File:The Wise of principles and instruction find young Qifrey.webp|thumb|Wise {{char}} finds young Qifrey in a waterlogged coffin.]] In a past time, in the rainy and [[Forest of Thristas|dark forest of Thristas]], the Knights Moralis are trudging through the brush looking for leads to the Brimhats. Wise Vinanna is seen leading the scout, with Wise {{char}} assisting in the search by repelling the rain around them. As they look, {{char}} happens upon fresh blood, and the group quickly places it in a [[Guidance Orb|guidance orb]] to locate the source. The orb guides them to a large tree, pointing to the roots. {{char}} uses his magic to clear the ground away, only to happen upon a coffin of unknown origin. He notes no smell of rot before the Knights Moralis open it, only to find a young boy inside. They work fast to get him out of the waterlogged coffin, wrapping him up and asking if he’s ok. {{char}} asks the boy for his name, only for him to reply, “It was taken by a witch…”. As the boy speaks, he lifts his head to reveal his missing right eye behind his hair.

Back in the present, {{char}} concludes that this was Qifrey before he came to the Great Hall. His memory and evidence were wiped clean by the Brimhats and left with only his life. The wise explains that he managed to convince the Knights Moralis to relent Qifrey into his care, to become a witch as his apprentice. Even with a new life in front of him, the young boy still sought after his past and his right eye. Qifrey would consistently sneak out in search of clues and leads, fueled by hatred and obsession; even finding a close friend didn’t stop him. Eventually, the path led him to the [[Tower of Tomes]], where his search came to an abrupt end. Coco perks up at the mention of the Tower of Tomes and asks why he stopped searching. {{char}} concurs that he probably realized that reclaiming his lost eye and memories would require [[Forbidden Magic|forbidden magic]], leading him down a dark path of unbearable loss. He likens the situation to Coco as well, saying this holds true for her, too. Coco fears his argument, asking the Wise what she should do if there were [[Coco's Mother|a person only forbidden magic could save]]. She continues to ask if she wants to save them, but can’t find anything that would work in the Tower of Tomes or from outside sources; would she have to renounce her title as a witch? The Wise tells her that she should’ve realized from when she picked up the pen that not everyone can be saved by magic. He continues, saying that boundless power can bring boundless harm in return, and that it's best to accept humanity's limits. [[File:{{char}} suddenly appearing in a panic.webp|thumb|205x205px|Wise {{char}} quickly asking Olruggio and Qifrey for help.]] Back in the Medical Tower, Olruggio continues to grill Qifrey for the real reason he took Coco up as his apprentice. Olruggio tells Qifrey that he repaired his glasses after the Romonon incident and noticed the left lens had corrective lenses that weren’t there before. He concludes the lens had ink mixed with bride butterfly scales to help block hard lighting. Olruggio begins to ask Qifrey whether his loss of vision is fueling his renewed pursuit of the Brimhats. Before Qifrey can retort, a smoke illusion of {{char}} suddenly appears, asking if he can follow him quickly. The Wise admits it's his fault for what just happened, and admits that Coco left the Great Hall on her own after answering her question. Qifrey interrogates {{char}} on what he said to her, the Wise stating he simply told her how to save a person whom only forbidden magic could save. Qifrey rushes to go after her, collapsing on Olruggio in the process. The Watchful Eye tells him that if she used a windowway, she could be anywhere, but Qifrey confirms he has a clue about where she went. While they converse, Coco arrives through the portal at the lake where the Tower of Tomes rests.

As Coco arrives at the Tower of Tomes, she stops to see the bridge and tower in the distance. As she makes her way closer, she is suddenly confronted by a large creature in the water. Meanwhile, back at the Great Hall, Qifrey, Olruggio, and little illusory {{char}} find the supposed windowway that Coco used to reach the Tower of Tomes and pause to rethink her destination. Qifrey admits he once showed her the combination and marvels at her memory. {{char}} reminds him not to underestimate a child’s fascination. Qifrey then jumps through the door and says he doesn’t know where else she'd go. As Qifrey arrives and assesses the situation, he's abruptly confronted by the [[The Guardian of the Tower of Tomes|Guardian of the lake]]. He notices the monster attacking a cliff further away and concludes that Coco is probably over there. The professor uses a spell that creates a water duplicate of the monsters to distract them while he flies over to where Coco is hiding. All while this is happening, Olruggio and Mini {{char}} watch Qifrey in action, and {{char}} admits he might’ve misjudged Qifrey. To Olruggio's confusion, {{char}} admits he was worried that Qifrey might go too far in recovering what he lost and risk his apprentice's lives in the process, but he now realizes he's wrong. After witnessing Qifrey nearly lose his dominant arm to save Coco, he concludes that Qifrey has adopted the look and instincts of a true teacher. As they watch and wait for Qifrey to return with Coco, Olruggio grows nervous and asks the Wise if he can do something to help. {{char}} jokes that not only is he a mere smoke illusion, but he's also much too tiny to assist. Olruggio grows irritated at his remarks and blows at his smoke illusion to distort it. [[File:{{char}} assuring Coco of her answer.webp|thumb|226x226px|Wise {{char}} reassuring Coco of her reply.]] As Coco and Qifrey rush back through the windowway to escape the guardians, Olruggio closes the gate to the Great Hall. They are all catching their breath before Olruggio begins to scold them for their recklessness while drying them off with his [[Link Rings|link rings]]. Qifrey reiterates that he was thankful for Coco going back to save him. The Wise of Instruction suddenly clears his throat as he appears, and before Coco can address him, he cuts her off to say he doesn’t need an answer from her as he recognizes she has hers. He goes on to tell her that she will always be the one to decide what she learns and draws, how far she’ll progress, and what she wishes to aim for. He concludes that no one should change their mind from what they desire. Qifrey suddenly addresses him, then reminds him that this was his fault and scolds him for stirring Coco's anxiety and saying unreasonable things. {{char}} jokingly tries to brush him off as he grills him about trying to recruit his apprentice and digs deeper into him for his actions. Olruggio takes the chance to go ask Coco if she truly wants to stay with Qifrey as his apprentice, reiterating that she can choose whoever she wants to mentor her. Coco thinks to herself how thankful she was to Professor Qifrey for what he said to her, reminding her of hope, because she believes she could’ve fallen into despair and played into forbidden magic’s hands. She responds to Olruggio, saying yes, she is glad to have Qifrey as her professor.

They begin gathering their things before Olruggio reminds Qifrey they have something to discuss, but Qifrey tells him he wants to return home first. Back in the Silver Gardens, Wise {{char}} is seen gazing out over the little pond, before [[Riliphin]] arrives to inform him that Qifrey and the others have returned to their atelier. Riliphin recognizes that {{char}} isn’t in his illusory form, but actually present. The pupil reminds the Wise witch to be careful with over-exerting himself, as it's bad for his already frail state. {{char}} states that he's feeling rather well today and that he wanted to see off his former pupil in person. The Wise witch then reminds Riliphin that he could’ve also seen his little sister, Richeh, off before they left. Riliphin shoots down the idea, admitting he feels like a pathetic older brother who didn’t help his little sibling when she needed him most, so he couldn’t bear to face her. {{char}} assures him that he's nothing close to pathetic. He then explains that Silverwood trees take root only in places where they feel relaxed and comfortable, no matter the environment. Riliphin likens the tree species to humans in how they choose where to live. {{char}} suddenly thinks back to Qifrey, who called his atelier his “home,” and hopes he won't destroy the place he so carefully built for himself.

===[[Silver Night Festival Arc]]===

==Magical Items== *'''[[Sealchair]]''': {{char}} has his own personal sealchair which can carry him around. The sealchair has the horns and legs of a ram.{{Ref|m|31}} [[File:{{char}}'s Sealchair.png|thumb|left|{{char}}'s Sealchair as described above]] {{-}}

== Quotes ==

• “I am so fond of magic. I’d perhaps go so far as to call it my one true love. Those who love magic have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and those who thirst for knowledge are in turn love back by the spells.“ — [[Volume 6|Vol.6]], [[Chapter 25]]