Monica Everett is a genius mage who delves into the mathematics that underpin magic. She even worked out how to do the impossible: Unchanted Magic. Magicians normally need to use chants to weave the underpinning physics. Monica, however, is able to instantly see the numbers behind spells. Her father, too, researched the numbers behind reality, but his work was seen as heretical and was destroyed.
Secrets of the Silent Witch picks up after Monica’s Unchanted Magic had been recognized. She had been elevated to be one of the kingdom’s Seven Sages, a group of the most powerful mages. Despite her ability, Monica lives a hermit’s life in a cabin, studying magic and numbers like her father did. But one day fellow Sage, Louis Miller, pays her a visit with a mission she cannot refuse.
Spoilers ahead.
Monica is to go undercover and guard the second prince of the kingdom, Felix Arc Ridill, at Serendia Academy. The main problem: Monica has such extreme social anxiety that she can’t function. To fulfill the mission, Monica has to act as a commoner adopted into the Norton family. Isabelle Norton agrees to cooperate with the mission and poses herself as a villainous that “abuses” Monica to make the cover story more convincing. Isabelle adores Monica in private, helping Monica with not only her mission but her social anxiety. Monica ends up joining the student council, where Felix acts as president. Felix and the other members notice her ability with numbers and place her in the role of accountant. Initially, Felix suspects her to be a spy or assassin, but Monica soon proves herself reliable. The other members of the student council also grow fond of her, looking out for her whenever her commoner cover story leads to some of the noblewomen attempting to bully her.
Monica befriends Lana Colette in addition to the boys and Isabelle. Lana also helps defend Monica and provides the support Monica needs to stand up for herself. Monica also is approached by another girl, Casey Grove. Monica soon views Casey as a friend. Casey, however, is an undercover assassin targeting Felix. Monica is a means to that end. As Casey’s assassination plot unravels and as Monica confronts her, Casey denies their friendship, but Monica still pleas with Louis, who takes Casey into custody after Monica’s manipulation of his school-wide barrier draws his attention. Louis agrees to spare Casey the death penalty. This scene marks a point in Monica’s character development. She stands up for someone she deems a friend even after Casey betrays her.
Social anxiety stands as one of Monica’s greatest difficulties. Magical challenges pose more fascination than a threat, even during Casey’s assassination plot. Monica would rather unravel a deadly spell than eat with a group of people! When she’s required to dance and socialize, she collapses into a gibbering mess that even her cat familiar Nero struggles to pull her from. Monica is frustrated by her inability to handle people. Monica provides a realistic look at social anxiety. It can be debilitating. Monica’s scenes of social anxiety captures the gibbering panic that can arise in extreme cases. But Monica also pushes forward and through that anxiety, growing a little each time. The people around her also are patient and supportive of her. Lana, Felix, Cyril, and Isabella in particular stand up and shield her when needed while also allowing Monica space to push herself through her anxiety. This combination is what people with social anxiety need. Too much protection becomes enabling while too little can lead to health declines and increased anxiety. Space and support can help a person grow more tolerate of their social anxiety. But as Monica shows, this doesn’t mean the anxiety disappears. Monica makes progress and develops various coping techniques, such as analyzing the facets of a gem brooch while dancing, to help her function a little easier.
Monica is also more than her social anxiety. She is memorized by numbers and the reality they represent. She is also willing to try new things like chess and horse riding. For as reserved as she is, she remains open minded. She is also capable of feats of magic that amaze even her fellow Sages. And to round everything, Monica puts herself into danger in order to save others with little hesitation–just don’t ask her to give a speech!
Secrets of the Silent Witch has romantic elements among Monica, Cyril, and Felix. Monica saves Cyril’s life after his innate magic starts to consume him. Cyril’s romantic element remains ambiguous. He can be seen as an elder brother character instead. Felix is more overt. He develops a crush on Monica because she sees him and not his title, among many other reasons. Felix is understanding toward Monica and devises ways to help her function a little easier in public. He admires her Sage persona–without openly connecting Monica with the Sage–and has read her published papers on magic. They share a love for reading and learning.
Secrets of the Silent Witch spends most of its time centered on the academy, but it develops on the sly an interesting world. It’s magic has an interesting, physics-like, system where magical artifacts can become sentient, and certain spells, such as mind manipulation, have regulations restricting or banning those spells. There’s the usual common and noble tensions common to these sort of stories. The story only sketches the political landscape: noble houses vie against each other for influence, and assassination isn’t something outside possibility or all that shocking. Felix expects attempts on his life. The academy represents a place where the scions of noble families build alliances and rivalries that will shift the kingdom’s future dynamics. The story only sketches all of this in the background, but it helps the world feel alive. The spirit familiars that appear in the story, such as Nero and Ryn, add another overlap bridging magic and politics. This makes the world feel lived in, which is something many isekai fail to do. Secrets of the Silent Witch is a welcome non-isekai fantasy amid the glut of isekai.
Secrets of the Silent Witch has serviceable animation. It didn’t have scenes that wowed me, but it also didn’t distract me with scenes that drop in quality. The scenes where Monica casts her magic provide an otherworldly contrast to the everyday.
Monica stands as an interesting character whose social anxiety will resonate with anyone who also suffers from it. Social anxiety remains with you; it’s something that is managed rather than overcome. Monica makes a little progress on her own social anxiety. She sometimes takes steps backward before moving forward again. Working on any difficulty works this way. Returning to your previous progress point is sometimes the best you can ask for. Monica’s friends also provide a useful model. They support and shield, provide her space to push herself, and otherwise avoid enabling her anxiety. Monica also shows that, while her anxiety is a difficulty, her anxiety isn’t her entire character. It’s easy to consider a debilitating difficulty like social anxiety as the whole of your personality.
Secrets of the Silent Witch joins Komi Can’t Communicate as helpful examinations of social anxiety and the distorted perspectives that associate with it. And Secrets offers a good story. I recommend giving it a watch if you enjoy fantasy stories.
