Sifla is a witch who happened to be the ancestor of the modern-day young witch of the same name that featured in Little Witch Academia: The Nonsensical Witch and the Country of Fairies.
Appearance
As Akko noted, Sifla greatly resembles her modern-day descendant and successor, albeit older and more beautiful, as Akko put it. She also wore the same attire as the latter, minus the hooded coat as a spirit.
Personality
As a historical figure, there are different interpretations of who the original Sifla was. Those from older magical families spoke of her with a reverence not unlike with Nine Olde Witches and Jennifer the Witch, praising her role as the guardian of Doras Hill and courage to form a contract with the Hill's Fairy King as well as establishing a friendly relationship between the region and Luna Nova. While this interpretation is close to the truth as Akko discovered, certain aspects about her had been romanticized as not only have many people had forgot who Fairy King of Doras Hill truly was, but also there's an implied disagreement between Sifla and most conservative magical families and inhabitants of Doras Hill alike where the former explicitly believed that magic exists to bring joy and happiness upon everyone as much as being part of tradition instead of restricted solely for the latter, a disagreement not unlike the one between them and Shiny Chariot.
Much like Woodward, it appears Sifla's time as a spirit made her distant toward the living, albeit not as aloof and apathetic as the former. In fact, while her decision to punish Feoras and Alan by cursing them into out-of-control monsters seemingly locked in a fight to the death can be considered extreme, it must be noted that she did so because of her upset to see how much the two's stubbornness and denial over the truth regarding Fairy King of Doras Hill made them lost their path thus necessitating her to humble them in the harshest way possible. Moreover, Sifla took the well-being of those who were involved in the trial for the position of Fairy King, including Feoras and Alan's own, into account somewhat better than Woodward with Ursula/Chariot and Croix did, since she let Akko watched her performing the deed so as the Japanese understood the gravity of their errors leading her and her modern-day successor and descendant to work together in restoring back to normal as opposed of leaving the new kings of Cat-Sith and Cu-Sith in their own fate.
History
Background
Sifla befriended the first kings of Cat-Sith and Cu-Sith of Doras Hill and convinced the two to work together in order to bring peace and prosperity to the region at its fullest, acting as the mediator between both rulers and their respective tribes and ensuring three of them worked together as one. Such a feat earned her recognition from the people of the magic community, where they revered her as much as Jennifer the Witch and Nine Olde Witches. However, certain aspects of her legend were gradually misunderstood as time passed that by the modern era, everyone believed that Sifla successfully formed a contract between her and the mythical fairy king of Doras Hill while others failed to do the same as written in Sifla's The Origin of the Fairy King thus making her equaled Jennifer the Witch reputation-wise.
Regardless, her name has since become the title of the witch guardian of Doras Hill passed down throughout her family's generations in the female line. Among her duties that were passed down to her successors were ensuring those who visit Doras Hill remain behaved owing to its inhabitants' distrust toward meddlers, explaining why Luna Nova must sign a contract with each Sifla to provide her support over the years in return for permission to bring the academy's students there once each year.
Little Witch Academia: The Nonsensical Witch and the Country of Fairies
Sifla the 1st is mentioned throughout Akko and co.'s field trip to Doras Hill including her great achievements.
While reviving 13 Sacred Trees of Doras Hill, Akko had separate visions which showed some insights into what her past truly looked like. The first, which she saw while under the effect of a special concoction one must drink to commence the trial, shows Sifla the 1st comforting first kings of Cat-Sith and Coin-Sith after the two had a fight and promised to take care of them under the condition where they won't fight anymore. In the second vision, which is induced by Sucy's purple potion mixed with powdered trunk extract of the 6th Sacred Tree, Sifla discuss with Feoras and Alan's predecessors about magic being used to bring smile upon everyone and that the role of Fairy King of Doras Hill is shared by three of them for the cats (Cait-Sith) bring freedom, dogs (Coin-Sith) ensures loyalty and the witches (particularly Sifla) wields the power to protect, necessitating them to work together as one.
Sifla the 1st is not seen again until she summoned Akko, Feoras, and Alan to a plane of existence resembling black void as they work on reviving Ivy, the 11th Tree of 13 Sacred Trees of Doras Hill. There, she inquires them what they truly wished for. Feoras, in denial over the truth about Fairy King of Doras Hill Akko relayed on him throughout the progress of their trial in reviving the Sacred Trees, unwisely expresses his desire to become the all-powerful fairy king who shall subjugate Coin-Sith along with the rest of fairies of Doras Hill and silence those who question him. Naturally, the devastated Alan opposes such desire thus obliged to stop him. Exasperated by this, Sifla cursed the two into monstrous, kaiju-version of themselves yet let Akko watch the whole thing, both so the brunette can see the extent of how much both kings of Doras Hill lost their path in their pride thus fulfilling her part in humbling them. The endeavor succeeds, and Sifla the 1st appears once again to see the outcome alongside other inhabitants of Doras Hill Akko and co. encountered minus Cat-Sith and Coin-Sith and christens the two, alongside the modern-day Sifla as the true Fairy King they meant to be.
Abilities and Equipment
Sifla's magic bracelet.
True to the legends that surrounding her and Fairy King of Doras Hill, Sifla is a powerful witch whose power arguably in the same level as Jennifer the Witch or Nine Olde Witches such as Woodward, if not more. Like the latter, she has attained enough power in life to be able to return as a ghost to guide and watch over younger generations of magic users while retaining her magical abilities.
Unlike other witches and wizards, she casts her spells through the use of enchanted silver bracelet.
Gallery
Trivia
- Her interaction with Feoras and Alan can be compared with that of Woodward with Chariot du Nord and Croix Meridies.
- Though speculative, it's implied that there was a disagreement between Sifla the 1st and traditionalist magical families about magic not unlike Shiny Chariot and latter's own in modern day which explained the romanticization of her tale. Both Sifla the 1st and Shiny Chariot believed magic can be used to bring smile upon everyone as much as being part of tradition as opposed of traditionalist magical families who insisted it solely existed to uphold tradition alone. This didn't help by the same magical families gravely misunderstood the true nature of Fairy King of Doras Hill as much as both Cat-Sith and Coin-Sith tribes of Doras Hill.
- Unlike Shiny Chariot however, Sifla the 1st was spared from ridicule since she managed to earn their respect which arguably a begrudging one through her deeds as the guardian of Doras Hill.