Book 3 - The Merchant from the Depths: Chapter 7; Observing a Foe

The screen turns on as the chapter title card plays "Chapter - 7; Observing a Foe".

Yuu was waiting in the hallway the next day for Jack, although close to just going about it on her own. She leaned against one of the pillars and spotted Jack so she waved at him, signaling where she was.

He walked up telling her "Yo. I'm here and ready to get this Azul recon started." She smiles and tells him "I wasn't expecting you to actually show up." while having some surprised thoughts about him willingly skipping class, since that goes against his morals.

He rubs the back of his head, slightly embarrassed as he explained "Look, the headmage ordered this personally. He'll let an unexcused absence slide. Besides, I don't like admittin' defeat. If there's a chance to uncover the secret to Azul's power, I wanna be there when we learn it." Yuu nods as the two head off to Azul's first class.

His first class is in a lecture hall being used for music. He sings a random tune, with no words, it's just "Traaa-lalala-lalalaaa…"

Yuu thinks he's kinda good but not all that impressive, especially given what he's singing. While Jack is positively surprised as his ears perk up and he says "Huh. Guy's got some pipes."

It then switches to Azul's next class, which is Animal Linguistics taking place in a classroom. Azul is leaning down in front of Professor Trien's cat as he makes some rather strange cat noises. The cat responds with its own cat noises. Azul then stands up straight as he says "Yes, yes, I see." He then turns to the teacher and tells him "Lucius says the last time you gave him a treat was three hours ago, Professor Trein." Professor Trein nods as he tells Azul "Well done, Ashengrotto. That's correct."

For this one Yuu and Jack's roles are reversed with Yuu being the surprised one and Jack being the rather calm one. Yuu is surprised that animal linguistics is an actually, and that people have the ability to talk with animals, as this is her first time ever learning about it. Although not necessarily surprised by Azul and his skills but more the class and what it teaches itself. Meanwhile Jack is well aware of animal linguistics, especially being a beastman, so although Azul's skills are impressive the only reason they are impressive is because of his age. This is made especially clear by Jack rhetorically asking "So he doesn't just understand animal languages – he speaks 'em, too?"

It then moves on to the period and class. This one takes place in a greenhouse used for alchemy, as Azul's next class was Potionology. Azul is standing in front of a cauldron, making a potion. He states the ingredients names as he puts them in, both for the teacher for the class credit and to just double go over what he's putting into the cauldron. Azul states the ingredients "A beluga tooth, a sturgeon egg, aurora moth scales, mermaid tears… Add in an extract from 120 types of medicinal herbs blended together, and…" he then puts in the last ingredient as a small poof of purple smoke bursts out of the cauldron, proving that he had made the potion correctly. He then pours it into a potion bottle/vial before exclaiming "Done! You can drink this potion to transform a body part into that of a different animal." as he proudly shows it off. Crewel smiles as he tells Azul "That's a very good boy! You just formulated a potion that would usually go on the junior-year class's final exams." Before telling all the other students in the class "The rest of you whelps should learn from Ashengrotto's example.

This time they're both surprised, Yuu thinks that he must've made a deal with someone to gain those skills, as Jack quietly exclaims "AND the guy brews high-level potions as easily as a barista slings lattes… Sheesh."

It then switches to lunch, as the two are sitting at a table, still watching him to see what Azul will get. Azul states "I think I'll have some squid ink pasta for lunch today. Ah, but I do need my vegetables as well. An all-carb meal would be quite nutritionally lopsided…" as he complains quieter "...and more to the point, it would go straight to my thighs."

Neither heard the last quieter bit as Jack comments "Seems like Azul's a perfect honors student in every way."

Just then Grim, Ace, and Deuce walk up and sit with them at their table. All three are entirely worn out as Grim complains "Mrooow… Azul sure didn't waste any time workin' us to the bone. If I wasn't dead on my feet before, I sure am now." Ace is the next to share "Cleanign Octavinelle Dorm, waiting tables at the lounge, going on grocery runs… He's been running me ragged." Deuce then airs his grievances "I got called in at 6 a.m. this morning."

Ace puts his head on the table as he complains "I gotta go back to help out at Mostro Lounge after this." Deuce then tells the other three who weren't in Heartslabyul "Housewarden Rosehearts was all like,-" he then mimics what Riddle had been like "You made a contract with Azul? Off with your head!" before continuing their complaining session "He made me write lines as punishment…"

Grim took his turn to complain again "This sea anemone on my head just won't come off, either. I look like a total goofball."

All three who made the deal then sigh.

But Jack feels no sympathy as he actually lightly chuckles at their misfortune before telling them "Pah. You reap what you sow."

But Yuu's brows are furrowed as she states "This work environment has some issues." not upset about them being put through it because of the deal. But more at how much they were forced to do within a day and the times they were forced to do it. As she then thinks back and realizes that she might've not even seen Grim last night.

Just then the tweels, or Leech twins walk up to their table as Jade asks them "Why the long faces, boys?" Floyd laughs as he jokingly points at the three saying "Look!~ It's a sea anemone garden!~"

Grim immediately gets defensive as they show up, shooting upwards and shouting in a clear panic "Myah! It's the lookalike brothers!"

The screen then fades to black as "To be continued" plays on screen before it fully turns off.