Azi heaved a hot and heavy breath. Why specifically? Well.. A girl was on top of him in bed, and a looker at that. By all definitions, and means of his limited experience with women, she was a damn beauty. Dark brown hair trailed down her back in two long tails, one to the right and the other to the left, like streaks of a glossy river.
Her youthful features were framed with two deep, bright red eyes, short cut hair from the front parted to her right, and two long furry brown ears drooping down from the sides of where her ears were. Her name was Shizu, and she as well heaved a hot and heavy breath sharing in this moment they were having.
She gazed down at him and while any man would desire to have such a pretty woman straddle him in bed, Azi had no such desires, especially with how this specific pretty woman had proven to be a pain to deal with. Annoying, proud, and an overall spoiled princess in his opinion, Shizu epitomized what Azi would define as a problem child.
The truth behind their ragged breaths was the ongoing tussle they had in bed, and not the friendly or couple kind, more like the kind where two people try to make the other yield via brutal force. In blunt summary, it was a childish fight.
At this point, Azi was starting to think that the only way to get out of this was to break his head against her face. He held back that notion, it would be too harsh and drawing blood was not his intention.
He did for a moment, contemplated the idea and realized he’d probably get a concussion with how thick-headed Shizu was. Diplomacy came first, a.. kind of diplomacy, his emotions came first.
“Will.. You! Get! Off!” He yelled, pushing back, trying to get himself up or roll to the side. It had no effect. Shizu’s weight was immense with how much taller she was, and her legs tightened over his chest, almost suffocating him.
“I told you, didn't I?” Shizu said. “I’m getting my recompense. This is for your disobedience and for touching my breasts.”
“This isn’t fair!” Azi declared. “You made me touch your breasts! And why are you getting all handsy with me? What are you? A loose girl? I thought nobles were respectful and dignified.”
“Ha! Loose? You call me? Loose? How dare you say that to my face! Of course I can be dignified.”
“How about respectful?” Azi derisively stared at her. “I’m older than you, aren't I? You’re not supposed to be violent with adults.”
“You get my respect when you earn it!” Shizu reached at Azi but he countered and pushed back. Their hands locked together and pressed against each other. If this were a date, it would’ve been romantic, but this was entirely the opposite.
The struggle was one sided, and not in Azi’s favor. He only delayed the inevitable since his thin arms had no advantage over Shizu’s well honed athletics as an Ordained Knight. Even against the odds, Azi didn’t give up.
“Oh ho ho.” Shizu sneered, almost impressed with his defiance. “So you have some fight in you. Even after all that lazy sleeping you’ve been doing?”
“Ugh!” Azi grunted as he felt his hands were squeezed tighter. “Don’t.. Think.. I won’t fight back. You might be an ordained knight and a King’s daughter, but that doesn’t.. Give you the right.. to push me around!” Forcing Shizu’s hands back by an inch as Azi strained himself.
His face told Shizu of the immense resolve he had to confront her.
“Impressive.” Shizu laughed. “But not enough!”
“Ahhh! No.. No! NO!”
Pressed back, Azi gasped to keep control of the small stalemate they had. If he let up, he would be subjected to whatever whim Shizu had in that ludicrous head of hers. By every means he had, he wouldn’t let that happen.
But his strength was fleeting and his hands fell away. With an open shot, Shizu pressed herself close and wrapped her hands around his back. With a hard squeeze, she forced the air out of him.
“Do you yield!” She declared. “If you do, then you better be ready to pay up for my win. I expect you to do what I say from now on.”
“I.. I Thought this was a punishment! Not a game!”
“It is what I say it is!” Shizu squeezed harder and Azi yelped in pain.
“Ow Ow Ow! Stop it! Why are you even hugging me? Do you do this with everyone if they get on your nerves?” It was strange that Shizu had chosen this method of torment for him. But if he recalled, Shizu enjoyed watching him squirm, so perhaps she got a kick out of this.
“Nope.” Shizu huffed. “I only do this to annoying pets to get them in line, or my little sister Rulu, albeit I am gentler with her. But with you? You get a nice and hard squeeze. I’ll wring that annoying personality out of you, one way or another.”
“And what am I?” Azi gasped, he already knew the answer but getting Shizu to talk was time he could use to think. Even now his hands were getting ready.
“Oh I think that’s obvious, my little adorable pup.” Shizu smiled at him and cracked down on tightening her hug. Azi let out a pathetic pant of breath.
“Ahhh! Ow! I.. I am not a pup! If anything, you’re the animal, Ms. Lewd cat!”
“Ha! Lewd cat?” Offended, Shizu butted heads with him and glared. “What makes me even lewd!?”
“Because of.. This!” In a surprising turn, Azi managed to roll over and mount Shizu. She was taken off guard and lost her grip on him. Azi pressed his hands down on her bountiful chest. He squeezed hard, hard enough that Shizu winced and got a taste of her own medicine of humiliation.
“Hey! Ouch! What are you doing! Get your hands off me!” Finding her indignant tone problematic, Azi squeezed her breasts harder.
“These must be the cause for all that pride you have. All the nutrients are going here and not your brain!”
“Says you!” Shizu spat back. “I’ll have you know that I graduated at the top of my class in the academy!” She raised her arms to grapple him, but was stopped as his knees pinned her arms.
“Hmph!” Azi found it funny that he had her down. “And yet you pressed them up against me so many times. You’ve squeezed the life out of me, almost squeezed the life out of me a second time, and let me touch them earlier. And let’s not forget how I lent you my shoulder to cry on and then you go and bury me in these in my sleep. I swear, if you’re not a lewd cat, then I’m probably just imagining these events. Care to deny it?”
For a second, Shizu went silent. She really had no retort. The times she was messing with him were quite promiscuous. It was fun though, getting those dumb and funny reactions out of him were like the times she tormented her little brothers, Yashimu included.
It was such great fun that she hadn’t had in over a decade, so it was nostalgic to experience it all over again.
She mentally shook herself. No, now’s not the time for that. I won’t back down. Not here, Not like this. I need to be in control. Shizu put up a smirk and furrowed her brows. With enough mobility left in her arms, she pressed Azi’s hands firmer into her breasts. He blushed red and Shizu found her in.
“Hah! You say I’m lewd, but so are you. I can tell, you know.”
“Tell what?” Azi looked at her in puzzlement. What was she talking about? “I don’t think you even know me much.” He said.
“You’re.. a virgin.” Shizu dropped a bomb. Her smile turned mischievous. “A 27 year old virgin.” Her words made Azi stiffen. He may not remember his past, but the point she was making struck a chord in him, a brittle, bitter, and lonely cord.
“By the look on your face, I’m right. Right?” Shizu grinned teasingly. “My, quite an achievement if I might add. Such a celibate life of abstinence, you must be proud.”
“And how about you, Huh!” He retorted as he spotted the hint of rose color on her cheeks. “I know you're a virgin too!”
“As if.” Shizu scoffed and rolled over to get back on top of Azi. He was light enough to carry, so Shizu’s martial strength easily overwhelmed him. They tumbled around as they fought each other, inevitably Shizu got the upper hand but Azi’s grip on her chest was vice-like.
“Let go!” Shizu shouted. “You damn pervert!”
“What! Getting embarrassed, I thought you weren’t a virgin!”
“I am! But any girl would be flustered in this situation.”
“Oh yeah? Then why are you blushing so hard! You seem more than flustered.”
It caught Shizu off guard, she touched her cheek and realized she had fallen for it. There was no blush. She had done it in the heat of the moment, and in a second of indecision, she revealed the truth of her chastity.
A wide grin shot back at her as it played on Azi’s lips. “I knew it!”
Shizu shook her head in a panic.
“That! That! Doesn’t prove anything!”
“Then how about this!” Azi lifted himself up and upended Shizu. She fell back onto the futon as Azi buried his face into her chest. This was incredibly embarrassing for him and he had never thought he had it in himself to be this bold.
But pride and boldness went hand in hand. Using a teasing amount of fluidity with his hands, Azi caressed Shizu’s breasts. He got a moan out of her that left her bright red in the face, she bit her lip.
“See!” Azi said. “You talk a big game but you can’t even deliver, I’ve got you stunned and you can’t even fight back!”
“Hmph!” Shizu again bit her lip in frustration. The source of it was not from how her breasts were getting touched, nor was it coming from the reminder of her own long term of celibacy. No, it was the idea she had been bested in her own created game of who could make the other yield first.
She wanted to give up now since her biggest shame was her lack of ability in finding a man. Tears threatened to almost come out and she held them in, but couldn’t hold back a sniffle.
Concerned why Shizu had gone silent, Azi turned his head up. “Uh.. Umm.. W-what’s wrong? Lost the will to go on? Ready to admit..”
He didn’t finish his bold yet hesitant and cocky words. He saw the red color in Shizu’s eyes and gloom in them made him gulp. Guilt shook his heart. I’ve.. I’ve gone too far.
Azi looked at his hands that were so shamelessly groping a woman. He had let his proclivity get the best of him and had followed his own animalistic whims. Disgusting. Was all he could think of himself.
Was this who he was before? A perv? He didn’t think so, but the proof was there.
“Gotcha!” In a twist, Shizu’s downcast mood did a one eighty. She grinned and her hands came around to wrap around Azi’s back.
“Huh! Wait! Stop! I'm done I’m.. mnf mff mmf.” Azi pleas were muffled by a pair of breasts as Shizu sprang ahead to clutch victory.
“Did you really think I’d get worked up over that!” Shizu declared haughtily. “But now that you’ve slighted me again, I’m tripling your punishment!”
She again forced Azi's head into her chest. Like the two times before, Azi was unable to get out of her hold. The force of Shizu's strength was unreal and nothing lady-like. She was a meathead, a bonafide meathead that was so lewd to such an extreme.
In a brief moment, the pressure lightened around Azi’s chest. He got one puff of air in, but then Shizu squeezed to continue his suffocation. Just when he was about to run out of air again, she allowed him a brief chance to breathe that prevented him from passing out.
He squirmed, writhed, and squealed in discomfort and pain.
The only consolation, to this lewd situation he couldn’t escape from, was the soft and springy feel of Shizu’s chest. It was heavenly, Azi would not deny it, but even if he did enjoy Shizu's ample chest, he would say that it was not worth experiencing the constant suffocation and near death pain of dying from a lack of air.
Everything else but his face hurt and then didn’t and then hurt even more when she squeezed him even tighter than before. This punishment was strange, but effective. Humiliation, torture, and satisfaction were all being reaped from him, all for Shizu’s benefit.
Azi was again released from Shizu's chest and pleaded through whatever breath he had.
"Please.. Stop.." Azi’s eyes were glazed over. Shizu peered down and saw how pitiful he was. She grinned evilly, as if ready to eat him alive.
"Nope, no way!"
His plea failing, Azi suffered and suffered in a cycle of heaven and then hell. Unable to fully understand what was happening to him anymore, he had no clue how to get out of this.
This unusual punishment continued without pause or mercy. And repeatedly, when he was pushed over the edge into unconsciousness, he was forced awake before he got any respite.
Azi tried to plead again. “P-please.. No.. more.. I yield.”
Shizu stopped and glared down at him. Azi’s face was colored a tinge of blue and his nose was bleeding from his virgin excitement. She thought nothing of it.
“You should’ve thought of that before calling me a virgin. Look who's the real virgin now.”
Her words dashed away any hope Azi had. Shizu was set on harshly punishing him.
Again, with his face pressed flat into Shizu's chest, Azi's vision started to become white as he fell into another bout of unconsciousness.
Dammit, not again.
These were the last words he thought before he was gone from the conscious world. Oddly enough, he didn’t have any nightmares, except, this time he dreamed of a cat that kept hitting him and toying with him as if he were a ball of yarn.
-After Pure Torturous Suffering at the Hand of a Lewd Cat-
Sitting at the dining table of Kajima's living room. Two contrasting figures were waiting for Kajima to arrive with breakfast. On one side was a young man whose head was laid in his arms on the table. His eyes looked as if he just had his soul repeatedly ripped from him and then forcibly shoved back in and then out, rinse and repeat.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
Lifeless and traumatized would sum it up the young man’s expression. His face was also red, and there was an odd glee on the edge of his lips as he blushed uncontrollably.
On the other side was a young woman who was laughing hysterically at the sight. She took absolute pleasure in the unfortunate state she had put the young man in.
The young man, Azi, after being punished, was set in his place. Shizu had set the pecking order between them and he wouldn’t forget. Azi made a mental note to make sure to stay clear of women for a while. Specifically Shizu. If he didn’t, he might lose his life or sense of common modesty in the future.
When he heard Kajima approach, Azi lifted his head from the table and saw that the big man had set out a spread of food with the accompanying tableware.
"Glad to see you are still alive Azi.” Kajima said. “How was it?"
Recollecting that recent event, Azi shuddered at the memory of his experience and deadpanned with flushed cheeks.
"No comment." He said and grabbed up some food from the table. He put it onto his plate and dug in.
Kajima nodded to him, understanding both the hellish and heavenly experience. Shizu had many times done the same to torment her younger brothers, squeezing them tight with sisterly love, but in this case with Azi, it was more malicious.
Nevertheless, he didn’t bring up the topic of why Shizu was acting so close to him. It was suspicious, but he talked about it later. He picked up his chopsticks and joined in. Like usual, the banter changed over to random topics that caught their fancy, this time it was about old stories and folk tales.
That seemed to get Azi in a better mood.
That and that today’s breakfast was a delicious assortment of dried fruits, a porridge soup that reminded Azi of oatmeal, black bread, grilled sausages, a dark colored pastry dessert, red berries, and a milk like drink.
Azi was delighted to find out that the dark colored dessert tasted like the dark chocolate from his memories. With each bite, he could feel his mind heal, and a few trivial memories came back to him.
Even though they were unimportant details such as the color of his old home or the smells of foods, he also remembered a few emotions tied to a couple memories. Things like giddy delight at the tales of heroes or the cunning of intelligent protagonists of vague stories.
The current feeling he got was a sense of ease. The slow and mellow taste of the dark chocolate melting on his tongue made him feel at home, wherever that was.
Shizu on the other hand was taken aback by how he was able to eat such a bitter dessert. She instead opted for the red berries which were overly sweet. They popped and bursted with sweet juice on every bite.
As the two enjoyed themselves, Kajima couldn’t help but smile wryly at them. It had been a long while since Kajima was able to have breakfast with his niece and her.. Friend, of sorts. This reminded him of the times he used to eat with his wife and children.
How they’d relish the food he made and eat with a gusto that his young children had. Azi and Shizu, while technically adults in both demeanor and mannerisms in their own way, fell back into childish delight at the dining table.
"So Shizu.” Ozen asked. ”What brought you to my home this morning? Shouldn't you be heading back to Kujyuri soon?"
Turning her head up from her plate, Shizu swallowed the scoop of porridge she had in her mouth.
"Actually, I'll be staying in Shisayama to act as the leader of the village watch. There is more work to do here, so I would like to request for accommodations with you Uncle Kajima."
"Why? Why here?" Kajima found it strange that she took up a post here. Shizu’s inclination for the capital was what had kept her away from his home for so long, so why now? “Little Shizu, you know there are better places to sleep than my old house?”
"Yes that is true but your house had a lot more privacy than an inn. Unless? You're saying I can’t stay Uncle?”
“No no, it's fine Shizu, but I want to know why specifically. I’m fine with you staying here.”
“Well, it's because I want to be close by to act as a tutor to my new apprentice."
"Oh, that's rare.” Kajima said. “Have you found an applicant in the village? You have never decided to take on anyone as an apprentice before. Tell me, who’s the lucky lad?"
His attention initially locked on Shizu, but it was soon directed away as she looked at Azi, who was blissfully unaware of the teasing smile coming his way. Thought so. Kajima sighed. So my gut is spot on, she’s got some grand plan or crazy idea. He let Shizu continue.
"If you must know, that would be Azi. My father Ozen has asked me to help take care of him, so after I suggested that he become my apprentice, Ozen thought about it and he approved."
“Wha-What?”
That explanation took Azi off guard. Why would Ozen, who knew how bad he got along with Shizu, assign her to continue to take care of him? He had Kajima for now, so having Shizu around seemed redundant.
But Azi couldn’t rule out that this wasn’t due to Ozen’s kingly caution. Maybe they suspect me of being a spy? It’s unlikely, but I don’t really have a background. Azi choked a bit when he attempted to swallow the food in his mouth.
He swallowed and drank, then reflexively coughed.
"Ahem! Ummm. Do..Do I have a choice?" He looked around warily, evading Shizu’s eyes while also keeping an eye on her arms. He swore he wouldn’t be caught again.
"Yes. But I suggest that you accept.” Shizu said. “Usually, apprentices are drawn from the academy in Yamato and the benefits are numerous. Also I am quite the teacher when it comes to topics such as combat, and with how you performed in the last battle with the Kengiri, you could use the help."
"But why me?” Azi wondered why Shizu of all people would give him this chance. This now caught Shizu’s attention and it seems to her that Azi was blind to his impressive yet short record of stunts.
“Are you joking?” Shizu was dumbfounded. “Why wouldn’t I take you as my apprentice? You show the signs of intelligence that are beyond regular Ordained Knights. Your deciphering of the Yamaton language at your speed is more than impressive. In truth, I want you to be in my personal guard.”
“But I’m not good at fighting. You saw how banged up I got from the Kengiri. I almost died.”
“Yes.” Shizu paused to have him dwell on that. He was right but wrong. Yes he wasn’t proficient with a sword, but was anyone at birth? Maybe some when they were children. Really though, talent didn’t matter. What truly defined those who were proficient or not were those who had a heart of steel, to do what needs to be done for the good of others.
“I don’t care.” Shizu stated. “Even if I did, I could always use a keen guy like you for clerk work.”
Azi didn’t take kindly to that last part. Clerk work sounded demeaning and an odd aversion boiled in him. But Azi kept his discomfort from showing. “I still don’t understand.” He said.
“You stepped up, little pup.” Shizu pointed her wooden spoon at him. “You went out of your way to protect me even though you didn’t have to, but you did, didn’t you?”
“I.. I, well. It was the right thing to do. I just did it out of reflex.”
“There!” Shizu again pointed at him, thrusting her spoon in his direction. It made Azi flinch back, thinking he’d get hit by her. “That’s what I’m talking about.” She said. “You moved first, you didn’t hesitate from fear and you didn’t let your emotions get the better of you. People like you are rare. So what do you say? Want to be my apprentice? It comes with a lot of benefits.”
The outset prospect sounded nice especially coming from an Ordained knight. Yet coming from Shizu though? Azi thought it was the other way round.
“You’re not going to torture me again and call it training? Are you?" He asked with an accusatory deadpan look.
"Oh, don't worry, it's not like my training will kill you." Shizu waved her hand dismissively and gave her best reassuring smile she could muster.
But to Azi, Shizu's smile was having the opposite effect. Azi scrunched his lips into a hiddenly horrified and strained smile. His knee bounced under the table in impatient fear, he wanted to run since Shizu hadn’t denied that her training would be torture.
He imagined the kind of "training" he would be subjected to. He recalled a story archetype Shizu would fit into, a sadistic teacher who would train their students with overly forceful methods.
He paled at his wild imaginations and decided to move himself over to sit on one of the cushions around the table that were closer to Kajima. While Azi considered Shizu to be a sort of friend, he was inclined to see her as a bit of a bully.
If she began to be his master through this apprenticeship, she’d probably want to push him to his physical limits as a means of.. nurturing him.
He might quite literally break from her training and the thought made him avert his gaze to his food. Kajima could only laugh at Azi's reaction and leveled a questioning gaze upon Shizu.
"So, what do you plan to teach him first if you do take him on? I already know what I plan to teach him since he’s technically working for me as an assistant to my workshop.”
Wiping the food from her face, Shizu raised her pointer and successive fingers to count off. "First will be combat sparring, second will be strength training, and third will be stamina training. We'll start slow with sparring then actual combat training in the forest."
"I can agree to that if Azi’s okay with it, and if you’ll let me watch?” Kajima asked.
“Sure and I-”
“Hold up.” Kajima interrupted. “Before we move on, I do want to make something clear. I believe Azi should first learn how to disassemble animals and monsters. He would need that to be able to at least feed himself should he want to provide for himself in the future.”
He gave Azi a look. “How about it Azi, want me to teach you first? I can also teach you how to make tools from the materials we harvest from monsters."
Azi tossed another dark confection into his mouth as he contemplated the two options. He let the chocolate melt in his mouth. Of the two paths he could take, it was the hellish training from Shizu or the interesting lessons on material harvesting and handicrafts with Kajima.
To him, there was no contest. He turned to Kajima while somewhat trying to ignore Shizu’s piercing gaze on him.
"I'll go with your lesson first Kajima. It would be less dangerous."
“Hey!” Shizu shouted. What about the apprenticeship, don’t you want to be my pupil.” She pouted.
“I’ll think about it.” But Azi got the feeling that his response wouldn’t hold up with how coldly Shizu was looking at him. “Okay hold on, don’t look at me like that. I won’t accept now but I might if you give me a few lessons to see what you want to teach me, is that alright?”
"Fine! But my lessons will be next for sure. You aren't going to run away from me that easily.”
Shizu's cheeks puffed, Azi thought for a moment that she looked comedic and adorable. He thought better though and shook his head to remind himself that she was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Staying away was the better option.
Ruminating again to mull over the future, Azi had to helplessly admit that he had no chance of avoiding her. They would be living together from now on and that would make it difficult for him to avoid her continued insistence. Telling her to leave was just rude and wasn’t his decision, it was Kajima’s.
Azi did see some value in Shizu’s potential lesson though. He needed to find a way to start earning a living. Working Kajima was temporary unless he wasn’t needed anymore, and apprenticing to an Ordained knight would be of use.
He could use Shizu’s connections to learn about the world or about other opportunities. Coming to a decision, he cautiously agreed, already noticing that Shizu was hellbent on getting him to agree.
"Okay, then when I’m done with a few lessons with Kajima I’ll join you for some.. Teaching time. But remember, I wasn't a soldier in the past so fighting is unnatural to me. Are you sure you want to waste time on me?”
"True, you are unskilled, but you do have potential."
Shizu appraised Azi and she noticed that his arms were healing nicely. Seeing that Shizu was looking at them, he asked.
"Potential? Really? I’m nothing like a macho soldier."
Shizu agreed with his claims and suddenly she pulled up three fingers.
"During the fight with the kengiri, I saw how you killed 3 gengiri with ease. You did lack some control in your actions and seemed to have lost your cool and gone berserk. BUT!”
Getting up from her cushion at the low table, Shizu moved over and pressed a finger into his chest where his heart was. Azi froze as a sweat trickled and formed the back of his neck.
“Like I said before, you have a rare trait in you. I can tell that you might have grit, valor, and a strength within you. We just need to cultivate it or drag it out of you somehow."
A bit flustered and fearful when Shizu got so close while also uncharacteristically flattering him, Azi scuttled away. He did at least hear her words. Her interpretation of him in the recent event with the Kengiri made him remember that his arms and hands were glowing blue during the moments he took a hit for her. There was that fiery sensation in his heart.
These were definitely unnatural sensations, nothing from his faint memories told him an inkling to explain what he had done at that time. He tried something, a little experiment of sorts as the meal continued.
Shizu sat herself back down as Azi began looking at his hands. Closing his eyes, he focused on recreating that past sensation within his heart. He could feel a presence in his core. It seeped out like water being expunged with a squeeze.
It flowed from his heart slowly, like an ebbing tickle that ran down to the tips of his fingers.
Shizu and Kajima were confused by the little meditation he was doing at the table. They gave him questioning looks. Their expressions changed to impressed smiles as they witnessed a small blue glow emanate from his arms and hands.
The glow took the form of veins spreading out like lightning down from his wrist to his fingertips.
Azi opened his eyes and was fascinated by the sight. But this seemed to nullify what control he had over the phenomenon. The glow soon faded with the fiery sensation in his heart. His hands returned to normal and after inspecting himself he lifted his head, meeting their gazes with a befuddled question on his lips.
"What was that?"
"That would be a form of thaumaturgy." Said Kajima. "It seems you’re able to focus magical energies into your body, this is a common feat done by Yamaton soldiers as a way to fortify themselves. Usually during battles, the glow is only slightly noticeable if you look hard enough, but it usually goes unnoticed.”
He gestured for Azi’s arm and Azi held it out to him.
“Thaumaturges can do much more with magical energies.” Said Kajima, as he ran his palm across Azi’s forearm.” Feats such as throwing fire, summoning elementals, casting examination magic, or even using a form of telepathy are common for advanced thaumaturgic practitioners. You might be able to do that since your potential seems higher than average.”
"This is great.” Shizu beamed in delight. “You already have the beginning skills of an Ordained Knight or even a practitioner of the mystic arts. What you did just now was strengthening and it was your first attempt. We should see a local thaumaturge in the village to get some lessons and see what your aptitudes are."
"Aptitudes? What are those?" Azi asked. It was fitting that Shizu’s words were a foreign concept to him. None of the books he had read so far in his short time with Kajima ever went over thaumaturgy or aptitudes. In fact, he was still trying to come to the reality that he had just done something wholly amazing and unnatural.
Did I.. Did I really just use magic!
Shizu suddenly got up from the table, it got Azi’s attention. Azi’s eyes widened at the new light in his eye. Only this time, the light wasn’t from his own fascination. Instead, reflected in his eyes was a conjured ball of fire that sat a few inches above Shizu’s right palm.
"Look here.” Shizu said. “They tell which elements a person is able to use. The basics are fire, water, earth, and wind. The more advanced elements are combinations of the 4 basic elements that are called variants. Finally, there is a miscellaneous element known as colorless which is believed to be the fuel for all other elements.” She let the flame burn out in her hands and she clapped her hands together as if dusting them off. “This is as much as I can do, I don't seem to have the talent to apply my magic energy though.”
Azi curiosity piqued, the idea of magic reminded him of all the faint memories of the so-called fairy tales and daydreams he had. Imagine, throwing fireballs or even flying through the sky. The thought made him smile in dreamy fantasies that could possibly become reality.
Quickly looking at the food on his plate, he saw it now as more of an obstacle.
“Then what are we waiting for!” Azi shoveled the food away as he washed it down with the milk-like drink.
With Apparent giddiness, Azi stood up, raring to get started. "Alright then, the lessons start now. The sooner I learn the basics, the sooner I can learn how to use thaumaturgy."
Shizu and Kajima looked at each other. They shared a laugh. Azi's newly founded enthusiasm contrasted from his previously meek and flushed mood. The two couldn’t help but be amused at his sudden change in demeanor.
"Alright Azi, calm down.” Kajima said. “I'll meet you in the workshop so wait for me there."
He soon stood up and started clearing the table.
Azi nodded and ran off to the workshop with a bit of skip in his step. Before Kajima moved to join Azi, he turned to Shizu.
“Help me out will you, and stay here, we need to talk.” Shizu nodded wordlessly. She could tell that Kajima was still curious about her decision to offer Azi her apprenticeship.
Shizu got up to help and finished up cleaning in a matter of minutes. Kajima sighed as they both got seated, this time across from each other as if this were a formal meeting of sorts. Tension was in the air.
In a sudden change of character, Kajima narrowed his eyes and suspicion took hold.
"So? What is the real reason why you decided to stay? Training Azi seems plausible, he’s made an impression on you.”
“I wouldn’t say that.” Shizu said, shrugging. “He’s lackluster but that’s as close as I’m going to get with how few men can actually talk back to me. And the nobles in their Empire’s capital are all selfish pigs, so they’re a no go.”
“I understand Shizu.” Kajima rubbed his forehead. “You hold no love for most of the nobles of your own nation and find the noteworthy nobles as lesser in some way. You’re a fickle girl, but don’t try to change the subject.”
Shizu tensed, Kajima was onto her. Setting her expression into a stoic and noble air, she wordlessly signaled him to go on.
Kajima heaved a tired but serious expression. “I believe Ozen has some motive to allow you to stay here. Am I right?"
Sighing as well, Shizu relaxed a bit on the cushion, legs fidgeting. She wasn’t in support of all this drama, so she revealed her hands, though it was involving a commoner in noble affairs, Shizu knew she was doing so to a respectable and trustworthy man close to her father.
"While you seem so relaxed and open on the outside, your mind and personality are still as sharp as ever Uncle Kajima."
She paused, and looked over to the workshop door. She lowered her voice so that the person of interest wouldn't hear.
"Yes, Ozen does have a motive. He plans to bring Azi into the fold of possible retainers he can trust, like Village Chief Manu. He sees Azi as a potentially useful ally, but we needed some way to keep him in Kujyuri so that we can benefit from that smart head of his. Ozen and I discussed the best course of action and we agreed that I should take him on as my apprentice if possible. On top of that, I’ll have him be my potential fiance should he be able to pass my trials."
Kajima blinked repeatedly for several seconds. Shizu cocked a brow and could already tell he was stumped at what she said. Though the latter part was what she guessed caught his steely attention.
She hadn’t seen her Uncle be so dumbfounded in years. He was a veteran of several wars so nothing phased him.. Nothing much.