Chapter 18: Chapter 18 Breakfast Chat

*1 hour later*

Sitting at the dining table of Kajima's living room. Two contrasting figures could be seen waiting for Kajima to arrive with breakfast. On one side was a young man whose head was laid in his arms on the table looking as if he just had his soul ripped from him and had it forcibly shoved back into himself. On the other side was a young woman who was laughing hysterically at the sight of the young man's state.

The young man was Azi and after being both rewarded and punished by the young woman Shizu, he felt that he should try to stay away from her or else he might lose his life. When Kajima approach, Azi lifted his head from the table and saw that Kajima had set out a spread of food with the accompany tableware.

Kajima: "Glad to see you are still alive Azi. How was it?"

Azi: *Shuddering at the memory of his experience he stated in a deadpan tone* "No comment."

Azi then began to put some food from the table onto his plate. Kajima nodded to Azi and also proceeded to grab some food. The breakfast today was an assortment of dried fruits, a porridge soup of what reminded Azi of oatmeal, black bread, grill sausages, a dark colored desert, red berries, and milky liquid. Azi was delighted to find out that the dark colored desert tasted like the dark chocolate from his memories. Shizu' s on the other hand was taken aback by how Azi's was able to each such as bitter food and instead opted for the red berries which were overly sweet. As the two enjoyed their respective favored food items, Kajima smiled wry. It had been a long while since Kajima was able to have breakfast with some people as company and the current situation reminded him of the times he use to eat with his wife and children. Wanting to add some casual conversation to the meal he turned to Shizu.

Kajima: "So Shizu, what brings you to my home this morning. Shouldn't you be heading back to Kujyuri?"

Shizu: *Grabbing some more food* "I'll be stay in Shisayama to act as reinforcement for the village watch and would like to request accommodations with you Uncle Kajima."

Kajima: "Why? There are better places to sleep than my old house."

Shizu: "Yes that is true, but I'll be stay here so that i am close by to act as a tutor to my new apprentice."

Kajima: "Oh, that's rare. You have never decided to take on anyone as an apprentice before. Tell who is the lucky lad?"

Shizu: "That would be Azi, my father Ozen has asked me to help take care of him so after I suggested to have him become my apprentice, Ozen thought about it, and he approved."

Azi: *Cough Cough Cough* "Ummm. Do..Do I have a choice?"

Shizu: "Yes, but I suggest that you accept. Usually, apprentices are drawn from the academy in Yamato and the benefits are numerous."

Azi: "Are you going to torture me again and call it training?" *Stating with a deadpan look*

Shizu: "Oh don't worry, it's not like I will kill you." 

Looking on with a horrified look, Azi imagined the kind of "training and torture" he would likely face from his fractured memories, he paled and decided to move his chair next to Kajima to get some distance from Shizu. While Azi considered Shizu to be a friend, he considered her to be a very physical kind of friend. The kind that would likely want to push him to his physical limits as a kind of bonding experience. Fearing that he might break from her training, he averted his gaze from Shizu as he began focusing on his food.

Kajima could only laugh at Azi's actions and ask Shizu.
Kajima: "So what do you plan to teach him first? I already know what I plan to teach him."

Shizu: "First will be combat training, strength training, and stamina training. We'll start slow and then move into sparing then actual combat training in the forest."

Kajima: "I can agree to that, but I believe Azi should first learn how to disassemble animals and monsters. He would need this to be able to feed himself should he be lost in the forest again. How about it Azi, want me to teach you first? I can also teach you how to make tools from the materials we harvest."

Azi contemplated the two options of either the hellish training from Shizu or the more interesting lesson on material harvesting and handicrafts. This was no contest in Azi mind as he stated.

Azi: "I'll go with your lesson first Kajima."

Shizu pouting at how Azi chose Kajima's lesson over her and complained.

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Shizu: "Fine, but my lessons will be next for sure. You aren't going to run away from me that easily."

Azi: "Alright but please don't be too rough on me. Remember, I wasn't a soldier in the past so fighting is unnatural to me."

Shizu: "True, but you do have potential."

Azi: "Potential, how so?"

Shizu: "During the fight with the kengiri, I saw how you cut down 3 gengiri with ease. While you did lack some control as you seemed to have lost your cool and went berserk. You seemed to have some grit, valor, and strength within you. We just need to cultivate it or drag it out of you somehow."

Shizu's interpretation of Azi's previous battle made him remembered that his arms and hands were glowing blue during the moments he took a hit from the kengiri and that when he was fighting the gengiri he felt a fiery sensation in his heart. Azi looked at his hands on the table closed his eyes and began to focus on those sensations. Azi could feel something crawling up his arm from his heart to the tips of his fingers.

Shizu and Kajima looked at Azi, confused by his actions as they gave him questioning looks, but their expressions changed as they witnessed a small blue glow emanate from his arms and hands. The blue glow took the form of veins spreading out like lighting down his arms and to his fingertips. Azi opened his eyes and was fascinated by the glowing blue lines on his hands, but it soon faded as he lost focus on the sensation and feeling that fueled the blue glow. His hands returned to normal, and after a few brief flexes of his hand he lifted his head met Shizu's and Kajima's gaze. Azi then asked with a bit of confusion in his voice.

Azi: "What was that?"

Kajima: "That would be a form of thaumaturgy. It seems you are able to focus magical energies into your body, this is 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 usually goes unnoticed. Thaumaturges can do much more with the magical energies. Feats such as throwing fire, summoning elementals, casting examination magic, or even using a form of telepathy are common by Thaumaturgy practitioners."

Shizu: "This is great, you already have the beginning skills of a soldier. You have already shown that you can fight and now you have demonstrated that you can gather magical energies. We should see a local thaumaturge in the village to get some lessons and see what your aptitudes are."

Azi: "Aptitudes? What are those?"

Kajima: "They tell which elements a person is able to use. The basics are fire, water, earth, and wind. The more advance division are combinations of variation of the 4 basic elements and finally there is a miscellaneous element known as colorless. Colorless is believed to be the fuel for all other elements but not much else is known as the other useful elements are more widely researched."

Azi's curiosity was peaked as the idea of magic reminded him of all the games he played and daydreams he had of wielding such a power. He imagined himself throwing fire balls or even flying through the sky which made Azi's expression change into an excitement which was notice by the other two at the table. Azi then quickly finished the food on plate as he washed it down with the milky liquid.

Azi: "Alright then, let's get the lessons started. The sooner I finish the first two the soon I can learn magic."

Shizu and Kajima only laughed at Azi's enthusiasm as the contrast from his previously meek and drool mood earlier was now gone.

Kajima: "Alright my boy calm down, I'll meet you in the workshop so wait for me there."

Azi gave a nod of affirmation and ran off to the workshop. Kajima smiled wry at the sight, but he then turned to finish his food. Before he moved to join Azi, he was still curious by Shizu's decision to make Azi her apprentice. So, he narrowed his eyes and asked Shizu his question to confirm his suspicions.

Kajima: "So, what is the other reason why you decided to stay? Training Azi is one thing, but I believe Ozen has some motive to allow you to stay here."

Shizu: "While you seem so laxed and open on the outside, your mind and personality are still as sharp as ever." *Sigh*

After pausing for a moment Shizu answered.

Shizu: "Yes, Ozen does have a motive. He asked me to keep an eye on Azi as he believed Azi to be a potentially useful ally, but we needed some way to keep him in Kujyuri so that he could potentially help solve the manpower issue our nation faces. Ozen and I discussed the best course of action to try to keep Azi in Kujyuri and we agreed on that I have taken him as an apprentice and potential fiancé."

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