Azul Ashengrotto
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Azul Ashengrotto is a second-year student and the head of the Octavinelle Dormitory. He manages the Mostro Lounge, a café located in the Octavinelle dormitory building. Though he claims to help others out, the wishes he grants often come at a price.
(translated from the Japanese version by ladysaionji)
Appearance
Azul has wavy hair that is a silver-blue hue. It is parted to the right and has one lock of long hair along the left side of his face. His eyes are a darker color than his hair and are of a sky-blue hue. He wears eyeliner in his dormitory outfit and ceremonial robes. In the former, he wears thin purple eyeliner while in the latter, he wears thick black eyeliner. He usually wears rectangular glasses with a silver frame (which are removed if wearing goggles, such as in his labwear outfit or Beans Day outfit).
He has a beauty mark below his lip on the left side of his face. He wears a black fedora with a grey bow around it and a purple seashell on the bow. His outfit consists of a white dress shirt, a grey coat over an unbuttoned black double-breasted suit, a cool-toned grey scarf, and white gloves. He also wears a pair of black slacks and purple socks accompanied by black dress shoes. His scarf has the Octavinelle logo on it, and he carries a black cane with a silver handle resembling an octopus.
Personality
Azul is very well known around NRC not only for his status as dorm leader of Octavinelle, but also for the rumors that float around about him being capable of granting any wish one desires with the exchange for a price. Upon first seeing Azul, he comes off as 'friendly' and willing to 'help' others by offering them what they want. However, in reality, the way his deals work only benefits him while leaving the other party fruitless. He is also intelligent in choosing his words so that a deal may seem to align with the client's wish, when in reality those words were arranged to have 'grey areas', which usually ends in him scamming the client. Azul is also known to be sly, being able to convince almost anyone to sign a contract with him. He is also seen to be skilled in every aspect.
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WARNING! This section contains story spoilers. Read at your own risk. |
However, Azul has actually been very insecure about himself, especially his octopus form (which, according to Floyd, is chubby) as a result of being bullied and socially isolated by the other mermaids. Although Azul was bullied for his sluggishness and ink-spewing tendencies as an octopus mermaid, he also realized the perks of his octopus-mer form at a young age. Using his many limbs and ability to spew ink to aid him, he studied magic non-stop and managed to form his unique magic at a young age. Using his unique magic, he is able to steal one's magical ability or physical quality (but is not known to have used it against anyone prior to enrolling at NRC).
After the incident in Episode 3, Azul utilizes a point-card system where customers can purchase food and drinks to earn points and exchange these points for a consultation with Azul (where he offers the same wish-granting services as in his contract system). This reflects Azul's fondness for making money.
Skills and Magic
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WARNING! This section contains story spoilers. Read at your own risk. |
Based on Idia and Ortho Shroud's analysis at S.T.Y.X laboratory, Azul magic invocation speed is slow, but his control is precise. He prefers to assist those around him, or in Idia's words, “using others as shields”. He doesn't have a high magic reserve so he makes it up with his calm and efficient mindset. According to Idia, this makes Azul fit to have a healer job at an MMORPG.
After Azul has his Unique Magic contract destroyed in Episode 3 - The Merchant of the Deep Sea, he appears to have a “caution first” outlook in battle. This is proven to be helpful as he manages to save Riddle Rosehearts when he ran out of magic during their confrontation with the Shroud siblings in Episode 6 - The Guard of the Underworld. Leona Kingscholar notes that Azul "craftily" conserved a part of his magic when he used the Lightning Spear with Riddle in their final attack.
Unique Magic
His unique magic is called "It's A Deal" (黄金の契約書, Ittsu a Diiru; lit. "Golden contract"). As long as someone signs a contract with him, he will be able to confiscate one of the target’s abilities. This can be a magical ability or a physical capability, such as a beautiful singing voice or the ability to swim fast.[2] The consequences for not fulfilling the conditions of the contract depend on the terms listed down in the contract one makes with Azul. For example, in Book 3 of the main story, Azul made a contract with several students for his test notes on the condition that they rank among the top 50 students of their cohort for the mid-term tests. Failure to fulfill the condition means they would be made to work in the Mostro Lounge until graduation.
Magical abilities, including Unique Magic, taken by Azul through It's A Deal can also be used by him, as demonstrated in Book 4 when Azul used Floyd's unique magic against Jamil's own.
Physically destroying the contracts will automatically return the respective abilities that were taken. While convenient, this can serve as a double-edged sword. On one hand, Azul is able to easily undo the effects of his magic if he so wishes. On the other hand, the contracts are also vulnerable to anyone who understands how Azul's unique magic works.
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WARNING! This section contains story spoilers. Read at your own risk. |
Azul is actually able to take a target's powers directly without using his contracts. However, this would result in the rapid accumulation of blot, and it appears to cause pain for the targets. The contract's primary function is to reduce this burden on Azul to prevent overexertion of his powers and overblotting.[3]
Trivia
- According to Floyd, his octopus form looks very squishy and delicious.[4]
- During the Happy Beans Day Event, Ruggie mentions that Azul's flight technique was so desperate that he couldn’t look at it.[5]
- He can utilize all 8 of his tentacles in addition to his hands to write.[2]
- Azul is based on Ursula, a villainous cecaelia sea witch, in The Little Mermaid (1989).
- "Azul" is the Spanish and Portuguese word for the color blue. "Ashen" of his surname refers to being pale grey in color; "grotto", a word for cave, references Ariel's secret grotto where she kept human artifacts and/or Ursula's cave where she conducted her business.
- According to Floyd, Azul is bigger than him and Jade in his merform.[6]
- He has a keen sense of taste mostly likely due to growing up in his family's restaurant.[7]
