Azul and Jamil

In Books 4 and 5 we see examples of Jamil not being happy to see Azul, and he often voices displeasure when they overlap.

When Riddle meets with them in a hallway and asks if they are taking a walk together Azul responds, “Why, yes. Our deep and enduring bond as classmates brought us together, you see,” while Jamil says, Don’t listen to him. We just happened to run into each other when we were both on our way to the lab room.”

During NBC Jamil tells Azul that he is “the last person (he’d) ever want to group up with,” in Book 4 he says that Azul’s “ingratiating smile is grossing (him) out,” and when Azul says “I can’t believe you thought that I, the very soul of benevolence, would willingly destroy a classmate’s reputation and social standing” in Book 5 Jamil responds, “…You absolutely would.”

In Book 4 Azul confirms that he and Jamil are in the same homeroom class, and says that they share “a number of electives,” and that their “paths are wont to cross often.”

Azul describes Jamil as a rarity in the school, saying, “He’s…demure and poised, you might say. He hardly ever ventures opinions of his own.”

Learning that Jamil is supposedly having trouble with Kalim during the winter break, Azul decides to go to his aid: “Now that Scarabia is faced with a crisis and my very own classmate is in need of help, I can hardly ignore them in their time of need.”

Azul helps Kalim regain the faith of Scarabia’s students by appealing to Kalim directly as “a fellow housewarden,” introducing less strenuous but more effective forms of training than those implemented by Jamil via Kalim in his efforts to get him overthrown.

His plan compromised, Jamil attempts to use his unique magic on Azul, revealing a desire to use Azul as his “personal genie of the lamp” (a dream-version of Azul is present in the alternate timeline of Jamil’s dream in Book 7, where Jamil seems to use him as exactly that).

When Azul says that he remembers all the secrets of the people he has made contracts with (“Their troubles. Their weaknesses. Their desires”) Jamil says, “I can see I made the right call not making friends with you.”

When Jamil’s plot is exposed he commands Azul to restrain Jade and the students of Scarabia, and Azul reveals that he was never under Jamil’s control in the first place, having deflected Jamil’s attack being Floyd’s unique magic.

In an early vignette Azu tells Jamil that he suspects Jamil will have no trouble with a difficult potionology lesson.

Jamil asks, “Why the sudden bid of confidence?,” and Azul responds, “I knew you’d feign modesty. I’ve always admired your work, you know. Scarabia is lucky to have a vice housewarden as competent as you. Grade-wise, you show no outstanding weaknesses in classroom learning, applied lessons, or PE. Even I’m miserable at something— namely, flight magic. But you? You’re almost impressively middle-of-the-road in all regards. It’s almost like you prefer to keep it that way…” and “I can respect a man who doesn’t tip his hand. If anything, that makes you more trustworthy than idiots who blurt out everything on their mind.”

Jamil silently reflects, “Azul has such a way of sussing out the truths people prefer to keep hidden,” and Azul seems confident in his evaluation of Jamil, saying that lying comes to him easily, and, “I’ve always been onto you and the competence you try so hard to hide. But even your deceptions are not flawless.”

Azul then reveals that, merely from observing an earlier interaction between Jamil and Riddle, he was able to tell that Jamil knew the solution to the seemingly impossible task that Riddle had described to them.

Azul blackmails Jamil into sharing the secret of the assignment with him and says, “You really stick to your guns. If anything, this is making me more curious about you than ever. I get the feeling that you and I could do some wonderful business together.” Jamil responds, “I feel the exact opposite.”

Azul’s evaluation of Jamil as someone trying to hide their own competence comes into play again in Book 4, where he notes that Jamil is losing a game that he would play for “hours a day” as a child against Floyd, who was playing for the first time. 

After Jamil’s overblot he unleashes his true opinion of Kalim and Azul says that he likes the authentic Jamil much more: “I’ll admit, I’ve been curious about you ever since we were freshmen. You did a bit too good of a job avoiding the spotlight. It backfired and piqued my interest.”

Telling Jamil that his capabilities are “nothing short of astounding” Azul says, “I think you’d get along far better with someone like me than with Kalim,” and invites him to transfer to Octavinelle, but Jamil refuses: “And where do you get off, monologuing at me out of nowhere? You couldn’t sound shadier if you tried! I will be perfectly content never being friends with you, Azul.”

Azul says that he is satisfied having added a new truth to his secret collection, and while Jamil says that it has already been aired to the whole world, this is proven to not be true, as Azul had lied about live-streaming Jamil’s plot online.

Azul explains, “I obtained some perfectly good intel from the experience. I would never dream of devaluing my own assets!,” and Jamil follows with, “I’ll grudgingly admit that thanks to Azul’s ‘benevolence,’ My parents and the Asim family still don’t know the real reason I overblotted.”

Grim comments on Jamil turning into an entirely different person after the holiday and Azul says, “I much prefer it this way,” reminding Jamil that, “If Kalim ever does sack (him), Octavinelle’s doors are always open to (him).” Jamil responds, “Thank you, but not in a million years. Octavinelle is the last dorm I would ever transfer to.”

Jamil gets what was maybe a slight revenge against Azul for Book 4 when, in Book 6, he describes Jade’s unique magic to the entire overblotter group (“Oh dear, I said something I shouldn’t have. I’m fairly certain he wouldn’t want me sharing that, so please do keep it to yourself”).

Azul says, “I was trying to keep that secret as my ace in the hole,” accusing Jamil of revealing Jade’s ability on purpose, but Jamil responds, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Jamil and Azul overlap in an early vignette where Vargas assigns Jamil the task of teaching Azul how to fly. Jamil tries to do as he is told but Azul refuses to accept his help on the ground of not wanting to be indebted to him, despite Jamil pointing out out that he is only following directions: “So you’re doing this out of the goodness of your heart? You truly want nothing? As if I could buy such a blatant lie. I have no wish to be in debt to you. I can only imagine what ridiculous demand you’ll make of me when this is over!”

When Vargas tells hem that neither of them are allowed to leave the field until Azul is capable of flying for 50 meters, Jamil makes a sarcastic plea for a study guide for their next exam, and Azul accepts the deal.

After describing his struggle with his first campfire Jamil says, “Sounds pretty fun. I can just picture the disgruntled look on your face,” but when Azul says, “‘Sounds fun,’ does it? In that case I’ll have to invite you next time,” he refuses.

In between battles with firelotuses during Glorious Masquerade Jamil teases Azul with, “I doubt a certain someone could get plants to sign a contract for his signature spell,” and Azul retorts, “And I doubt another certain someone’s spell would work, seeing as plants don’t have eyes for him to look into.”

During NRC’s halloween party Jamil suspects Azul of having “a scheme in the works” saying, “You can’t even relax on Halloween, huh?,” to which Azul responds, “Like you have room to talk.”

Prior to Tapis Rouge Vil shares that he can only take five of a crowd of students that have gathered, hoping to go with him to the film festival.

When Jamil tells the crowd not to put Vil on the spot Azul says, “Spoken like someone willing to pass up this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the greater good,” to which Jamil responds, “You think I’d leave Vil to put up with YOUR mercantile machinations? He’ll be much better off with someone supportive and considerate…like me.”

During the event Jamil compliments Azul on the “two-faced” design of his ensemble and Azul counters with, “Goodness, I feel terrible. Being two-faced has always been your thing; I feel as if l’ve stolen your thunder.” Jamil responds, “Not at all. They practically coined the term just for you,” and Ace intervenes, asking them to not make a scene.

Jamil compliments Azul’s hairstyle by saying, “I feel like I can’t let my guard down around you, even more than usual.”

When Jamil comments on “an ideal business arrangement, reached through peaceful and persuasive negotiation,” he adds, “Maybe you could learn something from that, Azul.” Azul responds, “Why, I’m always peaceful and persuasive.”

Jamil does not seem to appreciate insinuations that he and Azul are alike, but Azul refers to both himself as “twisted” and then self-corrects to “calculating individuals.”

Much like Jamil’s unique magic enables him to force people to refer to him as “Master,” when Azul welcomes the 225 students whom he turns into servants in Book 3 he greets them with, “From today, I am the man who will be your master.”

When Floyd abandons the rules of Beanfest and attacks Jamil after he has been eliminated from the game Jamil is saved by Azul, capturing Floyd and winning the game. Azul and Jamil join forces at the conclusion of the event to scold Jack for provoking Floyd in the first place.

They cooperate again for the Tapis Rouge event, with Azul proposing an alliance to both Jamil and Ace where Azul proposes a lottery system that Jamil agrees with, and Ace then rigged.

For all their bickering in the Fairest City they also come together to tease Ace, first about wanting to be in photos with Vil, where Ace says, “You two sure were in lockstep jumpin’ at the chance to tease me. Are you friendlier than you let on or something?” Jamil replies “Of course not” simultaneously with Azul, who says, “Of course!”

They also tease Ace about his outfit, where Ace asks, “How come you only get along when it’s to make fun of me?,” and Grim has a similar line about Jamil and Azul only getting along at inconvenient times, such as catching him when he was playing a prank.

At the end of the event it is revealed that, after checking into their hotel, Azul and Jamil left together in order to confirm the location of a back entrance to the film festival venue. Ace says that he had thought that the two had gone “out partying somewhere…”

Jamil is complimentary of Azul in Book 7, saying, “Unpleasant and unprincipled as he is, I suppose he is still Octavinelle’s housewarden. His addition to the group would definitely be a huge asset,” right before they move on to Azul’s dream.

When Jamil is removed from the group for having the highest in cumulative damage Azul says that he had been “quite looking forward to fighting alongside (him),” and Jamil responds, “It’s not like this is farewell forever. And now the esteemed housewarden of Octavinelle is on the team. You’ll surely be more useful than me several—no, dozens of times over. I expect great things from you, Azul.”