Azul and Information

Jamil says, “Azul has such a way of sussing out the truths people prefer to keep hidden,” which is something we see in action shortly after the entrance ceremony when Jade approaches Azul with a registry of the new students, saying, “In addition to the information you requested: Home countries, hobbies, tastes, least favorite foods, and worst subjects, I have taken the liberty of cataloguing their Magicam accounts.”

This collection of information also seems to include “secret” magicam accounts that the new students were hiding. Azul says, “Now that this document exists, there’s nothing I can do save assume responsibility for its safekeeping,” and it is possibly thanks to that document that Azul has information such as Ace’s favorite food (Ace: “Why does he know that!?”)

Epel is also surprised that Azul is aware of his supposed love for macarons, which Azul dismisses with, “Likes and dislikes are the first thing you should look into when you want to get closer to someone.But was my intel mistaken? Would you prefer something with a stronger flavor profile?” A displeased-looking Epel says that Azul is correct and Azul responds, “Excellent, then my intel bears out.”

Jade and Azul again accumulate information during New Year in a bid to beat Malleus and Jamil in a tako battle. Azul explains, “We’ve spent untold days gathering information on takoage battles!” (Jamil: “Compensating for their dire shortfall in athleticism by gathering intel, are they?”).

Azul says, “Information travels fast online, but newspapers can have surprisingly enriching articles,” and he possibly has a newspaper delivered directly to his dorm room every morning.

Azul tells his tsum, “If you do come back, I’d appreciate it if you brought a souvenir or two. You see, I’m quite curious about what it’s like where you’re from,” possibly in a bid to gather information related to sums.

Ace has a Stich event voice line of, “Azul’s over there writing up a list of stuff he’s found lying around. He’s got an eager look on his face. You think he’s planning on sneaking all that back to school?”

When Floyd discovers that the smartphone app Idia provides them with in Book 7 enables them to view the dreams of other students in the school, his focus shifts to intel collection: “Could we get a glimpse of their desires? Their troubles? …Their most critical liabilities?! Jade. Floyd. Quick, let’s pool our efforts and check everyone’s dreams, before we wake up.”

When their battle map is prepared for them before he is ready he responds, “Wait! We could at least check the other housewardens’ dreams…!”

Despite how often he is accumulating information about others, Azul may be less fond of others gathering information about himself: acknowledging that Noble Bell College knew his glasses prescription, Azul says it is “a tad disconcerting, admittedly,” and when Rollo reveals that he is already familiar with the NRC students via information from Crowley, Azul responds, “It’s like privacy’s a foreign concept to that man…”

In Book 4 Azul says that his network of information extends to Crowley himself, including “one thing he would never want others to learn,” but as he was pretending to be hypnotized by Jamil at the time and telling him what he wanted to hear it is maybe not technically confirmed that Crowley has one particular secret that he is trying to hide, or that Azul knows what it is.