Who is Teiji from The Master Puppeteer and what is their importance?

Teiji is one of the apprentice boys at the theater and is the lowest on the social scale except for Jiro. He is a nervous boy who stutters when he talks. He is very afraid of Yoshida. Like the others, he loves Kinshi and soon shows the same deep friendship and loyalty for Jiro. He is a very caring and open person who is always completely honest. He is not ambitious and would never think to be jealous of the others.