The echoes of a body tumbling upon the aged boards of the floor rang throughout the chamber. "Ephi!" Tobias cried out in alarm, hastening to her side. Albert, entering from the door, bid him to take Ephi to the antechamber. "She falls into this slumber each time she has fed," Albert spoke. Tobias, dawning understanding in his mind, realized that Ephi would fall into a deep sleep upon satiating her hunger. "You claim that nothing can truly satiate your hunger. But behold, Ephi," Albert gestured towards her sleeping form. He offered Tobias a cloth, to wipe the remnants of her feast from her hands.
Ephi now lay slumbering upon the bed, her hands purified of any remnants. Tobias also noticed that Ephi's regal cloak and formidable equipment hung upon the walls of the chamber. Tobias too felt the pull of slumber tugging at her mind, yet the bed was only fit for a single soul. But then, a memory stirred within her. She remembered the tome, and the ink and quill that lay within her satchel. She retrieved them and began to scribe, her mind wandering to the last entry she had made, the words of grandmother Wilson. She wondered what she might be doing at this very moment, lost in her own thoughts.
The clatter of the plate echoed through the halls like a herald of doom, and Tobias leaped to her feet with all the grace of a gazelle. Her hand reached for the door, and she threw it open to behold Uncle Albert, standing in the hall like some great and mighty wizard, surrounded by the remnants of his fallen laboratory.
Without hesitation, Tobias rushed to his aid, her hands deftly gathering up the shattered pieces of the plate and restoring order to the chaos. Uncle Albert looked upon her with a strange and curious gaze, as if he were trying to read the very thoughts in her mind. But Tobias simply smiled back at him, her eyes shining with the light of a true hero.
"What? You would deign to aid me in washing these dishes as well?" Tobias, who walked beside him, burdened with a plethora of plates, replied with a hint of surprise in her voice, "Of course. I don't have anything to do at the moment, uncle."
After the chaos of the broken plate had been tidied, Tobias insisted on helping Albert with the task of cleaning the dishes.
Uncle Albert was taken aback by the offer, for in his eyes, Tobias was vastly different from Ephi. It seemed impossible to him that this young apprentice would be friends with one such as Ephi, who was truly inexplicable behavior. Yet, despite his doubts, he accepted her offer with gratitude, marveling at the unexpected kindness of this young apprentice.
With measured steps, they descended the straight stairs, their journey leading them to the kitchen below. "Are you certain you do not wish to rest with Ephi instead?" Uncle Albert asked once more, his voice laced with concern. Tobias placed the plates down upon the counter with care, her eyes meeting his, "The bed would not be able to accommodate the both of us."
Uncle Albert could not help but marvel at the innocence of this young apprentice, for her words were spoken with such honesty and cand. Despite her better attitude than Ephi, Albert realized that she was still but a child, her mind untainted by the ways of the world.
Without hesitation, Albert took up the soap and began to wash the dishes, his hands moving with practiced ease. Tobias, unsure of how to proceed, asked for guidance, and Uncle Albert, without reluctance, taught her the art of cleaning dishes.
"Uncle, how was the first time you met Ephi?" Tobias asked with a hint of curiosity in her voice, her hands still busy lathering the plates with soapy foam. Albert, his hands also occupied with the task at hand, replied with a hint of nostalgia in his tone, "That's an old story. Why, are you curious?"
Tobias' hands were still full of frothy soap, her unseen fingers scrubbing at the plate with a sponge, yet her voice was full of cheer as she replied, "Of course, if you don't mind."
"Ah, it was but a year past. I was yet an apprentice, toiling in the kitchens of another, and my own restaurant but a dream in my mind. On a night when the skies wept heavily, I set out for home, my fragile umbrella my only defense against the deluge. The cold winds bit at my flesh, and I knew that my daughter Ennie would also be chilled to the bone. So, I stopped to purchase some warm bread for us both, for even on the darkest of nights, a warm meal can bring comfort. Of course, I did not leave her alone, for my dear neighbors, Mr. Roden and his wife were ever vigilant in their care for her while I labored.
The distance to my home was great, and so I decided to take a shortcut through a dark and narrow alley, where the wind was less fierce and the rain less likely to penetrate. Even still, the water found its way in, trickling in through the crevices and soaking through my clothes. But I pressed on, for the thought of Ennie waiting for me at home kept me warm.
As I treaded through the dark and narrow alley, my feet stumbled upon something hard, and reflexively, I managed to tread with my knees to secure my umbrella and bread. The sound of a hungry and outstretched leg caught my ear, and I saw Ephi, who sat beside the trash can, fast asleep. I held my bread with my right arm, which also held the umbrella, and reached out to touch her soaking-wet clothes. The wind suddenly blew strongly into the alley, and the umbrella I was carrying was almost torn from my grasp. I gripped it tightly, my fingers digging into the handle, and managed to hold it, but alas, it was broken. The wind flipped the cloth and removed some of its skeletal structure.
As I stood in the dark and narrow alley, I knew that if I were to leave, I would be drenched in the rain and my bread would be inedible. But if I stayed, the rain would eventually reach me and the bread would be ruined. I am not one to wait patiently, so I reached out to the sleeping figure beside me. I gently woke Ephi and offered her three of my four pieces of bread. It was better for someone to eat it than for it to be wasted in the rain. Being a lover of food, I could not bear to see it go to waste. Ephi devoured it quickly, and though I was a little annoyed with her ravenous appetite, it was better than throwing the bread away.
With my home filled with empty rooms, I knew that taking Ephi with me was the right decision. Though she was drenched in the rain, I knew that I would soon be just as wet. I hoisted her onto my shoulder, her stomach resting against me as she faced away. We journeyed through the dark and narrow alley, the wind howling around us as we sought refuge from the storm.
As we reached the end of the alley, the wind howled fiercely around us. I braced myself for the deluge, but to my surprise, not a single droplet of rain touched me. It seemed to swerve around me, leaving only the bottom of my pants and one shoulder wet.
After bringing Ephi to my home, I set off to collect my daughter, Ennie, from the care of my neighbor, Mr. Roden. Ephi lay on the floor, eyes closed, and murmured her gratitude. I said nothing in response and left the house. At Mr. Roden's, Ennie greeted me with open arms and a joyful embrace, and thus, my first encounter with Ephi."
As they washed the suds from their hands with the water of the kitchen faucet, the two realized that all of the dishes had been cleansed. "I didn't expect Ephi to ever be in such a state," Tobias exclaimed with gratitude, "I am eternally grateful that you have helped her."
Albert carefully placed the plates upon the humble shelves, arranging them in perfect order. He turned to Tobias and asked, "Truly, I am amazed that she was able to find such a loyal companion like you. How did you meet her?" Tobias, still standing before the dishwasher, had assisted in bringing the washed dishes to Albert for proper organization.
Tobias began his tale, "Compared to yours, it seems like my story is nothing. But, hmm ... Is there something that makes you don't like her a bit?" Albert's hands froze in place, surprised by Tobias' sudden and direct question.
"So you want to know? There is another story to tell you that. But I'll cut it short because it's getting late now," Uncle Albert's countenance grew somber as he spoke. Tobias offered his apologies, "Sorry for making you talk so much, uncle."
"Once Ephi had taken up residency with me, I entrusted her with the care of young Ennie whilst I was away at my labors. This brought me a sense of ease, as I was no longer a burden upon good Master Roden and his wife. After two moons had passed, I opened the doors of my eatery, and Ephi was graciously summoned to aid in the washing of dishes. Due to the bond that had formed between the two, Ennie joyfully joined in the task.
Since the establishment of my eatery, each time the hour for sustenance approached, sometimes Ephi would request that I prepare a dish of unusual and costly fare. Though I was tempted to decline, for we had shared a home for many moons, and she always promised to repay me in due course. Yet, to this day, she has not fulfilled her vow. Though I am not a being who is consumed by avarice, one must honor their words, regardless of who they may be.
What irked me the most were the events of two moons past when Ephi fled from her duties and left poor Ennie alone to tend to the dishwasher. She returned only at the midnight hour, and upon questioning, she would always reply with a cackle that she had saved the kingdom. Such foolish and baseless claims. From that moment on, she would often abandon her duties without a second thought. As a being with a keen sense for culinary arts, you hast surely noted my aversion to such gluttony and haphazard dining habits."
Tobias was aghast that Ephi would abandon her duties so carelessly. There must be a valid reason behind her actions. Could it be that Uncle Albert was unaware that Ephi was a confidante of the Albalbel? "I think what Ephi said about saving this city is true. Don't you ... don't know that Ephi is a friend of the God of War, Uncle Albert?" Tobias spoke with the utmost innocence, but his words were met with a sigh from Albert. "I thought you were a different person, but you are the same as the bullshit Ephi," Albert rose to his feet, his finger resting upon the switch. "Are you want to sleep in the kitchen? If so, I don't mind."
Tobias stepped back into the chamber, and as he pushed open the door, he was met with the unexpected sight of a figure standing before him. Clad in a sleek black ensemble, adorned with intricate golden embellishments, the stranger wore pristine white gloves upon both hands. And as Tobias gazed upon the face of the stranger, he saw a pair of pince-nez glasses perched upon the right eye. The jet-black tresses were a dead giveaway - this was none other than Albalbel himself.
"What is he doing here?"
Bell stood before Tobias, his gaze fixed upon the bracelet adorning the young lady's wrist. Not a word escaped his lips as he took a step forward, his hand reaching out to grasp Ephi's ankle, causing the slumbering woman to tumble to the ground.
Ephi quickly regained her footing and hastened to the window, her stomach still queasy from the fall. "You spew it out. All the chefs will be mad at you."
Though her stomach was filled to the brim, the sudden impact had made Ephi feel queasy. She retreated to a quiet corner beneath the window, rubbing her mouth. She looked up at Bell with a stern expression, no trace of jest in her voice. "What's wrong, Bell? Did something else happen?"
"Ephi, I have words of import to impart unto thee."
The night descended upon Uncle Albert's restaurant with a gentle rain, causing the establishment to be bereft of customers. He stood alone, gazing upon the empty tables, his hand sweeping across their chilled surfaces. Memories of his late wife flooded his mind, who used to tirelessly clean these very tables and always greeted him with a warm smile upon their eyes meeting. With a sigh, Uncle Albert flipped the closed sign and extinguished the lights.
It had been two years since the passing of Uncle Albert's beloved wife, taken from him by an enigmatic, life-ending illness. But he holds on to hope, embodied in the form of the young Ennie, lying in her bed. Even as she slumbered, he would gaze upon her cherubic face, cherishing every moment he has left with her.
Mr. Albert slumbered in a chamber alongside his dear daughter Ennie. Despite offering lodging within the walls of his restaurant, few souls dared to spend the night within its confines. Above the establishment, only eight chambers existed. Mr. Albert's chamber was the first, followed by an empty room, Ephi's quarters, another unoccupied chamber, and a room that served as a private dining hall for those seeking a special meal like Ephi. The final three chambers lay unoccupied and silent.
Mr. Albert had designed eight chambers as he and his beloved wife once dreamed of a family of seven children. Their desires echoed still within his memory, a whispered vow, "Seven ... the more, the merrier." But now, that dream lay shattered, lost to the ages.