"Oh wow, what happened to you? It's like I'm seeing a different person!" Layla praised, lightly patting my head as she grabbed a clipboard. Jotting down while inspecting me as I fired more blasts of winds at the target.
The room was large, vials and runic papers lying on tables, even studies of runes on walls could be seen. However, it was used for the study of Aether and for my training.
"For today, I'll be teaching you a few spells, and this time let's try to not use any trigger commands for spells. It's somewhat fine for you to rely on it as of right now, but you shouldn't later in the future."
I gave a quick nod, before she continued.
"From the pressurised wind blasts you've demonstrated and with my teachings, these spells should be relatively easy to do." The first spell was a spherical barrier of wind, it was hard to envision a real trigger command for it and I had to do it without.
But overtime, I slowly got the hang of it, instead of condensing it into the palm of my hand, I gathered the wind orbs and dispersed it outwardly. Controlling it was the hard part, and maintaining it took longer. Nevertheless, I was corrected by Layla's teachings and adjusted my own method.
Instead of dispersing, it was much more simpler, I merely had to expand it slowly than to release it. Thus, a small barrier was maintained before it released automatically. It was draining to hold it, but not as hard as what Roy had taught me.
The next spell was much more easy, and instead of a pressurised blast of a barrier, it was a simple gust of wind. More so a wall of wind, I conjured a small square wall, and slowly pushed it forward. It was successful, and the last spell Layla taught me was to float in the air, which was a little more difficult.
But, it was easy when she instructed me how it worked. It only worked for a few seconds, but those few seconds allowed me to go from one side to the other at fast speeds.
"That'll be it for today, we'll go over them next week and practice them." She looked up, smiling warmly.
I hadn't noticed, but it was already sunset. It only felt like a few minutes had gone by, was my perception of time really that bad?
The next day Claudia and I was taught by Lione, his teachings to say the least, were harsh and difficult. But it wasn't enough to make me yield, he also seemed to look indifferent even to my unlocking of wind.
Claudia on the other hand clasped my hands into hers and made a big deal out of it, forcing Lione to act as joyous or well tried to act cheery for my awakening.
Afterwards, I hadn't seen Claudia for the next few weeks and even asking was met with her incredibly busy schedule. I still did basic exercises on Murren's instructions while he lazed around, sleeping or eating the pieces of fruit Priscilla brought.
Layla on the other hand, helped me practice spells and trained my control on the Aether, meticulously going through what I needed to improve on and what I had to practice more on.
Father occasionally trained nearby while watching my lessons, even practicing his own spells which he hadn't done in a while.
I had also written some questions to Bobby every now and again, though he never responded. I wondered if he was getting any sales, being in an alley surely didn't promote his business any further and its rundown appearance didn't help it either. He may even be homeless at this point.
A realisation occurred during the few months, on a unusual occasion where I had the thought that everyone was capable of seeing Aether particles. However, Layla confirmed that she had never in her life sensed the so-called orbs that I saw. Even Lione had a look of scepticism.
Lione even protested and declared that it was theoretically impossible to see nonetheless interact with it. And here I was, for the past 5 years, doing the exact thing he stated to be impossible.
It may have been a little weird of me, but every night, I'd read Roy's letter. It wasn't to grieve, nor was it for the sentiments. It was purely for one reason and only one reason. To remember his name, 'Lauv Godwin'.
It was to the point that his name rung through my mind every hour. It was stuck to me like a parasite, always telling me, to remind me of who I wanted to kill.
It was to the point that, I didn't even think it was for revenge, or for Roy anymore.
I just wanted to kill him. There was no reason.
"Miss Ophelia, you're Aether soul seems to have developed nicely and the spells I've taught you have been trained to near perfection." She flicked through the papers that were clipped to the clipboard. "Were even ahead of the set schedule I had for you."
"Excuse me Miss Layla."
"Hm?" She looked up from her lap.
"Have you ever met with Lauv Godwin?"
Her face froze, like she was somewhat confused at the question.
"That was out of nowhere, yes why?"
"Could you tell me how it felt? What he was like?" She placed her clipboard onto her lap, her face tensed albeit only for a small moment.
"At the time I was still a student at Kūkyo Academy. I was deathly terrified, every part of me felt stuck in place. He was tall and bulky, and a big axe that stood out of place. But miraculously, he spared me." Tall, bulky, and a big axe.
There was a tall figure, a big axe strapped to their back back then, near Bobby's shop. Was that..?
"Thanks, I'll see you next week Miss Layla!" We waved goodbye to each other, while I left to go to my room.
In the midst of heading over, I looked out the window, the moonlight shining through and onto me from the many window panes that were cut through from architectural design. The butler continued to dance even in the cold moonlight.
His elegance was unnatural, not because he was a man or a butler, but something about him. It felt surreal to look at, his every being was just ethereal to my eyes.
From afar, I could tell just from the way he danced. Each step was delicate, like he was cautious of another's feet. His arms flowed smoothly but appeared firm, like he held someone in his loving and tender embrace.
And yet.
.
.
.
I saw no one within his dolorous grasp.
From afar, I could tell just from the way he danced. Each step exuded a sense of anguish, like he was viciously tearing away at his own body. His arms were inundated by his ceaseless dancing, as if fragile to the touch, like he was waiting for someone who would never come back.
His gaucheness was laughable, it could've been because of how long he had been dancing, that he looked like a complete amateur. Like I was watching a beginner just start dancing, his every being was just normal to my eyes.
And, as he danced in the piercing gaze of the moon, he shined brightly.
How long had I been watching him dance for? I turned around, it was time I went to sleep.