Many more mornings, evenings and nights passed by, my training had gone relatively smoothly throughout the many months that flew so quickly. Only Murren, my weapons instructor had continued to make me do the same routines over and over again.
However, it wasn't all bad, even if it was the same thing, my body had become more fit and athletic, and I was able to go for many hours exercising nonstop.
Layla helped me learn new spells, polish my control, and gave me more knowledge on Aether, the practical uses of Aether, it's history and the development of how it came to be. Lione helped develop my Aether Soul in general and attended to questions I had every week.
The questions I inquired were mostly to do with how to grow my mindscape, or my 'Soul Realm' as I called it. Though it was mostly basic things that I had already been doing. I also had other questions like Aura but he suggested to not dig into something I wouldn't be good at.
Dad checked up on me from time to time, and when eating he always asked how I was doing and if the instructors were still harsh, particularly Murren. To which, I consistently nagged about how he was useless and even when he never did anything, his overall presence was irritating enough.
I didn't want to disappoint him either, and so I never confronted him about it.
Other than that we never really communicated much. It was a little strange, but I brushed it off thinking it was because he wanted me to focus on my training to get the scholarship. Sometimes, I thought about how Mom and Zed were doing back at home, knowing my brother, it'd probably be hectic.
Even Fael, my personal maid, did she tend to Zed now? It was difficult, even though I could send messages to them, I doubted that they had any way of sending messages back. From what I inferred looking at all the other runic applicable stores, Bobby's tools albeit shady appeared to be of much higher quality than others that I had seen.
Bobby still never sent or replied back to any of the messages I wrote to him, I couldn't figure out if he was blatantly trying to ignore me or if I just couldn't imagine him correctly. I knew my memory wasn't bad or deteriorating, so it was a little weird if they never actually sent.
Unless, Bobby was never actually his real name, or that his appearance wasn't what he actually looked like. Both was perfectly logical, even the get-up, from the broken sign, creaky floorboards, secluded in an alleyway. Why didn't I think of it sooner?
Perhaps, would going back to that secluded alley show me the store again? Would it be there still? Or would it be gone? Would Bobby still be there? I leaned on the windowsill, looking out, the butler still danced.
On my rest days, I'd observe the butler from time to time. The man who was always outside, through morning to dusk, had never taken any breaks. In other times too, staying till early next morning, or in the cold stormy days, or the scorching dry summers. He continued to dance ever so passionately.
"So." I looked to my side before turning to face the window again. It was Claudia speaking, I hadn't seen her in many months, how long was it, 7 months? I lost count.
"Why are you so interested in that guy? You've been staring so intently at him for hours." She sat on the window sill, lifting her feet up and down in a slow tempo, thumping onto the wall each time. I didn't know, well that was a lie. I wanted to know why he danced so fervently. So elegantly, so beautifully. It was a random curiosity that I had.
"Your butler's just interesting. Even when I try to catch him taking a break, he never does." I spoke the truth, it was just a random thing that I felt pushed to, why was he so diligent in his dancing? Like he needed to practice it till it was perfect.
"Just go talk to him if you really want to, he wouldn't mind." She hopped off the window sill, brushing herself off and a series of steps could be heard down the hall. "I'll be off now Lia, my schedule is pretty packed so we might not be able to see each other for a while again!" Quickly exchanging goodbyes we waved each other off, while she skipped away.
Birds chirped on nearby trees, gathering on the seemingly symmetrical trees designed as decoration. I looked at the butler still dancing, whilst closing in on him.
Before I could even get within arm's reach of him, he turned and stopped to look at me.
"Oh dear, who do we have here?" He bowed, his arm behind his back while the other near his chest.
"Ophelia, Sir Lione let me stay for the time being."
"I hope you've had a wonderful stay here. Sir Lione really treats his guests right if he likes them." He chuckled softly, "What brings you to wanting to meet such a old man like myself?"
"It may sound a little weird, but I've been watching you by the windows for some time now." I pointed to the exact window I had always looked through, "Why do you dance? And why do you do it for so long?" It was a question I had for a long time, no matter what I was doing, I had pondered it for too long to not be tempted to just go ask directly.
"Why do I.. dance?" He scratched his chin, closing his eyes and pausing briefly. "It's a long story, would you still like to hear it?"
I gave a quick nod, answering to his question.
"I have all the time in the world."
Polished stone chairs shot from the ground, as he took a seat he waved me over. I sat as comfortably as I could, waiting for him to start.