Ruby Shimmer (re-write)

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

After I had successfully completed the Oath Ceremony, I spent the next month freely exploring what I now officially recognized as my new home.

However, while I had been granted time off, I still insisted on keeping up with my studies and training voluntarily in order to keep my skills sharp until I was needed.

But even so, no matter how I spent my time on any given day, I almost always ended up back in the massive library.

I had originally decided to try and relax by spending some time alone in the library only once every few days at the most. I intended it to be a small break if I had to go through a particularly intense training session or something similar.

This all started out as a simple whim, however, I underestimated just how interesting the library's contents would prove to be.

As a result, I continuously found myself spending hours reading my way through the vast and seemingly unending collection of books, though in reality I had failed to even scratch the surface.

I'm actually a little ashamed to admit this even now, but on that very first day, I had fallen asleep in one of the incredibly comfortable plush armchairs set up in different places around the vast space. And truth be told, I wound up being found by a panicked and slightly disheveled Ava, who had been searching frantically for me when I didn't show up for dinner that night.

I was, of course, insanely embarrassed by this, but lucky for me, she didn't judge me for it in the slightest. In fact, all she did do was lead me back to my private quarters where I was greeted with a bowl of tomato bisque and a couple grilled cheese sandwiches waiting for me on a temporary table set up consisting of a simple two person dining table and one of the same wicker-lined chairs from the everyday dining room.

But, while I was having a surprisingly good time, even with all I was going through, I knew deep down that my fun would eventually come to an end.

And soon enough, my peaceful days were up as one morning, Ava woke me up much earlier than usual. Actually, it was so early that the sky outside my window was still pitch black.

Before I could ask why this was happening when it was, I was being semi-forced into a soft pair of black leggings and a loose-fitting white knit sweater, as well as a set of white slipper shoes.

I was then presented with a quick breakfast platter containing several of my favorite pastries that I had fallen in love with over time and a large pitcher filled with plain milk immediately after.

After I had eaten my fill, I followed Ava through the halls in silence, all the while, trying to calm my racing heart as my thoughts turned to things like wondering where we were going and why the hell I had to be up so damn early?

Desperate for a solution to such troublesome things, I turned to one of the many types of lessons I had been through over the past year. Particularly the ones I had with Miss Keiko Miyazaki.

Just as I had been taught, I made an effort to steady my breathing and clear my mind of all worry and distractions. That way, I would be able to keep all my mental energy focused on using my power to its full potential.

I continued this process until we eventually stopped outside what I immediately recognized as being the entrance to the library. The very library where I had spent so much of my previous vacation time.

Once she had guided me to the nearest set of chairs, Ava sat me down on one of them before disappearing behind one of the surrounding shelves.

But unfortunately, I was unable to see where she was headed off to from my current position.