The days following Nivel and Ezekiel's departure were a blur of adjustments and anticipation. I settled into a routine of lessons with Ophelia, exploring the library of the Florence mansion, and trying to study on the notes she left for me on obscure magical theories.
It was a far cry from the thrilling adventures I had envisioned, but I had to admit, the world of magic was fascinating, even in its more academic form.
One morning, as I was attempting to comprehend the intricacies of elemental transmutation (apparently, turning a frog into a teapot was not as straightforward as it seemed), but then Ophelia summoned me to her office.
"Julian, your mother has requested a leave of absence for the next few days."
"A leave of absence? But why?"
Ophelia shrugged.
"She didn't specify anything, really. She simply said she had some personal matters to attend to."
It was strange for my mom to do something like this so suddenly, especially when she was rarely ever secretive.
