William took his time after solving the problem of belonging somewhere thanks to the Masked Man. By waiting a few weeks, he allowed the masked man's visit to cool off. That way he would avoid unwanted attention. He spent this time making new equipment for himself, and he had to admit that the spell books and equipment had cost him a lot of money. Spells at the official mage level could be expensive beyond his expectations. This depended on the power of the spell and the damage it dealt or the protection and support it provided.
He hadn't learned any spells yet because he hadn't digested the knowledge of the elements and spells at the official mage level. This information, which was more complex than the Apprentice level, was much harder to understand and required more concentration.
That's why William was always reading books in his free time.