The Devil Slayer & The Steam Prince Volume1

Chapter 3 Estate Summons

Seth's POV: Though I didn't open my eyes I knew it was daylight flooding into my room and just as I was about to call for Priscilla to shut the blinds I remember that I'm no longer at the estate I'm at the Fairy Tail guild dorms. I get out of my bed and put on my pajamas, slippers, pajama robe and my glasses before opening my bedroom door and walking down to the guild hall. "Morning, I said before I covered my mouth as I was about to yawn." ———————————————————————
"Oh good morning Seth seems you got plenty of sleep last night I'll get you some breakfast." Mira said as she waved from behind the bar. "Hey Seth come sit with us." said a familiar voice. I turned and saw it was Natsu who was calling out to me, I just gave Mira a look and she happily nodded in return. I walked calmly over and sat by Lucy and Erza and then cracked my neck and my fingers and even cracked my back. ———————————————————————
"By the sound of you cracking yourself, I'm guessing it was rough for you to get comfortably positioned last night even though you look well rested." said Erza as she looked over at me. "It's not as soft and sinkable as my bed back at my family estate, I think it's just an adjustment, I'm good I promise." I smiled back at her as Mira set down some food for me. "Thanks Mira." I say with a smile and my head tilted to one side as I looked over to her.
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"Maybe it's not the bed but maybe it's due to your late night dancing, I know my neck and back could use a good cracking in the morning if I was bending in all sorts of ways while dancing." Gray stated. I swallowed my drink and a breath of air in at the same time so I started to cough after hearing Gray say this. "You saw that how much did you see?" I asked in a panic. "Just some of when you were dancing on steam clouds shortly before you went back into your room." Gray replied. ———————————————————————
"You dance Seth?" asked Lucy. "Normally not in daylight, but if I'm having a hard time falling asleep then yes by myself of course away from prying eyes, the only one I was ok with watching was my deceased mother, I danced even back when I was young and I always dance with my eyes shut, so I'm embarrassed someone here at the guild saw me dancing around late at night." I admitted with my face stained red with embarrassment. "I also incorporate dance moves when I go on the defensive." I admitted as I finished my breakfast.———————————————————————
"That's good to know I'm sure we can make use of it on a job tomorrow." Lucy said. "Oh I guess that means you guys already picked one out before I came downstairs, well if you'll excuse me I will see you when you all return I'll be up in my room if you need to see me." I said as I got up and walked my dishes over to Lisanna and told her to thank Mirajane for the food.———————————————————————
I'm now in my room sitting on my bed head on knees and staring at the clouds through the window when suddenly I'm snapped to reality by a knock on my door. "Yes?" I called unsure of who wants me. "It's Erza a young lady in midnight blue and teal cloths by the name Annabelle is asking for you and is with me now." came the answer. "Doors open let her in please." I replied. The door then opened and there stood Annabelle looking happy that I'm in good health but then drops her eyes and looks off to the side as she closes the door behind her. "Anna what's the matter?" I ask. ———————————————————————
"Sir I'm glad you are well but your father has sent me to bring you back to the manor, he didn't say why just that he needs to speak with you." Annabelle replied. I sigh heavily before responding. "I'm sure he wants me back there to talk rather than come to meet me here at the guild, fine I will go see him and will wear my suit but I plan on returning to the guild as soon as this conversation is wrapped up." I stated. Annabelle looked relieved to hear this and agreed to it ———————————————————————
*after a train ride to just outside of the capital city and then a horse from the station to the secluded manor* "Finally here at last I forgot just how long the trek to the train station was and that you can only get here via horse carriage." I sighed with relief. I told Anna to let me handle to gate before pressing the gates bell. "Can I help you." said a familiar voice. "It's the family prince been long time Ricky hasn't it." came my reply with my signature sweet smile. "Sir it's good to see you again please come in." Ricky replied before buzzing open the gates.———————————————————————
Once finally at the doors of the manor I went inside and headed for my dressing room where staff were ready to adjust my suit after I was changed, of course it was just adjusting my collar into place, placing the cufflinks into my suits sleeves, and sweeping my hair over to the left the way I liked to when meeting with posh people. "You look splendid sir to think it's only been a years time since you left on your kingdom long journey and yet the house is made warmer by your presence." Aaron said as he looked at my reflection.———————————————————————
"I forgot how much I didn't enjoy these stuffy suits and prefer more relaxed yet still elegantly designed outfits, but seeing as it's a meeting with father it seemed appropriate." I muttered to myself. "We know you're only here to meet with your father sir but we do hope after this you write to us we would like to stay in contact with our prince." Aaron said somberly.———————————————————————
"Very well I will write the staff as often as I can I promise." came my reply before showing them how to open magic letters from me. I then bid them farewell and walked to father's study and knocked on the door. "Pardon me father it's Seth you summoned me." I called out from the hall. "Yes come in." came father's cold monotone reply from the other side of the door.———————————————————————
I opened the door and walked in and closed the door behind me before continuing walking to a chair, I then sat down and waited for him to say why he called for me and why the staff wasn't allowed to say. "I asked you back home so I could ask you to take my place in attending a gala, I know you have made it clear in the past that you don't like ladies and are interested in gentlemen instead and don't want to by force bring others into our fold, now as far as the second one is concerned I can see where you are coming from my son.
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I was sent an invite to a gala and was planning on attending to give your methods a try but I can't due to a pile of work here that needs my attention, you don't need to flirt with the ladies this time, I want you to just go and dance with a few and see if any of the families attending are interested in joining us if they're not that's ok, if they want to join us give them my card and write down the name they give you." my father spoke before letting me speak.
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"So you need me to be regal for one night coming soon in your place I guess I can do that though I'd rather be spending time with my guildmates, I do expect you to let me to return to guild life after this one favor, might I ask who the family hosting the event is and the date of the event." I spoke up. "Yes that sums it up and yes of course I know the magically gifted like you belong with your kind so of course after this favor you can return to life of a guild wizard and the Bartell's are the hosting family." replied father.———————————————————————
When father said it was the Bartell family I remember back to when mom was alive. "Seth are you ok you look like a cloud of sadness just crossed over you." my father asked. "Yes father I'm fine it's just that name reminds me of when mom was alive when she would catch up with Lady Marianne Bartell, as a child I would hang out with Antonio Bartell, so I was gloomy a moment ago from remembering mom." I replied.———————————————————————
"Oh that's right your mother and Lady Marianne were very good friends I'm sure Antonio would be happy to know his friend is attending the gala." said father with a hand on my shoulder and a look of compassion on his face. "Very well then I'll go to it just give me the date and time." I replied.———————————————————————
"2 weeks from today so that would bring you to August 10th and the dancing doesn't start till 7PM, but I want you to enjoy yourself so get there by 5PM, so you can hang out with your old friend for a few hours." father said with a soft smile. I smiled back and nodded in agreement before asking if he could send Aaron with my party attire to the Fairy Tail Guild in Magnolia Town the day of the gala. Dad said he would and then I wrote on the invite so it read "Lord Whitman is unable to attend at this time due to an emergency pile up of paperwork, his son Seth Whitman will attend in his place, arriving 2 hours early in hopes to see his old friend Antonio of the hosting Bartell family." ———————————————————————
I then elegantly write my name and roll it back up and seal it with our family's seal. Father then said I'm free to go back to the guild hall and that he will get this sent out right away. I nod and hug my father for the first time in so many years, he was surprised by this but then returned the hug.———————————————————————
Once we let go of eachother and I finished changing back to normal cloths I go and stop by mom's grave, I sit on the bench in front of it to talk with her. "Hi mom I just got done with talking to dad I'm going to a gala on his behalf and I'm going to be able to catch up with Antonio and Lady Marianne, I also got accepted into Fairy Tail the other day and I'm very happy about it, I hope your watching over me and smiling down at all that I do, well mom I'd better get back to the guild." ———————————————————————
I said before getting up and catching a horse carriage from the yard to the train station and then onto a train back to Magnolia, after that I walked back to the guild hall and just spent the rest of the afternoon at the pool. When Natsu and his team get back I have dinner with them and I tell what happened after they left and then later that night I go for my nightly bath and then head to bed.