The Devil Slayer & The Steam Prince Volume1

Chapter 15 Halloween Ball Part2

Gray's POV: Earlier when I was arriving outside the gate I felt a little overdressed from what I prefer but now that I see most people are in either fancy clothes or costume I understand why I was asked to wear my Fantasia outfit, now I'm sitting next to Seth during the dinner and I see a different side to him, one of high class and refinement, its nice to see he only puts this side on when around others of high class and wealth as I know he is more like a guild mage around me and the others loud and ambitious always ready for a friendly scuffle and stubborn of course, if I'm honest he looks really nice in his costume and the way he did his hair for tonight makes him even more attractive.———————————————————————
I just calmly enjoy the meal and answer a few various questions, then I remembered I still had Seth's charm bracelet in my pocket. I elbow him as he was about to draw his spoon to his face, he looks over at me and sees the charm bracelet in my open hand, he just smiles in gratitude before putting it on. After dinner and dessert was over I saw Antonio in costume approach me near the punch fountain.———————————————————————
"I hope that Lady Lucy has taught you how to ask someone to dance with you in this setting." Is what I heard the young man say softly as he shot me a sideways glance. "No, besides it can't be that big a deal if I just ask Seth if he wants to dance and then just follow the crowd right, I say in a flat tone." "Good heavens no when your around people of this high of a class who can flaunt their wealth as if they were the rulers in the capital you need to approach dance partners properly come with me quickly and I will instruct you, Antonio says in shock at my answer." Antonio snatched me by the wrist and tugged me away but as I was about to protest I could see Seth was talking to Antonio's mom and they walked onto the patio.———————————————————————
I was brought to a spare room on the first floor where Seth and Antonio would play as kids and even Seth and his mom would perform for the Bartell's and so in this room I was given a quick lesson on how to properly approach and ask someone of wealthy birth if they would like to dance. "I know if this was more of a relaxed casual setting you could get away with just asking him outright but with a lot of wealthy people hear you really should make a good impression Antonio says as he wraps up the quick lesson." "Yeah I guess for his sake it would seem more proper to do it this way thanks I guess." Is my answer as I walk with him back into the main ballroom.———————————————————————
"Everyone I do believe..." Lady Marianne said stopping short as she noticed the guests were busy talking and drinking with each other to notice she was trying to address them." "SHUT UP, BACKS STRAIGHT, DRINKS DOWN, YOUR HOSTING LADY IS SPEAKING!" I heard a familiar voice shout and boom with a loud stomp of metal against the flooring, I look and see it's Seth who was the source of the screaming as he felt angered by the fact that his mother's closest friend was being ignored in her own home.———————————————————————
All the guests instantly with startled expressions obey the orders shouted and so Seth takes a deep breath and calms down. "All yours m'lady Seth says as he looks at Lady Bartell who smiles softly and nods in reply." "Thank you for that my dear, as I was saying I do believe it's time to dance, gentlemen find a dance partner and let's see what pair wins this friendly contest, Lady Bartell says calmly and sweetly as she addresses the guests." ———————————————————————
I then go find Seth who had his foot propped against a wall as he tries to calm himself from dealing with the pompous fools. "Young Lord Whitman would you do me the kindness of joining me as my dance partner, I ask as I bow my head in front of my guildmate." "Arise, my good sir, it would be my great pleasure to be your dance partner this evening." A sweet voice of calm and nobility said and so I look and see Seth had his hand open with the palm up and an extended arm. I place my hand in his and we walk over to the dance floor.———————————————————————
"You don't have to force yourself to act fancy for my sake of status nor do you have to force yourself to dance I'm sure I could have found someone to dance with or I could have just danced with Lady Marianne if everyone else denied me, Seth says to me softly so only I could hear it." "But aren't you from this style of living as a child so Isn't it proper protocol for people to speak to you in such a manner and as far as dancing is concerned I'm your guildmate tasked with keeping an eye on you, I say nonchalantly." ———————————————————————
"I left the life of proper protocol, formalities and wealthy privilege behind me when last year I ran away from home, Shortly after the time that mom died my father forced lessons on me to learn to take over the family business and that's something I didn't want I wanted to live a life of magic a life of happiness and freedom to explore our great nation, Seth says in the same soft tone as before." ———————————————————————
"So you come to these events at the Bartell home because the lady of the family was good friends of your mom and you became friends with the son and so now coming reminds you of happy days when your mom was around, I ask as we dance around in our section?" I get a small silent nod from him and so I stop digging into the topic as I can tell he is starting to become depressed from our chat when he came here and invited me here to have fun.———————————————————————
It soon comes time for me to twirl Seth into me and then spin him back out and so before spinning him outward he whispers to me "Once I dispel my water turn the floor to ice there aren't many dancing and those who are don't know how to skate well." I just crack a smug grin as I see where this is going. Seth soon puts a swirling column of water up around him and is taking his time dispelling it but I remain patient and soon I see fluffy white ballet cuffs on his wrists as they slice the water and then his head and one of his legs stick out of the water and so the collum dispells and he is now in a white swan costume.———————————————————————
I do as told and ice the floor and so Seth starts to skate beautifully and even leaps into the air and sticks the landing perfectly. The entire crowd on the sidelines are stunned by the gracefulness of his skating he then spins in place once more before stopping with one arm hooked and hovering over his head his other arm reached out towards me, I remember what my guildmates told me before I left and so I glide over and take his hand as I did earlier, hand in hand we turn and face the judges and the crowd is applauding as the judges start to talk amongst themselves.———————————————————————
Eventually, they are reading off the top 3 as they already have announced third and second place everyone stands around with nervousness as they open the winning envelope and then I hear it "The first place winners are Gray Fullbuster and Seth Whitman of the FairyTail guild." I walk over with Seth and we take the trophy we are handed. "Lady Marianne asked me earlier if we could close the ball with a display of our powers outside, Seth says softly as he looks at me." "Well then, Id hate to disappoint her ladyship and have you leave here grumpy, I say in a joking manner near the end." ———————————————————————
He then tells me that he wants to make the House Crests of his and the Bartell's as well as he wants me to ice them and then hang icicles in the air above them, I of course just nod and so he is then escorted away from me by one of the house staff and I'm then guided outside by Antonio and his mother. Once all the guests were outside by the fountain Antonio clears his throat and the guests remembering Seth's screaming earlier straighten up and await what the young lord of the hosting family has to say.———————————————————————
"Thank you all for joining us on the cool autumn night and before we send you home tonight my mother has asked the winners of the dance contest to give a display of their talents so I present to you Gray Fullbuster and my childhood friend Seth Whitman The Steam Prince of the FairyTail guild, Antonio says as he motions one of his hands to me and the other to a second-floor balcony where Seth was standing. I then see Seth leap from the balcony and I get nervous but then he lands on a cloud of steam and leaps from cloud to cloud and dances elegantly as he does until he is right above the fountain.———————————————————————
Assuming this was my queue I take my stance to cast my magic, Seth then turns the water into a Deer and a Badger standing on their hind legs and having their front legs touching together I then freeze the water to freeze the image and I summon icicles hovering around it, Seth ends up using his pocket daggers to shatter the icicles to make it sparkle like glittering stars in the night sky. Seth finishes it off by leaping from up high and safely landing on the ground then Lighting candles around the fountain's base and so all the guests start applauding at the show.———————————————————————
I look to Seth to see his head is resting against the side of my shoulder so I figure out he must be tired from how late it is and all the excitement. Seeing him like this causes me to chuckle softly with a grin on my face. I then swing him over my shoulders and carry him to the train station and once off the train I carry him to the guild, as my friends are about to ask me why he I have Seth piggybacking on me I put a finger to my lips to shush them.———————————————————————
"He fell asleep a little while ago it's most likely due to what time it is and all the excitement I'm gonna go put him to bed so keep quiet." I say slightly annoyed as I have a feeling he would hate to wake up to all their noise. I strip him out of his clothes keeping his underwear on and lay him in his bed. "Get some rest and thanks for inviting me it was fun to see a different side of you, I say softly as I drape the blankets over him and softly shut the door behind me." I then enter my own room and get undressed and go to sleep in my own bed.