Chapter 4: Sebastian & Martha
"How nice of you to finally join us, Alduin." My father's bleak yet intimidating voice rang through my ears when I entered the dining room. My eyes hesitated to meet the soul-piercing, frosty gaze of his draconic pupils as if I were in the presence of a genuine beast in human skin, or in this instance, Devil skin.
His fist was perched against his cheek, and his posture tilted slightly to the right as he slowly unveiled his palm—gesturing to the vacant chair beside him, and opposite my mother.
"Aren't you going to sit down? Or will Thora need to guide you to your seat as well?" I couldn't emphasize how eerie the contradiction of how tranquil demeanor in comparison to the ghastly presence of his voice was, however, I couldn't afford to simply dawdle in place while twiddling my thumbs—lest I wanted to appear like a complete buffoon.
"I apologize for the delay, Mother, Father." Despite the knot-like feeling in my throat, I mustered up the gallantry to speak up. Making my way over to the dining table, pulling the chair backwards, and promptly taking my seat. Hopeful that I hadn't taken too long to make my arrival.
The intensely aromatic scent of freshly cooked steak wafted through my nostrils, the seasoning of which appeared to be beautifully done—even though I couldn't recognize its origin. It must be cuisine unique to the Underworld, or maybe House Buné in particular, and surprisingly enough, I had been poured a glass of wine to go with it.
A result of the Underworld's different take on the minimum drinking age, I suppose.
Speaking of food, I noticed that my father's plate contained nothing but meat, while my mother's was filled solely with vegetables. I was the only one at the dinner table who was on a balanced diet—how fascinating.
"Normally, I'd scold you for your tardiness." Sebastian stroked his stubble, his pupils dilating in a horrifying fashion. My memories telling me precisely what his interpretation of the word scolding was. "However, I can tell that this instance isn't a product of mere disorderly conduct. Wouldn't you agree? Dear." He turned to Martha.
"You know full well that I have little patience for beating around the bush." She drummed her fingers against the table, clearly uninterested in humoring whatever angle he was attempting to pursue. "Alduin. As you're aware, your awakening ceremony will take place a month from now—on the morning of your eighteenth birthday."
"I'm aware." I nodded firmly, Thora's words from earlier supplying me with a much-needed morale boost.
"You've prepared your body well, I'm sure you'll do just fine." She waved off the topic haphazardly, gracefully plunging her fork into the bowl of greens beneath her and digging in until she was interrupted by the sound of my father scoffing. "Is something amusing? Sebastian."
I'm getting the feeling that these two don't exactly have the model husband-and-wife relationship. Maybe that's just to be expected when you marry for blood instead of heart.
"If physical strength was all it took, then Ladora would've passed his ceremony with flying colours. I trained him just as hard as I'm training Alduin after all." He wiped the humor off his face, his expression growing stern. "The Dragon we create is more than just a parasite trying to take us down every step of the way, despite my teachings, Ladora failed to comprehend that—that's why he succumbed to deviation."
His eyes darted over towards me, causing me to recoil while I was sitting down.
"Our Clan Trait is different from the others. Ours is sentient, and not just because it wants to consume us. It's because it needs proof that its wielder is worthy of its strength, and should they pass their ceremony—it'll continue to verify if they're worthy until its user has fought off every challenge it can throw at them. Only then will it acknowledge you as a true Buné."
Martha expressed little emotion, clearly having heard all these words before.
"Ladora understood that fact perfectly, yet he still ended up succumbing to deviation." A flash of spiteful glamor appeared across her face, albeit briefly. "Maybe it isn't the student that's flawed, but rather the master that lacks the insight to tutor them properly."
He snickered ominously.
"Don't pretend as if you aren't glad he—"
"Sebastian," the pitch of her voice dropped to a low, threatening growl. Even though I wasn't her target, I could still feel my heart begin to beat out of my chest as my palms grew clammy. Sweat was building up on the surface of my skin.
I have a strong feeling I know what his following words would be, and I can't be more relieved that she intervened before he could say them.
"Hmph. Whatever," he rolled his eyes at her before returning his attention to me. "Ceremony aside, there's been a new initiative put forward by House Gremory—regarding sending their Heiress to Earth, to accumulate experience by having them rule over a human town for some unfathomable reason."
"Maybe it's an opportunity to give her experience commanding a territory beforehand? Learning to walk before she runs and all." I shrugged, offering what little input I could to show that I wasn't a complete dunce.
"Had it been any other family, I'd agree with you." He replied, letting out a thoughtful hum. "However, discipline isn't exactly what I'd call one of Zeoticus' strong suits. Nor is his daughter's disdain for her marriage arrangement with Riser Phenex much of a secret. Anyone with half a brain can put two and two together."
"You think he's trying to delay the wedding for his daughter's sake? But isn't he the one who called for that arrangement in the first place?" I tilted my head, my curiosity piqued by the affairs of—Rias? I think her name is, as well as that of my routine target of aggression—Riser Phenex.
"Oh? For you of all people to be aware of something outside these walls for once, consider me thoroughly snowed." He and Martha exchanged a glance, clearly equally surprised by my sudden show of acumen.
"What can I say? I do pay attention every now and then." Whenever Riser's involved in something, I suddenly turn into a walking encyclopedia. I guess knowing your opponent is an important variable when it comes to attacking them the nanosecond they breathe in the same vicinity as you.
Efficient hating demands dedication, and I plan on being more dedicated than anyone else.
"If only every now and then could be all the time." He reclined back into his seat, expressing a faint glimmer of hopefulness that I wouldn't remain a mere musclehead for all eternity. "I've kept you away from the political limelight of our family for quite some time now, however, that's going to change once you've completed your awakening ceremony. I hope you understand that you'll need to utilize more than just your fists going forward."
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Martha offer him a knowing glare—suggesting that they had already discussed something prior. Which definitely didn't worry me in the slightest. Cough cough. Sarcasm.
"Once I've successfully completed my ceremony, you mean." The path to Dragonification mastery is long and treacherous, but my only choices are to either sink or swim. If this is what I have to confront to prove worthy of this second chance I've been given, then so be it. Nothing that comes easily is worth having anyways.
"Indeed." I might be imagining it, but I think I detect a note of approval coming from the old man. "The Sitri Clan also seems to be considering the prospect of sending their Heiress up above alongside the Gremory Heiress."
"Why? Sona Sitri already has a reputation for being quite intelligent, and unlike Rias Gremory, she isn't involved in any marriage issues or binding arrangements for that matter. At least not to my knowledge."
I'm not entirely sure as to why he's even bringing this up. It's not like this affects us in any way, albeit, knowing that Riser's arrangement is going to have a wrench thrown in it brings me an instinctual sense of satisfaction. Unless the Phenex Clan is thinking about trying to force our involvement in this matter, which I doubt Sebastian would adhere to.
Even if he's on amicable terms with Lord Phenex, he doesn't seem the type to roll over and clean up another man's mess.
"Sometimes things have layers, and sometimes they don't." He continued. "The Sitri Clan and Gremory Clan have been awfully close with one another, especially since Serafall and Sirzechs ascended to the position of Satan. This could simply be an attempt to develop their bond even further."
"Or it could be an insurance effort," Martha brought up. "The Phenex Clan obviously isn't going to give up on wedding someone with as much political value as Rias Gremory to their son. By having both families present in a territory, Lord Phenex will be even more constricted if, no, when he inevitably tries something."
"Sigh. If only that fool had chosen Ruval to wed Rias instead, he just had to choose the least appealing child, didn't he?" It was clear by his tone of voice, that he didn't feel so much as a hint of empathy for his friend—however that relationship works.
Not that he doesn't have a point, Riser does have a fair bit of notoriety for his criteria—when it comes to choosing his peerage members. One whom most level-headed people look down upon, and most pubescent male Devils with raging hormones worship him for.
"Maybe unlike some people, Lord Phenex knew that trying to marry people with such a staggering age difference, even by our society's standards—would only lead to disaster." She glared at him with noticeably fierce intensity.
Why do I feel like I'm involved in this somehow?
Sebastian merely closed his eyes and shrugged, offering her no verbal response.
"I don't mean to be boorish but… why exactly are we so invested in Riser and Rias' arrangement? General relationship with the Phenex Clan aside, I fail to see how this affects us personally."
"Your manner of thinking is still far too rigid," Martha advised me. "Not everything in the Underworld is black and white. Noble society is like a pond, it only takes one small splash to upset everything with a torrent of ripples."
"What your mother's trying to say," Sebastian picked up. "Is if the Phenex Clan end up looking like complete idiots, we become the people who are associated with said idiots. That's the way things work, if you touch something in High Class society even with a ten-foot pole. Your name is glued onto it in bright neon letters, and if you don't take it off before everything crashes and burns. You crash and burn as well."
"So… we're considering cutting ties with the Phenex Clan because of this?"
"No, nothing that drastic. It's just that the Phenex Clan has been receiving quite some support from us in recent years, and maybe it's time to reevaluate how much support they're actually worth giving."
Won't they interpret that as severing ties anyway? Alduin, I think I'm starting to understand why you didn't bother with any of this… noble society just seems like one giant migraine.
"I have nothing else to discuss for the time being. Finish your dinner, and get some rest. You'll continue training as per usual tomorrow." Sebastian tossed a whole steak up into the air, and swallowed it in one swift motion without batting an eye. "Oh, and I do hope you'll actually start paying attention to Thora's lessons from now on. Unless you'd rather I offer you some more… direct motivation."
He shot once last cautionary, icy glare at me before departing.
I've been reincarnated into… Quitethe family. Haven't I?
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