Highschool DxD: Dryadic Dragon

Chapter 17: The Sitri Estate

Upon returning home after a refreshing outing at Lilith, I was met with a somewhat worrisome sight awaiting me at the front entrance of the Buné Manor. 

Both Sebastian and Martha are standing a few feet away from me, clearly anticipating my return.

Alright, let's observe the facts here. 

Sebastian has his hands clasped behind his back and is attempting to display a warm smile, which for all intents and purposes—is the creepiest thing I have ever seen in all my combined years of living. 

Martha has voluntarily left her personal forest when there isn't a matter requiring her immediate concern at stake.

I see, the only reasonable conclusion here is that the Second Great War is about to begin. There's no other explanation for a situation of such anomalous magnitude to occur. 

"Alduin," Sebastian spoke, the weight of his voice felt akin to that of a mountain crashing down on my spine. 

"Yes? Father," I swallowed a nervous gulp, and looked up at the sky, wondering if it was about to fall at a moment's notice.

Please wipe that psychotic smile off your face! I can already feel bile building up in my throat, my stomach practically begging me to let it regurgitate. 

Not that I can bring myself to blame it, some things in this world just aren't meant to be—and Sebastian smiling properly is at the top of that list.

"Did you manage to find a gift for Sona Sitri?" He lifted an eyebrow, my brain warning me that her present clearly wasn't his primary concern.

"Are your eyes mere accessories, dear husband of mine?" Martha added, pointing at the shopping bag I was holding. "Clearly, he's succeeded in that endeavor, therefore, we should proceed onto addressing a certain matter that has come to our attention." 

Oh fuck, she's talking even more robotically than usual. 

"I see, then that's precisely what we'll do." He gestured at me, pointing at the spot in front of them. "Alduin. Come here."

Yeah, that's a death trap if I've ever seen one. Thanks, but no thanks.

"Ah! I think I forgot something in the car seat! Just give me a second while I—" I felt my heart freeze up mid-sentence, an unbearable pressure, more so than any that I had felt while training with either Sebastian or Martha crashing down on me like a tidal wave. 

I can barely breathe! It's suffocating! 

It was because they were both exerting their pressure at the same time. 

"Alduin," Martha began. "That was an order."

Whelp, it's been a good second life. Hopefully, I'll have better luck in the next one, if I even get another redo.

With each footstep feeling heavier than the last, I made my way over to them as a bead of sweat trailed down the side of my face.

And then—the unthinkable happened.

Her arms slid around my torso, pulling me into a hug that Sebastian joined in on moments later. 

Eh? A group hug? That certainly wasn't on my list of expectations, but I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Actually, have I ever been hugged by these two before? I can't seem to recall an instance of this happening before.

"We received quite a number of letters earlier today." She continued, her grip tightening a little further. "They were all from our acquaintances, expressing their concern over a condition myself and your father and I are apparently afflicted with." 

As those words left her mouth, a flash of immediate realization hit me. 

Impossible! There's no way Sairaorg managed to get the word out that quickly! 

"Indeed, it contained a message spread by the Bael Clan of all people. Quite surprising, isn't it? Alduin." I felt his muscles tense, the pressure around my torso increasing to an alarming degree. "A message concerning the topic of abandonment issues. Supposedly, we're not capable of letting you leave the territory without hugging you for hours." 

Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit! Shit!

"Thoooraaaa! Help me! Your Young Lord's life is at risk!" I reached my arm out, pleading for assistance. No matter how hard I struggled, trying to escape their scornful embrace proved to be a futile effort. 

Either of them on their lonesome was already too much for me to handle, what hope did I have against them both simultaneously? 

"What's wrong? You know we need this to cope with our issues, you should be a filial child and let us do as we please." Sebastian grinned while attempting to crush my bones into a fine powder.

"Oh, you have issues alri— Gaaaaaaah! I give! I give! Mercy! You'll seriously end up killing me at this rate!" I pleaded while frantically flailing my arms. 

"Young Lord, you brought this on yourself." Thora groaned, leaving me to this agonizing fate like the cruel villainess she was. "My Lord, My Lady, I'll have the chefs start preparing dinner." 

Traitor! 

"Take your time Thora," Martha insisted. "We'll certainly be doing as much." 

Snap! 

"My back!" 

===

Eventually, the morning of Sona Sitri's birthday struck. Getting out of bed had proven to be quite a challenge due to my built-up exhaustion.

I had been tirelessly working on her present which ended up being significantly harder to complete than I presumed by virtue of my own lack of foresight, and been slowly recovering from spinal injury Sebastian and Martha had inflicted upon me when I returned home from Lilith, putting aside the already torturous training I was going through as per usual.

Just another Tuesday at the Buné Household. 

Nonetheless, I have a responsibility to push on. Maybe if I'm crafty enough, I'll be able to sneak in a nap or two at the Sitri Clan's residence, Lucifer knows I could use one.

"Young Lord, I'd appreciate it if you at least made an effort to stand still. I must ensure your outfit is up to the Lord and Lady's standards before we depart." 

Thora said while applying the finishing touches to my uniform, which consisted of a maroon-colored long coat, encrusted with gilded accents and House Buné's emblem stitched into my right sleeve in lieu of the usual gold pin. 

The quality of the fabric seemed to be a step up from what I usually wore, even by our class of society's standards, and for once, I actually felt like a prim and proper noble upon looking at my own reflection. I'm not sure if this image suits me though, especially since my highly uncooperative hair gives me a much wilder presence.

Granted, I doubt trying to convince anyone in this house to let me go to such an event in my usual sportswear would bode well for me.

"I can't help it! They're the snowflakes who decided to up the ante all because I played a little prank on them!" That said, their damage only affects me in the short term, whereas the message I had Sairaorg spread will have a lasting impact in the long term. 

I see that as a win. 

"Young Lord, since when have you known the Lord and Lady to be the type to humor pranks?" She queried with a judgmental look on her face, clearly stating, 'You got what you deserved.' 

And even though she does have a point, I'm going to insist on being too stubborn to listen.

"I'm just trying to lighten up the mood in this dull abode, can't blame a guy for trying." I spread my arms, filled with self-assurance.

If I were to continue keeping my head down like "Alduin" had been doing throughout his whole life, going along with each of Sebastian and Martha's desires without complaint—nothing would change. 

And change is what this house needs more than anything, of this I am certain.

"Is that really all you desire? A change in atmosphere?" Her tone was laced with suspicion. 

"You're perceptive as ever, Thora". A hearty chuckle escaped my lips. "However, I'd advise you to keep whatever conclusions you've come up with to yourself for the time being."

"Oh? The Young Lord is giving out advice? What a momentous occasion this is. Perhaps I should go grab a camera to commemorate it." She scoffed sarcastically.

"I'm serious," my pitch dropped abruptly, startling her a little. "I know for a fact that they're only going to get more disquieted with my behaviour as time goes on, and at the same time, I also know there's no way around that."

I adjusted my collar and stepped out of my bedroom door, making my way towards our estate's front gate with Thora in tow. Instead of the inconspicuous cab we had boarded for the trip to Lilith, a jet black, profuse limousine was awaiting our arrival, House Buné's emblem etched into the passenger door in bright white.

How needlessly flashy, I'd rather we use a teleportation circle to get there, but events like these in noble society always demand a certain amount of showboating. It can't be helped.

Off we go, here's to hoping my present is received as well as I'm hoping it'll be.

The drive from House Buné's territory to the Sitri Clan's took us a little over two hours, the sight through the windows that had previously consisted of industrial, residential, and commercial charm being replaced by that of a more rural scene. 

One that consisted of rows upon rows of bright, multi-colored trees and varying types of foliage, as well as shimmering, meandering rivers that stretched as far as the eye could see. 

I could even sense the odd demonic beast nearing our vehicle when we passed through the more mountainous parts of the Sitri Clan's nature reserves. Fortunately, I could deter them simply by releasing a bit of my demonic power. 

Even though most of them don't have complete sentience, they all have the basic instincts to recognize when they're trying to approach a creature above their weight class. 

"We're here, Young Lord," Thora stated as our car came to a halt, earning a subtle nod of acknowledgement from me. I could already see a myriad of other vehicles parked outside through the window, each with the sigils of different noble houses embedded onto them.

And one of the cars managed to warrant my particular attention, my placid expression quickly contorting to a sharp glare.

"You promised the Lady you wouldn't start anything with him." Thora cautioned me.

"I'm aware." I breathed a deep groan, shifting my attention to the bright-blue, three story residence that was the Sitri Manor—which was covered in all sorts of greenery that had nestled into its exterior. Talk about taking an aesthetic to an extreme.

We walked up to the front entrance, where a maid and butler were stationed presumably to handle all the reception.

"Lord Alduin Buné?" The maid sought confirmation, taking one look at the crest stitched into my sleeve. 

"That's me." 

She flipped through a file in her hands, exchanging a knowing glance with the butler and nodding. 

"After you have paid your dues to the Young Lady on the second floor, Lord Sitri has specifically requested your presence on the third." She gestured at Thora, indicating that I wasn't supposed to bring her along. Which definitely didn't arouse my suspicion whatsoever. "The Lord wishes to emphasize that it's a matter of utmost importance."

"Right… then I suppose I'll do my best to oblige." I continued forward, shooting a look of complete confusion at Thora.

"Young Lord, I'm afraid I don't have answers for you there." She shook her head. "It's possible it has something to do with the Sitri Clan's trade agreement with the Lady."

"That's what I thought at first, but since when has Mother been the type to allow someone else to handle business on her behalf? Much less me of all people?" I tried to come up with a probable theory, but my mind went blank. "Oh well, we'll handle this one thing at a time." 

Firstly, I need to hand over my present to Sona Sitri, which was currently being held in the cushioned briefcase I was carrying. 

Haltingly, I made my way up the spiraling staircase. The harmony of classical music, conversation, laughter, and delicate glasses clinking against one another grew louder and louder. 

My Senjutsu picked up on at least a hundred presences occupying the second floor, which had been renovated into a temporary ballroom of sorts, the smell of freshly baked treats wafting through my nostrils as I arrived at the entrance.

It's a true shame that these bloodlines of mine won't let me have any, at least I'll be able to help myself to the drink section. Gotta look on the bright side.

"Thora," I noticed to my surprise, that most people in my generation had their parents accompanying them. "Why do I have a feeling that mother and father are supposed to be here with me?" 

She cleared her throat, clearly sharing the same sentiment as I. 

"The Lord and Lady are preoccupied with other matters, which is why they're unable to attend." 

I lifted an eyebrow, wondering if she seriously expected me to believe that—or if she merely felt obligated to come up with an excuse on their behalf. 

"My Lord," a waiter holding a tray of champagne glasses approached me. 

"Thank you." I decided that I might as well indulge a little. I have a feeling that I'm going to need a bit of alcohol in my system today.

"Alduin! Ya' made it!" A familiar, commanding voice caught my attention—effectively turning my frown upside down. 

"Hello again, Sairaorg. Did Sona end up liking the gift?" While we were in Lilith's prime shopping center, we came across an antique shop that had a large-scale model structure of a Leviathan. It was pretty fucking pricey, but nothing the Bael Clan's Heir couldn't handle.

"Erm, I think she did?" He scratched his temple. "It kinda felt like the gift was a little overwhelming, then again, I saw someone give her a full-scale model of her older sister as a present. So, comparatively speaking, I think I'm in the clear." 

Seriously? Isn't such a present a little bit creepy? I shuddered at the thought of receiving a full-on statue of Sebastian or Martha.

"More importantly! I think there's someone you want to meet!" He reached out into the crowd, latching onto a sickly hand that had attempted to flee and pulling a figure closer.

"H-Hey! Cut that out!" 

"Nope, you're not getting away from this." 

And once they came into view, I felt a fierce pang strike my chest, the glass of champagne nearly falling out of my hand.

"Ladora…" 

———

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AN: Big news! I finally finished adding all 15 Advanced Chapters to my pátreon, so if you've been waiting for that to join up, now's the time! Also, I've started writing longer chapters for some reason unbeknownst even to me. I mean, the one I just dropped was like 4.3k words, and after Chapter 21 they started increasing from 2-2.5k to 3k+, so there's that to look forward to. 

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