Chapter 71 - Meeting the family

After snoozing in bed for a couple of hours, Thomas finally woke up around 5:30 PM. He groggily rubbed his eyes, slowly emerging from his cozy cocoon. With a groan, he managed to sit up on the edge of the bed, feeling the weight of his exhaustion still lingering in his muscles making every movement a torture.

Supporting himself against the wall, Thomas took small, wobbly steps toward the window. He was in the Underworld, in the house of another devil, and he couldn't help but be curious about how this place looked compared to Latia's home.

Reaching the window, he mustered all the strength he had and pulled himself up to his full height and as he held onto the window frame for support, Thomas felt a cool breeze caress his face. Peering outside, he marveled at the sights before him.

The landscape of the Underworld stretched out before his eyes, bathed in the warm hues of the setting sun. The sky was adorned with streaks of orange and pink, painting a breathtaking canvas. He could see vast fields, towering mountains, and even some devils walking around, most likely those being either guards or people that live in this mansion since he couldn't exactly call it a house.

As he looked outside, his eyes fell upon two girls who caught his attention. Both of them were wearing glasses and engrossed in their respective training exercises. The taller of the two held a long weapon, similar to a halberd or at least a long weapon of sorts, gracefully moving around the training ground hitting each and every target with surgical precision, something that made Thomas slowly nod his head seeing this. After all, as someone who trained for some years using a sword, he could see a proper warrior when he sees one.

On the other side, the second girl seemed to be practicing her water magic skills. Thomas watched intrigued as she conjured small bolts or stakes of water from thin air, sending them toward a stationary target. With each attempt, the girl switches her target trying to hit further and further, and from what he barely could see she was always aiming in the same two places: the heart and the head.

The longer he watched them, the longer he wondered if these girls were living in this mansion too. Perhaps they were the daughter of some guards, training to protect their home and its occupants. Or maybe they were simply here to hone their skills under the guidance of one of the Satans. Whatever the case, their dedication and talent were quite evident, and Thomas couldn't help but feel a tinge of admiration and some jealousy for their abilities. But he quickly shook off the feeling, realizing that envy wouldn't bring him any closer to being a strong wizard. Instead, he decided to focus on the positive aspects of the situation.

So, Thomas shifted his attention to studying their training styles and techniques. He carefully observed the taller girl with the halberd-like weapon, noting the fluidity and grace of her movements. Her footwork, the way she positioned her body, and the precision in her strikes—all these details caught his attention.

Turning his gaze towards the girl, who was practicing water magic, Thomas observed the way she conjured the stakes of water and launched them at different targets. He marveled at her control and accuracy, especially as she gradually increased the distance between herself and the target. Thomas made mental notes of her hand gestures, the timing of her releases, and the subtle variations in her technique as well as all of the various spells she used, no matter the range or purpose.

Unbeknownst to Thomas, a certain sis-con, who happened to be the sister of one of the girls he was observing, had been watching him from outside. A mischievous smile played on her lips as she saw the boy engrossed in watching her sister and her queen train. She couldn't help but find it amusing and heartwarming that Tommy had taken an interest in them and maybe just maybe this would make it easier for her sister to ask him if he would want to be part of her peerage.

Her smile widened even further when she realized that Thomas was standing alone at the window. And if that wasn't a clear sign that he had recovered enough to walk on his own then she didn't know anymore. She had worried about him and had hoped for his swift recovery, and seeing him up and about made her happy, especially since she told Dumbledore that Thomas asks to be left alone for a while to rest rather than being taken to Hogwarts where he might or might not be targeted again.

After observing the girls' training for almost an entire hour, Thomas noticed that both of them suddenly stopped their exercises. His gaze followed their attention as Serafall ran towards one of the girls and enveloped her in a tight and enthusiastic hug. Though, judging by the girl's expression, she wasn't all happy to be hugged, almost as if she wasn't entirely thrilled about being squeezed so tightly.

Thomas couldn't help but chuckle softly at the sight, after all, he saw the same thing back at Hogwarts with Ron's brothers who pranked the brother to show their love for him. It was heartwarming to witness the affection between them, despite the girl's apparent resistance to the hug.

Just as Thomas was about to get back inside, he saw Serafall turn her head and look directly at him. A bright, friendly smile spread across her face, and she waved at him with great enthusiasm. Startled, Thomas awkwardly raised his hand in response, his cheeks flushing slightly, realizing that he had been caught by one of the Satans.

When the girls saw Serafall waving at someone, both of them turned their heads towards the window, following Serafall's gaze. Their eyes met Thomas's as he stood there, not knowing what to do. It was clear that they hadn't noticed him until now, and he wondered how they would react to him.

Meanwhile, Serafall, who was happily hugging her sister, Sona Sitri, felt a tugging sensation on her clothes. Not even a second later, Sona gently pulled away from her embrace and glanced at her sister with a calm and composed expression on her face. Her long, chestnut-brown hair cascaded down her back, contrasting with her piercing violet eyes. Sona's demeanor exuded an air of elegance and maturity, which was the exact opposite of her sister's playful and energetic nature.

"Serafall-neesan," Sona to her sister in the worse way Serafall expected her strict little sister to call her, "who is that blonde boy you were waving at just now?"

Serafall responded with a pout, scolding her younger sister. "So-tan, you should call me Levi-tan! But, oh, that blonde boy? His name is Tommy! He's a wizard, and I was asked by the Ministry of Magic to take care of him because he's friends with a devil from Aju-chan's family. "

As Serafall spoke, she couldn't contain her excitement, rubbing her cheeks against Sona's face playfully before she continued, "Tommy is so nice, and he's been through a lot. Since we have better healers than the whole Wizard community, they asked us to heal him!"

Sona gently pushed her sister away, maintaining her composed demeanor. "I see, Serafall-neesan. Well, it would be expected that Tsubaki and I need to introduce ourselves to him, right?"

"Yay! So-tan, Tsubaki, let's go meet Tommy!"

Serafall's eyes sparkled when she heard Sona's words. She couldn't contain her excitement, and before either Sona or Tsubaki could react, Serafall took their hands and swiftly dragged them inside the mansion

As she dragged them towards the entrance of the mansion, Serafall turned back and called out to Thomas. "Tommy! Get ready, because you're going to have dinner with us downstairs! Don't keep us waiting!"

She flashed him a mischievous grin before disappearing inside, pulling her sister and Tsubaki along with her.

Meanwhile, Thomas stood frozen in place with his eyes wide in pure horror. He couldn't believe how quickly the situation had escalated from observing the girls' training to being invited to have dinner with one of the Four Satans and her family.

How was he going to manage to get down by himself? Would he even be able to walk out of the room without collapsing? And, most importantly, he looked down at his pajamas and realized he was in no state to join them for dinner. There didn't seem to be any spare clothes in the room, which wasn't exactly in his best interest.

Since he didn't have a choice here, Thomas scanned the room for any sign of his belongings. Spotting a bag in a corner, he made his way toward it as fast as his body could muster before he started to rummage through its contents. Thankfully, the elves put some of his clothes inside for him to wear when he woke up, otherwise, he didn't know what he would do.

After quickly changing into some casual clothes from the bag he had found, Thomas mustered his strength and made his way toward the door. Every step felt like a struggle, his muscles protesting against the exertion, but he was determined to join Serafall and her family for dinner, even if that means going through hell.

Just as Thomas was about to reach for the doorknob, it suddenly swung open, and one of the maids stood there, startled, but she quickly recovers herself and notices Thomas barely standing on his feet. With a worried expression on her face, she rushed to his side, gently supporting him to prevent him from stumbling.

"I'm so sorry, sir," the maid said apologetically. "Serafall-sama's enthusiasm sometimes gets the better of her. She should have called for assistance instead of putting strain on your injured body."

Thomas managed a weak smile, appreciating the maid's concern and assistance. "It's alright. I understand her excitement. I didn't want to keep them waiting."

The maid nodded understandingly and gently guided Thomas, keeping a supportive arm around him. Together, they navigated the hallways of the mansion toward the dining area. The maid made sure to take it at a slow pace, allowing Thomas to conserve his energy.

As they approached the dining room, the maid halted outside the door and turned towards Thomas. "Once you enter, please be prepared for Serafall-sama to either jump on you or rush towards you. I kindly request that you don't hold it against her."

He smiled as he nodded at her in response, understanding that Serafall's childish character might be difficult for him to handle, especially in his weakened state. "I'll keep that in mind. Besides, I won't hold it against her."

The maid smiled appreciatively. "Thank you for your understanding, sir. Serafall-sama is quite fond of you, and she may not always express it in the most conventional way."

As the maid opened the door, Thomas stepped into the dining room. The first thing that he noticed was that the room was elegant and adorned with exquisite decorations, giving off an air of grandeur befitting the royal family.

And just as the maid had warned, there she was. Serafall's eyes sparkled in excitement as she jumped up from her seat and rushed towards Thomas. Despite that, Thomas couldn't help but feel a warmth in his heart at her genuine joy to see him.

"Serafall-sama," the maid called out, intervening just in time to prevent any harm to Thomas' frail body. "Please be mindful of Thomas' condition."

Serafall skidded to a halt just inches away from Thomas. She playfully pouted, her excitement evident in her eyes. She understood the need to restrain herself, knowing that hugging Thomas could potentially hurt him, which was not good for both her beloved So-tan and herself. "Tommy! I'm so glad you made it! Are you feeling better now?"

"Yes, I'm feeling much better now, thanks to you I guess. I appreciate your concern, Miss Serafall."

Upon hearing his words, Serafall's expression transformed into an exaggerated pout, and she even let out a few fake sniffles. Thomas immediately became panicked, thinking he had unintentionally upset her. Before he could react, her younger sister, came to her side and gently hit her head, scolding her.

"Serafall-neesan, that's enough! Don't scare the poor boy like that."

Serafall's pout turned into a sheepish grin as she stuck her tongue out playfully at her younger sister. "Sorry, So-tan. I couldn't resist teasing him a little."

Sona sighed, but a small smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She turned towards Thomas and bowed slightly. "I apologize for my sister's behavior, Thomas. My name is Sona Sitri, and I'm the younger sister of this childish Satan and the current heiress of the Sitri house. It's a pleasure to finally meet you properly."

Thomas couldn't help but be surprised just how different these two are from one another, but he still nodded., "No need to apologize, Sona. It's a pleasure to meet you too. Also, I'm not mad at Miss Serafall, after all, she was just trying to lighten the mood, am I right? " Thomas said while signaling her with eyes to agree with him.

Serafall's eyes widened as she caught Thomas's signal. She immediately jumped in, nodding vigorously. "That's right, Tommy! I was just trying to make you smile and feel welcome. I knew you'd understand!" She beamed at him, clearly pleased with his understanding and how he tried to defend her from her sister.

Sona sighed softly. "Well, as long as you both understand each other, I suppose it's all right," she conceded, giving her a tired look.

She then motioned for him to follow her as she turned towards the table, but not before sending her sister a look that screamed help him. Without hesitation, Serafall offered her arm for Thomas to lean on as they made their way toward the dining area.

As soon as they reached the table, Serafall gently guided Thomas to his seat, making sure he was comfortable before returning to her own seat. Sona took her place next to Thomas before she cleared her throat softly to gather everyone's attention.

"Allow me to introduce our parents," Sona began, "My father, Lord Lucius Sitri, and my mother, Lady Selene Sitri." She gestured towards the couple seated at the head of the table.

Thomas offered a respectful nod to them since he couldn't properly greet them. They both greeted him with warm smiles as Sona continued with the introductions. "And this is my Queen, Tsubaki Shinra." She motioned towards the slightly taller girl seated beside her.

Tsubaki inclined her head slightly in acknowledgment. Her amethyst eyes look him in the eyes as she greeted him. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Thomas."

Thomas couldn't help but be slightly taken aback by Tsubaki's formal greeting, but he quickly recovered and offered a warm smile in return. "Thank you, Tsubaki. It's an honor to meet you as well. "

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