Slow Day

Edited By: IWillFixHer

Silva Estate:

Sebastian glanced up from his tea, seated comfortably beside Acier's bed, echoing her question with a faint smirk. "What am I doing today?"

Acier, bathed in the soft light streaming through the window, studied his serene expression, the same way she'd study a chessboard. So, Sebby, what's on the schedule today? More regicide? Another stray adoption? Another child I don't know about? Or are you and Alfred wrapped up in some new scheme? Come on, spill it.

Sebastian felt his brow twitch, catching her thoughts as clearly as if she'd spoken them aloud. He sighed, glancing around the room. Nebra was twisting her hair absently in front of the mirror; Solid was awkwardly trying to hold a wriggling Noelle, who looked seconds away from escaping his lap; and Dorothy was fussing over Nozel, who looked like he'd just come back from a swim.

"How did you manage to get this wet?" Dorothy asked, patting her fiancé down with a towel. She'd left him alone for only twenty minutes, and now here he was, drenched.

Nozel averted his father's gaze, muttering, "I fell into the fountain."

Sebastian's eyes gleamed with satisfaction at the confession. But, his smugness was cut short when Dorothy snapped her head toward him, her eyes narrowing in a sharp glare. She snorted before turning back to Nozel, fussing over him even more. Sebastian felt his heart sink. Even after everything we've been through, you're siding with that punk over your old man?

Acier's eyes flickered with amusement as she observed Sebastian's expression shift. Finally, he answered her.

"Nothing," he said, shrugging.

She blinked in disbelief. "Nothing?"

"Nothing," he repeated, nodding.

Inwardly, Sebastian groaned. He'd only been in this world for eight days, but it already felt like he'd lived through a year's worth of drama and chaos. It's like I'm trapped in a Toaru novel. Every day there's another insane plot twist. Just give me one day of peace, please.

Earlier that morning, he'd received word that Conrad was planning a court hearing for some asylum seekers. Sebastian's response? He had wielded his authority as royal advisor to delay it until tomorrow—without so much as an excuse. With his power, he didn't need one. Unless the king intervened, things went as he pleased, and Augustus was far too occupied with his royal harem to object.

Conrad hadn't raised much of a fuss, either. The Kingdom was overwhelmed with matters, especially with the new construction project underway in the Forsaken Realm. This hearing wasn't worth the energy it would take to argue with Sebastian.

Besides, his wife had just returned from her "farewell mission," a dud of an assignment, and Conrad was eager to spend time with her and bring her back home. Little did he know, a pregnant woman's mood could be as unpredictable as the weather. A pregnant woman returning from a boring mission though? That was a whole other beast altogether.

Needless to say, Lovila was far from thrilled.

Sebastian met Acier's gaze, a gentle resolve in his voice. "I'm going to spend today with my family."

Acier's radiant smile and the subtle glances shared among the children told him he'd made the right call. He let his gaze linger thoughtfully on Solid and Nebra. Lilith should be completely drained, and Draven's likely preoccupied with his latest… "projects." It would be too much to summon them today, so why not give everyone a break? He'd have Alfred inform the Fausts and Agrippas that there'd be no need to come in—everyone was off duty. Everyone except Alfred, he thought wryly.

Turning to Solid and Nebra, he added, "The two of you can skip your classes today, if you'd like."

The nearly imperceptible narrowing of eyes from Dorothy, Nozel, and Acier showed that they'd understood his hidden message—there would be no appointment today. Dorothy tilted her head thoughtfully as she finished drying Nozel's hair. Looks like Dad did something big after we split up.

Solid and Nebra exchanged beaming smiles and spoke in unison, "Thank you, Father!"

Sebastian raised a finger, his gaze sharpening. "Only for today." This is a one-time deal.

Solid and Nebra nodded, showing no expectation of this happening again. But Sebastian noticed Solid casting a worried look at Noelle, who was squirming in his lap, her little face twisting in frustration, seconds from bursting into tears.

He let out a soft chuckle and, without getting up, offered a bit of guidance. "She's not a newborn anymore—she can hold herself up a bit. Holding her too tightly, especially since she doesn't know you well yet, can make her uncomfortable."

Nozel, watching this, narrowed his eyes in silent complaint. She didn't seem to mind when you did it.

Unaware of his eldest's silent protest, Sebastian continued, "Let her sit as she likes. Just support her at her hips so she doesn't fall."

Solid blinked, then carefully adjusted his hold, releasing the tight arm around Noelle's stomach. She scooted inward on his lap, settling in against him, and after a moment, he tentatively placed his hands on her hips to keep her steady.

"Like this…?" Solid asked, looking up at his father.

Sebastian kept his tone casual. "What do you think?"

Solid studied Noelle's face, noting that while she didn't look thrilled, she wasn't scowling either. Seems right.

"It's fine…?" he said hesitantly.

"Are you asking me or telling me?" Sebastian pressed, studying him closely.

Without missing a beat, Solid nodded firmly. "Telling you."

Sebastian gave him an approving nod, and Solid's face lit up with pride. Meanwhile, Nebra walked over to the crib beside her mother's bed. Since Noelle had been spending more time with Acier, Sebastian had quietly arranged for Hilda and Jeeves to set up a crib there, stocked with some of Noelle's things so that Acier wouldn't have to send her away whenever she needed a nap.

Nebra reached into the crib and pulled out a pink, rabbit-like plushie with stitched details, then walked up to Noelle, crouching down, before giving it a little shake in front of her.

"Fuffy!" Noelle's laughter rang out as she stretched her tiny arms toward the plushie, her giggles contagious. Nebra handed it to her with a warm smile.

Watching this, Nozel and Acier had conflicted expressions, their emotions difficult to read. Dorothy simply found it sweet.

Sebastian… well, he kind of felt like shit.

After a moment, Noelle's tiny stomach grumbled, and Acier felt the urge to take her from the children, but instead paused, watching Solid and Nebra with a hint of anticipation. She spoke softly, "Would either of you like to feed her?"

Both of them snapped their heads to her, nodding with a mix of excitement and awkwardness.

Acier smiled, then looked over at Nozel. "Why don't you show them how it's done, Nozel?"

Nozel nodded coolly, crossing the room to a food cart and lifting the lid off a large metal platter. An assortment of peeled apple slices, vegetable purees, strained broths, soft bread, and gruel made from barley and oats decorated the tray. He took out a soft cup, filling it with water from a metal pitcher, before giving his siblings a knowing look as he tore off a small piece of bread.

"She's picky, so we've got options," he explained. "You might need to mix and match until you find something she likes. She doesn't have to finish everything, just enough to fill her belly."

Solid and Nebra nodded as Nozel continued, "She's still breastfed, so there isn't milk here. For the bread and gruel, dip it in water like this to soften it." He demonstrated, then brought the piece to Noelle's mouth.

Distracted by her plushie, Noelle barely registered the food until it was already in her mouth. She blinked at Nozel with an amused expression, but swallowed it, leaving him looking satisfied.

Wiping his hand on a towel, he gestured to the fruits and vegetables. "These are fine as is, just cut them into small chunks." He paused, glancing at his siblings. "Alright, who's first?"

Solid hesitated, lowering his head. "I'm holding her, so…my hands aren't free."

What a weak excuse! Acier and Sebastian both thought in sync as Nebra glanced at the platter, unsure of where to start.

With her usual energy, Dorothy bounced over and patted Nebra on the back, making her jump. "Come on, Nebra—don't overthink it! It's easy!"

Playful as ever, Dorothy expertly took a knife, sliced off a tip of an apple, speared it with a fork, and offered it to Noelle. But Noelle, eyes still fixed on her plushie, turned her head away. Dorothy just smiled and cooed, letting her arm glow with a soft pink mana, though she kept it well away from the apple itself. The little display caught Noelle's attention, and with her eyes practically shining, she opened her mouth, allowing Dorothy to pop in the bite of apple. The infant began to chew, content.

Nebra pouted. "Sister, using magic is cheating." No one here has magic as pretty as yours.

Dorothy placed her hands on her hips and looked toward the ceiling, smug. "It's not cheating—it's experience!"

And she wasn't lying. Growing up in the Witch's Forest, surrounded by younger relatives, Dorothy had plenty of experience with infants. With the Witch Queen there only as a mother in name, Dorothy and the other girls had shouldered much of the responsibility for caring for the youngest. She'd fed and cared for dozens of babies back in the forest; so she had picked up more than a few tricks.

Just as Nebra reached for a banana slice, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She yelped, turning around to see her father's face with a visibly strained smile. "Y-yes, D-Dad?" she stammered, fidgeting under his gaze, wondering if she'd done something wrong.

Sebastian sighed, casting a glance past her toward Nozel and Dorothy, still holding their forced smiles. "You should wash your hands first before doing something like this—it's proper hygiene."

As a medical student and modern man, I can't tolerate germs and contamination to this degree!

He knew that handwashing wasn't unheard of in this world, thanks to his memories, and while he could stomach skipping it on occasion, there were limits—especially when it came to something that could easily make someone sick. Noelle hadn't awakened her magic yet; thus, for all intents and purposes, she was still a normal child. While people in this world had stronger physiques and immune systems, it didn't mean she couldn't catch something.

And should that happen, they'd have a serious issue. Magic, even healing magic, was unsafe for babies, whose bodies weren't yet acclimated to mana's pressure. Unlike a certain godly-physiqued muscle brain she may crush on in the future, Noelle wasn't as immune or resilient to illnesses. And because of the reliance on magic, practical medicine here lagged far behind even medieval standards back home. Infant mortality rates in the Four Kingdoms were disturbingly high.

The point is, he thought grimly, if Noelle were to get sick, it could be fatal. And if it came down to forgetting to wash hands, that'd be as ironic as it is tragic.

The kids exchanged a sheepish look before glancing over at Acier, who nodded, causing both of them to lower their heads in embarrassment, scratching at their temples. In their excitement, they'd completely forgotten the basics.

Realizing her mistake, Nebra nodded, then quickly exited the room, crossing the hall to her mother's private latrine, where she found a basin of water ready. She rinsed her hands, dried them with a clean towel, and hurried back.

Entering the room, she saw her father rinsing the cutlery with his water magic, drying each piece before handing her a fork. Nebra took the fork, speared a banana slice, and hesitantly brought it to Noelle's mouth, bracing herself for a fuss. But instead, Noelle simply blinked up at her with curiosity before clamping her mouth over the fork and pulling off the banana slice.

Nozel nodded in satisfaction. "Seems like she's in a good mood today."

Sebastian had a different thought. They say Noelle loves sweets. She hasn't had desserts yet, so bananas are probably like candy to her. Glancing at the banana slices, he thought, They look ripe to me.

Nebra smiled softly as she grew more confident, feeding Noelle slice after slice of banana, which the baby chomped down on without hesitation. Watching her, Solid wrapped his left arm around Noelle's waist, then reached out with his right hand toward the fork still in Nebra's grip.

Seeing his sister's puzzled expression, he pouted. "My turn."

Nebra speared another banana slice and handed him the fork. Solid brought it to Noelle's mouth, his face lighting up with joy as she happily chomped it down. Nebra patted Noelle's head, cooing, "Good girl."

Sebastian blinked at the scene. It's not like you're feeding a pet, you know?

Solid offered Noelle the last banana slice, but instead of biting, she turned her face away. He tried a few more times, but the baby wouldn't budge. He and Nebra exchanged a glance. Guess she's had her fill of bananas then?

Solid soon speared an apple slice, but Noelle kept her head turned, ignoring it.

"Maybe she wants something heartier?" Nebra suggested, scooping a bit of gruel and dipping it in water. She brought the spoon close, but Noelle swatted it away, her face scrunching up in distaste.

The adults watched wryly as the siblings looked helpless, trying to feed a suddenly uncooperative baby. Solid froze when Noelle finally turned around in his lap, nuzzling her face into his stomach and letting out a low whine. "Wah-wah."

Nebra backed off, guilt-ridden, while Solid looked around the room in shock.

Sebastian chuckled and reached out, lifting Noelle from his son's arms. He turned her around so she could rest her head on his shoulder and patted her back. "You two didn't do anything wrong; in fact, you did a great job. She's just full now, so she's getting droopy and fussy."

"So…it's nap time?" Solid tilted his head, uncertain.

Sebastian shook his head. "Not quite. First, it's burping time."

The children and Acier watched in silence as Sebastian paced slowly around the room, patting Noelle's back. The only sounds were the rhythmic ticking of the large clock and the gentle patting as he moved. After a few minutes, Noelle's tummy settled, and she let out a soft belch. "Urp."

Sebastian's expression softened. "Good job, Noelle—"

"Baboo." He froze as Noelle mumbled sleepily, nestling her head deeper into his shoulder.

For a moment, Sebastian stood still, barely registering that the baby had drifted off to sleep in his arms.

Nozel's eyes snapped to his sister, a fiery gaze burning in them. Traitor! You little—hah! He felt like pulling his hair and cursing. Up until now, Noelle had only spoken five words: mama, fuffy, yellow (for Hilda), poopy, and peepee. He'd always assumed her next word would be "brother"—or at least "bubber."

I was with you since day one, you little— Nozel slumped into his seat in resignation. Dorothy, on the other hand, paid her fiancé no mind, relishing the deepening blush on Sebastian's face as it worked its way to a bright tomato-red.

Nebra and Solid lowered their heads, stifling laughter, while Acier watched the scene with a different kind of intensity, wanting to commit every detail to memory.

Sebastian moved robotically to the crib on the other side of the room, gently placing Noelle down. He wrapped her in a blanket and, without sparing anyone a glance, walked across the room, gently opened the door, and slipped out.

Solid, Nebra, Dorothy, and Acier exchanged wry looks, trying hard to contain their laughter, lest they accidentally woke Noelle. Nozel sat there, still brooding in his defeat.

Outside, the Silva family servants trembled as they watched their master walk through the halls, his face expressionless, but flushed bright red. The servants exchanged looks of concern. Who upset the master this time?!

Helpless shrugs were all they got from one another, and they sighed in relief as Sebastian walked past, heading toward the main family's private garden.

In the garden, the gardeners quickly excused themselves with polite bows, but Sebastian paid them no mind as he walked to the center and sat on a beautifully crafted wooden bench. Leaning back, he rubbed his hands on the seat, a soft smile replacing his usual stoic expression.

Today was a good day.

After ten minutes of soaking in the fresh air, Sebastian stood, made his way back to the living quarters, and spent the rest of the day with his family as promised. The day passed pleasantly—uneventful, calm, and refreshingly unproductive. A nice change of pace.

That night, Sebastian went to bed, feeling none of the usual discomfort from the furniture. He drifted off peacefully, well-rested enough to face the undoubtedly hectic day that awaited him tomorrow.

Omake: What if Sebastian Transmigrated At The Start of Canon Part 3

Nozel Silva hurried through the Silva estate, as the Head Butler Jeeves followed after him. Without bothering to pay the trembling servants who parted ways for him, he slammed the ornate dining hall's door open.

He entered the room to welcome himself to the scene of his father sitting on the other end of the elongated table, directly across from the head seat, his seat, because, for quite a few years now, he'd been Lord Silva, not his father.

Nozel narrowed his eyes at his father who didn't so much as acknowledge him, continuing to slice and savor his steak, eyes closed, and felt his fury rising as he snapped his face to the trembling servants standing by the walls.

"Do you lot need an invitation?" Nozel coldly began, "Begone from here!"

The servants felt like they had been pardoned from an ensuing disaster and didn't need to be told twice, scurrying out of there.

Jeeves quietly stood on the other side of the door, closing it behind him, and standing guard to ensure no one tried to enter and disturbed the pending conversation.

After the doors shut, Nozel took his place, in the patriarch's seat, sitting regally across from Sebastian Silva. Setting his plate aside, he felt his patience thinning, as his father had yet to show even a sign of acknowledging his presence.

Biting his lip in frustration and grinding his teeth, Nozel spoke with undisguised sarcasm, "Always a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Father."

Sebastian opened his ocean blue eyes and locked his gaze with his son's, before nodding and wiping the corner of his mouth with a napkin.

He nodded after a moment, and spoke indifferently, "The pleasure is mutual Nozel. Have you come to join me at the dining table? Better hurry, your food is getting cold, it'd be a shame to let that steak go to waste.."

"Heh." Nozel sneered, since when did you care about wasting food? Nozel shook his head, and returned with a jab of his own, "I seem to recall it being proper decorum for all members of House Silva to rise in their master's presence."

Sebastian was unbothered, and sliced another bit of the meat, chewing on the tasteless thing, as he soon spoke with his gaze trained on his plate. "Correct, but I also seem to recall the fact that previous lords were exempt from said rule."

Nozel rested his cheek on his right fist, and shot his father an eerie smile. "Also correct, but with the exception being when said previous lords' actions had bordered on treason and insubordination."

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at Nozel, "I don't recall doing such things."

Nozel cracked a knuckle, as his smile thinned before he clamped his hands together, and rested them in his lap, sitting upright in his chair. "Not even so much as acknowledging my presence as I enter the room, can be interpreted as so."

Sebastian rapped his knuckles against the table, "You seemed to be in a foul mood, I didn't want to take it upon myself to become the target of your fury."

"Oh?" Nozel sneered, "So you let the servants do it in your place, how benevolent of you."

Sebastian shrugged, "That is their role as servants of House Silva, to endure and tolerate all pain and burden for the sake of their masters. If they can't even handle a scolding, their presence is unneeded."

Pausing for a moment, Sebastian mirrored his son's posture, before smiling broadly, eyes closed, "I'll admit that was pathetic of me, but I'd say the one who lashed out at them in the first place is equally as pathetic." 

Nozel's mana began to flare as he clenched the other end of the table, drowning the room in a suffocating pressure.

He expected to relish in the scene of his good for nothing father frothing and panting under the weight of his aura, but all he saw was his father remaining in his position, with the same mocking smile on his face.

Nozel narrowed his eyes. A bluff, he sneered and retracted his mana. 

As the father-and-son pair locked gazes at one another, the former rapping his knuckles against the table while the latter was tapping his finger, Nozel sighed and spoke first.

"Enough games, Father," He emphasized "Father" with a sharp edge, gesturing to him, "I trust you know why I'm here."

Sebastian didn't hesitate to shake his head.

A vein bulged in Nozel's temple, as he spat, "Are you truly going to play dumb?!"

Sebastian sighed, and opened his weathered blue, and tired gaze, looking at Nozel in undisguised exasperation.

"Trust me Nozel, I want to be done with this uncomfortable conversation as quickly as you, so if you have something to say, or a point to make, do so. Stop speaking in riddles." 

Nozel's gaze widened, This man actually has the gall to lecture me?! Nozel took a moment to breathe deeply, letting the tension flow out of him, as he resumed his calm poise. I won't sink to his level.

"It's about Noelle." 

Sebastian raised a brow, "What about her?"

Nozel scoffed and crossed his arms, "What do you mean, "What about her?" You've never taken any interest in the youngest, nor any of us for that matter, in your life. So, color me surprised when I get a report on my desk, saying you supposedly paid her a visit today. Twice!"

"A report from whom?" Sebastian began to rap his knuckles against the table once more.

"That does not concern you." Nozel spat out, as he pointed to him. "Not only that, I was told that you gave her something, something that made her cry. What was it?!"

Sebastian's smile returned, as he repeated Nozel's words back to him. "That does not concern you."

Nozel slammed the table in fury, causing the plates and cutlery to fly from his indignation. "As the master of House Silva, I have the right to know every single thing that goes on within our walls, especially those concerning the main line. So it does concern me, in fact. Now tell me what you were doing!"

Sebastian studied Nozel for a moment, before nodding. "Believe it or not, I was simply seeing her off." 

"Hah!" Nozel laughed in mocking amusement. "You're right. I don't believe it! Am I supposed to accept the fact that our dear old emotionless Sebastian Silva is suddenly becoming a doting father? Should I come to you in the future for life advice?!"

Sebastian nodded seriously, "If you need it, I won't turn you down."

Nozel blinked, thinking he heard wrong, as he watched Sebastian continue indifferently.

"Besides, I think the notion of Sebastian Silva being a secretly loving father isn't any more ludicrous than the idea of Nozel Silva secretly adoring the failure of House Silva." 

"What do you mean?" Nozel narrowed his eyes.

"Exactly what I said." Sebastian locked their gazes once more, "What could you call your current actions, except as overly protective."

"That's also why you sent Noelle away to the Black Bulls, right? That squad receives the least missions, and if someone who can't control her magic like Noelle Silva insists on being a Magic Knight, the Black Bulls are the only option that can practically ensure her safety." Well that would be the case, if we weren't at the time of canon.

"However, proclaiming such a reason would shame House Silva, so you took it upon yourself to play the bad guy, ignoring Solid's and Nebra's abuse of Noelle, occasionally throwing in some words of your own, so that no one in the world could grasp the truth that the Nozel Silva, is a sucker and weak for his siblings, especially the youngest." [A]

Sebastian's smile returned, as he pointed to Nozel. "How am I doing so far, Son?"

Nozel blinked, as his pupils dilated. No one in his life had seen right through the torture he had put Noelle through since he was cursed, except her. The one other person in the Clover Kingdom who knew the truth of his mother's death and his plight.

Before Nozel could mouth a response, Sebastian continued. "Don't think too much Nozel, you may get your looks from your Mother, but your personality and mannerisms are all me. Whether you accept it or not, that's the truth."

Nozel watched as his father stood up from his chair and walked to his side, with his arms tied behind his back, speaking as he walked.

"You don't believe you're worthy to call yourself her brother, and I'm aware I'm far from deserving of acting like her father." Sebastian was now standing over Nozel, looking over him.

Nozel watched in shock, as his father's visage softened. "So let's just put aside our differences, at least when it comes to her, and try to heal her life of abuse and trauma we were both complicit in, okay?"

Nozel didn't respond, as his father then bent his back till they were face to face, and brought his hand to his throat. 

All of Nozel's survival instincts told him not to let him, but for some inexplicable reason, he didn't stop his father as he narrowed his gaze and poked his throat.

The last thing Nozel heard as his father straightened up and walked away out of the dining hall were words that made him stiffen in his seat.

"There's a certain family of hex users in the common realm that could help with that."

You knew?! Nozel turned around in his seat, but all he saw was his father's disappearing back, as he exited through the twin doors. 

Taking a moment to calm himself, and wipe his sweat, Nozel walked out of the room indifferently, stopping as the Head Butler greeted him.

"Jeeves."

"Yes Master?"

"Has my father been up to any strange things these past few days?"

The butler paused in thought, before shaking his head. "Besides a visit to the Royal Grimoire Tower, nothing comes to mind."

The Grimoire Tower? Nozel narrowed his eyes as he spoke aloud, "What was he doing there?"

Jeeves shook his head, "Apologies Master, I'm unaware. The Tower was supposedly deserted when the Old Master visited it; our network only recorded him entering and leaving. With no witnesses, his objective was unknown." 

Nozel bit his lip, before sighing.

"Jeeves."

"Yes Master?"

"Make this clear to Nebra and Solid. Should they meet Noelle in the future, make sure they leave her be. I will not tolerate anything else."

"Of course, Master."

Author's Notes:

[1] Many of you may find this chapter boring, but this is what I meant by a slow, political, family dynamic fic, not every chapter is going to deal with insane drama, foiling schemes, and plotting. Some are going to be as uneventful as our daily lives. 

[2] As per request I created a Google doc with Sebastian Spell's, that I'll try to update: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h76Qb41I0gtDE5KktUAudDwLrPJ6unZ2WWoV9FgB7_c/edit?usp=sharing

[3] No main chapter updates over the weekend because of an exam on Monday, you should get short stories or omakes, as promised

[4] As always join us in the Discord: //discord.com/invite/s3MME8X8ar

Editor Notes:

[A] So a tsundere + a sis-con, fire combo.