"How the hell did that fat demon manage to afford this?" Axel whined, following behind Meira and holding her hand as if he was actually her child.
"Axel!" Meira turned, raising her finger at Axel. "What did I say about cursing?"
"Tch. I can say whatever I—ACK" Axel yelped. The collar had appeared and shocked him again. "Sorry."
After the whole incident in the ruined dungeon, Sofia gave them the directions to the house before bidding Meira and Axel goodbye. The two then walked through the town of Lille, with Meira in awe for seeing the sights for the first time. Not only that, the townspeople were rather nice to her, which she liked. Axel tried his best to hide from them to not get recognized. Since his old clothes couldn't fit him, he was wearing this embarrassing tunic that Sofia had "borrowed" from a child before.
After a while, Meira and Axel finally stood before their new home. The house was tucked away in a peaceful corner of the town, its sloped maroon roof standing out against the surrounding greenery. The roof extended over a chimney that puffed the faintest trace of smoke, promising warmth inside.
The beige brick walls were soft and welcoming, with vines creeping up in gentle spirals, adding a touch of nature to the well-maintained structure. A short staircase led up to the front door, wooden with a deep, rich color that matched the maroon roof. The steps were lined with garden beds, each filled with a variety of flowers that made the entire place feel alive. Nearby was a small farm, plowed and ready to go for planting seeds.
"Wow!" Meira gasped. "Isn't this place great, Axel?"
"Yeah…" Axel muttered. He was more interested in Meira's behind, and couldn't help but fawn over how beautiful she was. Any man would go crazy to have those curves for themselves. Alas, he would as well, but not in this weak body.
As Meira unlocked the door and stepped inside, the warmth of the house embraced them immediately. The entryway led straight into the heart of the home, where it was spacious enough to move around comfortably, with wooden beams crossing the ceiling. Axel noticed how excited Meira seemed to be about all this, and found it weird.
The kitchen had a rustic charm. A large, wooden dining table sat in the center of the room, its surface smooth from years of use, surrounded by five sturdy wood chairs. In one corner, a stone fireplace crackled softly, adding a pleasant warmth. The firelight flickered, casting dancing shadows across the room.
Along the far wall, the kitchen counters were neatly organized, with a few shelves filled with empty jars. A door next to the counter led to a pantry, stocked with only a few essentials. "Ah, this will be enough for dinner tonight." Meira said with a smile as she peeked inside. "Is there anything you want to eat, Axel?"
"Make me whatever." Axel groaned as he looked around.
In the corner of the dining room, a narrow wooden staircase led upwards to the second floor. Axel and Meira climbed the steps, the wood creaking with each step. Axel had almost tripped on one before catching himself. Upstairs was a hallway with three rooms, one of which was completely empty. Meira found the bedroom door and immediately went to investigate.
The bedroom was simple, with a single bed tucked at one corner, its blankets neat and soft. A large window looked out over the garden below, letting in the afternoon light. On the edges of the room were various tables and cabinets, which may be useful in the future.
"That's odd…" Meira blushed. "Only one bed?"
Axel meanwhile took a peak at the small bathroom with a large wooden tub, and a few shelves along the walls, waiting to be filled with their belongings. There were also wooden buckets, useful for carrying water from the well to the bathroom. Mounted on the wall was a mirror, which Axel took a long time looking at. If anything, this was way better than his old living conditions.
Afterwards, he made his way to the balcony at the end of the hallway, and the view was breathtaking. From this perch, Axel could look out over the garden below and had a good view of the town of Lille. The wooden railing was simple yet sturdy, with intricate carvings along the posts. He could make out what seemed to be a black cat near their flowerbeds. It seemed to be staring directly at Axel, which he found a bit creepy. As the calm breeze blew through his hair, he had only one thing in his mind.
Just how the hell is he going to get out of this mess?
***
Later that night, Axel sat at the dining table, his chin resting in his palm as he watched Meira move gracefully around the kitchen. The soft crackle of the fireplace in the corner filled the room, blending with the gentle bubbling of the mushroom soup simmering on the stove. Meira's long blonde hair swayed lightly with her movements as she stirred the pot, her bare arms glistening with a slight sheen from the warmth of the kitchen.
Her motions were fluid, practiced. She reached for herbs on the counter, crushing them between her fingers before sprinkling them into the soup. The scent of fresh ingredients filled the room—savory and rich. She hummed quietly as she worked, the tune a soft, comforting melody.
His mind wandered for a moment, his focus shifting from the soup to Meira herself, before quickly snapping back when she glanced over at him with a smile. "How is this bitch so normal about this?!" he thought, "She just met me today!"
"Almost ready," Meira said softly, giving the soup one final stir before ladling it into two bowls. She carried them over to the table, setting one in front of Axel and the other across from him.
Before Axel could pick up his spoon, Meira scooped up a spoonful of the steaming broth and blew on it gently to cool it down. Then, with a playful glint in her eye, she held the spoon out toward him. "Here, try it," she said, her voice filled with teasing warmth. "Say ahhh!"
Axel froze, blushing as he moved away. "I can do it myself!" he protested, quickly leaning back in his chair and grabbing his own spoon. "Don't do that again!"
Meira laughed gently, pulling the spoon back and setting it down. "Very well~" she relented, though the playful grin on her face didn't fade.
As Axel took his first bite, the warmth of the soup spread through him, and for a brief moment, his stubbornness melted away…until he regained himself. "Shit! It's good!" Axel thought, panicking that he would get addicted to Meira's cooking. However, he found himself gobbling it down like a dog who hasn't eaten for days.
"So you like it?" Meira giggled, nonchalantly pulling out her chair and quietly starting on her own bowl of soup.
Seeing this, Axel reached his breaking point. "Yo." he said, eyeing Meira intently. "Why are you so ok about this?"
Meira looked surprised at the sudden interrogation. "Why do you ask?"
"We're in this mess because a filthy demon captured and cast a spell on us." Axel sighed. "Everyone knows you can't trust demons. They're sly and clever. They'll do anything to achieve their goal, breaking every moral along the way. That's why the Lille Guild tries to eliminate them as soon as possible."
"Well…Sofia has been treating me quite fairly." Meira said, sipping a spoonful of soup. "I don't think she is a bad demon!"
"I see…" Axel replied. "This elf is crazy! Is she a masochist?"
"Also," Meira continued, holding the spoon above her soup. She looked downwards, her ears drooping slightly. "N-nevermind. It's nothing you should worry about."
"What is it? I don't like it when people keep secrets from me."
"You are quite stubborn, aren't you?" Meira's face and ears turned a slight red. "F-fine. It's just that you remind me of a memory I had…It's the only thing I can remember before I was captured."
"You lost your memory?"
"Yes…but after seeing your face…I just felt so happy!"
"Damn." Axel sighed. He didn't expect that. He had heard of instances of demons having the ability to wipe memories, but he had thought it was just a hoax. It seems there is more to this than what meets the eye. "Then, how about we work together and take down that stupid demon? I can't do it on my own because of that stupid spell. We can get your memories ba–"
"No!" Meira raised her voice in an almost scolding manner. "I have seen her true power…it's best if we go along with her plans. Besides, the reason she cast that spell in the first place is because of you."
"...What does that even mean?" Axel said, cocking his head. "Is that demon messing with me?"
Meira giggled softly. "You'll find out soon. Now, finish up your dinner…it's getting late!"