Axel stepped into the bustling town of Lille behind Meira, as she led him by the hand with a confident stride. It seemed as if she knew the town from the back of her hand, but in reality, this was only her second time being here. She had to ask Axel about where the shops are. The streets were filled with vendors, colorful stalls, and townsfolk going about their day—business as usual for Axel.
Their first stop was a quaint clothing store nestled between a bakery and a blacksmith. The store was small but well-organized, filled with rows of neatly hung clothes. Meira was already in her element, her eyes scanning the racks for clothes that'll look cute on Axel.
"Axel," she said, her tone light and cheerful. On her arms were rows of draped tunics and pants. "Which one do you like?"
Axel's cheeks flushed as he followed her to the dressing room. "I don't need you to dictate what I wear. I can choose."
"You can always trust an elf when it comes to fashion~" Meira smiled. She pushed him into the dressing room with a playful nudge, then stepped in to help him pick out the best options. Stripping down in front of her and playing dress up was definitely embarrassing for Axel, but he really couldn't say no. In the end, they settled on the same red tunic and white pants that he had always worn.
As for pajamas, Meira picked a rather feminine looking white nightgown for him. She insisted that this is comfortable and the best for sleeping. Besides, he'd only wear it at home. A tired Axel conceded defeat. "So much for 'elven fashion'" he thought.
After the clothing store, they headed to the farmers market. The air was filled with the earthy aroma of fresh produce, and the vibrant colors of fruits and vegetables were a feast for the eyes. Axel's mood lightened slightly as he wandered among the stalls, admiring the array of goods. Meira led him to a stall where a friendly farmer was displaying a variety of seeds and vegetables. They chatted briefly, and Meira selected a few seeds for their future farm. Axel helped carry the purchases, still feeling a bit self-conscious about his new attire.
As they were about to leave, the farmer handed Axel a bright red apple with a warm smile. "Here, lad, take this. It's on the house."
Axel's eyes widened. "No thanks, I—"
"It's fine, Axel," Meira said, gently nudging him forward. "Don't forget to say thank you!"
Reluctantly, Axel accepted the apple. "Thank you." he mumbled.
"Ahh, what a well behaved boy, isn't he miss?" said the farmer.
"Yes, quite so." Meira responded.
"Though, he does look a bit like that troublemaker that wasn't able to fulfill my quest. Maybe it's just a coincidence!" The farmer gave him a friendly wave as they walked away, the apple feeling like an unwanted weight in his hand. Axel sighed as he knew exactly who this trouble maker was. He was him.
After buying some sugar at a nearby stall, their final stop was the Lille Town Hall, the place where all the official business of Lille is conducted.
"What do we need at the town hall?" Axel said, confused.
"Just some business that Sofia told me to do…" Meira would respond, being vague as usual.
As Meira and Axel approached the city hall, the building's imposing yet elegant structure came into view. It resembled a grand mansion more than a typical city building, constructed from pristine white stone that gleamed softly in the afternoon light. The hall's facade was adorned with majestic pillars, each one supporting the overhanging maroon roof that added a rich, warm touch to the otherwise stark whiteness of the stone.
As they entered, Meira was in awe at how luxurious the place was. "Hello," she said to the receptionist, "I have a meeting with Duchess Muuni."
"Yes ma'am, right this way." replied the receptionist.
Axel was confused. "What the hell did that stupid demon say to her?" He thought, "Seeing the Duchess of all people? This might be a trick…" He stayed silent as he followed behind Meira and a guide, up the grand stairs and into the second floor. The guide then instructed them to enter a set of doors.
Meira and Axel settled into the comfortable, wood-paneled meeting room of the city hall. The space was elegantly decorated, with rich tapestries hanging on the walls. There were two sofas facing each other, split by a coffee table between them. The large windows allowed streams of sunlight to pour in, casting a warm, welcoming glow over the scene. Meira took a seat and wanted Axel to sit on her lap, but he refused.
As they waited, the door to the room creaked open, and in walked a little girl with brown hair. She had a rather regal getup on, a maroon gown with white accents. Her hair was in a short bobcut, but what truly set her apart were the distinctive cow ears perched on her head and the small, curved horns that peeked through her hair. Her eyes, bright and curious, scanned the room before landing on Meira and Axel. "Why, hello there, muu!" she said, clasping her hands together.
"Ah, it is good to meet you, Duchess Muuni!" Meira said, greeting the leader of Lille with a bow.
"Likewise, Miss Meira." She then eyed Axel closely, and switched her face to her famous smug smile, "Hmm, I see you've got yourself into a predicament, Axel, muu."
Both Meira and Axel looked at each other in shock. "How can you tell it was me?" Axel scoffed.
"It's quite easy to read you, muu. Everybody in town knows how you act." Muuni laughed. "So? What happened?"
Axel sighed. "You know that demon in the ruined dungeons? She did this to me."
"The demon in the dungeon, muu?" Muuni's expression instantly shifted to that of a cold, calculating leader. "That was a Rank A quest, aren't you Rank D?"
"No! I'm Rank S—"
"Don't lie to me, muu."
"Y-yeah…I'm rank D." Axel looked away, realizing he had been caught.
"Duchess Muuni~" Meira added, "This demon, Sofia, cast a spell that bound us together as mother and son. I feel that she isn't a threat, as she keeps tabs on us constantly."
"I see." Muuni said, crossing her arms in thought.
"Duchess!" Axel said, standing from his seat. "Do you know of a way to stop her?!"
Muuni sighed. "Actually, we sent a party to the dungeon to investigate your disappearance, muu. They did not find any trace of the demon in sight, meaning that Miss Meira's claim checks out." Muuni then gave Axel a reassuring smile. "I think it is in Lille's best interest if you play by Sofia's rules. It keeps her from doing anything rash in the town, muu"
"Seriously?" Axel slumped back to his chair defeated and facepalmed. "I'm cooked!"
"Besides, maybe you can also learn a thing or two from this very responsible elf lady~" Muuni laughed, eyeing a flustered Meira. "Oh! It seems we have gotten side tracked. Miss Meira, what were you here for in the first place, muu?"
"I just wanted to register ourselves as residents in Lille." Meira continued politely, "I have heard that there are many benefits to this."
"Yes…you're right. That can be arranged, muu." Muuni said as she instructed her guide to pull out a stack of papers. The guide placed it on the table in front of Meira. "Sorry, there is quite a bit of paperwork…"
"That's alright." Meira laughed, trying not to show how overwhelmed she was.
"Now then, I have other matters to attend to. The guide will assist you from here on out." Muuni then made her way to the door, and waved back to the duo before exiting the room. "Take care, you two, muu~"
***
Meira had been staring at the paperwork for a while now, and had started to feel a little dizzy. "Ah, Axel," she said, tapping the boy on his shoulder, "Sorry, this might take a while..."
"Gimme some of the work. I can do it."
"I'm afraid that she needs to do it by herself." the guide said respectfully. "We cannot let a child do this work. She is your guardian after all."
"Tch." Axel scoffed, flopping back into the sofa. He decided to wait it out, as it was the only thing he could do. It was a test of patience and focus, a skill he had practice over his 19 years as an adventurer. Despite that, he found himself slowly dozing off, and eventually fell asleep on the sofa, his droopy head falling onto Meira's soft lap.