Axel slumped in a wooden chair at the corner of the guild hall, arms crossed, an irritated scowl plastered across his face. In front of him, scattered across the table, were a few wooden action figures, probably left behind by some adventurer's kid. He gave them a poke, muttering to himself, "This is so dumb…"
He shot a glance across the room, watching as Meira gracefully moved behind the receptionist's counter. She looked different today. She wasn't in her usual white dress. Instead, she wore a formal guild uniform—a black fitted dress with a white apron, a maroon ribbon tied neatly around her neck.
The outfit accentuated her curves, hugging her waist and hips in a way that seemed to catch the attention of everyone in the hall. Axel could tell; they were all staring. Her long blonde hair was tied back in a loose bun, but a few strands fell around her face, giving her an effortless, elegant look.
It's been a few days since Meira had started a job as a receptionist, and since she doesn't trust Axel being home alone, she takes him with her to work. She was always busy, flipping through some papers, talking to adventurers, and handing out quests and rewards.
But it wasn't just Meira who was busy. Around him, a small group of female adventurers had gathered, clearly more interested in him than their drinks. One of them leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand as she looked at him with a smirk.
"Aw, he's so cute! How old are you, little guy?" she teased.
"None of your business." Axel's face flushed, not from embarrassment but from frustration. He snapped, throwing one of the action figures across the table. "Also, I'm not little!"
Another adventurer giggled. She had fiery red hair and wore light leather armor. "You've got quite the temper for someone so adorable," she teased, giving his cheek a playful poke.
"Fuck off!" Axel barked, batting her hand away. "I'm not adorable!"
They all laughed, clearly amused by his reaction, which only made Axel's blood boil more. He glanced over at Meira again. She was too far to hear what was going on, still engaged in a conversation with an adventurer handing over a completed quest report. Her expression was calm, professional, and totally oblivious to the torment he was going through.
Suddenly, the sharp clang of the alert bells echoed through the guild hall, shattering the lazy chatter. Axel jolted upright, his heart racing, as the heavy footsteps of the guild master approached from the top of the staircase. The room fell silent, every adventurer turning their attention upward.
The guild master, a bearded, grizzled man with a scarred face and a stern expression, stood at the top of the staircase. His voice boomed through the hall. "Attention, everyone! The northern side of Lille is under attack. A demon and his army of dark skeleton knights are advancing!"
Murmurs broke out among the adventurers, a mix of excitement and dread.
"The bounty for killing the demon will be generous…" the guild master continued, "and there's a reward for every skeleton knight taken down. We need every available fighter on the frontlines!"
The hall erupted into motion. Adventurers scrambled to grab their weapons, armor clanking as they fastened straps and buckled belts. Swords were drawn, bows strung, and spell casters murmured incantations, pre-cassting buffs for their offensive members. Axel watched, his fingers twitching with anticipation. This was it. This was what he'd been waiting for.
"Finally," Axel muttered under his breath, a wicked grin spreading across his face. n. A massive bounty? Rewards for every kill? This was his chance to prove that he wasn't just some kid sitting around playing with toys. Maybe he could show that stupid demon how capable he was as well.
He then started preparing himself as the emergency bell continued to ring in the background. Suddenly, Meira appeared beside him, her expression calm but serious. Her posture was different. She looked firmer, ready for battle. She placed a hand on Axel's shoulder. "Axel, I have to go help the others. Stay here, okay?"
Axel's eyes widened, and he immediately stood up, defiant. "No…no. I'm coming with you Mei—err Mama." His fists were clenched,
Meira frowned, shaking her head. "You need to stay here. It's too dangerous."
"Look, I'm still an adventurer, I know what to do!" Axel protested, his voice rising. "Can you even fight? I haven't even seen you in action."
Meira's eyes softened, but her tone remained firm. "It's not about that, Axel. It's about protecting you. You're not ready for this kind of fight."
"Not ready?!" Axel glared at her, his ego bruised. "Come on…just this once."
Meira sighed, knowing this was going nowhere, but she didn't back down. "Axel, if anything happened to you, I would be hurt as well. I know you want to help, but right now, the best thing you can do is stay safe." Her voice was gentle, but there was an unmistakable authority behind it. "Listen to Mama, okay?"
Axel gritted his teeth, frustration boiling over. "You don't get to decide that!"
"I do," Meira said, her voice steely now. "You're staying put. That's final."
Suddenly, Axel felt the magical collar around his neck appear and simply tighten. If he argued more, things might get iffy. Axel's shoulders slumped in defeat. He couldn't win this one. "Fine."
"Good boy. You don't want to be punished again now, do you~"
Just as Meira turned to leave, Arthur approached. He was dressed in his heavy armor, cape flowing behind him, his giant sword strapped to his back. He gave Meira a respectful nod. "Meira, are you ready to head out?"
Meira glanced back at Axel one last time. "Stay here," she repeated firmly, then joined Arthur without another word.
The once bustling guild hall was eerily quiet now, the echo of adventurers' footsteps having long faded away. Axel sat slumped in his chair, staring at the floor with a mix of boredom and frustration. He couldn't believe Meira had left him behind. Again.
He let out an exasperated sigh and leaned back, letting the chair creak under his weight. His eyes lazily scanned the room when suddenly, in the middle of the hall, a swirling purple portal burst into existence. The swirling magic illuminated the dim room, casting strange shadows on the walls.
Axel barely flinched, though. He straightened up slightly, but his expression was more annoyed than alarmed. From the portal stepped a demon, wearing a pristine black butler outfit that seemed oddly formal for the situation. He had sharp, angular features—horns curling from his head, tanned skin, and pointed elf-like ears. His black, spiky hair stood on end, giving him an even more sinister look.
The demon stood tall, surveying the empty hall with a calm, almost calculating gaze before locking eyes with Axel. Silence stretched between them.
Axel didn't even bother standing up. He raised an eyebrow, his tone deadpan, clearly unimpressed. "And who the hell are you supposed to be?"
The demon raised a thin eyebrow at Axel's unimpressed tone, but quickly composed himself. "Zey call me Kylian," he said, his voice smooth. He gave a small, almost mocking bow, his eyes never leaving Axel. "I am ze premier butler of ze demon lord…and I am here to take over ze town of Lille"
Axel scoffed, unbothered. "Cool story bro. You want some drinks?"
"Are you not afraid?" Kylian's calm demeanor flickered with frustration.
"Not really," Axel said, drinking some water in a nearby cup, "The last time a demon was here, she didn't really do much."
"You must be talking about Sofia…" Kylian said, hand on his chin, "I vas always skeptical of her skills, she is not suitable to support ze demon lord."
"Right?"
Kylian laughed. "Vell, aren't you a funny one. Now that ze guild is distracted, vere is that elf?" Kylian looked around.
"Elf?" Axel stopped. Was he talking about Meira? "I don't know any elf."
"Ah, but you have female elven pheromones all over you…" Kylian said as he casted a spell onto his iris, "Do not lie to me."
"What?" Axel had a cringed look on his face, "Why do you even have the ability to detect that?"
"It is ze advanced skill." Kylian said with a smug posture, "Only ze powerful ones can learn it."
"Yeah? I've only seen people who pay for elf prostitutes have that skill. Heard it helps with seeing if the elf enjoyed them."
"D-Don't question a demon's reasons boy!" His violet eyes darkened, swirling with malevolent intent. "Zat mouth of yours… it will get you into trouble, garçon." He stretched his hand out toward Axel, his magic flaring. "Perhaps you will do in her place."
Before Axel could react, tendrils of dark energy shot from Kylian's palm, wrapping around Axel's body like invisible chains. Axel struggled, gritting his teeth, but the magic was too strong. "Well, guess I'm being kidnapped."
Kylian let out a heart laugh, stepping forward as Axel's movements became more sluggish, his limbs bound by the demon's spell. "You will come with me. I 'ave no more time to waste on zis petty banter."