Finally, I can Retire, Or so I Thought

As the carriage entered the capital road drawing near, Dion spotted vast paddy fields laid out before the city gates, dotted with small farmer cottages that formed a distinct village of their own.

”Hmm... look at that, they grow rice here. No wonder the food in this region is considered exotic, just like Asian cuisine back home,” Dion thought to himself.

Past the sprawling fields, the carriage entered the proper city, which turned out to be immensely wide without any perimeter walls enclosing it. Single-story buildings lined the streets, built wide and packed tightly side by side. Dion spotted numerous storefronts selling herbal potions, remedies, weapons, armor, and everyday necessities like sandals and shoes.

A heavy crowd of pedestrians spilled into the streets, slowing the carriage to a crawl. Neatly arranged parks featured tall, shady trees that didn’t tower past the surrounding rooftops, while multiple clear streams wound through the city under arched bridges. Passing the Aetheras Trading Company, which sat directly adjacent to the Adventurers Guild, Dion noticed the two massive structures shared a single interconnected complex.

”Wow... this city is gorgeous,” Luna murmured.

”Is this really your first time here?” Sheila asked.

”Yep... absolute first... well, technically my second. My dad brought me along when I was a little kid, but I don’t remember a thing, haha,” Luna admitted.

”I come here all the time for trade business,” Aria chimed in.

”I swear I didn’t ask,” Luna shot back.

”Whatever you say, dumb princess,” Aria sneered.

”If nobody asked you to speak, keep your mouth shut, idiot princess,” Luna retorted.

”Grrr.” Luna and Aria began growling at each other, leaning in until their noses were inches apart while locking eyes in a fierce glare.

”You two act like literal children, always looking for a fight,” Cleo remarked casually.

”Shut up, old hag!” Luna and Aria snapped in unison.

”Crack.” A vein bulged on Cleo’s forehead. She slowly turned toward Luna and Aria with a murderous glare.

”What did you two just say? Care to repeat that? You’re clearly asking for an early grave,” Cleo growled, raising her staff.

”Hey, hey... alright, cut it out!” Sheila caught Cleo from behind, holding her back before she could do something terrifying.

In no time, Luna, Aria, Cleo, and Sheila devolved into a loud, chaotic argument, filling the carriage with noise. ”Sigh.” Dion let out a heavy breath and shook his head, while Gina silently observed him with a blank expression, not uttering a word in their minds. Dion then looked over at Mei, who sat upright, tense, yet strangely composed.

”You’re not joining in, Mei?” Dion asked.

”Huh... no, I’ll pass this time,” Mei replied with a subtle smile.

Dion went quiet, studying Mei’s face, which had grown visibly more anxious ever since they crossed into the capital. Looking out the window, he noticed the carriage making a right turn toward a side street as they hit the city center.

”Do you want me to come along to meet your father?” Dion offered softly.

Mei lifted her head and met Dion’s gaze. She offered a gentle smile and shook her head, answering his question without a word.

”Fair enough... how about she tags along instead?” Dion asked, lifting Gina up.

”Kyuu?” Gina blinked in confusion.

”No need, really. It won’t take long. We’ll stop by the inn up ahead, and I’ll help you guys get settled in first before I head out,” Mei answered.

”Alright then,” Dion agreed. ”Man... why do I have such a bad bad feeling about this? And my gut feeling is usually spot-on, just like back in Northkeep,” Dion thought to himself.

The carriage pulled up in front of a wide, single-story inn. Everyone climbed down, and Mei accompanied them inside. A staff member greeted them at the counter, and upon learning they needed accommodation, escorted them to a spacious suite in the left wing featuring a private outdoor hot spring. The suite was split into three main areas: a central living room, a bedroom on the right, and a bedroom on the left.

”Whoaaah!”

Luna, Aria, Sheila, and Cleo gasped at the massive suite. Aside from a central coffee table, the living room opened directly to a private hot spring situated just outside, bordered by a scenic forest backdrop behind a perimeter fence. The two bedrooms were furnished with traditional futons laid flat on the floor.

”Welcome. Would you prefer your meals served in the dining hall or sent directly to your room?” the staff member asked politely.

”The dining hall is fine,” Mei offered.

”No way... serve it in the room, please!” Cleo chimed in.

”Yeah, definitely in the room. It’s much more private here,” Luna added.

”If we go down to the dining hall, we’ll just cause a scene. In-room dining is better,” Aria agreed.

”Agreed... bring plenty of food... and don’t forget the wine!” Sheila added, diving straight into placing orders.

”How come you guys only coordinate this well when it comes to stuff like this?” Dion teased.

”Kyuuu... kyuuu,” Gina chimed in, which roughly translated to, ”Mommies are amazing.”

”Very well then. Dinner will be delivered straight to your room shortly. Please enjoy your stay,” the staff member bowed politely.

The employee stepped out, closing the door firmly behind them. Once they were alone, Mei turned to face the group.

”Alright, I’m heading out now. Please promise me you’ll stay inside this suite while I’m away, and if you go out to explore, come straight back here, okay?” Mei urged.

”Trust us, Mei,” Luna said.

”Don’t worry, we won’t cause any trouble. At most, I just want to check out those weapon shops we passed earlier and chat with the blacksmiths,” Aria offered.

”Same here... I might check out a few bookstores. I noticed a couple on our way in,” Cleo added.

”I’m staying right here, I’m going to soak in the hot spring with Dion, hahaha!” Sheila laughed, slinging an arm around Dion’s neck and dragging him close.

”Please leave me out of your plans,” Dion wheezed, struggling for air.

”I’m staying in the room too... maybe take a quick fly outside... and go for a walk with mommies,” Gina communicated telepathically, raising her tiny paws while vocalizing out loud, ”Kyuu... kyuu... kyuu.”

”Alright then... I trust you guys. I’ll be off now, and I’ll come back as soon as I can,” Mei said.

Mei turned around, opened the door, and stepped out. The moment the door clicked shut, the playful expressions on Luna, Aria, Sheila, and Cleo’s faces instantly vanished into utter seriousness. They let go of Dion, leaving him completely bewildered by the sudden shift in atmosphere.

”What’s wrong?” Dion asked.

”I’m worried about Mei. Judging by that letter, there’s a real chance she’s going to be detained at the palace and forbidden from leaving again,” Cleo noted sternly.

”Yeah... I was thinking the exact same thing,” Sheila added.

”Wait... why are you guys only bringing this up now?! You should’ve said something while Mei was still here!” Dion exclaimed.

”How could we possibly say that out loud?! ’Hey Mei, if you go home, you’re going to get dragged to the palace to face the king and locked up forever’, how could we say something like that to her face?! She’s going through an existential crisis right now. Saying that would’ve crushed her,” Aria explained.

”Yep... for once I actually agree with this idiot princess, because my thoughts align completely,” Luna added.

”Thanks for the support, dumb princess,” Aria replied with a forced smile, glaring at Luna sideways.

”You’re very welcome, brainless princess,” Luna shot back with a sarcastic grin, glaring right back.

”Bottom line is, the second she needs us, we move. I don’t care if we have to fight the entire Shadow Clan, as long as we bring Mei back home safely,” Sheila stated firmly.

”Well... that was the whole point of us tagging along from the start, wasn’t it?” Cleo noted.

”Wait... didn’t you guys say you just wanted to go sightseeing?” Dion asked, utterly confused.

”Of course we care about Mei! We didn’t come here just for a vacation, though that’s a nice bonus!” Luna, Aria, Sheila, and Cleo shouted in perfect unison, sharing the exact same train of thought.

The four of them leaned in close, glaring sharply at Dion until their faces were mere inches from his.

”Okay... okay... my bad,” Dion forced a stiff smile, raising both hands defensively as he backed away slightly.

”When are we going sightseeing? I want to come... I don’t understand what Daddy and Mommies are talking about,” Gina’s voice echoed in their minds, accompanied by a hilariously blank, clueless expression.

Everyone turned to see Gina sitting quietly on the table. Breaking into smiles, they gathered around the little dragon, scooping her up to cheer her up.

***

Meanwhile, just outside the room, leaning against the wall right beside the door, Mei stood with her head lowered, having overheard every single word of their conversation.

”I’m so sorry, everyone... and my love, Dion... I’m afraid... this is goodbye. After this, I may never be able to stand by your side again. Please take care of yourselves... farewell,” Mei thought to herself, her face heavy with sorrow.

Turning around, she walked down the silent corridor toward the inn’s exit, heading toward her father’s home located just a short distance away.