After Work, I Brought Home a Devilish Beauty - Chapter 16

Late at night, Yuichi Sakai was walking home alone beneath the dim glow of the streetlights.

As he passed through a quiet alley, he suddenly spotted a thug cornering what appeared to be an innocent high school girl.

“Damn it!”

“Leave her alone!”

Without thinking twice, Yuichi rushed forward.

Driven by nothing but his sense of justice, he swung his fists and chased the thug away.

The frightened schoolgirl stood there trembling, her uniform slightly disheveled.

Seeing her like that, Yuichi couldn’t help clenching his fists.

The world really is becoming more dangerous…

If I hadn’t arrived in time, who knows what might have happened.

Trying not to embarrass her further, he carefully fastened the loose buttons on her uniform.

“Are you alright?”

The girl lowered her head, her cheeks turning bright red.

“…I’m fine.”

“Thank you.”

Yuichi glanced around.

It was already late, and the streets were almost deserted.

There were no taxis in sight.

If she walked home alone now, she might run into that thug again.

After hesitating for a moment, he spoke gently.

“It’s getting pretty late.”

“I hope this doesn’t sound strange…”

“But if you don’t mind, you can stay at my place tonight.”

The girl nodded softly.

“…Okay.”

Back at Yuichi’s apartment…

The girl looked around the tiny room before speaking awkwardly.

“…There’s only one bed.”

Yuichi immediately answered.

“That’s alright.”

“I’ll sleep on the floor.”

The girl gently grabbed his sleeve.

Her face grew even redder.

“You don’t have to.”

“We can share the bed.”

“I trust you.”

“You’re such a kind person, Sakai-kun.”

“I know you wouldn’t try anything.”

Yuichi scratched his head with an embarrassed smile.

“W-Well…”

“I guess we’ll just have to make do for one night.”

Soon afterward, they lay down together.

The bed was much smaller than either of them expected.

There was barely enough room to move.

Half-asleep, Yuichi unconsciously stretched his arm to the side.

His fingertips brushed against something unexpectedly soft.

…Huh?

What’s this?

Without thinking, he instinctively squeezed it.

“…Wait.”

“It feels surprisingly…”

“…flat?”

A cold voice suddenly echoed beside him.

“I think…”

“You have a death wish.”

“…Huh?”

“GYAAAAAH!”

A surge of electricity shot through Yuichi’s entire body.

He jolted upright with a scream.

The pleasant dream instantly shattered.

Instead of the beautiful schoolgirl from his fantasy…

The person lying beside him was none other than—

Chiba.

Somehow, while asleep, Yuichi had unconsciously crawled from the tatami mat onto the bed.

Still trapped in his dream, he’d mistaken Chiba for the imaginary girl and reached out without realizing it.

Unfortunately for him…

Chiba had responded with magic.

Still holding out one hand, she looked down at him expressionlessly.

“…So.”

“You finally acted on those suspicious thoughts of yours.”

Yuichi immediately dropped to his knees.

“I’m sorry!”

“I swear I was asleep!”

“I really didn’t mean it!”

Chiba narrowed her crimson eyes.

“What a foolish human.”

“And here I thought you were all talk.”

“It seems I was mistaken.”

Yuichi repeatedly lowered his head in apology.

“I promise!”

“It’ll never happen again!”

Only after several minutes did Chiba finally withdraw the crackling magic from her fingertips.

“…See that it doesn’t.”

Morning arrived soon enough.

Despite still feeling numb from the previous night’s punishment, Yuichi forced himself out of bed.

Today wasn’t an ordinary workday.

For the first time…

Lucifer would be accompanying him to work.

Although Yuichi had already spoken to his boss in advance, he still couldn’t shake his anxiety.

He’s a demon…

Please don’t start a war inside the factory…

Perhaps noticing his nervous expression, Chiba calmly reassured him.

“Don’t worry.”

“Lucifer won’t act without my permission.”

Her confidence eased Yuichi’s worries.

“…Alright.”

“I’m counting on you.”

After saying goodbye, Yuichi left the apartment.

As promised, Lucifer was already waiting beside the nearby traffic lights.

Unlike his usual attire, today he wore a neatly pressed shirt and formal trousers.

Yuichi couldn’t help smiling.

He actually looks like a respectable office worker.

“Ready?”

Yuichi asked.

Lucifer nodded.

“I am.”

Without wasting another moment, the two headed toward the factory together.

Inside the factory office…

A heavyset middle-aged supervisor sat comfortably in his chair, lazily smoking a cigarette.

Hearing footsteps, he slowly looked up.

“Well?”

Yuichi immediately straightened his posture.

Just standing in front of his boss made him instinctively nervous.

“B-Boss…”

“This is the new employee I mentioned.”

He stepped aside.

Lucifer entered the office.

Standing well over six feet tall with broad shoulders and a disciplined posture, he looked more like a military officer than an ordinary job applicant.

The supervisor’s eyes immediately widened.

“…Now that’s a sturdy young man.”

His face broke into a broad grin.

Most factory workers were thin young men with little physical strength.

Compared to them…

Lucifer looked exceptionally capable.

The supervisor rubbed his hands together happily.

“He’ll make an excellent worker.”

Yuichi quietly let out the breath he’d been holding.

At least…

The first step had gone far better than expected.