After Work, I Brought Home a Devilish Beauty - Chapter 20

The moon hung high above the silent park.

Under its pale light, three figures clashed in a battle that no ordinary person could have imagined.

On one side stood the Hero, Alice, accompanied by the legendary warrior Jebecald.

On the other…

Stood the Demon Grand Marshal—

Lucifer.

If anyone had witnessed the battle, they would have questioned their own eyes.

Jebecald leaped nearly two meters into the air with every attack, while each swing of his massive sword carried enough force to split trees clean in half.

Yet despite facing two powerful opponents at once, Lucifer stubbornly refused to fall.

Whenever Alice’s holy sword pierced toward him, he used nearby trees to change direction and evade.

Whenever Jebecald launched his heavy attacks, Lucifer exploited the slight delay after each swing to slip past unharmed.

It was as if he simply refused to die.

After several exchanges, Alice suddenly retreated.

Instead of charging recklessly again, she calmly observed Lucifer from a distance.

Then…

A faint smile appeared on her face.

She had thought of something.

Lucifer immediately sensed that something had changed.

…They’re planning something.

The heroes no longer attacked together.

Instead, Jebecald stepped forward alone, keeping Lucifer occupied while Alice patiently circled the battlefield.

Although the new strategy still failed to injure Lucifer directly…

It wasn’t meant to.

The next moment—

Alice suddenly broke away from Lucifer altogether.

Her target had changed.

“…Not good!”

Lucifer’s eyes widened.

“My Lady! Look out!”

His warning echoed through the park.

Unfortunately…

It came too late.

Although Chiba noticed Alice’s approach, her exhausted body could no longer react in time.

Alice raised her holy sword high.

Then brought it crashing down.

“Wait!”

A figure suddenly burst out from the nearby bushes.

Without hesitation, he threw himself between Chiba and the descending blade.

Alice’s sword stopped only inches away.

She stared at the newcomer in disbelief.

“…A human?”

Yuichi stood in front of Chiba with both arms spread wide.

Behind him, Chiba looked equally stunned.

“…Yuichi?”

She had already accepted that she might not survive this battle.

She never expected him to appear.

Even more impossible…

He was protecting her.

Why…?

He’s only an ordinary human…

A complicated feeling quietly stirred inside her heart.

Yuichi turned around first.

“Chiba.”

“Are you alright?”

She blinked before quietly answering,

“…I’m fine.”

Watching the exchange, Alice finally spoke.

“Human.”

“Do you even understand what you’re doing?”

Yuichi turned toward her.

“Of course I do.”

“I’m protecting her.”

Alice frowned.

“…She’s a demon.”

“I know.”

“I’ve known that for a while now.”

Her blue eyes widened.

“You knew…”

“…and you still chose to protect her?”

“Why?”

Yuichi answered without hesitation.

“Because…”

“…she’s my wife.”

Silence.

Complete silence.

Behind him, Chiba’s face instantly darkened.

…Idiot.

She seriously considered kicking him.

Only the fact that he’d just saved her life stopped her.

Alice finally exploded.

“Have you completely lost your mind?!”

“She’s a demon!”

“Do you know how many innocent people demons have killed?”

Yuichi didn’t back down.

Instead, he stepped even farther in front of Chiba.

“And you’ve been pointing a sword at people ever since you got here!”

“So tell me…”

“Who’s acting crazier?”

Alice froze.

Yuichi continued.

“If Chiba is really the monster you claim she is…”

“Then why am I still standing here completely unharmed?”

His words struck harder than any sword.

Alice found herself speechless.

She had no answer.

Could…

Could he actually have a point?

“…No.”

She immediately rejected the thought.

Impossible.

This human has obviously been manipulated.

The demon must have brainwashed him.

Otherwise…

No ordinary human would willingly defend a demon.

She slowly raised her holy sword once more.

“Move.”

Yuichi stood his ground.

“No.”

Alice’s expression grew colder.

“If you refuse…”

“I’ll kill you as well.”

Yuichi swallowed.

This girl is seriously dangerous.

If they weren’t standing in the middle of a supernatural battlefield…

He would’ve already called the police.

Even so, he refused to step aside.

“If you’ve got the courage…”

“Then do it.”

To his surprise…

Alice actually tightened her grip on the sword.

She truly intended to strike.

Just then—

“Alice!”

Jebecald’s voice thundered across the battlefield.

“Have you forgotten the Hero’s Code?”

Alice froze.

Her sword stopped in midair.

Yuichi blinked.

…Hero’s Code?

So heroes aren’t allowed to attack humans?

Realizing what had happened, an incredibly smug smile slowly spread across his face.

He even patted his own chest.

“Go on.”

“Cut me.”

“You were so confident a second ago.”

“What happened?”

Alice clenched her teeth so hard they almost cracked.

Every instinct told her to swing the sword.

But reason prevailed.

No matter how angry she became…

She could not violate the laws governing heroes.

Finally, she lowered her weapon.

“Hmph.”

“Jebecald.”

“We’re leaving.”

Without another glance at Yuichi, she turned away.

Before disappearing into the darkness, however, she looked back at Chiba and Lucifer.

“This isn’t over.”

“I won’t let either of you escape forever.”

With those final words, Alice and Jebecald disappeared into the night.

The park fell silent once again.

Bonus Fact

In Anstertandin, Heroes are chosen by humanity as the ultimate symbols of justice.

Only those who possess extraordinary strength, exceptional character, and survive a rigorous selection process can inherit the title of Hero.

To prevent that power from being abused, every Hero is bound by an ancient covenant:

A Hero may never be the first to attack an innocent human.

Doing so results in the immediate loss of their Hero’s title and blessings.

However…

That sacred rule exists only within the world of Anstertandin.

Whether it still applies in modern Japan remains uncertain.