After Work, I Brought Home a Devilish Beauty - Chapter 26

After the conversation ended, an awkward silence filled the room.

Jebecald repeatedly glanced at Alice, silently urging her to leave.

Unfortunately…

Alice remained standing there, completely lost in thought.

She didn’t seem to notice his signals at all.

…Have these two forgotten they’re standing inside someone else’s apartment?

Unable to endure the silence any longer, Yuichi finally spoke.

“So…”

“Are you two finished?”

“…Ah?”

Alice blinked, snapping back to reality.

“Oh…”

“Yes.”

Yuichi folded his arms.

“Then when exactly are you planning to leave?”

“I’m going to bed.”

Alice nodded.

The reason she had come was simple.

She only wanted to confirm whether Yuichi had truly sided with the demons.

Now that she had her answer…

There was no reason to stay.

Without another word, she left the apartment with Jebecald.

Watching them disappear down the hallway, Yuichi finally let out a long sigh.

“…Seriously.”

“They didn’t even bother closing the door.”

“They’re treating this place like it’s their own home.”

Muttering to himself, he walked over and shut the door.

As he reached for the lock, however, a question suddenly crossed his mind.

…Wait.

How did they even get inside?

The lock showed no signs of damage.

“…Did I actually forget to lock the door this morning?”

Yuichi scratched his head.

“Lately I’ve been forgetting everything…”

Then he remembered something his father used to tell him.

“Smoking too much ruins your memory.”

“…Maybe he was right.”

Yuichi nodded to himself.

“Starting tomorrow…”

“I’m cutting back by one cigarette a day.”

After taking a quick shower, Yuichi prepared to go to bed.

Just as he climbed beneath the blanket—

Knock… knock…

A gentle knocking sound came from outside.

“…Again?”

Yuichi frowned.

Who could that be at this hour?

Alice and Jebecald should have left long ago.

Could it be another drunk who had mistaken his apartment for someone else’s?

It had happened before.

Still…

This knock was different.

Soft.

Hesitant.

Almost… pleading.

Unable to ignore it, Yuichi climbed out of bed and opened the door.

“…You two?”

Standing outside once again were Alice and Jebecald.

Both of them were completely soaked.

Rainwater dripped from their clothes onto the hallway floor.

Alice awkwardly lowered her head.

“…It’s raining really hard.”

“So…”

“Could we stay here just for tonight?”

“…Please?”

Her snow-white hair clung to her face from the rain.

Beside her, Jebecald looked no better.

He was soaked from head to toe.

Yuichi glanced outside.

The rain was pouring down in sheets.

He sighed.

“…Alright.”

“Alice can stay.”

“Jebecald…”

“…can’t.”

The two Heroes exchanged confused looks.

Jebecald had already started stepping inside.

Then he suddenly froze.

…Wait.

Did I hear that correctly?

Alice tilted her head.

“…Why?”

Yuichi answered matter-of-factly.

“Because…”

“It’d be pretty weird for two grown men to sleep together.”

“…”

The logic was difficult to argue with.

Unfortunately…

Jebecald had absolutely no desire to spend the night outside in the storm.

He immediately bowed deeply.

“I don’t mind sleeping on the floor.”

“Please.”

“I’m begging you.”

Yuichi scratched his cheek awkwardly.

The man looked so sincere that refusing him felt almost cruel.

Besides…

He had already agreed to let Alice stay.

Turning Jebecald away now would be rather unreasonable.

After thinking it over, Yuichi finally sighed.

“…Fine.”

“Come in.”

Jebecald’s face instantly brightened.

“Thank you very much.”

“Sorry for the trouble.”

After entering the apartment, Alice quietly looked around for the first time.

Previously, she’d been too focused on questioning Yuichi to notice anything.

Now…

She realized just how simple his home really was.

The apartment was small.

The furniture was old.

There were barely any decorations.

It hardly looked like the home of someone living comfortably on his own.

Yuichi walked toward the wardrobe.

After a moment, he tossed two neatly folded sets of clothes toward them.

“C-Catch.”

Alice looked at the clothes in surprise.

“…These are?”

“Your clothes are soaked.”

“If you don’t change, you’ll catch a cold.”

He scratched his head awkwardly.

“I’m sorry.”

“I don’t have any women’s clothes.”

“Chiba already took hers when she moved out.”

“…I see.”

Alice quietly held the borrowed clothes against her chest.

Until now…

She had believed Yuichi was recklessly protecting a demon.

But after spending even a little time with him…

She couldn’t help questioning that conclusion.

The man standing before her wasn’t reckless.

He wasn’t evil.

He wasn’t being manipulated.

He was simply…

Kind.

Even toward someone who had pointed a sword at him only the day before.

Perhaps…

There really was a reason he protected that demon.

For the first time since meeting Yuichi…

Alice found herself smiling gently.