After Work, I Brought Home a Devilish Beauty - Chapter 5

Yuichi’s apartment was about as simple as a room could get.

Aside from a large round bed and a bookshelf packed with novels and manga, there was practically nothing inside. There wasn’t even a proper place for guests to sit.

After all, he rarely had visitors, and buying extra furniture would’ve only added to his expenses.

Still, the moment he brought the mysterious girl inside, he suddenly realized how awkward the situation was.

Scratching the back of his head, Yuichi looked around the bare room with an embarrassed smile.

Meanwhile, the girl calmly surveyed her surroundings before commenting,

“So… this is how humans live? It feels rather shabby. It’s barely larger than the goblin hut I own.”

Yuichi forced a laugh.

“Y-Yeah… sorry about that.”

“It doesn’t matter.”

She replied so casually that it almost sounded like she genuinely didn’t care.

She really is committed to this role-playing act…

Yuichi decided not to argue.

Feeling the fatigue from work catching up with him, he collapsed onto the bed, pulled a lighter from his pocket, lit a cigarette, and silently watched the strange visitor.

Looking at this objectively… this situation is terrible.

A grown man brings a young-looking girl home? Anyone would think I kidnapped her.

I haven’t done anything wrong… but I really hope I don’t end up in prison.

After taking a slow drag, he finally spoke.

“So… who exactly are you?”

The smoke drifted through the room.

“C-Cough… cough…”

The girl immediately began coughing.

“You insignificant human… listen carefully…”

She struggled to maintain her dignified posture despite tears forming in her eyes.

“I… am a demon… cough… cough… Ugh… What kind of magical artifact is this? It’s terrifying!”

Yuichi blinked.

“No, I meant your name.”

She hesitated.

“…Ch-Chiba.”

“Oh. Chichiba?”

“No! Chiba!”

Still coughing from the cigarette smoke, she pointed at herself with watery eyes.

Only then did Yuichi realize the problem.

“…Ah.”

Without another word, he crushed the cigarette into the ashtray.

“Sorry about that.”

Smoking in front of someone who looked this young was rude enough already.

The room fell silent.

Now what?

Whenever Yuichi found himself alone with a girl, his brain completely shut down.

After several awkward minutes, he finally stood up.

“Um… there are still a lot of things I want to ask you, but could you wait here for a little while? I’ll just run downstairs and come right back.”

Since he unexpectedly had a guest, the least he could do was prepare something.

Despite being socially awkward, he still knew basic manners.

“Very well.”

Chiba nodded.

“Go if you must. I shall wait.”

Leaving her behind, Yuichi hurried downstairs.

That evening, Chiba stood beside the apartment window, quietly gazing at the unfamiliar city beyond.

The setting sun painted the skyline orange.

She lifted the strange black pendant hanging around her neck.

“Lucifer.”

Her voice carried its usual pride despite sounding unusually soft.

“Report your current situation.”

Almost immediately, a deep male voice echoed from within the crystal.

“My Lady, I am currently in what appears to be a crowded marketplace. Judging from my surroundings, we have indeed arrived in the human world.”

The pendant itself was an intricate object.

At its center rested a tiny black crystal wrapped by two intersecting golden rings, making it appear more like an exquisite work of art than a communication device.

Frowning, Chiba summoned a small blue flame into her palm.

The fire flickered weakly.

“…My magic seems to be heavily suppressed.”

“The same is true for me,” Lucifer replied.

“It may be because this world lacks sufficient magical energy.”

“I see.”

After thinking briefly, Chiba gave her order.

“Then come find me immediately. We can discuss everything else in person.”

“As you command.”

The communication ended.

At that exact moment—

Click.

The apartment door swung open.

“Who’s there?!”

Startled, Chiba instinctively jumped backward and accidentally smacked her head against the wall.

“Oww…”

She clutched her forehead in pain.

Yuichi, standing in the doorway with two shopping bags, stared at her in confusion.

“…I’m home.”

The moment she recognized him, Chiba’s expression returned to its usual cold and dignified look.

“Oh. It’s you.”

Yuichi almost choked.

What do you mean ‘it’s you’?

This is my apartment!

Trying not to lose his temper, he forced a smile.

“Could you stop calling me ‘you’? I have a name.”

“My name is Yuichi Sakai.”

“Sakai… Yuichi?”

“That’s right. Though you can just call me Yuichi.”

“What a strange name.”

Yuichi immediately pointed at her.

“Someone named Chiba has absolutely no right to say that!”

With an awkward laugh, he placed the shopping bags onto the table.

“I bought dinner.”

He held up a convenience-store bento.

“If you don’t mind, we can eat together.”

Chiba shook her head without hesitation.

“No need.”

“Demons do not require food.”

“…But thank you for your kindness.”

Yuichi paused.

Really?

Well… that’s one less mouth to feed.

Without arguing further, he unpacked his own dinner.

Tonight’s meal was omurice.

As a small dessert, he’d also bought a cup of pudding.

Originally, he had assumed girls liked sweets.

The pudding alone had cost over five hundred yen.

Just remembering the price made his wallet ache.

If she’s not eating it… I guess I’ll have to.

He peeled back the lid.

At that moment—

“What’s that?”

Chiba’s crimson eyes locked onto the pudding.

Yuichi blinked.

“…You’ve never seen pudding before?”

“It’s called pudding.”

“Would you like to try some?”

Although she insisted demons didn’t need food, curiosity slowly won the battle inside her mind.

After hesitating for several seconds, Chiba cautiously nodded.

Seeing her uncertainty, Yuichi offered reassurance.

“Don’t worry.”

“It’s not poisonous.”

For some reason, Chiba immediately looked at him with even greater suspicion.

“…Why are you staring at me like that?”

“I already told you it’s safe.”

To prove his point, Yuichi scooped up a spoonful and ate it himself.

Several moments passed.

Nothing exploded.

Nothing happened.

Only then did Chiba carefully accept the pudding and place a tiny bite into her mouth.

The instant it touched her tongue—

Her eyes widened.

The silky texture melted effortlessly.

Unlike stale rations or bitter alcohol, it possessed a delicate sweetness she had never experienced before.

It was unbelievably delicious.

Without realizing it, Chiba had already fallen completely in love with pudding.

“…Well?”

Yuichi asked nervously.

“Doesn’t it taste good?”

For Chiba, it was nothing short of heavenly.

But as a proud demon princess, admitting that so easily would be humiliating.

After a long internal struggle, she finally managed to answer.

“Hmph.”

“It’s… acceptable.”

Yuichi looked confused.

“‘Acceptable’?”

“So is it good or not?”

Chiba turned away, her cheeks faintly flushed.

“That is irrelevant!”

She thrust the empty cup toward him with complete seriousness.

“I’m hungry now.”

“Hurry up and bring me more pudding!”