After Work, I Brought Home a Devilish Beauty - Chapter 60

Alice’s attempt at revenge had failed.

Not only had she been defeated…

The demons had even spared her life.

As she watched Chiba and Lucifer disappear into the distance, an indescribable uneasiness settled in her heart.

Alice thought everything was finally over.

But what happened next left her completely speechless.

Under the pale moonlight…

A blurred figure suddenly flashed forward and appeared directly behind Chiba.

“Master, watch out!”

Lucifer shouted in alarm and rushed forward at full speed.

Unfortunately…

He was too late.

Bang!

A violent impact echoed through the night.

Before Chiba could even react, she was blasted dozens of meters away.

Her body slammed heavily into a nearby wall before finally coming to a stop.

“…How did this happen?”

Alice froze in shock.

When she finally recognized the attacker, her eyes widened.

Standing there…

Was a man dressed like a clown.

A bizarre mask concealed his face entirely.

Even so…

Jebecald recognized him instantly.

“Lord Miguel?”

“What brings you here?”

Indeed…

The newcomer was Miguel.

Once one of Anstatine’s greatest warriors, he had commanded countless victories against the demons.

However…

After being falsely accused by his own comrades of collaborating with demons…

He abandoned Anstatine in anger and disappeared into the human world.

Unknown to Alice…

The entire operation tonight had been planned by Miguel from the very beginning.

“Grand Marshal.”

“It’s been a long time.”

Hearing that familiar voice, Lucifer narrowed his eyes.

“…So it was you.”

“I heard you died in that fire.”

Miguel licked his lips and sneered.

“Fortunately…”

“I survived.”

Lucifer nodded calmly.

“…That’s unfortunate.”

“But this time…”

“You won’t be so lucky.”

Miguel laughed.

“Really?”

“I’ve always wanted to see…”

“Just how powerful the so-called ‘True Demon’ really is.”

“I’ve been looking forward to this.”

The next instant…

Miguel drew a short black sword and lunged at Lucifer.

Alice stood rooted to the ground.

Watching the battle unfold before her…

She finally understood.

Miguel hadn’t helped them out of kindness.

His true target…

Had always been Lucifer.

Alice tried to stand.

But her battered body refused to obey.

She desperately needed help.

Yet Miguel never spared her a single glance.

The battle intensified.

Miguel thrust his sword forward.

Lucifer dodged effortlessly before firing a burst of magic that resembled exploding fireworks.

Unfortunately…

The attack accomplished almost nothing.

Miguel immediately counterattacked with another powerful thrust.

Facing an attack that seemed impossible to evade…

Lucifer calmly leaned backward.

The blade barely missed him.

Using the momentum, he immediately countered with a heavy kick that sent Miguel flying backward.

But then…

The tide quietly began to shift.

Lucifer suddenly stumbled several steps backward.

Blood poured from his right leg.

Lucifer looked down at the wound.

“So…”

“The champion of justice resorts to dirty tricks after all.”

He casually pulled a hidden weapon from his leg.

It resembled a thin metal needle.

Although he had no idea what it was…

He could clearly feel his magic rapidly draining away.

Miguel smiled faintly.

“You’ve done the same before.”

Despite saying that…

He gave Lucifer no opportunity to recover.

Instead…

He continued his relentless assault.

As Lucifer defended himself…

His magical power weakened faster and faster.

He quickly realized…

Continuing this battle would only place him at an increasing disadvantage.

Especially…

With Chiba lying unconscious nearby.

He couldn’t afford to gamble.

We have to escape.

He sighed quietly.

There was one method…

One he had always considered beneath the dignity of a demon.

But pride no longer mattered.

The instant Miguel swung his sword again…

Lucifer suddenly retreated.

He inhaled deeply…

Then exhaled a massive cloud of thick black smoke.

“What is this?!”

Miguel was caught completely off guard.

The smoke entered his eyes and throat.

He immediately began coughing violently as tears streamed down his face.

This wasn’t ordinary smoke.

Besides irritating the eyes…

It contained unknown poisonous substances.

Without resisting it immediately…

Miguel could very well lose his eyesight.

Using the opportunity…

Lucifer disappeared.

He instantly arrived beside Chiba.

She had already lost consciousness.

There wasn’t enough time to treat her.

Lucifer simply lifted her into his arms.

Then…

He grabbed Yuichi as well.

Although Yuichi had been frozen inside Chiba’s barrier…

Lucifer feared Miguel might capture him again if he left him behind.

With Chiba in one arm…

And Yuichi beside him…

Lucifer leaped onto the rooftops.

By the time Miguel regained his vision…

They had already vanished into the darkness.

After careful consideration…

Lucifer decided to take Chiba to Yuichi’s apartment.

His own residence was too close to the festival grounds.

If Miguel searched the area…

That would be the first place he’d investigate.

Besides…

Yuichi needed to return home anyway.

He still had work the following morning.

Although Lucifer disliked Yuichi—

Especially because the human clearly harbored feelings for his master—

He still didn’t want Yuichi’s ordinary life to be destroyed because of them.

After all…

Yuichi had recently become one of the few employees who actually arrived at work early every day.

Back at the apartment…

Lucifer gently laid Chiba on the bed.

As for Yuichi…

He simply left him sleeping on the floor.

After thinking about it…

Lucifer realized that was perfectly normal anyway.

According to Chiba…

Yuichi usually slept on the floor whenever she stayed over.

It hardly made any difference.

Lucifer carefully examined Chiba’s condition.

The moment he sensed her magic…

His expression changed dramatically.

Her magical power was disappearing…

Far too quickly.

“…No wonder Master lost consciousness.”

For demons…

Magic wasn’t merely power.

It was life itself.

If it vanished completely…

Death would soon follow.

Lucifer immediately transferred some of his own magic into Chiba.

It barely slowed the process.

The little magic he could spare was only enough to delay the inevitable.

Sooner or later…

Her magic would continue fading.

Lucifer knew all too well how difficult it was to replenish magic in the human world.

Even if he resorted to feeding on human fear…

It would expose them to Miguel.

And worse…

It would make enemies of humanity itself.

“…Is there truly no other way?”

Lucifer stared silently at the full moon beyond the window.

He remained there for a long time.

Finally…

His eyes hardened with determination.

He had made his decision.

“I’m sorry…”

“…Master.”

With great care…

He lifted Chiba into his arms like a gentleman carrying a sleeping princess.

Then…

Without another word…

He leaped out the window.

Under the moonlight…

The two figures disappeared into the endless night.