After Work, I Brought Home a Devilish Beauty - Chapter 7

Early the next morning, Yuichi Sakai was fast asleep, enjoying one of the rare pleasant dreams in his otherwise exhausting life.

Then—

Beep! Beep! Beep!

The shrill sound of his alarm clock shattered the silence.

Still half-asleep, Yuichi reached out instinctively, slapped the alarm off, and immediately buried his face back into the pillow.

Several moments later, his eyes suddenly flew open.

“…I’m going to be late!”

The thought hit him like a bolt of lightning.

He jumped out of bed in panic.

But before he could take another step, his gaze landed on the girl peacefully lying beside him.

Yuichi froze.

“…Wait.”

“Who is she again?”

His mind immediately descended into chaos.

Did I… somehow bring an underage girl home?

Am I going to prison?

As his thoughts spiraled out of control, a familiar voice interrupted them.

“Good morning, human.”

Still lying lazily on the bed, Chiba greeted him without the slightest trace of embarrassment.

“Uh… g-good morning.”

Yuichi blinked several times before yesterday’s memories finally returned.

Right.

She’s a demon.

I saved her from being hit by a truck yesterday.

That’s why she’s here.

Then another realization struck him.

Today was his day off.

There was no work.

He immediately collapsed back onto the bed in relief.

After staring at the ceiling for a while, Yuichi finally turned toward Chiba.

“So…”

“It’s Chiba, right?”

“What are you planning to do now?”

Chiba thought for a moment before answering.

“I believe I’ll remain in this town for the time being.”

“Stay here?”

Yuichi couldn’t help but worry.

She knew almost nothing about modern society.

Trying to survive on her own would probably be impossible.

After hesitating briefly, he made up his mind.

“If you don’t mind…”

“You can stay here with me.”

For now, it seemed like the safest solution.

Chiba looked genuinely surprised.

“…Why?”

Originally, she had only intended to learn about this unfamiliar world before continuing her journey.

She hadn’t considered where she would actually live.

Yuichi awkwardly scratched his cheek.

“W-Well…”

“At least until you find a way back to your own world…”

“You can stay here.”

His words became increasingly clumsy as he spoke.

In truth, he simply didn’t want her to end up homeless.

For several seconds, Chiba silently studied him with suspicious eyes.

Eventually, she nodded.

“Very well.”

“I accept your offer.”

“But I will not stay here for free.”

“Once I obtain money in this world, I shall compensate you accordingly.”

Yuichi smiled.

“Then…”

“Please take care of me.”

To his complete surprise—

She had actually agreed.

After more than twenty years of having absolutely no luck with women, a beautiful girl was now living in his apartment.

Unable to believe it, Yuichi pinched his own cheek.

“Ow!”

The pain was real.

“…Have you lost your mind?”

Despite Chiba’s merciless comment, Yuichi continued grinning like an idiot.

“Come on.”

“Let’s have breakfast.”

Perhaps because he was unusually cheerful that morning, Yuichi prepared a surprisingly elaborate breakfast.

Normally, he would’ve settled for convenience-store food.

Today was different.

However, while he happily ate his meal, Chiba simply sat nearby and watched in silence.

The sight made him feel strangely guilty.

“Why don’t you have a little?”

“I know you’re a demon and don’t need to eat, but sharing a meal is part of the experience.”

Chiba calmly shook her head.

“There’s no need.”

Even after witnessing her supernatural powers firsthand, Yuichi still found it difficult to believe.

“Aren’t you going to get hungry if you don’t eat?”

He refused to let the matter go.

Chiba answered confidently.

“Demons absorb magical energy from their surroundings.”

“That alone sustains us.”

“So we do not experience hunger.”

“I see…”

Yuichi nodded thoughtfully.

Then another question occurred to him.

“So…”

“How do demons go to the bathroom?”

“They don’t.”

Chiba answered without hesitation.

“Do not compare your limited human understanding with the superior physiology of demons.”

“…Fair enough.”

Yuichi accepted the explanation.

But one final question lingered in his mind.

“Then allow me to ask one more thing.”

“If demons don’t need food…”

“…how do they reproduce?”

“…Huh?”

For the first time since they’d met, Chiba’s confident expression completely collapsed.

Her face instantly turned bright red.

Yuichi began sweating nervously.

Did I accidentally ask something forbidden?

After looking away several times, Chiba awkwardly scratched her cheek.

“U-Um…”

“Actually…”

“I’m not entirely sure myself.”

“I once heard my mother mention that demons reproduce through… kissing.”

Then she frowned.

“But why would you suddenly ask something like that?”

The proud and dignified demon princess from moments earlier had vanished entirely.

Instead, she fidgeted awkwardly, avoiding eye contact and looking genuinely embarrassed.

Seeing her reaction, Yuichi more or less understood the situation.

There’s no way kissing alone can produce children…

Still, considering how dangerous Chiba could be when annoyed, he wisely kept his thoughts to himself.

Silently, he picked up his bowl again and finished the last of his noodle soup.