Hayashi Maki lay sprawled on his bed like a lazy couch potato.
The sweet scent of that silly little demon still lingered in the air.
Thinking about what he'd just done made his face heat up—and his mood even better.
He really was a demon.
He'd actually tricked Satania into doing that kind of thing.
When he pictured her rosy little mouth, that dopey, bashful face—clearly embarrassed yet pushing past it because she trusted him, trying her best—it was just… perfect.
Well, sure, what he did was super scummy, super demonic—but didn't Satania's mana go up?
Hayashi Maki figured a few more earnest coaching sessions and he could formalize the pact. Then she'd grow even stronger. What sort of state would a demon reach after receiving his mana seed and unlocking her abilities again? He was a little excited to find out.
After a short rest, Hayashi Maki bounced back to full. His demonic "constitution" wasn't just talk. He'd spent some mana on Satania, but it recovered quickly.
That's the benefit of having familiars: the mana seeds placed in them keep providing buffs—"blooming and bearing fruit," then feeding power back to restore him.
Before he knew it, afternoon had come.
Seeing the time, Hayashi Maki called Mahiru to say he wouldn't be home for dinner.
Destination? Naturally, Yukinoshita Yukino's apartment.
Mahiru sounded a bit wistful but didn't stop him. She just said gently, "Come back early tomorrow."
Hayashi Maki agreed with a grin. He'd be back in the morning for sure. He might be "punishing" the second young lady tonight, but he couldn't neglect Mahiru either. He still needed to set up time for Mahiru and Yukino to get along—that way he wouldn't have to run back and forth. They could just… be together.
With those scoundrel thoughts, he shifted into mana and blinked straight to Yukino's place—appearing in her room.
What he saw: a beautiful girl in white pajamas, seated at her desk, studying seriously.
Hayashi Maki pulled out his phone and sent a message.
At the vibration, Yukino's body gave a tiny jolt. She didn't have many friends. Her contacts were basically: her new friend Shiina Mahiru, "angel" Rafiel, her sister Haruno, her mother… and that rotten demon.
Mahiru had actually invited her out shopping today, but she'd used cram study as an excuse to decline.
She picked up her phone—unsurprisingly, it was that jerk.
Demon Lord: "Yukino-chan, I'm coming over. Have you showered? If not, I want to join."
Yukino bit her lip. Pervert. She fired back at once:
"I already showered. Don't even think about it."
Demon Lord: "Heh, I'm actually already here. If you don't believe me, just turn around."
Startled, Yukino glanced back—sure enough, a smiling man was watching her.
She pouted. "Am I supposed to thank you for not shouting from behind and scaring me?"
Sitting on her bed, Hayashi Maki shook his head with a smile. "What do you take me for? At most I'd slip up behind you and hug you—after you knew I was here. I don't scare you. Speaking of which, I'm here—shouldn't you put that down?"
Yukino's cheeks burned; she ducked her head. "I still have to study… Could you come back later?"
Hayashi Maki just looked at her, saying nothing. He patted his thigh and arched a brow—message received.
Yukino turned away, annoyed. "I'm finishing my homework first. I've fallen a month behind my classmates; there are parts of the lessons I don't understand. I hate that."
"Then let me tutor you. I already told Mahiru I'm not going back tonight."
Smiling, Hayashi Maki walked over and snapped his fingers; a chair appeared beside her.
"You're not going back tonight? Really?" Yukino asked, eyes wide.
"Of course. Come on—I'll tutor you. In return, I want you in white stockings tonight."
"You… absolute perv."
She cursed, but her face was blazing.
"Heh, I thought you were used to me by now. If I'm not shameless, how do I get close to you—how do I win you?"
"I don't mind this part of me," he added with a crooked grin, then sat beside her. "This problem goes like this…"
He started tutoring her.
Seeing him so serious—and not immediately picking on her—Yukino felt a little warmth bloom. She sank into the work.
Before they knew it, hours had passed. Around nine, Hayashi Maki's stomach growled; he turned his head away, embarrassed.
Yukino blinked, then the corner of her mouth lifted. "And who made that mortifying sound?"
Keeping a straight face, Hayashi Maki patted his stomach. "My belly, obviously. I'm hungry."
Yukino brushed a lock of hair behind her ear, showing a refined profile. "Maki-kun, wait a bit—I'll cook."
Oddly enough, she usually cooked just to fill up—no feelings attached. But today, motivation surged for no reason.
Soon enough, three dishes and a soup were on the table, steaming and fragrant. Hayashi Maki could only swallow hard.
"Smells amazing. Your cooking really is next-level, Yukino. I'm in for a treat."
She ducked her head, shy. "It's just home cooking—anyone can make this. I imagine Shiina's is even better."
A bit sour, that. To prove his point, Hayashi Maki cleaned every plate.
While Yukino did the dishes, he borrowed the shower, then sprawled on her sweet-smelling bed and waited.
After a moment, he heard a quickened heartbeat. The light clicked off. A warm, soft body slipped under the covers.
He pulled her into his arms without hesitation, chin resting on her fragrant shoulder. "Why turn off the light? Don't you want me to see how cute you are?"
Face burning, Yukino didn't answer. She was shy—that's why the lights were off.
"Can I turn on the light, Yukino-chan?" Hayashi Maki asked, hopeful.
She bit her lip and turned her face away. "Do as you like."
"Haha—then I'll switch it on."
He could see fine in the dark, but lights on made it so much easier to admire Yukino-chan's bashful expression.
~~~
200 Powerstone Bonus Chapter!