Chapter 3 - Learning to Live Together

The next morning, Aoi awoke to the sound of something heavy clattering in the kitchen. She groaned, burying her face in her pillow. “Of course. First day of living with a Demon Lord, and he’s already breaking my kitchen…”

She threw back the covers and tiptoed toward the source of the noise. The kitchen was a disaster. Flour coated the floor like snow, a few eggs had rolled under the table, and the Demon Lord stood frozen in the middle of it all, his hands hovering midair as if unsure what to do next. The gem on his forehead was wobbling precariously.

“Good morning,” she said flatly, arms crossed. “And by good morning, I mean… what are you doing?”

He tilted his head, blinking innocently. Aoi noticed a faint blush dusting his cheeks, despite being impossibly handsome and centuries old, he had the mannerisms of someone who had never touched a frying pan.

“I... I’m trying to help,” she said, narrowing her eyes. “But it looks like… chaos. Pure chaos.”

He stepped forward, gently attempting to scoop up a stray egg. The gem wobbled, sparks flickering as if protesting his movement. The egg slipped from his fingers, bounced on the counter, and fell to the floor with a splat.

“Oh no! Stop! Stop moving!” Aoi cried, rushing to prevent further disaster. “The gem! It’s going to, oh, see? There it goes!”

Sure enough, the glowing talisman gem wobbled, tilting to one side and hovering briefly in the air before snapping back into place. Aoi grabbed his arm reflexively. “Please! Can we have a single day without magical chaos? Just one day!”

The Demon Lord blinked at her, eyes wide, then carefully tried again, slowly picking up the eggs with his long, elegant fingers. Aoi sighed. “Fine… fine, I’ll help. But, no more sudden movements!”

Breakfast was a tense affair. Every stir of the pot, every shift in weight, made the gem waver and sparks fly. Despite the chaos, Aoi couldn’t help noticing how carefully he tried. He wasn’t just clumsy; he was paying attention to her instructions, listening to her, even without words.

After a messy but edible breakfast, Aoi retreated to her room to study, leaving the Demon Lord to 'clean up.' She peeked around the corner occasionally, expecting disaster, but instead found him methodically gathering dishes and muttering small gestures of concentration, his silent care evident in every motion.

She shook her head. “This is… absurd. I shouldn’t… but… he really tries, doesn’t he?” Her cheeks heated slightly. “I just… check up on him because it’s my responsibility. That’s it. Totally normal. Nothing else.”

Later that afternoon, Aoi returned from school to find the Demon Lord sitting on the sofa, watching TV. His expression was blank, but his posture was perfectly aligned with the screen. The gem glowed faintly as sparks flickered whenever he shifted in his seat. He even tried holding a snack for her, awkwardly balancing it on a plate while she sank onto the sofa beside him.

“You’re trying, aren’t you?” she murmured, nudging the plate toward her. He glanced at her, eyes soft and gentle, and the gem pulsed ever so slightly, as if acknowledging her words.

Her heart skipped. I-I’m not… not thinking about how cute this is, she thought, burying her face in the snack. I’m just… checking his… uh… well-being. Totally responsible. Nothing romantic.

Of course, she peeked at him again, and of course, he was watching her back with the same devoted intensity, still silent, still… perfect in his own impossibly frustrating way.

That night, as she lay in bed, Aoi reflected on the day. He’s… really trying to adapt. And he… he really cares. But I… I’m not supposed to feel anything… right?

The gem glimmered faintly through the window, casting a soft glow on her wall. For a moment, she almost thought it was smiling at her.

“Stupid,” she whispered to herself, hugging her pillow. “Completely ridiculous… and yet… I don’t want to stop checking on him.”