Sobu High, Class 3-C.
After taking a day off, Leo showed up today with Yukino, teleporting straight into the Service Club's room via a magic circle before heading to his classroom.
But the moment he walked in, he immediately noticed his classmates sneaking glances at him, whispering among themselves like something juicy had just dropped.
"What's with this reaction?"
Leo scratched his hair—he'd only halfheartedly tidied it after waking up. The messy strands gave him a kind of effortless charm rather than a sloppy look.
"Well, if it isn't our Akuma-kun who mysteriously took a day off yesterday. What brings you here today?"
That familiar, melodic voice drifted into his ears. Leo turned toward the source—the literary girl who, as always, sat in her seat with a book open before her.
"You said it yourself, I just took a day off. Of course I'd be back today."
Leo casually sat down next to Utaha, tilting his head. "It's just one day off. Why's everyone acting like I committed some huge crime?"
At that, Utaha raised her gaze slightly, shot him a quick look, then calmly returned her eyes to the page. Her voice came out even and emotionless.
"Taking a day off isn't strange at all. But spending the entire day with Sobu High's famous 'Winter Flower' in the clubroom… now that's something."
Leo blinked as realization dawned.
"So, Yukino and I are... in a rumor now?"
He spoke like he'd just solved a mystery.
"Yukino... huh?" Utaha's eyes lifted again, her lips curling into an amused smile. "Already on a first-name basis? Seems like there's some truth to the gossip after all."
"Senpai, are you jealous?" Leo grinned mischievously. "If you want, I can call you Utaha too."
"No need. Just don't call me 'senpai.'" She let out a soft hum. "Are you trying to change the subject? You did it, didn't you?"
"If I had, I'd admit it." Leo spread his hands innocently. "Problem is, I haven't even made a move yet. What's there to confess?"
"So you're saying you want to make a move on Yukinoshita?" Utaha's crimson eyes narrowed dangerously. "You've got guts, Akuma-kun. To even think about touching the Yukinoshita family's second daughter."
That finally made Leo pause.
Now that Yukino had become his servant—and they were seen together constantly, even living under the same roof—there was no way her family didn't know.
Even if Yukino lived on her own right now, Leo had no doubt her older sister—who, like the current Maou Leviathan, was an extreme siscon—was definitely keeping tabs on her. She might have already found out.
And even if she hadn't yet, it was only a matter of time. Rumors were already spreading through Sobu High. The outside world would catch on soon enough.
He could practically see it now—a cliché city drama where the girlfriend's powerful family shows up to "teach him a lesson."
The thought made him oddly amused... and a little excited.
Still, he kept his composure, smiling lazily at Utaha.
"Come on, I'm a devil. My courage is always bigger than you think." He smirked. "And maybe... Yukino's not the only one I'm interested in."
Utaha's crimson eyes narrowed even further—then she suddenly smiled.
That smile was breathtaking, like a flower blooming all at once. The nearby boys froze, hearts pounding uncontrollably.
But from this close, all Leo could sense was danger.
"I see now. You're even worse than I thought, Akuma-kun," she said sweetly. "To make such a bold declaration right in front of me—you really do have nerve."
"Shouldn't senpai be used to that by now?" Leo teased. "You're a light novel author. A harem declaration shouldn't shock you."
"Don't confuse fiction with reality, you perverted Akuma-kun." Utaha's smile vanished, replaced by a cool frown. "My Love Metronome is a pure romance story."
"That explains the writer's block for Volume 2," Leo said bluntly, unfazed. "You made Volume 1 too perfect—too sweet. What's left to write?"
"When the main couple's relationship is practically set by the end of the first volume, the sequel just becomes more sugary fluff."
"No matter how sweet it is, too much sugar makes people sick, senpai."
He patted her slender shoulder with exaggerated seriousness.
"Maybe it's time to spice things up—introduce a new character and start some romantic rivalry."
Utaha immediately slapped his hand away.
"You guys always want the same thing." Her tone turned sharp. "Girls fighting over you, begging for your affection like you're some kind of prize. What a ridiculous fantasy."
"Wake up. That only happens in dreams. Girls are far more realistic than you think."
Clearly, she wasn't impressed with his "creative input."
Leo, however, didn't seem bothered in the slightest.
"That's exactly why we enjoy those stories," he said casually. "Reality is cold. We look for warmth in fiction. You girls might not care for us, but at least let us dream, right?"
"I'd never write that trash." Utaha shot him a disdainful look. "Sorry to disappoint your fantasy, but humans aren't animals. You won't see a pride of lions with one male strutting around with all the females."
"Maybe so." Leo smiled, eyes glinting with mischief. "Humans aren't animals. But... as long as we're not human, it's fine, right?"
"Keep dreaming." Utaha sighed, turning her gaze back to her book. "Just don't expect to see that kind of nonsense in my novel."
Leo only shrugged and walked back to his seat, still smiling.
Utaha watched him go, her irritation simmering beneath her calm expression.
A guy who loved her romance novels, yet turned out to be a harem-loving playboy?
Unacceptable.
"Just wait," she thought, determination flashing in her eyes.
"I'll finish Volume 2—and prove that pure love is the only truth worth writing."
3 p.m., Service Club room.
After classes ended, Leo arrived to find Yukino fast asleep in her chair.
Her head tilted slightly, her expression soft and serene. She looked nothing like her usual cold self—so peaceful and gentle that any guy walking in would've been instantly captivated.
Looking at her sleeping face, and remembering the dazzling smile of Utaha, Leo couldn't help but murmur to himself:
"The girls in this world really are top-tier."
Even within Sobu High, there were multiple beauties who could stop traffic. Truly, the handiwork of a whimsical creator.
"Maybe this is what they mean by divine craftsmanship," he mused.
After all, in this world, gods were real—and the so-called Creator might've just made these girls on a whim.
"Too bad I'm a devil."
By definition, that made him the Creator's enemy.
With that thought, Leo stepped closer to Yukino and gently shook her shoulder.
"Mm…"
Yukino stirred awake almost instantly, her large, sleepy eyes blinking up at him.
"You're here?"
Her voice was soft, drowsy, and oddly vulnerable.
"Still that tired?" Leo chuckled, watching her stretch like a cat.
"What do you think?" she muttered weakly, glaring at him. "You're the one who made my body like this."
"…You really need to stop saying things people could misunderstand." Leo sighed, then said, "Just hang in there. Once your body adjusts to daytime, you'll be fine."
With that, he took her hand and led her into the magic circle.
Light flared, and in an instant, they were gone—teleported to the mansion's underground chamber.
"Come on, time to wake up. You've got work to do starting today."
Leo shoved a thick stack of parchment into Yukino's hands, leaving her momentarily stunned.
"These are… flyers?"
Recognizing the magic circles drawn on them, Yukino blinked in realization.
They were the devil flyers Leo had mentioned before.
"Today's job is to hand these out," Leo said casually, ignoring her expression.
"This will be your first task as a devil."