Chapter 9: o(╥﹏╥)o

Ashiya was doing some paper works in his office, he said it before a few days after the princess, Alex and him arrived in this new world.

He will conquer the world with this café. And now, he is already one step closer on achieving that goal. He already found several buildings on a nice spot to use as a branch for the café.

After signing the last paperwork, he sighed and looked at the window behind him, which shows the night sky and the moon above.

"I wonder what my liege and the others are doing right now."

Knock.

Knock.

He turned his head towards the door as it suddenly opened after the knock even without receiving any words from him.

He frowned, that was disrespectful to him. However, when he saw the short brown haired woman walking in, he relaxed and even gave her a smile.

"Miss Rika,"

Rika smiled, she was holding a tray with foods on them. "Ashiya-san, you have not eaten yet right? I brought some food. You've been working hard since this morning."

Ashiya just shook his head, "You know Miss Rika, as a Demon, I do not need foods."

"But you're a human right now."

Right after she said that, Ashiya's stomach growled, showing his hunger. And Ashiya just remembered that he is a human right now, and he hasn't eaten anything since this morning.

He left quite early after all, he did not join the others on their breakfast.

Rika giggled, as she placed the tray on the table in front of the couch as she sat down.

Ashiya looks embarrassed as he stood up, "Once again, I thank you for bringing me food Miss Rika. Its very much appreciated."

"Its fine, I enjoyed doing it..." Rika blushed as she realized what she has just said, she took a peek at Ashiya and sighed in relief when he didn't react and just sat down beside her and began to eat.

She blushed even harder due to how close they are. "...Y-You know, you can just call me Rika...no need for Miss, it makes us feel distant."

Ashiya nodded and smiled, "Very well Rika. If so, then you may call Ashiya as well, no need to add honorifics."

"O-O-Okay, A-A-Ashiya..." Her face couldn't be more redder.

As Ashiya was enjoying his food, he suddenly decided to ask, "By the way Rika, did you made this?"

Rika blushed and nodded, "Y-Yeah, how did you know?"

Ashiya smiled, "Well, I can still smell the ingredients from you so—"

"S-S-Smell?!" Rika exclaimed. She tried to sniff her body if she smells wierd or anything.

She forgot that the one who actually made her heart beat so fast like this is a demon with a more sensitive senses than normal humans.

"Ah, I guess I shouldn't have said that? Was I rude? I apologize I—"

"No! No! Its fine! Really! It doesn't really bother me!"

"No, from your reaction—"

"Nothing! It doesn't bother me at all!"

Ashiya still wanted to say something but in the end, he just shut his mouth. "...I, I see."

Rika looked at Ashiya, who just focused on his food and. couldn't help but mentally slap herself.

'What did you do girl?! What if he finds you weird?! Continue the conversation! Don't let it end here! Topic! Find a topic to talk about!'

"...Can you tell me more about Demon General Alsiel."

Ashiya paused, and Rika couldn't help but scream internally. That was too personal! She should take it slow, because from her interactions with him so far, she knew that this man is as dense as his defense.

Well, could you blame her? This is a first for her after all.

She had a few boyfriends in the past, but their relationship did not last long, since when they became close and she'll tell them that she was from Kobe, they would immediately asked some questions that would bring some bad memories.

So her relationship with them did not even last as she broke up with them soon after due to her trauma. So she really doesn't have much experience with boys.

And every relationship she had, it was the boys who approached her first!

So doing this is a first for her!

Ashiya gulped down the food on his mouth as he stared at Rika, "...Do you really wish to know?"

Rika stared at those beautiful pair of yellow orbs in a daze, and she could only nod her head.

"Hmm, well, I was the leader of the Black Scorpion tribe, we aren't really strong compared to other tribes, but we have a strong defense. The other demons even called us cowards because we always retreated if the situation is unfavorable for us."

"Eh? But...isn't that...Normal?"

Ashiya shook his head, "No it is not. Demons are beings who will fight until they die. It was because of this that they called us cowards. Honestly, I forgot how many of my acquaintance died because of that."

Rika noticed that the atmosphere turned for the worse as a deep silence ensued.

"Ah, um, how did you meet Alex though? From what I see, you are very loyal to him and always follow his words to the letter. I know you are his general but I really don't see Hanzo as someone like that...no offense to him though."

Ashiya blinks and smiled at her, "He may not look like it, but Hanzo is very loyal, or else he wouldn't have been my liege's general."

"Really? He doesn't look like it."

"I know," Ashiya smiled, "But he's a general not only because of his power, but because milord trusted him."

Rika thought about it, and indeed, even though Alex seems to like bullying Lucifer a lot, but if Lucifer were to ask something, Alex would just gave an annoyed grunt but would never say no.

Ashiya released a soft sigh, "As for how I met my king. Well, it happens more than 200 years ago—"

"Cough!?" Rika choked hearing Ashiya before she quickly turned towards him, "T-Two hundred? H-How old are you then?"

Ashiya thought about it and shrugs, "Honestly, I do not know. We, demons usually live for as long as we have demonic force, so we are not one to care for age...but I guess I should be alive for more than 1500 years now."

'O-One thousand five hundred?!' Rika gasped. As a normal human before this, Rika would already gasped in surprised if she found a person who lived for more than a hundred years.

Yet here, in front of her, is someone who lived for more than a 1500 years!

She took awhile to calm down, "...A-Ashiya, t-this might be a bit personal but...d-do you have a l-l-lover back in the demon world?"

Ashiya blinks his eyes at that unexpected question. But he thought about it, as far as he can remember he has been leading his tribe and has no lover whatsoever.

So he shook his head, "No, I haven't had one. Though the Clan Elders has been urging me to find a spouse and have an heir to my tribe."

"I see." Rika sighed in relief. She don't know what she'll do if Ashiya turned out to already have a lover, if that's the case, won't she be stealing someone else's man?

Yeah, that's not something she would do.

Ashiya looked at the window and continued, "Anyway, at that time 200 years ago, the Demon World is wartorn world, many tribes disappeared and faced annihilation everyday. It wasn't a good place, but its all we have."

Rika nodded, Earth also was far from perfect, but its all they have.

"One day, we suddenly heard a news. A new Faction has risen, its a faction that consists of many demons from different tribes, they conquered every tribes and territories they encountered."

"That faction...is it..?"

"Indeed, it belongs to King Satan." a smile appeared on his face, "The news reached us, and we heard that they are coming for us next. So we prepared. And in few weeks King Satan's faction reached our territory and we fought."

Rika blinks, 'So its a classic enemy turned to friend huh?'

"King Satan is still a young demon at that time, but he was powerful. He was able to keep up with me, and seems to even getting stronger the longer we fought. When we were on our last legs, we made a deal. If he beat me, I will join him as his general. I forgot my condition, but I agreed. And I was defeated."

Rika saw Ashiya smiled, he wasn't even little bitter by the lost and looks as if he was very happy with it. Rika thought that it should be because Alex is a good King that made Ashiya willingly follow him.

"That was my first lost. I thought my tribe will be annihilated because that was the rule. But surprisingly, he took my tribe in, and even let me still lead him. In the brutal world of Demons, for me, he was the kindest."

Rika observed his expression. There was no trace of lies, bitterness or anything negative showed on his face. He was smiling, full of reverence and awe.

She smiled and leaned back on the couch, "....He must be very good king for you to be this loyal to him."

"He is." Ashiya replied, his voice full of conviction. "In this life of mine, I will follow no one but him."

Ashiya looked at Rika, who was smiling at him. "How about you Rika? Why don't you tell me more about yourself?"

"Eh?" Rika blinks but then again, Ashiya talked about himself, so she guessed that it's only fair that she do too. "Well, there's nothing really interesting about my life, but I guess I'll tell you. Well, I was born in Kobe...."

Ashiya listened carefully as Rika talks about her experiences. Sometimes he would smile and even snicker if he finds something funny.

Rika would join him too.

Time passed as they continue to talk, telling some funny moments of their lives that would make the other party bursts out in laughter.

Ashiya would tell him the stupidity he and the other generals did to pass time in the demon world. Even back then, Lucifer was the target of their bullying.

And the Fallen Angel would then start attacking them if he gets pissed. And Alex would just watch them from afar, enjoying the show.

Rika doesn't have many stories to tell, as she doesn't have much friends, and the first real friend she has is Emi, so she would just talk about her time with Emi.

Rika was really happy at this moment, because she felt like she became closer to him. She learned more about him as Ashiya Shirou, and as Demon General Alsiel.

As time passed, she suddenly felt sleepy. She's just a normal human after all, despite having more spiritual power than normal.

Ashiya noticed this as he smiled, "Its fine, go ahead and rest. I'll be here."

Rika closed her eyes and slowly fell asleep. Ashiya smiled and slowly put her head to his lap. He heard from his king that lap pillows are the best, so he let Rika sleep on his lap.

With a smile, he softly brushed her hair behind her ear. If the Demons were to see them right now they might wonder if they are dreaming.

Demon General Alsiel was cold blooded, with a strong sense of pride bordering extreme arrogance. He considers Demonkind as superior, and will go berserk if an "inferior" creature such as humans were to even look at them in the eyes.

But now, he was softly caressing the hair of a girl sleeping on his lap, as if it was the most precious thing in the world.

Though, Ashiya wasn't the typed to care of other's opinions. For him, he was simply enjoying this peaceful and serene night.