Stuck with the queen of the Succubi.
A general who is ranked 6th in the Demon Lord's army.
Standing in front of him because of a stupid book.
Yuto let out a deep sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"So, to recap with you, I've apparently got a five-thousand-year-old demon queen standing in my dorm, calling me her ex, and I have no idea what to do about it"
"That sums it up, no?"
Lilith smiled.
"Sounds about right"
He gave her a dry look.
"So, what? You just plan to hang around now?"
Lilith hummed, tapping her chin thoughtfully.
"Mmm… yes, I think I will"
Yuto groaned.
"Why me?"
Lilith grinned.
"Fate, darling. Or maybe just bad luck. Either way, I'm here now"
She twirled a strand of her hair between her fingers before looking around.
"Though I must say, this place is tragic. A bit cramped, don't you think?"
Yuto crossed his arms.
"It's a dorm room. What were you expecting? A demon castle?"
She sighed dramatically.
"Well, it wouldn't kill you to have better lighting"
Yuto ignored that.
"Look, whatever reason you're here for, I doubt you just randomly showed up"
He narrowed his eyes.
"What do you want?"
Lilith's smirk softened, just a little.
"I don't know yet," she admitted.
"But for now? I suppose I'll stick around and see if you're him or just a pale imitation"
Yuto's eyes twitched.
"Gee, thanks for the confidence"
She chuckled.
"You're welcome"
He groaned again, rubbing his face.
"Fine. Whatever. Stay. But don't cause any trouble"
Lilith's eyes gleamed with mischief.
"Oh, I would never"
Yuto wasn't buying it for a second.
Before he could argue further, a knock sounded at his door.
"Yuto?"
His stomach dropped.
Alice.
His eyes snapped to Lilith, who was very much not human-looking right now, wings and horns on full display.
Lilith just smirked.
"Oh, this should be fun"
Yuto's heart pounded in his chest as he heard Alice's voice from the other side of the door.
His fingers tightened around the doorknob, and he shot a quick, frantic glance at Lilith.
She didn't respond, thankfully.
Her eyes gleamed with mischief as she watched him scramble.
Yuto quickly motioned for her to be quiet, then turned back to the door.
'Act natural. Act normal'
With a deep breath, he opened the door just a crack.
"Alice? What's up?"
Alice stood in the hallway, leaning against the doorframe, her arms crossed with a playful smirk on her face.
"You're acting weird. What's going on in there?"
Yuto tried to steady his voice.
"Nothing, just… you know. Studying. How about you? What brings you back here?"
Alice tilted her head, raising an eyebrow.
"Shouldn't I be asking you that? I figured you'd be busy with your little secret by now"
She gave him a pointed look.
Yuto's stomach dropped.
He hadn't expected Alice to be this sharp.
"What—? What secret?"
She crossed her arms, eyes narrowing.
"Oh, nothing. Just seems like you've been acting off all day, and now you're hiding something behind the door. I'm not an idiot, Yuto"
Yuto took a nervous step back, his hand instinctively brushing the door to cover it.
"Alice, it's nothing. I'm fine"
Alice stepped forward, eyes scanning his face closely, and Yuto tried his best to hide the nerves.
'Stay calm, stay calm…'
But Alice wasn't buying it.
"Are you sure? You seem... jittery"
She smirked again, pushing her way into the room just a little.
"What's so interesting that you don't want to show me?"
Yuto quickly stepped in front of her, blocking her way.
"Seriously, Alice, it's nothing just, you know, trying to get some alone time, okay?"
Alice didn't move, her gaze was still unwavering.
"Hmm… alright, but you're dodging the question. You're acting like something's about to blow up in here, and I'm not leaving until I figure out what it is"
Yuto's heart raced.
'What the hell is she going to do next?'
Just as Alice opened her mouth again, Yuto's mind raced for a way out.
He needed to shift the conversation fast.
"Hey, uh, you're not tired after all that food, right?" he said, trying to smile.
Alice paused.
"Food? Yeah, I'm fine, but you're hiding something, Yuto"
Yuto gulped.
"I'm serious. Nothing's going on. Why don't you take a break for the night? You've done enough for today"
He grinned weakly.
Alice frowned, not buying it for a second.
"You're good at changing the subject. But fine, I'll take the hint… for now"
She turned to leave, but before she did, she tossed one last look over her shoulder.
"But I'm not done with you, Yuto"
As Alice walked off, Yuto let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
'That was too close'
He quickly closed the door behind him, leaning against it for a moment as his pulse started to slow.
'That was way too close'
He turned around to face the room. Lilith, still hidden, had not made a sound.
Yuto sighed deeply.
"I need to get better at this"
Just then, he heard a soft chuckle.
He groaned without turning around.
"Is something funny?" he asked, already knowing the answer.
Lilith's voice came from behind him, teasing and light.
"Oh, nothing. Just thinking that if I'm going to be so good and stay quiet, I should at least be rewarded for it, don't you think?"
Yuto slowly turned around, his expression deadpan.
"Rewarded? What do you mean by that?"
Lilith grinned, leaning against his desk as she stretched languidly, her eyes twinkling with mischief.
"You know… a little thank you would suffice. A treat for a job well done"
Yuto stared at her, incredulous.
"A treat? Really? You're a demon, and you're asking me for a treat?"
Lilith pouted playfully.
"Well, I did behave, didn't I? I kept my presence down like a good girl"
She gave a dramatic sigh.
"A simple thank you would've been fine, but it seems you're not one for gratitude"
Yuto rubbed his temples.
"I did thank you by not kicking you out, didn't I?"
She smirked, obviously enjoying his discomfort.
"Oh, you're welcome. But it's the little things that count, darling"
She stepped toward him, voice lowering to a more sultry tone.
"Maybe you could treat me to something fun… later?"
Yuto stepped back, holding his hands up defensively.
"We are not going down that road"
Lilith chuckled softly, not pressing the issue.
"For now, I'll settle for the quiet life. But don't forget… I'm still around"
Yuto let out a long breath, already regretting everything.
"You're not making this easy, are you?"
Lilith smiled sweetly.
"Where's the fun in making it easy?"
'Let's just go to sleep…'
He turned off the lights and climbed into bed, pulling the covers over himself.
It wasn't the best sleep environment (because he had a demon in his room), but at least it was his bed.
He let out another sigh, thinking about how strange everything had been.
But before he could relax, Lilith's voice interrupted the silence.
"So… where do I sleep?" she asked, her tone oddly casual like it was a normal question.
Yuto's eyes snapped open.
"What?"
Lilith sat up on the edge of his desk, her legs crossed as she gave him a look that said "I'm not joking".
"I'm not exactly comfortable just hovering around while you sleep, you know"
He blinked at her, trying to suppress his panic.
"Wait, what do you mean? You don't need a bed. You're… you're a demon"
Lilith raised an eyebrow.
"And? Demons need rest, too. You think I can just stand here and stare at you all night?"
She smirked at the idea.
"Though, I could... that does sound interesting"
Yuto's mind raced.
"I—look, it's late, and I'm tired. Just... find somewhere else to sleep!"
She pouted.
"I'm not exactly thrilled with sleeping on the floor, Yuto"
"Your bed is nice and warm, and it looks comfy..."
She tapped her fingers on the desk, eyes glinting with playful mischief.
"Wouldn't hurt to share, would it?"
Yuto felt a bead of sweat form on his forehead.
This was the last thing he needed.
"No. No way. You're not sharing my bed"
Lilith grinned.
"Oh, come on. It's just for tonight. I'll be out of your hair tomorrow. Think of it as a temporary arrangement"
Yuto rubbed his face, feeling the weight of the situation.
There was no way around it.
She wasn't going to leave him alone.
He sighed, defeated.
"Fine. For tonight, we'll share the bed. But no funny business, Lilith"
Lilith's eyes sparkled with amusement as she stood up, walking over to the bed with a slow, graceful movement.
"Oh, I promise. Just a peaceful night, darling"
She climbed in beside him, not at all acting like this was a big deal.
Yuto, on the other hand, was a nervous wreck.
He lay flat on his back, staring at the ceiling, silently hoping this wouldn't end up being the most awkward night of his life.
Of course, Lilith was not making it any easier.
She snuggled into the blankets, humming lightly.
"You know, for someone who's been through this kind of thing before, you're really bad at acting like it. Relax, Yuto"
He shot her a sideways glance, then quickly turned his head to stare at the ceiling again.
"I'm trying to relax. Just… sleep already"
"Oh, I will," she purred softly, almost teasingly.
"But I've got to say, this is an interesting turn of events"
Yuto let out a long, exhausted sigh.
"Just go to sleep, Lilith. Please"
An Hour Later
Yuto lay there in the dark, staring at the ceiling, unable to sleep.
His mind was racing, tangled up in a million thoughts.
Lilith's presence beside him felt like an insistent pressure, a reminder that his life had taken a strange turn.
Every time he closed his eyes, his thoughts would circle back to her… her past, her words, and the one comment that had stuck with him.
Her old lover.
He shifted slightly, trying to get comfortable, but sleep wasn't coming.
He let out a frustrated sigh and turned his head to where he knew Lilith was lying, trying to ignore the awkwardness of the situation.
"Lilith," he murmured, his voice low.
There was a long pause, and for a moment, he thought she might've fallen asleep.
But then, her voice came, soft and teasing.
"Hm? What's on your mind, Yuto?"
Yuto hesitated.
Was he really about to ask her about that?
The thought of it made him feel strange, but he couldn't let it go.
"About what you said... your old lover. What was he like?"
There was a brief silence before Lilith's voice replied, the amusement in it replaced with something more distant.
"You're curious, huh?"
She turned her head slightly, though Yuto couldn't see her expression.
"I never thought you'd be the type to ask about that"
Yuto shifted uncomfortably, then shrugged.
"It's not like I need to know. I'm just wondering. You said something earlier, but didn't go into it"
Lilith's voice softened, a hint of nostalgia in her words.
"Well, since you're asking…"
She paused, her tone distant.
"He was a man with conviction. That's what I remember most about him"
Yuto frowned, leaning on one elbow.
"Conviction?"
"Mm. He was one of those self-righteous types, always determined to save the world and change things"
"Like he could fix everything like he was the only one who could"
She chuckled softly, but it lacked real amusement.
"He was strong… much stronger than most demons"
Yuto shifted, curious despite himself.
"So, he was like... a hero, then?"
Lilith sighed.
"You could say that. He had the heart of a hero, but he didn't understand the cost of that"
"What you have to give up when you're always trying to be the one who saves everyone"
Yuto bit his lip.
"And what happened to him?"
Lilith turned her head to face him, her eyes glowing faintly in the dark, though Yuto couldn't read her expression.
"He died. Like so many others before him. He fought for something he couldn't possibly win"
"He was too idealistic for his own good"
Her voice was cold, detached.
"And I didn't stop him"
Yuto swallowed.
"You didn't stop him?"
"No," Lilith said quietly, almost regretfully.
"I couldn't. I didn't. He wanted to fight, to be the hero. And I let him. I watched him fail. Watched him die"
"And now he's just… another dead hero"
Yuto was silent for a long moment, absorbing her words.
He had never expected this side of Lilith—the vulnerability, the weight in her voice.
"Sounds... rough," he said softly, unsure how to respond.
"I don't know what to say to that"
Lilith let out a breath.
"You don't have to say anything. It's just how things go. Heroes come and go, Yuto. Sometimes they live. Sometimes they die"
There was another long pause.
Then, Lilith added with a quieter, almost wistful note, "But I suppose he wasn't all bad. There were times… good times"
Yuto turned to face the ceiling again, his mind swirling.
"I can't imagine what that must've been like"
Lilith chuckled softly.
"You don't have to. It's in the past now. Just a memory, a piece of history"
The silence stretched on, and Yuto could feel the weight of her words hanging in the air.
"I guess... you've seen a lot of things, huh?" he said after a long while.
Lilith didn't answer right away, but then, her voice came, light and teasing once again.
"More than you could ever imagine. But that's a story for another time, maybe"
Yuto closed his eyes, trying to find some peace.
"I see..."
Lilith's voice softened again.
"You know, you're not so bad, Yuto. You might just survive this whole mess, after all."
Yuto let out a small laugh, though it was more from relief than anything else.
"I'm not so sure about that"
"Don't sell yourself short," Lilith said, her voice turning playful.
"I'm quite impressed by you already"
Yuto groaned, rolling onto his side, and hoped sleep would finally take over.
—
The morning light filtered through the curtains, slowly pulling Yuto from his restless sleep.
He groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes, and looked around the room.
To his surprise, Lilith was nowhere to be found.
The spot beside him, where she had been lying just a few hours ago, was empty.
He frowned, momentarily confused.
'Where did she go?'
Yuto rubbed the back of his neck, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.
He sighed, figuring she must have slipped away unnoticed, probably off to cause more trouble somewhere.
As long as she wasn't burning down the academy or summoning more demons, he didn't mind too much.
"I'll find her later," he muttered to himself, pushing the covers off and getting out of bed.
He quickly prepared for class and made his way to the academy, the usual bustle of students filling the halls as they hurried to their lectures.
Yuto didn't feel like talking to anyone today.
His mind kept returning to last night, Lilith's words, her past, everything she had said.
It was a lot to process, but he didn't have time for it now.
Not when class was starting.
He entered the lecture hall and took his usual seat.
As the students slowly filled the room, Professor Hideo entered, his expression as stern as ever.
He tapped the podium, commanding everyone's attention.
"Settle down, class," he said.
"We have a new student joining us today"
Yuto perked up slightly, curiosity momentarily distracting him from his internal thoughts.
A new student?
Before he could dwell on it further, the classroom door opened, and in walked none other than Lilith.
Yuto's stomach dropped.
There she was, standing confidently at the door, dressed in the same academy uniform as everyone else.
But even in the plain clothing, she was a sight to behold, her hair cascading down her back in waves, her eyes glowing faintly, one red and the other violet.
She scanned the room briefly, her gaze settling on Yuto with a knowing smile that made his heart skip a beat.
Professor Hideo, seemingly unfazed, spoke up.
"This is Lilith Vi Leila, a new transfer student. She'll be joining our class from today onward. I expect you all to treat her with the same respect you would any of your fellow students"
Yuto felt his mouth dry.
He didn't know how she had managed to make herself look like a student, but he was certain this was no coincidence.
His eyes flickered between Lilith and Professor Hideo, both of them far too calm about this situation.
Lilith strolled toward the empty desk next to Yuto, her movements slow and deliberate.
She could have easily taken a seat anywhere, but she chose to sit next to him, her presence overwhelming in the otherwise mundane classroom setting.
Yuto clenched his fists, trying to remain composed.
"Lilith, what are you doing here?" he whispered under his breath, his heart pounding in his chest.
She looked over at him with a playful glint in her eyes.
"Oh, you know, just having a little fun with your school life," she said with an exaggerated sweetness.
"You don't mind, do you?"
Yuto's thoughts raced.
'She's really doing this. She's pretending to be a student?'
He glanced around the room.
Some of the students looked at her curiously, others with a mix of awe and apprehension.
The atmosphere in the room was already different.
Lilith had that effect on people.
"Lilith," Yuto muttered again, barely keeping his voice down.
"This is dangerous. What are you trying to pull?"
She didn't answer him right away.
Instead, she placed her hands neatly on the desk, tilting her head to the side as she smiled.
"You worry too much, Yuto. I'm just here to learn about the human world… again"
Her smile widened, but there was no mistaking the underlying mischief in her words.
"Besides, we have history together, don't we?"
Yuto glared at her, trying to keep his thoughts straight as the professor began the lesson.
'History together?'
He glanced down at his desk, trying to ignore the weight of Lilith's gaze on him.
It didn't help that every time he looked at her, he was reminded of her true nature.
She was a demon, after all.
And demons didn't exactly play by the rules.
As Professor Hideo started his lecture, Yuto couldn't shake the feeling that his life was about to get even more complicated.
Lilith was here to stay and whatever her reasons, Yuto was certain she hadn't come to this academy just to "blend in" as she claimed.
—
As the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Yuto sighed in relief.
He had tried his best to focus, but with Lilith sitting right next to him, it was hard to keep his mind from wandering.
The entire class had seemed to drag on, with every second feeling like an eternity.
Just as he began to gather his things, Alice suddenly appeared in front of him, looking concerned.
"Yuto!" she called, her voice a bit more urgent than usual.
She glanced over at Lilith, who was still sitting casually at her desk with that all-too-familiar, playful smirk on her face.
"Who is she?" Alice's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked from Yuto to Lilith.
"And how do you know her?"
Yuto opened his mouth to respond, but before he could say a word, a hand wrapped around his waist and yanked him backward into a firm, yet somewhat teasing embrace.
"Yuto!" Lilith's voice rang out sweetly, but there was a mischievous edge to it.
Her smile widened as she nuzzled her face against his neck, causing Yuto to stiffen.
"We haven't had enough time together recently. Don't you think so?"
Yuto's eyes widened in surprise, and his cheeks flushed.
He tried to push her away gently, but Lilith held him with surprising strength, her embrace almost possessive.
"Alice," Yuto said, trying to pull himself together.
He felt the weight of Alice's gaze, now fixed on him with a mixture of confusion and suspicion.
"This is Lilith," he said, though the words felt awkward coming out.
"She's… someone I know from... well, from a long time ago"
Alice raised an eyebrow, clearly not buying his half-hearted explanation.
She crossed her arms, clearly waiting for more.
"A long time ago?" she repeated, looking at Lilith like she was trying to figure her out.
"What exactly does that mean?"
Before Yuto could answer, Lilith released him from her grasp and took a step back, looking Alice up and down with interest.
"Ah, the cute childhood friend," she remarked with a playful grin.
"How nice to meet you"
Alice's gaze flickered between Yuto and Lilith, her expression one of growing suspicion and irritation.
"You didn't answer my question, Yuto"
Yuto felt the tension in the air, the awkwardness between the two of them thickening with every passing second.
Lilith, however, didn't seem to care about the tension in the slightest.
She smiled at Alice, her eyes gleaming with a knowing look.
"Oh, don't worry, dear," Lilith said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Yuto and I go way back. We've shared quite a lot of history together. Isn't that right, Yuto?"
Yuto was caught off guard and didn't know how to respond.
The way Lilith phrased it made it sound so damn suspicious.
He couldn't even think of a way to explain their relationship without making things even more complicated.
Alice was clearly getting frustrated.
"Yuto," she said again, her tone serious, but there was a slight tremor of concern in her voice.
"Who is she really? And what's going on?"
Yuto opened his mouth to answer, but Lilith cut him off with a soft laugh, stepping between them and placing her hands on her hips.
"You're asking all the wrong questions, dear," she said with a wink, her eyes dancing with amusement.
"I'm just a new student here at the academy. Nothing to worry about"
She looked at Alice with an exaggerated pout.
"But I must admit, I do enjoy seeing you all riled up"
Alice was glaring at Lilith now, her posture tense, clearly not convinced by her teasing demeanor.
"I'm not riled up," Alice said through gritted teeth, though it was clear she was trying to keep her cool.
Yuto, feeling completely out of his depth, rubbed the back of his neck.
'Think Yuto!'
"Can we not do this now?" he asked, his voice low, hoping to avoid a confrontation between the two of them.
But it was clear that wasn't going to happen.
Lilith leaned in close to Yuto, resting her chin on his shoulder.
"Oh, don't worry, Yuto," she cooed softly.
"I'm not going to bite... unless you want me to"
Yuto blushed, trying his best to ignore the teasing and the heat spreading through his face.
"Can you not be so—" he began, but Lilith pressed a finger to his lips.
"Shh. You're so cute when you're flustered," she said, her grin widening.
"You know, I've missed this"
Yuto glanced at Alice, whose face had gone red from frustration and confusion.
He knew she didn't like the situation one bit, but there was nothing he could do to explain it right now.
Lilith was making everything harder than it needed to be.
"Okay, okay," Yuto sighed, putting a hand on his forehead.
"Alice, I promise to explain everything later, Lilith, can you please just stop for a second?"
Lilith chuckled and pulled away, allowing him to breathe again.
"Fine, fine. I'll let you off the hook for now," she said, giving him a mischievous wink.
She turned to Alice.
"But just so you know, Yuto and I have quite a history"
Yuto winced, not sure how much more of this he could take.
This was going to be a long day.