Emi was lying on her bed and watching TV, but she could barely pay attention to the programme. She had a terrible headache, and couldn't do anything but wait for the medicine to act. Suddenly, she heard knocking on the door.

'Ah... a minute,' she said as loud as she could, and got up. When she saw Ashiya's face through the peephole, she almost forgot the headache. 'WHAT THE... What are you doing here??' She flung the door open.

'I heard you fell sick as well,' he said. 'And since this is not the season when most people fall sick, there is a high probability you caught it from me. I am also indebted to you because of helping me when I had fever and collapsed. As I can't stand being indebted to the Hero, I decided to come here and help you where I can and put my pride in my pocket. I am even willing to help you take a refreshing bath.'

'Woah, no way, pervert!' she recoiled with her hands in front of her. 'Look, I was wiser than you and went to the doctor's. I got meds and I will definitely be fine tomorrow, so I don't need your help. I didn't even help you to make you indebted. Go home, the 'castle' is going to collapse without you, if you left Urushihara there.'

'I asked Kamazuki to help, so there will not be any problems. Let me in. I am sure this apartment needs serious cleaning. I will make you lunch and dinner, and you can rest.'

'No way, just leave, Ashiya! What the hell is this 'indebted' mania of yours? You're a demon, you don't even need to be thankful to the Hero!'

'Debt is a serious concept among demons as well. Let me in, Yusa.'

'Argh, okay, then, but you'll do what I say.'

'Fine by me.'

'And go home in the evening! Did you want to move here or something? What's that huge backpack?'

'I prepared for staying here for at least three days if needed.'

'It's not needed. Bring me a glass of water and clean what you find,' Emi instructed while getting back to her bed. 'My headache came back... oh, and you cannot touch my boxes in the bathroom, nor my clothes. Understood?'

'Understood, Hero.'

'Fine. And if you attempt to poison me...'

'I am not that pitiful to use poison, Yusa. You really underrate demons. But as I said, debt is a serious concept, even if I am indebted to the Hero herself.'

After her headache was gone, Emi was definitely much better than Ashiya had been, but still felt weak, so the day passed with her watching TV and Ashiya doing the chores around the house and making food. She was suspicious of course, but he had no intention of harming her. In fact, they barely talked, and in the afternoon it was almost like they didn't even know about the other's presence. After a warm bath he had prepared, Emi fell asleep around four o'clock and woke up only at six the next day.

Nice... I feel much better, she thought while stretching in her bed. I think I'll have this day off too, but maybe I'll be strong enough to go to work tomorrow.

When she got up and switched her bedside lamp on, she almost screamed. She saw Ashiya lying on the couch with a pillow under his head and covered by a blanket.

'ASHIYA!'

'Yes, my lo... oh, it's you, Hero,' he got up startled.

'What the hell are you doing here?!' She was furious.

'Well, as you had fallen asleep, I had to decide on my own whether to stay or go. I am sure you need at least one more day to rest. Since you already woke me up,' he got up, 'I'll go prepare breakfast and then continue cleaning.'

'Housewife...'

He did so, and even Emi had to admit he did his job very well. Of course, he had enough time to practise, being at home almost all the time since they arrived here with Maou.

It was around eight in the morning when someone rang the doorbell. Ashiya went to see who it was through the peephole.

'This is your workmate, Suzuki,' he turned back to Emi. 'Do you want me to let her in?'

'Yes, please,' she got up. 'But don't be surprised if she thinks you're here for another reason.'

'What do you mean?'

'I hate to even say... that there's something between us. She likes to think unrealistic things like that, just like when she was sure there was something between Maou and me.'

'I will assure her it is nothing like that.'

'So will I.'

Ashiya opened the door, and greeted Rika.

'Good morning, Miss Suzuki. Yusa is in her bedroom.'

'Oh, Mr Ashiya!' Rika was very surprised. 'I didn't expect you to be here...'

'To make the situation clear, I am currently helping Emi Yusa in exchange for her helping me a few days ago when I fell ill as well.'

'Oh, I understand,' Rika nodded, but there was that almost invisible smirk on her face. 'Hi, Emi!' she waved happily. 'I just popped in before work.'

'Nice to see you, Rika,' Emi smiled. 'Sit down on the couch, but don't come too close to me, I don't want you to catch this. Fortunately, I feel much better than yesterday.'

'Nice to hear!'

Rika didn't sit on the couch, she came in the bedroom and closed the door behind herself.

'So, is Ashiya here for only that reason?' she winked. 'A young man at a young woman's place.'

'Again, Rika?' Emi fought off her fury. 'Maou is the person after the last person I could fall in love with, and then the last person is Ashiya. So stop it please! And I wouldn't call Ashiya a man, he's rather the minion of the cockroach.'

'DON'T YOU DARE CALL MY LIEGE A COCKROACH!' Ashiya shouted outside the bedroom – Rika jumped from in front of the door in terror.

'STOP HARKING AND DO YOUR WORK!' Emi shouted back.

'I ALWAYS HEAR IF YOU CALL MY LORD INAPPROPRIATE NAMES!'

'That was unexpected,' Rika said.

'You haven't known them as long as I have, I have very good reasons for calling them like that,' Emi said. 'If you say something about the hypothetic relationship between either Maou or Ashiya and me, I will be really mad.'

'Okay, okay, but come on, you have to admit that both of them are handsome and Ashiya's even an excellent housekeeper and extremely loyal! I don't care what you say, he was very polite and kind to me.'

'Did you just say polite and kind in the same sentence you mentioned Ashiya?' Emi raised her eyebrows.

'I don't understand you at all, Emi.' Rika sighed, but then her lips curved into a smirk. 'I think they're cute.'

'No way.'

'All right, I think I have to go now. I brought you some sweets.' She gave a small box to Emi. 'I hope I'll see you next week at work.'

'Oh, thank you very much. And I think I can go to work on Friday already, so don't worry.'

'Right then. Get well soon! Bye!' Rika winked, and after she said goodbye to Ashiya too, left.

A few hours passed in silence, and Emi was thinking way too much about what Rika had said than needed. Then Ashiya came with lunch on a tray. Emi took the tray without saying anything, as they had agreed on no one thanks for anything.

'Can I ask you something?' Emi spoke suddenly, but quietly, when the white-haired man put down his tray on the coffee table and sat down on the couch.

'About what?' Ashiya looked at her.

'Answer honestly. Do you still care about conquering Ente Isla and this world?'

Ashiya didn't answer right away, just watched her, without batting an eyelid at the question.

'Because you don't really seem so,' Emi continued before he could speak. 'Of course, I'll never let my guard down, so don't think you can do anything just because we all start to act like friends.'

'Nobody has ever thought that, don't worry, Hero,' Ashiya said.

'So what brought you to this state? Maou seems to only care about his position at MgRonald's, you about the household chores and Urushihara, and I even heard Urushihara saying once that he doesn't intend to go back to Ente Isla if there's no Internet connection. If your answer is somehow no, what do you think about your previous actions as a demon general?'

Emi didn't sound calling to account, rather thoughtful and maybe a bit, almost invisibly spiritless.

'Look, Yusa,' Ashiya turned away, and copied her thoughtfulness. 'Right now, none of us has enough magic to use it, and it does not replenish by itself. So it would be completely pointless to plan on conquering anything, if that's not MgRonald's, as my master would say. Of course, we could not count on Urushihara, I am sure he would not come with us if we ever succeed to continue the conquering if he can't take advantage of it, but he has always been like that. All we did, we did that on purpose. We had our goals. And my answer is: I go where King Satan goes.'

Even if they didn't notice it, it was the first time they didn't talk to each other with at least a slight anger.

'Now let me ask you something,' Ashiya said. 'What do you feel towards my lord? Do you still plan on killing him once you get a chance?'

'Not just him, but you and Urushihara too,' Emi answered immediately. 'But, firstly, him, of course. What do I feel towards Maou? I'm pretty sure you're not implying what the others say all the time. Weird, but... after all these things have happened, the battle against Olba and Lucifer, then against Sariel, I could call you demons my friends on Earth after all. On Ente Isla, we are still sworn enemies. But here, we became comrades.'

'I agree with you,' Ashiya nodded.

'Well, that's rare. And what is going on with Suzuno and Urushihara anyway?'

'They claim they are friends. They spend a lot of time together, and I have to admit, it makes Urushihara useful. I could say he got a bit more outgoing too, sometimes he doesn't even need to be asked to go shopping with Kamazuki. Of course, for us, he would still never do anything. But firstly, he learned how to wash the dishes properly, thanks to Kamazuki. I told him not to get 'that' close to her as we are still enemies on Ente Isla, but their relationship is truly making Urushihara more bearable.'

'That's good to hear. Suzuno told me they did this and that together... and Chiho is pretty sure they are going to become a couple soon, but she is thinking too much, just like Rika. I don't know what's with her and Maou actually, but about Urushihara and Suzuno, I also have to admit they look like a couple sometimes. And sometimes not, because both of them are as neutral as they can be.'

'True. As for Miss Sasaki and my lord, he said earlier that it makes him happy that she cares for him. I have never heard him talking about it or implying that he reciprocates these feelings.'

'And here we are, we ended up talking about relationships.'