I don't own Hataraku Maou Sama. Please don't expect me to give any more disclaimers.

Maou had just been released. "To think that this body even requires the injestion of food," he muttered.

"Well, it is a human body," Ashiya commented.

"But to think that one infusion is worth an entire month's rent! That's what they call a 'ripoff' in this land!"

Suddenly, something hard hit Maou in the back of the head. "What the hell?!" He turned around to see a very angry Akuma.

"BAKA! How could you not eat, stupid?! You'll KILL yourself if you do thinkgs like this! If you guys didn't have enough money for food, I would have been happy to give you something until you found work!"

Neither of them knew how to respond to this. "Umm..."

"Just, go get a job, okay? I don't want to have to pay for your hospital bills for something this brain-dead." She then turned, but paused before leaving. "And get some better clothes. You stand out, a lot."

"Maou-sama, we need to discuss your spending habits," Ashiya said.

"What? Summer's around to corner, so we definitely need a fridge. And a washer's better than going to the laundromat in the long run, and I need a bicycle to get to work."

"I understand, but you could have at least paid in installments."

"I hate loans. They charge you extra money. I don't want to pay for something I can't touch."

"I see. And how do you suppose we survive on jelly, cucumbers and milk until payday?"

"We're not totally out of money. We could ask Akuma for help if it gets desperate."

"I'd rather not. We are already considerably indebted to her."

"Well, we could always eat leftovers from work."

That's when Ashiya went on his rant about fast food. "Gotta go! Lecture me later!"

"Wait! You're umbrella!" He watched Maou take off for work. "I suppose I should get ready as well."

While reading, Ashiya reflected on Akuma and all that she had done for them.

"Here, let me show you how to cook. It'll make things easier on you."

"Hey, if you guys ever need extra cash, just stop my my store. I'll put you to work, and pay you for it."

"Umm... don't wear that. You look like an idiot."

"No, no. That's not how you use a washing machine. You do this."

He sighed. "I suppose I should take up Midori-san on her offer."

He walked over to Akuma's workplace. She was a repair mechanic who could fix about anything- cars, electronics, even computers (sometimes).

The doorbell rang as he walked into the store. Akuma was behind the counter, working on someone's smart phone. "Hey, Ashiya. What's up?"

"Umm, remember what you said about if we needed extra money?"

"Oh yeah. I suppose all the stuff Maou's been buying's left you guys kinda broke, right?"

He nodded.

"All right, then! How does 300 yen an hour sound? I can have you work the front counter, maybe help re-stock my supplies."

He was just putting a box on one of the workshop's shelves when the ground started to shake. Akuma looked up from what she was doing. "An earthquake?"

The store closed an hour later. "Three hundred yen isn't very much," Ashiya commented.

"Then come in tomorrow. Be here earlier and you can work longer. Got it?"

Akuma walked into the MgRonald's on her way home. She normally stopped by to grab something. Never a burger, normally ice cream or an iced coffee.

"Hey, Chi-chan," Akuma said, smiling at the girl. "How's work today? I think I'll get a milkshake this time."

"Okay! That'll be 250 yen. Um, I spilled the fries today."

"Again?"

She nodded. "Ouch. Be more careful, kiddo."

At first, Chiho had been jealous Akuma lived near Maou, and worried that the older girl might steal him from her. But Akuma assured her she wasn't interested in Maou, and the two became good friends.