Chiho and I walk in the midst of the dark night, starless but filled with the bright city lights of Sasazuka. I take a few glances at Chiho just to make sure she doesn't feel uncomfortable around me. But I suppose she may be, a little. After all, Chiho does see me as a man in a romantic way. I see her face blush red, making me think that she is thinking about me. She may think me walking her home is nice of me, but to me, she is just an important coworker.

Nothing more, nothing less.

"M-Maou-san. Thank you."

"Ah, no problem. This isn't a big deal. Besides, letting a young girl like you walking home by yourself will attract unwanted attention. There are a lot of perverted men around."

She nonchalantly says, "Like that perverted angel."

I chuckle. "Yea, like him."

"I am not perverted!"

I gape. I look up ahead and see him leaning against the tree in his Sentucky uniform. Sentucky. He makes my blood boil. I don't want to be sent to Greenland because of a person like him. Chiho clings onto my shirt tightly, trembling. I hear him giggle creepily as he watches Chiho tremble.

"What do you want?"

"Nothing much, for the time being."

I look up to the night sky. The moon is waning. He can still fight, but he doesn't have the full support of a full moon. But he can still defeat me, as I am out of magic since I had to use it to restore the damaged surrounding.

"Maou-san, can't you get rid of him?"

"I don't have magic enough to get rid of him. I can call Emi, but that-"

"Call her here."

"But he can still repel her of her holy power."

He seemed angry that we were ignoring him, because he butts into the conversation.

"Hey! Don't just ignore me!"

We both turn to look at him.

"Ah, forgot you were there," we both said in unison.

He grumbles underneath his breath. "I, Sariel-"

We walk past him, not giving a care for what he wants to say. He doesn't notice that we have past him and walk away from his rambling. After crossing the crosswalk, I look down at Chiho, who looks like she is retained in a stage of little fright.

"Chi-chan, don't worry. If he was to ever come after you, I'll come help you."

She looks at me with such large, puppy eyes filled with relief. She blushes and quickly looks down at her feet. She twiddles her thumbs and index fingers around.

"Come on, if you get home too late-"

My phone starts buzzing. I look onto the little screen and see that Chiho's mother is calling. Crap, she is worried now. I flip the phone open and answer as brightly as I can.

"Hello? This is Maou."

"Ah, Maou-san. Good evening. Sorry to bother you so late."

"Good evening to you too. Please don't worry."

"Ah, thank you. Have you seen Chiho? It's pretty late and I'm a bit worried."

"Oh. I'm walking Chi-chan back right now. We should be there in a few minutes. Please don't worry. I will bring her back home safe."

"What a relief. Then, bye."

I say my goodbye and click the end button. I slide my phone back into my pocket and look at Chiho.

"Don't worry. Your mother just wanted to know where you were."

"Ah, thank you Maou-san."

After some moment of silence that passes on, Chiho takes the courage to strike a conversation.

"Maou-san, what do you think of Japan?"

"Hrm, that's a hard one. I've only been here in Sasazuka. I don't know much else. But I do have to say, it is fun around here."

"Then, what was the best part of being here?"

"Hrm, I suppose meeting you, Chiho. Also having Ashiya around is a nice thing too. I didn't expect to meet Emi here either, but I suppose the way things are going, it's all great to me."

I begin to wonder what the meaning of her question was. I know she has feelings for me. But how do I tell her I can't reciprocate those feelings back to her? Dealing with these kinds of problem is a first for me.

"Maou-san, what do you like about me?"

The question surprises me, greatly. But I try keeping my stoic expression.

"You're a hard worker. You don't give up, even when being in the greatest danger. You have confidence and belief. You are true to what you think, feel, and believe is right. You don't sway easily by words. You're more of an action person than a talk person. Your tenacity is amazing. I've never seen any human with as much tenacity as you."

Well, besides Emi, who is the Hero.

"Ah, I see. Maou-san, you don't know what 'love' is?"

I smile.

"I'm a devil. I don't know 'love'. If it was the past me, I'd laugh at the ridiculous idea of what people have about it. But, now, I don't really think much about 'love'. It's something that cannot be explained easily. Love is, just, love."

"The past you? Are you different from who you were once?"

I look into the beyond. Her question rings into my head. Am I different from before? That can't really be, can it? I mean, I still want to take over Ente Isla. Just like Ente Isla, I want to take over MgRonald. I want Sentucky to lose its sales for my benefit. I want the whole MgRonald chain under my control. Isn't that the same as me wanting to return to take over Ente Isla?

We reach Chiho's house. I say my goodbye to her and begin walking home.

I turn the corner and meet Emi's glare. Really?

"Emi? What are you doing here?"

"Just making sure you didn't do anything to Chiho."

"Emi. Come on. I wouldn't do anything to Chi-chan. I only see her as my important coworker. Besides, how long have you been following us?"

"Just the part where you two decide to ditch the perverted angel."

"Hey, you're not a stalker, are you?"

She grits her teeth with anger.

"Just kidding. Need me to walk you back to your apartment too?"

She becomes baffle by my sarcastic remark.

"Come on, I'll walk you there."

She smiles.

"I suppose a little company doesn't hurt."