Chapter 14: When the Nightmare Visits

Once inside the house, Angelie was led to the living room. She sat down on the couch that faced a flat screen television. The first floor was a large room, connecting the living room with the dining area and kitchen. The dining area and kitchen were separated by a counter, where food can be prepared.

Angelie looked around the house, her gaze darting about. She then saw a family picture of the Jizen's. In the picture, Akuma and his sister were seated, while their parents were standing behind them. Seeing that he, the Demon Lord, has a family made her feel somehow relieved. That this Demon Lord may be different than what she knew.

While her thoughts were wandering about, Yuurei served her a cup of tea and placed it on top of the coffee table in front of the sofa.

"Here, Fukushuu-san. Please have some tea. I'll tell my brother you're here. He's been resting ever since he got a fever when he got home yesterday."

"So, he's sick? I thought he was just skipping class…"

Yuurei laughed at Angelie's comments.

"Oh, he would definitely do that. He's been in his rebellious phase for a few years now. But I still want to support him on whatever he wants to do. As long as it's not something very bad, that is."

Angelie couldn't help but smile.

"He's lucky to have you. Um, can I call you Yuurei-chan? I've always wanted to have a younger sister."

"Of course! Then I'll call you Angelie-san! Or should I call you, Onee-san? Since I think that is where you are headed with my brother anyway—"

Angelie, with a sinister smile, held her palm facing Yuurei's face.

"Let's not go overboard, shall we?"

Yuurei giggled at Angelie.

"I'm sorry, I just knew it would be fun to tease you. Well then, I'll be back with my brother in a bit."

Yuurei then went upstairs. Angelie continued to look around while she was sipping the tea. After a while, Yuurei came back to the living room and sat down beside Angelie.

"Angelie-san. My brother still can't stand up. He says you can just go up to his room."

Angelie was taken aback.

"M-me? G-go to his r-room?"

Yuurei, with her sparkling eyes, smiled at her and grabbed Angelie's hand.

"Don't worry, Angelie-san. He can't move from his bed so he won't be able to do anything to you. It's my guarantee as your pseudo younger sister!"

"I-I trust you, Yuurei-chan. I think…"

"Also, our parents aren't home yet. So, if he did something—"

"You just said he couldn't move!"

---

When Angelie finally was able to muster the will to go up, she grabbed the form from her bag and started her slow ascent up the stairs. There were three rooms on the second floor. A window on the end of the hallway showed the sun setting down outside. One door had Yuurei's name on it. Another had Akuma's name hanging from the door. She assumed that the door with no name was the parent's room.

She stood in front of Akuma's bedroom door.

"Why am I doing this? I am still a teenage girl. I shouldn't be going to a boy's room alone. Especially with the fact that the boy IS the Demon Lord."

While sweat was starting to drip from Angelie's forehead, a voice from inside the room echoed.

"You're outside there, right? Stop standing there and come inside."

Akuma shouted with a raspy voice, coughing in between sentences. Angelie stiffened for a moment, then grabbed the doorknob and opened the door.

"P-pardon the intrusion."

"So, what do I owe the honor of this visit from the venerable Saint?"

His voice was still hoarse. He was lying down on his bed. He had a wet cloth on top of his head. His body was under a blanket.

"I wouldn't be here if I had a choice. I honestly thought you just skipped class for some odd reason. I just came here to have you sign the form for our clubroom."

She handed the form and a pen she had in her pocket to Akuma. He signed the form while still lying down. Afterwards, he gave both the form and pen back to Angelie.

"They couldn't have just let you sign this? Isn't that the role of a vice president, or something?"

Angelie closed her eyes as she took the form from him.

"I told them that as well."

She opened her left eye and looked down at Akuma.

"S-so, how did the Demon Lord get sick like this? How the mighty has fallen, huh?"

Akuma closed his eyes and remained silent for a while before talking.

"I'm not used to working. I forgot that I just used to laze around most of the time. That plan to help in the bakery taxed me more than I thought."

He then coughed a little after talking. Angelie saw that the cloth on his head was falling off. She let out a sigh, then grabbed the cloth. She put the form between her lips, then proceeded to wash the cloth on the basin beside Akuma's bed. She squeezed the wet cloth to remove the water, then placed it back on his forehead. Akuma, who was starting to doze off, forcibly opened his eyes.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Angelie dried her hands and held the form again in her hand.

"I told you, I just want to help people. It just so happens that you needed help. And I can't let you die just yet. I'm still going to use you to help others."

"Ha. I won't die from something like this. And I'm the one using you. Don't… forget that…"

He fell asleep. Angelie had the very faintest smile on her face. She then turned around to leave the room. As she was walking, she saw a picture on the desk. She went closer to look at the picture. It was the same family picture she saw downstairs. But there was a very stark difference. The father was cut out of this picture. Angelie looked back at Akuma, then she finally left the room and closed the door.

---

A few days have passed, and Akuma was finally able to go back to school. It was already lunch break and everyone from the Help club was at the rooftop to eat their lunch. As usual, Mimi's lunch was extravagant. It was another multilayer bento with all sorts of main and side dishes. And as usual again, Akuma was drooling over Mimi's food.

"H-hey, I can get just one deep-fried shrimp, right? Just one?"

Akuma's hand was inching closer and closer to the shrimp from Mimi's bento.

"Seeing as you have recovered sufficiently enough to go to school, then I suppose I can allow it this once. Though I don't want to celebrate it, to be honest."

Mimi reluctantly let Akuma get the single piece of deep-fried shrimp. Angelie, who was seated near Akuma, took something out of her skirt's pocket.

"Here, this is the key to our clubroom."

She handed it to Akuma, who was already stuffing the shrimp into his mouth. Sanaka stopped eating and placed her lunchbox on the floor.

"Wow, we really seem like a club now. But I still wonder what exactly are we supposed to do in a Help club."

Kiba laughed while eating a piece of melon bread.

"Yeah, I was wondering about that as well. Should have probably asked before I joined, though. By the way, if you guys have time, my father wants to thank everyone personally. We can go to the bakery after classes, whenever you want."

Sanaka's eyes opened wide.

"So, you're finally going to pay my fee, huh?"

"Yeah, why not."

Everyone laughed except Akuma, who was sneakily trying to get another piece of shrimp. Angelie caught him and called him out for it.

"Hey! Mimi-san said only one!"

"Ugh. What's wrong with another one? See, I already have it in my hands, it's not like anyone's still going to eat this—"

"Excuse me, you guys are the Help club, right?"

A male student with short, red hair, approached the group. He was wearing a red armband on his left arm.

"Hey, I've seen you somewhere before…"

Akuma squinted his eyes at the student. Then he finally remembered.

"Right! You were the one who scolded us on the first day of school—"

Sanaka cut him off, and pointed her finger at the male student.

"Ah, it's the vice president of the student council!"