Yusuke

“What are you doing?” the angel asks as I stand in front of her in a protective stance, ready to kill each and every one of the attackers surrounding us.

“I’m protecting you,” I reply without looking at her.

As a second hybrid lunges at me, I counter with a swift kick to the stomach, propelling him into the nearby bushes. It serves as a reminder that, despite the absence of my magical abilities in the human realm, I’m still far superior to both ordinary humans and demons because of my royal blood.

“Tsk. Prince Yusuke is too strong,” the third attacker mutters before attempting to stab me with the knife in his hand. However, he doesn’t get close enough to harm me. Instead, I land two consecutive punches on his face with such force that he tumbles face-first onto the ground, blood pouring from his mouth and nose.

“Let’s get out of here before Prince Yusuke kills us,” the rest of the group decides before running away, leaving their comrades behind.

I spin around, my worried gaze locking onto the angel’s. “Are you all right? Are you hurt? Did they touch you?” I hold her by the shoulders, inspecting her face and body to ensure she isn’t injured.

Fukuyama-san shakes her head. “I am fine, thanks to you,” she murmurs, her lips and hands trembling a little. “Thank you for saving me.” She gives me a heartfelt smile.

I let out a relieved breath. “We need to get out of here before the three attackers I knocked down wake up.” I hold her hand tightly and stride toward where my servant is waiting for me, determined to take the angel to my house and keep her there with me until I’m sure she’s out of danger. Whoever is behind that attack isn’t going to give up easily; on the contrary, I believe they’ll try again and again until they succeed.

“Where are you taking me? What about your shoulder bag?” the angel asks hesitantly, sounding suspicious.

“One of my servants can get it once you’re safe,” I respond, unwavering. “Your safety comes first for now.”

“But, but I—”

“Your Highness, I have awaited your return,” my servant, who typically serves as my driver and butler, greets me with a bow. When his gaze falls on the angel next to me, he steps back and scowls. “An angel?” He sees her true form right from the get-go.

“A demon?” Fukuyama-san’s reaction mirrors the servant’s, her eyes growing wide and her mouth hanging open in surprise.

“I’m taking her to the mansion,” I inform Fukuo—I’ve finally learned his name after years of referring to him as servant number one. “Don’t ask any questions; just take us home.”

The servant glares at the angel one last time before bowing to me again. “As you wish, Your Highness.” He opens the rear passenger door, allowing me to enter the vehicle without releasing Fukuyama-san’s hand.

“Thank you,” the angel says shyly, but the servant ignores her.

While there might not be a real grudge between demons and angels, they aren’t exactly best friends and aren’t particularly fond of each other. They can be respectful and avoid unnecessary confrontations, but as far as I know, they aren’t comfortable together. Hence, I don’t scold the servant for his rude behavior toward the angel.

“Where are we going?” Fukuyama-san asks me once we’re settled in the back seat and the car starts moving through the busy streets.

“To my mansion,” I answer casually.

“But I do not want to go to your mansion,” she retorts, a panicked look on her face. “I want to go to my apartment.”

“Why?”

“Because you are a de—” She stops and closes her mouth, her eyebrows knitting together in hesitation.

I glance at her, my lips curving into a smug smile. “A demon?” I complete the sentence, amused that, after all the signs, she still holds back when revealing our true identities.

She nods. “Yes. By the way, why did the attackers call you Prince Yusuke and your servant call you Your Highness? Who are you?” She stares at me intensely.

“How preposterous of you to inquire of Prince Yusuke in such a manner,” the servant-slash-driver snaps, glaring daggers at the angel through the rearview mirror. “That only substantiates the notion that all angels are scoundrels and lack proper education,” he adds, his teeth gritting with rage.

“Oh, please accept my sincere apologies.” The angel gracefully bows her head to both the servant and me.

“Fukuo, don’t you dare speak to the angel princess that way,” I scold the servant immediately, annoyed. “She’s one of my friends, and you need to respect her as such.”

“Angel princess?” the servant gasps in disbelief.

“Wait a minute. How do you know I am the angel princess?” Fukuyama-san frowns at me, confused. “I suspected you saw my angel form when we first met, but I did not imagine that you had figured out I am a princess.”

I snort. “Of course, I know you’re the angel princess. What kind of demon crown prince would I be if I didn’t?”

“Demon crown prince? Are you the demon crown prince? Are you really the demon crown prince?” Her shocked voice and wide eyes make me laugh.

She’s so cute.

I sense the servant is about to say something rude to the angel again, so I warn him to keep his mouth shut. “Quiet, Fukuo. Don’t make me punish you for being so insolent toward my friend.”

Fukuo nods in silence, but not without shooting another murderous glare at the angel through the rearview mirror, his hostility making me wonder for a split second if he’s somehow involved in the attacks in the angel realm.

No, no. That’s absurd. Fukuo didn’t even know that Nami was a princess until a minute ago.

“How did you know I am the angel princess?” Fukuyama-san squeezes my hand, indicating that she’s speaking with me.

I point at her back, tracing the shape of a wing in the air. “The color of your wings gave you away.”

“The color of my wings?”

I nod. “Yes. Only members of the angel royal family have light blue wings, don’t they? Furthermore, my parents warned me that the angel princess was living in Tokyo to get away from the attacks in her kingdom.” I shrug, smiling softly. “I just had to put two and two together to figure out that you are Princess Nami.”

Her mouth forms an “o” shape as she gazes at me. “If the demon king and demon queen informed you about my whereabouts, it means that the demons are aware of my current location…” She flinches, worry flickering in her eyes. “That partially explains the attack back at the school, but why would humans target me? I do not understand.”

“Those who attacked weren’t entirely human, Nami. They were half-human and half-demon, and we refer to them as hybrids in the Kingdom of Demons.”

“Half-human and half-demon?” She looks like she has been struck by a lightning bolt as her entire body shakes, an inexplicable expression of horror forming on her face. “I did not even know they existed.”

I run my hand through my hair. “They do.”

“But even so, why could I not see their demon forms? They do have one, right?”

Figuratively speaking, I can almost see smoke coming out of her head as her brain struggles to process what I’m telling her.

She really is so cute.

I chuckle, patting her on the head. “You look super confused.”

She rolls her eyes and puffs out her cheeks, pouting. “I am super confused.”

The servant interrupts, “Prince Yusuke, may I inquire if this young lady is truly the angel princess? Her demeanor appears somewhat lacking in the discernment expected of one in such a noble position.”

“Hey,” the angel complains, glaring at the back of his head.

I chuckle again. “Please, ignore my insolent servant, Princess Nami.” I lean forward just enough to meet the servant’s eyes. “As for you, your punishment will be decided once we arrive at the mansion.”

“Punishment? My deepest apologies, Your Highness. I implore you, do not cast me back to the Kingdom of Demons.” Fukuo’s response is frantic.

I scoff, “I’m the one who will decide on a suitable punishment for you.” With that, I return to my previous position in the seat.

“Where are we?” Fukuyama-san gapes out the window. “I do not recognize these streets at all.”

“As I said, we’re heading to my mansion.”

“And as I retorted, I do not want to go to your mansion. I want to go to my apartment,” she snaps back, irritated.

I sigh. “Fine. We’re going to your apartment. Where is it located?”

The angel cringes. “I do not know its address.”

“You don’t know where you live?” I gasp, shocked. “How is that even possible?”

She narrows her eyes and pulls her smartphone from her shoulder bag. Then she opens a map app and shows me where a red pin is located, tapping on the screen as she says, “I live here.”

I grab the device from her hand and hand it to the servant when he stops the car at a traffic light. “Take us to the address on the phone.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the servant complies immediately, probably still sulking at the prospect of being punished by me.

“Thank you.” The angel smiles as I hand her back her smartphone, which she immediately slips into her shoulder bag. “Can you please explain to me why I was not able to see the attackers’ demon forms? I saw yours and your servant’s.”

“When humans have offspring with demons in the human realm, their human blood is dominant; hence, their true form manifests as human. While they do have a demon form and the ability to create portals to the demon realm, they aren’t permitted to reside there because they aren’t recognized as true demons,” I explain.

“What if they are born in the demon realm? Does that affect their fate?” she questions, her interest piqued.

“Yes, it does. If hybrids are born in the demon realm, their demon blood is stronger, and they’re officially recognized as demons. Regardless of their place of birth, hybrids can wield magic when in the Kingdom of Demons, although they’re significantly weaker compared to pure-blooded demons for obvious reasons.”

“Does that rule apply to angels as well?” Fukuyama-san asks, her innocence urging me to envelop her fragile frame in my arms and never let go.

“I believe so, although, if I’m being completely honest, I can’t say for certain because I’ve never heard of any cases of angels having offspring with humans.”

The angel strokes her chin, looking pensive. “Hmm, it is true. I do not recall learning from my teachers in the Kingdom of Angels about angels being romantically involved with humans. As far as I am aware, the practice is not even allowed.”

“Angels are particularly rigid when it comes to keeping the angel blood pure,” I comment, an annoying voice in the back of my head telling me to give up on the girl next to me because I’d never have the chance to court her as a prince would do with a princess.

Fukuyama-san slumps her shoulders, dejected. “I spent my entire life within the castle’s walls, studying with the best teachers in the kingdom, and yet, as my days here in Tokyo pass by, I learn that I am oblivious to the simplest matters. I guess now I understand why my brothers insist that my living here will be a unique experience for my growth as an angel and as a princess.”

“You spent your entire life in the castle? You didn’t attend the Royal School with other angel nobles?” I gape at her, flabbergasted.

She shoots me a sad smile. “No, I did not. My parents never allowed me to leave the castle’s premises. I do not have any angel friends, and I have never visited the cities in the kingdom.”

My jaw drops. To say I’m aghast is an understatement. What kind of life was the princess living until she went to Tokyo?

No wonder she’s quiet, introverted, and doesn’t care about anything or anyone. I don’t blame her for being on guard all the time.

“Anyway, I am glad to have moved to Tokyo, especially now that I have my guardian with me in the apartment. This country is certainly different from the Kingdom of Angels,” the angel remarks, grinning.

I blink a couple of times, my eyes wide. “Do you think Tokyo is a country?”

She mimics my reaction. “Is it not?”

The servant snorts from the driver’s seat.

I tilt my head to the side, unable to contain the smile forming on my lips as I explain, “Tokyo is the capital city of Japan and a metropolis. Unlike the angel and demon realms, whose only countries are the kingdoms we are from, the human realm is enormous and has several countries with residents who speak different dialects, have different customs, physical appearances, and so on.”

“So, Aichi-ken is…?” She trails off.

“It’s a prefecture in Japan.”

Fukuyama-san’s expression is priceless—she’s shocked, embarrassed, and enraged at the same time. “That is it,” she begins, her voice rising. “I will complain to Father and Mother when I visit the Kingdom of Angels, as it is absolutely unpardonable that my teacher did not even bother to teach me the most basic geography of the human realm. I feel so unintelligent right now.” She covers her face with her free hand, letting out a frustrated sigh.

I pat her on the head, sympathetic to her situation. “Don’t fret, Princess Nami. I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”

She uncovers her face and looks at me, our eyes boring into each other. As her cheeks blush, she mumbles, “Thank you.” Then, furrowing her eyebrows, she asks, “But how come angels and demons speak Japanese specifically if the human realm has other countries?”

Happy to be useful to her somehow, I eagerly explain, “It has something to do with the Peace Pact between angels and demons. The pact was signed here in Tokyo under the suggestion of both kings at the time, as it was considered neutral ground. As business with humans from this city began to be established, it was decided that future generations would learn to speak Japanese regardless of whether they would come here someday.”

Fukuyama-san nods, her countenance calm. “I understand now. Thank you for explaining it to me, and apologies for being so misinformed.”

I cup her face and lean in, battling the urge to connect our lips. “I’ll protect you, Princess Nami. As the Crown Prince of the Kingdom of Demons, I promise to keep you safe.”

She inhales deeply, closes her eyes, and pulls away from me, leaving me with a sense of longing.

Against all odds and common sense, I find myself under the angel’s dangerous spell, on the verge of committing an act I could never take back.

I can’t and mustn’t fall for her.

But what if it’s already too late?

* * *