My Roommate is an Ancient Demon

THE FOUNDERS OF THE LOWER REALM

"I hope it was worth the wait," said the man in the butler’s suit, as he set one slice of cake down in front of Andrea, and a large plate piled with seven slices across from Bell.

Andrea’s eyes went wide. "Wow -- this is Castella Cake!" She checked her phone: barely five minutes had passed since Kael asked them to get something for her. "You really do have everything here."

She picked up her fork and took a small bite. "Mmm. This is delicious."

"Of course it is," Bell replied, already shoveling cake into his mouth until only one slice remained. "My familiars are the best there is."

"I’m glad you like it," the man said with a soft smile, before turning back to the sink to wash dishes.

Andrea looked over at Bell. "Do these guys have names?"

"They do," Bell answered, glancing toward the kitchen. "That one’s Tata." He pointed to each of the other three, all dressed the same as Tata. "That’s Bebe. Momo. And the one arranging flowers is Nono."

He beamed, clearly proud of the names he’d given them.

Tata, Bebe, Momo, Nono… Tabemono? Their names literally mean ‘food’ in Japanese!

"By the way, Bell," Andrea said, as Bell tipped his head back and swallowed the last slice in one go. "How long have you been friends with Kael?"

Bell suddenly thumped his chest like he was choking. "Tata! Water, please!"

A glass appeared in front of him in an instant. He drained it in one gulp and set it down empty.

"We’ve been friends since the very start," he said. "We built the Lower Realm together--me, Kael, and five others: Lux, Quen, Korin, Ardan, and Thalass."

"You built the Lower Realm?" Andrea’s eyes lit up.

"We did. When we first arrived, it was nothing but empty land. Barely anything at all. But we worked hard, and made it somewhere all demons can live comfortably."

"Korin designed every corner of it -- picky about every little detail, he was, wanted everything beautiful. Thalass gave it all its water: carved the seas, the rivers, the waterfalls. Lux and Ardan made the thing that shines like a sun, so the Lower Realm’s always in daylight."

"Always daytime?" Andrea cut in. "How do any of you sleep?"

"Castles stay cool and quiet inside. Just draw the curtains, and rest as much as you like."

"You have a castle? That’s so cool!"

"We do. Most demons live in castles, but ours is the grandest, right on the first level. Others live on the levels below, depending on their rank. And Kael came up with the whole idea of currency. All the Lower Realm’s funds run through him."

Andrea nodded, listening closely. "What about you and Quen? What did you do?"

"I made all the beasts we use for food! That fried chicken you ate earlier? That came from a bird-beast. You should’ve seen what it looked like!" Bell laughed loud enough to shake the table.

I can’t believe I just ate a beast.

Andrea’s face went pale, and Bell laughed even harder.

She shook the thought away. "What about Quen?"

"Quen? He sleeps all the time -- laziest one of us. But crops and fruit grow just as long as he’s resting… so we let him be. And Lux and Ardan do more than light the place: Lux oversees everything, makes sure no one steps out of line, settles fights between demons. Ardan’s the punisher. If someone’s earned a penalty? He carries it out, no exceptions. Because of us, that empty wasteland became a home for every demon."

"Wow… so demons really do look out for each other," Andrea said softly.

"Exactly," Bell said. "It’s an unwritten rule: you never touch what belongs to another demon. Not territory, not possessions… not even a human friend like you. And we don’t meddle in each other’s business, unless it hurts us."

Andrea fell quiet for a moment. "If demons don’t take what’s already claimed… then the one who attacked me? He definitely isn’t from the Lower Realm."

Bell and his familiars froze for a beat. Then Bell burst out laughing.

"So you belong to Kael, huh?" He hopped up from his seat and bolted for the kitchen door, a playful smirk on his face. "I’m going to tell him you said that!"

"What-- wait, no!" Andrea scrambled after him. "Bell, come back here!"

Oh no… why did I say that out loud?

Bell found Kael in a back room, lying beside stacks of books and records, one arm draped over his eyes.

"Waaah-- you’re messing up my library!" Bell shouted.

Andrea caught up seconds later. "Got you!" She grabbed Bell’s wrist, ready to tug him out.

"I see you two are getting along," Kael said, lowering his arm. His amber eyes looked tired, and his silver hair fell in messy, perfect strands over his forehead. Andrea’s gaze lingered on his lips-- soft, like cherries after rain. "What are you staring at?"

"Kael!" Bell squirmed free and ran toward him. "Andrea said she belongs-"

Andrea clapped a hand over Bell’s mouth and dragged him back into the hall. "What were you thinking?"

Bell pulled her hand away, pouting. "C’mon! You should’ve seen his face if you’d let me finish!" He darted back into the room, and Andrea followed, flustered.

"Bell… do you remember three centuries ago, when a demon fought a mortal?" Kael asked, sliding books back onto their shelves. Andrea stepped in to help.

"Of course I remember! I missed six whole meals over that mess. What about it?"

"Any details you can recall?"

"Why d’you want to know?"

"I’ll buy you whatever cake you want. Just tell me."

"All I remember is some human was chasing demonic power. Tried to kill a demon to get it."

"What happened to him? What did he look like?"

"I didn’t see the fight. Found an apple tree nearby… ate the whole time they were busy."

Andrea giggled as she stacked books. "Leave him be. He’s just a kid."

Kael looked over at her. "We’re the same age, Andrea."

Andrea glanced at her phone. It was almost 11:00 PM. "Kael, let’s go home. I have class tomorrow."

"What? You’re leaving already?" Bell pouted. "What about my cake?"

"It can wait until tomorrow," Kael said, then took Andrea’s wrist. "Tell me right away if you remember anything else about that fight."

He traced a symbol in the air, and the door they’d used earlier formed from swirling smoke. He turned the knob, they stepped through and in an instant, they were back in Kael’s room.

Andrea hurried to her own room and stepped into a warm shower. She closed her eyes as water streamed over her head, and she could almost see Kael’s quiet gaze and hear Bell’s laughter --making her smile to herself. After drying her hair and pulling on her pajamas, she grabbed her notes to review before bed, then headed straight back to Kael’s room.

He wasn’t there yet, so she leaned comfortably against the headboard and began reading.

A door creaked open, but she was too focused on her notes to hear the soft footsteps drawing closer.

"So you’re really going to sleep here?" Kael asked.

Andrea snapped her notebook shut and looked up. Her words died in her throat. Her face burned hot, blood rushing all the way to her ears. She grabbed the nearest pillow and tossed it at him.

"-- What are you wearing?"

"A robe? I just took a shower. Is there something wrong with that? And why are you turning so red?" Kael asked, sounding completely unbothered.

He ran a towel through his damp hair, the fabric falling slightly open to reveal the sharp lines of his torso. Andrea grabbed a second pillow and threw it too, pressing a hand over her burning cheeks.

He tilted his head, a faint teasing smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Are you just planning to stare while I change?"

She dove under the blanket, voice muffled. "Right! Just… tell me when you’re decent."

She never saw the soft, warm smile that spread across his face... the quiet kind he only ever showed when he thought no one was looking... as he watched her hide.