My Roommate is an Ancient Demon

COLD STEEL AND WHITE LIGHT

"Tell me, Kael," Andrea stopped reading and glanced up at him, "how did they summon you in the past? And how did they end the bond?"

Kael paused for a moment. "Just like any other demon, I am summoned through seals, like the one you drew."

"Accidentally," Andrea said firmly. "How do they end things with you?"

"You see, people always ask the same things over and over, for centuries on end. It is always power, money, influence… even revenge. And it is always my choice whether to grant their wish or simply return to the Lower Realm. I am tired of them seeing us as nothing more than magical tools. This is the first time I have ever been stranded like this."

"I have read most of the books here and still found no answer," Andrea let out a deep sigh. Then her eyes lit up. "Wait — what if I ask you for something? If you grant it, and I am truly content… maybe the bond will break?"

"Very well. I will grant one wish."

"Wow!" Andrea grabbed his hand. "Make me a genius so I can pass all my exams without studying!"

"Ask for something less impossible. Try again."

"What? You’re so mean!" Andrea pouted, then her eyes brightened with a new idea. "Alright then, I want my hair to have perfect volume, with cute little curls at the ends!"

"Aren’t you going to ask for wealth? Look at this tiny apartment." Kael’s eyes wandered around the room, judging every corner.

"Hey, you’re staying here for free! You shouldn’t complain about how small this place is. And you may not know this, but many people don’t even have a roof or a bed to sleep on. Consider yourself lucky."

Strange, Kael thought. For a moment he was truly shaken, he had braced himself for power or wealth, all the grand things mortals always craved. He never expected something so trivial.

Are people of this era really capable of finding such happiness in something so small? he wondered, staring at her bright, earnest face. Or is this woman just… too shallow? This was the first time someone had asked him for nothing more than perfect hair.

"Go look in the mirror."

Andrea walked toward the mirror and gasped. There she was, exactly how she’d always dreamed: full, perfect volume, with soft, subtle curls at the ends, like she’d just stepped out of a salon.

"Yay! I love it!" She hugged his arm in excitement. "Is it permanent? If I trim it later —"

"It is permanent," Kael interrupted.

"This is the best thing I have ever received. Thank you, Kael."

Warmth swelled suddenly in his chest at being thanked like this. He watched as she brushed her fingers through her hair, admiring every soft strand; the thought that he was the one who had made this human happy stirred something deep inside him.. something he could not name, something he had never felt before.

If there was any true purpose to granting wishes… this must be it. But he quickly pushed the strange thought aside, and said plainly right away:

"But nothing has changed. The bond is still there, it has not broken, not even a little."

"Then let’s leave it as it is for now," she said softly. "Let’s go to the nearby bookstore."

Kael nodded, and they walked there together, browsing the shelves side by side until Andrea found the book she wanted. Andrea spotted it right away, the beautifully bound fantasy book she’d been wanting for months. But it sat all the way on the very top shelf, far out of reach.

She stretched up on her tiptoes, reaching as high as she could, but her fingers only brushed the edge of the cover. She huffed, stretching a little further but still too short.

Then a shadow fell over her, and a hand reached past her, plucking the book down easily.

She spun around. Kael stood right behind her, holding it out with that faint, familiar smirk.

"Here," he said, placing it gently in her hands.

"Thanks!" Andrea beamed, clutching it tight.

He just gave a casual shrug and he glanced toward the door. "I'll be back in an hour."

What could be so important? she wondered.

She walked home slowly. The quiet street near her apartment was almost completely empty. No tricycles, no vendors, no one else passing by. The only sound was her own footsteps on the pavement.

Halfway down the block, a tall figure stepped out from the shadow of a lamppost, blocking her path. He was wrapped in a heavy dark hood that hid every feature of his face; nothing was visible but the faint line of his shoulders.

"Walking alone, little witch?" he said. His voice was low, smooth, like it had been waiting in the dark for centuries.

Andrea froze and stepped back. "Who are you? What do you want?"

He did not answer. He simply lifted one hand and cold, sharp magic struck her hard in the chest. It felt like ice and fire all at once, knocking the breath right out of her. She crumpled to her knees, clutching her ribs, gasping as pain shot through her whole body.

"You have what I need," he said quietly.

Meanwhile…

Kael felt the sharp snap of tension and turned at once, hurrying toward Andrea.

But he had barely taken a few steps when two figures dropped down from above, blocking his way. They were angels from Lior’s group, their faces tight with unmasked anger, wings held stiff and sharp behind them.

"What are you planning to do here in the human world?" one demanded, voice burning with fury.

Kael did not answer. He owed them no explanation. He shifted to walk straight past them but they moved together, blocking his path again, too stubborn and too angry to step aside.

A slow, knowing smirk curled at Kael’s lips. "You seem so mad at me," he said, calm as ever. "Watch your emotions — they might turn to wrath."

The angels froze.

In that instant, his words cut straight through their rage. They understood exactly what he meant: they were letting anger rule them, forgetting their duty. If they let it twist into true wrath, they would be the ones to lose control, break their own purpose, and force a fight no one wanted. Shaken and humbled, they slowly stepped aside.

Kael did not hesitate. He turned and ran as fast as he could to reach Andrea.

Back on the street…

The hooded figure stepped closer, and from his aura alone Andrea could feel it — cold, sharp, unmasked malice, the clear, burning intent to hurt her, to kill her. He drew a jagged black dagger, its edge drinking what little light there was.

He raised his arm to strike…

A burst of blinding white light exploded between them. The hooded figure flinched back, and in the blink of an eye, he dissolved into shadow and was gone, fleeing before the light could touch him.

Andrea stared at the brilliant light as it settled. She saw a pair of pure white wings folded neatly behind him, then the figure stepped toward her: golden‑brown hair, and eyes as clear and bright as a summer sky. And suddenly it clicked. She remembered him perfectly now. He was the angel who had warned Kael not to cause trouble for the angels.

"Are you alright?"

Strong, gentle hands lifted her shoulders. Lior knelt there, pressing his palm to her chest, chasing away the cold and the deadly ache.

"Thanks for helping me." Andrea gave him a warm smile.

Lior helped her stand. "I'm glad you're not badly hurt." A dimple showed on his right cheek as he smiled. "I haven’t formally introduced myself. I am Lior. And seeing as you’re with a demon, you can pretty much guess what I am."

Andrea laughed softly. "An angel."

Little did they know, perched on the edge of the tallest building overlooking the street, Kael had seen everything. He did not come down. He simply turned and vanished into the shadows without a sound.