The kitchen, bathed in the soft morning light, was a bizarre mix of a sophisticated classic movie scene and an absurd reality.

A black dress shirt with a perfectly starched collar, a neat purple suit vest over it, and a fedora tilted at a precisely calculated angle.

To anyone else, he looked like a legendary 19th-century European noble or a mysterious gentleman who had just stepped out of time.

Unfortunately, this man wasn't standing in the ballroom of a grand estate, but in the tiny kitchen of my studio apartment, and he was wearing a pink teddy bear apron with cute frills around his waist.

Watching him hold a perfectly level spatula with his large frame, lightly flipping a sunny-side-up egg without breaking the yolk, was a sight to behold.

"Hey, stop staring at the mirror and come eat. Are you afraid the food a demon cooked might be poisoned?"

His purple eyes, peeking through his neat black bob, curved into a mischievous arc.

Contrary to the seductive baritone that tickled my ears, every word he threw was laced with sarcasm.

His name is Niles Nightmare.

A 'Dream Demon' who was trapped by a spell so powerful it was barely recorded in ancient documents, and currently a handsome familiar who has somehow ended up under me, acting like the lord of the manor.

It wasn't always this ridiculous.

The beginning was quite grand in its own way.

I, whose hobby was digging through old books, accidentally touched a sealing stone, and it was entirely the work of this cunning fellow that he coaxed me with sweet words to break the seal.

However, due to an unexpected malfunction in the soul contract, the lofty demon noble Niles, instead of becoming a majestic demon king, was relegated to the status of a 'familiar' bound to a mere human like me.

With his pride thoroughly shattered and furious beyond belief, he planned a petty and persistent revenge.

Whenever I had even the slightest contact with someone of the opposite sex, he would manipulate all sorts of bizarre dreams for that person in the middle of the night, ruining my love life every single time.

My dating life couldn't possibly survive when he planted traumas like parasites appearing in dreams or the other person turning into a demon and eating them every time a guy was about to confess.

But... perhaps he kept at it for too long.

At some point, the purple light in this demon's eyes began to change subtly.

It didn't take long to realize that it wasn't just spite to torment and interfere with me, but a genuine, burning jealousy.

"What about that human man with nothing but height who took your number last time? Are you still in touch? Honestly, humans have such high standards but no eye for what's appropriate for their level."

Niles muttered sarcastically, setting the plate down in front of me with a clack.

In front of me was a homemade brunch plate with perfectly grilled bacon, fresh avocado, and the faint scent of truffle oil.

I couldn't stand seeing him idle while trying to adapt him to human society, so I taught him cleaning, laundry, and cooking, and now he's a hundred times better at housework than I am.

No, beyond just being good, his cooking skills were enough to easily outshine the head chef of a five-star hotel.

I picked up my fork, lightly broke the yolk, and threw out my true intention.

"Niles. Since you're so talented at housekeeping, why don't you think about earning some money as a chef? If you have any shame as a live-in, you should contribute to the rent or groceries."

As soon as I finished speaking, Niles's smirk vanished. The air in the kitchen instantly turned cold.

He aimlessly adjusted his white tie with his fingertips, gritting his teeth and cleverly avoiding my gaze.

"...Hmph. Why should I bow my head to earn pocket change under those primitive and dull humans? Instead of talking nonsense, keep the kitchen utensils tidy. If the angle of the knife block or the position of a cup is even slightly off, I'll kick you out of this house immediately."

What a stubborn, nasty guy.

Actually, I know.

The reason he refuses to work is that he has an enormous amount of wealth held under aliases in the human world, and he's doing this on purpose so he doesn't have to give me a single cent.

I know his scheme: he wants me to be unable to leave him for financial reasons and eventually give in to his embrace and rely on him.

Most of all, it was his pride that was so stubborn.

And whenever I instinctively avoided him or tried to keep my distance because he was a 'demon', he would get so twisted inside that he would torment me with all sorts of sniping and harmless spite. Just like right now.

"Why are you watching from so far away? Are you worried I'll eat you up in an instant like a real demon?"

Niles leaned deep into his chair and laughed slyly.

It was a relaxed gesture and smooth speech, but in his purple eyes that held me trapped, there was a deep, dark obsession, possessiveness, and a precarious disappointment he couldn't quite hide.

He slowly leaned forward toward my ear.

The smoky scent characteristic of a demon, mixed with expensive perfume and a faint smell of fire, pierced my nose sharply.

"Don't worry, Master. Eating you is the very, very last step. For now... I'll just finish ruining that grand love life of yours."

His low voice tickled my ear, sending a chilling thrill through me.

My precarious and sweet cohabitation with this insufferably sly, perfect, and arrogant demon, who is determined to eventually take all of me into his hands, began again today.