The Door of My Bathroom Leads to the Comic World!

Emi turned around, puzzled, and when she saw Sui standing behind her, she was immediately startled.

"Demon Lord, it's you?!"

She quickly grabbed a pair of chopsticks in one hand and a soup spoon in the other, instinctively assuming a defensive stance, her face serious and focused.

The nearby diners exchanged concerned glances, as if questioning her mental state.

She's so pretty, but why is she acting so childish? they seemed to wonder.

Sui, speechless, hadn't expected to run into this overly serious heroine here.

"Miss, could you please return the cutlery?" a young man with dark blue-black hair coughed politely, trying to diffuse the situation.

"Huh? Oh, sorry!" Emi quickly realized the attention she was drawing. Her cheeks flushed, and she awkwardly handed the utensils back to the boy.

"I mean, come on, you don't have to go to such extremes. How are you going to be satisfied just eating rice without grilling any meat?" Sui asked helplessly, feeling a pang of sympathy for the heroine's seemingly pitiful life.

Emi's face burned with embarrassment, but she refused to lose her pride in front of the Demon Lord. She gritted her teeth and retorted, "What's wrong with skipping the meat in a yakiniku set meal? Do you even understand the struggles of a part-timer? Is rent free? Are utilities free? You can eat a yakiniku meal without the meat and still survive!"

This bold declaration struck the boy next to them like a bolt of lightning. He exclaimed excitedly, "She's absolutely right! And sir, if you think a barbecue set without barbecue is just rice, you're mistaken! For two hundred yen less, you still get unlimited pickles, miso soup, and water!"

"See?" Emi laughed, glancing at Sui triumphantly.

Sui stared at the two of them, at a loss for words.

"Miss, it seems we're facing the same struggle. Let me share some tips with you," the boy said, beaming confidently. "Like which ramen shop serves char siu ramen without the char siu, or which sushi spot offers sashimi sushi without the sashimi."

"Really? Thanks, I could definitely use that right now." Emi nodded gratefully, her gaze turning cold toward Sui. "See? Even if someone's broke, they can still uphold their dignity and self-reliance."

"Nothing like meeting a kindred spirit," the boy added with a smile.

The two of them exchanged knowing glances, and the sense of mutual admiration between them grew stronger.

"Actually," Sui interrupted, "you could come work at my shop. We're fully staffed, but if you're interested, I can offer 8,000 yen an hour."

The room fell silent.

After a moment's pause, Emi, who had been so stubborn just a moment ago, hesitated. Her gaze wavered as she blushed, now avoiding eye contact. "Well, if it's really 8,000 yen… I might consider it…"

Though it felt shameful to work under the Demon Lord, the pay was too tempting to ignore.

It seemed even the proud hero was starting to give in to the harsh realities of a world ruled by money.

With a sudden thud, the boy dropped to his knees in front of Sui, his face full of excitement. "Please! Is that hourly wage really 8,000 yen? If this lady isn't interested, I'll gladly take the job! I'm willing to do any kind of hard work!"

"To be honest, my name is Uesugi Fuutarou, and my family is in serious debt. I'm begging you!"

Emi and Fuutarou exchanged glares, cold lightning flashing between them. Their brief friendship shattered instantly.

"I've never seen someone as shameless as you!" Emi growled, her teeth clenched in frustration at how quickly he had abandoned his dignity for money.

"Well, haha, I can't help it. I've been looking for part-time work," Fuutarou scratched his head awkwardly. "I tried applying for a tutoring gig, but someone else beat me to it. Seems like the other candidate was a really talented girl from a private school."

Talented girl? Tutor?

Sui felt like he'd heard this story before. Could this guy have applied for the same job as Utaha?

Though Sui felt a bit of sympathy, he replied, "Sorry, but my restaurant only hires female waitstaff. I'll let you know if there's ever an opening."

"Really? Thank you!" Fuutarou nodded gratefully, picking up his food before heading out.

"That guy's completely shameless!" Emi fumed, stomping her foot in frustration as she watched him leave.

Sui glanced at her with exasperation. Weren't you two just getting along? How did your friendship collapse so fast?

"So… would you like to work at my restaurant?" Sui asked, turning to Emi. "It seems like you're struggling."

"This… this is basically a betrayal of the world, but…" Emi stammered, nervously fidgeting with her hands. Her face turned so red it looked like blood might start dripping from her cheeks, and sweat trickled down her brow. Each word seemed to take all the strength she had.

"If… if it's possible, I… I'm not against it…"

By the end, her voice was barely audible.

Sui looked at her helplessly, but nodded. "Got it. You can start whenever you're ready."

"Thank you," she whispered in relief, a strand of hair flopping down as if in resignation.

'Have I really surrendered to the Demon Lord?' At that moment, Emi felt her faith completely crumble.

Watching her resigned expression, Sui massaged his temples in exasperation. 'Why does this feel like I'm some demon who just succeeded in forcing a girl to sell her soul?'

At that moment, Sui noticed a girl standing by the entrance, wearing black stockings and headphones draped around her neck. When their eyes met, she quickly ducked out of sight, but a few moments later, she peeked back in, only half her face visible.