Demon Wife Episode 2 | The 30,000 Yen Survivor

"Here, your 30,000 yen allowance for this month."

With that,
my demon wife hands me an envelope with an expressionless face.

Inside is exactly 30,000 yen.
The fact that the corners of the bills are so crisp
is somehow infuriating.

My salary goes into my account.
However, the management rights belong to my demon wife.

I don't even know the password for the household budget app.
My wife's fingertips
know more about our bank balance than my own fingerprints do.

"30,000 yen is enough, right?"

True, I suppose—
I have lunch at the company cafeteria, a commuter pass for work,
and I only drink on weekends.

But,
if I have back-to-back drinking parties with colleagues, I'm instantly in the red.

From my wallet,
my future crumbles with a sound.

Last month was a tragedy.

I used too much mobile data, so 5,000 yen was deducted.
Along with that, my Netflix subscription cost me 1,590 yen.

Remaining, effectively 23,410 yen.

From the start of the month,
my life enters hard mode.

Every time I pick up a canned coffee at the convenience store,
a calculator rings in my head.

"27 days left. 23,410 yen remaining."

Ah, four weeks of hell. (lol)

But it's strange;
because I have that 30,000 yen (or 23,410 yen, to be precise),
I feel like I can work hard every month.

The weight of that envelope the moment I receive it.
What's packed inside
isn't just money.

Perhaps—
it's the balance of our family's life, and our trust.

One day, I gathered the courage to say it.

"Could you increase it just a little bit?"

My demon wife narrowed her eyes for a split second and said this.

……Yes, total defeat.

This month, the contents of the envelope remain 30,000 yen.
To be precise, 23,410 yen (lol).

But,
I feel like my spirits have been lifted just a little.

Long live the demon wife.
My life,
is surely supported by this envelope.