Chaos's Daughter: Sweet But Psycho

By lunch time, Hespera was tempted to use her [Eternal Pyre] ability and set the whole school ablaze, her with it. 

This school was testing her patience.

It wasn't that anyone had done anything particularly offensive (except the perverted trio, who still weren't smart enough to learn their lesson). It was just… everything.

The mindless chatter.

The inane gossip.

The suffocating normalcy.

She could already feel herself wilting from the sheer boredom.

Did humans really live like this every day?

How utterly miserable.

Hespera exhaled, rolling her lollipop between her teeth, fighting the urge to snap and turn the school into a magnificent funeral pyre.

A single, lazy flick of her wrist, and Kuoh Academy would burn like a festival lantern, glowing against the midday sun.

Her, dancing in the flames of her own making. Her lips curled. It was so very tempting.

"But no. Not yet. I need to go through at least a day. I wouldn't hear the endless 'I told you so's, from Uncle Red and mom." 

And besides—that would be too easy.

No, she wanted to break the monotony in a more creative way.

And so, instead of setting the school ablaze, she lazily twirled her lollipop, sighing dramatically as she sauntered toward the cafeteria.

If she was going to suffer, she might as well do it with some food in her stomach. "I've been told in my last life, that I'm insufferable when hangry."

The moment Hespera stepped into the cafeteria, the air shifted.

Just like that morning, people paused, their conversations briefly hitching before quickly continuing—though now, there was an undeniable buzz.

She could feel the stares.

Some curious.

Some admiring.

Some nervous.

And some, of course, blatantly staring at her chest like idiots.

Oh, would you look at that? The perverted trio hadn't learned their lesson.

Hespera sighed, tapping the lollipop against her bottom lip.

She considered simply obliterating them from existence, but where was the fun in that?

No, no. Suffering was far more entertaining.

With a slow, deliberate flick of her fingers, she let a barely noticeable pulse of [Nihility] slip into the air, directed only at them.

Instantly, Issei, Motohama, and Matsuda went stiff.

Their stomachs twisted.

The food on their trays suddenly looked like rotting sludge.

The air around them turned suffocating.

Every bite they tried to take felt wrong, tasted off—as if it were crawling, writhing, decaying inside their mouths.

The color drained from their faces.

They didn't know why they suddenly felt like vomiting.

But they did.

Hespera smiled, satisfied, as the three fools abandoned their trays and practically fled the cafeteria.

Problem solved.

Now, to find a seat.

She scanned the room, taking in the various factions that had begun to subtly form around her.

1. The Admiration Group – Mostly girls. Whispering, blushing, watching her like she was some celebrity.

2. The Intimidated Observers – Students who avoided eye contact but couldn't stop sneaking glances.

3. The 'Should I Talk to Her?' Idiots – A handful of students who were obviously debating whether they should approach.

4. The Opportunists – A few males who thought they could charm her. (They were wrong.)

Not seeing any good options, she turned and left the cafeteria. It was time properly introduce herself to the resident devils.

The old school building stood at the edge of campus, slightly secluded from the rest of the academy.

Hespera took her time, walking up the stone steps, her fingers trailing lightly against the ancient wood of the door before pushing it open without knocking.

She stepped inside, letting the door swing shut behind her, the soft click of the latch echoing through the space.

The air here was different.

Thicker. Heavier. Saturated with the unmistakable scent of devil magic.

The clubroom itself was lavish, a mix of Victorian elegance and supernatural decadence.

A grand circular table sat in the center, surrounded by plush chairs. Red velvet curtains lined the windows, blocking out most of the natural light, instead letting the glow of ornate candelabras set the mood.

A faint scent of tea and something sweet lingered in the air, mingling with the undercurrent of something far older, far darker.

Hespera exhaled, tilting her head slightly.

"Cozy."

She barely took two steps forward before she felt it.

A presence. No, multiple presences.

Her gaze flicked across the room, immediately meeting a pair of sharp, intelligent blue eyes.

Rias Gremory.

Seated like a queen on her throne, the crimson-haired Devil watched her carefully, her lips curved into a polite yet calculating smile.

Standing beside her, ever the perfect attendant, was Akeno Himejima, her usual teasing expression in place, but her dark violet eyes holding an undercurrent of curiosity.

Across from them, leaning against the far wall, was Kiba Yuuto, his ever-present charming smile in place, though Hespera could tell he was analyzing her every movement.

And finally, near the corner, seated on the armrest of a couch, munching on a snack, was the tiny powerhouse herself—Koneko Toujou.

The air was charged.

The moment was tense.

Then, Hespera did what she did best.

She smiled.

"Oh? No welcome party? How rude~"

Rias chuckled, leaning forward slightly.

"We weren't expecting you so soon." Or at all!

Hespera hummed, taking a slow step closer, completely unfazed by the tension.

She let her gaze drift across them, assessing, measuring—letting them feel the weight of her presence without fully unleashing it.

Then she grinned, sharp and playful.

"I figured it was time we properly met. After all…" She twirled the black and gold invitation between her fingers, then tossed it onto the table with a flick of her wrist.

"You did invite me, didn't you?"

Akeno smiled, her amusement deepening.

"My, my~ So eager. I like that."

Kiba let out a small chuckle. "Not many people would walk in without knocking first."

Koneko swallowed the last bite of her snack and simply muttered, "Suspicious."

Hespera laughed.

"I was getting bored, you see. It was either quench my curiosity with the locals or... burn this whole place down. Luckily for you all, I hate losing."

The moment Hespera's words left her lips, the air turned tense, charged, thick with something unspoken—an uninvited presence slithering into the space between them.

For a brief moment, there was no reaction.

Then—

A soft chuckle.

Akeno tilted her head, dark violet eyes glittering with intrigue.

"Ara~ Now that's quite the choice~" she purred, her usual teasing lilt in place, but Hespera didn't miss the flicker of something deeper beneath the amusement.

Something cautious.

Hespera grinned, letting the candy in her mouth click softly against her teeth.

"Oh? Did I scare you?"

Akeno's smile widened.

"Not at all~" 

Hespera's eyes sparkled with amusement. She just sensed a lie from those pouty lips. 'Strike one, little neice.'

Rias exhaled through her nose, amusement and calculation warring in her crimson gaze.

"You certainly don't hold back, do you?"

Hespera rolled her lollipop between her fingers, pretending to think about it.

"Mm~ No, not really. Holding back is boring." She tilted her head slightly, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. "And I do hate being bored. Someone once told me, that nothing is more meaningless than doing something that doesn't give you entertainment. I live by those wise words."

Kiba let out a breath of laughter, shaking his head. "You certainly know how to livin up a room."

Koneko, however, was still staring at her, chewing thoughtfully on another snack.

Hespera caught her gaze.

Sharp. Measuring. Suspicious.

Oh, how cute.

She winked at the petite nekomata, causing the slightest twitch of Koneko's brow.

Interesting.

The little kitten didn't like her.

Good. That made things much more entertaining.

Rias finally gestured toward an open chair.

"Well, now that you're here, I suppose we should formally welcome you."

Hespera smirked, walking toward the seat without hesitation.

She moved like she belonged there, like she was the one accepting them rather than the other way around.

As she slid into the chair, crossing one leg over the other, she rested her chin on her hand, eyes gleaming with lazy amusement.

"So," she mused, her tone light, mocking in a way that was just subtle enough to be playful but obvious enough to be noticed.

"How long are we going to pretend you didn't invite me here just to find out what I am?"

The air stilled.

A beat of silence.

Then—

Rias smiled.

"Straight to the point. I respect that."

Hespera giggled, low and sweet, but her eyes flashed with something that wasn't quite sane. 'Strike two, princess.'

"Well, I figured you devils would appreciate it. We all have better things to do than play polite games, don't we?"

Akeno exhaled, her smile turning almost hungry.

"Oh, I like her."

Hespera leaned back, lazily twirling the lollipop stick between her fingers.

"Naturally~ I am very likable."

Rias chuckled, but her gaze remained sharp.

"Then why don't we get to know you better?" she offered, voice smooth, diplomatic.

Hespera sighed dramatically, rolling her head back.

"Ugh, that sounds like effort." She grinned. "Why don't you all tell me what you already think I am, and I'll tell you how close you are?"

A challenge.

The room stirred, subtle but undeniable.

Hespera could practically feel their intrigue deepen.

Let's see how sharp these little devils really were. 'I shouldn't get my hopes up, though.'

Rias studied her carefully, the flickering candlelight reflecting in her crimson gaze.

Akeno remained amused, but her posture had subtly shifted—more engaged, more interested.

Kiba still wore that charming, polite mask, but Hespera could tell he was observing her every move, analyzing her like a chess piece on a board.

Koneko, however, was the most honest. She simply stared at her, snack forgotten in her hand, her aura coiled tight like she was waiting for Hespera to do something… unnatural.

How adorable.

Rias finally leaned forward, resting her hands on the table, her expression calm, composed, unreadable.

"Very well," she said smoothly. "Let's play your game."

Hespera smirked.

Oh, this was going to be fun.

Rias met her gaze. "You're powerful. That much is obvious."

Hespera rested her chin on her palm, smirking.

"Flatter me more, why don't you?"

Rias smiled but didn't take the bait.

"You don't feel like a devil," she continued. "There's no demonic energy in you."

Hespera twirled her lollipop between her fingers. "Mmm… not wrong so far."

"You're not an angel either," Rias added, tilting her head slightly. "Not a fallen one, at least."

Akeno chuckled. "She doesn't have that… holy energy. If anything, she feels the opposite."

Hespera giggled softly, sweet and eerie all at once. 'Wrong~ I'm still classified as an angel. I even have my holy essence since I, technically, never fell. Still... can't have them thinking they got one.'

"Oh, darling, that's because I have nothing holy left in me~" 'That's technically not a lie.'

Akeno's lips curled into a sly smirk, but she said nothing.

Kiba hummed. "Your presence is… different. It's not just strong. It's wrong. Like it doesn't belong in this world."

Hespera grinned, delighted.

"Ooooh, getting warmer."

Koneko finally spoke.

"You feel like nothing," she said simply.

Everyone turned to her.

Hespera tilted her head, curious.

Koneko wasn't looking at her anymore—she was staring past her, as if trying to pinpoint something that wasn't there.

"You feel like an abyss," she muttered. "Like… if I reach out, I won't touch anything at all."

Hespera's smile grew wider.

"Oya~" she purred. "A sharp little kitten, aren't you?"

Koneko finally looked up at her, golden eyes narrowing slightly.

"You're dangerous," she said bluntly.

Hespera giggled, tapping her lollipop against her teeth.

"Why, thank you, kitten~ That's the nicest thing anyone's said to me all day~"

Kiba leaned forward slightly, his usual smile still in place.

"If you don't mind me asking point blank…" His voice was casual, light. "What exactly are you?"

Hespera exhaled dramatically, stretching her arms above her head.

"Ah, now that's the real question, isn't it?"

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on the table, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

"But wouldn't it be more fun if you figured it out yourselves~?"

Rias raised an eyebrow. "You want us to figure it out on our own?"

Hespera grinned.

"Oh, absolutely."

She tilted her head, her silver hair cascading over one shoulder, her voice dropping to a teasing murmur.

"What's the point of a mystery if you solve it too fast, hmm?"

The room stilled.

Akeno smirked, her eyes glinting with newfound excitement.

"My, my~ She really is playing with us."

Koneko tch'd under her breath. "Annoying."

Kiba chuckled. "She's enjoying this too much."

Rias watched her for a long moment, her gaze unreadable.

Then, finally, she leaned back, crossing one leg over the other.

"Alright," she said smoothly. "We'll play."

Hespera smirked, pleased.

"Good choice, Princess~"

The conversation moved forward, but the energy in the room had changed.

Before, Rias and her peerage had curiosity.

Now, they had caution.

Hespera could see it—the way Kiba's fingers tapped lightly against the table in thought, the way Akeno's body language had shifted, the way Koneko hadn't touched her snack since the conversation started.

Even Rias, for all her elegance and charisma, had her guard raised ever so slightly.

They weren't afraid of her.

Not yet.

But they were wary.

Wary that she wasn't someone they could easily read.

Wary that she wasn't someone they could control.

And Hespera loved it.

She finished off her lollipop, letting the stick click against the table as she placed it down.

Then, standing up, she stretched, letting her body move with the slow grace of a feline.

"Well, as fun as this was, I think I've had my fill of being poked and prodded today~" she mused, placing a hand on her hip. "Wouldn't want you all to get too obsessed with me so soon."

Akeno chuckled. "How considerate."

Hespera winked. "I'm a very giving person~"

Rias, still watching her closely, nodded.

"You're welcome here anytime, Hespera," she said smoothly. "Our doors are open."

Hespera's lips curled into a slow, knowing smile.

"Oh, I'm sure they are."

She turned on her heel, walking toward the door, but just before stepping out—

She stopped.

"Ah, before I go—"

Hespera disappeared from where she was standing and appeared right infront of Akeno. The others were too slow to react.

Kiba's body tensed, his charming mask cracking as his muscles coiled, ready to strike.

Koneko's pupils contracted, her fingers twitching toward her sleeve, where she likely hid some form of protection.

Rias' crimson gaze darkened, her lips parting slightly—not in shock, but in the split-second calculation of what the hell just happened.

Hespera grabbed the half-blood devil by the chin and pulled her towards her so she could whisper in her ear. "Here's a little hint just for you~"

Akeno's breath hitched ever so slightly as Hespera leaned in, her voice silken, teasing, but carrying something deeper—something far more dangerous.

"It was nice meeting my little niece. How's little Baraqiel doing these days?"