Chaos's Daughter: Sweet But Psycho

Akeno's entire body went rigid.

The room shattered into absolute stillness.

And for the first time in a very, very long time—

Akeno's smile disappeared.

It was cold, sharp, and deadly.

Hespera felt a sudden thrill when looking into those eyes.

The sudden, violent crackle of lightning in the air only enhanced that feeling.

The faint scent of ozone as Akeno's power surged, coiling like a viper ready to strike.

Just a split second. A moment of tension so thick it could choke the air from the lungs of anyone in the room. Well... everyone besides a certain psychopath.

Hespera watched, her eyes never leaving the cold, estranged eyes before her, as Akeno slowly and softly smiled.

It was no longer the teasing, flirtatious expression she always wore.

No, it was cold, not reaching her eyes.

"...My, my~" Her voice was silk over steel. It made Hespera shiver in delight.

"What an interesting thing to say."

Her fingertips twitched, just barely, as if she was resisting the urge to summon lightning right then and there.

Hespera giggled, her lips brushing just barely against Akeno's ear before pulling away, releasing her chin as if she had never touched her in the first place.

Then, she twirled away, her silver-streaked hair catching the candlelight, her movement effortless, unbothered.

"Well that certainly was fun. Can't wait to see more of that look~"

She sent Rias a final, lazy smirk.

"Till next time," she taunted, as she casually strolled out of the room as if she hadn't just thrown a metaphorical grenade into the middle of the Occult Research Club.

The door shut behind her with a soft click.

Leaving behind an electrified silence.

~☆~

Nobody spoke for a long moment.

Akeno's smile remained, but her fingers curled tightly against her lap, her usually perfect posture tense.

The others knew something occurred between her and Hespera Eveningstar. Whatever the new girl whispered to her, affected Akeno strongly.

But they wouldn't pry. They had their own secrets afterall.

Koneko finally muttered, breaking the tension. "She's annoying." But her ears were facing forward and close together, betraying her interest.

Kiba's eyes narrowed, shifting to Rias. "Hespera Eveningstar is too unpredictable to try to create a close connection."

Rias exhaled slowly, her expression unreadable.

"I still want to try. There's too many benefits riding on this."

Akeno…Akeno said nothing. Her nails pressed into her palms, her eyes flickering with something dark.

Questions kept flooding her thoughts.

How? How did she know? And more importantly—

What else did she know?

'How's little Baraqiel doing these days?' Remembering her words brought the anger back to the surface. Her nails pressed into her palms, her eyes flickering with something dark. 

Rias exhaled, running a hand through her crimson locks, finally breaking the tension.

"As… intriguing as Hespera Eveningstar is, we can't focus on her alone."

Rias's words brought Akeno out of her thoughts. She forced a smile upon her face but it was too sharp, too smooth, a mask carefully put back in place.

"My, my~ Are you saying we should ignore such an... interesting girl?"

Rias gave her a look, clearly not buying the fescade, but decided to ignore it. For now.

"She's not our immediate concern."

Kiba leaned back against the couch, arms crossed. "Then what is?"

Rias closed her eyes for a brief moment before opening them, her expression shifting into something more serious.

"Issei Hyoudou."

Akeno raised an eyebrow, her smirk tilting. "The 1st year?"

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

Kiba, however, immediately understood what Rias was getting at. His brows furrowed slightly.

"You think he's more than he seems?"

Rias nodded. "More than likely."

She folded her hands in front of her, resting her elbows on the table.

"We've always known Kuoh Academy wasn't just an ordinary school, even if most of its students are mundane humans. But…" Her eyes darkened. "I can't ignore the strange pressure I felt from Hyoudou earlier today."

Akeno's amusement faded slightly, curiosity flickering in her gaze.

"Oh? Did our little pervert give off an aura we weren't expecting?"

"It wasn't his aura, exactly," Rias murmured. "It was something inside him."

Kiba frowned slightly. "A Sacred Gear?"

Rias nodded.

"Possibly. And if it's strong enough for me to sense it even while suppressed, then it's not just any Sacred Gear."

The room grew still for a moment.

Akeno gently traced her fingers over the table, her mind working through the possibilities.

"Hmm~ Now that's interesting," she mused. "A weak, pathetic pervert who just so happens to be carrying something powerful inside him? How ironic~"

Koneko, still unimpressed, muttered, "Still gross."

Rias ignored her.

"It's too early to confirm anything, but…" She sighed. "If Hyoudou does have a powerful Sacred Gear, then we need to keep an eye on him."

Kiba exhaled, looking thoughtful.

"If it's one of the stronger types, then he'll likely attract unwanted attention before long."

Rias nodded. "Which is exactly why we should determine what it is before someone else does."

Akeno's smirk widened, a glint of mischief returning to her eyes.

"Oh my~ Does this mean we'll have to keep our dear junior close? He'll probably think he's finally getting his harem dream."

Rias rolled her eyes. "He can think whatever he wants. What matters is that we confirm what's hidden inside him before anyone else makes a move."

Kiba leaned forward slightly.

"Do you want me to test him?"

Rias shook her head. "Not yet. We'll observe first. If he's aware of his Sacred Gear, he's hiding it well. If he's unaware…" She trailed off.

Akeno chuckled. "Then we'll have to give him a little push, won't we?"

Rias smirked slightly. "Exactly."

Koneko finally finished her snack, licking the last crumbs off her fingers.

"So," she muttered, "We have to watch the pervert."

"More or less," Rias confirmed.

Koneko sighed, slouching slightly.

"...Annoying."

Akeno giggled. "Oh, Koneko-chan~ You might just end up liking him."

Koneko deadpanned.

"Never."

Kiba chuckled. "Well, this should be interesting."

Rias leaned back, crossing her legs, a thoughtful look settling over her.

"First Hespera. Now Hyoudou."

She sighed, rubbing her temple lightly.

"This school is starting to become far more chaotic than I expected."

~☆~

Hespera's mind was currently occupied with fantasies of the 'little party' she's planning to have with the three boys. The three boys who were still ogling her while talking lewd shit about her body. The more she heard the harder it was keeping her psychopathic tendencies in check.

Her fingers tapped idly against her desk, a slow, methodical rhythm—each tap marking another second closer to the end of the school day.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Her heterochromatic eyes, glowing faintly, flicked toward the front of the room, then back to the three idiots still ogling her from across the class.

Issei Hyoudou.

Motohama.

Matsuda.

The Perverted Trio.

They weren't even trying to be subtle.

Disgusting.

She could hear them.

Their hushed whispers, their snickers, the filthy words dripping from their lips like rotting honey.

"Dude, her tits are unreal. That's gotta be some kind of magic, right?"

"Who cares? She's hot as hell. I'd let her step on me."

"I bet she's the type to act all cold, but in bed? Oh man, imagine that voice moaning—"

CRACK.

Hespera's pen snapped in half, the sharp sound cutting through the classroom.

The teacher paused mid-sentence, blinking in confusion.

Some students turned toward her, startled.

Hespera, however, remained perfectly composed.

She simply lifted the broken halves of her pen, inspecting them with a blank expression before dropping them carelessly into her bag beside her desk.

Then, she leaned back, propping her chin on one hand, her smile slow and deliberate as she waited.

The Perverted Trio barely noticed the tension in the air.

Hespera checked the time. 'A few more minutes. Just a little longer, then I could finally play.'

Her blood was singing, her veins thrumming with anticipation.

'We're going to have so much fun~'

~☆~

The final bell rang, signaling the end of the school day.

Kuoh Academy's students poured out of their classrooms, some rushing to their clubs, others heading home, and a select few sticking around for other, more dubious reasons.

In an empty corridor, three familiar figures huddled together, voices hushed, yet brimming with excitement.

"Guys, I'm telling you, Hespera Eveningstar is the ultimate dream girl!" Issei hissed, his eyes practically glowing with enthusiasm.

Motohama, ever the numbers-obsessed pervert, adjusted his glasses with a smirk, the light reflecting off his lenses in a way that made him look even slimier than usual.

"She's got the perfect ratio, man. The holy trinity of curves, confidence, and mystery. And those bad girl vibes? She could tell me to die, and I'd thank her."

Matsuda snickered, nodding fervently. "Dude, the way she moves? It's like she doesn't just walk—she prowls. Like a freaking lioness!" He shuddered, clutching his chest dramatically. "So freaking hot."

Issei grinned, crossing his arms. "She's like a mix of a dominatrix, a cool anime protagonist, and a temptress straight out of a hentai. It's unreal."

Motohama pushed up his glasses, his expression turning analytical. "And let's not forget her eyes."

The other two nodded immediately.

Because how could anyone forget those eyes?

One a brilliant emerald, sharp and piercing.

The other a haunting amethyst, deep and unreadable.

Both of them glowing faintly, like something out of a dream—or a nightmare.

"Bro, I swear when she looks at you, it's like she's reading your soul," Matsuda muttered, rubbing his arms as if recalling the shivers she had given him earlier.

Issei laughed, nudging him with an elbow. "What, you scared?"

Matsuda scoffed, though he glanced over his shoulder—just to be sure she wasn't suddenly behind them.

"No way, man. I'm just saying, she's got that whole dangerous, 'I might kill you or make out with you' aura."

Issei grinned. "And tell me that's not the hottest thing ever."

Motohama nodded sagely, as if this was a scientific debate.

"Exactly. It's the fear factor. She's like a boss battle in a dating sim. She could ruin your life, and you'd still throw yourself at her feet."

Matsuda snorted. "Hell yeah. If I die, at least let it be between those thighs."

The three dissolved into laughter, high on their own stupidity, completely ignorant of the sheer depth of danger they were swimming in.

They should have been scared.

They should have run while they still could.

Because a few meters away, just out of sight, someone else was listening.

And she was ever so pleased to deliver on that death wish. Just not the way they want.