When everyone arrived at the Occult Research Club room, they expected to find the Vice President in her usual demeanor—elegant, mysterious, perhaps even a little sadistic. But what they saw made time stop for a moment.
On the couch, Antares was lying peacefully in Akeno's lap.
Not just lying, but completely surrendered.
His breathing was slow and heavy, his body relaxed as if he had passed out from exhaustion. His messy hair covered part of his face, and the most surprising part was that Akeno was calmly stroking him.
Her delicate nails traced lazy circles across his scalp, as if she were caring for an extremely rare and precious pet.
And the most unbelievable thing?
She seemed to be enjoying it.
Akeno's expression was one of pure satisfaction, with a serene smile and closed eyes, as if she were savoring the moment.
Absolute silence.
The entire group froze at the entrance.
Rias was the first to react, blinking slowly, trying to process what she was seeing. "Wait... Ise? Akeno??"
Koneko frowned, clearly irritated by the scene, while Yuuto let out a low chuckle, bringing a hand to his chin.
"Akeno... what exactly are you doing?" Rias finally asked, crossing her arms.
Akeno opened one eye, mischievously. "Fufu~ What does it look like I'm doing, Rias?" She made sure to continue running her fingers through his hair, as if to tease them even more.
"He was so exhausted when he arrived... how could I ignore him? He threw himself onto my chest, panting, and used them as a pillow." She smiled as she played with his hair.
"Hmmm..." Antares let out an incomprehensible sound, still buried in her breasts. His body refused to move. His mind was in such a deep state of drowsiness that not even the shock of being caught fully woke him up.
Rias sighed, massaging her temple. "He must've thought being a pawn was bad and trained himself to death before coming here..."
"Oh my~ It seems so. I think he's working quite hard..." Akeno responded, tilting slightly to get a better look at Antares' face. "And honestly, he looks adorable like this, don't you think?"
Koneko's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Let go of him."
Akeno chuckled without moving. "Ah, Koneko-chan... are you jealous? I thought you didn't care... well, you did let him sleep on your shoulder if I remember correctly... maybe you—"
"Let. Him. Go." Koneko repeated. Her golden eyes gleamed.
The tension in the air became palpable.
Even so, Akeno showed not the slightest intention of complying. On the contrary, she continued stroking his hair, her fingers slowly running through it as she smiled playfully at the smaller girl.
Sensing that a war could break out at any moment, Yuuto decided to step in.
"Well, if he trained so much that he passed out like this, I think he at least deserves some rest, right?"
Koneko shot him a glare.
Rias just sighed again, shaking her head.
"Anyway, Akeno, stop provoking them. Let's wake him up."
Akeno pouted slightly, pretending to be disappointed.
"What a shame... I was enjoying this so much..." Then, without warning, she slid a finger down Antares' chest and released a small electric shock.
ZZZT!
"WHAT—?!"
Antares jolted awake instantly, his eyes snapping open as a shiver ran down his spine.
He shot up so fast that he almost fell off the couch. "WHAT THE HELL?!"
Akeno just smiled, barely holding back a giggle. "Fufu~ Awake now?"
Antares blinked, still disoriented, before finally realizing that everyone in the room was staring at him.
Koneko's expression was cold.
Akeno looked way too happy.
Yuuto seemed to be enjoying himself.
And Rias?
Rias had an unreadable expression.
Antares processed the situation, then looked at Akeno, who was still smiling mischievously.
Then he realized.
He had slept on her lap.
He had spent several minutes receiving head pats from her.
In front of everyone.
The embarrassment was instant.
"...Shit."
Akeno, of course, loved his reaction.
"Oh, don't worry so much, Ise-kun~ I absolutely loved taking care of you. Please… keep passing out from training in my lap…"
Antares gritted his teeth. This woman…!
But deep down, he knew.
Even if he wouldn't admit it out loud…
That nap was the best thing in the world.
CLAP!
Rias clapped her hands, drawing everyone's attention. Her sharp gaze swept across the room, and her voice carried a tone of impatience.
"You all have class, you know?" The command was direct.
Yuuto smiled slightly, already getting ready to leave. Koneko muttered something inaudible, still clearly irritated by what she had just witnessed.
Antares, on the other hand, yawned, stretching his arms as if the entire world was nothing but an inconvenience in his existence.
"Yeah, yeah… I'm leaving." He walked out at his own pace, with Yuuto and Koneko following close behind.
However… Rias didn't move.
Her blue eyes locked onto Akeno.
The Vice President maintained her usual smile, tilting her head slightly as if nothing had happened.
Rias wasn't convinced for even a second.
"What was that?" Her voice carried nervousness, and perhaps a hint of something deeper.
Akeno blinked slowly, keeping her composure. "What do you mean, Rias?"
"Don't play innocent." The redhead crossed her arms, pressing her lips together. "Since when do you treat new members like that? Since when do you let someone just sleep on your lap?"
Akeno finally opened her eyes, a mischievous glint appearing in them. "Fufu~ Since when is it forbidden to be kind?"
Rias frowned. "Don't mess with me, Akeno. You've never been the type to get close to others without a reason."
Akeno chuckled softly. "Oh, so that's it?" She stepped forward, invading Rias' personal space. "Or are you worried for another reason?"
The redhead didn't back down. "...What are you implying?"
Akeno's smile grew, her eyes filled with amusement. "I saw the way you looked at him."
Rias blinked, momentarily surprised. "Don't be ridiculous."
"Fufu~ Am I wrong?" Akeno took a step to the side, spinning on her heels and returning to her relaxed posture. "Well… it doesn't really matter. In the end, he's still your Pawn, isn't he?"
The Vice President walked gracefully toward the exit, but just before stepping through the door, she cast one last glance over her shoulder.
"But I must admit…" Her smile turned even more teasing. "He sleeps very well."
Rias' voice cut through the silence in the room. "Akeno."
The Vice President stopped near the doorway, her steps halting with elegance. For a moment, she didn't turn around.
Rias took a deep breath. "Please, tell me."
Akeno finally turned, a mysterious smile playing on her lips. Her gaze met Rias', but this time, it wasn't just playful.
There was truth in it.
"We both know what it's like to be rejected and treated like a child, don't we?" Akeno said softly.
Her eyes, deep and intense, never left Rias'. The redhead opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out.
Because she knew.
Akeno continued. "Just as you seek someone who sees you as Rias, without the titles surrounding you..." She took a step forward. "I seek someone who will accept me completely, without fear or prejudice."
Rias held her breath.
She didn't want to admit it.
But it was true.
They knew each other well enough to understand without needing explanations.
Rias, as the heiress of the Gremory family, had always been seen for her status, her name, her responsibilities. How many people actually saw her for who she truly was?
Akeno… was the same.
A girl who had learned to hide her scars behind a seductive smile and melancholic laughter. And now, looking into those shining violet eyes, Rias realized that mask didn't exist in this moment.
"If I find someone like that…" Akeno's voice dropped just a tone, but the weight of those words was immeasurable.
"Especially someone who doesn't care about our world at all… like him."
She smiled, but this time, it wasn't a playful smile. "Then I'll simply let myself fall."
Her eyes gleamed with a deep, intense shade of purple—like a promise.
And Rias understood.
Akeno was telling the truth.
No tricks.
No teasing.
Nothing hidden.
In that conversation…
Rias had no power to speak.
*
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