Hespera stretched, her body arching like a satisfied cat as she let out a soft hum of delight. The lingering scent of blood and death clung to the air, though it was quickly dissolving into the swirling abyss of her pocket dimension.
She rolled her shoulders, her silver hair cascading down her back in soft waves, streaks of violet, indigo, and green-blue shimmering faintly in the dim, ethereal glow of the realm around her.
With a slow, content sigh, she flopped backward onto the smooth, obsidian surface, her fingers idly tracing abstract patterns against the glassy floor.
"They were far more fun than I originally thought they'd be."
Her voice was dreamy, wistful, as though she were reminiscing about a fond memory rather than the brutal slaughter of three idiotic teenagers.
She giggled, rolling onto her side, her heterochromatic eyes gleaming with sadistic amusement.
"Especially that Issei boy. Aaah, just remembering his face when I plunged my hand into his chest…"
She sighed, clutching her own chest dramatically, as if reliving the sensation.
"The way his heart fluttered in my grasp, like a fragile little bird about to be crushed? Mmm, it brings me absolute joy."
She licked her lips, her fangs glinting slightly in the dim light.
There was something exquisite about watching the life drain from someone's eyes, about the way their soul clung desperately to existence, only to be ripped away so cruelly.
Ding!
A sudden chime echoed through her mind, breaking her moment of indulgence.
She blinked, sitting up as a black and gold notification screen flickered into existence before her.
The glowing text pulsed ominously, and the second she read the words.
Her grin widened.
---
[SYSTEM ALERT!]
For killing the Protagonist of this world, leading to upcoming Chaos in the future, you have been rewarded:
• Red Dragon Emperor of Domination, Ddraig – One of the Two Heavenly Dragons and the arch-rival of Albion. Currently resides within the Longinus, Boosted Gear.
• Title: [Protagonist Killer]
• Title: [Chaos Harbinger]
---
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, Hespera threw her head back and laughed. It was loud. Unrestrained. Unhinged.
The entire void shuddered in response, as though reality itself was quaking beneath her amusement.
She wrapped her arms around herself, rocking slightly, as if the pure joy coursing through her was too much to contain.
"Ohhh, this is delicious~" she purred, tilting her head with an ecstatic grin.
Her new titles pulsed within her system screen, glowing like a crown meant only for the truly wicked.
She ran a hand through her silver hair. Her gaze flicked to the twisting walls around her—the remnants of her domain, still pulsing with the echoes of violence, of screams that no longer existed.
She smirked. Time to clean up.
With a snap of her fingers, her System Interface hovered beside her, displaying its golden-etched command screen.
Standing tall, her tone dripped with finality.
"Core, return the mansion to its original decor. The party's done."
"Yes, Mistress."
A low hum reverberated through the space, as if the dimension itself acknowledged her command.
Then—
The shift began.
The once twisted, eldritch abyss that had swallowed the mansion shuddered, threads of crimson, obsidian, and silver light weaving themselves through the air, knitting reality back into place.
Walls snapped back into existence, their warped, ink-like texture solidifying into elegantly carved gothic stone.
The obsidian glass floor melted away, replaced with intricate marbled tiles, polished to perfection, reflecting the dim glow of the chandelier above.
The windows reappeared, but now—they showed the outside world again, the deepening twilight of Kuoh, as if nothing had happened.
The crimson lanterns flickered before dimming to their usual golden glow, casting warm, inviting light rather than the eerie, eldritch gleam from before.
The scent of blood and terror evaporated, replaced with the faint aroma of spiced vanilla and orchids.
The grand staircase—once twisted and stretched into infinity—settled into its original regal design, spiraling upward toward the lavish second-floor halls.
Hespera stood amidst the now pristine mansion, tilting her head slightly as she admired the flawless transition.
She brought her hands together in mock applause.
"Perfect. Almost like it never happened~ Good job Core."
"Thank you Mistress."
She turned on her heel, making her way toward the parlor, her steps slow, deliberate, relaxed.
She had work to do.
With Issei Hyoudou dead, the world's narrative had fractured.
"Now, let's see if I could feed a dragon to a spirit sword."
Hespera ascended the grand staircase, each step deliberate, the click of her heels echoing softly in the now pristine mansion.
Her fingers trailed idly along the smooth, polished banister as she reached the second floor, her mind already dancing with the next act of chaos she wanted to set into motion.
She turned down the long, candlelit hallway, the cream-colored carpets swallowing the sound of her steps as she neared her bedroom.
She stopped at Ophis's room that was next door and stuck her head in. The warm glow of candlelight cast long, flickering shadows along the walls of Ophis's room. The space was oddly tranquil, a stark contrast to the chaos that had transpired earlier in the night.
The decor was simple yet elegant—deep indigo curtains framed the large arched windows, offering a perfect view of the night sky. The walls were lined with towering bookshelves, filled with countless tomes of forgotten knowledge, their bindings worn yet well-kept.
At the center of the room, nestled in a plush black loveseat, sat Ophis.
She was curled up, legs tucked beneath her, a book resting in her delicate hands.
Despite her ageless existence, she looked almost… ordinary.
A beautiful woman appearing the age of her mid-twenties. She was barefoot, her long, silken black hair cascading around her like liquid night, pale fingers slowly flipping through the pages of her book.
The atmosphere was serene, yet the air around her still pulsed with that immense, infinite presence.
Leaning against the doorframe, Hespera tilted her head, amusement twinkling in her eyes.
"Busy, are we?"
Ophis didn't look up. "Reading," she replied simply, her voice soft, melodic, yet devoid of unnecessary emotion.
Hespera took a step inside, her arms crossing over her chest.
"Mm, reading what?"
Ophis finally flicked her violet gaze up, blinking once.
"A book."
Hespera rolled her eyes with a chuckle. "No shit, Mom. I can see that. What's it about?" 'Seriously, why is talking so difficult.'
Ophis held up the book for her to see. The cover made her smile. It displayed an elegantly illustrated dragon wearing a cooking apron and holding a plate of chicken.
"How To Cook For Your Teenage Kid," Hespera read aloud, chuckling lightly. 'Well that's certainly surprising. Never pegged her as the pedestrian type. How cute~'
Ophis gave a small nod. "Need to provide for my precious Silence."
Hespera's smile widened. "Ah, that's sweet, mom. Thanks." And she actually meant it too. Her mom in her last life almost burned the house down whenever she tried to cook anything.
Ophis merely blinked at her.
A long, calm silence stretched between them. The kind only two beings detached from mortal concerns could share.
Hespera finally spoke, tapping her fingers against her bottom lip. "Well, don't let me interrupt your thrilling adventure of culinary mastery. I just wanted to stop by and say I'm going to be experimenting with Noctis tonight."
Ophis tilted her head slightly. "Pandemonium Noctis."
A statement. Not a question.
"Mhm." Hespera hummed, stepping closer, resting a hip against a nearby desk. "She's been restless. Thought I'd give her something… nutritious."
Ophis stared at her for a long moment before slowly closing her book.
"Sacred gear."
Hespera's smirk didn't waver. "Ding, ding. You got it."
Ophis regarded her in silence, her endless violet gaze unreadable, like she was peering through countless futures, weighing their outcomes.
She nodded. "Do as you wish."
Hespera snorted. "Oh, you know I will."
A beat of silence. Then she said, "Don't break the fabric of reality."
Hespera burst into laughter. "No promises~"
Ophis stared at her for a moment longer, then simply reopened her book. "Then fix it if you do."
Hespera chuckled, pushing herself off the desk. "Naturally."
With a lazy wave, she turned toward the door, her smirk lingering. "Enjoy your book, Mom~"
Ophis didn't reply. At least not verbally.
But as Hespera stepped out, she heard the faintest whisper of a reply, softer than the turning page of a book.
"…Don't get consumed."
Hespera paused, a flicker of something unreadable flashing through her heterochromatic eyes. Then she grinned, stepping into the hallway.
"That's not even remotely possible." With that, she shut the door behind her. And continued toward her bedroom.
Hespera walked down the dimly lit hallway, her steps unhurried, her mind alive with anticipation. 'My cutie is going to be so happy with her little treat.'
After she consumed the memory candy and gained her memories back, she went through her spacial ring after settling in. She found all her purchases and her cute katana. The moment she took Noctis out of the spacial ring, the sword started to cry! Saying, she thought Mistress had abandoned her. Guh, you poor thing~ It some time for her to calm the spirit sword. Head pats were really the all time ultimate move.
With a flick of her wrist, the heavy doors to her bedroom swung open effortlessly. She strolled in, heading to her vanity dresser where her jewelry box was. The damn thing was actually shaking.
A slow, lazy grin spread across Hespera's lips. "Impatient, aren't we," she purred, stepping forward, her fingers tracing along the surface of the trembling jewelry box.
With a flick of her wrist, she flipped open the lid. Inside was a beautiful ring of delicate woven strands of blackened silver, laced with veins of shimmering amethyst and deep amber, pulsating like a slow, steady heartbeat.
Tiny fractals of violet light refracted within the embedded crystals.
Hespera lifted it gently between two fingers, watching as the light bent around it, as though reality itself was struggling to fully comprehend its existence.
"I really do have wonderful taste in jewelry." Puting it on her left middle finger (smirks and giggles), she transferred some mana into the spacial ring, allowing her to know what was inside. The amount of space inside was as large as a football field, so she could put in quite a bit.
She let out an appreciative hum, her thumb idly tracing along the smooth metal of the ring as she mentally sorted through its contents.
---
[Spacial Ring Inventory]
1. Pandemonium Noctis – X-Grade Spirit Sword
2. Grimoire of Primordial Enchantments
3. Grimoire of Chaos Runes and Engravings
---
Taking out her little cutie, the black and white katana pulsed with an overjoyed aura, a rush of mist-like energy spilled from the blade, swirling in elegant, fluid arcs before coalescing into a humanoid form.
The mist thickened, the surrounding air shimmering, until a girl, standing silently in the dim glow of the room appeared.
Her form was slim yet ethereal, her skin a flawless pale white, tinged with hues of twilight, as though she were sculpted from the very fabric of light and shadow intertwined.
Her hair cascaded down her back, strands shifting between raven black and stark white, each color weaving into the other in a way that defied logic.
She wore an elegant kimono-like dress, the fabric shifting between monochrome shades, inkblot patterns forming and dissolving like ever-moving chaos.
And then there were her eyes.
One was a deep, endless void—a reflection of nihility itself, a depthless abyss that seemed to consume all light.
The other was brilliant white, shimmering with a glow that pulsed in soft waves, exuding a quiet yet unwavering intensity.
Yet, despite her otherworldly presence, the girl's expression remained entirely stoic.
Calm. Unshaken. Unbothered by anything other than her Mistress.
Pandemonium Noctis, the X grade spirit.
Her lips parted slightly as she studied her surroundings, before her gaze landed on Hespera.
A single beat of silence stretched between them.
Then... she tilted her head slightly. "Mistress." Her voice was soft, barely above a whisper, yet it carried a weight that seemed to reverberate through the very air.
Hespera grinned, tilting her head in kind. "Did you miss me, cutie?"
The spirit sword blinked, her void-and-light gaze unwavering.
"Yes."
Hespera chuckled, her heterochromatic eyes gleaming with amusement. "You were sulking, weren't you?"
A pause. "...Yes."
Hespera let out a soft laugh, stepping closer as she reached out, ruffling the spirit girl's hair.
The stoic sword spirit did not react outwardly... but the faintest, barely perceptible flicker of warmth crossed her abyssal and celestial gaze before fading back into neutrality.
"There, there~" Hespera cooed. "Mistress would never abandon her favorite blade."
A slow blink.
Then, in an almost shy murmur—
"...Promise?"
Hespera smirked, tapping the spirit's forehead lightly with a single finger.
"I promise, darling. Your mine. Anything that's mine, staysmine."
And for the first time, the spirit's expression shifted—just barely.
The softest, ghost of a smile.
But then her eyes flickered, turning sharp.
She glanced downward, toward Hespera's hand.
The Boosted Gear.
Her monochrome aura pulsed.
And then, in a voice both curious and intrigued—
"...A dragon?"
Hespera's smirk widened.
"Oh, yes, my dear Noctis."
She lifted her arm, flexing her fingers as the crimson gauntlet pulsed weakly, the ancient dragon within stirring.
"A very special meal just for you."
The spirit of Pandemonium Noctis stared at the Boosted Gear for a long moment, then slowly—ever so slowly—smiled.
It was a soft, eerie expression. Gentle. But hungry.
"Looks yummy."
Hespera chuckled.
"I thought you'd like it."