Asia lived in a modest apartment, divided into three distinct spaces: her bedroom, a bathroom, and a kitchen. Though compact, these spaces overflowed with her essence. The place lacked the grandeur of more spacious residences, but for her, it was a haven of pure satisfaction.

Her bedroom, simple and functional, was a sanctuary of personal tranquility, where each object was an extension of her identity. The kitchen, modest as it was, served as the stage for small culinary triumphs and gastronomic experiments that brought uncomplicated joy to her routine. These joys, trivial to some, were for Asia small but constant flames that warmed her days.

A sudden need woke her - an urgent natural call. Asia murmured to herself, aware of the moment's triviality, yet captivated by its summons.

Once the need was addressed, she went to the sink for her morning hygiene routine. Facing the mirror, the reflection of her face surprised her; her eyes, normally lively, were clouded by a sudden veil of sadness.

Unbidden, tears welled up, silently streaming down. "Why am I crying?" she asked herself, her voice almost a whisper, as her fingers traced the wetness on her cheeks.

The answer eluded her, lost perhaps in a forgotten dream or a hidden emotional trigger.

The tears were like a dammed torrent finally set free, carrying with it sobs that echoed in the silence of the apartment.

The cold bathroom floor became her involuntary refuge as she sank amidst the unleashed emotions, her body convulsing in a cry that seemed to carry the weight of unexpressed feelings.

The soft sounds of her struggle to find calm reverberated in the confined space...

Almost thirty minutes passed; the storm of her sadness gradually gave way to tranquility. Taking a deep breath, she composed herself, the confusion yielding to a feeling of emotional release.

Her mind, previously muddied by the waters of despair, now seemed clear as a sky after the rain.

With a sigh, Asia stood up, the coldness of the floor reminding her of physical reality. With trembling hands, she washed her face, the drops of cold water a balm on the swollen skin marked by the vestiges of crying.

"It's okay, I'm okay...", she assured herself, in an internal dialogue as she massaged her temples, seeking revitalization.

In the kitchen, her movements were automatic: she took a glass, filled it with water from the pitcher that had been chilling in the fridge. Two glasses were drunk in silence, hydrating the body and calming the mind.

The now clean glass returned to the cabinet, and she remained there, static, lost in reflections trying to understand the source of her nocturnal vulnerability. As much as she delved into the depths of her mind, the reason for her emotional distress remained elusive.

Overwhelmed by a sudden, overpowering fatigue, Asia withdrew to the sanctuary of her bedroom, longing for the temporary oblivion that sleep could provide. Lying down, she surrendered to the fight against the incessant waves of thoughts, each trying to decipher the mystery of that night. In the end, fatigue prevailed, and she allowed herself to be carried away by the current of sleep...

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[Kuoh Academy, Class 3-A]

Rias, mechanically noting down the words the teacher wrote on the board, found her thoughts adrift.

Confronted with a puzzle that deeply disturbed her convictions, she was firmly under the impression that the boy under her observation possessed an unusual peculiarity.

However, a bizarre incident challenged this perception...

'There's a serious error here...!'

Defying all expectations, the boy was not just ordinary but proved to be remarkably below average.

'Issei Hyoudou should have, at least, a Sacred Gear, Twice Critical, shouldn't he?' Rias thought, her mind a whirl of confusion and frustration at the apparent disappointment.

Yet, what could she do? She had already reincarnated him into a devil, making him part of her peerage. She couldn't simply eliminate him for his lack of utility, could she?

Sighing, Rias rested her head on her left hand, her scarlet hair spilling like a blazing cascade, with strands delicately hiding her eyes.

Her gaze eventually fixed on the tall student with brown hair and eyes.

'He's always top in the assessments, right?' She held considerable esteem for Light, especially after suspecting that he had been invited by Sona to join her peerage.

Her eyes narrowed, inspecting him more closely. 'I sense something menacing... An aura that surpasses the holy energy I detect in the crows... What causes such a sense of threat when I observe him?'

Readjusting her posture, Rias focused her eyes more intensely on Light.

No matter how much she furrowed her brow and tried to see through him, Rias could only feel a chilling energy that made her feel threatened; yet, aside from that, she couldn't discern anything more about him.

'How curious...' She thought, intrigued.

So engrossed was she in her musings that she almost forgot the recent disappointment related to Issei.

Suddenly, Light turned his head, capturing her gaze.

'Ah, damn it...' Rias momentarily felt caught, like a mouse under the gaze of a feline, but promptly chided herself: 'Why do I need to get so nervous just because I was caught looking at him?'

Regaining her composure with a glimpse of her usual dignity, she faced him once more, finding him offering her an enigmatic smile...

'What's the reason for his smile?' Rias wondered. 'Could my appearance have charmed him?'

She was, indeed, strikingly beautiful; it wouldn't be absurd if he had been mesmerized by her...

Leaning on that thought, she couldn't help but smile. 'How adorable,' she considered, returning his smile with ease.

"Light Yagami!" The teacher's voice burst forth suddenly, accompanied by the sound of a book hitting Light on the head, caught red-handed for having turned to look back.

"Serves him right, Hahaha!"

Witnessing the scene, along with her fellow classmates, Rias let out a restrained laugh, but with a grace and refinement that were characteristic of her.

With his gaze returning to the teacher and a conciliatory smile, Light said, "I beg your pardon, Honekawa-sensei."

"Apologies are not enough, come here and solve this problem!" Honekawa-sensei displayed a glint of irritation; after all, Light, the most promising student, was expected to be exemplary. But seeing him distracted by a classmate, he felt compelled to teach him a lesson.

Light stood up with ease and, approaching the board, solved the equation in question flawlessly.

In fact, his answer was even more precise and detailed than that of the teacher...

"It's done, Honekawa-sensei," said Light, turning towards him calmly.

Somehow, upon seeing the sincere look and hearing his respectful voice, the teacher couldn't hold any resentment against him.

Was it in no way because he felt inferior as a teacher to see that the student's answer was even more thoroughly elaborated than his own?!

Sona, who already had her answer formulated, saw Light's solution and rewrote her own...

'How does his mind work?' Sona thought, curious.

Although she didn't feel inferior to him, she still respected his intelligence, especially after losing to him in a game of chess.

Time passed very quickly, and soon lunch break arrived.

As everyone was getting ready to eat, Rias stood up and stopped by Light's desk.

When the classmates saw this, especially those who noticed Light smiling at Rias during class, some cast interested looks at what was going to happen. Why had Rias Gremory approached Light, and what would they talk about?

Was she going to scold him for looking at her during class?

Or tell him not to stare at her?

Perhaps she was interested in him?

Well, that was what the boys least expected it to be; in fact, many were cursing Light mentally at that very moment.

"Do you need something from me, Rias Gremory?" Light looked up and asked with a charismatic smile.