Prince of Gluttony: Born from Betrayal

The Academy was in an uproar. The supposed 'Hero' Abel was dead. His killer was the prince who had supposedly sacrificed himself in order to protect Abel and the female student who had been with them.

Now Julia's name had become infamous as everyone accepted the truth that Cain had claimed when he had returned.

Whispers spread like wildfire through the halls. Students stopped mid-step in the corridors, exchanging wide-eyed glances and hushed speculation. The news had broken through the usual chatter and rumors, igniting shock and disbelief in equal measure.

Julia's name was on every tongue. Her reputation, once untarnished, had been shredded in an instant. The moment Cain had returned and revealed the truth, it had become impossible to ignore. She was no longer merely a student of note, but a symbol of betrayal and cunning, infamous across the academy.

Teachers hurried through the hallways, attempting to restore order. They barked instructions, tried to calm the murmurs, but the truth had taken on a life of its own. Nothing they said could erase the shock etched on every young face.

Groups of students clustered together, speaking in rapid, urgent whispers. Some voiced disbelief, struggling to reconcile the image of the heroic Abel with the truth of his death. Others were fascinated, drawn to the drama of Cain's return and the revelation of Julia's treachery.

Even in the midst of chaos, some students found themselves quietly respecting Cain. He had faced the impossible, returned from the edge of sacrifice, and revealed the truth with unflinching certainty. His calm, resolute demeanor contrasted sharply with the frenzy around him.

Julia herself became a figure of fear and suspicion. Eyes followed her wherever she went, whispers trailing behind her like shadows. Every step she took seemed heavier under the weight of the Academy's gaze.

Cain, meanwhile, moved through the halls with measured steps, Jayden at his side. His focus was unbroken, his mind already turning to the future. The uproar would fade in time, but the consequences of Abel's death and Julia's exposure would linger far longer.

The hallways had begun to thin, students hurrying to classes or fleeing the latest gossip, but Cain moved slowly, each step deliberate. His cloak hung loosely, a little disheveled from the confrontation in the arena, but he did not seem to notice. His thoughts were elsewhere, already turning over the challenges ahead.

A sudden, soft voice made him stop mid-step. "Cain."

He looked up and froze. Standing in the shadows between two tall pillars was Anna. Her expression was calm, unreadable, almost impossible to read. For the first time since the arena, Cain felt his composed exterior falter. Something about the weight in her gaze, the way she had stepped forward without a word of warning, pinned him in place.

His eyes remained fixed on Anna, frozen in a rare moment of vulnerability. His normally unshakable composure was gone, replaced by a subtle tension that spoke volumes. He looked disheveled, cloak askew, hair slightly mussed, and yet none of that mattered. All that mattered was the unreadable expression in Anna's eyes, the quiet weight behind her gaze that seemed to pierce him.

Jayden, walking a step behind him, immediately noticed the shift. She had seen Cain tense before, but never like this. Her sharp eyes flicked between the two of them, and she realized, with a pang of guilt and understanding, what Anna must have seen.

Jayden's eyes narrowed thoughtfully as she observed the charged silence between Cain and Anna. She straightened abruptly and took a step forward, her voice firm and clear. "Professor," she called out, drawing attention even in the crowded hallway. "I need to speak with you."

Anna's head tilted slightly, an eyebrow cocked in obvious disbelief at the interruption. "Excuse me?" she said, her tone sharp, questioning Jayden's audacity to step into their private moment.

Jayden, however, remained unfazed. She didn't flinch or step back. Instead, she closed the distance between herself and Anna, moving with quiet confidence that left no room for argument. Her sharp eyes met Anna's, unblinking and unyielding.

Leaning in close, Jayden whispered something into Anna's ear. The words were soft, almost inaudible to anyone else, but the effect was instantaneous. Anna froze, her lips parting slightly as her eyes widened.

"You… you're serious?" Anna blurted out, her voice rising as heat spread across her face. Her hands clutched at her chest for a moment, as if trying to physically contain the embarrassment burning through her.

Jayden's ears twitched and she gave a short, mischievous laugh. "I am completely serious," she replied, her voice teasing and light. "Now don't let it ruin your day."

Before Anna could recover, Jayden bounded away, her laughter echoing through the hallway. "Cain!" she called over her shoulder, her voice carrying playful certainty. "I'll see you later!"

Cain, still frozen from the earlier tension, turned his gaze toward the retreating wolf girl. He could only watch as Jayden disappeared into the throng of students, leaving him standing alone with Anna.

Anna's face remained flushed, her expression a mixture of shock, embarrassment, and disbelief. Cain's attention shifted fully to her now, the hallway around them fading into the background as the weight of what had just occurred settled between them.

Cain swallowed, his eyes locking on Anna as he took a slow, steadying breath. "Anna," he began, his voice low but steady, "I need to explain what happened with Jayden last night."

Her eyes narrowed, a mixture of suspicion and curiosity flashing across her face. "Explain?" she repeated, her tone sharp but controlled.

He nodded. "She came to my quarters late at night. She offered me an Ifrit Elixir."

Anna's eyes widened. "An Ifrit Elixir? Where in the world did she even get something like that?"

Cain's gaze held hers as he replied, "She told me it was a gift from her father. That it was meant to help me, to prepare me for what is coming."

Anna's frown deepened, and she blinked slowly as realization began to dawn. Jayden's wolf girl form, the subtle aura Cain had described before, it all started making sense now. The pieces that had seemed so strange before were beginning to align in her mind.

Cain continued, his voice quiet but deliberate. "I did not know at first about the side effects, the aphrodisiac properties. By the time I realized, it was too late. I ended up sleeping with her. It was not something I sought to manipulate or take advantage of. I was touched by her devotion, by her willingness to risk so much for me."

Anna's lips pressed together, her frown deepening as she processed his words. Her cheeks flushed lightly, but she said nothing at first. She tilted her head, studying him, weighing what to say. There was a mixture of displeasure, disbelief, and grudging understanding in her gaze. "I suppose I cannot really blame you," she admitted, her tone softening. "It is not like we were in a relationship or anything."

Cain's expression shifted slightly, his eyes narrowing in curiosity as he leaned a fraction closer. "Then," he said carefully, "tell me what she said to you before she left."

Anna froze, her eyes wide, the memory of Jayden's words flashing vividly in her mind. Her cheeks burned hotter this time. She opened her mouth to speak, then snapped it shut, shaking her head quickly. "That is none of your business!" she spat, her voice sharp and rising as she spun on her heel and bolted down the hallway.

Cain watched her go, stunned. His brows knit together, confusion etching his face. He had expected some explanation, maybe a challenge or an argument, but not this intense, visceral reaction to such a simple question.

Anna's thoughts raced as she fled. She smacked her own cheek lightly, muttering under her breath, cursing herself for the flush she felt. Jayden had made it clear she was open to sharing Cain, that the two of them could potentially get along, but Anna had not expected it to strike her so sharply. The thought of calling Jayden 'Sister' had been almost unbearable and left her both flustered and vaguely disoriented.

Cain remained in the hallway, shoulders tensing and relaxing in waves as he processed the encounter. He had explained everything honestly, yet Anna's reaction left him bewildered. How had such a simple question, about a few words spoken in passing, elicited such an intense response? He rubbed the back of his neck, leaning against the cool stone of the wall, his mind racing.

The hallway was quiet now, the bustle of students long gone, leaving him alone with the echo of his own voice and the fading memory of Anna's flushed, angry face. He could still hear, faintly, the echo of Jayden's laughter, playful and teasing, a reminder of the chaos she had left behind. She had always had a way of cutting through tension and leaving him both exasperated and strangely grateful.

Cain shook his head lightly, trying to clear the swirl of thoughts. Anna's reaction, Jayden's audacity, the memory of last night, it all pressed in at once. Cain leaned back against the wall, eyes closing briefly, as he attempted to collect himself.

The echo of Anna's words, sharp and indignant, still rang in his ears. None of it made sense logically, yet it had hit him emotionally in a way he had not anticipated. He could not tell if it was embarrassment, anger, or something deeper, but it had left him questioning, unsettled, and quietly aware of just how complicated the bonds around him had become.

Even in confusion, there was clarity in knowing that the paths ahead, though fraught with complexity, were his to walk. The echoes of laughter and flushed indignation still lingered in the stone corridors, and Cain moved forward into the day, uncertain of what came next, but prepared to face it all.