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Chapter 50 - Punishing Iris

Even as he walked away, he could feel it.

Her gaze.

She kept her arms folded, the slight twitch in her tail, the fire she wanted to spit, but didn't.

She was boiling under the surface.

Not from anger…

From attention.

The kind that lingered like a whisper at the base of your neck.

Ruby kept snickering. 

Lyla rolled her eyes.

Yani looked proud just to be holding the cookie tin.

Kain took his time, accepted another snack like he hadn't just dropped a match into someone's heart, and walked away.

Beatrix glanced over. 

"You could've broken her in one more sentence"

"I could've," Kain agreed, brushing powdered sugar from his lip. 

"But where's the fun in that?"

Darcy raised a brow. 

"Back to your original methods?"

"Of course," he said, licking a bit of icing from his thumb. 

[System Notification]

[Nina | Affection: 14% | Loyalty: 2% | Lust: 7%]

[Emotion: Conflicted]

[Small Thought: "...He walked away from me?"]

He almost laughed.

But instead, he smiled to himself.

He'd plant the seeds like he always did, gentle hands, warm words, no thorns, until it was too late to pull away.

"Now…" he said, scanning the crowd, his tone playful. 

"Let's see how Hazel's doing"

Darcy gave a small whistle. 

"You're going to double up?"

"Why not?" he said simply. 

"Jealousy does make people act out more, and I want that moron to ask them out already"

He took another bite of the cookie, savoring the flavor. 

"Let's see who cracks first"

He spotted Hazel near a booth that sold charms.

Alone.

Pretending not to sulk.

Who could blame her?

Aiden left her and Nina to be babysat by Kain; it was insulting, cruel, and… it left her feeling hurt.

Her fingers brushed a necklace she'd never buy, watching couples pass by, only adding more fuel to the fire.

She didn't notice when Kain approached her.

Slowly, casually, like a breeze sneaking through a crack in the wall.

"You always struck me as the flower type," he said smoothly, voice low, too familiar.

Hazel turned stiffly, spine straightening like she'd just been caught doing something she wasn't supposed to.

"I'm not!"

"Oh?" 

He glanced over the charms. 

"Guess that's why you've been staring at the same one for five minutes"

She scoffed. 

"You counting now?"

"I count when it matters"

Silence hung between them.

Her arms folded. 

"What do you want?" she asked, guarded.

He tilted his head. 

"That's the second time someone's asked me that today"

"Then maybe it's a pattern"

He smirked.

"Maybe it's your answer I'm interested in"

Hazel's lips twitched, the faintest crack in the mask.

Kain leaned closer, not touching, just letting his presence take up the air between them.

"Tell me something," he said. 

"Why do you think Aiden never chose you?"

She froze.

He didn't stop.

"He picked Aqua first"

"A sweet, gentle, and beautiful woman. Said she made him feel like a chosen knight" 

"Then Lupa, who from the start was clear they both wanted more than a relationship"

Kain paused, savoring the shift in her expression, eyes hard, lips pressed together.

"And what did they do? Ran off with some blue-haired bastard"

"Cheated. Left him in the dirt"

Hazel didn't move, but her breathing betrayed her.

Still, Kain kept going, voice soft, deliberate, cruel in its truth.

"And even after all that heartbreak, after being humiliated like that, who did he run to next?"

She didn't answer.

So he did.

"Holly"

He let the name hang in the air like a curse.

"Not you. Not Nina. Not the ones who worshipped him. He picked the one who smiled prettiest at the right time"

Hazel's hands tightened at her sides.

Kain's smile deepened.

"You gave him everything. Loyalty. Praise. Faith"

He took one slow step forward.

"But the truth? That only works on heroes in stories"

[System Notification]

[Hazel | Affection: 21% | Loyalty: 10% | Lust: 14%]

[Emotion: Shaken]

[Small Thought: "Why does he know this? Why does he understand?"]

Kain didn't touch her. 

Didn't need to.

His words were already doing far worse.

"I'm not here to steal your heart," he said quietly. 

"I'm just wondering what you'll do with it once he forgets you exist"

Then he smiled that soft, infuriating smile. 

The one that said he'd wait.

The one that always worked.

And just like that, he turned and walked off.

No goodbyes.

No lingering glance.

Just the echo of footsteps and the pounding of a heart not ready to admit the truth.

[System Notification]

[Hazel | Affection: 26% | Loyalty: 11% | Lust: 17%]

[Emotion: Conflicted]

[Small Thought: "Why didn't Aiden choose me…?"]

Back with his girls, Kain took the snack Darcy handed him.

Ruby was already grinning.

Lyla looked impressed, grudgingly.

Darcy simply leaned on his shoulder.

"That look in her eyes," she murmured.

"She's starting to question the script," Kain replied, casually sipping his drink.

Yani offered him another cookie. 

"So who's the actual target this time?"

He didn't answer.

He didn't need to.

Because across the plaza, Nina was still glaring.

And Hazel?

Hazel hadn't moved an inch.

Not from the spot where her fantasy cracked.

It seemed like her heart was trying to ignore his words.

He licked his lips.

"I do want to grip Nina's horns so she's my primary target"

Alyssa let out a sweet giggle as she patted his back.

Beatrix and Ruby let out a chuckle.

Yani, Darcy, and Lyla were too busy stealing food from a stand to hear him. 

"So are you going to spend the rest of the festival seducing Nina?"

Ruby asked with a small pout.

Kain shook his head as he ruffled her hair.

"Nah. Today is all about you girls and enjoying the festival"

They all looked at him with disbelief.

Because the Kain they knew wouldn't pass up an opportunity to seduce Nina.

He would take her.

Make her his in a single night.

And show her off to Aiden, who wouldn't be able to do anything since they technically weren't dating.

Just like he did with Alyssa and Finn.

Breaking the friendship by taking any remaining girl left and shamelessly revealing that Holly was never his to begin with.

Ruby lightly tapped his chest.

"Are you sure?"

A simple question.

But the girls knew her true meaning.

"Why are you stopping right now?"

Kain simply lifted her into his arms as he planted kisses around her neck.

Ruby moaned lightly as she dug into his back.

"Stop hogging him, Ruby!"

Beatrix and Lyla said with a cute pouty expression.

Darcy and Yani were still busy beating a man for refusing to give them any more food.

Alyssa was chuckling as the whole sight as Kain turned his attention back to all of them.

"I'm done for today. The rest of the night is about you girls"

'And seeing Iris later…'

"So, how about we head to the hill where the dumbass is at and watch the fireworks?"

"Won't Aiden ask about Hazel and Nina?"

Darcy asked, looking at the two girls who were still waiting for the moron to come and invite them to watch with him and Holly.

Kain merely chuckled.

"Do you girls want to invite them first and score me a couple of points?"

Ruby grinned.

"I thought you'd never ask~"

She grabbed Alyssa and Beatrix by the wrists before skipping off, already humming like she wasn't about to wreck two hearts with a smile and a few kind words.

Lyla stretched, popping her neck.

"Hazel's gonna cry when she finds out he sent us"

Darcy nodded, expression unreadable.

Kain watched them go, his eyes cold behind that perfect, easy smile.

Yani trotted up beside him with a suspiciously full food bag.

"I got extra just in case you want to feed Hazel yourself," she offered sweetly.

Kain laughed under his breath.

"I don't feed prey, Yani"

Ruby, Alyssa, and Beatrix reached the girls in seconds.

Hazel blinked like she'd been yanked out of a dream.

Nina frowned deeper, tail lashing behind her.

[System Notification]

[Nina | Affection: 16% | Loyalty: 2% | Lust: 9%]

[Emotion: Irritated Curiosity]

[Small Thought: "Why is he ignoring me now? That bastard…"]

[Hazel | Affection: 28% | Loyalty: 15% | Lust: 15%]

[Emotion: Dazed]

[Small Thought: "Why did he send them instead of coming himself…?"]

"Heyyy~" Ruby cooed. 

"We were just headed to the fireworks with Kain. Thought you two might want to tag along?"

Nina narrowed her eyes. 

"You were?"

Beatrix grinned. 

"He even suggested it, as Aiden was too busy with Holly, and he didn't want you two to be lonely"

Hazel's breath caught, while Nina looked at the ground.

That was all it took.

The smallest act of consideration, whispered from his harem like an olive branch.

And suddenly, he wasn't the villain in her head.

He was the one who remembered.

Even when Aiden didn't.

Even when she had no place.

Kain watched from a distance, sipping something sweet as he leaned against a tree, relaxed.

Not once did he look toward them.

Because he knew they'd come.

Darcy stepped beside him, chewing on something fried and still vaguely smoking.

"They took the bait"

"Of course they did," he replied calmly.

Yani climbed onto his back like it was routine, arms around his neck.

"You think they'll hate you after this?"

"I hope so," Kain said.

He turned his eyes to the distant shape of Aiden and Holly, cozy and perfect on the hill.

"They need to"

He let the words hang for a beat, like a knife above silk.

"Because hate is still better than worshiping a fucking loser who doesn't even know his girlfriend is already mine"

Darcy planted a kiss on his cheek.

"Well, they're coming now, so prepare your smile again"

And he did.

A smile prepared to seduce heartbroken women.

Sure enough, Hazel and Nina approached hesitantly, flanked by the trio who had done exactly what they were meant to do: soften the blow.

Make him look like a man who cares.

Make them question everything.

"Kain," Hazel murmured, her voice shy, eyes flicking up to meet his.

"Thanks for… thinking of us"

"I didn't," he replied gently, taking her hand before she could pull away.

"Ruby insisted. I just didn't say no"

Nina's horns began to shift. 

Faint pulses of dusky red flickered through them, like coals just beginning to stir. 

Her tail had stopped, stiff behind her, but she stood her ground.

A lie dressed in humility.

A truth too inconvenient to touch.

They stood there for a moment, caught in the glow of distant fireworks blooming above the lake.

Red.

Gold.

Blue.

The blue lingered longest, loud, cheap, and unearned.

Kain's gaze lingered on it, his voice soft as velvet and stained with frost.

"Funny thing about fireworks," he said.

"Some shine brightest just before they burn out. Loud. Flashy. Everyone stares…"

His eyes slid lazily toward Aiden and Holly, curled into each other like something holy.

"But give it a minute… and all that's left is smoke"

Hazel looked away.

Nina's fists clenched, tighter this time. 

Her horns shimmered from red to a pale violet, tension crawling beneath her skin, but she didn't step back.

Didn't speak.

Didn't break.

[System Notification]

[Hazel | Affection: 30% | Loyalty: 18% | Lust: 15%]

[Emotion: Conflict]

[Small Thought: "Why does it hurt more when he says it?"]

[Nina | Affection: 20% | Loyalty: 5% | Lust: 11%]

[Emotion: Searing Jealousy, Buried Resentment]

[Small Thought: "Is he talking about Aiden? Or… me? Don't waver. Not now"]

Darcy took another bite of her snack, like the chaos around her was just background noise to her appetite.

"They're cracking," she whispered.

Kain didn't respond.

His eyes were on the two girls in front of him, who still didn't understand the depth of the game.

And more importantly… didn't realize he wasn't playing for them.

Alyssa suddenly clung to his arm, rubbing her head against his muscle.

Acting rather possessively.

Another twist in the already choking knife.

Hazel's breath hitched, caught between confusion and a flutter she didn't want.

Nina glanced away.

Kain chuckled as he patted Alyssa's head as they all walked towards their spot.

The fireworks kept exploding overhead, showering the sky with brilliant blooms of light. 

The crowd's murmurs softened, faces tilting upward to catch every flash and crackle.

Kain leaned casually against a sturdy oak, arms draped around Ruby and Alyssa. 

Their warmth was a sharp contrast to the cool night air.

From his peripheral vision, he saw Aiden turn toward Holly, his grin confident, foolishly sure of the moment.

Aiden moved in for a kiss.

Holly pulled back without hesitation, eyes flickering toward Kain's direction, who in response gave her a thumbs up.

Aiden blinked, his smile flickering uncertainly. 

The space between them widened like a quiet crack in a fragile facade.

Nina's golden eyes darkened, her horns shifting to a muted shade, betraying her brewing frustration despite her stiff posture.

Hazel's lips pressed tight, the fire in her gaze dulling to a slow burn.

Without a word, they exchanged a glance, a mutual understanding passing between them like a silent vow.

They turned sharply, shoulders squared, and walked away from the gathering, their pride too wounded to linger.

The night was over for them.

Kain's gaze lingered on their retreating figures before settling back on his girls.

Ruby chuckled softly, nudging Alyssa.

"Well, that was entertaining"

Alyssa giggled, squeezing Kain's arm. 

"Poor Hazel. She really thought she had a shot tonight"

Ruby smirked. 

"Didn't we all? At least she looked less defeated than Nina"

Lyla stretched, eyes never leaving the departing girls.

"She's strong, though. That one. Won't be easy to break"

Darcy, leaning against Kain's other side, flicked a crumb from her fingers.

"Strong or stubborn, they both can be weapons or weaknesses. I'm curious which one Nina'll be"

Yani, still perched on Kain's back, hugged his neck tightly.

"Do you think they'll come around?"

Kain smiled softly, his fingers brushing through Ruby's hair.

"Eventually"

Ruby raised an eyebrow.

"Sounds like you're already making plans"

He chuckled low, eyes sparkling with promise.

"Tomorrow's for Nina. But tonight…" 

He gestured to the sky ablaze with fireworks. 

"Tonight, we will enjoy the show"

The girls settled in closer, sharing soft laughs and whispers, letting the warmth of the moment settle around them.

Lyla rested her head on Kain's shoulder, murmuring, "It's almost poetic, isn't it? The way fireworks burn bright, then fade into smoke. Kind of like Aiden's grand gestures"

Darcy smirked. 

"Cheap theatrics. He thinks a kiss will buy him the world"

Yani giggled. 

"But it won't"

Kain pulled them all a little closer as another burst of light filled the sky.

His eyes softened as he watched the glow reflect in their faces.

An Hour Later…

The firework smoke still lingered faintly in the sky, the stars blinking back into view as the crowd thinned. 

A few drunk students still laughed near the lake, but most of the night had settled into memory. 

Kain stood, gazing at the lights like they were already boring him.

The warmth of the girls lingered on his coat, in his blood.

Their laughter echoed faintly behind him. 

He sighed and rolled his neck.

"Leaving already?" 

Ruby asked, draping her arms lazily around his shoulders from behind.

"I didn't even get to finish my drink," Darcy added, flicking one of his silver strands of hair with mock offense. 

"Kain, I'm wounded"

"You drank six," Yani chimed in, smiling as she walked up to him with soft steps, her braid undone, cheeks flushed. 

"Let him go. He's going to her"

Beatirx groaned dramatically and collapsed into the grass.

"Ugh. Iris has no sense of humor"

"Iris is cute," Alyssa said with a shrug, biting into a candied apple. 

"In the 'strict Headmistress who secretly cries into her pillow' kind of way."

Lyla leaned in and kissed Kain's cheek gently.

"Don't tease her too much"

"She likes it," he murmured.

Ruby tugged on his coat. 

"Tell her we said hi. Or better yet, kiss her like you kissed us"

Beatrix raised a hand from the ground. 

"Spank her once for me"

"Twice for me," Ruby added.

Yani giggled, pushing them both lightly before turning back to Kain with a soft, sincere look. 

"Just don't forget to come back"

He gave them a crooked grin and turned, walking off into the night without a single word of farewell. 

The gravel crunched beneath his boots as he headed toward the administration wing, his coat fluttering lightly behind him.

By the time he reached Iris's office, the academy was quiet.

The halls were still lit with faint golden magic, glowing from crystal sconces. 

Most staff had long since gone to bed, but Iris's door was slightly ajar, as always. 

A thin strip of warm light spilled into the hall.

Kain knocked once, then let himself in without waiting.

The room smelled of paper, wax, and the faintest hint of lavender. 

Shelves of meticulously arranged documents lined the walls. 

A steaming teacup sat on the corner of the desk, untouched.

Iris didn't look up immediately. 

She was in her chair, posture perfect, pen scratching across a long parchment with infuriating focus.

"Kain," she said without looking. 

"If this is about the noise complaints from earlier—"

He closed the door behind him.

Click!

That got her attention.

She looked up, just as he stepped forward, hands in his pockets.

He didn't sit. 

Didn't ask.

"Iris," he said, tone low. 

"Drop the hard-ass act"

Iris's eyes widened at the dangerous undercurrent in Kain's voice, her slender fingers faltering on the parchment. 

A shiver ran down her spine.

"Kain," she whispered. 

Her hair fell like a curtain around her face, hiding her pale skin and the flush surely rising there.

He walked closer, each deliberate step echoing in the silent room. 

Iris's pulse quickened as he loomed over her, his warm breath ghosting across her cheek. 

The heat emanating from his body was palpable.

"You've tested my patience, Iris," Kain's low growl reverberated through the room, his words a command rather than a request. 

"Strip. Now!"

The directness in his tone left no room for argument. 

Iris's cheeks flushed a deeper hue, but she obeyed, her hands trembling as she rose from the chair. 

She reached for the hem of her simple, yet elegant gown, lifting it inch by deliberate inch, exposing creamy skin and the gentle curves of her body.

As the gown pooled at her feet, Kain's eyes roamed over her, drinking in the sight of her bare torso, the delicate lace of her undergarments, and the crazed look she was giving him.

"I-Im done," she whispered as he set her on top of her desk.

He undid his belt as his pants dropped to the floor.

Iris's breath caught in her throat as Kain's rigid length sprang free, standing tall and unapologetic. 

Her gaze, once locked on his face, now drifted lower, drinking in the sight of his thick girth and the bead of precum glistening at the tip.

A shiver coursed through her, the air heavy with anticipation. 

Without a word, she reached for him, her small hand wrapping around the base of his shaft. 

She stroked him slowly, savoring the velvety texture and the way he throbbed in her grasp.

Kain groaned, his eyes darkening with lust as she worked him over. 

"Enough teasing," he rasped, his hips bucking instinctively into her hand. 

Without warning, he lifted her effortlessly, pressing her back onto the desk. 

The cool wood met her bare skin, a stark contrast to the heat emanating from Kain's body. 

He positioned himself between her spread thighs, his tip nudging at her entrance.

His hips surged forward, burying his length deep inside Iris with a single, powerful thrust. 

She cried out, her back arching off the desk as he filled her completely. 

The tight, wet heat of her enveloped him, her inner walls clenching around his thickness.

"Oh, gods," Iris gasped, her voice a breathless moan. 

Kain grunted, his hands gripping her hips hard enough to bruise as he began to move. 

Each powerful stroke drove him deeper, the desk creaking in protest beneath them. 

Iris's legs wrapped around his waist, her ankles locking behind his back as she met his thrusts with equal fervor.

"Yes, like that!" she panted, her head thrashing against the desk. 

The slap of skin on skin filled the room, punctuated by their ragged breathing. 

Kain's pace quickened, his hips snapping against hers with reckless abandon. 

Iris's nails dug into his shoulders, her eyes rolling back in ecstasy as the pleasure built to a crescendo within her.

"Kain, I... I can't... ah!"

Her words only made his movements more urgent, driven by a primal need to discipline her properly. 

He lifted her off the desk, her legs instinctively wrapping tighter around his waist. 

With a swift, forceful motion, he slammed her back against the wall, the impact driving a gasp from her lips.

"Unbelievable," she breathed, her head falling back against the wooden panel as he continued to pound into her. 

The cool surface provided a stark contrast to the searing heat of their bodies, the slight give of the wall allowing Kain to drill deeper still.

Iris's small hands scrabbled at his chest, her nails leaving red trails on his skin. 

Kain's hips snapped against hers with brutal efficiency, his girth stretching her deliciously with each thrust. 

She felt the pressure building within her, coiling tighter and tighter like a bowstring about to snap.

"Kain, I'm... I'm going to... ah!" 

Her cry was cut short as he reached around, his fingers closing around a pert nipple. 

He pinched and rolled the sensitive bud, sending sparks of pleasure shooting through her.

"That's it," he growled, his hot breath fanning across her neck. 

"Remember that you belong to me!"

"Yes, Kain," Iris panted, her voice a ragged moan. 

"I belong to you!!!"

Kain's lips claimed hers in a searing kiss, his tongue delving deep to tangle with hers. 

She kissed him back with equal fervor, her hands tangling in his hair as she poured all her passion into the embrace.

Breaking the kiss, Kain pulled back just enough to gaze into her eyes. 

"Good girl," he murmured, his thumbs stroking her flushed cheeks. 

"Now for your reward"

With that, he plunged into her once more, his length stretching her to the limit. 

Iris's back arched, her nails digging into his shoulders as she met each powerful thrust. 

The wet slap of flesh on flesh filled the air, punctuated by their ragged breathing and the creak of the wall beneath them.

Kain's hands roamed over her body, palming her breasts and teasing her nipples until she was writhing against him. 

He brought his mouth to her ear, his hot breath sending shivers down her spine.

"I'm going to finish inside you again, okay?"

"Yes~~"

Kain groaned, his hips pumping with reckless abandon.

"Yes, yes, KAIN!" she screamed, her body convulsing around him as the first wave of pleasure crashed over her. 

Her inner walls clenched around his length, the rhythmic spasms milking him as he continued to thrust.

With a final, powerful stroke, Kain buried himself to the hilt and let go, his hot seed flooding her in pulse after pulse. 

Finally, Kain pulled out, his softening length slipping free of her sensitive flesh. 

Iris slumped back against the wall, her legs trembling and her chest heaving. 

She couldn't meet his gaze, her eyes still glazed with pleasure and awe.

Kain merely dressed himself as he quickly cleaned the room with magic.

He planted a kiss on Iris's forehead as he left the room and headed back to his dorm room.

A few minutes later…

He stepped out into the night air, adjusted his collar, just as a familiar voice reached his ears from further down the lantern-lit path.

"I just… I didn't mean to ignore you two!" 

Aiden's voice cracked with desperation.

Kain didn't change course. 

He kept walking, slow and deliberate, eyes narrowing as he spotted the scene unfolding near the dorm courtyard.

Aiden stood awkwardly between Hazel and Nina, gesturing with wide, clumsy hands. 

His posture screamed guilt, not the deep, reflective kind, but the useless, flailing type that shows up three steps too late.

Nina had her arms crossed, horns pulsing a dull violet, barely concealing her fury. 

Hazel stood beside her with one hand on her hip, the other loosely curled in a fist.

"We get it, Aiden," Hazel snapped. 

"Holly's cute. Holly's not us. You forgot about everything we've been through the second you guys started going out"

"I didn't forget!" he said quickly. 

"I just… I thought maybe I could—"

"You thought you could have us waiting around like backup plans," Nina said, voice cutting but calm. 

"We're not side characters in your little love story"

Aiden deflated, scratching the back of his head like it might solve something. 

"I didn't mean it like that. I swear. I've been trying to talk to you both since yesterday!"

"You mean after you spent the whole week chasing Holly around like a lost puppy?" 

Hazel rolled her eyes. 

"Right"

"No one's mad at you for liking her," Nina added, stepping forward, her tail twitching. 

"But don't act like we're suddenly supposed to smile and pretend nothing happened"

Kain leaned against a tree a short distance away, folding his arms. 

He didn't say a word, just watched.

No one looked his way.

No one suspected a thing.

Because Aiden, bless his idiot heart, made it far too easy.

"I just…" Aiden looked at them, helpless. 

"I just realized that I missed you two"

"Maybe you should've thought about that before putting all your energy into someone else," Hazel muttered.

"We're not mad because you picked someone else," Nina added coldly. 

"We're mad because you didn't tell us. You just forgot we existed the second things got exciting"

"I didn't forget," he said again, more to himself this time.

But it was already over.

Hazel turned on her heel. 

"Let's go, Nina. I'm done!"

Nina followed, but not before giving Aiden one last look, not of hate, not even disappointment.

Just... emptiness.

"Good luck," she said softly.

They walked past Kain like he wasn't even there.

But Hazel, without slowing, murmured under her breath, "You didn't hear any of that!"

"I wasn't listening," Kain said with a smirk. 

"Scout's honor"

Nina didn't say anything. 

But for a moment, just a heartbeat, her eyes flicked toward him. 

And though her face remained blank, her horns shimmered just a little brighter.

Then they were gone.

Behind him, Aiden let out a defeated groan and collapsed onto a bench, burying his face in his hands.

Kain pushed off the tree and continued on his way.

No blame.

No mess.

And tomorrow?

Tomorrow, Nina was his.

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