They continued to run for what felt like forever.
Finn tightened his grip on Ruby's hand, forcing a laugh as they moved down the hallway.
"Haha… well, guess he's busy, huh? No big deal! Just you and me then, right?"
His voice was light, cheerful, and oblivious.
But Ruby couldn't even look at him.
She kept her head low, staring at the floor, her chest squeezing tighter with every step.
Why did it hurt so much?
Why did it feel like he had just stabbed her straight through the heart with that stupid, smug smile?
She had chosen Finn.
Hadn't she?
She tried to tell herself she should be happy.
Finn loved her.
Finn wanted her.
Finn was good to her.
And yet…
All she could see were the shadows of those two girls tangled up in Kain's sheets.
All she could hear was his lazy, dismissive voice in her head.
"Sorry, dude. I'm a bit busy"
Her hands trembled slightly at her sides.
She quickly shoved them into her jacket pockets, hoping Finn wouldn't notice.
Finn, still grinning like a fool, finally stopped by the vending machines at the end of the hall.
He grabbed a couple of cheap beers and cracked one open, handing it to her with a bright smile.
"Here! Let's just… chill together. We don't need him, right?"
Ruby took the can numbly, staring at it like it was a foreign object.
"…Yeah," she whispered.
"Right"
They sat down on a nearby bench.
Finn chatted about random things.
Their classes, the upcoming festival, and stupid rumors about Kain being a womanizer (which, she realized bitterly, were true).
She barely heard a word.
She just kept nodding and smiling at the right times, pretending everything was fine.
But inside, she was unraveling.
Every time she blinked, she saw Kain's smirk.
Every time Finn's hand brushed against hers, she remembered the casual way Kain had dismissed her, tossed her aside like she was nothing.
Her chest hurt.
Her throat felt tight.
Her skin burned with something she couldn't name.
Guilt.
Jealousy.
Longing.
She didn't even know anymore.
Finn laughed at one of his own dumb jokes, and Ruby forced a small laugh, too.
But her smile cracked at the edges.
And deep down, a horrible, shameful thought wormed its way into her heart:
'I don't want this'
'I want him'
'Did I… make the wrong choice?'
Back at Kain's room
He sprawled across his bed, a lazy smirk plastered across his face.
The room still carried the faint scent of perfume, but the girls had long since slipped out after Finn and Ruby's awkward visit.
Alone now, he let out a deep, satisfied laugh.
He didn't even bother to move, simply enjoying the chaos he had planted like seeds waiting to bloom.
Ruby's face...
The way she stiffened when she heard the moans...
The way Finn clutched her tighter, desperate to "secure" her...
It was all too perfect.
"Pathetic"
He turned lazily to his side and called up his system window with a flick of his fingers.
[ Status Screen ]
[ Level: 22 ]
[ Stat Points Available: 15 ]
[ Skill Points Available: 8 ]
Kain chuckled darkly.
"Time to make myself even more unstoppable"
He opened his Stats Menu, dragging the points where it mattered most:
[ Charisma: Level 5 → Level 7 ]
[ Seduction: Level 4 → Level 6 ]
[ Manipulation: Level 3 → Level 4 ]
The system chimed softly as the upgrades locked in, new descriptions flashing briefly:
[- Charisma Lv.7: Your natural charm bends conversations and emotions. Slight aura of attraction to nearby individuals -]
[- Seduction Lv.6: Your words and gestures carry instinctive allure. Targets already interested become significantly more receptive -]
[- Manipulation Lv.4: You instinctively understand emotional weaknesses and can subtly exploit them -]
Another soft ping echoed:
[ New Passive Skill Unlocked: Devil's Tongue Lv.1 ]
[- Your words tempt even the cautious. Targets' resistance to persuasion lowered by 10% -]
Kain let out a low whistle.
"Oh, this is going to be beautiful"
He folded his arms behind his head, sinking deeper into the mattress.
Tonight had been nothing.
Just a little taste.
Finn, clinging desperately.
Ruby, fighting herself and losing harder every time she looked at him.
The girls, offering themselves up just for a slice of his attention.
And now?
Now, Kain was just getting started.
He closed his eyes, a dark grin splitting his face.
'Let's see how long you can hold out, Ruby'
"The best part will be when you realize... You never stood a chance"
The Next Morning
The academy courtyard buzzed with life.
Students drifted between classes, laughter and chatter filling the air.
And at the center of it all, Kain.
He leaned casually against a marble pillar, surrounded by a small harem of girls.
All smiling, giggling, and fighting for his attention.
A blond elf girl clung to his arm, pressing her chest against him.
A shy fox-kin tucked herself under his other shoulder, red-faced and trembling with excitement.
Two human noble girls whispered among themselves, trying to gather the courage to step closer.
Kain, naturally, just smirked, pretending to listen as he lazily tossed compliments around like crumbs to pigeons.
His system pinged quietly:
[ Affection Levels Increasing... ]
[ New Targets: 4 ]
He relished it.
He lived for it.
Especially when his eyes caught a glimpse of her, Ruby.
She stood a few steps away with Finn, her hand limply clutched in his.
Her head was lowered slightly, her lips pressed into a thin line.
Now and then, her eyes flicked up, just for a second, to look at Kain and the girls flocking around him.
Then she would quickly look away, biting her lower lip in guilt and... something else.
Kain caught her staring once, and without hesitation, he tilted his head, whispering something into the elf girl's ear that made her burst into giggles.
He let his hand trail teasingly along her back, fully aware of Ruby watching.
Ruby's shoulders stiffened, her free hand balling into a trembling fist.
But Finn, ever the fool, squeezed her hand and smiled.
"Don't worry, Ruby! I know Kain's kind of... flirty, but that's just how he is!" he said cheerily.
"You don't have to pay attention to that"
He tugged her along, oblivious to the tight, pained expression on her face.
Ruby forced a smile, but her heart twisted painfully in her chest.
She didn't want to admit it, not even to herself, but seeing Kain like this, surrounded by other girls, laughing with them, touching them...
It hurt.
It hurt more than she wanted it to.
And Kain?
He watched them go, a low chuckle rumbling in his throat.
'Good little Finn,' he thought, eyes glittering darkly.
'Keep clinging to her. Smother her. It'll only make her crave me more'
He checked his system again:
[ Ruby's Affection: 95% → 90% ]
[ Ruby's Lust: 90% → 93% ]
[ Ruby's Heart: Shattered ×5 ]
[ Status Effect: Repressed Longing ×2 ]
Kain's smirk widened.
'Perfect'
'Absolutely perfect'
Lunch Break
The academy cafeteria was packed.
Students laughed, joked, and jostled for seats, the aroma of freshly baked bread and sizzling meats filling the air.
Kain, of course, had claimed a large table near the window, lounging lazily as more girls crowded around him.
A wolf-kin girl offered to feed him bites of her lunch, while another mage girl nervously asked if she could sit closer.
Kain didn't even need to try anymore.
He just smirked, tossed out a few casual compliments, and the girls melted.
He barely even looked at them.
It was almost boring how easy it was.
What was entertaining, however, was the way Ruby kept sneaking glances at him across the room.
Her tray untouched, her appetite gone, her heart sinking with every passing second.
Finn sat beside her, cheerful and clueless as ever.
"Man, Kain's got all the girls around him!"
He laughed, elbowing Ruby lightly.
"You think he could give me some tips, Ruby?"
He chuckled as if it were a harmless joke.
Ruby forced a stiff laugh, her knuckles whitening around her fork.
Meanwhile, Kain, hearing Finn's voice across the cafeteria, simply leaned back in his chair, arms draping over the backrest, and lazily replied without even glancing their way:
"You already have Ruby, don't you?" Kain said, voice smooth and bored.
"That should be enough for someone like you"
The words weren't harsh.
They weren't even sharp.
But the casual dismissal in them, the way he made Finn sound small.
The way he implied Ruby was just "enough"
It hit harder than a slap.
Finn, of course, just laughed it off like an idiot.
"Yeah, you're right! I'm lucky, huh?"
He reached over to squeeze Ruby's hand, grinning like a fool.
Ruby smiled back, but her heart wasn't in it.
It twisted painfully in her chest.
Enough.
Just "enough" for Finn.
Meanwhile, Kain didn't even care enough to spare her a glance.
And that hurt more than anything.
Across the cafeteria, another girl leaned into Kain, whispering something in his ear.
He laughed lowly, the sound deep and inviting, and casually brushed her hair behind her ear with a touch so gentle it looked intimate.
Ruby's chest tightened.
She dropped her fork with a clatter onto her tray, her hands trembling slightly.
She hated him.
She hated how easily he got under her skin.
She hated the way her body responded, even now, even as he ignored her.
System Ping:
[ Ruby's Affection: 90% → 85% ]
[ Ruby's Lust: 93% → 97% ]
[ Ruby's Emotional Turmoil: Intensifying ]
[ Ruby's Longing: 75% → 80% ]
Kain tilted his head slightly, catching the system messages without even looking at her.
A satisfied smirk tugged at his lips.
'Delicious,' he thought.
'Absolutely delicious'
Afternoon
Finn had the brilliant idea to "get everyone together to study," completely oblivious to the tension still simmering in the air.
He happily dragged Ruby with him to the library courtyard.
An open-air stone terrace filled with tables, trees, and a handful of lazy birds singing overhead.
Kain was already there.
Of course, he was.
A small crowd of girls hovered around him like moths to a flame, giggling and whispering.
"Yo, Kain!" Finn called out, waving enthusiastically.
"Come study with us!"
Kain lazily lifted his head from his spot, lounging in a chair, one arm draped around the back of a brown-haired swordswoman practically sitting in his lap.
Another girl, a petite healer, leaned over him with a textbook, trying to act like she was showing him something important.
Kain gave Finn a lazy two-fingered salute.
"Sure, sure," he said, voice dripping with boredom.
"But don't expect me to focus with all these distractions around"
He flashed a wolfish grin, just as the brown-haired girl turned her face toward him, and without hesitation, he caught her chin with two fingers and pressed a slow, teasing kiss to her lips.
The courtyard seemed to freeze.
Ruby stiffened, her hand tightening around the strap of her book bag until her knuckles went white.
Finn, ever the bloody fucking idiot, just laughed.
"Man, you're something else, Kain!" he said.
"You're gonna teach me how to be smooth like that, right?"
Ruby couldn't even breathe.
Her lungs felt too tight, her heart hammering so loudly she could barely hear anything else.
Kain, meanwhile, didn't even spare her a look.
He nuzzled the girl's cheek with maddening casualness, letting her giggle and fuss over him, as another girl from the crowd leaned down and kissed his cheek, then another one pressed a kiss to his other cheek, laughing.
Kain just smirked.
He loved it.
Every kiss, every flirtatious giggle was like a dagger twisted deeper into Ruby's chest.
And he knew it.
Oh, he knew.
He could feel Ruby's anguish, her jealousy, her longing.
It rolled off her in waves, delicious and sweet.
System Ping:
[ Ruby's Affection: 85% → 80% ]
[ Ruby's Lust: 97% → 99% ]
[ Ruby's Emotional Turmoil: MAX ]
[ Ruby's Heart: Tearing Apart ×2 ]
[ Ruby's Self-Control: Breaking ]
Kain tilted his head lazily and finally let his dark eyes flick over to Ruby.
He caught her stare, wide and pained, and smiled at her.
A slow, cruel smile that said: You're the one who chose this.
'Live with it!'
Finn was already setting out the study materials, oblivious to the slow collapse of his girlfriend's composure.
He plopped into a seat and patted the spot next to him.
"Come on, Ruby! Let's do some reading!" he said brightly.
Ruby forced herself to sit, her legs trembling slightly.
She kept her eyes on the textbook in front of her, anything, anything but looking at Kain.
But she could still hear him.
Still hear the soft moans, the faint giggles, the wet sounds of more kisses exchanged behind her.
He wasn't even trying to hide it.
He wanted her to hear.
He wanted her to suffer.
And she was.
Gods, she was.
Kain leaned back in his seat, letting two girls cling to his arms as he lazily flipped a page of his textbook, a smirk playing on his lips the entire time.
'This... is just the beginning,' Kain thought.
Library Courtyard – Later
Finn, the ever-thoughtful idiot, had decided he was hungry halfway through the study session.
"I'll go grab us some snacks! You two hold down the fort!" he said cheerily, before jogging off down the stone path.
Ruby barely heard him.
Her heart was still hammering violently in her chest.
She couldn't focus, not when Kain was still there, sitting so close, radiating heat and danger.
The other girls had dispersed with pouty smiles when Kain had casually waved them off.
"Later, ladies. Duty calls," he'd said, flashing that wicked grin.
The way they swooned made Ruby's stomach churn.
Now it was just the two of them.
Alone.
The air between them was heavy, crackling with tension.
Ruby dared a glance up, only to find Kain already staring at her, elbows propped on the table, chin resting lazily on one hand.
His eyes gleamed, half-lidded, amused, cruel.
He smiled, slow, lazy, and cutting.
"You're shaking, Ruby," he said, voice a low purr.
"Is it that cold? Or... are you scared of being alone with me?"
Ruby flinched.
She tried to look back down at her textbook, but her fingers were trembling too much to turn the page.
Kain chuckled under his breath.
A warm, cruel sound.
He leaned closer, so close she could feel his breath against her ear.
"You could've had this," he murmured, voice like silk over a blade.
"All of it. All of me. If you weren't such a coward"
Ruby's throat closed up.
Tears stung the edges of her vision, but she refused to cry.
Not here.
Not in front of him.
She clenched her fists under the table.
Kain only smiled wider, his eyes drinking in every delicious second of her torment.
"And now," he whispered, pulling back just enough for her to see the mocking glint in his eyes.
"You get to watch while everyone else takes what you threw away"
He stretched, muscles rippling under his shirt, his movements lazy and unbothered.
Completely, utterly unaffected, while Ruby was a trembling mess beside him.
Another System Ping echoed silently in Kain's mind:
[ Ruby's Affection: 80% → 70% ]
[ Ruby's Lust: 99% → 100% (Overflow) ]
[ Ruby's Emotional Collapse: Imminent ]
[ Ruby's Resistance: Critical Failure ]
Kain let out a soft sigh, pretending to read a passage in his book, but he was savoring every second, every trembling breath she took, every heartbeat that screamed his name in her chest.
He didn't even have to touch her.
He already owned her.
Body and soul.
And she knew it.
Ruby sat frozen, her hands clenched tightly in her lap.
Every word Kain had whispered to her still rang violently inside her chest.
The cold air around them seemed to thicken, suffocating her.
Then, something changed.
Kain's smirk faded.
His gaze softened, almost imperceptibly.
He closed his book with a soft thump, then leaned back in his chair, his eyes never leaving her.
With a slow, almost lazy motion, he lifted one hand and patted his lips lightly.
An unmistakable invitation.
The kind of gesture that made Ruby's heart seize painfully in her chest.
"Come here," he said, his voice quieter now, almost gentle.
"Come sit on my lap, Ruby"
She hesitated, shaking, uncertain, but her body moved on its own.
Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she knew he would burn her alive.
When she stood and approached, Kain opened his arms, waiting patiently.
The second she was close enough, he gripped her waist firmly, effortlessly lifting her into his lap.
Her body fit against him perfectly, almost too perfectly.
Ruby couldn't stop the tears that slipped free.
She hated herself for it.
Hated how easily he could tear her down and pull her back up again with a single word.
Kain said nothing.
Instead, he just pressed her head gently against his chest.
His fingers ran through her hair, slow and deliberate, stroking her like she was something fragile he could shatter if he chose.
"There, there," he murmured against her hair, the cruel edge gone from his voice for now.
"You're okay. I'm here"
Ruby clung to him, trembling.
The hurt, the longing, the love she still felt all mixed into one devastating ache.
She tilted her head up, tears spilling down her cheeks.
Her gaze met his, and Kain, slowly, deliberately, cupped her jaw with one hand.
He wiped her tears away with his thumb, a tenderness she hadn't seen in what felt like forever.
Then, without a word, he leaned down—
And kissed her.
Not a teasing, fleeting kiss.
No.
This kiss was long, deep, and devastatingly tender.
It stole the air from Ruby's lungs, making her world collapse into just him, his taste, his warmth, his everything.
Her fingers tangled in his shirt as she kissed him back desperately, pouring every broken piece of herself into that kiss.
Kain held her close, his arms wrapping around her like iron, anchoring her against him.
His lips moved slowly against hers, savoring her, owning her all over again in a way no one else ever could.
It wasn't just a kiss.
It was a claim.
When they finally pulled apart, both breathless, Kain rested his forehead against hers.
His thumb brushed her lower lip almost possessively.
"You're mine, Ruby," he whispered, a promise and a warning all at once.
"You've always been mine"
And for the first time that night, Ruby didn't argue.
She couldn't.
Because she was.
Her cheeks were flushed, her lips trembling, her eyes glassy with tears and something deeper, pure, unshakable devotion.
She buried her face in his chest, breathing him in like she needed it to survive.
Kain stroked her hair, slow and possessive, as a new sound quietly echoed in the air.
[ System Notification ]
[-Ruby's Affection has reached its maximum!-]
[ Ruby has been added to your Harem List! ]
[ Effects: Ruby will no longer question your actions. Her loyalty is absolute. She will follow you no matter what path you choose ]
Kain's lips curved into a dark, satisfied smile.
'Finally'
Another piece is finally perfectly in place.
She whispered brokenly against him, "Kain... earlier... I was going to break up with Finn. I don't want him. I only—"
He cut her off with a gentle finger against her lips.
"No, Ruby," he said smoothly.
"You stay with him. For now. It'll be easier that way. We can see each other whenever you want"
His voice dipped into a low, silky purr.
"You're mine already. That's what matters"
Her entire body shivered, nodding against him like a puppet whose strings he pulled.
KNOCK KNOCK!
The door to the library rattled with a sudden knock, making Ruby stiffen in his lap.
Kain, however, just chuckled low in his throat, utterly relaxed.
Still holding Ruby on his lap, he called out lazily, "Come in"
The door swung open.
And there was Finn.
Grinning like an idiot, arms full of snacks, chips, candy, and two bottles of cheap beer.
Completely oblivious to the storm of emotions thickening the room.
"Hey, I brought back snacks!" Finn said brightly.
He didn't seem to notice how Ruby was still sitting on Kain's lap, trembling slightly, her face flushed and teary.
He didn't notice the way Kain's arms were loosely wrapped around her waist, his fingers still idly stroking her hip.
No, Finn, the ever-moron, just laughed.
"You look so happy, Ruby!" he said, dumping the snacks on the table.
"Guess I really know how to cheer you up, huh?"
Kain leaned back on the chair, smirking lazily, one hand sliding from Ruby's waist to tap casually against her thigh.
Ruby flinched, but Kain tightened his grip, keeping her firmly in place.
"Yeah," Kain said, his crimson eyes glinting with wicked amusement.
"You're a real natural, Finn"
Finn beamed proudly, utterly, pathetically clueless.
Ruby barely dared to look at Finn.
Her fingers fisted tightly in Kain's shirt, her heart hammering against her ribs.
She had kissed Kain.
She had given herself to him without hesitation.
And Finn thought a bag of chips was the reason she was smiling through the tears still clinging to her lashes.
Kain leaned down, whispering just for Ruby's ears:
"Just act natural… You can come to my room later if that's what you want"
Ruby shivered violently against him, feeling like her heart was going to explode.
Kain's hand never left her body, even as Finn popped open one of the beers and started chatting aimlessly about how hard the next exam was going to be.
Ruby barely heard a word.
Her world had narrowed down to the man holding her, the heat of his body, the deadly, thrilling grip he had over her soul.
Kain's voice was a low hum against her temple.
"Relax, Ruby," he murmured so quietly only she could hear.
"There's nothing left to be scared of"
She nodded gently.
Finn laughed at his own dumb joke, tipping his head back, completely oblivious.
And in that moment, when Finn wasn't looking, Kain seized the opportunity.
He turned Ruby's face up to his with two fingers under her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.
For a heartbeat, she hesitated.
Then he kissed her.
A slow, possessive, burning kiss.
Not rushed.
Not panicking.
No, it was drawn out, like he had all the time in the world to devour her.
Ruby whimpered into his mouth, her hands flying up to cling around his neck.
Kain's grip tightened around her waist, pulling her flush against him as he deepened the kiss, daring her to lose herself completely.
She did.
Every part of her melted into him, trembling, desperate, aching for more.
And Finn...
Finn was oblivious, rummaging through the snack bag, talking about what kind of sandwiches he bought.
When Kain finally broke the kiss, Ruby was left gasping, dazed, lips swollen, her entire body pressed against him like she never wanted to move again.
He wiped the stray tears off her flushed cheeks with a thumb, smiling like the devil himself.
"Good girl," he whispered against her ear.
Ruby shuddered so hard Kain almost laughed.
Finally, Finn turned back toward them, holding up a sandwich triumphantly.
"Hey! I even grabbed you guys' tuna salad, Ruby's favorite!"
He beamed, proud of himself.
"As a reward for all this hard studying we're doing, right?"
Kain just leaned back lazily, cradling Ruby possessively against him.
He smirked, eyes half-lidded with lazy cruelty.
"Yeah," he said smoothly.
"We're working real hard over here!"
Finn laughed again, utterly clueless.
Ruby just stayed curled into Kain's chest, biting her lip to hold back the wrecked sob of emotion tearing through her heart.
Not from sadness anymore, but from a twisted, overwhelming happiness.
She was his.
And she would never doubt it again.
The Next Day / Lunchtime
The sun was warm over the academy courtyard, students milling around, laughing, chatting, the smell of fresh bread and soup wafting from the dining hall.
At one of the stone tables, Kain lounged lazily in his seat, sipping from a cup of tea like he had no care in the world.
Girls hovered nearby, lots of them, giggling, pretending to ask for help with homework, offering to share their lunches, shyly passing him little notes tied in ribbons.
And across the table, Ruby sat beside Finn, who was busy cramming sandwiches into his mouth, completely missing the way she was practically glowing.
Her cheeks were faintly pink, her posture relaxed, her blue eyes constantly drifting toward Kain with soft, dreamy affection.
Finn grinned, elbowing her lightly.
"Man, you're in a good mood today," he said with a mouthful of bread.
"I guess that study hug really worked, huh?"
Ruby laughed softly and nodded without correcting him.
She didn't even glance at him.
Her gaze was all for Kain.
Kain smirked over the rim of his cup.
'Study hug, huh?' he thought, amused.
If only Finn knew what really happened in that library courtyard.
If only he knew how thoroughly Ruby had been claimed, body and soul.
The girls around him kept fluttering, one even daring to sit on his lap, twirling her hair between her fingers.
Another offered him a homemade lunchbox.
Ruby noticed it all.
She saw the way the girls touched him, the way they leaned too close, the way they giggled and blushed around him.
And she didn't flinch.
She didn't glare.
She didn't scowl.
She didn't even frown.
Because deep inside her heart, she was his.
No matter how many others tried, no one could take her place.
Kain chuckled under his breath, a low, wicked sound only Ruby caught.
She smiled at him shyly, the smile of someone who would follow him into hell without hesitation.
[ Ruby's Loyalty: MAXIMUM ]
[ Affection-Linked Buffs Activated: Enhanced Mana Regeneration, Passive Charm Boost ]
He smirked deeply, eyes gleaming.
'Man,' he thought, feeling a dark satisfaction bloom inside him.
'Absolute loyalty... total trust...'
He licked his lips slowly.
'This rocks'