The Silverleaf girls' dormitory was alive with noise as usual, voices carrying through the halls, doors opening and closing, footsteps echoing on polished floors. But in one corner room on the third floor, things were unusually quiet.

Maris sat in a chair by the window, tablet balanced across her knees as she scrolled with one long finger. Her golden eyes moved steadily down the page, unreadable save for the slight crease of her brow. Mira leaned against the wall near her workbench, arms folded, expression surprisingly calm while Kiyomi sat on the bed with one leg crossed over the other, her three tails sweeping slowly behind her as if in time with some silent song.

The rumors were spreading fast.

"Cain Sinthorne, Tamer of the Four Poisonous Flowers," Maris read aloud at last. Her tone carried no emotion, only flat amusement. "A man among men, surrounded by the deadliest beauties of the Academy. Four women feared by half the student body, now walking at his side as if he owns them."

Mira's lips curved downwards faintly. "Owns us? That is dramatic even for them."

Maris scrolled further, reading each post as if measuring it with her eyes alone. "Jayden, the cold goddess of the dueling rings, finally shows her true form as a fiery wolf girl blazing with flames of passion. That explains the reflexes, the savagery in her fights. They are saying she clung to his arm like a girl in love."

Kiyomi smirked slightly but said nothing.

Maris kept reading with an incremental increase of disgust with each word. "Maris Rorascal, the Violet Spear Princess. A noble beauty with the face of a prince, breaker of hearts and idol of half the girls in the Academy. Now apparently conquered by Cain Sinthorne without lifting a finger."

She gave a small shrug as she scrolled further down.

Mira walked over and took the tablet when her own name appeared. Her expression did not change even as she read the words aloud. "Mira Calderon, the Iron Rose. Rarely seen in class, heir to a smithing lineage, owner of her own forge. Known for cold smiles and shattered egos. Every fool who ever thought her kindness meant romance ended up broken one way or another. Now smiling at Cain Sinthorne like he hammered her himself."

Kiyomi laughed softly at that but leaned forward when her own name came up next.

"Mmm," she hummed as Mira read it aloud. "Kiyomi Arashina. The Scarlet-Fox Temptress. A shameless seductress who leaves men in ruins, wielding illusions and charm to devour them one by one. They say no man survives her spell intact. Cain Sinthorne must be something else to keep her at his side without falling apart."

Kiyomi stretched languidly, her tails trailing behind her as if she were pleased.

Mira stared at her. "Are you going to let them spread this?"

"They have been spreading it since my first month here," Kiyomi said lightly. "Why stop them now?"

"Because people believe it," Maris said simply. "They always believe the worst."

Kiyomi's smile faltered just slightly before returning in full. She leaned back on her hands, gaze on the ceiling rather than the tablet.

"They think I sleep with all those men," she said softly. "That I bring them here one by one. That I ruin them on purpose."

Mira and Maris both stayed silent.

Kiyomi's voice dropped lower. "The truth would disappoint them. I have never brought anyone back here. I have never touched them at all. I take what I need while they dream illusions I put in their heads. Let them wake thinking they spent the night with me. It is easier than the truth."

Maris frowned faintly. "Why not tell them?"

"Because they would not believe it," Kiyomi said simply. "Because if they think they slept with me, they do not notice the blood I took while they were under my spell. They do not realize I starved myself for weeks first so I would not have to do it more than once." Her tails lowered slightly, curling close around her legs. "Let them believe I am a temptress. It keeps them from guessing what I really am."

Mira studied her quietly for a long moment before looking away. Maris said nothing more.

Kiyomi finally let out a soft, humorless laugh and plucked the tablet from Mira's hands. "Scarlet-Fox Temptress," she murmured with a grin that did not reach her eyes. "Maybe I should start charging admission."

On the other side of the Academy, the Blacklion Nobles dorm where Cain's dorm room was located was quiet except for the faint hum of the ceiling fan. He was adjusting the straps on some leather bracers he had ordered when Jayden walked out of his bedroom like she owned the place, tail flicking behind her as she sat next to him on his couch.

Cain gave her a look. "You know this is my room, right? Not yours?"

Jayden made a small sound of acknowledgment but stayed right where she was, scrolling through a tablet as if she lived here now.

Cain shook his head, muttering under his breath, "She really thinks this place belongs to her."

Then Jayden turned the screen toward him. "Look at this."

Cain leaned closer.

The forum posts filled the screen. Headlines screamed about Cain Sinthorne taming the Poisonous Flowers, about him charming the cold wolf goddess, conquering the Violet Spear Princess, winning the Iron Rose, surviving the Scarlet-Fox Temptress. Each line sounded worse than the last. Some called him a living legend. Others claimed he had to be blackmailing them all. A few even speculated he was using forbidden magic to keep them close.

Cain's eye twitched.

And then the voice started.

Gaius laughed in the back of his mind, a low, cruel sound curling through his skull like smoke. "Listen to them sing your praises, little mortal. A man of legend. A conqueror of hearts. A king before his throne is even built The Demon King and his Four Heavenly Queens ."

Cain's hand tightened until the leather strap creaked under his fingers.

Jayden tilted her head. "You are shaking."

Cain exhaled slowly, glaring at the tablet as Gaius's laughter rose higher and higher in his head until it felt like the whole Academy was mocking him in perfect harmony.

This was going to drive him insane.

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