The jealouse brother’s obsession:Backstory of caden

The winter air was cold but festive in Rhonwen Metropolis, as snow fell gently over the grandest celebration the kingdom had ever seen. Caden, the second prince, had just been born. His golden hair, shining like sunlight, and red eyes, an inheritance from his father, King Henry Dominick III, were declared signs of greatness.

Lanterns illuminated the city, their glow rivaling the stars. For seven days, the citizens celebrated with music, dancing, and endless feasts. Even the Holy Temple of Elyria, a revered institution, performed a sacred ceremony for the newborn prince. The high priests prophesied that Caden would be the "Light of the Kingdom," a beacon of hope. The people cheered with unwavering faith.

By the time Caden was four, the prophecy seemed to be coming true. He had awakened his aura—an incredible feat for someone so young. His father was jubilant.

"As I expected of my son! He's a genius!" King Henry declared, raising a goblet in a grand feast held in the royal hall.

"He's a blessing to our land!"

"He will be a great king one day!" the nobles exclaimed, their admiration endless.

Queen Bianca Donovan, Caden's mother, often reminded him of his importance. She would cradle him in her arms and whisper, "You are the pride of the kingdom, my little star. You will shine brighter than anyone."

Caden felt loved—by the king, the queen, the nobles, and even the servants. His maternal grandfather, Marquis Donovan, an influential and cunning man, doted on him endlessly, showering him with gifts and praise. It was a golden life, one of endless adoration and privilege.

At six years old, during the winter of his birthday, another grand celebration was held. Guests filled the royal hall, the sound of music and laughter echoing through the castle. But Caden, tired of the endless praise and shallow admiration, snuck out of the banquet hall.

The biting cold air greeted him as he strolled through the quieter parts of the castle grounds. His small legs carried him further than he had ever gone, to a secluded area surrounded by old stone walls and overgrown vines. Unlike the main castle, which gleamed with grandeur, this section was dilapidated and shrouded in gloom.

Caden paused when he noticed a faint light coming from one of the windows. His eyes narrowed as he saw a boy, about his age, sitting by the window. The boy's pale face was gaunt, his eyes ringed with dark circles, and his expression was vacant as he gazed at the sky.

(Who is that?) Caden wondered, stepping closer.

Just then, a maid, alarmed, ran after him. "Your Highness, you mustn't go there!" she said urgently, pulling him back.

Caden frowned. "Why not? Who is that boy? Is he a servant?"

The maid hesitated, her expression conflicted. Finally, she sighed. "Your Highness, please don't tell the queen I said this… but that boy is Prince Theodore, your elder brother."

Caden's eyes widened in shock. "My brother?!"

"Yes. He's a year older than you and the late queen's son."

Caden's shock turned to confusion as he looked back at the dilapidated building. "If he's my brother, why is he living there? Why does it look so… abandoned?"

The maid glanced around nervously before lowering her voice. "Your mother forbade anyone from approaching that building. She doesn't want you near him. Please, Your Highness, we must leave."

Though reluctant, Caden nodded, allowing the maid to guide him back. But the image of Theodore—his pale, fragile brother staring at the sky—haunted him.

The next morning, unable to contain his curiosity, Caden brought up Theodore to his mother.

"Mother," he began cautiously, "why is my brother living in that place? Why can't I see him?"

The queen's expression darkened immediately. "You are never to go near that child," she snapped, her tone sharp enough to make Caden flinch.

"But why?" Caden pressed.

"Because he is cursed," the queen spat, her voice cold. "That child is a disaster, a stain on this family. He brings nothing but misfortune. Stay away from him, Caden. That is my order."

"But he's my brother—"

"End of discussion!" The queen rose abruptly, her skirts swishing as she stormed out of the room, leaving Caden stunned and hurt.

Despite his mother's warning, Caden couldn't get Theodore out of his mind. There was something deeply unsettling about the way everyone ignored his existence, as though he were a ghost haunting the castle.

One evening, Caden sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the floor. His maid, noticing his troubled expression, knelt beside him.

"What's wrong, my prince?" she asked gently.

Caden looked up at her. "Do you have siblings?"

The maid smiled warmly. "I do, Your Highness. I have three younger brothers. We fight sometimes, but we love each other deeply. We're inseparable, no matter what."

"How does it feel to have siblings?" Caden asked quietly.

The maid tilted her head, considering her answer. "It feels… comforting. Knowing you share the same blood, the same bond. Even when we argue, there's a connection that can't be broken. Siblings are meant to support each other, to share each other's burdens."

Caden sighed deeply, his small hands curling into fists.

"Are you thinking about Prince Theodore?" the maid asked softly.

Caden nodded. "He's my brother, isn't he? Why can't I go near him? Why does everyone act like he doesn't exist?"

The maid hesitated, her smile faltering. "I… I don't know, Your Highness. But you must trust the queen's judgment. She has her reasons."

Her vague answer only deepened Caden's frustration. For the first time, he felt as though his perfect world had a crack in it.

(If siblings are meant to share a bond, why does everyone keep him away from me?)

Determined to learn the truth, Caden made up his mind. One day, he would uncover the mystery surrounding Theodore, no matter what it took.

Caden's disillusionment deepened as he grew older. By the time he turned seven, even the things he once loved—training, praise, and celebrations—felt hollow. A heaviness weighed on him, gnawing at his curiosity and his heart. One night, as he lay in bed, staring at the intricate carvings on his canopy, his maid hesitated by the door, her expression conflicted.

Finally, she sighed. "Your Highness… if I tell you something, you must never speak of it to the queen."

Caden bolted upright, his eyes wide with anticipation. "Tell me," he urged, his voice tinged with desperation.

The maid approached cautiously, lowering her voice to a whisper. "The truth about your brother…"

Caden's heart pounded. His brother—Theodore—had become a shadow in his mind, a figure he couldn't understand but couldn't forget.

The maid sat at the edge of his bed. "Prince Theodore's mother, the late Queen Urian Vermin, died tragically after giving birth to him. Rumors say… she took her own life because of him, claiming he was cursed."

Caden's breath hitched. "Cursed? What do you mean?"

The maid hesitated, glancing nervously at the door. "After her death, Prince Theodore was moved to the decaying Rose Palace, far from the splendor of the main castle. The queen—your mother—forbade anyone from interacting with him. She said he was dangerous."

Caden frowned. "And what does my mother have to do with this?"

The maid's eyes darted around the room, and she clamped a hand over her mouth as if she'd already said too much. She stood abruptly. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I shouldn't have said anything. Please forget this conversation."

"Wait!" Caden called, but the maid quickly left the room.

The next morning, Caden searched for her, but she was gone. When he asked the other maids about her, they flinched and stammered excuses. "She… she didn't like working here," one lied, her voice trembling.

Caden couldn't let the matter rest. He approached his mother once more, determined to learn the truth.

"Mother," he began cautiously, "why can't I see Theodore? Why can't I talk to him? He's my brother."

Queen Bianca's warm expression immediately darkened. "He doesn't belong to us," she said coldly.

"What do you mean?"

"He's a stain on this family," she snapped. "A cursed child. He brings nothing but misfortune. Stay away from him, Caden. That's my order."

"But why—"

"Enough!" Bianca's voice boomed, silencing him. She rose from her seat, her gaze icy. "I will not tolerate this discussion again. Do you understand?"

Caden clenched his fists but nodded, tears stinging his eyes.

Despite his mother's warnings, Caden's curiosity only grew. One day, he slipped away from the main palace and made his way to the Rose Palace. The building was as grim as the maid had described—overgrown with vines, its stone walls cracked and weathered.

Through a window, Caden saw a boy sitting on a worn wooden chair. He was pale and thin, his dark hair falling over his hollow cheeks. But what struck Caden most was the sadness in his eyes, as if he were staring at something no one else could see.

Caden felt an ache in his chest. (So this is my brother?)

He wanted to approach, but fear held him back. He returned to the main palace that day, but his thoughts remained with Theodore.

The next day, Caden returned, watching Theodore from a distance. On the third day, he mustered the courage to approach. He carried a small box of sweets prepared by his maid.

Theodore flinched when Caden stepped into his room, his wide eyes wary.

"Who are you?" Theodore asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Caden smiled, trying to appear friendly. "I'm Caden. I brought you something." He held out the box of sweets.

Theodore hesitated but eventually took the box, his thin fingers trembling. "Thank you," he murmured, his lips curling into the faintest of smiles.

Caden's heart swelled with joy. (He's not so different from me after all.)

But late one night, the joy turned to horror. Theodore fell violently ill after eating the sweets. His pale face grew ashen, and he trembled uncontrollably.

"Big brother! What's wrong?!" Caden cried, panic rising in his chest.

Theodore, clutching his stomach, managed to choke out, "Please… leave me alone, Caden. Don't you understand? Just leave!"

Caden's chest tightened. "But I want to help!"

Theodore's maid stepped in, her face grim. "Your Highness, please leave. Prince Theodore needs rest. He'll see you later."

Reluctantly, Caden left, his heart heavy with worry.

The truth came out the next day: the sweets Caden had brought were poisoned. His mother had orchestrated the entire thing, using him as an unwitting pawn in her plan to eliminate Theodore.

When Caden confronted her, his voice trembling with anger, Queen Bianca slapped him hard across the face.

"You should be thanking me," she hissed, her tone venomous. "I'm protecting you from that abomination. Do you want to be cursed too?"

Caden's tears spilled over, but he said nothing. Deep down, a part of him hated himself for being too weak to stand up to her.

From that day on, something inside Caden shifted. His guilt over Theodore's suffering, combined with his mother's manipulation, twisted his emotions. He convinced himself that the only way to help Theodore was to push him, to provoke him into fighting back.

"If I can't save him," Caden muttered to himself, "then I'll force him to save himself. I'll make him ruthless. Strong. A prince worthy of this kingdom."

But deep down, he wondered if he was doing it for Theodore—or for himself.

At the age of eight, Caden's growing talent became the pride of the kingdom. His rapid progress in aura led to an extraordinary exception—he was permitted to enroll in the prestigious academy a year earlier than his peers.

But Caden's excitement wasn't rooted in ambition or the opportunity to showcase his skills. He had a different reason. (I'll push him. I'll make Theodore ruthless. If he can't fight for himself, I'll force him to.)

The thought of enrolling alongside Theodore filled Caden with hope—though a twisted kind of hope. He envisioned breaking down Theodore's passivity through torment, believing that the only way to strengthen him was to harden him through fire.

Once at the academy, Caden ensured Theodore's days were nothing short of miserable. Every day, he challenged him, mocked him, and humiliated him in front of the class. His sharp words cut deep, and his relentless antics became the talk of the school.

But beneath the façade of arrogance and cruelty, Caden couldn't shake the sadness he felt.

(He's so weak… so pathetic. He doesn't even try. Why won't he fight back?) Caden thought one day, watching as Theodore quietly picked up his belongings after Caden's latest prank.

When rumors began to circulate that Theodore's health was failing, Caden overheard whispers in the hall.

"They say the curse prince is dying."

"Well, good riddance. He doesn't belong here."

"His frail body probably can't handle school life."

Caden clenched his fists, his chest tightening painfully. The idea of Theodore disappearing, of dying without ever standing up for himself, filled him with a sense of loss he couldn't explain.

And then it happened.

The day , after yet another round of ridicule in front of the class, Theodore did something that shook Caden to his core.

The frail boy, who had endured countless humiliations without complaint, stood up. His fists clenched, his dull eyes now blazing with defiance.

"Enough!" Theodore growled, his voice steady, cutting through the laughter in the room.

For the first time, Theodore met Caden's gaze—not as a helpless victim, but as an equal.

Caden's breath hitched. For a moment, he couldn't respond. That look, that fire—it stirred something in him. (Finally… he's alive.)

The class fell silent, stunned by Theodore's transformation. But for Caden, beneath the pride he felt for his brother, there was sorrow.

(Have I gone too far? The scars I left on him… they'll never heal. Was this really the right way?)

Yet, as Theodore glared at him, radiating strength Caden had never seen before, a grin spread across Caden's face.

"Finally," he thought. "He sees me."

————

That night, after his confrontation with Theodore, Caden returned to his dormitory. His companions—Marcus and the others—were already waiting for him.

"Hey, Prince Caden," Marcus said cautiously. "Where did you go so late at night?"

Caden's red eyes flicked toward him, sharp and cold. "Do I need to explain my every move to fools like you?"

The boys flinched at his tone, lowering their heads. "N-no, of course not!"

With a dismissive wave, Caden barked, "Get out. Leave me alone."

The boys obeyed without hesitation, scurrying out of the room. Alone at last, Caden leaned against the door, letting out a deep breath.

He felt something he hadn't in a long time—excitement.

Grinning to himself, he muttered, "Tomorrow will be interesting. I can't wait to see what you'll do next, Theodore."

The next morning

The classroom buzzed with whispers as Caden strode in, flanked by Marcus and his other companions. Despite their humiliation at Theodore's hands, they clung to Caden like shadows.

Caden's entrance immediately silenced the room. Even those who disliked him couldn't help but be intimidated by his commanding presence.

"Prince Caden, you're back!" a girl chirped, forcing a cheerful tone.

"Yes, we're glad you're okay!" another added nervously.

"How's your arm, my prince?"

Caden ignored them all, walking to his seat as though their words didn't exist. His companions trailed behind him, their heads lowered in shame.

As he sat down, Caden's gaze shifted to the door, anticipation building within him. (Hurry up, Theodore.)

Moments later, the door opened.

The energy in the room changed the instant Theodore stepped inside. He didn't need to speak; his presence alone demanded attention.

"He's here," someone whispered.

"Is there going to be another fight?" another murmured nervously.

Theodore walked with an air of calm authority, his sharp gaze sweeping the room before he made his way to his seat. Unlike before, there was no hesitation in his movements, no sign of fear.

He pulled out a book and opened it, ignoring the stares of his classmates as if they were nothing more than background noise.

Caden's lips curved into a slow, satisfied smile as he watched Theodore's calm, commanding presence silence the room. "As I expected of my brother," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible but filled with pride.

To the other students, Caden's expression seemed unsettling—eerily out of character. To Caden, however, it was pure joy. Seeing Theodore transform into someone untouchable, someone who demanded respect without uttering a single word, sent an inexplicable thrill through him.

Rising to his feet, Caden's voice rang out confidently. "I will compete with my brother."

The entire class froze, their jaws dropping in disbelief. Murmurs and whispers erupted immediately.

"Brother? Did he just call him 'brother'?"

"Wait, didn't he always call him the 'curse boy'?"

"This has to be some kind of joke."

Even Marcus and the other boys in Caden's group exchanged confused glances, anger flickering in their eyes. To them, this wasn't the Caden they knew. Why was their leader suddenly treating the brother he supposedly despised with respect?

But Theodore didn't even spare Caden a glance. His eyes remained glued to the book in his hands, his expression indifferent, as if Caden were nothing more than background noise.

The cold dismissal sent a pang through Caden's chest. His confident smirk faltered for a brief second, but the excitement coursing through him didn't waver. I'll make you acknowledge me, Theodore. No matter what it takes.

The sudden creak of the classroom door cut through the tension. Miss Dalia entered, her heels clicking sharply against the marble floor. Following closely behind her was Principal Roman, his aura like a storm contained within the frail body of an old man.

The room, already tense, fell completely silent as the students scrambled to their seats. Whispers of curiosity hung in the air as they tried to guess the reason for this unexpected visit.

Roman's deep blue eyes scanned the room, but they lingered on Theodore. His smile spread—a strange, knowing grin that made Theodore's stomach churn. The oppressive mana radiating from Roman made the air feel thick, like trying to breathe through water.

"I have an important announcement," Roman began, his voice carrying the weight of authority. "Your next test will be a group project. It will focus on teamwork and survival skills, including hunting dangerous beasts within the academy's designated forest grounds."

Excited chatter broke out immediately.

"A hunting test? This will be fun!"

"I wonder who I'll team up with."

"We can't mess this up; the nobles always dominate this kind of test."

Theodore raised a hand, silencing the chatter. "Principal Roman," he said calmly, his voice cutting through the noise like a blade. "May I request to participate alone?"

The room froze again, disbelief and shock washing over the students like a wave.

"Alone? Is he insane?"

"Does he think he's that strong?"

"No one's ever been allowed to do a hunting test solo before!"

Roman's smile widened, his gaze locked on Theodore like a hawk eyeing its prey. "Of course, my treasure," he said, his tone dripping with condescension. "For someone like you, exceptions can always be made."

Theodore's jaw tightened at the word treasure, but he nodded curtly and returned to his book, ignoring the whispers that erupted around him.

Caden's chair screeched loudly against the floor as he stood abruptly, his voice cutting through the room like thunder. "How can you allow that? If he gets special treatment, I demand to participate alone too!"

Roman chuckled, his laughter cold and dismissive. "You, Caden? Don't make me laugh. You're far too weak to handle a solo test."

The insult hit Caden like a slap, but Roman wasn't finished. His eyes gleamed with amusement as he continued, "Theodore has already mastered advanced mana techniques and wields a three-star aura. You can't even begin to compare."

Gasps erupted from the students.

"Three-star aura?"

"He's already mastered advanced mana? At his age?"

"No wonder Roman favors him."

Theodore remained silent, turning a page in his book as though the entire conversation was beneath him.

Caden's fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood. His jaw tightened, and his face burned with a volatile mix of envy and rage. Without another word, he stormed out of the classroom, his companions scrambling to follow.

Caden's footsteps echoed through the empty hallway as he walked with quick, angry strides. His mind was a storm of thoughts, each one more venomous than the last.

Marcus jogged to keep up, his voice hesitant. "Caden, this is it! The war between you and your brother is finally happening!"

But Caden didn't respond. His mind replayed Roman's words on an endless loop. Three-star aura. Advanced mana techniques. The phrases taunted him, each syllable digging deeper into his pride.

He stopped suddenly, breathing heavily, his fists still clenched. His companions froze, startled by the intensity radiating from him.

Marcus placed a cautious hand on his shoulder. "Caden… are you okay?"

Caden shrugged him off, his red eyes narrowing as a dark smirk spread across his face.

"You're wrong, Marcus," he said, his voice cold and steady. "This isn't a war. It's a hunt."

Marcus blinked, confused. "A hunt?"

Caden's gaze darkened, his words laced with malice. "I don't just want to surpass him. That's too easy. I want him to fall. I want to see him broken. I'll crush him so completely that he'll never dare look at me like I'm beneath him again."

Marcus and the others exchanged nervous glances. There was something unsettling in Caden's tone, something twisted.

"The war has begun," Caden murmured to himself, his voice barely above a whisper.

For the first time, his love for Theodore blurred completely with obsession. It wasn't just about proving himself anymore—it was about power, control, and the overwhelming need to win. Whatever it took, he would make Theodore acknowledge him.