Niklas stared after him silently. It was the back of a lonely man, somebody bearing a weight too heavy for them.

Kaden continued without a mind for the other's thoughts, ignoring the stares that immediately turned to his direction as he strode with powerful, arrogant steps. The Academy was a building with history, carrying many stories within its stone walls that were carefully maintained.

He fiddled with a cold gold coin in his pocket, running his thumb over it. It'd been on his bedside table, and he felt compelled to carry it with him.

The building spanned across the yard, a rustic, knowing sort of air whispering around. Surrounded by 'connections', children of powerful men and women, children of various creatures.

That, or the talented, students that were blessed with a rare knowledge in a certain field.

If he had been talented, perhaps he could've found a way to live without relying on the Chauvets.

Had he been blessed, perhaps he could've made something with his life that didn't end with hell.

But even if he thought these things, it was without a doubt that the choices had been made with his own hands, curse or not curse.

He'd been a foolish, desperate and pitiful thing clamoring for attention, and he took full blame for the disasters he caused. He didn't want to remember that life.

"Excuse me." Kaden turned to speak to a girl that was giggling with her friend at the side, watching as she flinched, recognition flashing before her eyes.

Here, status didn't matter and the identities behind each student wasn't disclosed. But for those notorious enough to have a reputation, their identity was obvious.

"Which way are the boys' dormitories?"

She flinched, taking a large, nervous gulp of air. It was clear that she was uncomfortable, but he needed a direction, and couldn't give up just for her sake. Any other person would be unwilling to speak to him, regardless.

And while he considered the option of wandering around helplessly and praying for the wind to blow him in the correct destination, he would at least try to request help.

"If you'd like, it'd be fine for you just to point in the general direction."

She nodded hesitantly, raising a finger down the left hall. He took a deep breath—he wasn't going to bite her.

His cruelty had been a topic of conversation across the Kingdom, but he never purposely disrespected a person. He was cold and calculating, but he had the odd sort of charm that made people curious what hid under layers of facade.

A straight, calm facade at one second, and a laughing storm of chaos the next.

A lunatic.

That was how he was described.

A bastard in noblemen's clothing, elegant in his actions and distorted in his mind. A fitting word for somebody who was faking nobility. He did have a habit of looking down on people, though he had absolutely no right to.

Things had changed. Although he didn't intend to wash himself over in some pretty, glittering rumours, he would behave without the same stupidity.

He nodded to her and she furrowed her brows, forcing a smile in return. "If you continue... down... turn left at the end, and there should be an exit for the detached building."

Surprised, he broke out into a smile and laughed.

How long had it been since he had a passing conversation like this? Niklas didn't avoid him, and even she was willing to speak to him.

Was it even more foolish to feel joy over such simplicity? If so, he didn't care.

The woman's eyes captured his unrestrained laughing expression with surprise, watching as the figure disappeared in the direction she'd pointed. She'd seen the notorious man before in the past, with an air much more terrible and cold.

Had something changed?

Following her instructions, it didn't take him long to arrive. A large woman, hands calloused and graying hair tossed into a messy bun, stood behind a desk. 

She glanced up at him through her glasses. "Name?"

"Kaden Alluin Chauvet."

He already knew his roommate would be, and what number he'd stay in.

She rummaged through a drawer, and threw a small metal in an arc across the air before nodding at the stairs behind her.

"Room 304. There will be no room changing, swapping or whatever you children ask for. It's always something. Curfew's at 10pm, though kids your age don't follow it anyway, tsk. Hurry along now, you haven't got all day."

"Thank you."

"Hmph."

Noya was always a prickly woman, obvious about her clear disdain for her job and the students in the building.

However, once, when he was limping across the grounds after a severe beating by Reed, starved and bleeding, the woman had yanked him around the counter to bandage his wounds before forcing a few bars of homemade oats into his hand.

Kaden swallowed.

It seemed as if running into those victims were far too easy—they'd always been the people around him, after all.

She wouldn't be killed, but her grandchildren were caught in a scheme after they witnessed an illegal trade, silenced. Noya had always been smart, discovering the connections to the Chauvet family.

But without proof, there was nothing she could do. Shortly after that event, she disappeared from the Academy and was never to be seen again.

Too many innocents, dead. Too many sinners, alive.

The door in front of him creaked open—room 304.

Kaden was by no means short, but this man held half a head of height over him, peering down with a chilling stare and a permanent frown of indifference.

Colourless strands of white, tainted at its end by black as it hung loosely over a sharp jaw, and raven eyes, a colour deeper than black in the sense of overwhelming oblivion that reflected within.

Kaden laughed, raising his brows in false confidence. "The dragon's son. What a pleasure."

Noah regarded him solemnly before turning around and returning to unpacking his items, ignoring Kaden.

Friendship between roommates wasn't necessary, and therefore the dragon had no obligation to cooperate. He disliked the lies behind the other's imprinted and laughing smile.

The latter closed his eyes with a soft, mocking chuckle before he entered the room, tugging out the few necessities he brought with him. He didn't own a lot to his name, and for the little he did, he held great importance over it.

Placing down the golden coin that he'd habitually played with in his pocket, he arranged it on the table and nodded to himself in satisfaction.

He didn't know where it came from, but since it was there and the cold metal eased his nerves, it would become something he carried around more often. Probably tossed behind by Reed, or left as a mocking payment.

A self-deprecating snort escaped him. In the end, free money was free money.

He turned to the brooding dragon on the opposite side—which wasn't very far, considering the rooms, although sizable, were still simply a regular dorm and didn't give them the luxury of space.

Although a friendship between the dragon and himself was a required and helpful asset to Kaden's mission, there was no need to form a deep relationship. 

A superficial friendship would suffice to meet Reed's future goals. 

It was late (not really), and he was tired, so he yawned loudly and curled up in his bed, knees brought to his chest and quiet breathing slowly filled the room.

Only then, did Noah turn around, frowning.

He lowered his eyes to the key, and then to the bundle wrapped up on the bed that was slowly moving with each breath.

If there was one thing to dislike about Kaden Chauvet, it would be that his silent way of sleeping curled up to the side, pressed against the corner, made one uncomfortable.

There was still plenty more to unpack, but the light was bright and intrusive.

Noah sighed, placing his clothing back into the open luggage before reaching out to turn off the light.