Kaden had a habit of waking up early.

In the slums, day and night didn't matter, and danger followed every second. Every minute and every hour. One had to be prepared to be attacked when they slept, and any scraps of food had to be swallowed immediately lest somebody steal them away.

It was a battle for survival.

Even in that entirely different reality where he lived, studied, and experienced a scene unlike any other, certain habits never fell away. The modern world, however, was a peaceful solace to the sinner whose mind had worn away over the years.

In the new life of nobility during his first life, Kaden learned it was still a struggle for survival. Another battle, just on a different playing field.

With intelligent humans that possessed knowledge beyond what a hungry child from the slums could ever. It was trickery and deceit, more vicious than he'd ever witnessed.

He didn't really sleep much, studying to catch up on the years of missing knowledge.

To prove himself, to show that he wasn't worthless, even if that was all that anybody could think of him as. However, his desire and quick learning only created harsher expectations for himself.

The King, once, caught him reading late into the night. The man in his empty, emotionless words had quizzed him on the book he was reading. Mathematics a level higher than his age, something he didn't need to learn for another few years. Not that the ten-year-old had been aware of that, assuming that he had to know everything.

Unsurprisingly, he failed to answer the quiz correctly.

He was beaten until a permanent scar ran up his leg, adding to the collection, and then thrown into the Room.

The Room was a dark cell with cold metal floors, worse than a prison. Completely black, where not even the tiniest sliver of light could enter. For the young child, it was the worst hell imaginable.

That was their most common punishment.

And he would lose his mind over a few nights, sobbing to be released. He'd slam his fingers against the walls, scratch until blood seeped from his nails, before curling up with infected wounds, muttering to himself.

'I'll be okay, I'll be okay, I'll be okay.'

'I can survive.'

'This is nothing.'

The man rubbed his temples, shoving away the intrusive memories. He was sitting up with his hair in uncommon, messy tangles, a wild nest on his head, while he blearily stared into the distance, dozing off.

Not that he'd go back to sleep even if he wanted to.

He yawned with a wide mouth, revealing a clean row of white, before he licked his dry lips. Although he had a habit of waking early, that didn't mean he was a pretty waker.

Breakfast wasn't something he was used to eating, so he opted to skip it and wait for lunch. If there were any perks to entering the Academy, it was that they cooked the food to perfection, skillfully made by professionals who threw their passion into easy but unique dishes.

Kaden always envied their skill and was intrigued by what went on within the clamoring kitchen.

He made for the building after slipping his uniform over, prepared for class. Sure, his hair was tied back a little more messily than usual, but he was tired and couldn't be bothered fixing it. A second life meant throwing all reservations out of the window. 

He didn't need to strive to play the neat and proper noble, obedient to that spoiled and selfish Crown Prince. One whose appearance was a textbook noble's elegance, yet whose actions were as wild as the stray cats on the street.

As he was walking, he saw the bulletin board covered in papers—clubs, classes, and events. It was the easiest way to spread information or promote things, often checked in the morning by the students. A newspaper of some sort, public and on display.

Classes. The first three were compulsory, and the second three were his own choices.

Before, he had followed Noah into his classes after bribing somebody to reveal it to him, in an attempt to befriend the dragon and manipulate him. It went without saying that Kaden was absolutely terrible at befriending people, and actually ended up irritating Noah to the point of hatred.

The most annoying thing about that situation was that Kaden genuinely had been interested in some of Noah's classes.

Although one of the classes, Noah had switched at mid-way, and the other had been based on false information.

Wind whistled down the hall, and the morning's greeting brushed by his cheek. Slowly turning his head, he noticed a large painting framed on the wall, standing in its exquisite allure as it changed the atmosphere of the entire hallway.

A painting of pure black and white, with the chaos of scribbled letters and notes scratched into the paint in an organized frenzy. Thoughts threatening to spill out, threatening to escape and scream, piercing through any barrier. In the middle, the white silhouette of a man stared out at a light that escaped into the distance, seeming both far and close.

An exit—but could he reach it?

Or was he stuck in the darkness of madness that would eventually consume him?

Yet his straight and confident stance revealed a certain charm of elegance, aware of life and decision, moving without hesitation.

Somebody who'd chosen to watch the light from afar, chosen to abandon hope that could be reached with the slight raise of an arm.

Kaden mulled over his choices. He could continue this stupid facade, which would ultimately end in his destruction, or start anew. At the very least, there was no need to be so obedient anymore.

Was there any point in continuing this rebirth if his sole purpose was revenge?

He didn't want to live for the sake of revenge. He wanted to live, to experience, and to explore. Although revenge and redemption were a necessity to relieve him of his past, it wasn't the only thing he needed to focus on. Things he could do, mind now unclouded by the warped desires of futile wanting, of the desperation of love. 

He didn't need that anymore.

He didn't need anything, or anybody, other than himself.

Footsteps grow closer behind him, softly clattering along the oaken floors in their silence. It stopped beside him. Kaden didn't turn his head to see. They remained soundless, wordless.

Finally, Kaden cracked a lopsided smile and raised his chin to the board beside the painting. "Do you plan to take any particular classes, sir Dragon?"

Noah lowered his head, turning to glance at him coolly. "I do."

"What classes?" wondered Kaden, thinking of his mission. To trick Noah, then steal him away from the prying hold of society to force him into a darkness he'd never escape.

Although he didn't think Noah would reveal it—

"The Concept of Magic, Ancient Languages and Culinary."

Kaden paused. They were different from what they had been in his previous life.

It was a choice Kaden hadn't expected—but really, what did he know about this man he placed on a pedestal, slapped the title of somebody fated for greatness without acknowledging that. In fact, Noah was something living and breathing, with as complicated thoughts as his own.

His mocking grin faltered, and his eyes mellowed into something thoughtful, curious. For a second, he just wanted to have a normal conversation with this man, a passing stranger.

Normal. Something he'd never been used to.