The first thing Draco felt was pain.
A sharp, stabbing ache in his chest that pulsed with every shallow breath. He tried to shift, but his body groaned in protest, his ribs aching as though a hamr had struck them from the inside out.
"Ah—you’re awake."
The voice was soft, cool, almost lodic.
Draco’s eyes fluttered open, vision blurred by the sterile glow of white light above him.
He blinked several tis until the room ca into focus. He was lying on a narrow bed, the air filled with the faint scent of herbs and antiseptic essence. Rows of cots lined the chamber, each separated by thin curtains—clearly so sort of Academy dical center.
But it wasn’t the ceiling, the curtains, or even the faint hum of healing arrays etched into the floor that startled Draco.
It was the face hovering dangerously close to his own.
Pale skin, almost luminous under the light. Eyes a piercing silver-gray that seed to see far too much. And hair—snow-white, falling in silken strands that brushed his cheek. The man was leaning so close that Draco could feel the faint warmth of his breath.
Draco jerked instinctively, nearly smacking foreheads with him.
"W-What the hell—!?"
The stranger tilted his head, utterly unbothered, a faint smile tugging at his lips. "Relax. If I wanted to kiss you, I would have already done so."
"...What kind of introduction is that?" Draco froze, a vein twitching on his temple.
The man chuckled, finally pulling back and perching elegantly on the edge of the bed. His posture was relaxed, but his presence radiated refinent—like soone born into nobility.
"My na is Frost Winister," he said smoothly. "I’m one of the Instructors here. I’ll be taking your class."
Draco narrowed his eyes.
The na was familiar, whispered in rumors he’d overheard before.
’Winister... one of the Twelve Pillar Families.’
Frost tilted his head slightly, those sharp eyes lingering on Draco. "And you are Draco. The boy who beat Jet Ashborne into the sand... and then chose to fall on his own blade, so to speak."
"You... know?" Draco’s jaw clenched. ’How did he notice that I did it intentionally?’
Frost’s lips curled into an amused smirk.
"I was watching closely. That internal injury you suffered wasn’t the chaotic burst of exhaustion. It was deliberate. Controlled. Did you hurt yourself to avoid killing the Dragon?"
Draco didn’t answer.
His hands curled into fists under the blanket.
Frost leaned in again, his voice dropping to a whisper. "Fascinating. I don’t know why you did it—but I find it very... interesting."
"You find too many things interesting." Draco exhaled slowly, irritation prickling at him.
"Perhaps," Frost admitted, eyes glinting. "But tell —how does it feel to lose your mont of glory? To hand victory to the Ashborne boy, of all people?"
Draco stiffened.
The mory of Jet standing triumphantly over the Dragon’s corpse flickered in his mind. The roar of the crowd chanting Jet’s na. The sight of his own body sprawled in the sand, helpless.
His stomach churned.
Frost seed to savor the silence before continuing.
"You should know—because Jet killed the Dragon, he’s now recognized as Pri Student. That makes him Class Representative for all of you first years. The staff, the guests, the Headmaster himself—they all acknowledged him."
Draco’s fingers dug into the sheets. ’So Jet gets to lead...’
"As Pri Student," Frost went on, "he will be the one giving orders during collective exercises. Everyone else will follow his lead—including you."
Draco’s eyes snapped to Frost, cold and sharp. "And if I refuse?"
Frost laughed softly, the sound like breaking ice. "Then you’ll be branded a problem child. A weakling who can’t follow rules. You think your reputation can handle that, after fainting in the middle of the ceremony?"
Draco grimaced. He had no rebuttal.
’From the student with the most potential, I have been reduced to this. How disgraceful!’
"Of course," Frost said lightly, "there will be another chance to claim dominance. The Hunting Festival that holds months from now. It’s a brutal trial designed to test every student’s worth. If you want to challenge Jet’s position, that’s your stage."
"Months...?" Draco’s heart sank.
He had to endure being Jet’s subordinate until then? As if on cue, the System flickered before his eyes.
[New Quest Added!]
Another window flashed imdiately after.
[New Quest Added!]
And a third—
[New Quest Added!]
Draco’s chest tightened.
His jaw clenched hard enough to ache.
’These Quests... they’re all forcing back into the spotlight.’
Frost’s silver eyes narrowed, as if reading the storm in Draco’s thoughts. "You look troubled. Did I hit a nerve?"
"...I’ll manage." Draco forced his breathing steady, staring at the ceiling.
"Good. Because surviving under Jet’s thumb won’t be easy." Frost leaned back slightly, studying him with amusent. "He hates you, you know. The way he looked at you during the fight? The way he looked at you even after he ’won’? You’ll never just be another student to him. You’ll be the obstacle he must crush."
"I already knew that," Draco muttered. "Though I don’t really understand the source of his vitriol. If he sees himself as insufficient compared to , why not channel his rage to his own inadequacies?"
"Things aren’t always so simple..." Frost smirked.
"Seems simple to ."
"Then perhaps you’ll appreciate my advice. Don’t hide your strength again. The Academy respects power, nothing else. If you wanted to challenge Jet, you should have done it in that arena. Pretending to faint was... unwise."
Draco sighed internally.
If only he had a choice in the matter. Had the situation been up to him, of course he would have killed the Dragon without a second thought.
Unfortunately...
Draco shoved those thoughts aside and turned his head toward the white-haired man, eyes narrowing. "And yet you seem very interested in , despite my ’unwise’ choices."
"Exactly! Because you’re not like the rest of them." Frost grinned. "There’s sothing different about you, Draco. I can sense it—the way you held back, the way you chose rcy when everyone else demanded blood. That makes you different. Dangerous. And I like dangerous people."
Draco stayed silent, though unease prickled at the back of his mind.
Frost Winister wasn’t soone to take lightly.
After a mont, Frost stood, his cloak flowing around him. "Rest well, Draco. You’ll need your strength for later!"
He paused at the doorway, glancing back with that sa icy smile.
"I’ll be watching you."
The door closed behind him.
Draco let out a long, ragged breath, his fists trembling under the sheets.
The System windows still hovered in front of his eyes, a cruel reminder of the path ahead.
Gain Jet’s trust. Never lose again. Rebuild his image.
Draco already knew: he had a long, hard road ahead of him in this Dragon Hunter Academy.
[STATUS WINDOW]
- Na: Draco (Lvl: 15)
- Race: Human
- Class: Legendary Dragon Tar
- Integrity: 10/15 ( 24)
- Physique: 10/15 ( 24)
- Aptitude: 1/15 ( 100) (100% Essence)
- S Points: 0
- Quest Completion Rate: 0%
[Current Quest Information]
Primary Quest: Gain Jet Ashborne’s trust until he considers you a friend (Not Started)
Secondary Quest: Never Again lose a single fight inside the Academy until you beco the Pri Student (Not Started)
Hidden Quest: Repair and rebuild the damage to your image caused by collapsing during the ceremony (Not Started)
[Synchronization Rate: 13%]
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