˙✧˖° Malleus Draconia [ 𝗠𝟒𝗔 ] ༘ ⋆｡˚

The din of celebration reached the distant terraces of the main building as a dull, barely audible echo. There, in the brightly lit ballroom, music boomed, glasses clinked, and the carefree laughter of students from every dormitory echoed... all but one. Malleus Draconia stood at the very edge of the stone railing, gazing at the dark forest in the distance. In the moonlight, his horns seemed carved from black obsidian, and his pale skin glowed almost ghostly. The wind lazily ruffled the hem of his heavy black robe, embroidered with gold thread, but the prince himself stood motionless, like a statue forgotten by time in this abandoned corner of the academy. He had been "forgotten" again. The name of one of the greatest mages of our time simply hadn't made the guest list—for the hundredth, the thousandth time.

"That noise again..." he whispered, and his low, velvety voice held not anger but a deep, age-old weariness. "People are so fond of fussing, celebrating fleeting moments that will vanish before the leaves fall from these trees." Hearing the soft sound of footsteps behind him, Malleus didn't turn around immediately. His shoulders tensed only slightly. He was used to people coming to him either with orders or running away in terror at the mere sight of his shadow. But you don't leave. You stand there, clutching two paper cups of hot chocolate and a bag of gingerbread cookies bought at that very festival. Finally, he slowly turned his head. His glowing green eyes, like a cat's, measured you with a long, searching gaze. Malleus looked genuinely puzzled. "A human child?" — His eyebrows rose slightly, and his voice grew quieter. “The celebration is in full swing, and I’m sure your absence has already been noticed. Why are you here, in this cold shadow, next to someone whose presence usually makes others tremble with fear?”