?Archer turned around to see a delicate-looking boy around his age looking at him. He raised his hand with a smile. ”My name is Aeris Redcliffe. It’s good to meet the boy behind all the rumors.”

Looking at the boy’s outstretched hand, Archer carefully scrutinized him. Jet-black short hair framed his face, and he had an innocent smile. However, what truly captivated his gaze were the boy’s striking red eyes.

A deep crimson shade, they sparkled with an unusual intensity. He blinked, momentarily taken aback, but then extended his hand, initiating the introduction. “Archer Wyldheart.”

”Yes, I know your name. I’m from a kingdom in the far south called Dunespire. My father sent me to the Starlight Academy to make friends. So here I am.”

”So you decided to approach the dragon minding his own business?” Archer asked with a raised eyebrow.

Aeris chuckled. ”Why not? I see you talking to that lion demi-human and his friends. Does my presence bother you?” .𝘤𝘰

”No. I was curious. I understand girls approaching me, but not boys, as they see me as a threat except from a handful of people. It’s new to me.” He answered the black-haired boy.

The boy chuckled, which made Archer laugh and tease his new friend. ”You laugh like a woman, Aeris. Maybe the gods cursed you?”

”Shut up! I was born with this laugh dragon!” Aeris retorted but soon started laughing.

The two continued talking, and Archer soon noticed people staring at them with strange looks that were annoying, which caused him to ask in a curious voice. ”Are you the black sheep of Starlight Academy? Or did you use the Professor’s cat in an experiment?”

”What are you waffling on about Arch? Of course, I didn’t use any cats! They hate me due to my element.”

”If you continue mocking me, I’ll eat you, Aeris. But what element do you process?” Archer answered.

”Darkness and Summoning.”

Archer grew even more curious. ”What’s wrong with that? I love the darkness. It’s so peaceful and misunderstood.”

Aeris nodded with a sad smile before agreeing. ”It’s a great element, but I don’t have enough mana to use it for long, and I’m not good at summoning. Due to my mana, I’ve only contracted with horned rabbits and slimes.”

”Interesting.”

He stepped back and looked at Aeris even more closely, and thanks to his dragon eyes, he could see what no one else could. He saw that the boy’s mana heart was underpowered and needed a jolt.

With a smirk, Archer stepped forward and placed his hand on Aeris’s chest, which caused him to go red. ”What are you doing? You don’t suddenly touch someone like that.”

Aeris stopped speaking when the mana wave crashed into his chest, causing a burning pain to radiate. The black-haired boy screamed in pain, catching everyone’s attention. A Professor rushed over to separate them, but he was sent flying by a slender white tail.

Archer turned to the man who crashed to the floor. ”Don’t get involved. I’m fixing his mana, human.”

After channeling the mana, he withdrew his hand from Aeris, who sported a flushed face and beads of sweat as he felt the mana surge through his body, causing shocks to his body, but when that all faded, he felt much better.

Archer caught a glimpse of wide-eyed astonishment on the boy’s face as he sensed the mana surge.

”What did you do?”

He smiled before answering. ”I just corrected your mana heart. It needed a jolt, and who better to do that than a white dragon?”

Aeris looked shocked and quickly spoke. ”I need to get back to my room. Can we meet another time?”

”Yeah. I’m not hard to find.”

The black-haired boy smiled and rushed off while being watched by all the students in that part of the ship. Archer looked around to see a common room where people sat around talking or reading.

With his new friend gone, Archer left that part of the ship behind and went looking for something to do as Gianna gave the girls a tour, and he had nothing to do. After walking for a little while, he saw someone he hadn’t seen in a while.

In amazement, she walked onto one of the observation decks and looked at the rough sea below. Archer entered the room, gaining her attention and causing him to speak. ”Hello, Apollonia. I haven’t seen you in a while.”

The pink-haired girl just looked at him with a blank look on her face before she answered. ”Because you don’t come to class.”

Archer chuckled. ”Well, yeah, you’re right there. But sometimes it can’t be helped.”

Following his words, he studied the girl. Her lengthy pink hair was neatly fastened into a ponytail, and the crystal blue brilliance of her eyes sparkled under the afternoon sunlight.

Her fair, porcelain skin held a captivating beauty, but Archer soon noticed something that amazed him. She was made up of mana, but not in the way he is. Her human form is the main one, while his human form is his secondary.

Apollonia spoke with an annoyed tone. ”Why are you here? Think you could woo me like the girls that follow you around? Sorry, but I’m not a lost duckling.”

”Huh? I’ve not flirted with you at all. I was saying hello.” Archer responded.

Her blue eyes turned to him, and he felt she was boring into his soul, but she spoke. ”I saw the way you were looking at me. Your eyes were roaming all over my body. Are you a pervert?”

Archer was taken aback by her attitude and got annoyed. ”I was admiring your beauty, and that’s it.”

When the pale-skinned girl heard this, she bristled with anger before speaking. ”Stop being nice to me. I don’t know you and have no interest in knowing you. Now enjoy the rest of your day.”

After speaking, she turned on her heels and marched out of the observation deck, leaving a stunned Archer behind. He shook his head but soon heard laughing coming from behind him.

Archer quickly spun around to see a man sitting on a bench at the back. He was a mop of black hair and had a long black beard.

But the man was much taller and bigger than him. The man’s eyes were green and blue, which he hadn’t seen in this world yet.

He shook his head and commented with narrowed eyes. ”Who are you? And why are you creeping around like a stalker?”

When the man heard Archer’s question, he started laughing but soon calmed down and explained. ”I’m Captian Morgan Highmore. Leader of the Magic Knights.”

Before he could retort, the man continued. “I’ve got the scoop on you, Archer Wyldheart. The maestro of mayhem, the connoisseur of chaos, a hooligan, and a bandit. Delighted to make your acquaintance at last.”

Archer looked at the man who was smiling at him. With a shrug, he responded. ”Well, it does seem you know me, but why would I care?”

”You shouldn’t. I mean, you no harm, boy. I was your father’s friend long ago, but his pride got too much for me.”

When Morgan mentioned his father, he growled before warning him. ”Don’t mention that human in front of me. He’s lucky I let him live and didn’t eat him.”

”Yeah, Leonard went too far with you. I did warn him, but he didn’t want to hear it. But honestly, I’m glad you’re okay now.” Morgan commented as he stood up and stretched.

He walked over to Archer and slapped his shoulder as he asked. ”Have a drink with me, boy! I made sure the quartermaster stocked some strong Ale. I guarantee it makes your head spin.”

Before Archer answered, he sent a message to the girls telling them what he was up to. They replied, telling him to have fun and enjoy himself with his new friend. After that, he looked at Morgan and nodded.

The older man smiled and put his arm over his shoulder while guiding him to the Magic Troop section. They walked through the corridors as Morgan kept chatting to Archer, who was bewildered by the situation and wondered why the man was friendly with him.

After trekking for a while, they walked through a double door to see a similar common room, but this one had a bar with soldiers drinking. When the door slammed shut, everyone turned to them.

Archer noticed that most soldier’s eyes widened in shock as two women rushed up. He saw one had very short white hair and glowing green eyes. She spoke while looking at Morgan. ”Father, who is this handsome young man?”

The second woman had the same short hair, but it was black, and had bright blue eyes, which caught him off guard. She quickly commented. ”Sister, he is a dragon. Look at his beautiful white scales.

Morgan chuckled before introducing them. ”Archer, these two beauties are my daughters, Giselle and Genevieve Highmore.”

If there are any mistakes, point them out, and I’ll edit it. Thanks

𝑖.𝘤ℴ𝘮