The Dark Dragon's Vessel: Throne of Ash and Shadow

Hope?

School meant different things to different people. For some, it was a way to become stronger, while for others, it felt like being sent away by their parents. But for Max, it was something else entirely. He knew he wasn't going to get physically stronger at school, and he doubted that his mother put in so much effort just to get rid of him for a few hours every day. Instead, for Max, school represented an opportunity and a new hope.l represented an opportunity and a new hope.

New individuals who didn't despise him. Educators who would attempt to assist him. Palatable food. Lastly, a place to stay away from his family for five days.

It was a fresh start. Or was it?

As Max stepped onto the school grounds, he was struck by the imposing size of the building. Its semi-circular shape and countless windows gave it an almost majestic appearance. It even seemed to echo with the familiar sounds of birds that Max used to listen to when he sought comfort in sleep. For him, it was truly an amazing sight. As he stepped into the towering building with its intricate corridors and maze-like layout, he found himself unable to avoid getting lost. I mean, who wouldn't in such a complex environment?

After arriving at the start for the eighteen time he heard a familiar voice.

'Hey Max, I didn't expect to see you here! I didn't think your mother would send you to school. Did she get so tired of you that she paid for you to come to school to stay away from the house? That's so funny!'

The mysterious person engaged in conversation with him was a girl with long, flowing blonde hair and eyes the color of amethyst. She happened to be one of Max's few childhood friends, a bond that had endured the test of time. Notably, she was two years his senior, a fact that had always added an air of maturity and wisdom to her presence.

"ouch. Do you have to be that mean all the time, your looks are wasted with your personality"

'I couldn't care less about what my nine-year-old childhood friend thinks of me. The only opinions that matter to me are those of nobles and royalty, as that is crucial for a princess.'

Indeed, she was the princess of the Alter kingdom, Elizabeth. The royal family and the Rose family maintained a close friendship, leading to frequent interactions between Max, his sister, and the royal family's children. Over time, they had become almost family. In informal settings, they would use their nicknames, however, it was deemed inappropriate for a princess to give a nickname to "the Rat of the Rose family."

'I notice you're a bit disoriented. It's completely normal, as I also felt a bit disoriented during my first visit here. However, you can be confident that Princess Elizabeth will guide you to your destination with elegance!'

At this point, Max wondered how they were friends because he lacked her level of energy. He was more like a... A lonesome person, indeed. He was reticent to socialize, this was a holdover from his time with the maids.

As Max got to his class, guided by his friend, he couldn't help but feel people looking at him, and this didn't change when he entered his class. He sat down and got ready for his first class. His teacher was a woman around her mid-twenties, she had a raven color he hadn't seen before, it was truly beautiful, and her eyes were blue like the ocean, well, actually, how he thought the ocean looked. He only read about it, never seen it with his own eyes, not even a drawing. Her eyes were covered by some glasses that Max didn't like, he liked looking at the woman's eyes, and those damn glasses made it hard for him.

'All right, class, for your first day, you will go over all of the drives again and how you manifest a different one than the one you were born with.'