Sang-hoon woke drenched in sweat.
The faint glow of dawn seeped through the stained-glass windows, casting fractured colors across his modest room.
The dream—if it could even be called that—still lingered in his mind.
He had seen flashes of a dragon's eye, enormous and ancient, burning with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine.
His gaze shifted to the small black dragon curled on the pillow beside him. It was awake, watching him with a peculiar intelligence.
"Do you know what's happening to me?" Sang-hoon whispered, half-expecting an answer.
The dragon tilted its head but remained silent.
Its fiery red eyes, though small, bore the weight of something much larger—a soul, perhaps.
"Right," Sang-hoon muttered, swinging his legs off the bed. "Talking to you like you can answer is probably a sign I'm losing it."
As he dressed, the memories of yesterday weighed heavily on his mind.
He couldn't afford another scene like the one in the classroom.
Staying unnoticed wasn't just a preference—it was survival.
Yet fate seemed determined to put him in the spotlight, dragging him into encounters with characters who were supposed to be the center of the story.
Elyska Grayson was a nobody days ago and now everyone seems to miraculously stumble upon him.
The academy buzzed with activity as students prepared for their second day.
Word of Sang-hoon's unexpected taming of the dragon had spread like wildfire.
Whispers trailed him as he walked through the corridors.
"That's the one with the dragon," someone murmured.
"Do you think he cheated?" another voice asked.
"No way—Instructor Darien said it was untamable."
Sang-hoon ignored the chatter, keeping his head down.
He had memorized the layout of the academy from the game but hadn't anticipated how overwhelming it would feel in real life.
The marble walls, adorned with intricate carvings of legendary beasts, seemed to loom over him, their eyes watching his every move.
His first class of the day was Practical Beast Care, held in the open-air training grounds.
Students gathered around large enclosures housing a variety of creatures.
The instructor, a burly man named Master Roderick, stood in the center, his booming voice commanding attention.
"Today, we'll begin with the basics of care and bonding," Roderick announced.
"A true tamer understands not just how to control their beast but how to connect with it. Pair up, and choose a creature from the enclosures to work with."
Sang-hoon hesitated, scanning the crowd for an open partner.
To his dismay, Arden strode toward him, an infuriating smirk plastered across his face.
"Well, well," Arden drawled, crossing his arms. "Looks like the famous Elyska Grayson is flying solo. Care to partner up?"
"Famous?", he thought.
Sang-hoon clenched his jaw. "Do I have a choice?"
"Not really," Arden said with a grin.
The two were assigned a stubborn griffon hatchling with golden feathers and sharp, untrusting eyes.
Sang-hoon's attempts to approach it were met with angry screeches and flared wings.
"You're hopeless," Arden said, stepping forward. "Let me show you how it's done."
The griffon lashed out the moment Arden reached for it, narrowly missing his hand with its talons. Sang-hoon suppressed a laugh.
"Maybe it's you who's hopeless," Sang-hoon muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" Arden snapped, glaring.
"Nothing." Sang-hoon knelt, his movements slow and deliberate.
He remembered a trick from the game—griffons responded well to patience and calm energy.
"All you have to do is not show anxiety or any behavior similar to stress. Griffons can feel your heart beats within a mile away from the training grounds." Sang-hoon muttered to himself once again.
Keeping his heart as calm as he could and his hand steady, he extended it palm up, allowing the griffon to come to him.
To Arden's disbelief, the creature hesitated, then took a cautious step forward.
Its beak tapped Sang-hoon's hand before it settled down, its golden feathers shimmering in the sunlight.
"How did you…?" Arden began, but the bell signaling the end of the session interrupted him.
"That was an amazing demonstration of bonding with a creature Mr. Grayson. Ten more points for you and Mr. VanHan." Said Roderick.
Sang-hoon stood, brushing dirt from his trousers. "Guess I got lucky again," he said, walking away before Arden could retort.
As the day progressed, Sang-hoon found himself summoned to the headmaster's office.
The grand chamber was exactly as he remembered from the game: towering shelves filled with ancient tomes, a massive desk carved from dark oak, and a window overlooking the academy's sprawling grounds.
Headmaster Corin, a figure cloaked in mystery and wisdom, sat behind the desk.
His piercing eyes studied Sang-hoon as though dissecting him piece by piece.
"Do you know why you're here?" Corin asked, his voice calm yet commanding.
Sang-hoon shifted uncomfortably. "If this is about the dragon—"
"It is," Corin interrupted. "That creature isn't just any beast. It has been in this academy for over a century, resisting every attempt to bond with it. Yet it chose you."
Sang-hoon felt the weight of those words. "I don't know why it chose me," he admitted.
Corin leaned forward, his gaze intensifying.
"Neither do I. But understand this: that bond marks you for more than just admiration. It will attract attention—some of it dangerous. Be cautious, Mr. Grayson."
Sang-hoon nodded, feeling a chill creep down his spine. "I'll keep that in mind."
While closing the door, Sang-hoon muttered to himself.
"How great, more attention. Just what I wanted. Hahh..."
As he left the office, he couldn't shake the feeling that the headmaster knew more than he was letting on.
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Later that evening, the students were gathered in the grand hall for a feast.
The room was alive with chatter, the air filled with the scent of roasted meats and fresh bread.
Sang-hoon sat at a far corner of the hall, doing his best to blend in.
But, as fate would have it, Seraphina Valen chose that moment to approach him.
"Mind if I sit here?" she asked, though her tone made it clear it wasn't a request.
"Go ahead," Sang-hoon said, reluctantly pushing his plate aside.
She studied him for a moment, her sharp blue eyes unrelenting. "You're an enigma, Elyska. First, the dragon, and now bonding with a griffon hatchling that most of us wouldn't be able to bond so quickly. Who are you, really?"
Sang-hoon's mind raced. Lying to her would be risky, but the truth was impossible to explain.
"I'm just… someone trying to get by," he said finally.
Seraphina raised an eyebrow but said nothing more.
Their conversation was interrupted when Arden stormed into the hall, his face red with anger.
"You think you're better than me, don't you?" Arden shouted, pointing at Sang-hoon.
The hall fell silent as every eye turned to the commotion.
"What are you talking about?" Sang-hoon asked, his voice calm but wary.
"That griffon—there's no way someone like you could bond with it! You cheated, didn't you?"
Sang-hoon stood slowly, his heart pounding. "I didn't cheat, Arden. Maybe the griffon just didn't like you."
Laughter rippled through the hall, further enraging Arden.
Before he could respond, Lady Orthea stepped in, her stern voice cutting through the tension.
"That's enough," she said. "This is not the place for such disputes. Arden, sit down."
Arden glared at Sang-hoon but obeyed, retreating to his seat.
Sang-hoon sat back down as well, the dragonling poking its head out of his pouch to nuzzle his hand. He sighed, knowing this was only the beginning.
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As the feast ended and the students returned to their quarters, Sang-hoon sat by the window in his room, staring at the night sky.
The dragon lay curled up beside him, its soft breaths a soothing rhythm.
"I don't know why I'm here or what's happening," he said quietly, "but I'm not going to let this world decide my fate."
The dragon opened one eye, its gaze meeting his.
For a moment, Sang-hoon felt a connection deeper than words—a silent understanding that their destinies were now intertwined.
Whatever challenges lay ahead, he wasn't alone.
And perhaps, just perhaps, he was more than a forgotten NPC after all.