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Malleus Draconia was accustomed to being revered, adored, or feared.
Most people either spoke of him with awe or lowered their voices whenever his name was mentioned. Even after beginning his studies at Night Raven College, little changed. Students would stare from afar, whisper among themselves, and quickly clear a path whenever he walked through the halls.
For a long time, Malleus accepted that this was simply how things would always be.
Fortunately, he was not entirely alone.
Lilia Vanrouge had enrolled in Night Raven College alongside him and continued treating him no differently than he had for decades. To Lilia, Malleus was not the future ruler of Briar Valley—he was simply Malleus.
Later, Silver arrived as well and was sorted into Diasomnia. Having another familiar face brought Malleus a quiet comfort.
Still, he assumed these would remain his only meaningful companions.
That belief changed on his second birthday at Night Raven College.
Recently, Scarabia had appointed a new Housewarden: Kalim Al-Asim, heir to the influential Al-Asim merchant family. Malleus had heard bits and pieces about him. Students described him as cheerful, generous, and impossibly bright.
Malleus had paid little attention.
After all, what difference would one more student make?
Surely this Kalim Al-Asim would behave no differently from everyone else.
He was mistaken.
Once classes ended, Malleus found himself surrounded by a group of Scarabia students in the school's courtyard.
Before he could question their presence— A shower of flower petals rained down upon him.
"Happy Birthday!"
The voices rang out in unison across the courtyard. Yet one voice stood above all the others.
"Happy Birthday, Malleus!"
Kalim Al-Asim stood at the center of the group, grinning brightly enough to rival the sun itself.
For a brief moment, Malleus forgot how to think. His mind went entirely blank.
The petals drifted around him while Kalim beamed proudly, utterly unaware that he had just stunned one of the most powerful mage in the world into silence.
"Hope we didn't scare you!" Kalim said cheerfully. "It's a tradition back home to throw flower petals over whoever's birthday we're celebrating."
Malleus blinked.
Once. Twice.
Nothing else happened.
Kalim's smile faltered slightly "Ah..." He rubbed the back of his neck before fiddling with the hem of his cardigan. "I hope you liked them. I actually ordered these flowers from your homeland."
That finally drew Malleus's attention downward.
He carefully plucked a petal from where it had landed in his hair.
His eyes widened ever so slightly.
The flower was native to Briar Valley.
"...You requested these?" Malleus asked slowly "For me?"
Kalim immediately brightened again.
"Yep!"He pointed toward Malleus enthusiastically. "You're Malleus, right? Ah! I mean, Malleus Draconia!"
The casual way he spoke Malleus's name only deepened the prince's confusion.
There was no trembling in his voice. No fear. No forced politeness. Just genuine excitement.
How curious.
How brave.
Was this how humans normally spoke to their friends?
"We haven't really met yet outside Housewarden meetings," Kalim continued, "but that doesn't mean I shouldn't congratulate you on your birthday!" His laughter chimed like tiny bells.
"Oh! Are you having a party? Birthdays aren't birthdays without a party!"
Malleus stared.
He had never truly celebrated his birthday before. At least not in the way Kalim clearly meant.
His hesitation lasted a second too long. Kalim gasped dramatically.
"Wait!"His eyes widened "You don't have a party today?!"
Malleus remained silent.
"Oh, we absolutely cannot have that!" Kalim declared. "I'll throw one for you!"
"Kalim."
Jamil Viper suddenly appeared beside him.
The Scarabia Vice Housewarden wore the exhausted expression of someone who had already dealt with several disasters that day.
"You cannot organize an entire party on a whim."
"Oh..."
Kalim immediately deflated. His shoulders slumped and he stared at the ground with all the sadness of a scolded puppy.
For reasons Malleus could not explain, the sight felt strangely unpleasant.
"Regardless," Malleus finally said, drawing everyone's attention back to him, "I appreciate the gesture, Asim."
The transformation was immediate.
Kalim's face lit up once more.
"Really?! Then I'll invite you to a party soon anyway! It can be a belated birthday party!"
"Kalim," Jamil sighed "We still have things to do."
The vice housewarden gently began steering Kalim back toward Scarabia. The other students followed behind them.
As he was being dragged away, Kalim twisted around and waved both arms energetically.
"Bye, Malleus!"
The smile he wore remained bright until he disappeared around the corner.
Long after he had gone, Malleus remained standing in the courtyard.
A single flower petal rested in his palm.
For some reason, he found himself smiling.
Later that evening, Malleus sought out Lilia.
He found the older fae lounging comfortably in Diasomnia's common room, scrolling through his phone.
"Lilia."
"Hm?" Lilia looked up. "What is it, Malleus?"
Malleus stood silently for a moment.
"I wish to ask something."
Lilia immediately set his phone aside. The seriousness in Malleus's voice was impossible to ignore.
"Of course."
"It is true that Kalim Al-Asim is a member of your club?"
"Oh, Kalim!"
Lilia laughed.
"Yes, he is. Why?"His grin widened knowingly "Oh! He did the flower petal surprise, didn't he?"
Malleus blinked "You knew?"
"Naturally!" Lilia rested his chin in his hand."He spent nearly a week preparing for it."
Malleus stared.
"A week?"
"Mhm."Lilia chuckled "He kept asking everyone what your favorite flowers were. He wanted to make sure he got something you'd like."
For once, Malleus found himself at a loss for words.
Someone had gone through all that effort... Simply because it was his birthday. Simply because they wanted him to smile.
"Malleus?"
Lilia tilted his head.
His expression shifted when he noticed how deeply Malleus seemed to be contemplating something.
A long silence followed.
Then Malleus spoke.
"Lilia."
"Yes?"
"May I have permission to court your fellow Music Club member?"
The room became utterly silent.
Lilia blinked.
Once. Twice.
Then a grin slowly spread across his face.
"Oh."His eyes sparkled with delight. "This is going to be fun."
Lilia Vanrouge considered himself a fairly good judge of character.
After centuries of traveling, meeting countless humans and fae alike, he had learned that people were rarely as simple as they first appeared.
Many students looked at Kalim Al-Asim and saw only a cheerful, carefree heir.
Lilia knew better.
Beneath the endless smiles and boundless enthusiasm was someone remarkably attentive.
Kalim noticed things.
The slight droop of a person's shoulders. A smile that did not quite reach someone's eyes. The exhaustion hidden beneath a classmate's laughter.
Compared to most students—and perhaps even most humans Lilia had encountered throughout his long life—Kalim possessed an unusually high emotional intelligence.
Whenever he noticed someone was troubled, he would immediately try to help.
Not every attempt succeeded. Sometimes his solutions were overly extravagant. Sometimes he completely misunderstood the problem.
But he always tried.
And that sincerity was something Lilia deeply admired.
Which was precisely why he was delighted when Malleus confessed his intentions.
Most days, Lilia would have taken advantage of the situation. Malleus was terribly inexperienced with romance. Perhaps even more so than Sebek. The temptation to provide questionable advice simply to watch the resulting chaos was nearly irresistible.
Nearly.
However, this time was different.
Kalim was his friend.
Malleus was family.
Lilia wanted this to work.
So for once, he decided to help sincerely.
The following Music Club meeting found Lilia casually sliding into the seat beside Kalim.
"So," he began.
"Hm?" Kalim looked up from where he had been tuning an instrument.
"What does courting look like in the Scalding Sands?"
Kalim blinked.
"Courtship?"
"Mhm."
"Oh!" Kalim immediately brightened.
Without the slightest suspicion, he happily launched into an explanation.
Lilia learned about traditional gifts.
About spending time together.
About offering thoughtful gestures.
About showing sincerity through actions rather than merely words.
Most importantly, he learned what Kalim personally considered romantic.
Once the meeting ended, every piece of information was promptly delivered to Malleus.
The prince listened with complete seriousness.
Together, the two began constructing what could only be described as a courtship strategy.
Malleus approached the matter with the same dedication someone would apply to diplomatic negotiations.
The first gifts appeared shortly afterward. Flowers. Books. Rare sweets from Briar Valley. Small trinkets that reminded Malleus of Kalim.
Each gift was carefully chosen. Each one meticulously researched.
Kalim accepted every single one with overwhelming enthusiasm. Soon, Malleus began seeking opportunities to spend time with him.
Walks around campus. Meals between classes. Conversations after Housewarden meetings.
At first, Malleus believed he was the only one making an effort.
Then he realized Kalim was doing the same.
Perhaps without even noticing it.
Somehow, Kalim always seemed to know when Malleus had remained awake too late.
On those evenings, a familiar flying carpet would appear outside Diasomnia's tower window.
Kalim would be sitting atop it with an eager grin.
"Come on!"
The invitation was always impossible to refuse.
Together, they would soar into the night sky.
Sometimes they talked endlessly. About classes. About friends. About funny incidents that had happened during the day.
Other times, conversation wasn't necessary. They simply sat together as the carpet drifted through the cool evening air. Above them stretched countless stars. Below them shimmered the lights of Sage's Island.
For Malleus, those silent nights became some of his favorite memories.
He found himself looking forward to them more than he cared to admit.
As the semester slowly approached its end, Malleus reached a conclusion.
It was time.
He could not postpone it any longer.
He needed to confess.
Naturally, he prepared thoroughly. Perhaps too thoroughly.
Malleus planned the confession itself.
Then he planned what would happen afterward.
Then he planned for the possibility that Kalim returned his feelings.
And once that possibility entered his mind, further preparations became unavoidable.
Summer vacation was approaching. Surely they would spend it together. Therefore, arrangements had to be made.
Reservations were secured.Travel routes organized.Potential destinations researched. Entire schedules drafted.
Several locations had been specifically recommended by Lilia as being particularly popular among couples.
Malleus accepted the advice without question.
Meanwhile, Kalim remained completely unaware that his future had already been meticulously organized months in advance.
The prince reviewed the plans one final time.
The confession would happen before the semester ended.
Everything was prepared ,everything was perfect. There was absolutely no possibility that anything could go wrong.
Unfortunately for Malleus Draconia, those words rarely survived first contact with reality.
The semester's final sunset painted the sky gold and crimson.
Malleus stood beneath one of the oldest trees on campus, waiting.
Everything had been arranged perfectly.
He had chosen a quiet location. He had rehearsed his words. He had even prepared several alternative responses depending on Kalim's answer.
Lilia had called that last part excessive. Malleus disagreed. A relationship required proper planning. Especially considering he had already organized a significant portion of their summer vacation.
The sound of hurried footsteps interrupted his thoughts.
"Malleus!"
Kalim appeared moments later, waving as he approached.
His smile was as bright as ever.
"Sorry! I got held up helping some first-years pack!"
"There is no need to apologize."
Kalim grinned.
"So what did you want to talk about?"
For the first time that evening, Malleus felt nervous.
An unfamiliar sensation.
One he did not particularly enjoy.
Still, he pressed forward.
"Kalim."
"Hm?"
"I have something important to tell you."
The smile on Kalim's face softened.
"Oh. Okay."
The two stood beneath the shade of the tree as the evening breeze drifted between them.
Malleus took a breath.
"I have enjoyed the time we have spent together these past months."
Kalim nodded immediately.
"Me too!"
"The gifts I have given you."
"Yeah?"
"The walks."
"Uh-huh."
"The meals."
"Yep!"
"The nightly carpet rides."
Kalim's smile widened.
"Oh, those are my favorite!"
Malleus felt his confidence return.
Everything was proceeding as expected.
"I am pleased to hear that."
Kalim tilted his head.
Malleus continued.
"You have become someone precious to me."
The confusion deepened.
"You are kind."
Kalim blinked.
"You are thoughtful."
Another blink.
"You make me happy."
Now Kalim looked genuinely stunned.
Malleus stepped forward.
His gaze remained fixed on Kalim's.
"Kalim Al-Asim."
The use of his full name made Kalim straighten immediately.
"I wish to continue spending my days with you."
A pause.
"I wish to remain by your side."
Another pause.
"I wish to court you."
Silence.
Complete silence.
The breeze stopped.
Even the world itself seemed to pause.
Kalim stared.
And stared.
And stared.
Malleus waited patiently.
Surely Kalim was simply processing his words. That was understandable. Confessions could be emotionally overwhelming.
"...Court me?"
"Yes."
"Like."
Kalim pointed between them.
"Romantically?"
"Correct."
Another long silence.
Malleus began to notice something alarming.
Kalim's face was turning red.
Very red.
Dangerously red.
"Malleus."
His voice came out strangely high.
"Have..."
Kalim swallowed.
"Have you been trying to romance me this whole time?"
Malleus blinked.
"Yes."
"...The gifts?"
"Yes."
"The flowers?"
"Yes."
"The invitations?"
"Yes."
"The spending time together?"
"Yes."
"The walks?"
"Yes."
"The stargazing?"
"Yes."
"The—"
"Yes!"
Kalim looked horrified.
Not because he was upset.
Because he looked like someone who had just solved a mystery several months too late.
"Oh."
"Oh?"
"Oh."
Malleus was beginning to grow concerned.
"Kalim?"
The Scarabia Housewarden suddenly buried his face in his hands.
"Oh my Seven."
"Kalim."
"You were courting me."
"Yes."
"For months."
"Yes."
"I thought you just really liked hanging out with me."
"...I do."
A strangled noise escaped Kalim. Malleus found himself more confused with every passing second.
"Kalim, are you rejecting me?"
The question made Kalim's head snap upward immediately.
"What?! No!"
Relief washed through Malleus instantly.
"Then—"
"I just didn't know!"
Kalim cried "I thought that's how people became close friends!"
"...Friends."
"Yeah!"
Malleus felt something in his soul crack slightly.
Of course.
Of course Kalim had interpreted moonlit flights together as friendship. Somehow this was not surprising.
"Kalim." Malleus stepped forward.
"Sorry!"
"You don't need to apologize."
"I feel like I should!"
Malleus sighed.
Lilia had neglected to warn him that the object of his affection might be completely oblivious.
A failure on the older fae's part.
Then Kalim suddenly grew quiet.
His expression softened.
"Malleus?"
"Yes?"
"You really like me?"
"I believed that much was obvious."
A laugh escaped Kalim. The kind that appeared whenever he was embarrassed.
"Apparently not to me."
For a moment, neither spoke.
Then Kalim smiled. A smaller smile than usual.
"I like being with you too."
Malleus felt his heart stop.
"You do?"
"Yeah."
Kalim rubbed the back of his neck.
"I always look forward to seeing you."
Malleus remained completely still.
"I like talking to you."
"Kalim..."
"And when something fun happens, you're one of the first people I want to tell."
The prince could feel hope blossoming.
"And when summer break starts..." Kalim's smile became shy "...I was kind of hoping we'd still spend time together."
Malleus nearly laughed.
The reservations. The schedules. The vacation plans.
All of them suddenly seemed very useful.
"Then," he said carefully, "may I assume your answer is yes?"
Kalim's cheeks turned pink again.
"Yeah."
His smile widened.
"Yes."
For several seconds, Malleus simply stared at him.
Then a rare smile spread across the fae prince's face. The sort of smile almost nobody ever saw.
Kalim's eyes widened "Oh."
"What is it?" Malleus asked.
"You should smile more." Kalim chimed back.
Malleus froze. Then Kalim laughed. And for perhaps the first time in his life, Malleus Draconia felt completely, utterly victorious.
Far away, hidden behind a tree, Lilia quietly collected ten thaumarks from Cater.
"I told you he'd say yes."
Summer passed far too quickly.
The months were filled with travel, sightseeing, and more memories than either of them could count. Yet every journey between destinations seemed far shorter than it should have been whenever they were together.
Before long, a new semester arrived.
By then, the entirety of Night Raven College knew about the relationship between Kalim Al-Asim and Malleus Draconia.
Neither of them made any effort to hide it.
Kalim would happily cling to his boyfriend's arm while walking through campus, completely oblivious to the stares they received.
Whenever he spotted Malleus from across a distance, his voice could inevitably be heard moments later.
"Habibi!"
Then he would sprint across the campus to greet him.
Malleus never failed to smile.
Unfortunately, the semester itself proved far less peaceful.
A new magicless student arrived at NRC alongside a strange direbeast named Grim. Not long afterward, overblots began occurring one after another.
First Riddle.
Then Leona.
Then Azul.
When Jamil was injured during the events surrounding Leona's overblot, Malleus became noticeably more protective of Kalim.
Still, both he and Kalim quickly befriended the new student and Grim.
Then winter break arrived.
Malleus had fully intended to spend part of the holiday with Kalim.
Instead, he learned that Kalim and the rest of Scarabia would be remaining at NRC.
The news left him more disappointed than he cared to admit.
What he did not know was that Jamil had been counting on exactly that.
If Malleus was present when his plans came to fruition, Jamil suspected he would not survive the aftermath.
Unfortunately for him, Malleus and Lilia had secretly remained behind to surprise Kalim.
The surprise never happened.
Instead, Lilia returned to Diasomnia's lounge accompanied by the Ramshackle student and Grim.
One look at their faces told Malleus something was wrong.
"Child of Man? Grim?" he asked. "What happened?"
"We got some bad news, Big Guy," Grim replied.
As the story unfolded, the room grew increasingly tense.
Lilia's expression darkened.
Malleus's became terrifyingly still.
When Grim finally finished explaining what had happened in Scarabia, silence filled the room.
Then Malleus stood.
Without saying a single word, he vanished.
A moment later, a loud crash echoed through Scarabia's lounge.
The doors had slammed open so hard they struck the walls.
An icy wind swept through the room.
Jamil immediately froze.
"...Malleus."
Of all the outcomes he had prepared for, this was not one of them.
Meanwhile, Kalim's face lit up.
"HABIBI!"
He rushed forward without hesitation.
Malleus's expression softened the instant Kalim wrapped his arms around him. He gently kissed Kalim's forehead before turning his attention toward Jamil.
The warmth vanished from his eyes.
"How dare you, Viper!"
The room trembled beneath the force of his voice.
"You planned to kill my beloved!"
Jamil felt every instinct in his body screaming at him to flee.
"Habibi!"
Kalim quickly stepped between them.
"Please! Listen to me first!"
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then Malleus exhaled.
"...Very well."
His gaze never left Jamil.
"But only because you asked."
Soon afterward, Malleus and Kalim retreated to the Housewarden's room.
There, Kalim explained everything.
The pressure he had unknowingly placed upon Jamil.
His own failures.
His regrets.
When he finished, Malleus remained silent for several moments.
"You did not deserve what happened."
"No," Kalim replied quietly. "But I wasn't blameless either."
Malleus frowned.
"Kalim—"
"I hurt him too."
Kalim looked down at his hands.
"I thought everything was fine because he never complained. I didn't want to admit that maybe things weren't okay."
His smile was sad.
"I think we're both responsible."
Malleus studied him carefully.
Even now, after everything, Kalim was trying to understand the person who had betrayed him.
That was simply who he was.
"The heir of the Asim family..." Malleus murmured.
Kalim blinked.
"Hm?"
"What if you were no longer the heir?"
Kalim stared.
"What?"
Malleus gently cupped his face.
Immediately, Kalim leaned into his touch.
The familiar gesture gave Malleus courage.
"Kalim."
His voice softened.
"Will you marry me?"
The silence that followed was deafening.
Kalim's entire face turned bright red.
"HUH?!"
Malleus continued before he could lose his nerve.
"If you became my fiancé, your future would change. You would no longer need to inherit the family business."
He brushed a thumb across Kalim's cheek.
"You would stand beside me as my consort."
"M-Malleus..."
"You would have new responsibilities, but I would ensure you never faced them alone."
Kalim simply stared.
"There are many members of the Asim family. Another heir could be chosen."
For a moment, Kalim looked unexpectedly thoughtful.
Then realization dawned.
"If I wasn't the heir anymore..."
Malleus nodded.
"Jamil would no longer be bound to serve you."
Kalim's eyes widened.
"He'd be free."
"Yes."
The room fell silent again. Then, suddenly—
"I will!"
Malleus blinked.
"Huh?"
"I'll marry you!"
Kalim's answer came so quickly that Malleus nearly forgot how to breathe.
"If it helps Jamil and gives us a chance to start over as real friends..."
His smile softened.
"And I get to stay with you."
For perhaps the first time all day Malleus felt speechless.
Then Kalim laughed.
A knowing laugh.
"You didn't actually think that far ahead, did you, Habibi?"
A faint blush spread across Malleus's face along a pout.
"...Perhaps not."
Kalim laughed harder.
"I knew it!"
Then he leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss to Malleus's lips.
"Thank you."
Malleus returned the kiss immediately.
"Anything for you, my love."
For a moment they simply remained together. Happy. Comfortable.
Then Kalim suddenly gasped.
"Wait!"
Malleus looked down.
"What is it?"
Kalim's eyes sparkled.
"Should we have two weddings?"
"...Two?"
"One in Briar Valley and one in the Scalding Sands!"
Malleus smiled "We may have as many weddings as you desire."
Kalim looked delighted.
And despite everything that had happened, Malleus found himself laughing.
Perhaps everything would be alright after all.