In the teacher assistant’s room she sat down in a chair and crossed her legs while folding her hands over her knees. “So, what happened?”

“She just started hitting me…” Jasmine was not actually lying. She was just leaving out a few details. But she was already in pain and just wanted to go to the Academy Clinic to be healed.

“Hmmm… So, in other words, you said something that got your roommate mad. You thought too highly of yourself and ended up getting beaten up, right? Not that it matters since I already decided to give you a demerit. Let me tell you now. If you get three demerits, you will be expelled from the Academy, and your card will be ripped out of you. It's a very painful process.” The teacher assistant snorted as she said this. Mainly because the girl in front of her went pale, even with her swollen face, it was easy to tell that the girl was scared. But this did not change the teacher assistant's attitude towards the girl. She highly disliked people who thought of themselves as better than others. “Go get healed. You now have your first strike.”

- - -

Back in Leo’s room, Bella was now sitting cross-legged with her feet tucked up under her, and Leo had laid down and propped his head up on his hand. “My village is pretty laid back. Well except those who think they have privilege. My father was a Card Master but never got to rise above F-rank due to being called out to a dungeon break.”

“He passed?” Bella’s voice was low. She really did not know what to say in times like these. She hated herself for even asking what she just asked.

“Mmm… It was hard at first. But we did not have much time to grieve. With my sister and I being so young and my mother working in the fields, I had to take on more work as well. Not only did I help with the fields but I also helped with taking care of my sister. We had to keep living on no matter what. We really did not have a choice.

“That’s why, even though it is dangerous, I decided to become a Card Master as well. I need to make money in order to give my mother and sister a better life.” Leo smiled just thinking about his mother and sister. He couldn’t help but feel kind of homesick.

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“I can see why you are the way you are. You had to grow up quicker, unlike me, who has been pampered since I was young.” Bella sighed as she flopped back onto the bed and adjusted herself so she could look at Leo. “Being a princess is no fun. You are bound by rules. You always have to think about your image. Each action you make is always being judged. Luckily, I am the youngest princess. I have no value other than being married off. But this is also the reason why I came here. As a Card Master, my father will need to think before he uses me for political means.

“This is why I am glad you became my roommate. Even knowing who I am, you still see me for who I am.” Bella smiled softly at Leo. She had never been this comfortable around a boy before. Only Abby and Anna could make her feel like her true self. But here she was, feeling just fine with a boy whom she would be sharing a room with.

‘This girl has it rough. She needs to grow stronger, much stronger or she will be used as a political tool.’ Liana chimed in. But unlike her normal cheery self, she seemed to be a bit sorrowful. She felt pity for Bella.

‘Everyone has there good and their bad. Being a princess seems to be Bella’s bad.’

‘This I agree on.’ Liana felt the same way as Leo.

“You will just need to keep growing stronger. You have Anna and Abby by your side and now me. If we all work hard and continuously enter dungeons we will be able to rank up quickly. Well once they let us that is. For us Rock Salamander Card Masters we will need to prove our selves even more and work twice as hard.” Leo sat up and stretched out his hand. “Let’s make a goal for ourselves. By the time our first year is over we should be at least D-rank. We will have to work our butts off but I think it is possible.” Of course, Leo was not spouting nonsense; Liana was telling him this would be no issue at all. She could easily make it so Leo, Jack, and the three girls all reached D-rank before their first year ended.

Bella’s eyes lit up. She quickly sat up and took Leo’s hand, “If we don’t you will owe me big time!”

“Fine, if we do not reach D-rank then I will do my best to grant one of your wishes.” Leo knew it was a gamble, but he chose to trust Liana. If she said they would, then they would.

“And if we do, I will grant one of your wishes.” Bella was in a very good mood. If she could reach D-rank in a year, she would not need to worry about being married off. This was the thing she dreaded the most.