Arriving at the gates of the academic city, a grand arch greets us with a statue of a golden book adorned on top.

"Say Isabelle, that giant book on that, what's that?"

"It's the book of rules, containing the laws all must follow under the king's watchful eyes. I'm surprised you don't know something...so common" She looks at me dumbfounded, and so does June

"hmm, so the main book must be at the palace in the capital"

"duh"

"Well on that note, ladies, thank you for keeping me company till here, I must now go to the village nearby" declares June

"No problem, again Thank you for guiding us out of that forest, Come stop by the academy sometime in the future"

"Of course Isabelle, the pleasure would be mine"

Thus he leaves, without even glancing in my direction for even a second. Well I guess I didn't leave any positive impression on him, well not that I need to anyway

"Let's get going, Isabelle" 

"Sure"

I ask and grab her hand to enter the city

...

The city was divided into four parts thanks to two main roads intersecting in the middle, and a giant fountain decorated at the flower garden located at the intersection. The garden seemed quite large and looking from outside was filled with a swarm of students dressed in similar clothes.

Each branch of education here had its own dress code, all looked similar but with some small distinct features to distinguish one from another easily.

The north of the fountain were two large gated areas, spreading across several acres on both sides of the main road. On the left was the academy, where various departments were situated, my department of Knight training and Isabelle's department of politics. 

On the right was our dormitory area where several gendered buildings were built, going up to several stories. It seems like me and Isabelle are in different dorms but they are quite close to each other, These dorms are also where we would be provided our respective uniforms.

The south of the fountain had a similar construction, with the left side constituting the majority of the shops for students to buy things and enjoy campus life. The right side has professor dorms and some administration buildings not allowed for students to enter, well The whole right side is prohibited for students unless given special permission by a professor on a slip.

Gold wasn't the currency used here, instead, it was some counterfeit paper with the king's picture printed on it, given to students by the academy. Students earn a base amount every week and could earn more by performing well in the academy.

Isabelle and I were given our respective base amount of 100 jen. The name comes from the king's very own pet cat.

Having given the money we decided to buy ourselves a pair of regular clothes since all of our luggage was lost after the attack on the carriage, and we also bought some basic necessities.

By the end, we both had a combined 20 jen left, not even enough for us to get by the next week. But the dorms offered food, though it wouldn't be as diverse or neatly cooked as the one outside, we couldn't really complain.

Evening came and we both decided to sit on the nearby bench by Gina's bakery store with the bags containing our goods put near the foot.

This whole town really wasn't any different from college campuses in my previous world. It really was just a giant campus labeled as a city. Somewhat similar to this place called Kota from my previous world, though it wasn't as big, it was a small town inside of my city where all the coaching centers were located. Students would live there for 2 years, study all day long, eat there, sleep there, and all that jazz.

This city is just that but bigger and also populated not by normal humans but rather by children of Nobility. We hadn't had any sour interaction with anyone so far and I was hoping for it to stay that way.

Sure some students could smell the aura of commoners around us, but they at least didn't say anything and just scoffed before minding their own business.

"So the new session starts tomorrow huh" says Isabelle, looking upwards at the orange sky covered by clouds. Her silver hair flowed freely, only fluttering slightly by the wind. Her sharp fair face looking at the comfort of her home

She really was beautiful.

"Mhm, though I don't know what they could teach me at the academy of fighting that I already don't know"

"mm...say Rosette, why did you accept the offer? I just can't seem to think you have the same desires as most commoners"

[Don't humour her question, my dear]

"why does Isabelle want to know?"

A few seconds pass without any response, suddenly she lowers her head and meets her enchanting brown eyes with mine, not allowing even a blink to occur when absorbed in her gaze

"I want to be able to trust you"

[Don't trust her words, there's ill will behind her eyes]

"I won't tell the full story, but having no one in this world, I'm just searching around for fun and thrill. Wanting to die with having lived to the fullest"

I meet her honest gaze with my somewhat honest words, like I said I won't tell her the full story and the reason for my being here, just why I chose to accept and pursue that reason

"I see...thank you for indulging in my selfish request" she speaks before breaking her gaze and moving back to look at the sky, allowing me to blink once again

"So? it's Isabelle's turn now" I prop her with a fist to her shoulder

"oww......I-I...didn't come here for any noble cause like bringing value to my family or solving the massive gap between commoners and Nobles. My reason for being here is also rather selfish" a hint of sadness mixed into her soft and melodic voice

"mhm"

"I just came here to...lead a life filled with self-indulgence and happiness"

"mm"

"Don't just mm and mhm me! You have something else to say right?"

"like what?"

"l-like you know!!" Still her eyes remain locked upwards

"Nope, I don't know. What do you want me to say? Reprimand you for having dreams?"

"w-well....I just..."

"Isabelle is the first friend I had, I will support her in any dream she has and deal with anyone trying to put a hindrance on her goals"

"You sound like an insane girl saying extreme words like that"

"Is that so"

"god...."

"Isabelle is my very first friend, it would be an honor, and helping her would bring me great satisfaction and fulfillment. How does that sound?"

"...better, you could also put a smile on that cute face of yours while saying such things" ah, she's looking at me again

I put my fingers on both ends of my mouth, protruding them upwards to form a smile

"how's that?"

"pfft, Ahahahaaahaha!!!! ahhhh......silly, you don't even know how to smile..."

Her thin pink lips form a slight smile.

A natural smile, unlike mine

Maybe I too will be able to smile like that someday

...

...

...

Parting ways at my dorm, I enter the building and make my way to the third floor. Climbing up the staircase, I am greeted by the long corridor of the third floor. To the left and at the very end resides my room.

Counting mine, there must be 10 rooms on each floor. Five on the left of the staircase and the other five on the right.

Opening the room, I'm met with my new roommate

Long jet-black hair, a white shirt with the kingdom's insignia print on the chest pocket, tucked neatly into the plaided black and red skirt slightly frilled at the bottom.

Currently taking her socks and shoes off, she must have come back from outside. Since this dorm is supposed to have all freshers like me, she must also be one.

Noticing my presence, the girl turns back and waves at me with an animated hand motion

"Hello! Rosette, how was your day?"

How does she know my name?

"ah! right!"

she hits her palm with a fist and the next second, her skin starts to melt away. 

Like burning rubber, the skin peels off her face and what reveals itself isn't skull or red muscles, it is instead a familiar face

"Anabelle?"

The long frilly green hair, slightly brown face, and peach colored eyes. 

The beauty was indeed her.

"Yep, so? how was your day?"

Tension leaves my body and I make my way to my bed and fall head first on the soft mattress, tilting my head from the pillow to look at her way

"I see, so quite exhausting huh" her face again turned back to the black-haired girl

"mhm, so weren't you going to that witch's house in the silent woods?"

"I already did and she assigned me the first mission" she reveals, sitting comfortably on her bed

"Go on"

"I'm to infiltrate the science department and get a sample of this thing being researched there"

"And you are revealing such thing to me because"

"You will help me if I ask, right?"

"Right, so who's this black-haired girl"

"Oh, just some girl's identity that I stole. Her name is Hilda Raven, she's the daughter of some baron"

"And the girl?"

"Dead, can't just take someone's skin alive you know"

Witches really are formidable