Roland opened his eyes to three things: an unfamiliar ceiling, a dull throbbing headache, and his internal mana being shockingly calm for some reason. He didn’t know which part worried him more to be honest. Then he remembered the two girls who were with him earlier.

They were Jessica and Christina. How could I forget them!? He mentally slugged himself in the face. What the fuck is wrong with me…forget it. Where are they?

He looked around the room and saw an older gentleman in a black coat that seemed like a cross between a priest’s outfit and a lab coat. He stared at Roland silently as if thinking how to cook him for dinner. Roland felt a slight shiver.

“Good morning sunshine. How’s the little shit feeling today?” The priest said sarcastically.

“Pretty good actually, your mother’s used cooch really melts the ache away. Tell her I’ll pay her when I swing by tonight.” Roland shot back with a smile.

“Tough talk from a man protected by two girls. Aren’t you curious where they are?” He smiled. Roland opened his mouth, but was shut down. “They’re in another room and hurt quite badly, no thanks to you.”

Roland tried to get out of the bed, only to be pushed down by the man. “None of that now little boy. If you want to help them then you need to sign this.” He held up a piece of paper with very tiny micro script covering the entire thing. “Oh, and I would hurry. They probably need treatment soon.” He smiled again.

Roland glared at the priest and clenched his teeth. His memories rapidly came back to him, warning him just how dangerous contracts were in this world…then he remembered the two girls who got hurt ‘quite badly’ for him…

I don’t know what happened or why they are injured, but it sounds like they saved my ass big time. Alright bring it.

Roland signed after only a moment of thought. He’d read it later.

“At least you are a brave little shit.” The priest chuckled. “And no, you can’t see them now. Those two are seriously injured to the point that I needed some help to put them back together.”

“You said they haven’t been treated yet.” Roland glared.

“I said they are ‘hurt quite badly’, and they are. I said that they need treatment soon, and they do. They will need several actually. Never said that they weren’t already treated once.” The priest smirked. Roland saw that shit eating look and felt like he lost somehow.

The priest sat back down in the chair, took out a pipe and lit it. His face soon lost all expression as he started to talk in a serious tone.

“Alright little shit, here’s whats going to happen. You three owe me a shit load of money now. Treating those two was probably one of the most difficult sessions I’ve ever done, and I’ll be damned if I’m not going to get my money’s worth out of you. Especially since they aren’t able to move right now.”

He looked at Roland then got up and walked to the door. “Which leaves you to make up the debt. That contract you signed is an employment contract. I suggest you read over it sometime.” The slightest smile touched the corner of his lips, which gave Roland a very bad feeling.

“For now, though, stay in that bed for the rest of day and probably tomorrow. While you aren’t injured physically you have something going on with you internally that dwarfs even the injuries of those two. Whatever the hell happened to you is so far beyond my abilities, that I couldn’t even begin to have an idea on how to un-fuck you. That, little shit, lies in the realm of the divine most likely.” He solemnly said before leaving through the door.

Roland inwardly groaned. I didn’t really expect him to be able to fix this, but at least those two got treated. He thought with a positive mindset. Roland grabbed the contract and started reading it. Slowly, the positivity was drained from his face as he read line by line, eventually reaching the bottom. At the very bottom was an incredibly large number with a note and a smiley next to it. “This is how much you owe me little shit. I look forward to you paying it off~”.

“ISN’T THIS BASICALLY A DEBT SLAVE CONTRACT?! FUCK!” Roland knew he got screwed over.

***

“Ah, there it is…” The nun giggled. She knew this would happen when Ashley brought the priest out. The screams never fail to occur with everyone Allen treats and subsequently puts into massive debt.

“Elise, does Father Allen really have to go that far? Isn’t treating people supposed to be volunteer work?” Ashley asked.

“If treatment was always free, then people would be less cautious about getting injured. Yes we are supposed to help, but we can only do so much Elise. Our mana is limited and the after effects of using it aren’t sustainable. When you learn to start using it, you will understand what I mean.” Elise wisely remarked. “Besides, magic isn’t free Ashley. No matter what, everything has a price. You would do well to remember that.” Elise looked out of the window sadly.

All power comes with a price…some are just too terrible to bear, and Father Allen’s price…I wouldn’t wish that on my worst enemy.

***

*BOOM* Dan was sent flying back from an armored kick.

*Huff* *Huff* “Dammit teach! Go a little easier would ya?”

“Aww what’s the matter? Little baby has a boo-boo? Suck it up kid.”

This teacher is definitely going to be the end of me one of these days… Dan thought to himself. It’s been three weeks since Ms.Beatrix Avtoritet started her training regimen. If Dan knew what hell and Marine basic training looked like combined, this would definitely be it in his opinion.

They were going on ten-mile ruck marches on the weekends, doing strenuous upper-body workouts every odd day, and running every even day. It was a wonder that some of the students' bodies weren’t starting to break down…well actually isn’t that the goal? What doesn’t kill you…

*BANG* Dan was sent flying again.

“Don’t get distracted on me now kid. Make this entertaining at least.”

“Yes Avtori-”

*clink* Another high kick was deflected with his short sword.

Dammit, at this rate I am going to get pummeled again…well at least I’m not that kid who said he’d protect her…poor guy.

Just the thought of receiving the “training” that he was going through made his head go numb and heart start beat wildly in fear.

*Clink* *Bang*

He parried her kick, only for her to switch feet midair and plant the other foot right on his temple. Dan swore exactly three times before he tasted dirt and saw the blackness that he became all too familiar with over the past week.

“Yer improving kid. Not quite up to par but good enough to stop for now I guess…” Junko said before calmly walking away.

“…” Dan wasn’t unconscious yet and heard every word, but he still couldn’t imagine beating that teacher. She was extremely fast, hit incredibly hard, and seemed to know what he would do an instant before he did.

This is almost impossible. Dan thought to himself before the feeling of sleep overtook him.

***

Junko walked away with a light spring in her step. The kids were definitely terrible, but the training has begun to bear fruit for them. Where there was a complete and utter lack of discipline, was now replaced with the faintest hint of it. They were also starting to work as a group instead of a bunch of individuals.

There was a problem, however, and it was the fact that some of the students were slowly becoming lifeless at an alarming rate. Sure, the newfound camaraderie and goal strengthened their resolve, but something was definitely eating away at them.

Junko stopped and looked at the kids practicing and noticed two of them leaning against the castle garden’s wall. They were eating some kind of pastry with relish. She frowned and was about to tell them to get back to work when their smiles suddenly dulled for a split second before coming back. Naturally Junko didn’t miss the sudden change and began to put some of the pieces together.

Whatever is doing this to them is in the environment. Food, water, hell maybe even the beds and rooms are tainted. Purposely or not, I need to get these kids out of here… Junko thought to herself and frowned. She was in the perfect position to do just that, and if the symptoms started going away while they were gone...

Junko made up her mind. Something wasn’t right here and she was beginning to suspect the nobles and royalty more and more, but she couldn’t act…yet. She still needed to find Jessica, Christina, and Jake to make the class whole again. Then again, based on their assessment, those two girls could probably handle anything this place could throw at them just shy of a small army. Jake, on the other hand, never took that assessment so she didn’t know what to expect.

Jake might actually be the key to this. She suddenly realized. There is no way that someone who is completely new to this world would just up and vanish like that. Either he knew about this place, or he was forced to suddenly leave. I don’t know him that well, but I think it’s safe to bet on the latter. She concluded.

But the real question is why was he forced to leave? Or maybe… She pondered to herself. Maybe he left on his own and the royalty had nothing to do with it? That would definitely explain why the Queen was looking for him right now instead of being in a prison or something. If he left without telling anyone…

She started putting the pieces in their proper places, yet still felt that something was off somehow.

I’ll figure this out eventually. Right now, I need to focus on getting these kids to safety…but where? She looked at the castle walls that towered over the garden and had a sudden and crazy idea. It excited her and would definitely solve their problems if it panned out, yet it was a gamble on the kids.

Yes, that would be perfect. It would be like killing two birds with one stone. Junko thought to herself.

Junko once again began walking to the library with a smile, yet this one held a hint of savageness to it.

“Since they want to mess with these children so much, then I will make sure to watch as their world burns by the hands of children.” She softly said to herself with a smile while opening the door.

***

(Later that evening)

Junko stood before the 6x6 formation of kids that had a few missing. Everyone was accounted for and stood at attention with their right arms touching their chest while parallel to the ground. She observed the slightly disciplined group that no longer moved about, but their eyes were still restless and wandered here and there on occasion.

Rome wasn’t built in one day. It’s a process that has clear steps and milestones Junko…be patient with them. She reminded herself. All of her instincts were screaming at her to punish them for not having the discipline to stand still with eyes forward, like professionals. She knew that they were just young adults, yet her memories of being in the Russian mafia spoiled her with the cream of the crop under her leadership. She wasn’t leading a team of perfect super soldiers but rather training new recruits.

Just like back then, however, she would also have to train these kids to the same level if they were to survive and thrive in this environment.

She closed her eyes, mentally preparing herself to become that woman who led her soldiers to battle in the gutters of society once more. She discarded that caring teacher persona with great reluctance and difficulty; fully aware that such a person was not what they needed. They needed the old her…the real her.

And so, after coming to terms that she would do this for them, she opened her eyes and a cold, emotionless glare came out and pierced into the hearts and minds of those present.

Immediately the young adults stood straighter and stood completely still, as if the slightest movement would result in an old predator killing them instantly.

Junko opened her mouth and began to speak in a voice that was many magnitudes colder.

“Hear me students.” She said, gaining their attention and snapping them out of their fear induced absentmindedness.

“You have a choice to make tonight and it will be made now. Whether by accident or with intent, something around us is influencing you and your fellow comrades. Day by day I see that some of you are struggling to keep your personalities, as well as some that are just beginning to feel the effects.” Junko paused, letting the words sink in.

“As such I am going to take you away from here and we will start anew. However, you will no longer be students. You will be soldiers and part of a squad. You will all be family. You will look out for one another and fall under my leadership, and most importantly, you will follow orders or I will kill you myself.”

Several students had shocked faces as many emotions took hold of them. Fear, anger, betrayal, hope, confusion…

“If you come with me, I will not do something so superficial like promising your safety. If you cannot defend yourself, the maws of this world will swallow you whole…and not even bones will be left of you.”

Fear gradually became the dominant emotion of the group as it dawned on them what kind of situation they were really in. Many were shaking and some even had tears streaming down their face already.

“But, you will by my family and together we will survive until a way back has been found. If none exists, then I will support all of you as you would support me.”

Junko paused one more time before saying the final thing that was residing in her heart.

“If you so choose, I will help you get revenge on those who took us from our lives, our families and friends, our world…and if this society doesn’t like that, then we can all watch the world burn together.”

Junko closed her eyes and spoke no more for several minutes, letting the students absorb the information and what she was offering. “You may talk among yourselves and decide.”

After about half an hour, when all of the conversations stopped, she opened her eyes and said one word.

“Choose.” Then she closed her eyes once more.

Silence answered her. She could obviously tell that they were taking her words seriously. They knew that this choice would immensely impact the rest of their lives.

Some minutes passed and a single male student walked forward and stood behind Junko at the position of attention. Soon after, another student joined him. One by one, the students made their choice.

When the sounds of movement and talking stopped once more, Junko opened her eyes to see an empty space before her.

She turned around and saw a 6x6 formation of kids, with some missing, standing at attention. They stood perfectly still with eyes slightly wandering, waiting for orders.

The students widened their eyes as a smile slowly formed from her lips.

“Welcome the family comrades.”