Blackmailed

Another week has passed since the duel, and some things have changed. Some of my classmates looked at me with fear. While others look at me as a form of connection. They were scared of my growth rate. They knew they wouldn't be able to catch up to me ever in life. While the others look at me as an opportunity for them to make connections.

There were also a lot of talks about the fight, especially talk about Audrey and many kinds of rumors about her. Most of them painted her in a bad light. Despite being one of the tops of her year, she didn't have many friends due to her attitude toward people.

I heard she locked herself in her room, unwilling to seek anyone who wanted to visit. It wasn't shocking, considering anyone would be ashamed to show their face if that happened to them.

I was about one-fourth in completing filling my kidney with mana. I still needed about three weeks to complete it; my progress wasn't insufficient, but it felt much slower than the second-rank progression.

My relationship with people hasn't changed much. At most, it improved slightly. The week was me just hanging out with Olivia, Serena, and sometimes Tess.

It seems peaceful, too peaceful. Will I finally have this peace, at last? I hope nothing terrible will happen. Did I just set a flag for myself? Fuck!

We went to our seats as I went to my class with Serena. There was a note on my desk, reading it I felt nervous.

"If you don't want your secret as a boy to be leaked, meet me at the pond near the fountain by the forest. I will be there at midnight." That is what the note said. It had a winking face at the end of the message.

To think someone put a note in front of my desk where anyone would be able to see it. While some of my classmates would take it as a joke, the chance of me being found out would be higher if they did see it. I shuddered at the thought of me not going to class today.

Using my magic, I burned the note. I don't feel so good. Waves of depression fell on me reading this note. Turning my head to the window, I saw my reflection. My face was paler than usual. Maybe I should just head home and wait.

No, it would be too suspicious if I left too early. While I was in my thoughts, someone tapped my shoulder, and my body shook from the shock I had received.

"Charlie, are you feeling well? You look paler than usual." My neighbor Serena asked me, concerned about my well-being.

Just as I was about to say something, our teacher came in. I looked at Serena and told her I would talk to her after class.

Having all these thoughts on who the blackmailer could be, class ended. I couldn't focus on class. Everything the teacher said went past my ears. All my mind was on who and why they sent that message to me.

Serena, beside me, asked if I was still feeling ill. I was still nervous about the note. After all, it was scary to know nothing about the person who sent it.

"I will talk to you about it at home." I didn't want anyone to overhear what I said. That would be asking for trouble. She nodded, knowing that it was something sensitive.

Just as we were about to head out, our classmate called us out. "Miss Solaris, Miss Celeste, are you both free today? We would like to invite you to go shopping with us!" She was nervous about talking to us. We're from a higher-status family.

It was nice that their group invited us, but it had to be today out of all the days. "Sorry, I have some plans already. However, I would like to join you if you have other plans for another day." I said as politely as I possibly could.

They were dejected when I rejected them. Serena also declined their invitation seeing that there was something wrong. Leaving me, Serena and Olivia met up at the front gate of our school.

Olivia, who saw me, didn't ask me if anything was wrong. It was a good thing that I could keep a straight face when I needed to cover up that something was wrong.

I arrived home with both of my housemates. Changing out of our uniform, I lay on my bed, taking a pillow to hug. Serena, who knew something was wrong, went and sat beside me and gave me a pillowed lap. Her thighs were squishy and easy to sink into.

Olivia, who was just there, is confused by my attitude. "Is there something wrong?" Olivia asked.

"Someone knows about my identity and asked me to meet them at night." So I went straight towards the point and told them what had happened earlier.

""What!"" They were both shocked to hear my words. I didn't do much to reveal myself as a boy. It was understandable that they were shocked by what I said.

"Do you need us to come with you?" Olivia was nervous when she said that.

"We should follow him, making sure he is safe." Serena followed up on Olivia's question. She wasn't having it that someone threatened me.

"I know this isn't the best option, but I want to go alone." I know it was incredibly stupid of me to say this, but there was a chance that the person who sent this had a way to deal with Olivia and Serena if they had gone.

"Since they sent me this message, they wouldn't physically harm me." They could have done that when I was alone, it was stupid to send this and harm me right after sending it. They might have wanted something of me. All I needed to do was wait for the appointed time.