“Jacob, I need to ask you something. Please answer truthfully...”   

Fuck...   

The way she is looking at me right now and after what we just discussed... I have a bad feeling about what she wants to ask me.   

“... Have you noticed any strange behavior among your close friends lately?” She asks seriously.   

Wait... What?   

“Strange behavior among my friends? What do you mean?” I ask, confused.   

How come my friends fit in here?   

I thought that she will ask about my system or something...  

“I mean, have you noticed any sudden change in their personality, which was not there before? Especially after the system ceremony?” she asks, pressing on.   

After the system ceremony?   

My only friends in school are Ryan and Leo and I have only met both of them once after the system ceremony, that is, yesterday.   

But still, let’s see...  

Ryan seemed completely like himself. I don’t think there was any change at all. Well, yes, he was a little sad about not getting any sex-related system but he also told me that the one he did get is relatively good with easy to earn point methods.  

And Leo as well, he was same as... he was...   

Wait a second. I didn’t notice, but yesterday, he really did seem different...  

Usually, he likes to listen more and speak less, even among us, who are his friends. In fact, you can never guess it from afar that he is as big of a pervert as me and Ryan are, because of his silent nature.   

But yesterday, he was more confident and outspoken than before. Even when we were making plans to meet at Ryan's house, he was the one to suggest most of the things including the games we should play and the snacks we should get... something which he had never done before.  

And yes, there was one thing more which seems really strange. Every time Leo spoke, each and every word of his was drowned with extreme smugness.   

He was also heavily indicating that something really good has happened to him and that it’s related to his system. Though he did not tell us why because of wanting to surprise us later.   

“So, did you notice anything?” Zakira asks again, sounding slightly impatient.   

Damn... I got lost in my own thoughts...  

“Well, yeah... One of my friends, Leo, was acting a little weird but what does it matter to you?” I ask.   

It makes no sense for Zakira to ask me this. She probably has never even seen Leo before...  

“It does matter to me. Very much. I believe that it is the system of Leo which is somehow affected by what happened at the WST...” She tells me.  

Wait....what the fuck!?   

“How do you jump to that conclusion!? There is no way that’s possible! Everyone changes a little after they get infused with their system...” I say in disbelief.   

And not just that. I am not going to say this to Zakira but it is not Leo’s but my system which is broken because of what happened at the WST.   

“I know about that, Jacob, but I did not mean that in the exact sense. I want to know if his behavior changed... radically. And in fact, that is not even the main reason I believe Leo's system is affected...” Zakira answers.  

Radically? I am not sure about that.  

And anyway...   

“What is the main reason for you to believe so?” I ask.   

Zakira takes a deep breath in while staring into my eyes...   

“It is because he is your friend, that I am confirmed of this...” she says.   

...   

“What!?” I exclaim loudly.   

Nothing she is saying is making any sense! How the fuck do I enter the scene, all of a sudden now!   

“Listen to me carefully, Jacob. I know, you must be getting a little confused by this but hear me out...   

“You may know about this already but I mention it anyway; a huge amount of magical energy is required to infuse a system inside a person's body, which is fortunately provided by the WST (indirectly). And for every system, WST uses magical energy of different characteristic signature every time.   

“In fact, when magic is unlocked in the system after a few level ups, it is actually this exact same signature magical energy which is wielded by us to perform various things.”  

Suddenly, Zakira’s face turns a little strange but she continues speaking...  

“Now, I must confess, last night, I got a little taste of your magical energy through your blood. And even though I didn’t recognize it at that instant because of my frenzied state, but later I realized that the signature of that magical power matched exactly to that of what the WST is releasing in extreme quantities right now...” Zakira says.   

Shit... she knows...   

I look at Zakira fearfully for a few seconds but she doesn’t do anything in particular instead of looking back at me with a serious face.  

Hmm? Why is she not doing anything if she knows?  

Wait. Now that I think about it. If it is my magical energy which matched, then why does she think that Leo's system is affected?   

This is getting even more confusing...  

A little reluctantly, I tell Zakira about my doubt...  

“I guess I need to tell you one more thing about magic because you probably wouldn’t have learned about it. But answer this first, you were talking with your friends moments before I kidnapped you yesterday, weren’t you Jacob?” Zakira asks.   

“Yes, why?” I answer.   

“Hmm... as I guessed. Listen carefully, Jacob. The body of every living creature is like a capacitor of magical energy. It absorbs magical energy from the surrounding regularly, and also, radiates it back.   

“In fact, around 30% of the total magical energy inside our body is not the original signature one, but it is absorbed from living things around us.   

“And yesterday, the magical energy which I recognized similar to that at the WST is not your original magical power but part of the 30% absorbed ones.   

“Also, the reason I believe it was absorbed from Leo is because that energy was still the most prominent one in your blood among all external energies and well, as you said, the last people you saw were your friends...” Zakira finishes.   

Fuck! Is this really true?   

My magical energy didn’t matched with the one at WST but Leo's did?   

But then, why is my system broken? It is because of something entirely different from what I was thinking?  

Damn...  

“Anyway, you should not worry much because Leo is not the only one. According to our research, a few other students should be affected by this as well... and we have orders to investigate them all,” Zakira tells me.   

....   

I don’t know what to say anymore...  

“Anyway, I just wanted to let you know about this. And yeah, I have to do a lot of work for the upcoming tournament and I don’t think I can come back to see you— I mean, check on you again except in school...” She says while turning a little red.   

“Hmm? Good...” I say.   

It’s not like I fancy meeting someone who has almost killed me before...   

“Good? W-What do you mean by “good”? Y-You are my s-slave and should be sad by this...” she says stutteringly.   

Why are you starting to stutter so much, all of a sudden?   

Suspicious...   

Though it doesn’t look like Zakira only wants me to be sad about this fact...  

“A-And because we won’t be seeing each other for a while, as your m-m-master, I command you to... Let me drink your blood again.”