The Author's POV

The air around the room was tense. It felt suffocating. Almost as if I was stuck inside of a cramped room with no room to breathe.

The reason for such atmosphere?

Quietly sitting on my chair, a stunningly beautiful young girl with glossy black hair and porcelain white skin devoid of any imperfections, was curiously looking around my room.

Amanda stern.

Someone who I had never thought of interacting with privately.

Seeing her sit on my seat as if it was the most natural thing to do, my eyebrows twitched.

Just what did I do to deserve this?

...no, I knew why, I just wanted to deny reality.

Sighing, I spoke up to try to break the awkward atmosphere.

"Would you like green tea or water?"

Hearing my voice, Amanda's eyes paused on my face for a couple of seconds and after a short pause she said

"...green tea"

"Alright"

Heading to where my teapot was stashed, I took it out and poured steaming hot water into the pot.

After a couple of seconds, I took a bag filled with tea leaves and gently threw them into the pot.

While waiting for the tea to be ready, I turned around and noticed Amanda's obsidian black eyes staring at me.

Taken aback by her odd behavior, I asked

"...Need something?"

Hearing my voice and seeing that I had caught her red-handed, Amanda looked to the side and acted as if nothing happened as she lightly murmured.

"...Nothing"

Smiling, I looked back at the teapot.

What do you mean nothing? You were obviously staring at me!

Even a blind person could tell you were looking at me.

Pinching my brows, I decided to think about this in a positive way.

From the looks of things, it at least seemed that she had no hard feelings against me. Since I knew her personality well, I knew that if she were to have had a grudge against me, she would've avoided me at all costs.

Treating me as if I was nonexistent.

Seeing how she had actively come looking for me, I knew that she didn't hold what happened against me.

...so what did she come here for?

There was definitely a reason for her visit. I sort of had a hunch on what it was, but I wasn't too sure.

Most likely, she came to express her gratitude for saving her.

If so, I better get this over with fast. If someone found out 'the Amanda Stern' who was the talk of the academy was having a private meeting with a boy in his own room, I wouldn't even know how I died.

The fact that she was in my room meant that my life was in danger.

Sigh.

Just when I thought things weren't going to become more troublesome suddenly a new troublesome situation arose.

Looking at the water in the teapot that had started turning murky brown, I carefully removed the teapot from the heater and poured the tea into two porcelain teacups.

Walking back to where Amanda was seated, I handed the steaming hot teacup to her and sat in front of her.

"Thank you"

Taking the teacup with both hands, Amanda gently blew on the cup and took a sip.

Closing her eyes and savoring the taste of the tea, Amanda nodded slightly said

"...it's good"

"Thank you"

It had a slightly bitter aftertaste that even after a couple of seconds lingered at the tip of my tongue.

you want to

couldn't just spend all the time drinking tea, I decided to get straight to the

teacup down, Amanda's indifferent face stared at me. After

"...Thank you"

Frowning slightly, I said

"For what?"

"For saving me"

I leaned back on my chair

ever recall helping

"Yo-.."

as she was about to answer,

what I had told you

'..forget what you saw'

remembering what I had said, Amanda remained quiet for a little bit. Her brows continuously knit and relaxed,

"I can't do that..."

I placed my teacup down. Her

black eyes that were looking back at

you're really sorry then

my reply, Amanda

visibly relieved

"Okay"

out her phone, she quickly went

her like this, I couldn't help

personality was just like

owing anyone

herself. No, it was more like

pay back every single favor she owed so that she wouldn't

million

U? I

I processed what she had said, I almost spat all my tea on her

what did you

looking at me who had just stood up and was looking at her

5 million,

do you mean that's not enough, that's

my hand, I immediately shut her

treating money as if it

"...so 5 million okay?"

"Sigh, hold on"

on my

With that much money, I could pretty much solve the problem

at Amanda, an idea suddenly came

I ask for something

room temperature dropped and

misunderstanding something, I

am not asking for any dates or anything that is remotely

Amanda's brows relaxed. Nodding her head she

"...Okay"

relief,

get me

"A sword art?"

by my request,

her reaction, but remembering what

something to disguise my

"oh"

she understood

about my strength. In the end, I said nothing. I was honestly too

matter how much I'll try to solve the misunderstanding, chances were

It didn't really matter if she misunderstood or not. At the end of

a blabbermouth. Meaning that my secret was

of sword art

for a bit,

sword art that

chin for a second, Amanda pondered for a moment before

"How many stars?"

around 5 million U,

Amanda scrolled through her

me

phone, a long list of sword manuals

from the criteria

mouth twitched. If I said I wasn't jealous right now, that would be

of the number

immeasurable amount of resources and manuals that would cause