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"

of her, I also took a sip of the tea. It had a slightly bitter aftertaste that even after a couple of

what did you want to talk

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

indifferent face stared at me.

"...Thank you"

Frowning slightly, I said

"For what?"

"For saving me"

head, I leaned back on my

don't ever recall helping

"Yo-.."

she was about to answer, I cut

you forgot what I had told

'..forget what you saw'

for a little bit. Her brows continuously knit and relaxed, and after a

"I can't do that..."

I placed my teacup down. Her response was

eyes that were looking back at me, I thought for

really sorry then give

my reply, Amanda sighed

visibly relieved

"Okay"

she quickly went

couldn't help

personality was just like

disliked owing anyone

other than herself. No, it

sure to pay back every single favor she owed so that she

million

U? I guess

nodded apathetically, but as soon as I processed what she had said, I almost spat

what did you just

had just stood up and

million, not

that's not enough, that's

my hand, I immediately shut her

second generation kids treating

"...so 5 million okay?"

"Sigh, hold on"

on my chair,

help me. With that much money, I could pretty

Amanda, an idea suddenly

ask for something else

dropped and Amanda's demeanor became

was probably misunderstanding something, I quickly

I am not asking for any dates or anything that is remotely close

my next part, Amanda's brows relaxed. Nodding her head

"...Okay"

relief, I

get me a

"A sword art?"

my request, Amanda looked at me

but remembering what had happened a few nights ago

for something to

"oh"

if she understood something, Amanda

about my strength. In the end, I

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

end, It didn't really matter if she misunderstood or not. At the end of the day, she wasn't the type of person to treat

wasn't a blabbermouth. Meaning that my secret

type of sword art

a bit,

a sword art that

her chin for a second, Amanda pondered for a moment

"How many stars?"

since you were previously offering me around 5 million U, I guess something

bit, Amanda scrolled through her phone for a couple of

let me

phone, a long list of sword manuals

got from the criteria that you had

the long list of manuals, my mouth twitched. If I said

the guild master of the number one

of resources and