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"

bitter aftertaste that even after a couple of seconds lingered at the tip

what did you want to talk

couldn't just spend all the time drinking

Amanda's indifferent face stared at

"...Thank you"

Frowning slightly, I said

"For what?"

"For saving me"

back on my chair and

don't ever recall helping

"Yo-.."

to answer, I cut

seems like you forgot what

'..forget what you saw'

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

"I can't do that..."

teacup down. Her

eyes that were looking back at me, I thought for a

if you're really sorry then

Amanda sighed in

visibly relieved by my

"Okay"

her phone, she quickly went

couldn't help but bitterly shake

personality was

owing anyone

to feel indebted to anyone other than herself. No, it was more

back every single favor she owed so that she wouldn't build any unrealistic expectations

5 million U

U? I

on my tea, I initially nodded apathetically, but as soon as I processed what she had

did

who had just stood up and was looking at her with wide eyes, Amanda

5 million,

do you mean that's not enough,

my hand, I immediately shut

rich second generation kids treating money

"...so 5 million okay?"

"Sigh, hold on"

back on my

would definitely help me. With that much money, I could pretty much solve the problem of

an idea suddenly came into

for something else instead

lightly, the room temperature dropped and Amanda's demeanor

something, I quickly followed up

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

next part, Amanda's brows relaxed. Nodding her

"...Okay"

in relief, I

you get me

"A sword art?"

aback by my request, Amanda looked at

by her reaction, but remembering what

to disguise my main sword

"oh"

she understood something,

strength. In the end, I said nothing.

I'll try to solve

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 people differently

Meaning that my secret was pretty

type of sword art would you

for a

sword art

Amanda pondered

"How many stars?"

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

for a bit, Amanda scrolled through her phone

let me

on the holographic function on the phone, a long

what I got from the criteria

If I said I wasn't jealous right now,

of the number one guild in the human

to an immeasurable amount of resources and manuals that would cause