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"

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

you want to talk

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

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

"...Thank you"

Frowning slightly, I said

"For what?"

"For saving me"

head, I leaned back on my chair and

ever

"Yo-.."

was about to answer,

what I had told

'..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 after a while, she

"I can't do that..."

my eyes, I placed my teacup

eyes that were looking back at me, I thought for

if you're really sorry then give me

my reply, Amanda

was visibly relieved by my

"Okay"

phone, she quickly went to her bank

her like this, I couldn't help but bitterly shake

personality was just

disliked owing anyone

anyone other than herself. No, it was more like she only trusted

single favor she owed

million

million U? I

but as soon as I processed what she had said, I almost spat all my tea on

what did you just

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

million, not

you mean that's

hand, I immediately shut her

generation kids treating money as if it

"...so 5 million okay?"

"Sigh, hold on"

back on my chair, I started

help me. With that much money, I

idea suddenly

something else instead

temperature dropped

something, I quickly followed

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

part, Amanda's brows relaxed.

"...Okay"

relief,

you get me a

"A sword art?"

my request, Amanda

reaction, but remembering what had

to disguise my main sword

"oh"

she understood

about my strength. In the end, I said nothing.

try to solve

end of the day, she wasn't the type of person to treat people differently regardless

blabbermouth. Meaning that my secret was

type of sword art would you

a bit,

would like a sword art

for a second, Amanda pondered for a moment before

"How many stars?"

previously offering me around 5 million

a bit, Amanda scrolled through her phone for a couple of seconds before

me

on the holographic function on the phone, a long list of sword manuals appeared before

I got from the criteria that you had given

twitched. If I said I

the guild master of the number

to an immeasurable amount of resources and manuals that would