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 of my tongue. It

you want to

the time drinking tea,

the teacup down, Amanda's indifferent face stared at me. After a while, she finally

"...Thank you"

Frowning slightly, I said

"For what?"

"For saving me"

I leaned back on my chair and

don't ever recall helping

"Yo-.."

as she was about to answer, I

what I

'..forget what you saw'

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

"I can't do that..."

placed my teacup down. Her response was within my

were looking back at me, I thought for a moment

you're really sorry then

Amanda sighed in

was visibly relieved by

"Okay"

quickly went to

her like this, I couldn't help

personality was

owing anyone

feel indebted to anyone other than herself. No,

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

million U

U? I guess

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

did

me who had just stood up and was looking

5 million, not

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

my hand, I immediately shut

treating money as

"...so 5 million okay?"

"Sigh, hold on"

back on my chair,

money, I could pretty much solve the problem of finding

idea suddenly came

ask for something else instead

the room temperature dropped and Amanda's demeanor became

she was probably misunderstanding something, I quickly followed up

asking for any dates or anything that is remotely

part, Amanda's brows relaxed.

"...Okay"

in relief,

get me a

"A sword art?"

request,

first, I was confused by her reaction, but remembering what had happened a few nights

am looking for something to disguise my main sword

"oh"

if she understood something,

had a misconception about my strength. In the end, I said nothing. I was honestly too tired

how much I'll try to solve

not. At the end of the day, she wasn't the type of

wasn't a blabbermouth. Meaning that my secret was pretty

of sword art

a

see, I would like a sword art

Amanda pondered for

"How many stars?"

million

her phone for a

me have a

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

the criteria that you had

of manuals, my mouth twitched. If I said I wasn't

the daughter of the guild master of

access to an immeasurable amount of resources and manuals that would cause anyone to turn green