"...Amanda?
Staring at me, Amanda nodded her head and politely greeted me.
"mhm, hello"
Glancing at her from the side as I was still holding onto a stack of books, I lightly said
"What a coincidence, what brings you here?"
As I spoke, frowning slightly, I took a good look around me and suddenly realized what the problem with my sentence was. Right, how could I forget? This was a bookstore moreover it was close to the Academy.
Taking into account Amanda's personality and the fact that she loved reading books, chances of meeting her here weren't that low.
Lifting her left hand, Amanda flashed a blue book in front of me and said
"I'm here to buy books"
Nodding my head in understanding, I softly mumbled
"Right, you do like books after all"
Tilting her head to the side allowing for her hair to gently brush past her shoulders, Amanda's brows furrowed slightly as she asked.
"How do you know?"
Hearing her question, I froze for a split second. Fortunately, this only lasted for a short moment as I was able to quickly recompose myself before calmly responding.
"...it's because whenever I see you in the morning, you're always reading a book"
"I see..."
Hearing my explanation, Amanda's frown lessened and thereafter she nodded in understanding. It was true, she was always reading books in the morning, I guess it wasn't strange for someone to know that she liked reading books.
"Yeah..."
Seeing that Amanda had bought my explanation, I secretly sighed in relief. Fortunately, I didn't panic due to my slip-up as I was somehow able to retain my composure.
Though I do have to say that my composure has been getting better and better with each passing day that I was in this world.
Now I didn't panic as much as I used to...and even when I panicked, my brain wouldn't suddenly turn blank like before.
Staring at the large pile of books in my hand and looking at some of the titles printed on the sides, Amanda softly said
"Are you buying school materials?"
Hearing her question, I calmly nodded my head.
"Yeah...Yes, I am. With the new semester starting, I naturally need to buy the corresponding books for the upcoming classes. As you probably know, I'm not very good at studying"
"I understand..."
Nodding her head in understanding, Amanda soon noticed a strange book on top of the piles of books in my hands and curiously asked
"What's that book"
Staring in the direction of where she was looking at, I soon saw that it was the book I was just looking at moments before, [48 laws of power].
"This one? Just a book I casually picked up after buying the school materials-"
"Meow"
As I was speaking, cutting me mid-sentence was a meowing sound that came from the back of my hoodie.
Hearing Angelica's meow, staring at Amanda, my mouth slightly twitched. Thereafter, peeking from my hoodie, Angelica appeared before Amanda.
Ignoring Amanda and licking her right paw, Angelica's voice entered my mind.
[Human, hurry up]
Suddenly hearing Angelica's voice inside of my mind, I couldn't help but be stunned as I involuntarily gasped out loud.
"Huh?"
Noticing my strange reaction, Amanda looked at me in confusion.
"Ren?"
Raising my hand, I reassured Amanda I was fine as I glared at Angelica who was on my shoulder.
"...ah it's nothing, my cat just scratched the back of my neck by accident"
"Ah, I see"
Seeing that Amanda had bought my excuse, I stared at Angelica and softly whispered.
"What the hell was that for? and how did you suddenly speak inside of my head"
Whilst still licking her paws, a trace of disdain appeared in Angelica's eyes as she said
[Idiot, I am communicating with you through your mind. This is a common technique that you humans should be able to do, and yet you don't know it. Just think and I will be able to communicate with you]
Frowning slightly, heeding Angelica's instructions, I quickly spoke inside of my mind.
'Can you hear me?'
[Yes, I can. Now hurry up, I am getting bored of this place]
Staring intently at Angelica who was communicating with me through my mind, Amanda pointed at her and curiously asked.
"Is that your cat?"
Hearing Amanda's voice, turning my head in her direction I nodded my head.
"Oh, yes she is"
"Is it a male or a female?"
"Female"
"Female, I see"
Staring at Angelica who was resting on my shoulder, hesitating for a couple of seconds, Amanda asked
"...what's her name?"
Hearing her question, I froze for a second.
"...name? Ehmm, Ang-"
Just as I was about to call her Angelica, noticing a piercing glare coming from my right, I quickly realized that naming her Angelica wasn't the best idea and thus out of the spur of the moment said the first thing that came into my mind.
"Pudding"
However, as soon as those words came out of my mouth, I instantly regretted it as I noticed Angelica's body stiffen on my shoulder.
Unaware of my current predicament, placing her hand on her chin, Amanda softly repeated.
"pudding?"
Weakly turning my head to the right and staring at Angelica who was still in shock, I gritted my teeth.
Fuck it.
Since I already said it, there was no going back.
"Yes, her name is pud-Ow!"
However, abruptly stopping me midsentence I soon found a sharp cat claw slap my face from the side. Thereafter I noticed Angelica's yellow eyes menacingly glaringly in my direction. Not long after I heard her angry voice echo inside of my ears
[Human, how dare you call me something as humiliating as pudding! I demand you correct yourself immediately or this Matriarch will let you taste the consequences]
Hearing Angelica's angry words, the first thing thought that came into my mind was...
'How do you know what a pudding is in the first place?'
Do demons eat pudding?
Speechless, for a moment Angelica forgot about her anger as she responded
[Your stupidity knows no bounds, how long do your think we've been in this world? We know everything about you humans as we have spied and studied your behavior for decades. Of course, I know what a pudding is]
That made sense
...same went for humans. We too have studied demons for a long time and thus know about most of the stuff they do to pass time.
'I see, I guess it does make sense now'
[Hmph, since you know you better...]
Unaware of the conversation between me and Angelica, Amanda nodded her head as she looked at Angelica who was resting on my shoulder.
"pudding I see...that's a very suitable name"
Hesitating for a moment and pursing her lips, Amanda lightly glanced at Angelica who was glaring daggers at me from my shoulder, and after mustering her courage, she carefully said
"Can I pet it?"
Taken aback, turning my attention back towards Amanda, I tried to make sure I heard correctly,
"Can you what?"
"Pet it...I mean, pet pudding?"
Staring at Amanda's serious gaze, the gears of my mind halted for a second before I finally realized what was going on and a faint smile appeared on my lips.
...ah I see
I guess it's true when they say girls love cute things. Even Amanda who seemed to have a heart made out of ice couldn't help but love cute things.
Staring at Angelica who was on my shoulder, I helplessly shook my head.
"Hmmm, I wouldn't mind but as you can see, Pudding's not really the friendliest cat in the world. You see, she's a bit of a feisty one-ow!"
Just as I was trying to come up with an excuse to refuse Amanda's request, stopping me mid-sentence was Angelica's paw slapping my left cheek.
"Hey watch it!"
[How dare you still call me that, you're seeking death!]
-Swoosh!
Cocking my head to the side, I dodged another one of her paws that was headed in my direction. Thereafter, I dodged another four attacks coming from her.
'Hey stop it!'
[How dare you humiliate me like this?]
-Swoosh!
Thus for the next few seconds, I dodged Angelica's feisty paws as she continuously aimed for my face. Only after holding both of her paws with my hands that I manage to stop her from going on a rampage.
"I see..."
Hearing my response, lowering her head, a trace of disappointment flashed across Amanda's eyes.
Seeing the disappointment in Amanda's eyes, I could only pretend to not have seen it.
Since Angelica's identity could be exposed if she touched her, I could only feign ignorance much to her disappointment. Thus in order to help her quickly forget about her disappointment, I quickly tried to change the topic.
"Right, Amanda do you know a place where I can buy weapon-Ow!"
However before I had the chance to finish speaking, taking advantage of the small window of opportunity of the moment I was distracted, Angelica once again assaulted me.
-Smack!
"Damn it Puddin-Ow!"
[How dare you call me such a humiliating name again!]
-Swoosh! -Swoosh!
Trying to grab both of her claws, I tried to stop her from attacking me as I quickly screamed inside of my mind.
'I'm sorry, I'll make it up to you later, stop attacking me!'
[Shut up you scum!]
Ignoring my pleas, Angelica continued to attack me with her paws. Helpless I could only try to catch both of her hands like before. Fortunately, because she was currently in cat mode, her strength was significantly reduced.
As I dodged her attacks, I couldn't help but curse to myself.
'Damn it, if not for the fact that channeling my mana towards her core could expose her identity, I wouldn't have been in this stupid situation!'
"pfff..."
As I was trying to stop Angelica from attacking me, I suddenly heard faint giggling sounds coming from my right distracting me for a second. Seeing me get distracted, taking advantage of the moment, Angelica tried to attack me, but before her paw could hit my face, I quickly grabbed them with both of my hands.
Seeing that both of her paws were currently restrained, Angelica angrily shouted.
[Let go human!]
Ignoring Agelica's angry screams, I turned my head towards where the giggling sound came from, and thereafter, as I turned around, I was stunned by what I saw.
Covering her mouth with her delicate hand, as if the glaciers had melted and spring had arrived, Amanda's blossoming smile appeared in my vision causing me to fall into a daze for a split second.
Fortunately, this only lasted for a split second as I was quickly able to recompose myself. However, although I was able to quickly recover, that didn't mean that I didn't take any damage.
Because of what happened, my heart had almost skipped a beat. That one short moment where Amanda smiled just now, had almost caused my heart which was usually indifferent to girls to skip a beat.
Looking up at me, whilst still covering her mouth with her delicate hand, Amanda tried to switch the topic as she recalled the words that I was trying to say before.
"you're looking for a weapon?"
...secretly, as she tried to change the topic, Amanda was embarrassed as this was the first time since young that she had lost her composure like that. She didn't know what had gotten into her.
"Yeah"
Taking a deep breath to calm myself down, I nodded my head.
Similarly, taking a deep breath and returning to her usual stoic expression, placing her hand on her chin and pondering for a couple of seconds, Amanda seriously looked at me. Thereafter, thinking for a couple of seconds and seemingly having come up with a decision, she suggested
"...I was also going to a weapon shop, so why don't you come with me? I know a place"
Surprised by her suggestion, I questioningly asked
"You know a place? Are you sure it's fine to bring me there?"
"Yeah, I can invite another person"
Pondering for a moment, I thought to myself.
Considering the fact that Amanda was part of the largest guild in the human domain where she could get anything she desired and yet was still going to a weapon shop...it suggested to me that whatever the place she was going to was anything but ordinary...and the fact that it needed an invitation made it even mysterious in my eyes.
Thus thinking along those lines and weighing my options, I nodded my head.
"Sure, but let me pay for the books first"
"Okay"
Smiling and nodding at Amanda, I quickly excused myself and headed to the cashier to check my books out.
As I walked towards the cashier, I couldn't help but thank my luck. Now that Amanda was with me, I could finally replace my sword with a new one. With this, my strength would once again increase a bit.
Thinking along those lines, my mood brightened up.
...
Meanwhile, as Ren was checking his books out, not so far from where he was and staring at his back from a few blocks away, Amanda couldn't help but be reminded of the scene where Angelica ruthlessly slapped him in the face continuously.
As she was reminded of the scene, Amanda's lips inadvertently pulled upwards. Shortly after a small giggle escaped from her mouth.
"hehehe"
Covering her mouth with her hand again, Amanda once again tried to hold her laugh back. As she laughed, as if a heavy block had been lifted from her, Amanda couldn't help but feel refreshed.
...for the first time in a while, Amanda had smiled and laughed from the bottom of her heart.
She didn't dislike the feeling.
