That evening, Leon sat behind the wheel of Freya’s luxurious car while she relaxed in the passenger seat beside him. Freya was dressed to impress in a sleek black minidress, her legs crossed casually as they drove through the city.
“So, you’re getting bolder with me, huh?” she said, breaking the silence.
Leon turned, his expression puzzled. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve been dragging me out for dinners, which is way beyond my job description,” she continued with a smirk.
“And what about you waltzing into my place, sometimes even sleeping over?” he countered playfully. “You’re the one invading my personal life. So, this little favor of mine doesn’t seem all that demanding. So just zip it, okay?”
“Hey, but you’re taking a beautiful woman out for dinner. I had to go the extra mile to look like this. You think the company covers my wardrobe and makeup expenses?” she giggled.
“We could talk about the game for a bit. That way, we can say it’s part of your job, right?” he chuckled.
They continued bantering playfully as they drove.
“Let me warn you, Leon… don’t drag me into your issues with your ex-girlfriend. You asked me out right after seeing her… consider my feelings, okay?” she said playfully.
“I thought you were to help me with my mental issues, my well-being? Am I wrong?” he teased. “Can I request a guardian backup as well, someone friendlier perhaps?”
Freya nudged him with her elbow. “You won’t find anyone friendlier than me, so you can stash that request away or, better yet, toss it out,” she replied with a grin.
As they stepped out of the car, Freya remained seated until Leon walked around and opened the door for her.
“That’s how it should be done, you know,” she said with a giggle.
Leon smiled, closing the car door as she gracefully exited. Freya then looped her arm through his, and they walked closely together, almost inseparable, even if they were just friends.
“What are you doing?” he asked softly.
Freya smirked and answered without looking at him. “I’m just making you look impressive by having a woman as beautiful as me on your arm. You should be thanking me, not questioning it.”
“I suppose…” he began as they entered an upscale restaurant in the city. “You’re actually doing me a disservice by making people think I have some special relationship with you. It’s ruining my chances of getting close to any potential romantic partner.”
Freya tightened her hold on his arm, ignoring his playful complaint. “I think being seen with a girl as stunning as me is far more advantageous than chasing after a girlfriend you’ll never get, Leon,” she laughed.
They walked into the restaurant and ordered their dinner. Leon began eating his meal enthusiastically despite the upscale setting. Noticing this, Freya gently kicked his knee under the table.
“Hide your old background and eat more elegantly,” she said with a smirk.
Leon glanced at her and then started eating more slowly, letting out a small sigh. “You wealthy folks have too many rules.”
He continued his meal in relative silence. A few moments later, Freya gave his knee another gentle kick.
“What is it?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
“You invited me out for dinner, and now you’re just ignoring me? Say something!” she insisted.
“Isn’t that how it usually goes, Freya? You always do the talking, and I just listen. So, go ahead, start a conversation.”
“Alright then…” she said, her expression mischievous. “Now, tell me, what exactly were you doing in the library with your ex? Did you two talk about your past?”
“I think it’s better if you let me choose the topic.”
Freya chuckled at his response, her laughter lightening the mood between them.
Leon then began to recount the details of what transpired after the raid battle with the Ass Guild, sharing information that wasn’t broadcast on television. Freya listened intently, her expression shifting from curiosity to surprise.
“No wonder some of their rankings dropped. So that’s what happened… It must have been a huge blow for them,” she said.
Leon nodded slowly.
“What about Melliandra?”
“Charmelyn said she managed to escape…” Leon replied.
“Ah… I’m glad to hear it. Otherwise, she’d probably resent you forever,” Freya chuckled.
She continued, “So, what happened with Charmelyn? You two came back from the forest together, didn’t you?”
“Ah yes…” he said, continuing the story. “She survived because of her impressive skill set. We journeyed back together, and she effortlessly took down any monsters that approached. She is… really, really impressive… I think she could easily handle multiple players of the same level at once, given her skill set is perfect for assassination.”
Freya smiled, intrigued. “What do you think about her? Is she friendly? Interesting? Fun? Did you two talk much?”
Leon furrowed his brow. “Not really… She’s pretty quiet. We didn’t talk much,” he explained
calmly.
Freya grinned at his response.
Leon also explained that there was a strong chance Charmelyn understood the full extent of what transpired between him and Queen Gaia.
“I think you should try to get closer to her,” Freya suggested seriously. “I mean, build trust with her. You don’t want her leaking that secret to others.”
Leon frowned, feeling that getting close to someone wasn’t something he particularly
enjoyed.
“Sooner or later, people are going to find out, so I honestly don’t care much,” he said, causing Freya to giggle at his nonchalance.
Their conversation continued as they enjoyed their meal.
“I think there might be a special reward for you because of what you’ve done,” Freya said, steering the dialogue back to Leon’s recent exploits.
“A reward?”
“Yes, from the company. You might find it in your inbox once you log into the game.”
“Oh, really?” he said, standing up abruptly. “In that case, let’s go back now. I want to log in.” Freya looked annoyed, “You took me out for dinner, and now you want to rush home just because of something like this? Are you going to waste my efforts in getting all dressed up?” Leon paused, considering her words. Then he smiled. “What about taking a walk in the park? Sounds interesting?” he suggested, grinning.
They took a short stroll through the park, where many people were walking, sitting on benches, and children were playing under the bright night sky. Freya kept her arm linked to
his, staying close.
“Isn’t there a company policy against someone like you getting this personally involved with the elite players you work with?” Leon asked casually.
“I’ve already told you, I’m doing this to make you look cool, so you should really be thanking me, not questioning it,” she replied, dismissing his concern.
“But this could lead to misunderstandings, you know. I’m a normal guy; you shouldn’t play around with close interactions like this…”
“That’s exactly my goal,” she said nonchalantly. “To make you fall for me and then leave you,
so you know what it feels like, just like your past.” She giggled.
“I don’t think you’ll succeed that easily, Ms. Over Confident.”
Freya tightened her grip on his arm and said, “Just shut up and enjoy the moment, okay… Mr. Thinks He’s So Cool.”