Autumn air was definitely cooler than summer, but that did not deter Leon, Freya, and Lily from taking a barefoot stroll along the shoreline. The midday sun was still visible, casting a warm glow as the waves rolled in, gently lapping at their feet.
Lily’s excitement was contagious as she darted around, collecting beachcombing treasures and shells that gleamed in the sunlight. Leon strolled beside Freya, clad in casual beachwear, his relaxed demeanor reflecting the tranquility of their surroundings. Freya, in a flowing kimono dress, walked to his left, her outfit gracefully billowing in the seaside breeze.
Silence prevailed, with only the sound of waves and the occasional distant laugh breaking it, creating a tranquil atmosphere. There were few visitors, making the beach feel almost like their private retreat.
“Now that you have more resources,” Freya broke the silence with a giggle, “you should spend more time doing things like this. Playing at the beach, going on vacations abroad, visiting amusement parks… I bet you’ve never done any of that, have you?”
Leon nodded slowly. “Are you hinting that I should invite you along too, Freya?” he asked, chuckling.
Freya gave Leon a playful shove, trying to nudge him into the water. As usual, his solid frame barely budged.
“You could at least pretend to be pushed, you know…” she laughed.
Their laughter blended harmoniously with the waves, enhancing the peacefulness of the beach. Only distant children’s shouts and the occasional laughter of other beachgoers intruded upon their calm.
“I like the sound of what you were saying earlier, Freya,” Leon admitted after a quiet moment. “I want to try all those things.”
“Yeah, you have the money now… enjoy it,” she encouraged.
Leon nodded again, his mind drifting to the possibilities. The thought of using his newfound wealth for personal enjoyment and experiences he had never had before tempted him. After all, earning more money was not a difficult task for him, right?
But deep down, he knew that having money wasn’t enough if he didn’t know how to manage it properly. What did he really want to achieve with the wealth he possessed? What desires did he seek to fulfill?
“Freya,” Leon began thoughtfully.
“Yes?” she responded.
“Tell me more about yourself,” he suggested.
“What do you want to know about me?” Freya asked, tilting her head slightly.
“Well, you know a lot about me and my family. But I feel like I barely know anything about your background. Invite me to your home sometime,” he proposed.
Freya’s eyes widened in surprise. “What are you trying to do, huh? Getting closer to me? Remember, we’re just colleagues,” she said, giggling.
“For me, you’re not just a colleague anymore,” Leon admitted quietly.
“Don’t get all melodramatic on me, okay? I know you’re just joking,” she teased.
“No, Freya… I’m serious. I’m happy to have a friend like you,” he said softly.
Freya stopped laughing and fell silent, contemplating his words. “There’s nothing interesting about my background, you know… I hardly go to my own home,” she finally said. Leon simply nodded, respecting her privacy and choosing not to press further.
They then transitioned to playing in the sand. Under the insistence of the two women, Leon found himself becoming the victim of an impromptu beach burial. He lay on his back as Lily and Freya, laughing, covered his body with sand.
“Hey, be careful around my eyes,” Leon complained.
“Don’t worry, Leon. This is fun, trust me,” Freya said playfully.
Once Leon was completely buried, save for his head, Freya and Lily set up a tripod and positioned themselves on either side of his head, taking a few selfies with the buried Leon.
Leon remained in his sandy grave for a while, at the mercy of the giggling girls who wouldn’t let him out.
“Give me water, I’m thirsty,” he eventually protested.
Freya opened a bottle and slowly poured water into his mouth. Leon did his best to catch the droplets, feeling a bit playful himself.
“Freya, you’re treating my brother too harshly,” Lily said, half-joking but clearly enjoying the situation.
“He likes it, so no worries,” Freya giggled in response.
As the afternoon turned to evening, they began to clean up, wash off the sand, and change into fresh clothes. Once they were ready, they regrouped and prepared for the journey home.
Leon walked ahead while Freya and Lily lingered a bit, still lost in laughter and discussing various things he didn’t catch. But it was clear from his relaxed demeanor that Leon had thoroughly enjoyed the day.
From a distance, several people who recognized Leon’s distinctive car and had been observing him since the afternoon couldn’t help but comment on what they saw.
“Damn, that guy… he’s living the dream,” one of them muttered.
“Yes, seriously, the girl is stunning! And he’s clearly enjoying himself with her,” another added.
“His sister is cute too… but why are they hanging out as a trio? Wouldn’t it be more fun if it was just him and his girlfriend?”
“Or maybe she’s also his sibling?” another chimed in.
“No way, idiot. Look at the way they interact. It’s obvious they have something special going
on.”
“Whatever the case, the girl is so beautiful…” another onlooker sighed, seemingly captivated by Freya’s presence.
Their murmurs of admiration and curiosity followed Leon and the girls as they continued their walk back to the car.
Leon missed some game login time that day because he spent it picking up the car and enjoying the beach with everyone. However, he felt immensely satisfied, especially since he got to spend quality time with Lily. He often felt guilty for leaving Lily alone while he immersed himself in the game. Since Lily was the only family Leon had left, aside from their Uncle, who was more like a father to them, this time together was precious. Additionally, Leon had more opportunities to joke around with Freya. Their bond was growing stronger each day. Freya, who was initially just a guardian sent by the Golden Age Company, had seamlessly become a friend to him.
This outing was a rare treat for Leon. It wasn’t something he usually did-taking a break to enjoy a small vacation like this. He thought that next time, a camping trip or a getaway out of town would be fun, especially since they now had the car, the time, and the money to do it.
In the past, a lack of funds had always been a major barrier to such leisure activities, but that was no longer the case.
“You can use the auto-drive feature if you’re tired of driving,” Freya suggested.
“No…” Leon replied casually. “I’m still fresh and alert.”
He paused momentarily before adding, “Besides, I have a Muay Thai training session
scheduled after this, so I’ll keep going.”
Freya sighed. “You’re such a training maniac, huh?” she said with a giggle.
During the drive back, they noticed Lily had fallen asleep in the backseat. They eased up on
their conversation, letting soothing music fill the car as they headed home. The sun had already set, replaced by the night sky as they entered the city streets.
While Leon still had one more task outside the game-his Muay Thai training-his mind was already buzzing with excitement about trying out his new spear and diving back into the
game.
