In the early morning light, Leon emerged from his bedroom, feeling the drowsiness from the previous night’s intense dungeon exploration in the game. The combination of concentration and full combat experience had been surprisingly exhausting.
He splashed water on his face at the sink, dried off with a towel, and made his way to the kitchen. At the dining table, Lily was already seated, savoring her breakfast and looking ready for school.
“Hi, Leon… breakfast?” She greeted him with a smile.
Leon sank into a chair, grabbed a piece of bread, and started eating, still looking a bit groggy. He took a swig of water to wake himself up.
“What’s with that face, huh?” she teased. “Already tired of your crazy routine?”
“No, just a slight mood swing. It’s normal,” he replied casually.
After a moment, Lily continued, “Leon, have you heard about The Eternal Challenge?”
“The Eternal Challenge?”
“Yeah, it’s a grand competition organized by the officials, set to take place next year. It’s a competition for Immortal Legacy players, covering various fields of contests.”
“Really? So, they’ve finally decided to do it?”
“Yes,” Lily said excitedly. “I’m sure Freya will try to convince you to participate. You must be interested, right?”
Leon paused, the thought of such a grand competition involving players from all over the world had never crossed his mind. The idea intrigued him. But if he intended to participate, what should he do? What about his official level, and what kind of contest should he attend?
“I’m heading out,” Lily announced, breaking his train of thought.
“Let me drive you to school,” he offered.
“What?” Lily looked surprised. “Why the sudden change? Trying to impress the girls at my school?”
“I’m doing this as a brother for his little sister. But if that happens to be a side effect, I won’t complain,” he said with a grin.
“Flirt!” she laughed before walking toward the door. Leon followed, still munching on a piece of bread.
The Northstar Turbo 2 rolled into the school grounds, instantly capturing the attention of several students arriving that morning. Some of them had seen the Northstar Turbo 2 on the streets before, but never this close. The car glided smoothly before coming to a stop in the parking area.
“That’s the latest model, the Turbo series,” one student said.
“That car looks even better up close, huh?” another group of boys, who seemed intrigued, turned their heads toward the car.
“Who do you think owns that car? I’ve never seen it here before.”
“Maybe one of the teachers.”
“Not necessarily. Some students here have enough money to buy a car like that.”
“Yes, the wealth range in this school is really wide.”
Just then, the passenger door opened, and a girl stepped out. Many of the boys noticed immediately.
“Lily?”
“She usually gets picked up in fancy cars, but this one seems new.”
“Is she really that wealthy?”
“Not sure, but she hangs out with Hazel, so I guess she is.”
“Damn, Lily is so cute. I totally idolize her.”
“Keep dreaming, idiot!”
Lily paused, her attention caught by someone approaching. It was Hazel, who had just arrived and stepped out of her own car. Hazel walked closer, then broke into a run, her face alight with enthusiasm.
“Hi, Lily,” Hazel greeted enthusiastically. “Is that Leon in the car?”
“Yes,” Lily replied.
Hazel waved towards the vehicle. “Hi, Leon!”
Leon stepped out and walked over to stand beside Lily, acknowledging Hazel with a nod. “Hi, please take care of my sister.”
Lily nudged Leon in the ribs. “Do you think I’m a child that needs to be looked after, especially by this flirtatious girl?”
Hazel giggled and smiled at Leon. “I want to go to the amusement park this weekend. Do you have time, big brother Leon?” she asked, her eyes sparkling with a playful grin.
“What? An amusement park?” Lily exclaimed in surprise.
“Yes, it’s a date,” Hazel responded.
“Leon?!” Lily turned to her brother. “Is there something I should know about the two of
you?”
“Ah, no, Lily,” Leon stammered, looking flustered. He then turned to Hazel. “I haven’t agreed to that, right?”
Hazel giggled again and then linked her arm with Lily’s, pulling her gently. “You don’t have much of a choice, you know. Just look at the faces of those boys watching us.”
Leon glanced around and noticed a number of students quickly turning away, clearly caught staring. “Why do I get the feeling this place isn’t safe for Lily?”
“I’ll take good care of her,” Hazel assured him. “And don’t forget to pick me up this weekend, okay?” With that, she started to lead Lily away, leaving Leon standing there with a bemused
expression.
As Hazel and Lily walked towards the school building, Hazel glanced back at Leon with a slight smile. Leon sighed, already anticipating the kind of weekend that awaited him.
Leon climbed back into his car and quickly drove away from the school, still feeling the lingering stares from the students. The looks felt unusually judgmental, likely because he had arrived with Lily and chatted with Hazel as if they were close friends.
He sighed, steering the car out of the school grounds. Today was an open day for him-no plans to attend his classes, just another day of playing hooky. Maybe he would make it to campus next week instead.
He stopped at a nearby café, intending to relax and enjoy a cup of coffee. As usual, his luxury car drew attention from onlookers, but he had grown accustomed to the curiosity and paid no mind to it as he entered the café. Dressed in shorts and a simple t-shirt, his outfit was casual but undeniably expensive, a far cry from his usual attire. freewebnvel.com
The café waiter, having noticed his high-end vehicle, treated him with a noticeable degree of deference. Leon ordered a cappuccino and a burger, having found his morning meal insufficiently satisfying, and then settled in to wait for his order.
Sipping his coffee, Leon began to rethink his plans. After the successful dungeon exploration, he now owned a golem. Although he didn’t know its exact size when summoned, Elincia had explained that once brought into existence, the golem would remain. Given its presumed large size, storing the golem in his inventory wouldn’t be possible, which presented a logistical challenge.
For now, he didn’t feel the urgency to summon the golem as he was engrossed in his crafting projects at the palace. Hence, he decided to wait until he reached Slumdon Town to bring it forth. He envisioned setting up the golem as a guardian statue at the town’s entrance, capable of activating and defending when necessary. Just thinking about it filled him with excitement.
He savored the coffee, relishing the rich aroma that filled his nose. The difference between this high-end brew and the instant coffee he usually drank was striking. At first, he struggled with the bitterness, but his taste buds began to acclimate, and soon he found himself enjoying it. He thought to himself that this must be how the wealthy live, drinking such fine coffee. He was just trying to have some fun with the money he had earned.
After spending some time relaxing and enjoying his break, he headed back home. A long day at the forge, with the anvil and the blacksmith’s fiery workshop, awaited him.
He missed the smell of the burning metal and the searing heat of the forge. With anticipation, he logged into the game.