Leon had been mulling over this idea for a while. Leaning back on the sofa, he looked out at the calm swimming pool.
“I’ve decided to start my own guild,” he said finally.
Freya chuckled. “Ah, so you’ve made up your mind at last? You should’ve done this ages ago!”
“I’d be truly grateful if you-someone very special to me-could help me with the endless tasks of running a guild.”
Freya raised an eyebrow, smirking. “Oh, I see what’s happening here. Look at you, trying to charm me into doing all the boring admin work you don’t want to do yourself!”
Leon turned to her. “But I thought you liked the managerial stuff?”
Freya let out a soft laugh, giving his nose a playful pinch. “I do enjoy it. But I didn’t do it just for me; I did it to help you.”
Her expression softened. “But don’t worry-keep up the good work, or even improve, and I’ll be more than happy to handle the mundane stuff.”
“Thanks,” Leon replied with a grin.
“So, what’s your plan with Elincia and the other members of the Ass Guild?”
“I’ll persuade them to join my guild.”
Freya laughed. “That’s exactly what I expected from you, Leon. I’m surprised you actually decided to take this step! So how are you going to convince them?”
“I’ll just ask them. I don’t have any special tricks up my sleeve. Maybe it sounds arrogant, but I want them in my guild-so I’ll just go for it.”
“Nice…” Freya replied. “So when are you going to ask them? Right away?”
“No,” he said, considering it. “I’ll do it after I’m done with Moonlight Fae.”
Freya’s smile widened. “Alright, I’ll get everything ready.”
After a pause, Leon looked over at her. “Freya, I’m thinking of making coffee. Want some?” frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
Freya frowned. “It’s the middle of the night. You trying to keep me up till morning?”
“A little coffee won’t stop you from sleeping, right?” He stood up and grabbed her wrist. Freya let him lead her.
They walked into the kitchen, and Leon began prepping the espresso machine, heating the milk with practiced care. With steady hands, he poured the milk into the espresso, finishing the cappuccino with a graceful swan latte art.
“I don’t drink amateur-made cappuccinos like yours,” Freya teased, laughing softly.
“Doesn’t matter how it tastes; just appreciate the effort I put into making it.” He handed her the cup. “Here you go.”
Freya took the cup in both hands, examining the art for a moment before taking a sip. “Damn, this is really good. I don’t even want to know where you learned how to do this.”
“I learned how to make a cappuccino from…” he began, but Freya quickly cut him off.
“No need for an explanation. Just enjoy it.” She smiled, then walked into the living room and turned on the TV.
Leon and Freya settled comfortably on the sofa, discussing the latest news surrounding Immortal Legacy.
“So, what do people think about the Golden Age decision from a few days ago?”
“Many aren’t happy,” Freya replied. “They’re calling on the Golden Age to make major adjustments to the Time Penalty rules.”
“Let me guess they want the 8-hour penalty removed?”
Freya shook her head. “Not quite that extreme. The Time Penalty was set up to keep players grounded in reality, so they can’t just disappear into the game and neglect their real lives.” “Fair,” Leon agreed. “But they’re socializing, working, and living inside the game too.” Freya looked at him, her expression serious. “But imagine what would happen if people could stay in-game all the time. We’d see a future where people are physically deteriorating- bodies weakening, diseases on the rise from inactivity, people relying on supplements to stay functional. That’s a reality I don’t want to see.”
“Honestly, this just goes in cycles,” she continued. “In the beginning, there were no restrictions; then problems got bad, so the limits were added. Then, whenever something big goes wrong, players want the restrictions dropped again.”
Leon smiled. “I didn’t know you could be so serious.”
Freya gave him a resigned smile. “Well, you can thank your coffee for that. Now I’m wide awake, and you owe me a chat until morning!”
“Sure, why not?” Leon chuckled.
“Oh, I didn’t know you were such a talker now, Leon. You’ve changed a lot, haven’t you?”
“Not really, Ms. Freya.” He smirked. “You might want to take a look in the mirror sometime. In our conversations, you usually dominate 95% of it while I just listen, so no, your point doesn’t hold. It’s not that I don’t like talking; it’s that you don’t give me the chance.”
“Oh…” Freya’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “So, are you saying you actually enjoy our long conversations? And you like listening to me talk-is that what you’re hinting at? Are you maybe developing some personal feelings for me? Remember, we’re just colleagues, okay, and I’m way too rich for you!”
“Not much choice in the matter. Since you’ve done so much for me, this is my way of showing a little gratitude,” he replied. “But don’t make reckless assumptions-you might just trap yourself with your own words.”
With a huff, Freya lunged forward to pinch his waist, but before she could make contact, Leon had already sidestepped, causing Freya to stumble forward. Laughing, he caught her swiftly, his arm wrapping around her waist to keep her steady.
“I think you’re underestimating my reflexes, Ms. Freya.”
“No, Leon, you’re not escaping this-I’m not letting you win this argument with me.”
“Well, you can try your hardest, but I’m not letting you win either.”
Freya tried to launch another playful attack, but Leon quickly leapt out of her reach, darting around the sofa as they chased each other in circles.
Just then, the door to Lily’s room creaked open, and she peeked out, watching the two with a
tilted head.
“Don’t they realize it’s already midnight?” she muttered to herself.
***
(Author’s Note:)
So, who’s with me on this-do we need a “Leon and Freya’s Late-Night Chats” spin-off? []