Chapter 44 - Splendor Creeping In

Leon and Freya were sitting side by side in the plush leather seats of the luxury car. Leon was hesitant, unsure of how close to sit to Freya who had her head tilted and was looking straight ahead with her long, glossy hair glimmering in the fading sunlight. Her skin had a soft glow that could not be ignored, making it impossible for Leon to look away.

"I'm here to be your personal advisor," Freya explained, her voice sweet like honey. "I'm a representative from the Golden Age Company."

Leon couldn't help but feel his heart skip a beat. "That sounds really neat," he replied, trying not to look too eager but certainly feeling thrilled about the prospect. "What kind of advice do you offer?"

Freya chuckled, pushing a lock of brown hair behind her ear. "Everything you need! Financial advice, personal guidance, even career counseling - I can help you with it all!"

Leon gazed at Freya with curiosity, wanting to hear more of her words. "What do you mean?" he asked.

Freya smiled warmly. "Every God's Champion in Immortal Legacy has their own assistant or advisor from the company," she said.

Leon nodded in understanding. "So what does this mean for me?" he inquired.

Freya smiled at Leon, her head held high with certainty. "The people who are chosen to become God's Champion will become someone great," she declared. "That's why Golden Age Company will make sure their every need is met."

Leon blinked in surprise. "You mean like a personal assistant?" he asked.

"Kind of..." Freya said mysteriously. She grinned mischievously and said, "I can be everything—manager, friend, adviser… even to be your girlfriend," she said.

Leon chuckled nervously, taken aback by the suggestion but still intrigued. "That's so funny," he said between chuckles and flashed Freya a smile.

"I'm just kidding, of course," Freya replied with a giggle, "but yes, I will do anything you need help with." She looked at him intently, awaiting his response.

Leon smiled warmly. "Thanks for offering. I really appreciate it."

Freya grinned. "I've got an account in Immortal Legacy, too," she said, her voice laced with excitement. "It's not very high level, but it is enough for me to help you out in the game."

"What do you mean?" Leon asked, eyebrows raised skeptically.

She smiled. "I can be your friend in monster hunting or anything else you may need," she said.

"It's great to have support for something like this." Leon nodded.

Freya clasped her hand and gave him a warm smile, then said, "I mean, that's just an extra thing I can offer you because my real job is to help you outside the game."

She shrugged. "I can't do as much as you can - I'm just a normal player, after all - but there are plenty of ways I can help you outside the game. After all, I have access to lots of things that could be useful for you!"

They exchanged casual conversations as the car made its way through town. The driver drove them to a luxurious hotel in the city center, parking in an empty lot beneath a streetlight. She stepped out of the car and motioned for Leon to follow.

"Come on," she said with a smile. "I have something special for you."

Leon, slightly apprehensive, climbed out of the car. "What kind of surprise?" he asked, looking at her curiously.

Freya winked and led him away from the car. "You'll see," she said playfully. "But I think you'll like it!"

Leon's mouth was agape as he entered the lobby of the five-star hotel; it was like nothing he had ever seen before. The air smelled of extravagance, and gold-framed mirrors hung from the walls.

"This is gonna be fun," Freya said, facing Leon with a friendly smile.

They got in the elevator and rode up to the highest floor. When they stopped in front of a grand mahogany door, Freya turned to Leon with a knowing smile. She opened the door and gestured to him inside, "Welcome to our stay here. I hope you enjoy it!"

Leon stepped into the room and his jaw dropped in awe. The room was elegantly decorated with sleek furniture made of contemporary materials such as glass and chrome, and a few pieces from other parts of the world that exuded an exotic charm. A single, glowing light fixture illuminated the entire area, radiating an airy and open atmosphere.

There were several rooms which seemed to be bedrooms or separate living areas, giving the room a luxurious and spacious apartment-like feel, even though it was a hotel.

On one side, there are two game capsules that appear to be the most advanced technology available at that time.

Freya moved closer to Leon. "Well? What do you think?"

Leon still looked confused. "What is this?" he gulped.

Freya handed the key card to him with a warm smile. "Here you go," she said. "This room is yours for the next year. The company has made sure to provide anything and everything that could make your adventure more pleasurable."

"You can also have a private driver pick you up every day or even stay here if you like. And if your sister and your uncle need any additional rooms, I can arrange that too."

Leon gingerly accepted the key from Freya, still feeling uncertain. "I don't understand why you're giving me this," he said, confusion clouding his features.

Freya smiled kindly. "This is from the company and it's for you. This place is a secret room that only you and I can enter, so don't worry about anyone else coming here. I have a spare key too, so you can invite me in if you'd like but don't worry, I won't just show up unannounced - I'll always let you know ahead of time if I'm planning on stopping by." She finished jokingly, her eyes twinkling.

Leon shook his head as if he couldn't believe he was hearing her right. "Two capsules in there, one for each of us?" He asked.

Freya nodded solemnly and said, "Yes, just in case we ever need it."

Freya finished her explanation with, "So Leon, I think that's it. You can do whatever you want in this room. We can discuss more about stuff if you want and even play the game together if you'd like."

Leon looked around the room in awe. It was a gamer's paradise: state-of-the-art equipment, comfortable furniture, sound-absorbing walls, and dim lighting to create an immersive experience. "This is amazing."

Freya smiled warmly, "Don't worry about anything. This room will always be available for you, free of charge. But remember, this is just an option. If you prefer to stay at your home or somewhere else, that's okay too."

Leon nodded gratefully, still taking in the scope of what was being offered to him. "Thank you again, Freya. I don't know how to express my gratitude."

"You don't have to," Freya replied kindly. "Just make sure to have fun and enjoy yourself."

Leon and Freya then made their way to the couch in the middle of the room. After a few moments of quiet, Leon spoke up again. "Do you think I could try the capsule now?" he asked, excitement evident in his voice.

Freya chuckled, "Of course! Let me show you how these capsules work."

As she explained the process to him, Leon felt his excitement growing exponentially.

But then Leon muttered, "Oh no. I won't be able to log into the game yet because of the time limit."

"Relax," Freya said calmly. "You do not have to worry about anything in this room. It will all be available for you whenever you need it."

Leon agreed, and after that they just spent some time chatting casually. And when some time passed, he decided to go home, as he had a dinner appointment with Lily and Uncle Ben.

It was dark outside now - Lily and his Uncle were ready for the dinner.

A fancy car pulled up soon after, with a bearded man driving it.

Leon had initially elected to hail a taxi, but the driver abruptly declared that he would serve as Leon's personal chauffeur from then on.

"My name is Alfred," The man introduced himself.

Leon, Ben, and Lily settled into the car, with Lily voicing her admiration for the posh mode of transport.

"This is amazing!" She exclaimed in awe.

Ben couldn't help but be stunned as well and suddenly felt useless in comparison: "So cool! I feel even more useless now that you have all this, Leon." he said and faced Leon.

Leon chuckled. "It's okay, Uncle Ben. Everyone has their own abilities."

"Yes, but I'm afraid my powers have ended here," Ben spoke in a sobbing tone.

"Don't worry, Uncle Ben, with great power comes greater responsibility - just like what you said," Leon replied.

"That's what Uncle Ben from Spiderman said, not me. And don't say something like I will die so you can transform into something great soon." He put his arm around Leon. "You have all the potential to become something special without my death being involved. Believe in yourself, Leon."

Lily then laughed at the conversation between them.