Chapter 328 : A moment

    "I will trust your judgment," Freya nodded before turning to Maya. "Regardless of whether you win or lose, young lady, prepare yourself to be punished for making such a reckless decision."

    Maya lowered her head in dejection and nodded. But moments later, her previous excitement returned as she beamed, "Come on, come on, we should leave now so we won''t be late!"

    "Sure, sure, we''re coming," Amelia said, smiling as she followed the energetic young heiress.

    Freya glanced at her daughter''s departing figure and rubbed her forehead. "I hope that wasn''t a mistake."

    "I''m certain things will turn out fine," he reassured Freya before adding with a slight smirk, "By the way, you look stunning today, Freya."

    He wasn''t just saying it for flattery. Freya truly appeared even more radiant than the day before. What captured Alex''s attention the most was her outfit—a sleek black gown that clung to her figure like a second skin. The dress elegantly accentuated her hourglass curves, with a daring slit running up her thigh, revealing smooth skin as she walked. A plunging V-neckline framed her ample chest, offering a tantalizing glimpse of her cleavage.

    Despite revealing part of her cleavage though, no ordinary man would dare ogle the matriarch...unless they harbored a death wish.

    Alex, however, was far from ordinary. His eyes were practically glued to the generous curves of the matriarch, burning with unrestrained desire as he licked his lips. ''I can''t believe I had both of these beauties in my grasp yesterday,'' he thought, savoring the memory.

    Freya blushed slightly, noticing his burning eyes, but she didn''t reprimand him for that. In fact, she relished his attention—after all, she had chosen this dress precisely so he would stare at her. It pleased her to see that her efforts had achieved the desired effect, making her heart race slightly as his gaze lingered.

    "You two coming or what?" Maya''s impatient voice snapped them out of their little moment.

    "Ah, yes, we''re coming," Freya said quickly, recovering her composure before leaning closer to Alex and whispering with a radiant smile, "Thanks for the compliment."

    "You don''t have to thank me. I''m just stating the truth," he replied smoothly before adding with a mischievous grin, "It''s a shame we can''t steal a moment for ourselves right now."

    Freya''s blush deepened and she replied, her voice carrying a hint of shyness. "Well, if Maya''s duel goes well, we''ll head to the library so your sister can use the Tear of Knowledge. After that, it''ll just be the two of us."

    "I can''t wait for that moment," Alex said with a grin, offering his arm. "Let''s finish everything as quickly as possible so we can enjoy some uninterrupted time together."

    "Mmm," Freya hummed softly, linking her arm with his, a content smile playing on her lips as they followed after Maya.

    ***

    "The duel will take place here," Maya pointed toward a grand building in the distance, "this is the exclusive training center for all members of the Drazen family," she explained. "It''s actually only my second time visiting this place," she added, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

    He couldn''t help but think to himself that if this truly was the extent of Filden''s skill, there was a good chance he might lose even to Violette, his youngest daughter with Lilia—assuming, of course, that Filden didn''t unleash his full power and treated the duel strictly as a competition of skill.

    Filden''s sparring partner, his father, suddenly stopped mid-fight and turned his gaze in a specific direction before lowering his head respectfully.

    "Matriarch," he said in a solemn tone.

    Following his gaze, the rest of the Drazen members noticed Freya standing at the edge of the platform, her cold gaze sweeping across them.

    One after another, they bowed their heads in unison, offering their respects to Freya. Well, all except one.

    Staring beyond the fighting platform, Alex saw the always-smiling face of Frieda, who was staring in their direction. She harbored no intention of bowing before Freya.

    Freya ignored her, focusing instead on Filden''s father. "It''s been a while, Forze."

    "Yes, Matriarch," Forze replied, raising his head. "Not that it concerns me, but may I ask why Lady Freya has graced this training center with her presence?" he inquired, maintaining a respectful yet curious tone.

    "It has come to my attention that your son challenged my daughter to a duel. That''s why I''m here. Why? Is my presence unwelcome?" Freya''s expression remained as cold and indifferent as ever.

    "Of course not, Matriarch. You are free to go wherever you wish in this city," Forze replied, his tone polite. "It''s just... I didn''t expect the Matriarch herself to personally come here for what is, at the end of the day, a mere duel between children."

    "That would usually be the case," Freya said icily. "However, I''ve been informed that a wager was placed on this duel—one that might very well influence my successor''s position. So, forgive me if I don''t see this duel as something trivial."

    A bead of sweat rolled down Forze''s temple, and he let out a hollow laugh. "Of course, Matriarch. The bet was merely... a playful agreement between youngsters, nothing serious," he said, attempting to downplay the situation.

    "Wait, wha—" Filden began to protest, but a single sharp glance from his father silenced him instantly.

    "I see," Freya nodded. "In that case, there''s no need for this bet in the duel, correct?"

    "Naturally," Forze agreed quickly, before adding, "After all, it''s understandable that the young heiress Maya lacks proper martial prowess and would be reluctant to risk her position, given her... inherent weakness."

    ''Bastard!'' Maya thought, her fists clenched tightly.

    She wasn''t the only one feeling this way. Alex, standing nearby, felt his irritation spike as well.

    "A moment, please..."