Old Fisher didn't know Freya, but he had noticed her. She had an exceptionally beautiful appearance, and her temperament was gentle and well-mannered, like a well-bred girl from a good family. To him, such a girl seemed perfect as a potential granddaughter-in-law. He certainly hadn't expected her to be good at chess.

Matten looked at Freya. “You first?” In the game of Go, the player who goes first typically holds an advantage. Freya didn't decline and made her first move. Matteo followed suit.

At the beginning, neither of them made any obvious moves, keeping their plays subtle. They didn't speak, focusing entirely on the game. Freya simply watched the board, barely even glancing at Matteo sitting across from her.

After a while, Old Hall, Old Fisher, and the others noticed that Freya’s style of play was as gentle and steady as her demeanor. Whether attacking or defending, she moved slowly and deliberately, showing that she had full control over the game. She wasn’t just making moves one step at a time but was planning several moves ahead.

Realizing this, Old Hall, Old Fisher, and the others were surprised. Before, they had praised Raven for her quick reflexes and strategic play, and while she was indeed skillful, she had been guided throughout the game by Matteo. Even though Matteo had intentionally been taking it easy on her, the game still had the feel of a young couple’s playful interaction. Despite this, Raven was certainly among the best when it came to adaptability and cognitive ability for girls of her age.

But now… Matteo seemed to realize that Freya wasn’t following his strategy. Instead, she was trying to draw him into her own plan. When Matteo hesitated and slowed down his attacks, Freya didn’t give him an opening. She seized the opportunity, simultaneously defending and launching a counterattack, forcing Matteo to pause for a moment as he made his move.

He looked up at Freya and gave a slight smile. Seeing Freya’s bold maneuver, Old Fisher couldn’t help but exclaim, “Beautiful!” Johnny raised an eyebrow and smiled. Harry and Jimmy were both stunned. They realized that by this point, they had already lost track of Freya’s thinking. In fact, they had been deceived by her calm, steady defensive moves earlier, not noticing her hidden tactics. It wasn’t until now that they realized not only could Freya play, but she was also incredibly good at it.

Raven, standing next to Matteo, was paying more attention to his side of the game. Like Harry and the others, she had already fallen behind in understanding Matteo’s strategy. Earlier, she had thought that Freya would soon lose, but now she noticed that Matteo’s expression was becoming more serious, even more focused than when he played against her. When she saw Old Fisher and the others were also completely absorbed in watching the game, she finally realized that Freya wasn’t just playing—she was potentially even better than her.

From then on, she paid more attention to Freya’s side of the game. When she saw Freya resolve a tricky situation that Matteo had created for her in a way she hadn’t expected, Raven’s heart skipped a beat. When she heard Old Fisher’s praise, her mood sank further. Freya was completely absorbed in the game, not paying attention to anything else. Her focus was entirely on the chessboard in front of her. Although the current situation was under control, she knew that to win…

She paused and looked at Matteo. Matteo made another move. Freya stopped moving her pieces and took a moment to think. Old Hall, seeing this, smiled. “Truly spectacular. I never imagined I’d see such an exciting game, especially between two young people. Very impressive.” Old Fisher, irritated by the interruption, snapped, “Stop talking!” Old Hall went quiet.

A few minutes later, Freya made her move, slightly tipping the balance back in her favor. Two minutes later, Matteo responded. Freya carefully placed the piece she was holding back on the board and said, “I lost.” Although she could have made a few more moves, the game was already decided. There was no need to continue.

With that, she stood up, intending to leave, but Matteo suddenly spoke. “Another game?” Freya hesitated for a moment but then sat back down. Seeing this, Old Hall laughed. “This child seems so quiet, but here she is, actively asking to play another round with the young man from the Wilson family. She must not have had many strong opponents like him before, huh? Now that she’s finally met one, she doesn’t want to miss the chance.” He said this to Johnny. Johnny could tell as well. He nodded. “Yes.” Old Hall guessed, “I bet you can’t beat her.”

Despite being another genius in the circle, second only to Matteo, Johnny was very honest. “I can’t beat her.” After all, Freya had mostly been playing with Nolan before. Though she hadn’t won a single game, the way Nolan reacted and praised her made it clear that Freya was already a formidable opponent. And she was still so young. Nolan, it was said, hadn’t lost a single game after his teenage years. To earn praise from a subtle Nolan was no small feat—there were very few people who had achieved that, regardless of age or gender.