17 Next Task

"See you tomorrow."

Loyd waved to Muria as she boarded her train. The door to the commute train closed and the train took off, taking her with it and towards her destination.

It was about a whole hour since we had finished eating, with the time being 7:00 PM, and we were able to avoid the terrible rush hour. The train station wasn't as crowded and life felt quite slow due to the sluggishness of everyone.

"You heading home?" Loyd looked over at me.

"No," I said, taking out my phone and checking what lines I would have to take to get to where Loriana was. "Got somewhere I have to go."

"Oh," Loyd nodded upon hearing my reason. "Well," he said, glancing over at the incoming train. "My train's here, do see ya."

I nodded in response as Loyd waved at me and boarded the commute train. With him gone, I then looked up from my phone and towards the monitor that hang from the ceiling that depicts the incoming trains and the rail map of Palisia. After seeing that the train that I wanted to board was arriving, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and walked over to the small line that formed at a marked position on the platform.

The sound of the train running on the tracks was almost as if a lullaby in this silent train car. Tired office workers sat there with their eyes closed in order to rest. Nearby, a woman dressed in a business suit stood, clinging to the hanging strap with a tired look on her face. She appeared to be disjointed from reality and almost seemed to be falling asleep. Standing by that woman was a suspicious looking man who stood awfully close to her despite the train car not being too crowded. Suspicious by his actions, I started slowly making my way over to them, careful to not be detected.

I saw that the man was inconspicuously reaching his hand into the woman's purse after unzipping it, and seeing that the woman was still unaware of what was occurring, I decided that it wouldn't hurt to help out.

With a tired sigh, I prepared myself for the act. I forced myself to put on a smile, and proceeded to approach the woman at a faster pace.

"Sis!" I said in a forced energetic voice. "You heading home from work? What're we eating tonight for dinner?"

The man appeared quite annoyed by my sudden emergence and quickly retrieved his hand from her purse. He then quickly walked off and lowered his head so that no one could catch a clear glimpse of it.

I kept my head up, looking past the woman and at the man who walked away. I had to make sure that he was truly gone before I end my act.

Seeing that the man had disappeared from our train car, I let out a relieved sigh and looked back down at the woman before me. She stood there in a protective stance and eyed me suspiciously.

"That man was trying to pickpocket your purse," I said, pointing at her unzipped purse.

"What?"

The woman looked down and at her purse which hang by her side. Sure enough, it was unzipped. She then began to frantically checking her purse to see whether or not her belongings were stolen or not.

"Thank you," she lowered her head and expressed her gratitude.

"It's nothing," I said, turning around, and walking back to where I stood earlier.

The rest of my journey to where Loriana was located at was quiet, with not future problems or issues. The train arrived in station and I exited the train and then the station.

Outside, the streets were approaching nighttime. It wasn't necessarily dark since the many streetlights illuminated the streets along with the bright lights from the many storefronts with clear windows.

I walked down the nighttime streets of Palisia, feeling the gentle breeze blow by as it caressed my face and moved my hair. Walking down the sidewalk, I passed by numerous pedestrians, and on the road right next to the sidewalk, multiple cars passed by with their headlights on. Even when night has fallen onto the city, it was still alive with activity, with it never being truly silent.

I followed the GPS on my phone and made a turn at the upcoming corner, and from there, I walked down the block until I was to cross the road to my right

I followed the GPS on my phone and made a turn at the upcoming corner, and from there, I walked down the block until I was to cross the road to my right. After waiting for the traffic lights to turn red for the cars going perpendicular to the direction I wanted to go and for the pedestrian crossing lights to turn green, I walked across the road with other pedestrians. I then proceeded straight down the street and arrived at the destination.

The restaurant that Loriana and the other professors and employees of the university she worked at were having their group dinner at was a barbecue place. This restaurant had a quite retro exterior, with furnishing that made it appear as if the place was built with wood. As I stood there in front of the closed doors of the restaurant, I could smell the delicious aroma of barbecued meat that spilled out of the place. Even though I had just ate an hour ago, my mouth still watered up when I smelled the delicious food. However, I resisted the urge and proceeded to pull the door open and entered the restaurant.

The restaurant's interior, like its exterior, was quite retro in furnishing and was brightly illuminated by the ceiling lights. Wooden beams ran down the walls as if there for support, and the restaurant was also decorated by traditional Vilhemian decorations. The many tables and booths the restaurant had to offer where all filled up with customers who ate and chatted with each other from the same table, along with the waiters and waitresses rushing about the restaurant trying their best to please the customers.

I looked around for a large group and there, at the back of the restaurant, I found Loriana. I could only see her from the back since she was seated facing away from me, but I was sure that was her judging off the fact that all the guys at her table were looking in her direction. I proceeded down the isles between the tables and towards their large booth at the back end of the restaurant, and when I was greeted by a waitress, I told them that I was with someone and they allowed me to pass without any further distractions.

There, at the table, I could see Loriana, whose face was slightly red from the alcohol. She appeared to be quite tired and unable to maintain herself in an upright position.

"Loriana," a woman who's about a year or two older than Loriana that sat beside her said to Loriana, "you've drank too much."

Loriana didn't respond to the stimulus, and instead, she rested her face on the table top.

"How's she gonna get home now?" another one of her female coworkers asked.

"I mean...have Markus take her," a man said as he laughed and glanced over at a blushing young man who's about a year younger than Loriana.

"I-I don't think that's the best..." Markus awkwardly chuckled in response as he rubbed the back of his head nervously. "W-what would her boyfriend think if he sees me?"

"Does Loriana have a boyfriend?" the man asked, looking over at the two woman who sat next to Loriana.

"Not that I know of...Cheral, do you know?" a woman asked the other.

"Well...Yerith, I don't know for sure if he counts," the other woman, Cheral responded.

The two woman, Cheral and Yerith, I've seen before a few times. They're Loriana's closer friends, so I occasionally see Loriana with them.

"'He'?" Markus raised his eyebrows in surprise.

I finally made my way over to the table where many of the professors and employees at the university ate, drank, and chatted around the long table. Once there, I drew the attention of those that sat at the opposite side of the table facing me. They eyed me with a confused look that was mixed with some hints of suspicion. However, I disregarded their staring and proceeded over to where Loriana was.

"You alright?" I gently tapped her shoulder and receive no response.

"You're...?" Markus eyed me nervously with suspicion.

"Oh this?" Cheral looked up and over her shoulder at me with a smile on her slightly intoxicated face. "This is Alevian."

"And he lives with Lori!" Yerith announced.

"So um..." Markus stuttered as he looked over at me nervously, "you're...Loriana's...younger brother?"

"I'm—" Just when I was about to say I'm technically her nephew, I received a notification on my phone.

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Current Objective:

Play the role of Loriana's fiance/boyfriend.

Time Limit: 1 hour

Reward: 500 SP

P.S. Hello, it's Ralus. You miss me? God is playing video games atm so I'll be responsible for the missions! Let's have some fun!

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Oh no...