Chapter 139: The Birthday Party
Chapter 139: The Birthday Party
Chapter 139: The Birthday Party
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A few days later.
A virtual pod's covering lid slowly opened, with smoke billowing out.
The smoke slowly dissipated into the room, revealing a figure lying inside the pod.
Adam slowly opened his eyes, then sat up and climbed out of the pod. He had to take a moment to stabilize himself; otherwise, he would've fallen.
"Oh, god, what a headache..." Adam touched his head.
It felt like a hammer was knocking him on the head.
After departing from Kuro Island, the ship took them to the mainland, where they rented an inn in the Driftwood. They planned to take a wagon to take them to Dawnwatch tomorrow. Thus, he planned to now take a day to rest in the real world and catch up with news and his family.
"Hera," Adam said.
[Yes?]
The feminine robotic voice responded.
"Has my family arrived yet?"
[They have, but they are currently about to leave]
"Why?" Adam asked.
[A birthday party. The whole neighborhood was invited to Nikola Leckerman's 70th birthday party]
"Oh." Adam said, not really recognizing that person. "Did they ever look for me?"
[They did. A young woman with long brown hair came to look for you daily. She seemed disappointed after visiting your room]
"I guess the fake virtual pod trick worked..." Adam sighed in relief and asked. "Did Serah want me to go to the birthday party?"
[She has been mad at the fact that you aren't awake. Apparently, it looks disrespectful to miss something like this when everyone else is participating]
"Sigh..." Adam pinched his forehead and asked. "Do you know if there's any headache medicine in the room? My head is killing me."
[Take this]
A small opening appeared in the wall. There was a syringe inside with a strange blue liquid.
"What's this?" Adam asked with a frown and took the syringe. "Kang added some extra stuff, it seems..."
[It'll cure your headache]
"Thanks." Adam said and stabbed the syringe into his muscle, then pumped the liquid into his bloodstream.
It was like magic.
A feeling of weightlessness washed over him.
Adam let out a relieved smile and then called out for the elevator, entered, and returned back to his room.
There, the virtual pod was still closed with a clouded lid.
With the press of a button, he opened the lid.
However, he didn't climb inside and instead changed his clothes to more proper ones-after all, he was going to the birthday party.
After putting new clothes on, he left the room and walked downstairs.
There, Serah and Alice were well dressed, about to put their shoes on.
"Ah!" Alice noticed him first, and a smile broke on her face. "Adam!"
"Tch, about time!" Serah placed her hands on her waist and said, "I was starting to think that you were planning to live inside that thing!"
John came from the kitchen in a hurry and nodded at Adam, then noticed that he was already pretty well dressed, good enough for a birthday party.
"Ah, Adam, we were about to go to Nikola Leckerman's birthday party. I am not sure if you know him, but it would be good for you to come as well."
"Please come?" Alice asked with her round, puppy eyes.
"Sure." Adam nodded.
He most likely doesn't know anyone from that birthday party, but he didn't mind visiting. After putting on their coats and shoes, they left the house, and instead of taking the car, they walked for a couple hundred meters until they arrived at the biggest yard in the whole neighborhood.
With his long life, Nikola Leckerman had gained a sizeable fortune for himself.
This neighborhood wasn't the fanciest, but it was peaceful, and it was where he liked to spend his retirement days.
The yard, the backyard, and inside the house were packed to the brim with guests.
The whole neighborhood was invited, and even some of his close friend's families were there to celebrate with him.
"I am going to deliver the gift." Serah said and entered the house, and before delivering the gift, she met some of her friends and started talking with them.
John, on the other hand, went to the backyard where a barbecue was already being set up by some of the men of the families and joined them, grilling some burgers and hot dogs.
"What should we do, Adam?" Alice asked.
She was pretty shy and nervous, as she didn't really know anyone at the party either.
"Let's just go get some cake." Adam said as he led the way towards the dessert table.
There was a large cake with colorful frosting and sprinkles on top.
He cut a small piece for himself and then another one for Alice before placing them both on a glass plate that was shaped like an eight-petaled flower.
Alice smiled and thanked him before picking up her plate and following him to find a place to
sit.
They found a not-so-cozy spot in the corner of the living room. The house was so loud and full that it was a miracle that they even found a spot.
They both had a small spoon and ate their dessert in silence while looking around the birthday
party.
It was so chaotic and loud that they could barely hear their own thoughts.
"Were you having fun?" Alice asked, but her words got drowned out by the loud voices around
them.
"What?" Adam asked back with a shout; he couldn't really hear.
"Did you have fun?" Alice asked again, this time with a shout.
"Yeah, I suppose!" Adam shouted back and asked. "Did you in the New Paradise?" "Mm!" Alice nodded and took another bite of the cake. "We went on a beach, then a party festival, a native hot spring, and then a walk through the underwater tunnel!"
The underwater tunnel was the most popular tourist attraction in the New Paradise. The tunnel allowed them to walk on the bottom of the ocean floor and see all the marine life up close. The tunnel was made out of glass, but not just any glass; it was made out of special reinforced glass that was able to withstand the immense pressure of the ocean depths.
It was one of the most beautiful things Alice had ever witnessed. They even came across a gigantic Blue Whale swimming gracefully through the crystal-clear water.
Its mouth was so huge that it would've been able to swallow the tunnel whole.
Yet, while the tourist panicked, the workers there looked very calm and collected--they had complete faith in the tunnel.
Adam nodded, even though he couldn't really hear the last parts, but still smiled and ate the
cake.
The smell of the roasted barbecue wafted from the backyard, so some of the guests moved there, and the living room turned emptier.
"I am going to go find mom. She wanted me to meet her friends." Alice said, then took the glass plate to the kitchen before heading to the backyard.
Adam finished up the plate of cake and put it on the small table beside him.
He was now sitting there, all alone, surrounded by strangers-his former self would be terrified as he was a pretty introvert many years ago.
However, after years in the New World, he shed his old insecurities and gained confidence in
social situations.
Adam stood up, planning to go talk to some of the guests since there wasn't much else to do.
However, at that moment, a young woman with long black hair came to the living room and seemed lost. She was very beautiful, with an innocent gaze in her eyes.
She was truly gorgeous, and many younger men in the party looked at her with admiration
and desire.
When she turned her gaze to Adam, her eyes had a look of recognition and surprise.
"Adam~" She smiled and approached him, thrilled to finally find someone she knew very
well.
However, Adam's face paled, and his fists clenched into tight balls of anger.
"Amelia..."