Endless Journey: Infinite Realms

Chapter 662 Interlude: Valentine“s Day?

[Note: Since this is an excerpt from inside Alex’s memories, expect some... obstructions on the words.

[Alex]: Hm... I am not someone from Earth, but I have observed their customs and all their holidays. during my stay. Most of these holidays are weird but they are always fun and intriguing. In fact, I think that you, Alina, might enjoy these holidays too...

[Alina]: Hey Alex, why are you suddenly talking about those holidays? Are they relevant on our problem regarding the Returners?

[Alex]: Well... no. But one of those holidays was actually happening today...

[Allina]: Ok... I see. So a holiday, according to your past experiences, is bound to happen already? Fine. But still, why should I care about that? Can I eat that holiday?

[Alex]: Well no, you cannot eat the holiday. But the holiday itself is interesting, albeit it has signs of pure greed in it.3̵͉̂̑̕8̸̨̅ 4̷̨̀̀͝0̴̗͙̾ 9̷̪̰̯̅͆̌2̴͉̊̾̐ 8̴̨̤̿ 3̸̢̛͖̙̊̉ 0̸͚͌̀ 9̶͔̼̽ 4̴̟̬͌̊ 8̵͙̩̈́2̷̭̞̽9̷̫̺͝ 0̵͎̅͂͠ 3̸͚͐̽ 8̷̯͓̔͠ 4̸̧͔̉͝ 0̷̺̺̈́0̴̧̟͎̔́̚ 0̸̳̀̚ 0̸̠̗̭̈́͝ 0̶͉̂̎̓ 0̸̖̍͘ 0̷̘̼́͂̚͜0̶͎͐́0̷̼̼̱͒͝ 0̶͇̦͗́͝9̸̤̊ 2̸̡͖͆ 0̵̮͆9̶͖͇̞̏̀͒ 3̴̛̉͜͝8̸̠̌̿ 4̵̛͉̻9̴͚̘͂͆ͅ 0̵̭̓͝3̷̮́̿̿ 2̷͚̖̪͒̐̂ 8̵͍̖͙̈́ 4̸͖̥̰̆̆̄ 0̷͙͈̼̈́9̸͙̮͎̎͗ 2̴̙͎̬͆͠ 3̴̬͈͖̄8̸̩̲̀͐4̷̠͔͗ 0̴̟̂͂͠2̵̡̟͘͜͝ 9̵̙̋͂3̷̘̃̈́ 8̶̩̜͆̐4̸͙̽̌̈́ 0̸̄̓̚͜2̵͓͊̅ 9̷̡͎̥̓̊3̷͕̳̻̍͒̑ 8̶͙̪͉̈̎̑4̶̻̐̚ 0̵͚̘͈̈́ 2̸̘̔͌͜͝9̸̛͕͈͑͠ 3̵͇̮̔́͗ 8̴̗̙͘4̷̰͂͠0̷̖͠ 2̵̲̖̋͑.̷͈̼͋̍̓ 2̸̰̉̅ͅ3̸̶̨̘͙̿̕2̶͕̾̾ 3̸̷̶̙̺̜̻͎̒̋̎͝5̵̷͚̥̖́͊͝3̵̝̭̿5̴̘̐̄3̷̵̞̺̈͐͑͝ ̴͕͍̓2̷͕̽3̶̼͋2̷̵̶̷̶̷̷̢̨̧̡̧̛͈͍̦̟̪̠͈͌̄͒͆́̀̃̍̚ͅ5̷̣̭͛̿3̴͚̋ͅ w̶̼̔ r̴̥͉̈́ẃ̴̗̈́ė̷̴̩̲͝q̸̛͍͎̂ è̷̮͊ q̶̞̖͗ w̵̵͓͚͋̊̽̃2̴̙̕4̴̺̾ 2̷̶̢̛̫̜̔͛̕5̴̯̎̀3̵̲͖͛̐ 5̵̸̭̞̱̔͛1̸̫̀̕2̴̻̥͂4̴̡͎͋ 3̸̪̔̽2̷̬̓͊ ̸͎̗͆͑2̶̹̊͛ 3̴̶͔̙̮̄̔̐ 2̵͉̠̄ ̸̭̀3̸̲̊ 2̸͙͛ ̸̲̣̂͝2̷̠͚͗3̴̨̗͗̕ ̷̭͋2̴̦͓͌3̸̵̣̯̱̏̉̚7̷̡̜̾ ̶͙̀9̷̷͎͓̰̩̔̓7̶̜͑̇2̸̧̈4̵̸̶̷̻͙̬̬̖̘̇͗̏̊̂̄5̶̫̓̐͜2̸̟̙̇̂ 3̴̻̖̐4̷͕͘2̸̺̹͋͆3̶̸̴̪̰͔̥͑̏̆̏͜6̸̲̕ 3̴̵̮̰͇̍̾̚2̸͕̆ 4̶́ͅ2̴̸̤̘̓͑͊ 6̷̶̻̪̾̈͂̕4̴̬̲̃͆2̷̱̈ ̸̹̈͝4̴̶̨͚̘̎͑͠ 6̷̧̪͂͘4̸̲͈̊ ̵̡̤͂ 2̴̸͕̖̩̺́͗̃ 2̵̞́͝4̴̴̤͎͗̈́̓ͅ 2̵̣̠́͗3̵̴͖͈̀́͜4̴̵̞͙̫̠͛̄6̷̴͇̠̑͐̚2̶̶̖͔̙͂̕͝4̴̺̬̀͐ 2̴̷̪͖̪̰͋͑6̵̴̱̰͓͛̄͘6̶̷͍̰͂̚2̸̶̷̢͔̻̥̺̓̋͘2̴̓̒͜ 4̵̶̩̠͚̈́̎̍2̶̶̡̞̣̅̑̚7̵͔̽6̶̵̸̶̴͎͚̣̠̭̣͊́̒͗̎̆̄͘ w̷̴̯͚̥̉͛̒r̸̬͔̎͘2̴̡̱̑́ ̸̡̥̒3̵̻̟͝5̵̰̿ 3̵̯̾͐2̶̜̈ ̵̣͗̒6̴̖͓̔ 5̸͙̥̒͆3̵̶̛̗̟̫̞̒̒̇s̴͎̩̈́ r̷̥̉6̷͍͛ ̸͇̾͝3̴̳̲͑̂4̴̠̿ 6̷̱͆3̸͓̽̕ 4̴̠̌

̸̗́͝

̵̹̊3̴̖́̚4̸͉̀̓2̴̛̳͍̋͠ 0̶̜̿͊͝ 9̶͙̍ 3̵̯̂͒8̵̭̈́̏ 4̸̦̲̀0̸̢̗̝́̈ 2̶͖̐͛9̴̲͙̦̂̿ 3̴̞̈̆8̷̰̃́͆ 4̵̳̫͚̀̄0̵̮̺̤̾̋͠ 2̴̥̅͝9̵̛͚̱͌ 3̶͔͌8̵͎͙͙͌̀4̴̟̊ 0̴̯̠̭͆̅ 2̸̧̐ 9̸̰̥̒͋͘3̴͙͔̫̓ 8̸̥͒͗̈ 4̵̢͈̉͆͘\\\\̵̹̘͋̒͜

***********

[Alex]: Today is February 14, a date, which on Earth, coincides with the holiday known as the Valentines’ Day.

[Alina]: Valentines’ Day? Hm, that sounds like it can roll from my tongue quite well. Valentine, valentine, valentine. Yes, it does sound good...

[Alex]: ...

[Alina]: So is this Valentine’s Day a good holiday? Oh, and is it a day where I can eat all-I-want?

[Alex]: A good holiday? Nah, Valentines’ Day is just a hoax holiday, used by capitalist to rake in money from their unsuspecting victims. Sigh... Those poor victims during Valentine’s Day are really pitiful. All their money are getting pocketed by those sleazy businessmen, and they do not even complain about it..."

[Alina]; So basically, you’re telling me that this holiday is a fraud one?

[Alex]: Yes, Valentine’s Day is a fraud event, which nobody should celebrate anymore. A lot of people are just getting hurt because of this holiday, and I don’t want us to be involved with that too.

[Alina]: ...

[Alex]: Also, there are no free-to-eat activities in Valentine’s Day. In fact, the prices of food and other services will be raised during the holiday period. That’s s shameless move, and even I am not fond of that.

[Alina]: ....

[Alex]: I have more things to talk about Valentine’s Day, but you get the gist of it already, Alina. Valentine’s Day is not a good holiday, so we must not get involved with it, as it will make things harder for us. 38429034029384029384029384029384023

[Alina]: ....

[Alex]: ...

***************

[Alina]: I can see that you are telling the truth to me, Alex. You did not lie about this Valentine’s Day, and you did not hide your anger on it. Heck, you seem to be even interested wrecking this holiday....

[Alex]: ....

[Alina]: But even with these traits Alex, why do you still sound like you are lying? You seem to be not sure with what you are sayi-

[Alex]: Hehe, who cares about what I am saying. Here in this place, I get to say what I want to say, and if you don’t want to accept it, then don’t!

[Alina]: Hah? Wait a second, I just gave you a simple question, and now you give this answer? Quit joking on me, Alex. Just tell me what I want to hear alread-

[Alex]: Alina, I told you some of the vital info about the Valentine’s Day already. That is enough, as telling you more will just attract bothersome presences.... @̶̛̖̎́*̶̟̳̞̅̿̔@̷̤̿͊)̵͓́͌̔(̴̻͆*̶̣̎Ṅ̴̥̝̕͝)̵̖͊̊͒@̸͓̫́̚(̸̰̟̋̆͒)̷̫͎̌̔@̴̨̰̚(̸̥͚̠̋#̷̯͇̈́̾)̴̟͉͗(̶̱͐͌͘@̶̙͇̄̈̿#̸̡̨̣͂͌(̸̧̢͍̆͛)̶͇̹̒͜͠@̴͉͍̬̈́#̶̡͋͗ͅ)̵̛̮͓_̸̩̤̼̈͑@̷͇̇̋͜(̸̗͔́̔#̷͍̑̚͘)̵̵̦̝̻̌͌̑. So even if you want to know more, I’m sorry to say, but my mouth is zipped.

[Alina]: ....

[Alex]: ...

[Alina]: ....

[Alex]: ....

[Alina]: ....

[Alex]: Okay. So that’s my explanation about Valentine’s Day. Since I’m done here, can I start sleeping now? I just want to take a short nap....

[Alina]: Excuse me? You’re already leaving after you gave me that absurd story? Is that how you should really react? You will just tell me some cryptic stuff and then you will leave? Come on, Alex, give me a break! I want better stories than that!

[Alex]: Stories my ass! I already told you what the Valentine’s day is about, so just leave it at that! What I told you is the truth already, so what else can I add? Do you want me to create a make-up story about Valentine’s Day? Hell no. I am not in a mood for that.

[ALina]: ....

[Alex]: ....

[Alina]: ...

[Alex]: ...

[Alina]: ...You know Alex, I can see with my own eyes that you are sincere with your words, and that you are usually kind and deliberate with your every move. That is one of the reasons why I am comfortable with you. However, I did not like the way that that you reacted earlier. Why are you even having a bad mood right now? We just won a battle, remember?

[Alex]: Tsk, I am just thinking of some miscellaneous stuff, and that made my face look b̴̗͑͊4̴̙̤̝̈́͋͆0̸̢̀9̴̬̲̔̑̒w̴͓̲̃8̸̥̓̊̔9̷̣͚̈ͅ0̴̳̣̗́̑8̸͓͗̓w̷̰͑̅͊ͅw̸̯̑͂̍2̸̧̭̝̂̍̐0̵̩͗͐̒ͅ)̶̫̭̞͑̓̒(̸̱̟͑͗*̵͍̊̔)̶̧̾̍(̵̛͍̺̙̕@̷̞͕̲̅̾*̸̩̝̗͛̽̓$̷̨͍̮̄͗̊)̴͚̝̻̌̊͠(̶̡̖̇̆͘@̴̛̦*̸͉͇̍̒)̷̢̖̣̒̈́̋$̸̼͖̚@̶͚̲͈̓)As for my bad mood, I don’t want anyone else talking about it, as it might just make my mood worse... Can you do that, Alina? Can you keep quiet about my bad mood?

[Allina]: . Don’t worry about your bad mood, Alex. I can easily do that.

[Alex]: Great! That m-

[ALina]: But while I am fine following that order, I still have difficulty understanding why I should ignore the mention of Valentine’s Day.

[Alex]: Hah? What you up to again, Alina? I just said earlier that-

[Alina]: You see, Asteria told me the other day that Valentines’ Day is a date that I should remember. She said that it was important, especially for someone like me...

[Alex] ....

[Alina]: Since Asteria said that Valentine’s Day is important to me, then why are we avoiding this holiday?

[Alex]: Pfft. Asteria told you that? Hmph, you should not believe the words uttered by that-

[Alina]: Speaking of the devil, here she comes. The great dumb fairy.

[Asteria]: Lalalala, lalalala, lalala, honey!

[Alex]: Hey dumb fairy! Why don’t you just shut up there and let us talk, huh? You’re not even needed her-

[Alina]: No, let Asteria talk, I think she’s about to tell me something interesting...

[Alex]: Nah, what Asteria will say will just be nonsense. So don’t treat her well. She will just li-

[ Asteria]: Hoomans, I heard you two talking about Valentine’s Day. Hehehe, how romantic. So did you plan a date already?

[Alina]: A what now, Asteria?

[Asteria]: A date, Asteria, a date. The one where you- Wait, why are you even asking about that? Today is Valentine’s Day, which is a day for you couples! All couples will get to do a lot of lovey-duvey stuff this time, and no one will bat an eye on them!

[Alex]: Hey, dumb fairy, I said-

[Asteria]; So since today is Valentine’s Day, what are you planning to do with Alex, Alina? Will you cook food together and eat them like a shy couple, or will you ravage each other’s bodies on bed like you two are animals in heat? Hehehe, there’s a lot that you can during the Valentine’s Day, and nobody will stop you!

[Alex]: ....

[Alina]: ....

[Asteria]: ??? Hey, why are you two acting this silent? Is something wrong? Did my magnificent words offend you again?

[Alina]: No, I was not offended by your words, Asteria. I was just... trying to make sense of what you just said.

[Asteria]: What’s with that answer again, hooman? Why would you even try to make sense of Valentine’s Day? You already know what it is, so you should not be acting this shocked, right?"

[Alina]: ....

[Alex]: ...

[Asteria]: ....

[Alina]: ....

[Alex]: ....

[Asteria]: Oh. Oh. Oh. So Alex never told you what Valentine’s Day really is?

[Alina]: Yes, he did not tell me the part where Valentine;s Day is meant for couples. He just told me that Valentine’s Day is a day for greedy capitalists...

[Asteria]: Tsk, tsk, tsk, Alex. What a bad move. He must ̸̡̨̪̙̲̯̼̊̇͝*̴͉͎̻̬̲̖̝͚͑̃͜ͅ#̸͈̃̿͊̅̃͝͠(̶̲̺̩̲̭͉̻̟̅̀͛̉̇͌̀̈́@̵̭͕̠̤̬͔̙͍̜̾̽͛̎͊*̶̧̀͑͑̇̉͛̓̋̆#̵̯̭̻̃̈̓͒͐̈̿͘̕͝)̸̫͔̤͓̜̫̟́̌̋̀̾͆͛͘͝(̴̺̼̱̈̈́̾̂͒͝@̷͚̋͋̉̎̿̏͘̚͝*̸̢̗̇#̷̘͐)̸̻̭͇͎̺̭̳̜̗̰́̑̀̓͠(̸̧̡̫̟͙͕̱͙̃͋̓͋̈́͝͠@̷̠̫̻̝̥͖͒͑̾͗̈́̔̎̈*̷̛͇̲̠̒̂̆̔̎̃̚)̵̨͔͙̦̥̠̻̂̂͑͊͑̓̊͜͝ͅ

[Alex]: Hah? ̴̧̛̛̫̤͈͇͓͉̝̣͉̒̈́̏͗͆̍\\u0026̷͓̙͇͔͙̙̭͉̑́(̶͍̟͙̺̠̳̳̪͆͌̎̈̄̈́̎̀̀͝*̸̲͉̩͚̂̀͛̿̏͝͝\\u0026̶͎͂̓̄͛̋͂̊@̴̫͖́̌̓̂͘̚(̴̤̦͕̠̘̱̯͙̕̕͘͝(̶̞́̃̿\\u0026̶̺̤̰̽̂̈(̴̼̩̩̣̫̘̞͙̥̺̇̊̿̽͝*̸̢̗͍̋̂͋̌̍͆̈̐̕͠

[Alina]: )̸̖͍̲͍̲̩͔͇̇̓̚͘(̸̨̹̙̥͍͇̩̝̱͎̔͐̔͠͠$̵̰̀̂̏͆̊͌̕*̶̧̧͚̜̮͇͎̬̠̓̓͛͒̔ͅ)̵̛̱͔̈́͂̔́̐̕̕͝#̵͕̈́̎̒͆̊́(̸̭̞͇̟̦͇͔̔̓͘*̷͚̞̫̤̭̭̗͍̗́͋̽͛ͅ$̷̨̻̰̪͗̎̓̌#̶̲̟̘͙̦͎̗͖̀̓̂͌́͐͐̒̕͘͜ͅ

[Asteria] (̶͈̞͆̈̀̆̃̑́̉͝*̸͉̳͉̳͍̑#̸̰͈͍̱̍́͂͘͜͜͝͝͝)̷̡̲̖̬̜͙͈̯͈̙͗͌̔̃͝(̷̞̑̀͑͆̇̈́͠4̴̨̰͈̺͆̈́̿̔̚̚8̸̖̼͔͎̩̮̳͌̎̂̾͒́̀͂͜͝ͅ

#̸̓̎̆͌͆͐͆̆̔̉͜͝*̴̢̢̠͔̻̤͕̟̙͚̫̭̤͚̌͊ͅ$̸̰͈͐̆̅̈́̚͝͝#̵̫͈̥̬̱͙̅@̶̡͇̮̫͇͚͓͙̮̓͘̚ͅ)̷̲̯͍͗̔́(̸͚͆͐͌̏̋

̶̨̧̱̩̥͓͈̝̌

̴̧̛̙̇̓̂̇̌̀̀͗͋͋͊͝@̶̛͕̳͐̆͋̓̈́̓̌̾͝(̵̡̼̟̜̱̫̤́̀͊̐̊͑͘̕*̸̭̦̦̹̙̤͕̲͎̻͔̂̍̀́̿̏̚\\u0026̶̢͊͂̈͒̉̕#̴̠͓̈́̄̂̋̔͛̈́̉̍̎̊̌́͘(̵̛͔̻̻͍͌̓̀̓̏͛̎̈́͗̾̈́̕@̶̧̱̟̱͔͚̭̬̊̄͛͜͝*̶͕͉̘̓̎͛͋́̎̓̐̈́͆̄͂̈́̓͘\\u0026̵̢̧̛̲̙̫̥̞͇̰͎̪̳̬̉̈́̈́̅̓͆͛̅̈̉͝

̸͎̝̝̻̞͕̯̓̓̒͛̍̀̔͝

̵̨̗̣̱͔̱̬̉͑͑̒̄̽̾̅͛͌͆*̵̮̼̩͕͎̭̎͂͂͌̕̕͘͠(̵͇̭̞̠̩̮͉̰̪̥̇̍̋̐̔͛͊̓̂̊\\u0026̸̧̢̗͍̱͇̼̱̪̭̹̪͓͋͐͘͜$̷̧̲̟̙̼̍̈͊͑͛͛̇͘͝(̵̢̛̠̬͖̞̞̜͙̣͐̉̂́̇̕@̶̞͍͎̪̰̮͓͉̟̫̉͐͆͂̈́́̀̒̑̓̓̒̃͘͝\\u0026̸̠͉̪̯̲̼̦̭̓ͅ$̴̹̩̼̑̂͋͗̆̏͐̓͝

̶̭̹̈̆̽̾͂̂́̊̍̅͆͝

̸̡̢̨͈͇̭̘̲̑̈́̅̉̀̔̃̌̅̍͑̈́͘(̶̝͈̼͇̲̟̪̹̖̹̻̈́́͂̆͆̍̓͊̈́͒͘@̴̪͙͍̠̜̍̀̒̓̎͑̈́̑̍̈͑̔͌͂͘\\u0026̴͍̙̲͎̖̯̫͚̬̺̏̍̔(̸͖͇̜͖͎͖̜̘̪̳̈́͌̓́̓̓̓̅̚̕*̴̢̛͖̫̱͈̘̮̥͕̝̹̠͔̺̇́͒̂͊͛̍̀̾̕̚̚̚͝@̵̘̥̎̉̔̂̂͊͐̇̽̇͑̓̔̀̆\\u0026̶̱̭̪̻̹͍̪̓̚(̴̨̼̞̘̭̭͎̠̭͓̜̝̊̄̒̋̾͋͜͝#̵̡̛̯̬͕̩̥̤͉͔̰͎͙̫̖͈͘͠