New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

The floor manager looked at him for a moment, stunned out of his words.

'Does this young man really think this is how a restaurant works?' he thought.

"Uhm… Sir. Do you have a reservation?" the man asked, regaining his composure.

"No. But I do think you'll have room for us. I know you have four empty tables, two of which aren't reserved. So I'd like one of those, please."

The floor manager glanced at his table planning and noticed the young man was spot on.

"Unfortunately, sir, this is not how we work. We have a line behind you that is all waiting to be seated. The two empty tables are the chef's preferred table and the owner's personal table. I cannot sit you in either of those without their explicit consent.

"Now, could you please get at the back of the line? Other customers are waiting."

Alex smiled at him still.

This caused Guylaine to smirk in disdain.

'Trying to pull the rich card? I didn't think you were that kind of person. What does my daughter see in you?' she wondered.

The young man had just dropped in her esteem.

"Would you mind fetching the owner for me, then? I believe he will let me sit at his table."

Even Kary was wondering why he was being so persistent. There were plenty of good lunch restaurants nearby.

Why was he so hellbent on coming here?

People started complaining behind him, stating he had no right to cut in front of them, some even asking who he thought he was.

But Alex ignored them.

"Sir. I cannot just walk into the owner's office and ask him to come up front whenever a client asks this. Please. Stop holding the line, or I will have to call the cops."

Already, the commotion was garnering attention from inside, and an office door opened. Out of it came walking a man, maybe thirty-five years old, with a scar across his cheek.

One would easily mistake him for a gangster if he didn't have the warmest smile when talking to his customers as he walked toward the front of the bistro.

"What seems to be the issue here, Emerest?" he asked the floor manager.

"Sir. You didn't need to come up front. I was about to call the cops to remove this man. He is causing trouble," the manager said, looking nervously at his boss.

The man turned to face the young man in question, and his face turned curious.

"I would like to know why you are causing trouble, sir. Also, do I know you?"

His face looked familiar, like he'd seen him before, and more than once.

"I just want a table for me, my girlfriend, and her mother. I'm not looking to cause trouble. I asked nicely if he could fetch you so we could talk."

The man looked at him, his eyes squinting.

"I'm sure I know your face. Why do I know your face? Are you a celebrity?"

The floor manager frowned at the question his boss asked.

'If he was a celebrity, wouldn't he have declared his name on arrival? This guy is a nobody with money, for sure.'

Alex smiled at him toothily.

"We have never met. But I do believe your thoughts are not unfounded."

Guylaine liked him less and less, with all the attention he was drawing to them, and couldn't wait to talk to her daughter privately. She would give her an earful about how she shouldn't be with a man like this.

When she saw him raise his hand before his chest and the restaurant owner's eyes grow wide, for a moment, the woman thought he had performed some gang sign or something of the kind, making the man nervous.

But instead of showing fear, the owner looked ecstatic. The floor manager, on the other hand, was white as a sheet.

Kary had felt the slight wave of mana around Alex and knew he had done something with his hand at that moment that only another player would recognize. And when she extended her mana toward the owner, she understood why, as his head snapped toward her.

'An awakened. This man is like us.'

The man was looking at the couple with a wide grin.

"Of course, we have room. Please come right in. Emerest, seat them at my table; I will attend to them myself!"

"Sir?" the man asked, stumped by the request.

"You heard me. Lead them to the table while I go put something adequate on and wash my hands," the owner said, looking at his manager with a stern gaze.

"As for you, sir and madam, I will be right with you."

"Thank you," Alex said, walking forward.

The manager stood there momentarily, wondering what was happening, until Alex turned his head toward him.

"Are you going to seat me or not?"

"R… Right! Right this way, sir!" the manager exclaimed, stuttering.

Kary walked behind Alex, pulling her mother along, who was just as confused as everyone behind them. They hadn't seen what Alex did and couldn't sense mana, so they had no way of knowing.

In seconds, they were seated at a large table with nicer covers than the others, with a view of the entire restaurant. The table was placed on a slight step and overlooked all the others.

Only one other table was on this step: the chef's table.

This was the VIP section.

Guylaine couldn't take the suspense any longer and leaned forward, whispering, "What did you do to convince him?"

Alex also leaned forward, whispering back, "That's a secret."

Then he winked and sat back straight.

Guylaine sat there, stumped and in disbelief.

'Who is this young man? Is he some kind of crime syndicate leader? Or maybe the secret son of a mafioso…'

Her mind started getting all these convoluted ideas, all sillier than the last, as she sat there silently.

She only returned to reality when the owner returned, dressed as a server and carrying a bottle of wine.

"This one is one of our finest bottles on the house, of course, to start your meal."

When he poured the wine, a lovely fragrance wafted into their nostrils, and Guylaine fell into thought again.

"Now. What can I get you?" the owner asked after pouring four glasses.

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