He took another lazy sip of coffee, the whole strange atmosphere suddenly disappearing.
"By the way, grab a cup of coffee for yourself too and sit down. If your boss complains, tell him I'll pay extra or something like that for your company."
'Unfortunately, I'll have to deal with this puppy from now on...' He seemed strangely casual.
'Hopefully this puppy isn't too clingy... and don't talk too much...'
"O-okay, I guess." It took her a while to process the situation, still somewhat shy, but then sighing deeply, she did as he said.
Since there weren't many customers at that time of day, she didn't worry too much about it and quickly returned to sit in front of him.
She had calmed down.
"You asked me about being an adventurer." She said, looking deeply into her cup.
"Like most people who came to Orario, at some point I also tried to become one. But... well... it's not exactly an easy position to achieve."
"And honestly, I don't think I've ever been taken seriously. Orario is the city of adventure dreams, but it's also where they die and are buried, that's common sense."
"Not that it's so bad, of course, life here is very good compared to other places. It's just not so... rewarding." She struggled a little to find the right words, her gaze falling a little more, but quickly reinvigorating itself.
"Anyway, it's nice to hear a few kind words from time to time! I mean, I'm not dead yet."
"Who knows? Maybe one day I can tell a beautiful story about pursuing your dreams to the end against all odds." She chuckled a few times, tucking her hair behind her ear and looking up at the blue sky.
Silence.
'I just asked one question!' Baal took a deep breath.
"You know I'm a god, right?" She immediately froze in place, her face becoming tense and trembling simultaneously.
Her gaze slowly returned to Baal, whom she had often treated irreverently.
"Mr. Baal, this is not something to joke about... I'm going to get angry..." She said in a weak and uncertain voice.
At that moment, one side of her insisted that he would not joke with her about such a delicate matter, but the other side was completely incredulous.
A god had seen potential in her? As an adventurer? And was discussing it at this very moment? Impossible! No god had wasted time meeting with her all this time! Not even other adventurers had bothered!
Unless it was to flirt with her, of course... in which case it was quite common. She had lost count of the thousands of indecent proposals she had received.
"I'm the one who's going to be angry, am I less of a god than the others?" He said, snorting.
"Not every god is so flashy, many prefer a more discreet life and a small Familia instead of spending their whole life trying to compensate for something else tiny like a certain sun god out there." He said evasively, but then frowned.
"Actually, fuck that! I'm talking about Apollo, that bastard has a tiny dick! No man needs to act that weird and pompous unless he needs to compensate for his dick!" He shouted loudly so that everyone could hear.
Luckily, the street was practically empty and no one paid much attention.
Anyway, most people thought the same thing.
"Mr. Baal, please lower your voice..." Bella blushed intensely again; she had never seen this side of him before.
Baal was so serious that he sometimes seemed cynical, but at that moment he broke any preconceptions she had had.
'But… If flashy men have small ones, then the quieter ones have…' However, once again her imagination ran wild.
She suddenly choked on her own coffee, becoming increasingly nervous as she looked at him.
"Anyway, it's pretty obvious. You want this so bad and you really don't care if it's me, right?" The mug quickly slipped from her hand and broke when it hit the floor; she had completely frozen.
"I don't care at all..." She said automatically.
"I-I mean, I do care! It's too soon for that! We need to discuss this further! Damn, the mug!" She said, bending down to pick up the pieces and bumping her head against the table in the process.
"Ouch! Damn it! You talk too fast. I need time to think about it, it's too much responsibility all at once." She said without looking him in the eye.
"No, you just have to say yes and I'll make you captain and the first member of my Familia."
"I'm sure this was just an initial shock and tomorrow in the dungeon all your worries will disappear." He said casually as she lit up again, her dreams were within reach.
"Are you sure about that? I mean, there are a lot of better people out there." Her expression darkened again. But he just sighed.
"If you can't handle the job, it's only natural that our relationship will end. Until then, I'll be able to see what you're capable of and also consider other options if you can't handle it."
"But anyway, I have a good eye and I know what I saw in you." He got up from his chair and walked over to her, then knelt a few inches away from her, meeting her gaze.
"Mortal eyes fail, but know that mine do not, so believe what I see in you, for it is the absolute truth." He said in a slow, powerful voice, but then continued with a smile and a gentle voice, looking deep into her eyes.
"I will be your god from today on, and know that I believe in you, even if you don't believe in yourself."
"Anyone who belittles you from now on belittles me and will therefore be proven a fool." He put his hand on her head, stroked it softly and laughed.
"Do you understand?"
"Yes..." She said without reaction.
"Great, then let's grant you your Falna." He stood up resolutely, turning his back on her.
But the truth was very different from what he showed.
Immediately his eyes narrowed once again with icy coldness, thinking about what to do next.
'Unfortunately, this time, I'll have to be the master.'