章 14: Chapter 13: Slice Of Normal Life Continues
It was late, the moon hung high, and Hal Jordan finally had some downtime after a grueling mission with the Green Lantern Corps.
Barry had been raving about this bakery for days now, so Hal figured he'd give it a shot.
Stepping into the bakery, Hal was immediately struck by how lively it was—even at night.
The place was buzzing with laughter and chatter, with only a few loaves left on the shelves.
"What the hell, Allen? You didn't say this place was a madhouse," Hal muttered to himself as he approached the counter.
Anna greeted him with her usual bubbly demeanor. "Hi there! What can I get you? We're almost sold out for the day, but we've got focaccia and pumpernickel left."
Hal glanced at the limited options, rubbing the back of his neck. "Focaccia and... pumpernickel? That's a bread?"
Anna laughed, expertly packing his order. "It's a bread. Trust me, you'll love it."
Hal took the opportunity to flash a charming grin, looking at her name tag. "So, Anna, right? What are you doing later? Maybe I could take you somewhere that's not... covered in flour?"
Anna's bright smile didn't waver, but her words were sharp. "Not interested, but thanks for asking. That'll be $8.50."
Hal blinked, momentarily stunned. "Ouch. Okay, straight to the point." He paid and carried his food to an empty table, muttering, "You know, I've fought space tyrants with better manners..."
Sinking into the chair, Hal bit into the focaccia, his irritation melting away with the first bite.
"Holy—" he muttered, his mouth full. "This is insane."
He tried the pumpernickel next, expecting it to be just regular the same as usual, but it was just as good. "Barry didn't exaggerate for once. I could eat this all day."
Hal leaned back, scanning the bustling bakery.
He wasn't sure what he expected, but it definitely wasn't this.
Everyone seemed relaxed and happy, chatting over and eating.
His eyes roamed, curious to spot the owner Barry had described—a petite woman with blue hair who, apparently, was "adorable and beautiful."
"Sure, Allen," Hal scoffed under his breath. "Probably overselling it like usual."
But as the minutes ticked by, there was no sign of her.
Hal stayed an hour, finishing every crumb of his meal, his curiosity growing.
Eventually, he decided to grab a baguette for the road and headed to the door.
That's when it happened.
He swung the door open and collided with someone.
"Oh, sorry," Hal said automatically, steadying the person.
Then his brain registered two things, bright blue hair and a delicate, almost doll-like face looking up at him.
He froze.
The -supposedly- woman blinked up at him, tilting her -his- head slightly. "It's okay," she -he- said, brushing herself -himself- off. "Are you all right? You're just... standing there."
Hal couldn't form words. Was this... was this love at first sight? Or was it something else—like the overwhelming urge to shield her from everything dangerous in the universe?
Behind them, a few of the other customers giggled.
"That's number 46," one whispered loudly.
"Yup, she got another one," another replied, snapping a photo.
Hal's eyebrows furrowed, but he couldn't look away from Rimuru, who was now glancing at the girls with mild confusion.
"Number 46?" he asked, trying to piece things together.
Rimuru tilted her head again, oblivious. "I'm not sure what they mean, but they're probably joking. Anyway, I hope you're okay!" She offered him a small smile and slipped past him into the bakery, her attention already shifting back to restocking the shelves.
Hal stared after her, completely dumbfounded. "Barry didn't mention this part."
The girls at the table whispered and giggled louder.
"Poor guy doesn't even know what hit him," one said.
Another chimed in, "We've all been there. The Rimuru Effect."
Still frozen in place, Hal finally turned to leave, clutching his bag of bread.
He shook his head, muttering, "What the hell just happened?"
Behind the counter, Rimuru hummed to herself, completely unaware of the chaos she'd left in her wake.
As always, the day went on, just another "normal" one in Central City's favorite bakery.
Ciel materialized briefly, observing the commotion with a faint sigh.
Her ethereal presence lingered near Rimuru, who remained oblivious to the adoration around him.
"This happens far too often," she mused, her voice only audible to herself. "After Master's evolution, even Velgrynd once remarked that his appearance is 'dangerously cute.' But his people back in Tempest? They acted indifferent, treating him no differently than before. That indifference, over time, made him believe it wasn't a big deal."
Her gaze shifted to the captivated Hal Jordan, still rooted to the spot near the door. "Humans, however, are a different story," she added with a wry tone before vanishing, leaving Rimuru to his usual oblivious charm.
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