"My pleasure, Master!"
Veia replied excitedly. She walked along the banks of the river as she led them forward.
Rant Valo and Floriana Sabina followed her. They soon came to the spot where Floriana Sabina took her bath earlier. Veia stopped and picked up something on the ground.
"A hairpin?"
Veia said as she looked at the thing in her hand. It was a white flower hairpin.
Rant Valo and Floriana Sabina looked at it in curiosity.
"Master, do you own this?"
Rant Valo asked Floriana Sabina. Although he never saw her wear one, she took a bath here so maybe she dropped it.
"I don't."
Floriana Sabina shook her head. She never wore any hairpin.
"Veia?"
Rant Valo asked Veia as she was the only one other than Floriana Sabina who had been to this place.
"Master, I don't recall wearing hairpins before."
Veia also shook her head.
"Really? Then who could have dropped it here in the middle of the forest?"
Rant Valo wondered as he stared at the flower design of the hairpin. It was something an innocent girl would wear, he reckoned.
"I don't know, Master. You want it?"
Veia offered the hairpin to Rant Valo. She has no use for it anyways. Since her master seems to be interested in it, she may as well just give it to him.
"Why don't you wear it, Veia?"
It was a passing thought in Rant Valo's head. The only one among the two of them, Veia and Floriana Sabina, who barely fits the description of an innocent girl is Veia.
"Me?"
Veia looked at Rant Valo weirdly. She just randomly picked up a hairpin and her master wanted her to wear it. Who knows what happened to the owner for it to be left here?
"Yes. I think it suits you well."
Rant Valo explained. He can definitely picture Veia wearing the hairpin.
"R-really?"
Veia blushed hearing Rant Valo's words. It filled her with joy hearing him say that.
"Mm"
Rant Valo nodded his head at her. Veia ran to the river and washed the dirt away from the hairpin. She then wore it on the left side of her head.
"How do I look, Master?"
With a twirl, Veia showed off herself wearing the hairpin. Her face was blushing red a little.
"Beautiful!"
Rant Valo didn't expect that his passing thought would actually be so correct. It didn't just fit her, it fits her really well!
"Hehe. Thank you, Master!"
Veia went forward and kissed Rant Valo on his cheek. Rant Valo was stunned at her sudden action. He was basically petrified.
"Wh-what are you doing? Kissing my disciple…"
Floriana Sabina went red after seeing Veia's bold move. She covered her face in embarrassment.
"Grandmaster, do I look good?"
Veia focused her attention on the blushing Floriana Sabina. She could only call her Grandmaster since she is very strong.
"Hmph! NO!"
Floriana Sabina snorted at Veia's cutesy act. For some reason it annoys her.
"Master… Grandmaster is bullying me again.."
Veia looked at Rant Valo pitifully. Floriana Sabina has been nothing but harsh to her.
"Hahaha…"
Rant Valo didn't know what to do with Veia acting like that. He was more powerless when it came to Floriana Sabina.
"Mouuuu, Master, why are you laughing at me?"
Veia pouted at Rant Valo. She didn't expect him to laugh at her getting bullied. It made her good impression of him take a big dip.
"Nothing. You are just like a child, Veia."
Rant Valo explained with a smile seeing her pout at him. Somehow, having her company doesn't feel bad.
"Hmph! You finally noticed! She's nothing but a child!"
Floriana Sabina agreed at Rant Valo's words. It was something that she has been noticing for a while now. Veia has been acting really childish ever since the Master-Slave Contract was completed.
"I'm not a child!"
Veia pushed out her bountiful melons to prove that she's not a child but an adult. Floriana Sabina was left speechless at her. She has no counter for that move.
"See!"
Veia smiled victoriously seeing that Floriana Sabina has no more rebuttal.
"Master?"
Veia saw Rant Valo staring at her chest in a daze. Rant Valo snapped out of his daze and chanted his Zaria Mantra to calm his heart.
"Come on, let's go!"
Rant Valo did not want to dwell on the topic so he urged them to move forward. Veia had no choice but to follow his orders with the Master-Slave Contract so she led the way.
Floriana Sabina followed after them with a frown on her face. She was really upset with what Veia did. She looked at her own chest and felt lonely.
The trio walked silently along the river banks. They witnessed fishes jump up above the river water.
Across the river there was a big brown bear. It clawed at the jumping fishes and bit them.
Rant Valo gulped seeing the bear munch on the fish like it was nothing. Blood leaked from the bear's mouth as it noticed them. It glared at them with its menacing eyes.
If it weren't for the river dividing them, Rant Valo bets that the bear would have already pounced at them.
They continued walking for a while. They saw a venomous snake hanging on a tree. Floriana Sabina noticed it and led them away.
The sky was getting dark and they arrived in front of a waterfall. The sound of the water rushing down deafening.
"Master! It's behind the waterfall!"
Veia shouted so Rant Valo and Floriana Sabina could hear her. She walked along the sides of the waterfall and entered behind it.
Behind the waterfall was a small cave opening. It barely fits one person.
Veia entered it. Rant Valo looked at the tight space with a little fear. He was feeling claustrophobic seeing it.
Rant Valo swallowed his fear when he saw Veia getting deeper. The inside was very dark. Floriana Sabina snapped her finger and a small bright white flame lit above their heads.