After Holen confirmed the item's authenticity, he quickly closed the case. Reeva handed over the knife, and they said their goodbyes. As Reeva went to fetch Theia from the side room, she greeted him with the brightest smile he'd ever seen from her.
"Thank you!" she exclaimed, her gratitude more sincere than he'd ever heard before.
"Is talking to her really that bad?" Reeva couldn't help but ask, glancing at the waving figure of the old lady next door.
"It's not that bad... She just talks way too much," Theia replied, frowning in mild exasperation.
"Maybe I should talk to you more, then," Reeva teased.
"Please don't," Theia quickly retorted, her expression dead serious. She couldn't bear the thought of enduring more endless chatter.
They returned to the hotel to rest.
-----------------
