"Where should we go now?"

Rant Valo asked Nale Narene. He was after all the only one here who knew where the Evil Sacra Lotus was.

"Northwest from here. We would encounter a swamp, and deep inside that swamp is where we will find the Evil Sacra Lotus."

Nale Narene explained to them.

"A swamp, huh. I have never been in one."

Rant Valo felt excitement now that he realized that they were gonna go to a swamp. In the region surrounding the village that he was from, there were only plains and forests. There were no swamps there whatsoever.

"I'm excited too!"

Veia added from the side. Another adventure for the three of them, well, not three, but four now with the addition of Nale Narene.

"Mm. It will be interesting."

Floriana Sabina nodded to them. She was someone who hadn't traveled much. There are still many things in the world that she hasn't seen.

Rant Valo's group of four started walking northwest. There was a bit of forest on their way, and only when they passed would they reach the swamp.

They walked under the blistering heat of the wide plains around the town. Before long, they were able to reach the edges of the forest.

"Finally… We're out of the heat."

Rant Valo released a sigh of relief. Walking under the heat of the sun was not fun. It was hot and sweaty.

It was the same for everyone else, except for Floriana Sabina. It was like the heat was just an illusion for her. Rant Valo couldn't help but become jealous after realizing that.

"Kid, do you have a map?"

Floriana Sabina looked at Nale Narene and asked. Nale Narene thought that she was talking to someone else so he looked behind him but there was no one else besides him.

"Me?"

Nale Narene asked her in puzzlement.

"Yes, you. Who else?"

Floriana Sabina raised an eyebrow and looked at him like he was an idiot.

"But you're younger than me…"

Nale Narene complained with a confused look on his face.

"I just look like this but I'm several times older than your grandmother!"

Floriana Sabina raised her chin upwards in pride.

"G-grandmother? Both of my grandmothers died at an early age though…"

Nale Narene had a forced smile on his face. She was not really making sense to him.

"..."

Floriana Sabina felt like smacking him on the head with two fans. He was such a dolt.

"Just gimme the map."

Floriana Sabina didn't want to deal with him anymore and just opened her hand towards him, waiting for him to give her the map.

"Okay?"

Nale Narene passed to her the map from his sleeves. The confusion never left his face.

"Hmmm… so.... Disciple, here's the map."

Floriana Sabina stared hard at the map but she couldn't make sense of it. In the end, she dumped the task to her disciple.

"Let me see."

Rant Valo took the map from her hands and looked at their surroundings and at the distant town.

"This way!"

Rant Valo pointed and they all followed him. Floriana Sabina used her Spiritual Sense to scan the area. To her surprise, they were really going in the direction of the swamp. Her impression of her disciple improved once again.

Inside the forest, they encountered deers, buzzing insects, and different kinds of mushrooms. There was one in particular that Rant Valo stopped for.

"Wait!"

Rant Valo shouted and he crouched down towards the roots of a tree. He pushed the dirt off and snapped off a perfect-looking mushroom. It was brown and had a gelatinous texture.

"What's that, Disciple?"

Floriana Sabina asked him with curiosity on her face. This was her first time seeing Rant Valo stop for a mushroom. There were times back then that they encountered mushrooms but Rant Valo didn't even glance at them.

"It's a Brown Mushroom. It's very delicious and nutritious. We can make Cream of Mushroom Soup out of it."

Rant Valo explained to them very eagerly. He was happy to share to them what he knew about this delicious mushroom.

"Wow! Master, you know how to cook mushrooms too!?"

Veia exclaimed in surprise. Her master was always surprising her. He was very knowledgeable about so many things that one day she would not find it surprising if he can even turn vegetables into meat.

"Yes. We had a lot of these in the forest beside the village. It was one of my favorite."

Rant Valo explained to her as he looked at the mushroom like it was his long-lost lover.

"Master, let's eat that for lunch!"

Veia said to Rant Valo with excitement. She wanted to try the Cream of Mushroom Soup that her master would be able to cook with that.

"Yes, of course. Why would I not cook one when I have some mushrooms?"

Rant Valo chuckled at her. Even he was very excited to taste this Cream of Mushroom Soup. He had seasonings and spices with him. The taste would be absolutely out of this world!

"But first, help me harvest more."

Rant Valo told them before he crouched down once more and plucked several more mushrooms. Veia eagerly crouched beside him and helped him pluck some.

Floriana Sabina looked around and circled trees to find if there were any Brown Mushrooms under them. Meanwhile, Nale Narene could only follow along and look for Brown Mushrooms with them. He would feel guilty otherwise.

"I found more, Disciple!"

Floriana Sabina's voice sounded. Rant Valo and Veia who had just finished harvesting the mushrooms on the spot Rant Valo first found them, rushed over to her.

"Wow! This is like mushroom heaven!"

Rant Valo exclaimed in amazement. There were at least several dozens of mushrooms growing from the ground. It was the first time that Rant Valo had ever seen so many in one place.

They soon quickly harvested them all. Nale Narene didn't help because he was having trouble fitting into the dynamic of the trio. He feels like he is just an outsider. He could only look around for mushrooms with a bit of distance from them.