Chapter 160 - The Princess' Insistence

"No, Veia! Don't listen to her. She's just making stuff up."

Rant Valo shook his head, hearing Veia's words. It would be bad if she thought that he liked being called 'Master'.

"Geh. You're even tricking her?"

Princess Peiana stared at Rant Valo in disbelief.

"Master?"

Veia called out.

Rant Valo turned his head to her, and he saw Veia grinning widely.

"V-Veia, what are you planning?"

Rant Valo gulped seeing Veia look at him so intently.

"Nothing special."

Veia returned to normal and just smiled.

"A-Anyways, are you done?"

Rant Valo forced a smile on his face and asked her. He could feel that she was planning something.

"Yes, 'Master'." 

Veia replied with a smile.

"Are you sure? Aren't you still being painted?"

Rant Valo asked in doubt. He remembers seeing the painter painting Veia when he came in.

"That's done already, 'Master'."

Veia nodded her head.

"Veia, can you stop?"

Rant Valo asked her with a twitching face. Hearing her emphasize 'Master' again and again is starting to annoy him.

"But 'Master', you like it don't you?"

Veia asked him with a teasing smile.

"I don't."

Rant Valo replied candidly. It wasn't even his intention to become her master before. It was all on her.

"Hmph. Master likes a princess, I guess."

Veia pouted and said in a bad mood.

"Huh?"

Rant Valo blinked his eyes at her. When did he like princesses?

"Rant, can you come with me for a bit?"

Princess Peiana beckoned Rant Valo to follow her.

"Okay..?"

Rant Valo followed her silently in confusion. They exited the room and appeared in the hallway.

"Rant, do you really not want to marry me?"

Princess Peiana asked him with a frown.

"I don't."

Rant Valo replied frankly. It never even crossed his mind until she said it to him.

"Alright."

Princess Peiana nodded her head.

"You're giving up?"

Rant Valo looked at her in surprise. He thought that she would insist on this for a long time. It seems that she wasn't actually sincere with it.

"No, Master."

Princess Peiana replied with a smirk.

"P-Please stop that! I feel bad. You're a princess, and I'm just a humble villager."

Rant Valo said to her frantically. People would look at him weirdly if they heard that a princess was calling him 'master'.

"But you like it, don't you, Master."

Princess Peiana continued with a teasing smile on her face.

"I don't! Not at all!"

Rant Valo shook his head and denied her. The only thing he was feeling now was guilt for making a princess say such a thing.

"Hmph. You're really not interested in me?"

Princess Peiana snorted and asked.

"I'm not."

Rant Valo shook his head to clarify it to her again. She was really stubborn.

"Sigh. Then, I'll take my leave, Rant."

Princess Peiana and bid her farewell. She doesn't feel like she's making any progress with Rant Valo whatsoever.

"Take care, Princess Peiana."

Rant Valo also bid her farewell. As she was the princess, his reply was particularly respectful.

"Phew."

Rant Valo turned around and released a long sigh of relief. Dealing with such a stubborn princess is annoying.

"Muuu… Master, I'm proud of you."

Veia's voice sounded from the door.

"V-Veia!?"

Rant Valo turned his head to the door and saw her looking at him from a tiny gap.

"Master, you resisted the charms of the princess. That was a good thing."

Veia opened the door and said to him with a smile.

"Were you watching the whole time?"

Rant Valo asked her with a wry smile on his face.

"Yep."

Veia nodded her head.

"What is even going inside her head? I'm just a villager."

Rant Valo said to her with a grumble. He can't even believe that a princess like her would do that to him. He thought that she was acting very suspiciously.

"You may think that you're 'just' a villager, but you're not, Master."

Veia said to him with a smile.

"What do you mean?"

Rant Valo asked her in confusion.

"You are the disciple of a Saintess. Master, even if you claim that you are a simple villager, no one would believe you."

Veia explained to him.

"Ah, you're right."

Rant Valo realized what she meant when he heard her explain it. It was like they were trusting the fact that not Saint or Saintess would take someone as their disciple for nothing.

"I also think that she's still not done. Be careful, Master."

Veia warned Rant Valo.

"Huh. Okay. I'll remember your words."

Rant Valo nodded his head. He would just reject her again if she tries it again.

…

"Rant Valo… I'll become your woman one way or another!"

Princess Peiana said to herself inside her room. There was a wide grin on her face as she did so.

"Princess Peiana, the setup is ready."

A maid entered the room and bowed to her respectfully.

"Well done. Prepare the second stage."

Princess Peiana praised the maid with a smile.

"As per your order, Princess Peiana."

The maid nodded her head respectfully before leaving the room.

"Fufufu! Rant Valo, I will ride your coattails and live a lavish life!"

Princess Peiana chuckled to herself.

…

Rant Valo walked through the hallway with Veia. It was already nighttime. The place was lit up by glowing stones embedded on the upper part of the walls.

"Master, are you excited?"

Veia asked Rant Valo with a smile.

"It's just food. Why am I gonna be excited?"

Rant Valo replied to her. Currently, they were heading towards the dining hall to eat.

"It's royalty food! You said that you only cooked food for yourself. This time, you'll experience the cooking of royal chefs."

Veia said to him with excitement flowing from her voice.

"... Alright. I'm anticipating the taste a little but that's all."

Rant Valo replied to her.

"Mm. Do you want me to feed you later, Master? Since I'm technically your servant right now."

Veia nodded her head and suggested to him with a smile.