First a detour

It wouldn't take long before reaching town, an hour at most, and it was still late afternoon so they could maintain a leisure pace while going back, though as they walked Cherry suddenly proposed something "Since we've got time and it's close, how about a bath?"

""A bath?!"" Lia and Nia chimed, whereas Fira kept her cool but from her expression it was obvious she was interested. After all they last took one before reaching Brohole, making use of the river water to refresh themselves. Baths in town would surely be heavy on the wallet, but going without one would be...

"There's a waterfall not too far from here. We can use the pond below to refresh ourselves before heading back in town. It wont' take long" Cherry explained, and the girls all agreed.

It indeed didn't take long, about twenty minutes later they could hear sounds of water smashing from above and after walking through a thicket they indeed found quite a large pond with obviously fresh and clean water.

"We girls will go first and you will keep watch... unless you with to join us?" Cherry teasing got Ryu's blushing while Lia immediately stuttered a "W-w-wha... Cherry, what are you saying?!"

The cargirl was obviously amused "Oh, was i wrong? I though you were his girls. Doesn't he pound you every night? He's a bit too meaty for my tastes, but i guess you girls like getting squashed" the girl had been inserting sexual jokes every now and then ever since she joined, but now she had obviously surpassed the limit... or at least she surpassed Lia's, the girl roaring back "Cherry! You're going way over the top!"

It was obvious those jokes had gone way past embarrassment and into uncomfortableness for Lia, so Cherry switched her teasing to Ryu, the guy apparently more open. Unlike Lia, de didn't look like he'd take her words to heart and so she joked away "Seems like i went over the line... maybe i shouldn't join your bath, what if the mood turn awkward because of me? I know! I'll just join Ryu. This way you won't be lonely later!"

Ryu blushed harder but obviously took it as a joke, unlike Lia who promptly reprimanded Cherry and pulled her by the ear to join the girl's bath while Ryu kept an eye out for intruders and trouble...

Well, he'd just needed an eye for that, right? It was a secret, but since the other one was free he silently took the chance to peek upon the girls.