The plaza is so lively today. There are merchants busy selling the items in their stalls and the buyers are visiting the stores that catch their attention. There are also a lot of stalls that sell delicious food and children are playing tag and laughing around the plaza. This place is also crowded so adults are holding the children with them tightly in their hands to avoid losing them.
Everyone in this place is having fun except for Penelope.
Penelope had seen this place a thousand times before. This place is where she grew up and learned how to do some illegal jobs just to have food in her stomach. This place became her second home when the old couple who found her inside the cave before died because of old age.
"Penelope, where do you want to go?"
Penelope slowly turns her head to look at the woman who is talking to her. It was Amanda. Her stepmother is looking at her with a gentle smile on her face as if she really sees Penelope as her real daughter. Unfortunately for her, the little child is no longer naive and not easy to deceive anymore.
"Madam, I want to eat some cake!" Penelope said to Amanda with a bright smile on her face.
The smile on Amanda's face falters a little when she heard what Penelope calls her again. She cannot understand it. That child obviously likes her and sweetly calls her mother. But now, Penelope looks like she is more comfortable calling her madam instead of mother.
"Penelope, why are you calling me madam?" Amanda asked and tries to make her voice sounds so gentle and kind. "You always call me mama, right?"
"But madam is not my real mama." Penelope innocently replied.
"...What?"
"I have a real mama. But she is now an angel."
Then Penelope anxiously plays with her fingers as if she is having a hard time saying her next words.
"I don't want to make my mommy sad." She said in a low voice. "That's why I will call you madam from now on."
Amanda didn't know what to say. She's just staring at the little child in front of her with a stunned expression on her face. When Penelope lifts her head to look at her, she stares at Amanda with her round eyes. She even tilts her head a little to make her look like an innocent little girl.
"You are not my mommy. Am I right, madam?" Penelope asked.
"...Yes, Penelope."
Amanda forced herself to smile and answer her question. She stops herself from gritting her teeth in anger. Amanda didn't know that Clementine's daughter is capable of angering her this much. Of course, Amanda has no other choice but to say yes to her question.
"But don't you want me to become your second mommy?" Amanda asked again. "You can still call me mama just like before."
"No!" Penelope firmly said while shaking her head. "My real mommy doesn't want me to become madam's daughter."
"...Alright. I will not force you again."
Amanda stands up straight again and holds Emilia's hand. She did not bother holding Penelope's hand since she comes to this place with her nanny. Taking a deep breath, Amanda tries to calm down and compose herself again.
"We should eat first. Let's go."
Amanda looks at the little girl who makes her chest burn in anger for a few seconds before she starts walking with her daughter. When her stepmother is no longer looking at them, a bright smile slowly appears on her lips. She happily asked her nanny to carry her. After Lisa makes sure that Penelope is comfortable in her arms, she quickly follows the duchess from behind.
"Little miss, did the duchess do something bad to you?" Lisa whispered in Penelope's ear so the duchess cannot hear them.
"Why are you asking me that, nanny?" Penelope asked her back.
Lisa pursed her lips first before she carefully replied.
"Because I can feel that the little miss doesn't like the duchess unlike before."
Penelope stares at her nanny for a moment. She is starting to realize again that aside from her father, her nanny Lisa also knows her by heart. Lisa is the one who patiently takes good care of her and showers her with love every day. She is also the one who can do anything just for her sake.
Her past life is already proof of it.
"Yes, nanny. I don't like madam anymore." Penelope replied as she rest her cheek on Lisa's shoulder. "She is not my real mommy."
And that's one of the reasons why Amanda is going to execute her plan today. If Penelope is not going to be careful today, the past will just repeat itself. And she doesn't want it to happen. Experiencing it once is more than enough for her.
"But Duchess Amanda is your father's wife." Lisa said. "She can take good care of you like your real mommy."
"Nanny Lisa is enough for me." Penelope declared. "My nanny can always be with me and love me like my real mother."
"Oh, little miss."
The young child keeps on saying words that never fail to make Lisa more loved and appreciated. She carefully hugs and small child in her arms and protects her from any possible harm that can happen in this place. While they are walking, Penelope sees something and suddenly taps her nanny's shoulder.
"Nanny, nanny! Can we buy it?" Penelope asked as she points to the stall right in front of them.
To be exact, she is pointing to the pearl necklace that is carefully placed on the table. Lisa brings her little miss in front of the stall so she can properly see the items inside. The item that caught Penelope's attention is a long necklace filled with freshwater pearl beads.
"I want this, nanny!" Penelope said. "I want to buy this."
"Are you sure, little miss?" Lisa asked.
"Yes! I want this!"
"Oh! You are still young but you already have a good eye for jewelry." The female merchant said as she looks at the young lady with a business smile on her face. "Those freshwater pearls are from the kingdom of Luali. They are known for the beautiful pearls that can be harvested from their ocean every month."
"They are pretty!" Penelope said in a childish voice. "They are also shiny!"
"Of course they are!" The female merchant agreed.
"We will buy it." Lisa said. "How much is this?"
"It's only five gold coins."
Lisa carefully put her little miss down for a moment before pulling the pouch of gold that the duke gave to her earlier from her inner pocket. After getting the right amount, she readily pays for the pearl necklace. While looking around, Penelope also sees a long hairpin made of silver that costs three gold coins. There is a glass crystal on the pin's left side that creates a rainbow prism when the sunlight hits its surface. The little girl also told her nanny that she will buy it.
When they left the stall, the female merchant waves them goodbye with a huge smile on her face. Penelope also waved her hand before hugging her nanny. There is a happy smile on her face now.
"Are you that happy after buying those items, little miss?" Lisa asked.
"Yes, nanny! I am very happy!"
Lisa did not say anything. As long as her little miss is happy, then everything is good. While carrying her, Lisa cannot see the calculating look on Penelope's face.
Penelope carefully touches the pearl necklace on her hand. She insists on holding the necklace instead of putting it inside the box. She is now also wearing the silver hairpin on her hair. Penelope bought these things not because they are pretty. These items will have their purpose later.
When they finally catch up with the duchess and her mother, they are already standing in front of a cafe that sells sweet treats and cold beverages.
"Where did the two of you go? I almost send a guard to quickly find you."
Amanda's voice is laced with worry. But Penelope didn't pay attention to it. Instead, her eyes noticed Emilia who is staring at her while standing behind her mother. But soon, Penelope finally realized that Emilia is not looking at her but at the pearl necklace she's holding in her hands.
"Sister Emilia, this is so pretty!" Penelope said with a smile.
Emilia nods her head.
"It's really pretty." The other child agreed. "Can I also touch it?"
"Hmm... Later, okay? I still want to play with it for a while."
"Did you buy it, Penelope?" Amanda gently asked.
"Yes, madam! Daddy gave me a lot of money so I can buy many things today!"
Of course, Penelope didn't forget to aggravate Amanda too. Penelope happily laughs after seeing their forced smiles. Since she is naturally a bubbly child, no one questions her for laughing like that. They are just thinking that she is having a lot of fantasy in her head.
"...We should go inside now."
After that, Amanda enters the cafe first before they follow her one by one. Penelope knows that her stepmother is just trying her best not to show her true color in front of them. But she doesn't care about it for now. Penelope should make a better plan before this day comes to an end.