Sici sneaks off the mansion, avoiding the Marchioness's attention. She thought she would be called upon or at least be part of another commotion caused by the lady but to her surprise it was a little calm and she had to take it to her advantage.
Specially if she was caught with this attire, she wouldn't hear the end of it from her, that is clear from how she treated her daughter at the breakfast, ruining the beginning of a day.
Well fair enough, Melina is her stepdaughter. Still it's not like she became her stepdaughter overnight. They had been living under the same roof for more than 10 years now and yet showing such manace and childish acts.
Her loud thoughts kept her company on her way to town. When suddenly she realized, "Oh right. I can't speak.."
She starts twirling a strand of hair before deciding to braid it while she waited to reach her destination. Luckily it didn't take long as she was finished braiding her hair, "Drop me off here and return."
"But m'lady, how will you come back?"
"I said, leave," she didn't have to repeat herself as she saw the carriage taking off in a hurry.
"Why do they bother talking back," Sici sighed.
Now to the important part, "Why stop here, Melina?" She asked in her head as this wasn't the place she wanted to drop by. She wasn't even in a position to deny it as Melina had taken control for a while.
"Not that I can complain. Probably couldn't have told him to stop where I needed to be anyway," she kept blabbering insider her head as Melina wouldn't respond to her like usual. Making her miss the occasional talkative side of Melina.
The place she had dropped off, wasn't crowded like the place she visited yesterday. She looked around to find a few shops staitioned here.
"Why are we here again?" Melina asks.
"To free the mind," Sici replies.
"You forgot you can't speak?"
"So? I believe the system will help me," she lies. She doesn't even believe or trust it for another second specially in the name of help.
Melina doesn't doubt her and goes back to being silent as she quietly continues to observe what Sici does.
....
"Please, come back again, sir," The lady said enthusiastically as the purchase was made. A little girl beside her also joined in as she waved her hands, "Come back again, Mister!"
Koji smiled and waved back.
He walked through the crowd, turning around the small piece of amethyst with his fingers which looked dull at first glance. Wouldn't be surprising if he was scammed but it was cheap meaning the seller didn't know about it's value.
"I feel like I scammed her. It was so cheap," he said still surprised as he wondered how it ended up there in such a dull state.
"My work here is done anyway," he puts the gemstone in his pocket and stretches his arms. Rubbing his shoulder's right side, he cracks his neck.
He considered looking around for another gemstone but he gave up the thought, remembering a week was wasted roaming around these stalls just to fulfill a certain someone's request and he only managed to find one.
"I should just return early. Works been piling up so much," he thought, "Ren won't survive long if it keeps piling up from my side."
He decides to raise Ren, his aid's salary to avoid receiving a resignation letter from him which wouldn't be the first time.
He notices a commotion on his way. People surrounding around two or three person who didn't bother lowering their voices, causing people to gather.
"I said, I didn't do it," the lady denied the accusations maintaining her composure. The familiar voice catches his attention and he makes his way to check the situation as a smirk spreads his lips.
A middle aged lady, likely the owner of the shop they were standing before argues back, "Are you calling this little boy a liar then?"
"Yes," Melina replied with confidence.
The little boy tugs onto the lady's clothe as he hides himself, acting as if he's scared of her tone towards him.
"How could you talk like this to a little boy! Accusing him of theft?!"
Inside, Sici was debating with her to leave the place but she had lost the freedom to do so as Melina had taken charge and continued to worsen the situation.
"Melina please, let's just leave!" Sici said for the last time.
"Not until they beg for forgiveness. Accusing ME of stealing such a worthless thing can't be left alone," Melina replied to Sici, ensuring her she wasn't going to back down. Her pride was on the line. Just cause of a bastard that was hiding behind the lady.
"Would you kindly just shut your mouth, old hag?" Melina said calmly, claiming her dominance.