Music recommendation: Lucy Rose- s.h.i.+ver (Mus.h.i.+-s.h.i.+ OP)

The journey was long which Penny had forgotten to ask on how far away the council was. With no watch in her hand or pocket, she couldn't gauge the time. It wasn't that the time was pa.s.sing slowly, with Damien as her fellow companion in the carriage the time was never boring. 

"Are the outsiders allowed to visit, Master Damien?" she asked him which also made her ask him, "What do you work as in the council?" 

"Me? I am an investigator, who pulls out information from various resources which is usually not seen or heard by the others. An intelligent team that is led by me and a boy named Kreme, who is still learning. So it is just me and him. The council allows some guests inside the perimeter of the council. The laboratory isn't directly in the council building but has its own separate place which should not be a problem. You are my pet girl, so it would mean you are my responsibility here."

Seeing her nod, Damien looked out of the window his eyes not looking for anything in particular as he wondered if she would actually be able to step on the grounds of the council. It would be something to look forward to, thought Damien to himself. 

"Tell me something about your mother, Penny," he urged her, wanting to know about her from her very own lips than the little amount of information he had found before. 

Penny recollected the memory of her mother, her chest feeling warm even in this cold weather of the rain, "She uh-she was a kind woman. Even with the villagers who often taunted her she never retaliated back at them. Not a single word.

When I was a child I wished she had answered them back, hoping they would stop but as I grew up I realized maybe ignoring it was for the best."

"Why would you say that?" he questioned her.

"Sometimes it's better to fade away than be prominent in the village to only hear things you don't want to. People can be very vile, Master Damien," came out her whispered words. Penny adjusted her dress while sitting back against the seat as she had come a little forward due to a b.u.mp on their path which one of the carriage's wheel hit. 

She realized how opposite she was in comparison to Damien. At the same time, he spoke, "People will speak no matter. Even you do disappear to nothingness people will continue to make rumored stories about you. That is how life is. Those are one of the disgusting creatures who have nothing else to do but make and throw garbage." 

As easy it was to be told, it was hard, thought Penny to herself. With her father gone, leaving only her mother and her, people never were kind. They had turned out to be the pair where the villagers liked gossiping about. Many times the market often refused to give them the minimal provision that was needed for their house to be run. Like food to eat and oil to burn through the lanterns to avoid bringing further darkness in their lives. 

"Have you ever had to experience something like that?" asked Penny to Damien who hummed in response before saying.

"Everyone goes through something similar. You look at me in surprise," chuckled Damien, "No matter how much money one has, people, will always have something to talk about. Be it the poor or rich. It doesn't matter to a lot in the crowd. Therefore I make sure they hear things first from my mouth such that it has turned in a way where I don't get good feedback over somethings which is unfortunate on rare occasions but who needs the silly donkey's opinion."

"A person who is rich has courage," Penny said which was a well-known fact. When it came to the poor and rich, a rich man had the courage to speak, unlike the poor who had no resources. 

"I would agree with that. Money is one form of power that can be swung around but that doesn't change the fact that you try to fade away in the background. Many times in life, you will find a lot of people who hate and despise you. For example this, little mouse. The reason might be as simple as this where they heard something that was pa.s.sed on to them. The people don't know you, have never conversed with you but will still hate you because of the source. They fail to take the opportunity of knowing the person and fall flat in the line of brainless and morons whom you shouldn't concern yourself with. But if their words bother you, don't hold back in replying back on what you have to say." 

"I didn't say it bothered me..." Penny replied to him defensively for him to give her a nod as if he believed. 

"Sure. I was only imparting some life thoughts. People who don't know you don't count to what you are. It is the people who know you by close distance. Measure from what they see you as because strangers should be the least of your concern," Damien didn't know the details but it wasn't hard for him to wonder about what the girl must have gone through, "There are other things which are of grave importance in life."

Villagers were often idiots making up things on a whim. They were the kind who jumped when someone pointed at a place, not even realizing there was no water in there. 

"Thank you," he heard her say looking at him, a small smile which she had managed for him to smile quirkly.

"So was your mother beautiful too?" asked Damien turning the conversation back from where it started. Penny felt her cheeks suddenly turn warm. Too? She had ignored at the mansion but this was the second him calling her beautiful or was she reading too much into his words?