Chapter 47: Unexpected Treasure

Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Unexpected Treasure

"Treasure!"

"There is treasure!"

Penelope abruptly stopped in the middle of collecting luxury watches.

Her eyes widened.

Treasure?

Immediately, images flashed through her mind.

Gold bars.

Diamonds.

Rubies.

Emeralds.

Sapphires.

Jade.

Silver.

High-grade crystals.

Her heart started pounding.

Ever since Oddy had informed her that the next upgrade for her space required precious metals and gemstones, she’d been secretly worrying about where she would gather them.

The amount wasn’t astronomical, but it certainly wasn’t small either.

She had originally planned to slowly collect them after the apocalypse began.

Yet...

Oddy had discovered treasure?

"Master!"

"Treasure!"

"Shiny treasure!"

Inside her consciousness, Oddy’s voice sounded unusually excited.

Penelope swallowed.

Could it really be what she thought?

Her eyes unconsciously brightened.

Meanwhile, Kai, who knew that expression better than anyone, narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

"Benny."

Ben: "Hm?"

Kai: "Look at Penny."

Ben turned his head and blinked.

"...Why does she look like she won the lottery?"

Kai lowered his voice and corrected. "No. That’s not the lottery face. That’s the money face."

Ben almost burst out laughing.

"The money face?"

Kai nodded solemnly.

"The richer the treasure, the brighter her eyes."

As if sensing their stares, Penelope turned around.

"My Spidey senses are tingly, I believe we found treasure."

Silence.

Erik said amusingly "I see. We can’t keep our spider-girl waiting."

Kai’s eyes lit up.

"What treasures have you sensed? Could it be gold?"

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Could it be cosmetics?"

Erik thought for a moment. "Perhaps, is it medicine?"

Oddy’s proud voice sounded in her head.

"Shiny!"

"Treasure!"

Penelope’s breathing quickened.

"I spy with my amber eyes something shiny." Penelope cheered.

Kai: "...That sounded cooler in your head, didn’t it?"

Penelope: "...Yes."

As expected of his dear Penny!

Kai immediately rubbed his hands together excitedly.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go treasure hunting"

Ben chuckled.

"Listen to yourself."

"You sound like a pirate."

Kai snorted.

"We are civilized pirates."

Penelope nodded seriously.

"Exactly."

Ben laughed.

"I don’t think those two words belong in the same sentence."

Erik silently stared at the three younger siblings and decided to join in on the fun. With a deadpan face, he closed one eye and said in a leprechaun like voice "where’s me pot of gold?"

Penelope, Kai and Ben all stared at him.

"Who am I?" Penelope asked out loud.

"Where am I?" Kai followed up with.

"What am I?" Ben said.

Penelope smiled and said "Let’s go find our pot of gold." as she grabbed Erik’s wrist and pulled him towards the designated floor.

Sometimes, Erik genuinely wondered how he had ended up raising three children instead of two. This was the last time he tried to behave like them.

Oddy’s excited voice echoed inside Penelope’s consciousness.

’Master! This way!’

Without wasting another second, Penelope followed Oddy’s directions, guiding Kai, Erik, and Ben behind her.

Escalators.

Fourth floor.

The empty mall remained eerily quiet.

Bodies lay asleep on benches.

Some people had collapsed beside restaurants.

Others were still sitting at tables, their unfinished meals untouched.

Yet despite the strange atmosphere, none of the four felt afraid.

Perhaps because they had one another.

Or perhaps because Penelope’s excitement was simply too infectious.

Kai and Ben walked side by side.

"Benny."

"Hm?"

"Should we have treasure hunting music?"

Ben raised an eyebrow.

"What kind?"

"Indiana Jones? No, maybe something from ’The Mummy’ soundtrack."

Without hesitation, Ben immediately began humming.

"Dun dun dun duuuuun—"

Kai happily joined in.

"Dun dun dun duuuuun—"

Erik’s forehead twitched.

"You two are thirty seconds away from being left behind."

Kai grinned shamelessly.

"You wouldn’t dare."

Ben nodded seriously.

"Yes, you couldn’t afford the consequences of leaving us behind."

Penelope couldn’t help laughing.

The four soon arrived at their destination.

Everyone froze.

"..."

"..."

"..."

Kai blinked.

"A jewelry store?"

Ben scratched his cheek.

"Well..."

"I suppose shiny treasure makes sense."

Even Erik’s expression softened.

Inside the luxurious store, rows of necklaces, bracelets, rings and expensive watches sparkled beneath the lights.

Diamonds reflected dazzling brilliance.

Sapphires gleamed with deep blue hues.

Emeralds shone with vibrant green colors.

Penelope’s eyes transformed into stars.

Jackpot!

As expected of her Oddy!

He truly deserved all the sunflower seeds in the world.

"Good job, Oddy!"

Inside her consciousness, Oddy’s tone became smug.

"Two energy stones"

Penelope laughed.

"Okay."

"Two."

Penelope gasped dramatically.

"Capitalist."

Oddy: "No."

"Greedy admin."

Oddy immediately protested. "No greedy! But hard working admin! Treasure admin!"

Penelope snickered as she bantered with the admin in her mind.

Meanwhile, Penelope entered the jewelry store with sparkling eyes.

Necklaces.

Gone.

Bracelets.

Gone.

Diamond earrings.

Gone.

Luxury watches.

Gone.

Gold chains.

Gone.

Entire display shelves disappeared into her space.

Kai whistled.

"Penny."

"Hm?"

"Tell me honestly."

"Are you secretly a dragon?"

Without looking up, Penelope answered seriously.

"Not a dragon, a phoenix wielder."

Ben laughed helplessly.

"Why did you think of a dragon?"

"Only dragons love shiny things this much." Kai shrugged.

"No." Penelope corrected solemnly.

"Phoenix do too. They love golden caves the most." she responded as she stored the last of the treasures.

Kai and Ben simultaneously glanced around the completely emptied jewelry store.

"..."

"..."

Neither brother spoke.

Some things were better left unsaid.

Even Erik shook his head helplessly.

However, a faint smile tugged at his lips.

Seeing Penelope so happy made him feel strangely relieved.

Ever since the red sky appeared, he had unconsciously worried.

Not because he doubted his sister.

But because he feared she was forcing herself to remain strong for everyone.

Yet seeing her eyes shine so brightly...

He finally relaxed.

His little sister was still his little sister.

Meanwhile, Penelope happily collected the last display case.

A sapphire necklace caught her attention.

For a moment, she froze.

In her previous life, she had owned countless things more expensive than this.

Luxury brands.

Designer handbags.

Custom jewelry.

Limited-edition watches.

Yet after cancer...

None of it had mattered.

In the end, all she wanted was more time.

More time with her parents.

More time with her friends.

More time to live.

Her eyes softened.

"Mom would’ve liked these."

Erik, who happened to hear her, gently rubbed her head.

"Then take everything."

Penelope blinked.

Then smiled.

"Okay."

She obediently waved her hand and emptied another display.

Suddenly—

Oddy exploded.

"NO!"

Penelope jumped and startled Kai, Erik, and Ben.

Kai nearly dropped a tray of watches.

Ben stared.

Even Erik frowned.

Penelope blinked.

"What do you mean no?" she asked Oddy mentally.

Oddy’s voice became increasingly frantic.

"Not treasure!"

"Not real treasure!"

Penelope froze.

Not treasure?

Then what had they just robbed?

Oddy’s voice rose in indignation.

"Small treasure!"

"Hidden treasure!"

"Sleeping treasure!"

The atmosphere instantly changed around Penelope.

Kai’s smile slowly disappeared. "Is everything alright?"

Ben’s expression became serious. "Are you okay?"

Even Erik narrowed his eyes. "What’s wrong?"

Sleeping?

Living?

Oddy’s tone became offended.

"Master!"

"Quick!"

"Little treasure!"

"Hidden!"

"Down!"

"Secret place!"

"I sense...a hidden treasure" Penelope said quietly.

Kai swallowed.

"Uh..."

"Please tell me we’re not hunting ghosts."

Ben rubbed his arms.

"Brother Kai."

"Hm?"

"I think now is an appropriate time to be scared."

For once, Kai nodded.

"I agree."

Meanwhile, Penelope’s eyes had become serious.

Because Oddy had never been wrong.

Never.

And if he called it a treasure...

Then it had to be something precious.

"Master."

"Save treasure."

Penelope’s expression froze.

Save?

The smile on her face slowly vanished.

Without another word, she looked toward her brothers. "It seems...our treasure is something alive..."

And for the first time since entering the mall, the playful atmosphere disappeared.

Because all four of them understood.

Whatever Penny had found...

It wasn’t gold.

It wasn’t diamonds.

And it wasn’t jewelry.

It was alive.