"I should've raised her with more discipline."
The Grand Duke spoke with regret.
The little girl looked confused, "Go to your room," he said to her quite softly.
"Yes, papa."
Ingrid curtsied before leaving the room with her slamming the door quietly.
Trevor felt his fist trembling, "Father."
He said.
The Grand Duke threw his iconic sharp glare toward him, and Trevor froze.
"What nonsense do you have to spew today?"
He says.
Trevor gulped, "You did not raise Irene, that is why she turned out this way. Please don't state that you raised her when you did not."
He spoke to his father while he fixed his glasses.
The Grand Duke grumbled, "Now, you are objecting to my word!"
His loud voice boomed in the large room causing an echo.
The two brothers did not say anything, but they also couldn't stare at their father anymore.
Trevor froze up once again, "I'll be leaving now."
Then he left.
The Grand Duke stared at the other two boys in his room, "Leave."
Robert and Lucas left in a flash.
Irene walked slowly past many artworks hung on the wall, "He might be an ugly artwork, but his tastes aren't so bad."
Servants and maids bowed or greeted her.
Irene continued to walk and eventually, her pace began to pick up, Ingrid was close.
And when she reached the gates of the mansion, a voice called out for her.
"Um..big sister?"
Ingrid said with her hands clasped together behind her back.
Irene wanted to ignore her so badly, but she turned around.
"Call me Irene, we are not close as sisters we call each other that."
Ingrid seemed flustered.
"Oh...well, do you hate papa?"
She asks.
"Could you not ask the obvious?"
Irene said to her side-eyeing some tree near her, making her appearance uninterested.
"You are mean..."
Ingrid said devasted.
What did she expect? A good bond between me? She won't even see me in this house anyways...
"And I am also finished with this conversation of ours," Irene walking away while waving goodbye.
Ingrid stomped her feet, "Papa was right, you are no hope!"
She huffed and ran the opposite way.
"Yeah, I do have no hope in life."
Irene said hearing the little girl complaining even if she was running farther from Irene.
"What a loud child."
Irene turned her head, "Ralph?"
He smiled slightly, "It's me, haven't seen you in a while kiddo."
Irene's mood felt better, slightly. Only slightly.
"Aw, missed me? Come here, let's hug."
Irene walked past Ralph's welcoming arms, "No."
"You are too cold, Irene."
Ralph whined, he has not changed.
"Background information."
Irene asked, Ralph, looked confused.
"How am I supposed to know...?"
Mal appeared right away, Ralph had a fright and tripped then fell on the ground.
"Ingrid Gracia, daughter of a cousin from Grand Duke's side, her parents were recently killed in a horrible carriage crash and the Grand Duke took her in."
Mal stated the simple facts.
"Nothing suspicious about this child, ma'am."
Irene looked at Mal, "I am not suspecting her of anything, the only question I have is why did the Grand Duke take her in," she spoke.
"He hates kids and especially daughters, so why Ingrid?"
Irene pondered.
"I can't investigate his excellency, the master's thoughts..."
Mal said sadly, it seems like she is sulking.
"The story sounds oddly familiar..."
Mal's eyes lit up and went close to Irene to whisper something in her ear.
"Carriage incident, like the one you made me stop for the Count's family..."
Irene's eyes widened, "There's definitely a connection."
I will think this through at home, I want something cozy.
"Let's head back to my mansion, I have to return to school tomorrow,"
Irene said.
"Um...actually the Grand Duke had a call with the academy, you are off school for 5 more days," Ralph tells Irene.
"What."
Irene stopped her steps and turned her head to face his face.
"He wants you to spend time with...family?"
Ralph felt himself stopping saying that word.
"Him? Family? What's up with him these days..."
Irene rolled her eyes, "I can just avoid it anyways."
Ralph and Mal look at each other, "Uh...Irene, do you have a plan? Something with Ingrid?"
Mal asked curiously, she knows her lady.
Ingrid is obviously a threat, Irene has probably something in mind to stay this calm.
"Yes, I do."
Irene said with a relaxed smile.
"Oo...what is it?"
Ralph asked with excitement.
"Make her the new lady of the house," she smiled.
Ralph and Mal stopped.
"What? Are you planning to leave the family title or something?"
Ralph and Mal looked at Irene with concern.
"Did you guys forget I am engaged to the Crown Prince? Either way, she is bound to be the only lady in this family."
Irene relaxed them after mentioning that.
"Right right..."
Ralph laughed awkwardly.
"Do you know what we will be having for dinner tonight?"
Irene asked.
"Your loved dishes, of course."
Mal replied softly with a gentle face.
"But I don't have any favored dishes minus when it comes to desserts?"
Irene looked at Mal confused.
"Oh then, we prepared everything on the menu for you then?"
Mal said with a cheeky smile.
"What! Are you guys trying to make me die from eating too much?"
Irene laughed.
Eventually, they arrived home.
"Welcome home, my lady," Elle greeted Irene with an evil smile.
"Tonight, you must finish your dinner clean."
Irene's face dropped, "I did not want to come home to be punished, oh dear god."
She did finish the dinner.
And she did fall into a food coma.
Irene Gracia had passed out.
"Goodnight dear," Elle whispered before closing her room door.
"You made her eat all of that!"
Roxy said in shock.
"Yeah, I didn't expect her to finish it though..."
Elle was in shock as well.
"I am glad she is fine though even with the new lady in the family, Irene seems to be more relaxed than ever."
Roxy mentioned, Elle nodded and replied with a small 'yeah'.
Irene found herself rolling around in clouds or something super soft, she opened her eyes.
"Shit," Irene swore as she realized her surroundings were just white with clouds as the ground.
"I am not in heaven, however, in those cursing dreams."
Irene hated when she woke up in dreams, she has to have a conversation with someone.
"Hello? I know someone is there?"
Irene's voice echoed, "Hurry up, I don't have all day...I want to wake up!"
She called out, no response.
"Oh well."
Irene gave up and flopped down on the cloud.
"Oh, this is super soft!"
Irene said with joy.
"Is it, child?"
A mysterious dark voice suddenly spoke.
Irene jolted up, "Huh...?"
She looked around, but she couldn't spot a thing.
"W-who are you?"
She asked with her eyes scanning her surroundings.
"I am..."
Irene waited for the voice to continue.
"The God of Death."
Oh, this is the fucker who brought me here.
~Author's Note~
A discord server is much more harder to create than I expected...
- ANMU