My Next Life as the Neglected Daughter of the Grand Duke

Chapter 10

She was more relaxed?

Nope, she was more stressed. The rest of the day Irene was thinking, very deep in her thoughts, even her facial expression shows no emotions. She has waves of emotions in her mind, she either had to choose to go with the engagement like 'the timeline' or go-between his decision...the Grand Duke's.

FUCK NO, she was not a badass like the other female leads in the web novels, she still had the emotional fear inside of her. Irene made herself clear once she stepped into this world, she does not want to die.

I guess I could go with the Grand Duke's decision whether he makes it or not since the story plot already changed, divorce Josiah before Alice comes, she thought. (And who do you think you are trying to do that? Heh)

Suddenly plans and ideas popped into her head, she could either avoid the Crown Prince or get on friendly terms with him. But if he ends up liking Alice, step away, but if he doesn't...no-no that's not possible...wait it could be, the other web novels of reincarnations always end like that, in her thoughts.

The MCs always had the plan of putting their selves after the "main character" of the original story but ends up just being the main character without realizing it. Then the original main character always the real villain or villainess.

Irene is not putting herself after Alice, maybe Alice is an ass since she did ruin someone's life, by accident or not, she should have realized. Never trust any characters here. Irene finally made a choice.

ONE YEAR LATER (heh...wanna see hubby)

It's Irene's eighth birthday, she should be stressed, but she isn't. How can she? Irene is right now surrounded by desserts and the whole mansion was relaxing, the day was good. But the present the Grand Duke and his sons' sent was even better. Gave her a longsword, it was in her color, it matched her eyes. She was glad they made her journey as powerful swordsmanship, and her mana, she was told by Ralph was quite strong. She had stable mana, it was not overly powerful, but it wasn't normal nor weak.

Her studies about spirits only brought her no here. (More like I don't have any knowledge on this subject, but I will try) Where in the world where she finds an elemental spirit, Irene had her mindset on one spirit. Undine, the Elemental of Water, when Diana had her elementals, she trusted Undines the most, and they were reliable.

Irene was quite happy with how the day turned out and hopes the rest of the day stays this way.

She spoke too early.

"U-um, Lady Irene, the Grand Duke w-wants to see you...at his office," said Jared the Butler, I looked at him and dropped my teacup. "Say what..." I looked at him, as hot tea was dripping down my hands.

"Lady Irene!" Elle rushed to her cleaning her up, Irene apologized, as she stares at Jared in shock. Irene's mind was in a panic.

There is no way, he is going to tell me that I am going to be engaged to the Crown Prince right, Irene thought.

Yeah, no way, the engagement was 2 months after Irene's birthday, Irene was quite confident. But deep inside she felt something wrong.

"You are going to get engaged with the Crown Prince," the Grand Duke said calmly with a cold gaze.

Fuck

"Wait wait, what?" Lucas checking if he heard right, "I am not repeating myself, you heard what you heard," the Grand Duke responded. "Okay then," then all gazes turned to the product of the voice, the one, and only Irene Gracia. She had no emotions in her voice or any present in her face.

She was very calm, that is what people will say if they saw her. NOPE, it felt like a bomb was just lit in her body and was about to explode in any second. It's what nobles must do, keeping composure was easy for Irene at this point.

"Interesting! This is interesting!" Lucas shouted happily, but quiet down after realizing he was still in his father's office. "No objections?" Grand Duke asked, every just nodded their head, it was an order from the Emperor himself and the Grand Duke was basically the right-hand man of his majesty.

2 months, 2 fucking months earlier, what did you expect? You acted differently with the Crown Prince and became friends with his sister.

Irene was in frustration.

Her choice was to be respectful and have a decent relationship with the Crown Prince, and if he wants another person steps away. Irene was not going down too easily.

Alice...is coming in 5 years. Irene could be in this kind of relationship with her family or win them before Alice comes.

Irene then subconsciously gripped on her dress when she was thinking. Irene has decided to not step down, who cares if she is the heroine, Irene right now is in this story and if things go wrong, she might die. This was not a selfish move. Irene wanted to live.

While she was eating dinner back in her mansion, Elle and Ralph heard of the news, so did the other workers. The home was silent. Irene was fine with this, she just enjoyed her meal as she was thinking of ways to having a decent relationship with both, Crown Prince and her family.

Suddenly something interrupted her thoughts, "Are you really going to get engaged to the Crown Prince?" Ralph asked. Irene looked serious and replied without any hesitation. "Yes, of course, it was an order from his highness," Elle who had been quiet, finally spoke up.

"Is that what you want?"

That question echoed in Irene's mind, what I want? Does anyone know what I want? I want to survive in this horrid world and then lack off for the rest of my life, live my life to the fullest.

No shit this isn't what Irene, no Cha-hee had planned for her life, but here she was. She then answered, "Yeah," Elle just nodded and that was it. The whole day.

ONE WEEK LATER

"Is this your first time in the Capital?" Elijah asked (the Grand Duke's name y'all) Irene turned to him and happily responded, "Yes, it's so loud and exciting, there is joy everywhere," Robert nodded in agreement.

If you are confused where they are, well, they are in a carriage and on their way to meet his Majesty, Alistair Benjamin Alden, the father of Josiah and Sasha. First of all, let me make this clear, they are not a toxic family, and his Highness is taken. This isn't a single Emperor like those web novels.

The Royal Family was quite non-toxic, well when it's not something about Alice or Irene. Her Empress, Beatrice Gwyneth Alden is their mother and she is gentle and understanding, but scary too. The Emperor liked Irene, but her evil deeds were exposed and lost his favor eventually. The Emperor was strict, caring, and smart, not those evil Emperors and stuff.

The male lead does not have any trauma, but he is smarter than his age like Trevor and they are both 10 now. Very talented boys.

"Aren't you excited?" Lucas asked, "Yeah," Irene responded and couldn't help but admire the city or the Capital. She was in envy of those kids who were laughing and playing freely around the markets. But this is the life of a noble's daughter and I have money, Irene was in the glee of joy thinking about money.

The carriage ride was suffocating, it was so awkward and very silent when they finally arrive Irene was so glad.

Now they are in the steps of the palace. She meeting Sasha and Josiah after 2 years, this is going to be interesting.

They went in.

~Author's Note~

YES, I POSTED TODAY YAY, people actually like this story, shocking. Sorry for the bad chapter and the GRAMMAR.

SHORT CHAPTER, I WILL WRITE A LONGER ONE NEXT TIME, SORRYYYYYY

Anyways 1315 words!

- AMU