My Next Life as the Neglected Daughter of the Grand Duke

Chapter 17

"Thank, Lady Irene," Mal said as she entered and her eyes wandered around the room, Irene knew she was probably checking for any sneak attacks or if anyone else is secretly here. "No one else is in the room, if your checking," Irene said as she poured some tea into 2 teacups.

"And please sit down," Irene gestured to the seat in front of her, "Oh...yes, don't mind if I do, thank you," Mal said politely, Mal then took a cup of tea and drank it, there was silence in the room, only small sipping noises and teacups sounds could be heard.

"How do you know I didn't poison the tea?" Irene suddenly asked Mal who had a blank expression on, "Why would poison the tea?" she asked back, "Your right, I have no motive," Irene responded.

The silence returned, Mal poured herself more tea, so did Irene.

"So you know I am an assassin," Mal said breaking the silence, "Yup," Irene gave a short response, "..." Mal sat there quietly, "Anything you want to know?" Mal asked. Irene sipped her tea, put it down on the table, and looked at her, "Yes, many actually," she responded.

Irene did in fact forgot everything about Mal and only remembered that she was loyal and an assassin, the real Irene was seen dumb in front of others, but she was not proclaimed a child prodigy for no reason. She was just blinded in jealously and rage, she was careless.

"Then what is it," Mal asked calmly like her cover was not blown, "What is your family's surname?" Irene asked, "Dryden, that's my family surname..." she replied. "Dryden? Are you guys a family full of assassins?" Mal nodded in response.

"We come from the west," Mal said as her eyes softened a bit, sounding like she was about to do some type of pitiful story, "Then why are you here Mal Dryden?" Irene asked with a stoic face. "For survival," Mal gave a short answer, "Your way of survival is to work with the Grand Duke's family as a maid?" Irene was confused about Mal's thinking.

"What is your plan, Mal?" Irene asked, "My family died," Mal suddenly dropped the bomb, silence was now back in the room, "And I survived, working in your family seemed to get me closer to my revenge, my family was murdered by a noble," Mal had explained with a blank face, but her eyes were on fire.

"Mal, did you enjoy the revenge?" Irene asked, she remembered an article she read about 1 year ago about how a noble had suicide, it was surprising, Irene never thought about it until now. It wasn't a suicide, the person who killed him was right here. The culprit was Mal.

"Yes I did," Mal replied with no hesitance, "Mal why did Baron Eaton kill your family?" Irene carefully and softly asked, "And if you killed him already, why are you still working here?" she asked another question once again.

"My family was hired by Baron Eaton, however, what he hired us for was something we could not do," Mal said, "What was it?" Irene asked curiously, "It was to assassin the Royal Family, my parents that it was absurd, and Baron didn't even have enough money to kill at least a noble family, so he was declined," Mal explained.

"He then thought we were mocking him, one night we were ambushed, my parents were killed in the fight, our house was burned down, I just ran like what they told me to do," Mal said sounding helpless, "I was just 13, then I came into the mansion when I was 16," Mal confessed everything.

Irene thought this was easier than she thought, "I see, and you got your revenge too," Irene looked at her as she talked, "The reason I am still here since my job is done and I don't have any purpose in life anymore," Mal abruptly said.

Mal had the perfect target, Baron Eaton was a debt, his business ruined by the Royal Family which gave him a reason to assassinate them, but that didn't work, and he was so angered in this situation, he probably felt like the world against him. Killed a family, got away with it, lived for some years.

Then Mal killed him, made it look like it was suicide, Baron Eaton already had mental problems before and he was deemed as depressed or something, so people thought he just ended it. Mal is pretty talented.

"I will give you a purpose," Irene said, Mal looked at her, "Be my shadow," Irene said pushing a contract towards her, "Shadow or maid, I will give your orders," she said, to Irene this was nothing, but Mal was touched.

"Thank you, I will!" Mal suddenly answered energetically and grabbed the contract, signed it without reading it. Irene was shocked by the sudden outburst, "It's nothing," Irene responded slightly shocked.

"By the way, I will talk to Ralph, he won't bother you anymore," Irene reassured. Mal was beyond thankful had a huge smile, she couldn't remain her cool appearance.

"If your curious where the others are, I sent Ralph, Elle, and Roxy to make me a dessert that was non-existence," Irene laughed.

"I will take my leave now, I will join them in the kitchen," Mal said smiling.

10 minutes had passed after Mal left and she came back with this?!

"What the hell is this?" Irene asked, pointed the plate in front of her that was just a white block, "You told us to make a Rice Cake, and we don't have rice unless we get it from the Eastern continent, and so we uh made whipping cream and shaped it into a cake," Ralph asked while was beside him, head down. Roxy asked, "What is a rice cake? Is it rice that is in a shape of a cake?" tilting her head.

"Uh no, um I don't know what it is either I just said two words and put them together," Irene explained, no way they would know about one of her favorite snacks, Irene knows herself she misses the food, she had. If rice was from the Eastern continent, would she get the food she likes there?

"What?!" Elle and Ralph both said, Roxy was just standing there laughing in pain, Irene didn't know. Mal was just standing giving Irene a 'you caused this,' face, she also looked tired. "Prank ya?" Irene said slowly and carefully.

"Irene Gracia..." Elle said, "Shit, she used the full name," Ralph suddenly said then quickly covered his mouth, Elle looked towards him, "Ralph Carter, language..." she said smiling, "Yes, ma'am" he replied.

Forget Lucas, Elle is definitely scarier, Irene thought to herself as she gulped. Even Roxy was scared, Irene looked towards Mal for help, 'nope, she is scary, sorry Lady,' that was written all over her face.

"SORRY!" Irene yelled. It was 30 minutes of scolding then Irene had to go to bed, and told Ralph to stay behind. Irene then exchanged glances with Mal and both nodded.

"Ralph," Irene said calmly, "Yes? Why did you tell me to stay behind?" Ralph asked curiously, "Mal is an assassin, she is a friend, no danger," Irene said like she was talking to a dog, "I- really, is she safe? Assassin? Is going to kill anyone in the family? As a knight from the Grand Duke's R-" Ralph was cut off.

"Do I need to repeat myself? She is fine, I talked to her, her loyalty to the Grand Duke is as much as yours, but her loyalty to me is bigger," Irene smiled as she explained.

"If you say so, good night Lady," Ralph said slipping out of her room, "Did I even said the conversation was over?" Irene said as the door closed, "Cheeky bastard," she mumbled to herself.

The night was quiet for Irene, for some reason Irene couldn't sleep, she looked around her room, tossed and turned nothing. Irene then got up from her bed and decided to go to the washroom.

"Where is the washroom again," she asked herself quietly as she walked around the Count's house, and then heard a voice.

"She is just 8?! Why is she getting blamed for a matter that she was never at fault for?" the Count's irritated voice was coming from a door that was opened a bit from Irene's left. Irene couldn't help but go near the door, in there was the Count's office with the Grand Duke.

Irene then overheard a conversation she was not supposed to hear.

~Author's Note~

I am here to tell you I posted a little teaser chapter or something for my new novel, "The Role of the Villainess" after this book end, that would be my next book, so you want more of my stuff, check it out!

- ANMU