Engagement With The Next Duke Blue

"Happy birthday, little Avy!" Duchess Blue immediately walked her way towards me. The next thing I know is when she carried me in her arms, kissed me, and greeted me. She turned to Hana who's beside me earlier and pinched her cheeks. This woman really likes kids.

"I know you love to have a daughter, wife. But don't be like that to Hana and Avy here. You can't simply carry a child in your arms without her parents' permission." I turned my attention to Duke Blue, who I never knew was already here beside the duchess. He's fast. He thought his wife would be creating a scene, so he followed her right away. This couple is so cute.

"Why not? Hana is my niece, and Avy is my son's fiancee," the duchess retorted. Fiancee! I thought my mom didn't agree to this! I looked at my father and brothers, who were just about to protest, but stopped by Mom. She stopped them, telling them that it wasn't time to protest today. My mom still smiled at them, but I can see her hands clenched.

"Watch your words, wife. Look around you," said Duke Blue to his wife. Duchess Blue watched my family's reaction to what she just said. My father and brothers already have a dark aura surrounding them. My mom is bone-chillingly smiling at them. Duchess Blue just laughed at them. This duchess really has some guts.

"You know already that I was just joking, right? And besides, Duchess Red already disagreed with me. But I never said I'm giving up." She laughed so hard as she said that. Her manners are very unlady-like, but she's definitely cool for me. The dark aura surrounding my family intensifies even more. You really had fun teasing the Reds, weren't you, Duchess?

Then she lowered her head and whispered something to her son that I clearly heard. "The path you're going to take is going to be dangerous, son. You have a lot of mountains to climb. Good luck, son." I let out a huge, burdened sigh. That was really unnecessary. If you could only feel the world I'm carrying right now, it was really heavy, duchess. Don't encourage him!

I was startled when the mother and son suddenly looked at me. I saw the duchess grinning at her son, who was furiously blushing. Did this really happen in the past? If I knew that this was his reaction when he was a kid, I would have teased him before I was executed.

"You're so cute, Avy. I want to bring you home with Hana," the duchess said, pinching my cheeks. I cringed at the pain. Ow! It hurts! Hana looked at me with the same look I have. Hana, I feel you too.

"Lower your voice, Hennessy. The nobles here have ears too. The engagement between Jake and Avy should have been discussed at Avy's coming-of-age, right? It was what we agreed with the Reds." The duke shushed her wife. The duchess's name is Hennessy? A liquor brand again. What did I tell you guys? I laughed at my own silliness.

It never crossed my mind that these people have a tradition of arranging marriages between two families. The coming-of-age here is 18 years old, from what I got from the former Avyana's memories. I still have 17 more years to plan for making this engagement never push through.

"I know we agreed with that arrangement, but if my daughter likes someone, the engagement will never push through," said my mom, whom I didn't realize followed the Blues here. I would be lying if I said I was not moved by her words. That really means to me.

"Yes, I know, Alice. I'm planning to make Avy and Jack close so they could create a bond. Avy will come to like Jack. It's not an issue for Jack here because he's been staring at your daughter since I approached her." I looked at the duchess, who looked at his son like she's teasing him. Tch. You're wrong, Duchess. He's staring at me because he has angry issues with me. That brat!

"Don't expose your son, Hennessy. Look at him embarrassed." Instead of helping his son, the duke teases him more. Poor, boy. I looked down at the boy who stood between his father and mother, and I was surprised when our eyes met. He started to turn red again when he realized that we were staring at each other. I just realized that I was just being silly and accusing him of being angry with me. I couldn't even think of any reason for him to get angry with me. So, does that mean he likes me? I slapped myself. Stop being delusional. It doesn't seem to be like that. Maybe he has a fever.

"Jack, don't be rude. Introduce yourself to this young lady." I heard the duchess reprimand his son. I saw him step forward, even if his face was red, and slightly bow his head. Hehe! I couldn't deny that he's cute.

"Happy birthday, Lady Avyana Red. I'm Jack Daniel Blue. It was a pleasure to meet you." He looked at me, his face still red. It made my heart race. Darn! I really can't resist this cute boy, who was a bastard in the past.

"Ahm(I'm) Yana. Thank you fow coming to mah (my) biwday(birthday)." I said, struggling to speak. He was redder even more and I'm starting to worry about his red face.

"Awe you ohkay?" I was worried that this handso—I mean, this boy is sick. I touched his red face and he stiffened. His breathing quickened, and I knew he was probably ashamed.

"I'm fine, just a little flustered," he said with a slight smile. I couldn't help but feel a rush of affection for him, despite the things he had done before.

The next thing I knew, I was flooded with kisses from Duchess Blue.

"You're so cute, Avy. Can I bring you home, please?" After she said that, I turned my attention to my father, who's now beside my mother, and faked a cough to catch their attention. That's right, dad. Take me away from this woman, please. I silently whined, but I hope my father noticed it.

"I think my little Avy wants me to carry her. Do you mind if I get my daughter back?" my dad said with a kind smile, yet holds a threat. I felt like he was about to burst because he'd endured his feelings for a while now. He didn't like to share me with my brothers; what more with other people?

I was immediately carried back to my father. I felt his grip on me tighten. "I think it's time for my daughter to rest. She's tired," my father said with a tenacious look. No one can say no to that. I just heard the Blues chuckled. I and my father started to walk away from the crowd and into my room. I know that it's rude of us to leave early, but who could oppose the great Duke Red? Hoho! This is a kind of advantage for me. I won't be bullied by the other nobles.

Just as we went a little far from our function hall, the big doors suddenly opened, and it made my father stop walking. We turned to see the new guests.

"His Majesty, King Gold, Her Majesty, Queen Gold, and the royal princes and princesses of Kulay Empire."

The second bastard in the past is here.