ISTL CHAPTER 34

“Anderson Brienne Salon?”
“Yes. It’s a small salon, but—”
“Anais Brienne!”
Before Anais could finish her explanation, a familiar voice calling her name from a distance interrupted her. It was a mix of irritation and boredom, making it clear who it was even without seeing them.
Max was approaching. It seemed Roxanne had already left. Max’s expression looked rather surly from afar, though Anais couldn’t be certain. Perhaps he hadn’t been pleased with his conversation with Roxanne?
“Anyway, I’m opening a studio soon. Please visit before you return to Lawson, Mr. … um, I don’t know your name?”
Anais quickly added this to the man. She felt a sudden urge to send him away before Max arrived. Considering Max’s temperament, which often led to conflicts even with strangers, it was better to be cautious!
It seemed Anais wasn’t alone in thinking this. The man was already picking up his bag and strapping the painting portfolio to his back.
“Next time.”
“……?”
“I’ll tell you next time.”
Without revealing his name, the man promised to meet again and left.
Anais felt oddly deflated. As she was awkwardly processing the encounter, Max was already right in front of her.
“Anais Brienne.”
Anais feigned surprise at meeting him.
“Prince? I didn’t expect to see you here… Were you with Lady Bastian in the park?”
Max sneered in response to her ignorance.
“Do you think this is the palace?”
Anais gave a sheepish laugh in response to his query about her earlier mention of visiting the Queen Mother.
“That was so Lady Bastian could have some private time. I just made my exit.”
Max raised an eyebrow, a look he often had when he wanted to catch someone out.
“So, Anais, what are you doing here?”
“I was just taking care of a little errand.”
“What were you doing?”
Anais rolled her eyes.
“Well, I was supposed to meet someone here.”
“Someone? That man?”
Max pointed with his chin toward the retreating figure of the man in question, who had already moved quite a distance away.
“No, not him…”
Anais couldn’t exactly say, “He’s the one who saved me from almost being stung by a bee while I was spying on the prince.” So she opted for a vague explanation.
But for some reason, Max was insistent.
“Why did you stop talking?”
“Uh, well, he was just asking for directions, so I helped him out.”
“That doesn’t sound like it. Your conversation seemed quite lengthy.”
“That’s…”
Anais puffed her cheeks in frustration. Why am I even explaining this?
“You seem to have a lot of questions today, and you talk a lot too.”
“I’m just curious. It’s unusual to see someone so unguarded with a stranger.”
“Me?”
Max’s brow furrowed, as if trying to analyze her behavior.
“Smiling so openly at everyone… Hmph. Forget it.”
Max shut his mouth and turned his head away.
He had been momentarily dumbfounded when he saw the empty foliage after sending Roxanne away.
“Did I imagine it?”
He had clearly felt a presence. Realizing that she wasn’t there after all made him chuckle at his own foolishness. But then he saw Anais chatting animatedly with a stranger, her smile and laughter unmistakably her own.
She had vanished only to appear engaging with someone new… Max recalled the earlier encounter with a sense of irony.
Her tendency to be so open and friendly could easily attract someone like Joslain. Max considered advising her to be more cautious, but he refrained.
Standing in the middle of the park, scolding her like a guardian felt too out of place.
“Prince, why did you stop talking? I’m curious.”
“No, it’s nothing.”
“What’s the most annoying thing a person can do?”
“What?”
“When someone stops talking in the middle of a sentence!”
A weary sigh escaped Max’s lips.
“Our great advisor is annoyed? The countess’s daughter with a small salon now rivals the prince and will soon be speaking freely.”
“Are you really not going to tell me?”
Max let out a short sigh.
“Anais Brien.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t smile at just anyone.”
“What?!”
Anais’s eyes widened in shock at the unexpected remark. Max continued.
“Especially not like you did earlier. It makes you look naive.”
“Naive?! What are you talking about?”
Anais was indignant.
“I’m telling you this because it seems like you don’t realize it.”
“Naive, you say! That’s a bit much.”
“I’m only telling you this because it’s me. So you’d better appreciate it.”
“I’ve never been called naive in my life.”
“I didn’t say you were naive. I said you looked naive.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?!”
Anais grumbled as she started walking towards the main street, with Max following alongside. Still fuming, Anais continued.
“And you’re no saint yourself. You look incredibly sinister when you smile.”
“I know.”
“Hmph.”
“That’s why I don’t smile much. But Anais?”
“Yes?”
“What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?”
“Looking at me like that. Is something wrong?”
Anais snapped back to the present as Max’s voice interrupted her thoughts. She realized she’d been staring at him, and quickly averted her gaze.
“Oh, nothing. I was just thinking.”
“About what?”
“About what you said earlier. It’s strange, don’t you think?”
“What is?”
“Your view on love. It seemed so pessimistic.”
Max’s expression darkened slightly. He leaned back in the carriage, his gaze fixed on the dimming sky outside.
“Not everyone believes in everlasting love,” he said quietly.
“Is that so? But you seemed so sure about it when you spoke. It’s like you’re convinced it’s a fleeting illusion.”
“Maybe because it often is. People change, circumstances change. What seems eternal now can become fleeting in the blink of an eye.”
Anais pondered his words. They seemed to contradict the confident, somewhat carefree demeanor he showed in social settings.
“But isn’t it worth trying for? Even if it’s just for a few years, isn’t that enough?”
“That’s one way to look at it,” Max said, a hint of amusement in his voice. “But many would argue that it’s not worth the risk of potential heartbreak.”
The carriage rolled on in silence for a moment. Anais glanced at him, her curiosity piqued.
“What about you? Do you believe in lasting love?”
Max’s eyes met hers briefly before he looked away. “I’m not sure. I haven’t had much reason to believe in it myself.”
“Really? Even with your experiences and everything you’ve seen?”
“Perhaps because of them. Sometimes, the more you see, the more you doubt.”
Anais found herself sympathizing with his outlook. It was clear he had seen a lot, perhaps more than he let on.
“Well,” she said after a pause, “maybe you’ll change your mind someday.”
“Maybe. Or maybe not. I suppose only time will tell.”
The carriage came to a stop outside Anais’s residence. Max turned to her, his expression softening slightly.
“Here we are.”
“Thank you for the ride, and for… everything today.”
Max gave a small nod. “It was nothing. Just a bit of unexpected assistance.”
As Anais stepped out of the carriage, she felt a mix of relief and curiosity. There was something enigmatic about Max, something that made her want to understand him better.
“Goodnight, Max.”
“Goodnight, Anais.”
With that, Anais watched the carriage pull away, leaving her alone with her thoughts. The evening’s events replayed in her mind, particularly the unexpected depth of Max’s remarks.