Prologue
“Anais Brienne.”
A thick-knuckled finger rubbed his brow, revealing his discomfort.
Why does that sinful man still look so handsome even when he frowns? Despite his forehead narrowing in irritation, Anais stared blankly at his appearance.
“You agreed to the matchmaking?”
“What? Oh, yes. Since Her Majesty the Queen Dowager personally arranged it, it wouldn’t be polite to refuse her favour…”
“You seem really excited. Are you happy?”
She tried to hide the fact that she was momentarily lost in his looks and answered with as much spirit as she could muster. However, as her response continued, his brightening smile made her trail off. What is going on here?
“…”
He didn’t seem to be in a good mood. Although Anais had been assisting him closely for several months, she still couldn’t read his mind. What did I do wrong?
“So, you did all this just to meet a man, not for my sake?”
That wasn’t entirely true, but as he concluded and asked, she found it difficult to come up with a proper response.
“That won’t do. Not like this.”
“W-what are you talking about…?”
As Anais rolled her eyes, trying to find a way out of the situation, he smirked as if he knew everything.
“The commission is void.”
“What?”
“Everything you’ve done so far has been for nothing.”
Anais, not understanding what he was talking about, stared blankly at his lips.
“I don’t understand why you’d go through all this trouble when there was an easier way. Anyway, start over. From the beginning. I broke up with Roxanne.”
Anais stood up abruptly. Then what about my title? My success fee?
“Why? When did this happen?”
“Just now.”
Max Barbier’s face looked immensely relieved as he said this.
Chapter 1
“Hmm.”
As the uncomfortable hum dropped like a rock, the maids all bowed their heads in unison. Since the mood of the Barbier family’s highest elder, Queen Dowager Elise, had been sour from the start of the day, some of the maids were trembling.
The face that usually appeared so warm and kind had turned as hard as ice, making it doubly harsh, and everyone held their breath.
Chief maid Parama gently gathered her flowing hair from her waist, then applied primrose oil and combed it down. Her touch was incredibly cautious.
“Let’s go to Max.”
As soon as her hair was done, a voice as sharp as a blade fell. When the chief maid waved her hand, the maids scattered.
The gaze of a maid following the Queen Dowager briefly lingered on the side table.
It was an invitation to the wedding of some noble family’s son and another noble family’s daughter.
****
Bang!
The person who would most detest the act of opening a door without knocking in the esteemed royal household was none other than Queen Dowager Elise.
“Where is that brat?”
Although that was her usual stance, this noble woman had no time to be concerned with such matters right now.
She looked desolately at the empty room of the third prince of the Barbier family. Then, her narrowed eyes sternly swept across every corner of the room.
The chilly air without a trace of human warmth, the stiff, crisply starched bed linens without a single wrinkle.
The invitation on the tea table, likely untouched by anyone since last evening…
Another night out!
Feeling a surge of heat, Elise grasped her neck and staggered. Someone hurriedly came to support her from behind.
“Parama. Bring the morning paper. I need to see with my own eyes what antics he got up to overnight.”
Squeezing her eyes shut and pressing her temples, she irritably extended her hand, and the rolled-up morning paper was immediately presented to her.
As Elise examined every detail on the front page of the tabloid, her face darkened by the second. As she turned the page and skimmed the headline, a hand grasped her shoulder.
Was Parama’s hand always this big?
As Elise examined every detail on the front page of the tabloid, her face darkened by the second. As she turned the page and skimmed the headline, a hand grasped her shoulder.
Was Parama’s hand always this big?
“You seem very tense. Haven’t been sleeping well lately?”
“Because of that brat, I haven’t been able to sleep… Huh?”
At the sound of a firm, low voice that couldn’t belong to Parama, Elise quickly turned around. The first thing that caught her eye was a broad chest.
Looking further up, she saw a handsome man smiling. His shiny black hair, like hers, was slicked back as he grinned, making her head spin.
“Max Charlotte Barbier!”
By sharply pronouncing his full name, Elise revealed her displeasure. Max, however, continued to smile.
He stroked her shoulder and kissed her cheek lightly.
“I didn’t do anything that would make the papers, so don’t worry, Grandmother.”
Elise quickly examined her youngest grandchild’s appearance.
“Where exactly have you been wandering off to? I heard from Count Vargas that it’s been hard to even see your hair in class lately. It took half a day to convince your teacher not to quit.”
“The count has become quite the exaggerator in his old age. He’s also become more tearful.”
“Are you saying that for my benefit?”
Max raised his eyebrows playfully, causing another surge of heat within Elise.
“Is it true you called the count a relic?”
“Yes.”
“Yes?”
As Elise’s upper lip quivered in anger, Max quickly added, “Given his age.”
“You mean to say you’re too old for private tutoring?”
Cutting off her grandson, she glanced at the maids lined up and lowered her voice.
“Oh, Max. If you hadn’t been put on indefinite suspension for failing to meet the minimum credits at the academy, that wouldn’t have been necessary.”
Max clamped his mouth shut.
“They call it an indefinite suspension, but if you weren’t royalty, it would have been…”
Expulsion, you brat!
She still vividly remembered the determined expression of Principal Cedric, who had come to request an audience after much consideration.
When he presented a stack of documents titled “Prince Max’s Problematic Behavior” with such preparedness, Elise thought:
‘The time has come.’
She had to reach a mutual agreement with Max, where he would withdraw voluntarily. It was a decision to at least preserve the honour of the royal family.
Anyway, after that, Count Vargas had been responsible for Max’s education until now.
“Heartless boy. Watch what you say. Don’t you feel sorry for Vargas? Why do you torment him so? He’s only forty, but he has more gray hair than I do.”
“Is that because of me?”
“Isn’t it?”
Elise looked at Max with an expression of exasperation as he shrugged nonchalantly.
“You claim you didn’t do anything to make the papers, but look for yourself!”
Elise folded the morning paper she was holding and thrust it at Max’s chest.
There was no need to look closely. Max’s name was prominently displayed.
[Number1. Max Barbier, Third Prince]
Number 1? Surprise flickered across his usually calm blue eyes. Max immediately read the headline above it: “We asked 10,000 Barbier women…”
[The Worst Husband Candidate]
“…”
“There’s more below.”
Max read the next headline.
[The Gentleman Most Desired for a Date This Social Season]
1st: Quentin Barbier, Crown Prince
2nd: Camille Descente, Count
3rd: Alain Margiela, Viscount
·
·
·
50th: Rodrigues, Captain of the Guard
Outside the top rankings, the baron Paulo Jun (5.7%), Count Jean-Paul (3.91%), and Max Barbier, the Third Prince (1.68%) received a small percentage of votes.
“……”
Max silently folded the morning paper and placed it back on the tea table. A survey targeting men was briefly visible.
Under the headline “Who is the Top Barbier Woman?” only the name “Roxanne de Bastian” was prominently listed.
Fortunately, the cruel practice of listing rankings down to the decimal point seemed to apply only to men.
Max clicked his tongue softly, and Elise, as if waiting for this moment, fluttered an envelope in front of him.
“What do you think this is?”
“A new ill-fated couple is about to form.”
“Even that rascal from the Descente family, who used to hang out with you, is getting married. Good grief. What makes you worse than Camille?”
Elise threw Camille Descente’s wedding invitation onto the morning paper.
To be labelled the worst husband candidate. Forget finding out who planned such a damnable survey; the fact that my grandson is number one!
Elise anxiously clasped her hands together. Considering the situation, there’s no need to worry about the crown prince, but if things continue like this…
‘He’ll end up a confirmed bachelor.’
If Queen Charlotte, who passed away due to illness, were to see this, she would rise from her grave in shock.
This cannot happen. Absolutely not.
Didn’t I promise? To take good care of my daughter-in-law’s three sons until the end!
Elise’s expression grew stern.
“Max, I hope you understand how crucial this time is for you.”
“Are there any moments in life that aren’t important?”
“Look at your second brother, who has married, received a title, and has become independent. He has children like little rabbits and is happy.”
“Shouldn’t we consider Jacques’ perspective as well?”
“Max.”
“Grandmother.”
“……”
“Why don’t you go for a walk or attend a play occasionally?”
“Are you telling me not to be obsessed with you?”
Seeing his smirk and his refusal to deny it, Elise’s forehead reddened with anger.
He was once a smart child who had garnered much hope. When did things start going wrong? Yet, despite clicking her tongue, Elise’s gaze toward her wayward youngest grandson was gentle.
‘In this royal family, who else is there to look after this brat?’
Even though she disliked it, it was absurd to think otherwise. In order to achieve proper independence, it was the royal custom to marry, and she had no intention of allowing her grandson to become an exception.
The Empress Dowager was fueled by her resolve. The moment only one goal settled in her mind:
This child must be married off, no matter what.
