Was there something interesting going on? The ladies near Anais also showed interest and began heading towards the anteroom. Anais found herself naturally swept along with them.
But as they pushed through the crowd, the atmosphere became increasingly unusual. People were whispering to one another in hushed tones or simply covering their mouths in shock—this didn’t seem like the reaction to some entertaining spectacle.
‘No way.’
A sense of unease that she had forgotten since arriving at the Armand estate slowly crept up Anais’s spine.
‘It can’t be, right? No, it won’t be.’
The expressions of those watching whatever was happening reminded Anais of Max.
“Your Highness, please don’t mind me and just do what you usually do.”
A cold sweat ran down her back. Could he have really taken those words literally…?
Anais felt a growing sense of urgency. Before she knew it, she was pushing her way to the front of the crowd, moving faster than those around her despite her small stature.
Please, please!
She hoped desperately that whatever was happening had nothing to do with Prince Max.
‘No matter what, he wouldn’t behave recklessly in a place where Lady Bastien might appear… right?’
As she anxiously made her way forward, Anais caught a glimpse of dark hair. Her mouth went dry. Finally, just as she reached the front of the crowd, she heard someone sigh in exasperation.
“Ha! I’d heard the rumors, but I never imagined it would be this bad.”
Someone spoke in disbelief.
When Anais finally reached the front, she was struck by the scene before her.
A middle-aged nobleman, his face filled with visible displeasure, was confronting someone.
“So this is why you were so confident? You stooped to such a low, despicable trick…”
And that someone, unfortunately, was Max.
“Count Joslain, how pitiful. The defeated should know when to stay silent.”
“…”
“If it were me, I’d drown myself in a bowl of dishwater rather than complain after the fact.”
“Watch your words.”
“If you lack skill, you should at least have some awareness. You truly have nothing going for you.”
“No matter that you’re a prince, I can’t tolerate any more of this insult.”
Count Joslain ground his teeth in frustration.
“I’m curious. What happens if you don’t tolerate it? When will that be, exactly? Care to give me a hint?”
“Ugh!”
Joslain trembled with rage at Max’s taunts. His face was flushed, and veins bulged on his forehead, a clear sign of how much he had been pushed.
“Let’s see how long you can maintain that arrogance, Your Highness!”
Despite Joslain’s best attempt at a threat, Max simply responded with a whistle.
Joslain, now completely beside himself with anger, clutched his neck as if he might collapse at any moment.
Finally, the Duke’s butler, unable to watch any longer, stepped in and guided him away, while the other nobles parted to let him through. Count Joslain hurried away as if fleeing the scene.
‘What on earth is going on here? Why was that gentleman so furious?’
Though Anais wasn’t sure of the details, it seemed there had been quite a confrontation.
Wait, Count Joslain? The name sounded familiar…
But she had no time to dwell on it because her attention was drawn to Max, who was calmly sipping his drink while watching Joslain’s retreating figure.
Max was perched on the edge of the billiard table, his expression serene, as if the confrontation with Joslain had never happened. He seemed utterly indifferent to the crowd that had gathered due to the commotion he had caused.
Despite being the apparent instigator, he looked anything but guilty. His arrogant demeanor even provoked some harsh criticisms from the onlookers.
But Max didn’t seem to care. He simply adjusted the cue stick on his shoulder, got into position, and lined up his shot.
With a sharp motion, he struck the ball.
Thwack!
The sharp sound of the cue striking the ball made everyone flinch. It was just a simple shot, but the noise seemed to carry an unspoken threat. The nobles, who hadn’t even received a single hostile glance from Max, were visibly intimidated, stepping back in fear.
You can feel it… You can definitely feel it…
The way his unpopularity was spreading like a contagious disease.
‘What’s the point of all the compliments I gave him earlier?’
Anais pressed her hand to her forehead. All the praise she had showered on Max at the tea party now seemed utterly pointless. She could only imagine how the men who had spent time with him in the private room today would go home and gossip about his arrogance.
At that moment, Max stood up, holding his glass.
With a swift movement, the nobles quickly averted their eyes and scattered, as if afraid to even meet his gaze. Watching them retreat to the party hall, Anais sighed and cautiously approached Max.
“Your Highness, what on earth happened? Why was Count Joslain so angry?”
“Nothing much. Just a little bet, you could say.”
One more “little” incident like this, and it could spell big trouble.
“How could you behave so recklessly at an event where even Lady Bastien might attend!”
If he weren’t a prince, the situation might not have ended with just a war of words. Anais shivered as she recalled Count Joslain’s menacing expression and stern warning.
Max, indifferent to her scolding, simply twirled his glass, appearing completely unbothered. Just as she was about to say something more, she noticed his subtle, intent gaze, which made her pause.
‘Why is he looking at me like that?’
Suddenly, she found herself at a loss for words.
Could this be the same Max Barbier who had just smiled like a devil? The stark contrast in his demeanor was unsettling, yet Anais couldn’t tear her eyes away from him.
As she stood there, stunned and at a loss for words, Max’s lips curled into a smirk.
“Did you sneak off to drink something stronger than tea? Your face is all red.”
“…!”
Anais hastily covered her cheeks, feeling the warmth spreading under her palms.
‘This is crazy. Why am I blushing?’
Was it because she was too nervous?
While she fumbled in confusion, Max casually exited the room. As she alternated between pressing her hand against her forehead and her palm to cool down, Anais attributed her flushed cheeks to the sunlight she had been under all day.
***
As the Grand Duchess’s aide, Anais was led to the table where the Duchess of Armand was seated. To her surprise, Max was already there. Anais’s eyes widened.
‘I thought he had left…’
She assumed he had disappeared from the room and left the party entirely. Yet here he was, arriving at the party hall even before she did. Feeling a bit touched, Anais let her gaze linger on him for a moment, but soon she swallowed her words as she understood the Duchess’s intention.
There was no way the Duchess was unaware of the commotion that had occurred in the private room earlier.
The Grand Duchess, who was already fed up with hearing about Max, sharing a table with him? It was clear she intended to keep a close watch on him, determined to prevent any further disturbances.
The pre-arranged course meal began to fill the table. The timing of the orchestra’s beautiful music was impeccable, but instead of being moved, Anais found it only added to her headache.
Anais chewed and chewed the meat she had placed in her mouth, afraid that swallowing it too quickly might cause her to choke. Despite the tenderness of the meat that melted as soon as it touched her tongue, she found it difficult to swallow.
“It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“It has been some time, Your Grace.”
“The Third Prince remains unchanged.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“…Did you take that as a compliment?”
Caught between the two, Anais quietly set down her cutlery, trying not to reveal her trembling hands.
“When attending a party uninvited, shouldn’t you at least make an effort to appear courteous?”
“Effort is something one makes when there’s a purpose…”
Max popped a piece of meat into his mouth and smiled.
“So, are you suggesting that I should make an effort to please Your Grace?”
“Don’t misunderstand me.”
Max let out a small chuckle at her response. After neatly swallowing the meat, he tilted his head as he looked at the Duchess.
“Do you think it was a misunderstanding?”
