ISTL CHAPTER 22

Of course, Maison Plenay was the most renowned coffee house in the capital. But had there ever been such an occurrence since he started working here?

It was unusual for a gentleman to come and buy up a significant amount of crêpes and mille-feuilles. Especially when that gentleman was the notoriously controversial youngest prince, Max.

And now, Roxane de Bastian, a cherished regular customer, was at risk of leaving empty-handed because of him. It was strange, given that her last visit was just three days ago, and she usually visited every other week. This too was an unexpected development.

The situation in the hall was no less perplexing.

‘What’s going on…’

The woman seated near the Benjamin tree had been peering around, frequently glancing through holes she had made in her newspaper.

‘Should I tell her she’s holding the newspaper upside down?’

The server briefly considered this but decided against it. From his extensive experience, he suspected she might be here to catch a glimpse of a husband or fiancé’s infidelity. It was best to stay out of personal matters between men and women.

‘Then, is that person with her?’

The server’s gaze drifted to a corner of the hall. An elderly woman with a wide-brimmed bonnet pulled down low was hiding her face behind a fan adorned with feathers.

It was all quite strange.

Just then, Roxane’s maid approached the server who was busy with the dessert packaging.

“Excuse me. Who is it that bought up all the desserts without leaving any for our lady?”

“Pardon? It’s the gentleman sitting over there…”

The maid pressed for details, and the server, with a distressed expression, pointed in the direction. The gaze landed on Max III, sitting calmly with his legs crossed, seemingly oblivious to the commotion around him.

***

Max adjusted his position, directing his gaze toward the Benjamin tree and the corner of the hall. He then moved his chair and stood up, letting out what might have been a sigh.

Anaïs, startled by Max’s sudden attention, began to sweat nervously. Following his gaze toward the corner, she caught her breath.

‘The Dowager Queen?!’

Roxane de Bastian, despite her simple attire, was unmistakably the Dowager Queen Elise. Her upright posture, the unusually large fan she held, and the dazzling emerald ring on her finger all made it clear.

‘You said you were too tired to come! And that you trusted everything would go well!’

It seemed she was indeed curious about how well Prince Max would perform. The thought of how this operation had been disparaged in the past brought back memories for Anaïs, who clenched her fists in determination.

This is good, Your Highness! Let’s show Her Majesty the Dowager Queen just how well you can do!

“Lady seems to be in trouble. What’s the matter?”

“She’s a regular visitor to our coffee house every other week. She always buys the desserts we have, but it seems we’ve run out…”

“Oh dear. It looks like she’s come a long way only to leave empty-handed.”

Max spoke with apparent sympathy and faced Roxane. Her eyes narrowed for a moment, uncertain of who he was.

Max’s striking blue eyes didn’t linger long on her, even though many still stared at Roxane. He simply expressed his regrets and handed a check to the server, who looked at it in disbelief.

“This is supposed to be a must-have for today.”

“Tarsha.”

Roxane chided her maid for the unrefined behavior, causing the maid to quiet down.

“Let’s go for now.”

“But, Miss, what about tomorrow…”

“If it was that important, you should have placed an order in advance. It’s my fault, so there’s no one else to blame.”

As Roxane’s subdued maid prepared to open her parasol, a sudden commotion caught Anaïs’s attention.

Max’s voice resonated with a low, almost reverent tone as he continued.

“People say that sugar is a blessing from the heavens. But…”

He took a step closer to Roxane, his gaze unwavering.

“I believe I have seen a greater blessing today. So, let’s say these treats are no longer needed.”

Roxane met his gaze without flinching.

“Have we met before?”

“I know you’re Lady Bastien.”

“That’s unfair. I don’t know who you are.”

With a puzzled expression, Roxane offered him a neatly wrapped crepe.

“But the next time we meet, I’ll make sure to remember who you are.”

A fleeting smile, along with a dimple that appeared and quickly vanished, graced Roxane’s face. She proceeded to load the desserts into her carriage, fulfilling her original purpose.

As Roxane’s carriage left, Anaïs exhaled a breath she didn’t realize she had been holding. The scene had unfolded with an unexpected grace that made her heart swell with pride for Max.

Max watched the carriage disappear, then turned back to his seat with a satisfied smile.

“Thank you for your help today,” Anaïs said as she approached him. “You did exceptionally well.”

Max’s eyes twinkled with a mix of relief and satisfaction. “It seems the Dowager Queen’s visit was the perfect opportunity.”

Anaïs nodded, relieved and exhilarated by the turn of events. The operation had gone beyond their expectations, and Max’s performance had not only impressed Roxane but also saved the day for both of them.

Anaïs stared blankly at the door through which Lady Roxanne had exited, then shifted her gaze to Max. She began to doubt whether the man standing there truly needed her coaching.

He was so proficient and natural. Even in a situation that wasn’t going according to plan, he remained unflustered and showed no fear in facing the woman he least desired to meet.

“Just close your eyes and give it a try.”

“Well, you need to be moved by it, don’t you?”

What?

Indeed.

He was moved…

Moved enough to speak so fluently.

Lady Bastien’s reaction didn’t seem bad either. The desserts she left behind, as though out of generosity, felt profoundly meaningful. Could this be considered a complete success of the plan?

At that moment, Anaïs took a sip of her cold coffee, feeling a strange bitterness in her mouth.

‘Hmm? Why is he coming this way?’

Max, who had seemed about to leave the coffee house, suddenly began to approach Anaïs. Despite her face being hidden behind the newspaper, Anaïs frantically looked around, but the only person nearby was the man who had spilled coffee on his pants.

Thunk.

Max, who was now directly in front of her, placed a box of desserts on the table. It was the crêpes that Roxanne had given him.

“……”

“……”

Anaïs tried to discreetly lower the newspaper she was holding, but Max abruptly pulled her hand away.

“Anaïs Brien.”

“Eek!”

Anaïs recoiled at the sight of Max’s face right in front of her.

“Did you know it was me?”

“Of course.”

“Since when?”

“From the beginning.”

“How?”

“Are you kidding? Even if I did a somersault, it would still be you.”

“……”

Anaïs closed her mouth tightly. She had thought she had done a perfect job of disguising herself, but to learn she had been recognized from the start made her feel foolish. Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Is that so?”

Max pointed to an empty corner of the hall.

“I could tell from a hundred meters away that it was her. As soon as Lady Bastien left, she went out the back door.”

“I didn’t know either! If only Her Majesty the Queen Mother had given me a hint that she was coming!”

Then she could have disguised herself more thoroughly!