“Count Joslain, is it?” Anais asked, her voice steady.
“Oh, you know who I am?” His face lit up with delight as he scooted a bit closer to her.
“I remember seeing you briefly at the Armand Tea Party,” she replied.
At the mention of the tea party, his face quickly darkened, as if recalling an unpleasant memory. His expression twisted into one of annoyance, and he looked as though he was about to spit out a curse.
“But why are you here…?” Anais began.
“Haha, why else would I be here? I came to watch the play, of course.”
“But…” she hesitated.
“Oh, dear. I bought this expensive royal seat but was so busy that I completely forgot about it. If I had known Lady Brienne would be here, I certainly wouldn’t have missed it,” he said, implying that the seat was rightfully his.
Anais, feeling increasingly uncomfortable, tried to clarify. “But Count Joslain, both of these royal box seats were purchased by me.”
“Hmm?”
“Perhaps there’s been a mistake with your seat? Here, if you look at my tickets…” She held out the two tickets to him.
Joslain stared blankly at the pieces of paper for a moment before breaking into a grin. “It must have been an error at the ticket office. They sold duplicate tickets. These unscrupulous people often pull such tricks when blinded by greed.”
“Would you mind showing me your ticket, then?” she asked, trying to remain polite.
“My ticket? I threw it away when I came in,” he replied dismissively.
“I’m sorry, but I have every right to fully enjoy this seat. If you can’t prove your claim with a ticket, I’d like to ask you to please leave.”
Anais was beginning to feel anxious, having already missed two important scenes due to this unwelcome distraction.
“Heh,” Joslain chuckled awkwardly, scratching the bridge of his nose. After a moment of contemplation, he spoke again. “Buying two seats just to sit alone—it’s almost like you’re asking for company.”
“Pardon? What did you just say?” Anais stammered, her confusion evident.
“Huh? Oh, nothing, nothing. But, Lady Brienne, the real reason I came here… it’s because I have something very important to tell you about your late father, Count Brienne.”
“What? About my father? You knew him?” Anais asked, her confusion deepening.
“Of course. We were very close. He often said to me that he wanted to entrust you to my care,” Joslain replied with a smug grin.
Entrust me? What is he talking about?
Anais struggled to comprehend the situation. Could it be true that her father had a close friend she knew nothing about?
Seeing her bewildered expression, Joslain suddenly grabbed her hand. His pudgy fingers, adorned with numerous gaudy rings, squeezed her hand tightly.
“…!”
“So, how about we have a little chat in private?” he suggested, his tone turning more insistent.
The force with which Joslain dragged Anais towards the private room behind the royal box was rough and unyielding. She tried to resist, but his strength overpowered her. The noise should have alerted someone in the theater, but the dramatic crescendo of the play drowned out the disturbance.
This can’t be happening. How could I be in a situation where someone is dragging me away against my will?
Anais considered running back out to seek help, but Joslain blocked the door, crushing her hopes of escape.
She forced herself to stay calm and asked, “What is it you need to tell me about my father?”
Realizing that escape was unlikely, Anais decided to hear him out as quickly as possible and leave. Even if he was a friend of her father’s, she saw no reason to endure such rudeness.
Seeing her guarded expression, Joslain seemed to realize he had gone too far and began trying to soothe her.
“There’s no rush, is there? Lady Brienne, why don’t we sit down and have some wine…?”
Anais could hardly believe what she was hearing.
What is going on?
Outside, the play she had been eagerly waiting for was in full swing, and yet here she was, forcibly dragged into this room. Why?
This is strange. If he had something to say, he should have requested a meeting elsewhere, politely. And now, talking about something my father left behind in the middle of a play? Suddenly suggesting we have wine together? It makes no sense.
I didn’t like the way he kept looking at me either. His eyes were constantly roaming all over me, and it felt too sticky and uncomfortable. Being pushed into a confined space by someone I don’t even know felt incredibly unpleasant.
“I think it would be better if we discuss this later. I’m leaving. Please move.”
“Oh, Lady Brienne. Aren’t you a bit too old to be wasting your time watching such plays?”
“…?”
“You should be finding a sturdy husband, getting married, and having children, don’t you think?”
Anais stared at Joslin, utterly taken aback.
What right did he have to say such things to her, someone he barely knew?
“Are you really a friend of my father’s? Even if you are, you’re being quite rude for a first meeting.”
Anais couldn’t hold back and pointed out his rudeness.
“Haha! Ladies tend to take words of concern as an attack.”
“….”
“Alright, let’s leave. I came alone, and so did you. We can watch the play together, and afterward…”
“No! I’m not alone.”
“Not alone?”
“I have company.”
Joslin sneered. Company? He had seen her sitting alone this whole time. What company? Where did she get the money for such luxurious indulgence? Just full of vanity!
Muttering to himself, Joslin smirked.
“If you have company, who is it?”
“I don’t see why I should tell you that.”
Though young, Anais had encountered countless people through her work at the salon. She could tell that Joslin’s intentions were far from good. She had ended up following him into the private room because he grabbed her hand in a moment of surprise, but now she was determined to find an opportunity to get out of there.
Even though they were inside a grand theater and there were many people just beyond the door, the atmosphere Joslin exuded was too dangerous for her to feel at ease.
But standing firm and speaking out didn’t help. Joslin calmly blocked her path and, to her horror, locked the door with a clear intent.
“What are you doing…!”
“Why would you lie to me like that? It hurts my feelings.”
“I’m not lying. I really do have company outside…!”
Ignoring him, Anais tried to open the door, but Joslin shoved her roughly.
“Why are you trying to make me out to be a bad person? I just want to talk, okay?”
“I told you I have company!”
“Then who the hell is it?”
Just as Joslin was yelling in anger—
Thud! Bang!
“…!”
A loud thud echoed, and the door handle came off almost simultaneously.
The door suddenly burst open from outside, hitting Joslin squarely in the back, causing him to lose his balance and fall forward. He hit the ground, groaning in pain, when a voice as cold as ice dropped right beside his head.
“It’s me. Her company.”
“Damn it! What kind of bastard…!”
Joslin, cursing out loud, turned to see who had intruded, and his eyes widened in shock.
“M-M-M…!”
The man who had burst in with the force to nearly break down the door was someone Joslin never wanted to see again, even in his worst nightmares. With a face drained of color, Joslin stammered out the name.
“P-Prince Max!”
“Otho Joslin. I believe I told you not to show up in front of me again.”
“T-That’s… that’s because…”
It wasn’t me who sought you out! You’re the one who came here! Joslin gritted his teeth, seething inwardly.
“W-Why are you here…?”
“Why would I come to a theater? To watch the play, of course.”
You crazy bastard! Then just watch the damn play! Why did you have to come here and ruin everything! Joslin’s eyes silently conveyed the words he dared not speak.
Max looked down at him coldly before casting a brief glance at Anais. She, too, seemed equally shocked by his sudden appearance, her usually wide eyes frozen in place, unable to even blink.
Max took a few steps closer to the unsteady Joslin, closing the distance between them with an intimidating air. Joslin recoiled in fear, stumbling backward.
“And what business does Count Otho Joslin have with my companion?”
“I just wanted to talk… Wait, what did you just say? Companion?”
“Yes. What business do you have with my companion?”
“Well, I just had something to say…”
“Say it now. Here.”
