“Ah, matchmaking… Huh? Matchmaking?”
Anais, who had a habit of chewing over her words, widened her eyes. Matchmaking? Why are they coming to me for matchmaking?
“Ah! Did you perhaps hear the rumors about a counselor? Lady Amour, they call her… Strictly speaking, it’s not matchmaking, just some casual advice…”
“Bring her here. Immediately.”
“……”
Anais was briefly taken aback by the resolute and somewhat rigid demeanor of the Queen Dowager, but her mind started working quickly.
Something felt off.
No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t find a convincing reason why the Queen Dowager would be looking for Lady Amour.
Whatever it was, she decided to say she wasn’t available. That seemed like the best course of action.
“I apologize, Your Majesty, but unfortunately, Lady Amour is currently on… vacation. I receive her schedule through an intermediary, so it would be difficult to bring her here immediately. I will let her know that the Queen Dowager is looking for her as soon as she returns.”
Anais, who had stiffened up and spun an elaborate lie, was sweating profusely. She needed to buy some time. She needed time to figure out what was going on.
Elize, who had been watching Anais silently, suddenly let out a weak sigh.
“Enough with the act. I know everything. Lady Amour, I have much to discuss with you.”
“……!”
Anais, stunned to be addressed as Lady Amour, could only blink in confusion.
“As an old woman, my stamina isn’t what it used to be. Do you know why I went through the trouble of coming here myself? It’s because I’m certain of my information.”
“Th-that is…”
“Let’s not waste any more time. If you have any respect for me, that is.”
Unable to find the right words, Anais closed her mouth.
She hadn’t started giving consultations for money in the first place.
After suddenly losing her parents and being left alone with their debts, Anais lived under the pity of others for a while. For a time, she even wanted to rely on those sympathetic gazes.
But she soon realized that sympathy couldn’t solve anything. She had to endure her situation on her own, and from the moment she acknowledged her solitude, she found it unbearable to be looked at with pity.
So she chose to wear a mask, and around that time, she started giving consultations as a sort of event to boost the popularity of the salon. Influenced by her mother, who loved romance novels, she had read a lot of poetry and novels from a young age, making it possible. She had also listened to the romantic troubles of the servants at the count’s manor out of curiosity, and since she had been quite successful at it, she was confident.
Her consultations, which had started casually, began to gain word-of-mouth popularity and turned into a source of income. People started speculating about Amour’s age and appearance, and some even asked Anais about her identity.
Anais spun a tale that Amour was a young lady from a poor rural noble family. She claimed that she was helping Amour out of a slight acquaintance between their families and emphasized that they were not closely associated.
As the lie grew, Amour’s background became more convincing.
“She had an accident when she was young and lost the use of one leg.”
“She wears a mask because of the burns she suffered then.”
Amour’s consultations had become a significant source of income for the salon, far more than expected, and Anais couldn’t afford to let go of this lucrative business opportunity.
She was even considering expanding the business more formally!
But now, being exposed so suddenly… What should she do? Is this the end of this life?
“There’s only one thing I want. Max’s marriage. Find a suitable woman for him and connect them.”
Pardon? Who?
“He shows no interest in marriage. At this rate, I’ll be in my grave before he settles down. I can’t stand watching him waste his life like a rogue any longer.”
Whether Anais was stunned or not, the Queen Dowager continued.
“So…”
“Miss Anais, find a suitable woman for him and arrange the marriage. I can’t step in personally. Sigh. I can’t wield my status and power just to marry off my unruly grandson. Some might even turn against the royal family. Besides, you know the current marriage market better than I do. You have an eye for people from your consultations, so this and that…”
The Queen Dowager trailed off, leaving Anais in a dilemma.
The Queen Dowager’s gentle yet incessant voice filled Anais’ ears. As she listened in a daze, she was shocked to realize that the ‘Max’ she mentioned wasn’t the neighbor’s dog.
“Wait a moment, Your Majesty. When you say ‘Max,’ do you mean Prince Max Barbier?”
“That’s correct.”
“You want me to arrange his marriage?”
“Indeed.”
“Me?”
“Your comprehension is commendable.”
Anais instinctively waved her hands in denial, laughing nervously.
“Aha… Your Majesty, you must be joking.”
The Queen Dowager smiled in response.
“Hohoho. And why would you think it’s a joke?”
“Well, because…”
Why? Did she not know the reputation of the third prince?
Max Barbier. The rumors about him were numerous, ranging from minor personality controversies to scandalous and sordid tales. If she was asking for a reason…
“Well…”
Anais struggled to find the words, recalling the few memories she had of him.
He had started making appearances in society around the age of nineteen. With broad shoulders and a well-built muscular body, many young ladies fell deeply in love with his handsome appearance.
The first brave lady was Eva, the eldest daughter of the Montfort family. When she shyly expressed her feelings along with an embroidered handkerchief adorned with peonies, the atmosphere seemed quite favorable.
That is, until his first words to her were, “You resemble my pet.”
People thought he meant a cute puppy or a haughty cat, not a pig. No one expected him to pinch Eva’s chin and emphasize, “Especially here.”
“The way it folds is similar. Benny has two folds, but you have three.”
The Queen Dowager rubbed her temples, sighing deeply.
“I am well aware of the boy’s bad reputation, even without your input, Miss Anais.”
She knows?
“You still think I’m joking, don’t you?”
“……”
Seeing Anais’ bewildered expression, the Queen Dowager continued with a kind smile.
“Do you think I came here just to play some trivial joke?”
“So, the real reason you sought me out is really…”
“Exactly. I won’t repeat myself. Make Max’s marriage happen.”
Goodness.
Unlike the Queen Dowager, who smiled serenely, Anais’ face turned as pale as a ghost.
At that time, rumors about the youngest prince of Barbier being quite smart had been overshadowed by his notorious behavior.
However, in the romantic atmosphere of Barbier, some women still believed they could change Max’s arrogance with their love.
They were the type who thought they could reform his rebellious and twisted nature with their affection.
But Max Barbier treated the advances of women as if they were the plague.
Too plump, too skinny, double eyelids, single eyelids, too flashy, too plain, curly hair, straight hair, too smiley, too quiet, too talkative…
The reasons for rejection were endless, and he didn’t hesitate to hurt others. Anais remembered thinking that Max seemed to relish being difficult during those times.
Anyway.
One clear fact from all these stories is that Max Barbier has no interest in socializing!
‘…….’
Did I unknowingly commit some crime?
Why else would I be subjected to such an ordeal?
Even though he wasn’t as notorious as before, Max Barbier still crushed the hopes of many women who were smitten with him. Every social season, there were always nobles, young and old, who dreaded encountering him.
In society, he was simply a landmine.
And now I’m supposed to arrange his marriage?
“I… I can’t do it.”
Max is so savage lmao