When The Silver Bell Of Charlotte's Pharmacy Rings - Chapter 15

Lichten received the newspaper respectfully. The bold headline supporting the former revolutionary government was visible.

Matiel said:

“Tell them it would be better to be more thoughtful when writing articles.”

“Understood.”

Matiel immediately unfolded another newspaper. This time the headline was a bit more interesting.

Eliki trembles in fear, horrific serial killings continue!

Below the headline and subtitle were two photos that, though somewhat stained, were still recognizable.

One showed the security chief of the Eliki region inspecting the scene, the other showed a fallen victim with their face obscured.

Judging by his attire and build, he appeared to be in his 20s or at most 30s.

Wearing shabby corduroy overalls, a shirt missing a button, and leather work boots, he looked like a laborer from a construction site or loading dock.

“Hmm…”

Matiel’s brows furrowed as he stared intently at the victim in the photo.

He traced his finger over two faint but distinct dots, then stood up holding the folded newspaper.

“Lichten, prepare the carriage.”

“Are you going to the palace?”

“No, it’s a personal matter.”

“Understood.”

After boarding the carriage, Matiel stated his destination, then crossed one leg over his knee and folded his arms.

Though his eyes were closed, he was certainly not trying to take a leisurely nap.

On the contrary, his nerves were on higher alert than usual.

The reason was clearly due to the newspaper he still held at his side.

“Apply this ointment twice a day. Once in the morning before you get up, and once at night before bed. Spread it slowly, focusing on the painful areas. Is your daughter still living at home?”

“Of course she is. Ever since her divorce, she says she’s sick and tired of men and has no intention of going anywhere.”

Charlotte laughed merrily, playing along as the old lady grumbled playfully.

The elderly woman, whose back was severely hunched even with a cane, had visited Charlotte’s pharmacy, unable to bear the persistent back pain she’d been experiencing lately.

Charlotte made her a suitable ointment on the spot, and also set down a small blue tincture bottle.

“The ointment won’t have an immediate effect. It’ll improve gradually. If it hurts too much when you move, take just one drop of this tincture. It’s a painkiller, so don’t take too much. You might collapse.”

“Oh my, thank you. How thoughtful you are.”

The old lady grasped Charlotte’s hand with her wrinkled one and patted the back of it.

Then, she said the same thing many elderly ladies who visited this shop said:

“If I had a decent grandson, I’d make you his bride. It’s such a shame.”

“Oh, Grandmother. Even if you really had a grandson, you should find a prettier and kinder girl than me.”

“What are you saying? Where could I find a girl as sweet and kind as our pharmacist?”

The old lady pretended to be serious, but Charlotte just laughed.

She heard this so often that she didn’t find it particularly bothersome.

However, when the conversation dragged on like this, it often led to lamenting about the past, so she quickly put the ointment and tincture bottle into a stiff paper bag.

“Oh, Grandmother. These are herb cookies I made myself. They’re soft, so you shouldn’t have trouble eating them. I’ll give you a few to share with your daughter…”

As she was putting the cookie bag in, the bell tinkled and the door opened.

“Welcome…”

Charlotte’s eyes widened as she looked up with an automatic bright smile to greet the customer.
The cookie bag in her hand dropped into the paper bag with a thud.

If there was one consolation—or was it even a consolation?—it was that the other party seemed just as surprised as Charlotte.

She stared blankly at Matiel’s face, who had a newspaper tucked under his arm, as she mechanically folded the bag’s opening neatly.

“How did you…”

Charlotte’s words trailed off. At that moment, the old lady waiting for her medicine blushed and said to Matiel:

“My goodness, I’ve never seen such a tall and handsome young man in all my life. Are you here to see our pharmacist? Perhaps a lover?”

Charlotte’s face reddened. She shook her head vigorously as she hastily tied the bag shut with a string.

“Grandmother! Lover? That’s not…”

“We’re not lovers. Though I might be a candidate.”

At Matiel’s words, Charlotte’s jaw nearly dropped.

However, the old lady seemed pleased with his answer and laughed joyfully.

Then she opened her satin purse, took out some bills, and placed them on the counter.

“Do well, handsome young man. You must know better than anyone how good our pharmacist is? You’ll regret it terribly if you let her go, so hold on tight.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, madam. Take care.”

Matiel slightly lifted the brim of his silk hat and bowed his head.

As the old lady left with a broad smile, Charlotte quickly came out from behind the counter, locked the door with a click, and pulled the round ring to draw the curtains.

The shop interior, which had been brightly lit by sunlight, became slightly dim.

Matiel looked down at Charlotte with an expression that was a little less gentle and more stern than before.

Charlotte crossed her arms and looked at him with force in her eyes, as if glaring.

“You did well to find out I live here.”

“Well, it wasn’t a difficult task.”

He swiftly raised his cane, then took off his hat with the other hand.

However, instead of taking his hat and cane like a proper host, Charlotte frowned and sighed.

“I told you yesterday, didn’t I? We’re people who have no more business with each other. One given, one received. The promise was kept. So would you mind explaining why you’ve come?”

“Well. Isn’t this an apothecary? I might be a customer here to buy medicine. I’m rather curious why you’re so on edge.”

Though she still had her arms crossed, Charlotte’s brow furrowed slightly.

After looking Matiel up and down, who appeared quite at ease, she said:

“You look perfectly fine to me.”

“For someone who claims to be a pharmacist, is it proper to make judgments based on a mere glance?”

Charlotte let out a laugh. Still with her arms crossed, she made a show of taking a step towards Matiel.

“Listen here, Your Grace. Do you not know what a pharmacist does? If you want a medical examination, you should see a doctor. You shouldn’t come barging into a pharmacy out of the blue.”

Despite her clearly mocking tone, Matiel paid no mind.

Then he found a wall hook himself and hung his expensive-looking silk hat, leaned his cane against the wall. He then took off his jacket and hung it on another hook.

“What are you doing?”

Matiel replied:

“You’re not a doctor, so it’s natural that you can’t tell what’s wrong just by looking at someone’s face. But on the other hand, you’re also a magician, aren’t you? As you said yourself. If everything you said last night is true, I think you’ll be able to recognize what kind of marks these are.”

He spread the newspaper out on the counter for her to see.

Charlotte’s gaze naturally fell on the headline of the newspaper, and then to the sensational photo below—a photo of the victim’s body printed as is.

Charlotte had heard about the strange serial killings happening in the Eliki region, west of the Roynoc Kingdom.

With rumors circulating daily in the alleys—that the corpses were smiling, or rather, they looked like they were smiling because their faces were contorted in such a horrible way—it was impossible not to know about it, even if she didn’t want to.

Charlotte said:

“This isn’t a job for a magician. The police should handle this.”

“I agree to some extent, but look here closely.”

Matiel tapped his long finger on the victim’s photo.

Charlotte tilted her shoulder slightly and stared at the photo, but couldn’t immediately see anything other than the poor print quality.

“What exactly am I supposed to see…”

“Look at this man’s neck.”

Charlotte frowned suddenly and this time turned her body completely towards the newspaper.

She placed her palms on both sides of the counter and leaned in, as Matiel’s hand slipped out of view.

However, she could clearly see where Matiel had just pointed.

Two distinct black dots were clearly imprinted on the man’s twisted neck.
The print quality was so poor that she hadn’t noticed them at first among the other blotchy marks.

It can’t be. Charlotte thought. It’s impossible.

But the marks on the man’s neck in the photo remained clear, as if mocking Charlotte, and didn’t disappear.

‘You don’t think so? Do you really think it’s not? You must be scared. You know it’s true, don’t you, Charlotte?’

It was as if she could hear the ghost of the man in the photo, who had already breathed his last, mocking and cackling.

Charlotte, just in case, rubbed her finger hard over the photo, specifically over the two dots.

For a morning newspaper that had just come out—and with such poor print quality—the ink stains should have smeared.

Indeed, the small, sand-like stains around where Charlotte had touched became blurry due to the temperature and oil.

But the two dots on the man’s neck didn’t disappear.

If anything, they looked even clearer.

It was the kind of mark left when something sharp had pierced through his neck…