When The Silver Bell Of Charlotte's Pharmacy Rings - Chapter 51

Charlotte’s reaction was quite unexpected for Matiel.

Even in the box seats of the opera house, known to be the most difficult to enter in the Roynoc Kingdom, she didn’t show this much of a reaction.

It was both ridiculous and amusing to see her so surprised by just the dining car.

“You’ve never been on a train before?”

Charlotte made a sulky expression at Matiel’s amused question.

“Of course I’ve been on a train. But I’ve never been in a dining car. That’s a place for nobles or rich people who can easily afford first class. You keep forgetting, but I’m an ordinary citizen. My parents were the same.”

“Then what do you do on long train journeys? Starve?”

This time, Charlotte made an expression that said it was absurd and funny.

Matiel’s innocent attitude in asking such a childish question made her chuckle even more.

Whether he was knowingly teasing her or truly didn’t know… Charlotte stared at him blankly, then shook her head and said,

“This is why nobles are no fun.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Charlotte didn’t respond to his words and lifted the basket she had placed at her feet onto the table.

It was an ordinary picnic basket with a lid that could be opened on both sides.

Matiel was still smiling faintly with an inscrutable expression, but he seemed somewhat impressed by the delicious smell wafting from the basket.

“I don’t show this to just anyone, but I’ll let you have a special look.”

Charlotte opened one side of the basket lid, her expression unchanging as she joked.

Matiel had already guessed there would be food inside, but he couldn’t help but be surprised to see even more varieties of food packed tightly than he had vaguely imagined.

On one side of the basket, two clean plates were leaning, wrapped in cloth, and underneath them were forks and knives, also wrapped in cloth.

There were three small pies with shiny crusts, appetizing round bread, peanut cookies, and three kinds of jam in glass jars – judging by the colors, they were clearly made from cherry, pear, and orange.

That wasn’t all that was in Charlotte’s basket.

There were tea bags that could be easily brewed with just hot water, and of course, a teapot with cute round curves and handleless cups were prepared.

Inside thin oiled paper wrappings were chicken with herb sauce, beef simmered in sauce and peppered, and hard sugar jellies.

Matiel stared at the food coming out of the basket like a dazed person, then let out a small laugh.

“You prepared a lot.”

“It’s been a while since I’ve been on a train journey. Well, this can’t really be called a journey, but…”

Charlotte deliberately glanced at Matiel as she took out just one of the two plates she had brought and placed it in front of herself.

Watching her, Matiel curled up the corners of his mouth as if he could see right through her, and took out one of the round breads that hadn’t yet come out of the basket and took a big bite.

“What are you doing?”

Charlotte exclaimed as if surprised, but Matiel slowly chewed the bread while looking out the window.

He had expected there to be some kind of jam inside, but unexpectedly, a fragrant and slightly bitter taste subtly stimulated the tip of his tongue.

At the same time, there was something sweet and chewy, as well as something crunchy.

Matiel looked into the bitten bread and swallowed what was in his mouth.

“What’s inside?”

“It’s salty herb jelly with raisins.”

“And the crunchy part?”

“Crushed peanuts, lightly salted and toasted crisp.”

Matiel nodded and took another bite of the bread. This time he was more enthusiastic than before.

Ingredients like herb jelly, raisins, and crushed peanuts were too common to even need evaluation.

Nevertheless, the bread that Charlotte had made herself was strangely delicious.

Matiel cleanly finished one bread in just three bites.

Meanwhile, Charlotte wore an ambiguous expression, as if debating whether to laugh or not.

“It’s delicious.”

Charlotte let out a small laugh.

“What’s with grabbing it without even being offered?”

Matiel once again pretended not to hear Charlotte’s words and said nonchalantly,

“Why don’t you take out my plate now?”

“What an absurd man. It’s not like your name is written on the plate.”

Even as she said this, Charlotte barely held back her laughter as she handed Matiel a plate and utensils.

He received them quite politely, then looked into the basket.

“I want to eat something else too.”

“What am I supposed to do if you eat all of this? I’ll have to starve by dinnertime.”

Matiel furrowed his brow and laughed briefly.

“You know you can use the dining car freely anyway, so why are you saying that?”

“Well, you never know. They might demand dozens of Tizel bills for a glass of wine.”

“Even if that were the case, you know I’d buy you dinner.”

Charlotte, who had been silent for a moment, finally burst out laughing.

“I wanted to make you say that out loud. Alright then. Eat as much as you like.”

While Matiel was taking out the food, Charlotte took out the tea bags and teapot.

As she rattled the teapot lid, a uniformed servant who had been standing like a still life at the back of the car quietly and quickly approached and said,

“I’ll bring you some hot water, Baron.”

“Thank you.”

He left the car with the teapot. On Charlotte’s plate, foods were neatly arranged in small, equal portions.

Even though they were all things she had made herself, somehow they looked unfamiliar when laid out like this.

Matiel only began to take small portions of food for himself after he had filled Charlotte’s plate.

Charlotte, watching him skillfully fill the plate, asked,

“Isn’t this the first time you’ve done this in your life?”

“What?”

“Serving food onto someone else’s plate.”

“Of course it’s the first time. Why do you ask?”

“You seem so skilled, as if you’ve done it before.”

Matiel’s fingers trembled slightly as he was scooping out some peppered beef.

It was just for a brief moment, but Charlotte clearly saw him readjust his grip on the knife.

Matiel said,

“I guess it’s because I’ve taken care of someone before. Not that I did this kind of thing every day, though.”

“Taken care of? Who? Your parents?”

Matiel suddenly burst out laughing at Charlotte’s words.

“You must be joking?”

“How could that be a joke? Then who did you take care of?”

Matiel, who was dividing the pie he had split in half with Charlotte into smaller pieces, raised his eyes to glance at her.

Charlotte thought it was a very strange look. It seemed to be searching, or perhaps reproaching, and in one way, it also looked hesitant.

Matiel slowly moved his tightly closed lips and finally answered.

“My elder brother.”

When she heard that answer, Charlotte suddenly recalled numerous rumors surrounding the ‘Duke of Elinak’.

Among them, the most sensational one pushed its way through her complicated thoughts.

That the current Duke of Elinak, that is, Matiel, had secretly killed his own elder brother who was originally supposed to inherit the title.

Matiel stared at Charlotte’s face as he slowly chewed and swallowed the pie.

“I can clearly see what you’re thinking.”

Charlotte, who had been pretending to cut bread with her head slightly bowed, looked at him with just her eyes.

It was unexpected that Matiel didn’t seem particularly displeased.

Just as she was about to say something, the servant who had taken the teapot returned with warm tea.

Charlotte took out cups from the basket, slowly poured the tea, and handed it to Matiel when the train wasn’t shaking.

“Is that rumor true?”

Matiel, who was about to take a sip of tea, looked at Charlotte.

It was either a look as if he was seeing the biggest fool in the world, or as if to say, ‘Are you really asking that?’

Charlotte continued,

“I know it’s rude. But you’ve been quite rude to me too, so consider this debt repaid.”

“You’ve quickly made me a debtor. I don’t think I actually owe you anything. Even if I did, didn’t I pay you back?”

“Unfortunately, that’s your misconception.”

Matiel quietly looked at her as if lost in thought, then took a sip of tea. Then he put the cup down on the table while still holding it.

His orange eyes, looking at Charlotte sitting across from him, briefly flashed with cool interest.

“If that rumor were true, I’m a bit curious how you would react.”

He picked up a peanut cookie with the hand not holding the teacup and said after a brief pause,

“Did I really poison my own elder brother? To monopolize the name and glory of the Duke of Elinak. What do you think?”

Charlotte blinked as she put a small piece of pie in her mouth, just as he had done.

And she realized that Matiel was deliberately putting on a vicious gaze. He seemed to be voluntarily inviting suspicion.

Just by looking at his slightly altered voice tone, misaligned breathing, and gaze, which were like when he was playing an unfunny prank, she could tell this fact.

What’s the need for that? Charlotte thought.

Whatever answer Matiel expected, she didn’t think that rumor was true.

Setting aside her various feelings about Matiel as a person, it was common sense that the story didn’t make sense.

And one more thing…

Charlotte recalled his voice, which had sounded like he was about to cry.

The image of Matiel sleep-talking in her shop was as vivid as if it were right in front of her eyes.

But she had no intention of telling Matiel about that.

Given Matiel’s personality, he would rather bear the stigma of killing his elder brother than find out he had so vulnerably revealed his weakness.

“Well, to be honest, I don’t care either way.”

When Charlotte answered, Matiel, this time, couldn’t hide his bewilderment.