When The Silver Bell Of Charlotte's Pharmacy Rings (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 5
When the baroness led Charlotte to the center of the hall, the crowd’s attention intensified even further.
Women whispered behind their fans, their words laced with envy and admiration—“How could her skin possibly be that flawless?” or “She must have slathered on heaps of pearl powder”—while the men gathered around like ants drawn to honey, grinning foolishly.
“Baroness Lireld, why didn’t you tell me you planned to invite such a stunning young lady today?”
“My goodness, Lord Freecard. Where has your usual composure gone? Your intentions are far too obvious.”
Baroness Lireld laughed aloud once again.
Charlotte gave a gentle, radiant smile as she lightly took the hand of the man who offered his for a handshake.
It was the very smile everyone in her neighborhood adored—the warm, gentle smile of “Charlotte, the apothecary’s kind-hearted proprietress.”
“Even if my intentions are obvious, I don’t mind. Before such a lady, I’d rather lay my heart bare than speak with cunning ambiguity.”
The man lightly kissed the back of Charlotte’s gloved hand.
His eyes trailed from her face down her slender neck, over her shoulders, and toward her chest…
“I’m pleased to meet you. Please call me Sherry.”
“Sherry. A splendid name. Might you be from the Cobrit family?”
The Cobrit family was the most renowned ducal house in the eastern aristocratic circles of the kingdom, and their near-silver ash-blond hair was the mark of true lineage—very similar to Charlotte’s own.
Charlotte quietly shook her head and gently withdrew her hand from the man’s grasp.
Baroness Lireld stepped in.
“Sherry has her reasons—private ones she’d find difficult to discuss before others. If Lord Freecard is truly a gentleman, he won’t press her further.”
“Ah, of course. I only hope I haven’t offended such a refined lady.”
Charlotte swallowed her laughter and subtly raised her fan to obscure her expression, casting her eyes downward at an angle.
This moment—she always, always relished it the most.
The moment she slipped among nobles and crafted her identity as “the mysterious daughter of a house struck by unspeakable tragedy”!
‘Fools.’
Charlotte often likened the nobility to “starving dogs”—sharp-eared, gossip-hungry, chatty, and always on the prowl for juicy tidbits to chew on with their wine and cheese.
Handling them was easier than sipping thin broth.
All she had to do was drop a few baseless hints as “clues,” then moisten the corners of her eyes and murmur, “My heart aches too much to speak further”?
That was all it took. Instantly, she became the tragic heroine who’d suffered grievously at a young age—worthy of everyone’s sympathy.
This approach worked especially well on people like Baroness Lireld: meddlesome and overly affectionate busybodies.
Or men like the one who’d just kissed her hand—same thing.
Charlotte deftly sidestepped the swarm of bothersome suitors by slipping quietly behind Baroness Lireld.
Yet no one dared show her open displeasure or persistently pursue her.
On the contrary, after exchanging brief pleasantries with Charlotte and turning away, they seemed to erase her entirely from their minds, showing no further interest.
This was thanks to Charlotte’s unique ability.
An ability no one knew of, one she’d never told anyone about—and never would.
The power to “blend seamlessly anywhere without arousing suspicion” and to “fade from memory after parting”—but only when she willed it.
Though no one in her neighborhood was unfamiliar with Charlotte, nobles and merchants who’d met her repeatedly still felt the odd contradiction each time: “It’s been so long—how wonderful to see you again!”
“Oh, by the way, Sherry.”
When Baroness Lireld suddenly turned around, Charlotte—who’d been lost in thought—unintentionally flinched.
But she quickly masked it with an easy smile and tilted her head slightly.
“What is it, Baroness?”
“I completely forgot to mention that a very special guest will be arriving today! Look at me, so scatterbrained.”
“A special guest?”
“Yes. Most of the men here have utterly black hearts, but that man—well, even if his heart is black too, you should at least exchange a few words with him. Because he’s truly a big fish!”
A big fish. Charlotte fell into thought as she stared blankly at the visibly excited baroness.
She’d come all the way to this noisy gathering, disguised as “Sherry” after such a long time, precisely to investigate why the baroness had lately seemed “strange.” Now, the baroness’s sudden fuss over this “big fish” made Charlotte strangely uneasy.
‘I was hoping to find a chance to speak with the baroness alone… But once the party starts, it’ll be difficult. Should I just trust Tae Mi to handle that merchant’s daughter, even if it takes a bit more time?’
Decide swiftly—waiting for perfection might cause you to miss the perfect moment.
Charlotte murmured inwardly. It was the one phrase she never forgot.
With a bright yet subtly shadowed, flawlessly beautiful “Sherry” expression, she smiled gently.
“I’m quite eager to meet him, madam. I hope the party starts soon.”
[This is the timeline separator]While Charlotte, disguised as Sherry, was being paraded around by Baroness Lireld and drawing everyone’s attention and envy, Duke Elinak—Matiel—sat inside a luxurious four-wheeled carriage heading toward House Lireld, wearing an utterly indifferent expression.
“Loosen up a bit, Mati. Anyone would think you’re off to hunt down the murderer of your parents, not a party.”
The man seated opposite him spoke in a calm yet teasing tone.
He was Eliot Persbon—a man born as the eldest son of a baronial house, yet utterly uninterested in titles, having staked his entire life on being a singer and actor.
With his affable nature, wide social circle, and quick wit, he was the only friend Matiel kept close.
“But it’s surprising to see you attending a gathering like Baroness Lireld’s party. You don’t even know her, do you?”
Eliot tilted his head in curiosity.
The Royal Bureau of Investigations, tasked by the king to handle all manner of secret affairs and incidents in the kingdom, was itself a highly confidential institution.
Thus, as Eliot rightly pointed out, Matiel needed a plausible reason to attend the baroness’s flamboyant party—especially given their lack of acquaintance or interest.
“There might be a pretty girl.”
At Matiel’s indifferent reply, Eliot wrinkled his nose.
“Ha, ha, ha. That’s quite the amusing joke. I suppose it’s real progress that you’re even capable of saying something like that now?”
“Why assume it’s a joke? Did you think I’d stay single forever without a wife?”
“Well, not exactly—but even a stray alley cat wouldn’t believe that the noble Duke Elinak would go around personally scouting for brides. Honestly.”
Fortunately, there was no need to waste time arguing that a “pretty girl” didn’t necessarily mean a “bride.”
The carriage, which had been gradually slowing, came to a complete stop.
Lavish lights spilling out from the garden onto the street, raucous music, and laughter seized both men’s attention.
As they stepped down from the carriage, Eliot gave Matiel’s shoulder a light tap.
“Well, fine. Go ahead and look for your ‘pretty girl’—that’s part of a party’s charm, after all. I’m relieved, as your friend, to see you’re not just a wooden log or a perfectly sharpened ice awl. I’m genuinely curious—who could possibly melt you in her skirts?”
“I’ve told you before, Eliot—learn to distinguish wit from cheap jokes.”
Eliot merely shrugged with a mischievous grin.
“Backstage, they’re the same thing.”
The moment the two entered the mansion, an enormous commotion erupted at the entrance—just as Baroness Lireld had anticipated, or as she’d described to Charlotte, calling him a “big fish.”
“Good heavens—could that be… Duke Elinak?”
“What should I do? How on earth did he end up here?”
“Oh my! Look at Eliot—he’s even more handsome than before!”
“I saw his performance last time—absolutely magnificent! The standing ovation lasted a full ten minutes, they say. Ten minutes!”
Though Eliot, the kingdom’s most famous singer and actor, was always the center of attention and the darling of high society wherever he went, Matiel’s case was somewhat different.
He was known for rarely appearing at private gatherings unless they were official royal functions, and he maintained almost no personal connections whatsoever.
So much so that a wistful joke circulated: “Trying to strike up a conversation with Duke Elinak is harder than plucking a flower from the middle of a cliff to arrange into a bouquet.”
Baroness Lireld may have wielded some influence in society, but she was certainly not at a level where she could claim any real acquaintance with such a person.
Thus, Matiel’s sudden, unexpected appearance at this informal gathering—neither a birthday nor an official banquet—caused an enormous stir.
“Duke Elinak, welcome! You likely don’t remember me, but…”
“Good day, Your Grace. I’ve always admired your character…”
“…My mother constantly praises you…”
“I’ve always wanted to invite you…”
A crowd surged forward, blocking Matiel’s path, each person desperate to exchange even a single word.
But Matiel had no time to waste on idle handshakes.
Why had he come here today? To find Lord Rogues’s diamond necklace.
There was no room for error.
“I have business to attend to—let’s speak later. Excuse me.”
At Matiel’s words, the crowd surrounding him parted instantly, like an apple cleanly split in two.
No shout had been made—yet his quiet voice carried that much authority.
“I have some matters to discuss with Baron Lireld. You go ahead and enjoy the party. I’ll see you later.”
Matiel vanished in a flash after whispering in his ear, but Eliot simply took a sip of wine and nodded.
He didn’t know the precise reason, but he knew better than anyone that Matiel wouldn’t come to a place like this without purpose.
Eliot watched Matiel disappear into the crowd—then, beneath the cascading light of the chandeliers, spotted a glint of silver hair.
A slender, pale neck—straight and delicate like a doe’s—and a fleeting glimpse of an emerald-green gown created a vision of enchantment.
He raised his glass, intending to approach the woman he’d just seen.
Just then, the sound of a bell rang out, and the hostess of the party, Baroness Lireld, stepped onto a small, pre-prepared platform.
When scheming men desperately battle for her favor in the male harem
This one’s also on my reread list! The rivalry, scheming between the men in the imperial harem are just as intense and thrilling as in classic palace drama novels, where concubines fight to the death. Give it a read, girls! I promise you won’t be disappointed.
Synopsis:
“I am not worthy of her… but I still want to be by her side, even if only as a loyal dog…”
Those were the painful whispers of Yue Guanyi – the proud Crown Prince of the Great Qi, who was torn between deep love and a guilty conscience. Despite holding the supreme power of the Imperial Guard, he still could not forget the dark past when he was sold into a brothel.
Fate played a cruel twist when Qiu Shuzhi – a young female official who had just passed the imperial examinations with top honors – stepped into his life. She did not know that she was the one who had saved him from a tragic fate many years ago. And now, her heart was the target of pursuit for both Yue Guanyi and the powerful Empress Dowager Qin Qing.
While Yue Guanyi only dared to silently care for and protect the one he loved from afar, the Empress Dowager Qin Qing openly expressed his feelings and did not hesitate to take advantage of his power to approach Qiu Shuzhi. The covert struggle between the two most powerful forces in the imperial court began…
Trigger warning: All men in this novel are yandere style.
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To be honest, Tae Mi is my favorite character in this novel.
Wow that’s grotesque. I didn’t think this novel was going to be so gorey