When The Silver Bell Of Charlotte's Pharmacy Rings (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 7
Matiel had long since slipped away from the bustling hall and moved deeper into the mansion.
He moved like a ghost—or perhaps a well-trained assassin—making neither sound nor trace.
It wasn’t difficult, as the occasional servant he encountered didn’t dare raise even the slightest complaint upon seeing his aloof demeanor and immaculate attire.
Whether they had personally experienced the revolutionary government or not, people had adapted surprisingly quickly to the social hierarchy that had once vanished and now reappeared.
‘Well, that’s to be expected.’
Watching an elderly servant bow deeply and step aside to clear a path for him, Matiel felt an uncharacteristically complicated emotion.
In truth, even when the revolutionary government had toppled the deeply corrupt old monarchy and declared Roanoke an independent republic, the class system itself had never truly disappeared—it had merely become invisible.
Society was ostensibly divided simply into nobles and commoners—though in reality, it was far more intricate than mixing fine grains with sand—the only real difference being that constraints based on social status were now considered perfectly natural.
During the republican era, people merely preferred the terms “citizen” or “national” over “noble” or “commoner,” yet even then, individuals who amassed greater wealth and wielded power still existed.
Among them remained those petty individuals who delighted in trampling those beneath them using their influence.
There were also plenty who frothed at the mouth insisting they deserved more rights than others, or loudly proclaimed themselves superior and inherently better human beings.
Of course, the reason they kept repeating such claims—merely swapping out words—was singular, and about this, Matiel’s father—though not yet called a duke at the time—had once said:
〈There are those who won’t be satisfied until they see others lining up to lick their backside. If it were me, I’d refuse even if someone offered their tongue. Those who need their rear dampened to feel content are the same everywhere. Honestly, such people might as well wear urine-soaked undergarments instead of flapping their tongues around.〉
Recalling his late father’s grumbling voice, Matiel nearly burst out laughing, momentarily forgetting both what he was doing and where he was.
But that was how it was.
The world had functioned similarly under the old monarchy, during the republican government, and even now—Matiel, at twenty-seven, belonged to a generation that had lived through two such upheavals—and the class system had followed suit.
Surely, this was also why people, once unified under the labels “citizen” or “national,” now seamlessly readjusted to being split again into “nobles” and “commoners” without significant resistance.
‘Well, it’s none of my concern.’
Matiel casually erased the matter from his mind.
“You there.”
At Matiel’s call, a servant passing through the corridor bowed his head.
“You called, sir?”
“Do you know where Baron Lireld is?”
The servant paused briefly, appearing thoughtful, then nodded vaguely.
“He should be either in the study or the reception room. A guest arrived earlier.”
“A guest? Do you know who it was?”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know that much…”
“Could you lead me to the study, then?”
The servant bowed politely once more.
“This way, please.”
Matiel followed him. Yet contrary to his expectations, Baron Lireld was in neither the study nor the reception room.
Moreover, there was no sign of the supposed earlier visitor. The servant looked around the empty reception room, clearly flustered.
“I was certain he’d be here…”
“Could he have gone out?”
“No. His lordship has a separate carriage for outings, and I was just finishing repairs on its axle.”
So he must still be inside the mansion, Matiel thought.
It was better than him having left the estate, but with formal areas—the study, reception room, or any guest-accessible space—empty, the situation was clearly about to become more troublesome.
“Thank you for the guidance. You may go.”
“Will you be alright alone?”
“I’ll just enjoy some wine for now. I’m bound to run into him sooner or later.”
The servant bowed again, as though accepting this arrangement, and departed. Left alone, Matiel began to ponder.
Every mansion inevitably had secret spaces.
Especially newer mansions built after the revolutionary era—Baron Lireld’s residence being a prime example—made the matter obvious without needing much thought.
Before the revolution, secret rooms in older estates were typically used to hide valuable treasures, conduct secret affairs, or voice dangerously bold ideas.
But those who regained noble status after enduring the revolutionary government constructed new secret spaces for different purposes—essentially as fortresses.
‘There must be an underground storage area stocked with food and essentials. It’d be far quicker to search for that than to comb through every corner of the mansion.’
Having made his decision, Matiel strode off purposefully.
Although this was his first visit to Baron Lireld’s mansion, its layout was almost perfectly mapped in his mind.
Newly built mansions tended to follow current trends, and Baron Lireld was precisely the sort of man who feared being left behind by even a single fashion.
“Oh my!”
Matiel, walking indifferently past a corridor adorned with dull decorations, halted upon suddenly encountering two figures ahead.
One of them was immediately recognizable the moment their eyes met.
It was Baroness Lireld.
But the young lady standing behind her—with silvery hair and clear, light green eyes—was someone he’d never seen before.
‘Who is she?’
Whether actively socializing or not, members of the old aristocracy maintained an extensive and detailed network of information, storing everything meticulously in their minds.
They knew practically everything concerning nobles residing in the capital or nearby regions.
Mistaking Charlotte for an ordinary noblewoman, Matiel felt a slight irritation at the sudden appearance of someone unknown—someone whose worth as information he couldn’t yet assess.
Oblivious to his feelings, Baroness Lireld hurried toward him with exaggerated excitement.
“Oh dear! Goodness gracious! What on earth are you doing here? The wine and music are over there—were you taking a stroll?”
Having said this, the baroness abruptly burst into laughter, sounding as though she were drunk.
Matiel assumed she was already inebriated, yet standing so close, he detected not the faintest trace of alcohol on her breath.
“Thank you for inviting me, Baroness. This is my first time paying my respects to you.”
Matiel spoke, and Charlotte immediately recognized that he had perfected the imitation of a courteous gentleman.
His elegant diction and demeanor were flawless, yet they carried not even a fingernail’s worth of genuine human warmth.
Clearly, he wasn’t grateful for her invitation—indeed, he seemed utterly indifferent.
‘A slippery, overworked fox,’ Charlotte thought.
At that moment, Baroness Lireld abruptly grabbed the girl’s wrist.
“Sherry! Why are you just standing there dazed? The very person you said you wanted to meet is right before your eyes! Ah, I see—you’re speechless now that you’re actually seeing him in person! Of course you are! Everyone looks that way the first time they meet Duke Elinak!”
Hearing this, Charlotte gazed fixedly at Matiel’s face once more.
This time, her expression was serious.
The name “Duke Elinak” imprinted itself deeply into her mind,
so much so that she momentarily forgot even the baroness’s absurd, chatterbox behavior.
‘Duke Elinak… Duke Elinak. I’ve heard that name many times before. This is my first time seeing him in person, though… Ah, right—that’s the man. The one who became duke after his older brother suddenly died.’
Charlotte recalled a rumor she’d once heard circulating in the marketplace.
The second Duke Elinak—the first generation having been erased from records during the revolutionary era—was originally the second son of the ducal family, and widespread whispers claimed he’d poisoned his frail elder brother out of ambition to seize the title.
‘Still, to encounter such a renowned figure face-to-face today—am I lucky or unlucky? This might mean even fewer chances to properly assess the baroness… I thought she was just bragging about some bigshot, but it turns out he really is one.’
Charlotte mused.
The Kingdom of Roanoke had three ducal houses, and among them, the House of Elinak held the greatest prestige and fame in the capital.
As expected of such a prominent family, countless unfounded rumors and baseless gossip swirled around the Elinak ducal line.
Of course, Charlotte would only come to learn all these controversies and rumors much later.
She carefully examined Duke Elinak’s appearance.
It was all she could do while silently aware they were sizing each other up.
First noticeable were his deep golden hair, reminiscent of a sunlit sandy beach, and his striking sunset-colored eyes visible beneath slightly tousled bangs.
‘What an unusual color. It’s red—but is it just the indoor lighting making it appear that way?’
His straight, prominent nose exuded masculinity.
Though his bone structure was smooth and refined—lacking any rugged irregularities—his firmly closed lips and sharply defined cheekbones radiated stubbornness and a sense of authority.
He was undoubtedly more than merely handsome, yet simultaneously gave the impression of being exceedingly difficult to please.
Baroness Lireld spoke again.
“Why don’t you at least exchange greetings? Duke Elinak, you’ve likely never seen this young lady before. She rarely shows her face at parties or gatherings, after all.”
Though inwardly annoyed, Matiel nodded politely out of courtesy and looked at Charlotte.
The more he looked, the more strangely captivated he felt by her.
How to describe it…? She was beautiful—yet somehow distant, as if she didn’t truly belong here.
The realization sent a faint chill down his spine.
‘What on earth is this?’
At that moment, Charlotte gracefully dipped into a slight curtsey and offered a near-perfect smile.
“A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Duke Elinak. I’ve heard so much about you—it seems fortune smiles on me today. My name is Sherry.”
My Arch-enemy Sealed My Memory and Said That He is My Husband
This is an incredibly captivating story that you absolutely shouldn’t miss! I’ll give a brief introduction here, and below you’ll find a detailed synopsis of the plot.
The female lead is a fierce and powerful demon king. The male lead is a once-in-a-millennium celestial lord, admired by the entire cultivation world.
They are equally matched, legendary rivals who have battled for centuries.
In the final duel, the female lead is gravely injured. The male lead saves her, seals her memories, and hides her true identity. He tells her that he is her fiancé. His entire life has been flawless—except for the one thing he never expected, never controlled, and never wanted to control: falling for his greatest enemy. She is his inner demon, his obsession.
When the female lead regains her memories, she is furious at his deception.
She makes his life a living hell.
And somehow, the male lead—possibly a total masochist—doesn’t mind at all. In fact, he’s happy she’s paying attention to him.
Yep, we’re back to my favorite trope: male lead suffering. If you love this kind of story, jump into the pit with me now!!!
Intro
Dong Xia lost her memory.
Her handsome and extremely powerful fiancé Li Qing comforted her: “It’s okay if you can’t remember. I’ll always be with you.”
Everyone thought Dong Xia’s ancestors must have burned incense to get such a perfect fiancé. He was the number one person in the immortal realm, yet he remained chaste and only loved her.
…
The day before marrying her fiancé, Dong Xia finally remembered everything.
She wasn’t suffering from memory loss at all.
Her arch-enemy had made her fake her death, destroyed her cultivation, replaced her memories, and pretended to be her deeply in love fiancé.
No wonder he said, “It’s okay if you can’t remember”!
Dong Xia laughed coldly as she pulled out her long knife: Li Qing, prepare to die 🙂
*
Li Qing, as the supreme being of the immortal realm, was the people’s shining beacon.
The only unknown stain in his life was his affection for Dong Xia, the ruler of the demon realm.
In the final battle of the war between immortals and demons, the sky collapsed and the earth shattered. The ruler of the demon realm was finally slain under the sword of the supreme being of the immortal realm, and everyone in the immortal realm applauded.
The cultivation world lost a ruler of the demon realm.
And in the back mountain of Li Qing’s cave dwelling, he secretly hid away a fiancée.
Notes:
1. The female lead is white on the outside, black on the inside, and the queen of flattery; the male lead repeatedly tests the edge of darkness, a VIP guest at the crematorium.
2. Fantasy cultivation world setting.
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
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