Chapter 247: Miss Bunana's Fury Will Become a Literary Giant of the Fars Empire

Sophia Gallanord had changed into a formal dress. When she saw Charlot Mecklenburg, she gave a slight bow and said, “Mr. Mecklenburg, thank you for your care during this time. I have come to express my gratitude personally.”

The middle-aged gentleman accompanying her gave a polite smile and said, “I am Yalman, the steward of the Gallanord Estate, accompanying the young lady. I also bring the earl’s gratitude.”

“The Earl said that Sophia’s life is worth more to him than all the treasures of the world. He cannot imagine how he would continue to live without his daughter. He also mentioned that no gift could match the value of Sophia herself, so he can only repay you with his sincerest friendship.”

“Should you have any needs in the future, the Gallanord family will do everything in their power to assist you.”

Charlot smiled while searching his memory, thinking to himself, “The Earl? I don’t recall ever hearing about him. Never mind, I’ll ask Dolores about it later.”

“Hmm, actually, Annie might know too. How did I forget this yesterday?”

“Oh, right...”

“Asking about the Rose of Strasbourg in front of Annie is like courting death. Out of respect for life and my pursuit of a good existence, I instinctively avoided that tragic question.”

In the Fars Empire, some nobles wielded real power and held high status, while others had their prestige rooted in history, rendering their status relatively modest.

For instance, Grand Duke Ferdinand, though a duke, held far less influence than Earl Bretagne. Even the nannies of the Bretagne family were at the Saint rank, while the Grand Duke struggled to gather a handful of mid- to high-ranked transcendents.

Charlot invited the two inside and instructed Madam Umeboshi to prepare coffee and tea.

Although he was in the middle of breakfast, he set aside his meal and asked Madam Umeboshi to remove the tableware, instead inviting the two guests to sit in his small study.

Sophia Gallanord’s every gesture displayed the demeanor of a noble maiden, yet her sapphire-like eyes seemed to convey a hint of unease, as though saying, "With Steward Yalman here, I cannot express closeness."

Charlot dismissed it as a misperception and treated them as ordinary friends.

After half an hour, Steward Yalman reminded her, “Miss, the Earl has matters requiring your presence later.”

Sophia rose, gave a slight bow, and bid farewell.

Once Charlot saw them off, he exhaled a small sigh of relief. For some inexplicable reason, Steward Yalman’s presence felt oppressive.

Charlot no longer had the appetite to resume his breakfast and instead instructed Mrs. Nancy to send messages to Venie Arsenault and Sylvie Martin. He also asked her to visit No. 1 Falcon Street to bring Anastasia and Belisa over. With Dolores just returning to Strasbourg, Charlot opted not to disturb her.

Madam Umeboshi, aware of the impending guests—mostly young ladies—began preparing pastries. She couldn’t help but mutter to herself, “Mr. Mecklenburg’s guests are always beautiful young ladies. I’ve never seen him host a single gentleman.”

“If he were born in the New Continent, he’d probably have over a hundred children by now.”

Unaware of his cook’s grumblings, Charlot hadn’t activated his Eye of Insight while at home.

Half an hour later, Madam Umeboshi brought out a tray of freshly baked apple pies.

Charlot, though not very hungry, found the pies irresistible. Their crispy exterior and warm apple filling were delicious, and he ended up eating the entire plate.

An hour later, the young ladies began arriving at 58 Elysée Avenue one after another.

Miss Annie Bretagne was the third to arrive, while Miss Dolores Soumet was the last.

Aside from Belisa, these young women were all university graduates. Even Belisa, as a second-tier Sky Ascender, was a high-caliber individual—far beyond the reach of most ordinary graduates to transcendence.

Soon, the residence at 58 Elysée Avenue turned into a lively gathering of ladies. Charlot, though present, hardly dared to interject in their conversations, doing his best to reduce his presence.

When Sylvie Martin heard Anastasia mention Charlot’s recent appointment as acting magistrate for Starburg, Bybury City, Seagull City, Silver Dove Castle, and Mount Ode City, she was astonished and casually asked, “Have you been back to Seagull City?”

This seemingly trivial question instantly drew the attention of all the ladies.

As the son of a merchant, Charlot had cultivated an image of estrangement from his family, emphasizing how his brother monopolized their family assets. Even Venie Arsenault, among others, was quite concerned about Charlot’s family situation. This merchant’s son was now one of the most outstanding young men in the empire, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with peers from illustrious lineages.

Charlot shrugged and replied, “I sent them some small gifts.” His tone carried a hint of grievance.

Sylvie Martin, fully aware of Charlot’s “true nature,” said nothing, but the other young women began to imagine all sorts of scenarios. Annie even conjured up visions of a wicked sister-in-law and a greedy brother plotting against the younger sibling—a classic tale from folklore that sparked maternal sympathy.

Sylvie quickly realized the awkward atmosphere and refrained from pressing the issue. After all, her own relationship with Charlot was somewhat complicated. Moreover, Charlot’s sister-in-law was her older sister, and once that connection was exposed, her former fiancée status would become impossible to conceal.

Hastily, she said, “Though it’s not ideal, I think you’re managing well enough as things are.”

Sylvie’s ambiguous remark sounded like an acknowledgment of familial strife to the other ladies.

Anastasia, known for her bluntness, remarked, “I’ve heard there are many rumors about Mr. Mecklenburg in Seagull City. Why would anyone spread baseless rumors unless they had something to gain? It must be his brother trying to prevent him from returning to claim the inheritance…”

Charlot broke out in a cold sweat and quickly interrupted, “Anastasia! Please, let’s not talk about that anymore. Just forget it.”

Enemies? Charlot had more than his fair share in Seagull City.

In fact, the city was crawling with them. Some didn’t even realize their enmity toward Charlot Mecklenburg, while others spread tales that were anything but baseless.

Charlot thought to himself, “I was considering whether to make Freeman Martin the protagonist of the narrative. For the sake of my future reputation, he must be the protagonist—whether he likes it or not.”

“Freeman Martin will go down in history, no doubt about it.”

“The fury of Miss Bunana shall establish her as a literary giant of the Fars Empire!”

“I’m an innocent man.”

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