Menniman Sumei whispered, "This is the Emerald Secret Scroll, a replica crafted by Master Manni. The real Emerald Tablet is held in the Court of Fate."
Charlotte was still deeply shaken.
Master Manni's Emerald Secret Scroll had been studied at university, hailed as the pinnacle of human alchemy.
At the same time, Charlotte noticed that Menniman's expression was incredibly complex, filled with emotions of hatred, regret, sadness, relief, and many others that were impossible to decipher or describe.
Charlotte struggled to suppress the bloodthirsty power within him, which was becoming increasingly uncontrollable under the influence of the Emerald Secret Scroll. Curious, he asked, "Can these memories be reviewed?" He had always been curious about this question since school, but textbooks offered no answers, and professors refused to explain, stating it was knowledge he shouldn't be exposed to.
Menniman replied, "They will be crushed by the Emerald Secret Scroll and converted into pure knowledge. The scroll does not retain ordinary memories."
Charlotte understood that having one's memories extracted by the Emerald Secret Scroll was essentially the same as being killed.
The process of erasing memories was uneventful; Cimorman Axel Robin quickly became a lifeless shell.
The heavy, ancient Emerald Secret Scroll's shadow slowly vanished, along with the countless wisps of gray mist.
The fighting aura around Menniman dissipated, and the bloodthirsty power within Charlotte also calmed down, retreating into the bloody vortex at his brow.
The Emerald Secret Scroll, this ultimate alchemical treasure, had an overwhelmingly powerful effect on extraordinary powers.
Charlotte didn't feel at ease.
The alchemists in black robes and hoods, after a series of operations, bestowed Cimorman Axel Robin with a brand-new personality and a fabricated identity.
His new name was Huntington, a captain at Kilmainham Prison, fiercely loyal to the royal family, and highly skilled in martial arts.
After completing their work, the alchemists handed over a document. Menniman signed her name and then handed it to Charlotte, saying, "According to imperial law, this document must be signed by two people."
Only then did Charlotte understand why Menniman had brought him here. He didn't dare to read the document's contents too carefully, quickly glanced at it, and signed his name.
Menniman didn't linger any longer, leading Charlotte back through the mysterious door to the Kilmainham Prison in the Marne District.
This brief journey left Charlotte feeling deeply depressed.
Menniman gave him half a day off and left work early herself.
Charlotte even hitched a ride with his immediate superior's carriage, getting off in the Val-de-Grâce District.
He returned to the Alexandria District, first terminating his rental contract with the Savings Society apartment, paying a fee, and then hiring a freight carriage to move all his personal belongings. He left the place where he had lived for two years, completely severing ties with his past as Charlotte Mecklenburg.
Upon arriving at 58 Rue des Champs-Elysées, Charlotte realized that his predecessor's personal belongings were quite numerous, including a portion of books.
He placed the miscellaneous items in the large study and the books in the small study, intending to organize them later.
The previous owner had taken all the valuable items, leaving only the bulky furniture in the two studies.
The large study was about 60 to 70 square meters, with bookshelves lining all four walls, a large conference table, and matching chairs.
The small study was more like a lounge, with an old desk and matching chair, two guest sofas, and a reclining chair for napping. It was more suitable for daily relaxation, with only one and a half walls customized for bookshelves, which were probably used for storing miscellaneous items. Now, they only contained some empty boxes and a few letters.
Charlotte didn't bother with the other luggage, quickly tidying up the small study, clearing out the clutter, and placing the books he had brought over on the shelves. He also inserted his predecessor's diary into the bookshelf.
These "predecessor" books would help him better understand his new identity, and he planned to read them more thoroughly when he had time. As for that diary, he still felt uneasy about it and hadn't dared to read it again.
Most of the previous owner's clothing had been discarded, leaving only a few daily items like tableware.
Charlotte's tableware collection was minimal and made of tin, which was much cheaper.
After placing the tableware in the dining room, Charlotte felt hungry. There was no food at home, although he had brought some ingredients with him. However, he didn't want to cook because...
The dishes made from those ingredients were unappetizing.
Not wanting to spend the entire afternoon tidying up, Charlotte decided to go out for a meal. He left 58 Rue des Champs-Elysées and turned onto the bustling Rue des Champs-Elysées. It wasn't long before he passed by a bakery. Without much thought, he went inside and asked, "What bread do you have today?"
In the Faulkner Empire, most bakeries were independently run by a particular lady, who handled everything from baking the bread to selling it.
As a result, each bakery had its own style, and the bread they sold varied greatly in flavor.
The owner of this bakery was a petite, red-haired young woman, probably around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. Smiling, she replied, "Our croissants are famous far and wide. Would you like some?"
Charlotte smiled and said, "I'll take twenty."
The red-haired baker quickly wrapped up twenty croissants for him.
Charlotte asked a few more questions and was delighted to discover that this shop even had tea from the Eastern Kingdom, a far superior beverage to the empire's black tea. He bought some as well before leaving the bakery.
Although Rue des Champs-Elysées was bustling and it was a good time for a stroll with people and carriages coming and going, Charlotte headed straight back to 58 Rue des Champs-Elysées without lingering.
Back home, he drank some water and ate two croissants, placing the rest in the sideboard in the dining room as food for the next few days.
This ancient empire in a different timeline didn't have refrigerators, so food couldn't be stored for long.
After a brief hesitation, Charlotte decided to check out the basement. He had already explored the three-story house but hadn't yet visited the basement. With the daylight still good, it was the perfect time for a tour.
Charlotte lit a kerosene lamp. The architects of the Faulkner Empire would never put windows in basements—it was an imperial tradition. Even during the day, the basement was bound to be dark.
If it got dark, it would be less convenient.
The basement stairs were long, with three landings. Each landing had a lamp holder on the wall for a kerosene lamp, indicating that the basement might have a height of over five pymis.
Charlotte had calculated that the empire's pymis were slightly longer than the metric meters on Earth, with one pymi being about 1.15 meters. A basement with this height was already quite spacious.