Detective Agency of the Bizarre

In the early morning, the Mother of the Marsh arrived at Lake Heart Island as promised.

Maids carrying folding chairs set up tables and chairs at the edge of the ever-growing green lawn, taking out bread, meat soup, and some stalk vegetables from the food basket to prepare breakfast for the Lord of the Land of Light and the Mother of the Marsh, waiting for the sun to sprinkle its rays.

During this time, the Mother of the Marsh spoke about poetry, art, the humanities of Saint Mark centuries ago, and the Black Ring that hangs so prominently that the entire world of the Tillage Garden can view it. However, Lu Li was more interested in the Mother of the Marsh's eating habits—She said that food had no use other than the taste and the nostalgic times it evoked.

Thus, Lu Li finished his breakfast in just the first ten minutes, while for the next hour, the Mother of the Marsh enjoyed her meal.

Indeed, life in the Shadow Swamp was not luxurious.

After breakfast, the maids brought pastries and coffee. There wasn't a chef at the camp who knew how to cook the ingredients in a way that didn't taste bad, or rather, the camp's chefs excelled at preserving the original flavor of the ingredients. However, in the Vena Refuge, there were chefs who served nobles or officials. Their rich techniques could satisfy the taste of the Mother of the Marsh, who had not eaten human food for hundreds of years, and merchants could place it on the table fresh from the oven, steaming hot.

At the edge of the clouds, a pale mist began to form, and shortly after, the first rays of sunlight in the morning shone upon Agate Lake.

The Agate Lake Camp was enlivened by the sunlight.

"The lake should be cleaned up."

The Mother of the Marsh glimpsed the flocculent matter and impurities floating in the seemingly clear lake—not referring to the Twisted Cultists guarding Lake Heart Island.

Although Agate Lake was perhaps far from being a breeding ground for monstrous abominations, it was not pure either. Before Old Belfast became the Land of Light, Agate Lake was occupied by the strange and unclean for decades. One could imagine the disease that ordinary residents would contract if they accidentally fell in.

When the sunlight reached Lake Heart Island, Annie stretched her branches gently like someone waking from a nap.

At this moment, Lu Li opened the wooden box on the dining table, from which wafted a scent mixed with alchemy; otherwise, there was no peculiar occurrence.

As the rays continued to shine, the bottom of the wooden box gradually accumulated a layer of flowing golden light, which, when shaken, stirred up a ripple of shimmering pale gold.

If it were collected at noon, the sunlight might become pure golden light.

The slender, fair hand of the Mother of the Marsh reached for the wooden box, her index finger gently dipping into the sunlight sea that separated like mercury, her fingernail lifting a "drop of water" that trembled with the weight of water.

"Like a midsummer stream, making one reluctant to leave..." She remarked on the sensation of the Sunshine Sea.

The "drop of water" dispersed into the sunlight after leaving the wooden box, and perhaps would present a different scene at night.

As the sunlight gradually filled, and was about to overflow, Lu Li closed the wooden box, sealing the rippling Sunshine Sea.

"This is the most beautiful decoration... My Lord, you should purchase some wooden boxes from them." The Mother of the Marsh's appraisal of the wooden box transitioned from a unique trinket to a refined object.

Lu Li had Merchant Anthony deliver the wooden boxes to the Maiden's Grace Church while inquiring about their source.

Some time later, Merchant Anthony returned with a parchment. The nun wrote that they liked sunlight very much, and could make more than a dozen wooden boxes per day, but chose not to because they had no use for so many. When Lu Li proposed to buy the wooden boxes, the nuns generously gave him five from their stock as a gift.

Lu Li declined such gifts, insisting on purchasing the wooden boxes through contribution and stating that he might need more boxes in the future—a large number of them.

At this time, five opened wooden boxes were placed at the edge of the dining table, taking in sunlight.

"Do you wish for every household to have one of these?"

"No."

Lu Li observed the sunlight that rose slowly, like accumulating water: "Sunlight only exists in the Land of Light. Wooden boxes can capture the sunlight, and they will become a specialty of the Land of Light."

The old sewers, Spirit Town, and the Earth Dwellers' Trading Company will all like it.

"You are becoming a true Lord." The Mother of the Marsh raised her coffee in salute to Lu Li: "Trade is the eternal truth of prosperity for any territory. I should return for a nap now; in the afternoon, I will go to Sugard Ridge to hunt some prey to bring back. My Lord, remember your promise."

The Mother of the Marsh left the folding table and chairs behind, along with an unopened parasol. The maids frequently glanced at the wooden boxes, and after tidying up, they followed her departure. Once the five wooden boxes were filled with sunlight, Lu Li closed them and took them into the wooden house.

The school being built at the foundation was located in the northeast of the Agate Lake Camp, equidistant with the shanties in the southeast. Completing the two-story schoolhouse design from Vena Refuge would take about two weeks, at which time the sixth batch of residents might just be arriving.

In the afternoon, the Mother of the Marsh caught an anomaly from Sugard Ridge as promised, only one, but as large as a house. She found it curled up like a hermit crab in a barn.

Yet, this enormous anomaly contained pitifully little humanity, not even enough to restore Lu Li's humanity to one portion. However, it was not without benefit—the flesh and blood, after being processed by the Six-legged Monster, served as nourishment, piled next to the roots of the Banyan Tree Guardians, and was divided among them.

Although the followers also required humanity, substances imbued with the breath of the Mother of the Marsh were the source of their strength, and they hadn't eaten in a long time.

At Princess Roland's garden cottage, the flower bed, Lu Li temporarily let green sprouts emerge around him, then watched from afar as the Six-legged Monster feasted on the flesh.

He turned his head to ask the Mother of the Marsh beside him.

"Have you considered letting them attend school too?"

…

In the evening, the last beam of light disappeared over the vast sea surface of the bay.

The breeze gradually cooled, and before the stars rose, the Land of Light would become as cold and dark as the surface of the earth, until a new day arrived.

This was no longer a concern for the residents. They did not suffer from hunger; they had their own warm shanties and soft bedding.

As they slept, the camp welcomed another peaceful and tranquil night.

The breeze brushed across the lake, lifting the curtains.

Lu Li sat at his desk and opened one of the wooden boxes.

Light spilled out, akin to the glow from a treasure chest opening that illuminates one's face in a play.

The golden Sunshine Sea surged in the box, a day's time has not diminished its volume.

Lu Li left the Sunshine Box open to test how long it could last, then prepared to return to bed and rest.

Knock, knock, knock—

A knocking sound came from the window, and Annie's branches gently tapped the back window.

Following Lu Li's opening of the window, the branches extended into the wooden house, reaching straight towards the Sunshine Box on the table.

Lu Li picked up the wooden box for her, handing it over to the eagerly twining Annie.

"Don't spill it."

He said, a little late, as Annie, who had not yet learned to control her strength, failed to catch the Sunshine Box, causing the wooden box to fall, spilling out sunlight and temporarily making the wooden house shimmer with golden light.

Lu Li bent down to pick up the empty box of flowing light, then took another from the table and stepped out of the wooden house, opening it and placing it at Annie's feet.

Rustle, rustle—

The lush leaves swayed, making a relaxing breeze sound.

Lu Li returned to the wooden house and peacefully drifted into sleep amidst the tranquility.