Detective Agency of the Bizarre

Valendo returned to the dim, decaying restaurant, where rust spread like ringworm across the walls and pipes.

Dozens of new residents gathered around the damp, swollen round tables in the scattered restaurant, using conversation to pass the arduous journey. Another third of the new residents hid in equally harsh cabins, either resting or lying down to relieve seasickness.

The metallic echo of Valendo's footsteps drew some attention, most of it from young aristocrats with neat hair and brightly colored clothes, though somewhat dirty.

Varodo did not like them.

He disliked them in the Vena Ice-Free Port, in the Vena Refuge, and even more so on the journey to the Land of Light.

The reason was simple: these offspring from various families, wealthy individuals, and officials came to "invest" in the Land of Light.

They were young enough, energetic enough, knowledgeable enough, and even hardworking enough. The most crucial attribute— they were smart enough. They knew how to transform into what Exorcists preferred, so even Exorcists and the Mayor had no reason to refuse them.

"We all know these young people come from the upper class wanting to preserve their bloodline or invest in the Land of Light, but what reason do we have to refuse these young people who are superior in looks and abilities compared to ordinary people? So, we know the truth but can't refuse them. Do you know the literacy rate of residents living in the Inner Ring? 4%, while the Outer Ring might only have a fraction of that. We can't throw a bunch of illiterate, incompetent poor people at Mr. Luli, we can't..."

Recalling Mayor Matthias's helpless murmuring before separating, Valendo walked past round tables, whispers and conversations piercing his ears.

"Poor Vincent, seasickness is about to kill him. If we don't reach shore soon, he'll either die or go mad..."

"I've already had my niece apply to be part of the seventh or eighth batch of migrating residents... I'm not joking! Why? Because I trust the Exorcist... He doesn't even bother to renovate this magical ship to make it more deceitful. Old buddy, you're really getting senile. Sunshine, remember the sunshine? That's something that won't let us emanate the rotting odor of age, something that won't turn us as pale as vampires."

"Letters or face? Oops, you've got it wrong again; you already owe me 15 pieces of Land of Light bread. Okay, it's your turn to throw now, ready to owe me more bread?"

"Zod, that guy, won't bother you anymore, darling… I'm not lying; such a bastard isn't qualified to board the ship. No hypotheticals, okay, even if he did come, the Exorcist would uphold justice for us..."

Valendo sat at the empty table in the corner, even though staying long with those Banyan Tree Guardians should have gathered crowds and restored Sanity Value, but he found solo quiet enjoyment more recuperative for his sanity.

However, his tranquility was soon disrupted; Wilan approached, dragging one of the few clean wooden chairs to sit across from him.

"You don't seem to like being too close to them."

"A bunch of ignorant fools." Valendo candidly exposed his thoughts, criticizing those upper class gold prospectors: "The Exorcist is not a member of the old system; he won't prioritize them like nobles or officials, simply because of a status lower than dog shit."

Wilan advised as a friend: "That's a prejudice. We must admit they bring more value and usefulness than commoners."

"Including their arrogance and ingrained pride? If they could really change, I'd look upon them more favorably, but unfortunately, they can't."

Valendo wasn't like this a few months ago. At that time, he was not much different from these aristocrats; they were even friends. However, everything that happened after Vena's place name changed to Refuge made him feel disgusting, sickening: "If you still consider me a friend, stay as far away from them as possible, don't let the Exorcist's dislike for them rub off on you."

"Even if we're not friends, I'd do the same; after all, you're the only one who's interacted with the Exorcist." Wilan said with a smile, suddenly glancing behind due to the whistling sound - the young aristocrats were calling him.

"They want to know what you and I talked about again."

Valendo leaned back against the chair: "Tell them whatever you like, I don't care."

"Don't worry." Wilan still smiled, pushed the wooden chair away with his knees, and returned to those young people.

"Is the assistant to the Mayor speaking ill of us again?"

Wilan no longer maintained his smile, indifferently resting against the seat, seemingly confronting them from a distance: "What else would it be? That snobbish guy doesn't like you."

"It's us." A young man with golden curly hair corrected: "He doesn't like us, so we don't have to let him join the Brotherhood."

"But someone needs to communicate with him; he has an advantage we all lack." Wilan opened his palm on the table, fingers pointing upward.

There wouldn't be anyone else other than the lord of the Land of Light.

"I thought the Land of Light wouldn't be so decayed." Someone sighed.

"Everywhere is the same, just bad and worse."

…

"Everywhere is the same, just bad and worse."

A dirty boy with hair like straw sat across from Varodo in Wilan's chair, narrating the conversation happening on the other side. "That's why I don't like them. Except for you."

Valendo tapped his moist knuckle against the tabletop, returning to his senses: "Except for what?"

Big eyes looking at him from under the shadowy straw-like hair: "You don't look at us with dislike and a fake smile, you're more genuine than them."

"The word is 'sincere.'" Valendo laughed: "If I hadn't contacted the Exorcists beside Mr. Mayor, I would actually be one of them."

"Are Exorcists really that formidable?"

"Yes, I'm usually pessimistic about the frailty of humanity, but Exorcists are truly different…"

"Is he stronger than us?"

"No… He's not much stronger than us, but he always walks the right path doing the right things…" Valendo reminisced about that tall, calm figure: "And able to feel the beautiful breaths and contagion of all life…"

"The merchant has arrived."

Shouts echoed from outside the corridor, making the restaurant lively.

The merchant brought food, medicine, the supplies they currently lacked, and the schedule everyone anticipated.

"The Land of Light is just ahead, get ready."

Unsurprisingly, everyone, even those resting in the cabins, rushed out, thronged onto the deck for a distant view.

The Banyan Tree Guardian cleared space for them, and then people saw golden beams spilling from the void, like bright curtains fluttering in the air, the shimmering sea full of vitality, the Ruins of Old Belfast being bathed in sacred glow.

Standing on the dark ocean deck gazing at the distant light, all anger and resentment, all schemes and calculations, dissipated like smoke from a pipe rising.

No other place would have such splendid scenery in this world.