Detective Agency of the Bizarre

"Lu Li Prepares to Rebuild the Exorcist"

The news from the Land of Light revived the long-apathetic newspaper of the Vena Refuge. The explosive news, permitted by Lu Li, spread throughout the Vena Refuge.

It was even sung.

People are accustomed to reminiscing about the goodness that has disappeared and passed away in their lives. Like the Exorcists. The longing for the Exorcists deepened the memories of the previous generations, and because the darkness needed light to adorn it, people needed the stories of the Exorcists to warm their numbed hearts.

And the efforts made by this era's only Exorcist are evident to them.

Many people cannot ponder benefits and drawbacks, but they know a simple equation: Exorcist represents hope, Lu Li is preparing to rebuild the Exorcists, Lu Li represents hope.

Although such a thought is quite naive, as if the appearance of an Exorcist will be the time for humanity to launch a counterattack – but people in darkness despair because they cannot see the light igniting the pitch black.

The news of Lu Li rebuilding the Exorcists lit up hope for the Vena Refuge, but for the sixth group of residents who arrived at the Land of Light yesterday, they still need time to coexist with the strange.

For now, they cannot yet face the Twisted and the Vine Cultists with the ease of the first five groups of residents, such as taking items from the back of a Six-legged Monster, greeting the Shadow Figures, or even daringly approaching the Wall of Sighs to secretly feed the Banyan Tree Guardian.

Because they know more, are instilled with more, they sadly cannot accept the strange as easily as the ignorant citizens.

However…

Valendo stiffly took the tray from the back of a Six-legged Monster stopped in front of him, the latter then scuttled away.

With the frequency of their appearance and contact, they will sooner or later adapt and even grow close like the previous groups of residents.

The other lawyers and young nobles on the square, who were also drafting laws, similarly stiffly took the trays delivered by the Six-legged Monsters to them. The stranges they had seen were either terrifying and hateful, bizarre and ferocious, or dead, never as docile as those before them.

Rustle—rustle—

A group of twisted silhouettes wandered by outside the square with the sound of tidal waves. Watching their backs, Valendo recalled the words of advice from Mr. Matthias before leaving the Vena Refuge.

"If you want to enjoy the sweet fruits of the world, you must learn to coexist with evil."

Are they truly evil?

Despite the short time at the camp, Valendo saw scenes of many human residents getting close to the strange residents, particularly fond of the vine-wrapped Vine Cultists or the damp and sticky Twisted Cultists, though the latter never actively responded, for they did not wish to pollute them.

"Bad people aren't born bad…"

Valendo recalled the words Lu Li said yesterday, stopping his thoughts due to footsteps, looking at the approaching Wilan.

"Reconcile," he said straightforwardly without a fake smile.

"Representing the Brotherhood?" Valendo's gaze went past his shoulder, looking at those behind him waiting for the outcome.

"And myself. I previously disagreed with your ideas…" Wilan sighed: "Seeing the Land of Light, realizing His Excellency Lulian's 'ambition,' we suddenly realized how childish our past actions were, he is striving to change this terrible world… and we were still in-fighting, vying for meaningless power like a child's play…"

The sunlight washed them pure, and Lu Li bestowed upon them a new will.

From now on, they would follow His Excellency Lulian's will, before thoughts were corrupted.

"We hope you can join the Brotherhood." Wilan extended his hand to Valendo.

After a moment's pause, Valendo reached out to shake it: "I'm not joining the Brotherhood for now, I'll need to see that you are indeed changing."

"You will see, it won't take long."

The barrier between Valendo and the Brotherhood formally disappeared, and the remaining awkwardness gradually faded away in legal exchanges. After all, their actions were just the awkward imitation of elders by young people, vulnerable in the face of lofty ideals.

Compared to the Brotherhood's acceptance of the Land of Light's ideals, the Knight Squad, with its creed to expel and eliminate the strange, lived more contradictorily in the Land of Light.

The five knights did not become Lu Li's guards as Mayor Matteus had hoped. They idled at home, unnoticed, ignored by the Exorcist. Only recently, Scholar Lena was summoned — on the second day after all new residents were summoned, and had just returned.

"What does Mr. Luli plan to do with us?"

Knight Captain Michael and his companions looked at the returning Lena.

"...He said he doesn't need guards, hoping I could cooperate with the scholars to make the God-given Armor."

"And what about us?" the Scout Knight asked.

Scholar Lena didn't know whether to laugh or feel troubled: "Mr. Luli wants you to go to the school to learn mysticology…"

"Mysticology?" Captain Michael frowned.

"He said all prejudice stems from ignorance…"

"Can't we persuade His Excellency Lulian?" Knight retinue Matt asked.

"Can you persuade your father?" The Scout Knight's example was not quite apt, but the result was the same—they couldn't persuade the Exorcist just like children couldn't persuade their father.

"Alright… It's better than being driven away from the Land of Light."

"If you want to enjoy the sweet fruits of the world, you must learn to coexist with evil…" Captain Michael ended his thought, reciting Mayor Matthias's advice before departure: "…We will follow Mr. Luli's instructions."

Despite not being valued, the Exorcist also did not target them—the God-given Armor and equipment were all preserved by them.

It was nearing noon, with little time left before the school would officially be used. Captain Michael and his three teammates parted ways with Scholar Lena heading to the square, and went to the school to register.

Other residents had already completed registration; they were the last batch.

"Your literacy level," asked a Vine Cultist standing at the entrance of the school.

Captain Michael endured his aversion to the strange, stiffly answering: "All of us can read and write."

The Vine Cultist said, "You can attend linguistics, botany, science, mechanics, and mathematics classes starting this afternoon, with mysticology and alchemy added tomorrow. Tests will be conducted weekly, and your grades will determine your occupation."

The registration ended hastily, and they retreated relievedly away from the Vine Cultist and school, then, their attention was drawn to the sound of a steam whistle echoing from the bay.

Andrea returned carrying Banyan Tree Guardians and Twisted Trees from the Shadow Swamp.

"I'm preparing to go to Old Belfast for trials again."

On Lake Heart Island, Lu Li spoke to the Mother of the Marsh.

"So soon."

"I've rested plenty. What needs to be done is done, just recovering the Land of Light and releasing the Cursed Title remain. The former must be done before the rainy season, before I leave, but now is not the time, the latter I can do right away."

"But our protection will make it difficult for you to be in a dying state…"

"I'll use the Crown of Knowledge to forget about the protection," Lu Li answered.

Perhaps this was one of the purposes Midnight City gave him the Crown of Knowledge?