The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 340: The Beginning of the Story

The evening reception lingered until nearly midnight. After the last of the guests had departed, the Viscount and Francis, one of the evening's central figures, retired to the study to continue their conversation by candlelight.

And since the story had not yet concluded, the Baroness and the exorcists returned to Sara's bedroom after the reception ended. There, they met her "uncle"—a pleasant-looking, middle-aged man.

Once again, the ancient voice echoed in their minds.

["Who's there?" Sara's voice called from the quiet room.]

["It's me, Sara. Your uncle."]

["Uncle?" After a brief silence, Sara spoke. "I don't remember having an uncle."]

["I left when you were just a little girl... five, maybe four years old. Do you remember the doll with the long hair? I was the one who gave it to you," Andrew explained patiently.]

[Sara opened the door, wiping away tears as she forced a smile. "Uncle..."]

["Andrew. You can call me Andrew," he smiled, reaching out to pat Sara on the head.]

[Sara flinched back, her eyes filled with suspicion. She trusted no one now.]["Don't be afraid, my child. I won't harm you..." Andrew lowered his hand. "Calm down. Everything will be all right."]

["Because it can't get any worse," Sara replied with a bitter smile. "It can't possibly get any worse, can it?" She looked at her uncle, then placed a hand on the door. "You should go see Father..."]

["Do you want to save him?"]

["What did you say?" Sara's eyes widened.]

["My brother never cared for me," Andrew began his story. "He considered me a heretic, a sorcerer, or something of the sort. He believed I had brought a curse upon our family. So, when I came of age, I left home to seek what I truly desired."]

["What are you talking about?!" Sara stared intently at her suddenly appeared uncle, her hand tightening around a pair of scissors.]

["Patience, my child. I've come to help you. I know everything, I know what happened... I'm so sorry about Adam, but I must tell you, don't blame your father. He only wanted to protect the family."]

["He's dead," Sara said, her voice laced with pain. It was her fault Adam died. If only she hadn't dropped the rope...]

Nearby, hidden around a corner in the corridor, the five of them exchanged glances.

When did that happen? Why would Adam suddenly...

The Baroness gasped, covering her mouth with her hand. Lu Li looked at her and understood what had happened to Adam.

At the door, the story continued.

["Did you love him? I mean, are you willing to sacrifice everything for him?" Andrew asked.]

["What do you mean, 'sacrifice everything'?" Sara didn't understand.]

["Exactly what I said. You will pay a steep price for his return."]

["But how is that possible? He's..." Sara stopped abruptly and grabbed Andrew's sleeve. "Uncle Andrew, can you help me?!"]

["My child, only you can do this. I can only show you the way," Andrew said, stroking Sara's hair.]

["What do I have to do?" Sara was gradually calming down.]

["Here, take this." Andrew pulled something from his pocket.]

["A book?" Sara asked in surprise, reaching for it. But Andrew pulled the thick, ancient tome back. "If you choose to read this book, it means you agree to all of this. From this moment on, your peaceful life as an aristocrat will be over. You will pull back the curtain on the true world, and the truth, as you know, is always unsettling. Are you ready?"]

["Will Adam come back to life?" Sara asked.]

["Of course," Andrew nodded, watching as Sara took the heavy book from his hands.]

["I was never here, and I gave you nothing. Good night," Andrew said, then turned and walked away. Sara watched him disappear around the corner before bolting the door and placing the book on her table.]

[She lit a lamp and stared at the cover. "Book of the Dead"—the title alone was unsettling. The thick cover looked as though it had been stitched together from various scraps of skin, the needle marks still starkly visible. Its color, a curdled, milky white, sent a wave of revulsion through her.]

[Sara collected herself, took the book by its corner, and opened it to the first page.]

["Does a person die and turn to nothing?" The words on the first page gave Sara pause. After a moment, she turned the page.]

The ancient voice fell silent. Judging from the past few days, the Shadow Puppeteer was skipping the details of this part.

An hour passed, maybe two, before those sitting on the sofa in the corridor heard the ancient voice again.

["The night grew deeper. Sara wanted to keep reading, to find a way to resurrect Adam, but sleep overcame her. She dozed off right at the table. She must have been having a nightmare, for a single tear traced a path down her cheek."]

The ancient voice vanished. Lu Li and the others waited a few more minutes, and once they were sure it wouldn't return, they left the corridor, their performance for the day complete.

The butler instructed the maids to return the sofa to its proper place. The Baroness, Lu Li, and the others changed their clothes and returned to the living room.

"The book must contain a way to resurrect him," David spoke first.

"Is that even possible?" Laura asked.

"This is a story. Anything is possible here. For instance, these... beings might not be human, just look like them," David replied.

Petra sighed. "We've missed too many important details. We don't even know where Adam's body is."

The only thing they could say for certain was that the ancient book was the "Book of the Dead," and it might contain a way to resurrect Adam. Or it might not.

After a brief discussion, the Baroness and Petra retired to their rooms. Lu Li was sent back to his detective agency through the pouring rain.

Midnight. An unrelenting downpour and the rumble of thunder enveloped the entire city.

In the dark bedroom, the ancient voice spoke once more...

[Sara stood on the balcony, clutching a crumpled bedsheet with a neatly severed edge.]

["Someone was here... Someone cut the rope..." Sara whispered.]