The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 351: New Developments

"Lu Li’s case shows us that on the night we thought the story had ended, it was, in fact, still unfolding," said Petra. "Because of that, we missed a great deal of crucial information, such as the protagonist's cause of death."

"Mr. Investigator, could you perhaps tell us something we haven't already deduced?" Vincent chimed in, his voice laced with boredom.

"Patience," Petra replied politely, ignoring Vincent's rudeness. "Have any of you noticed that the protagonist's methods have changed?"

He glanced at Lu Li before continuing, "Lu Li and I both encountered her alone, and we were both attacked, but she failed to kill us. That failure forced Sara to change her tactics. She's started looking for other ways to obtain bodies—for instance, by provoking a conflict among us."

Petra's gaze swept over everyone present. "She wants to use our own natures against us, to make us kill one another. Ultimately, all she needs are our bodies. It doesn't matter to her who does the killing."

"Why doesn't she do it herself? She despises me, her personal maid, so much that she must dream of killing me with her own hands," the Baroness said, nonchalantly inspecting her fingernails.

"Because she has to follow the story's logic. A noble girl with no weapon and no physical strength kills two people and plans to kill even more?" Vincent answered lazily. "Readers would accuse the 'author' of an implausible plot."

A dark fissure appeared in midair, and from the swirling black mist, a desiccated, clawed hand descended.

Vincent glanced up and said nonchalantly, "I was merely speaking of a detective novel."

The claw and the mist vanished into the ceiling.Petra looked away and continued, "Her actions sparked a new thought... If she needs bodies, then we can provide them."

If Sara needed bodies to perform her resurrection, then they could give them to her.

The room fell into a brief silence.

Expensive logs crackled in the hearth. Rain hammered against the windowpanes, and the wind howled through the treetops, carrying the distant rumble of thunder.

Vincent broke the silence. "I may have been retired for several years, but I'm not keen on breaking the law."

"Mr. Petra is referring to the bodies of characters from the story," the butler replied stiffly.

"I was only joking. You have no sense of humor," Vincent said, his expression flat.

"So far, we've only encountered a limited number of characters," Lu Li said. "The only ones who have physically appeared at the estate are Sara, the viscount, a few of Sara's tutors, and the occasional minor character, like the gardener."

There were many characters at the dinner, but they all vanished once it was over. It was unlikely they would reappear.

Petra smiled. "But what if we 'create' minor characters ourselves? Lu Li, you know better than anyone that our actions can change the story."

Lu Li was silent for a moment before nodding. "It's worth a try."

"Wonderful. We've gone from victims to aggressors in the blink of an eye," Vincent remarked, leaning back into the sofa.

"Do you have an objection?" Petra asked, catching the sarcastic edge in Vincent's tone.

"Of course I do. As someone who's survived one of her rituals, I doubt this will change a thing," Vincent said, brushing a speck of dust from his trousers. "Your idea might sound clever, but it won't work with her. The protagonist might stop paying us any mind if she has enough bodies. But have you thought about where the story goes from there? 'The heroine discovers bodies mysteriously appearing in a barn, resurrects her beloved, secretly investigates to find the killer, and once her lover is back, she exposes the murderer and they live happily ever after'? A wonderful story indeed."

Vincent finished with a slow, deliberate clap.

Petra disagreed. His perspective differed from Vincent's. "But she'd have no reason to attack us."

The Shadow Puppeteer's ritual is primarily concerned with telling a good story. Killing the participants is merely a side effect.

"Of course, she won't attack us intentionally. Much like we don't intentionally attack ants on the ground—we just happen to step on them."

Petra asked thoughtfully, "Mr. Vincent, did something similar happen the last time you encountered her?"

Vincent paused, then nodded. "Yes."

"I'll think about it," Petra sighed. Setting the plan aside for the moment, he addressed the group. "What do we do now? The story doesn't stop for the night, which means we aren't safe. Do we stay clear of the plot, or do we try to get more information from the protagonist?"

Petra finished by looking at Vincent.

Despite the old man's biting sarcasm, his experience as a survivor gave him an edge over the others.

Vincent considered this for a moment. "Do nothing. Maintain the status quo. But just in case, it would be best if we all stayed together in one room."

Petra didn't voice his own opinion. Approaching the protagonist now might yield more information, but it was also far more dangerous.

The butler, Lulu, addressed them all. "You may use the music room on the second floor. It is the furthest from the Baroness's bedroom. I will have the maids bring some couches there shortly. Baroness?"

Baroness Joseph understood the butler's implication and waved a dismissive hand, showing she wasn't bothered. Her attention was elsewhere. "Are you leaving again tonight? There are still plenty of empty rooms in the estate..."

"Yes, I am."

The Bizarre Detective Agency was safer than the estate. It was highly unlikely Sara would leave the grounds to come and kill Lu Li. And even if she did, with Anna's help, she wouldn't succeed.

Vincent's advantage was his knowledge of the Shadow Puppeteer. Lu Li's was Anna, lurking in the shadows.

If not for the heavy rain preventing him from reaching the Elm Forest to take shelter, Lu Li would have been far safer under the protection of the Deep Sea Stone and the Elm Forest's emotions.

Frustrated at her failure to persuade Lu Li to stay, the Baroness ordered the head maid to prepare a carriage.

After a brief farewell, Lu Li left Baroness Joseph's estate and returned to his home on Sailor Street.

The scent of mildew from the wooden paneling permeated every corner. The whispers of neighbors and the cries of children drifted in from the hallway, bringing a strange sense of comfort.

Lu Li placed some smokeless coal in the fireplace, washed his face, and stretched out on the cold sofa.

"I miss Enni," Anna's voice drifted from the bedroom.

"Once we've dealt with the Shadow Puppeteer, we'll go to the cliff," Lu Li said.

"Alright. Good night, Lu Li."

...

The carriage entered the estate, circled the fountain, and pulled to a stop before the main house.

Strange, shadowy figures were wandering the grounds.

Seeing this, Lu Li quickened his pace. He passed through the door held open by a maid and entered the dining room, where he found the Baroness, Petra, and the others having a meal.

"When I woke up this morning, these ghastly things were all over the estate," the Baroness complained to Lu Li, her face a mask of disgust.

"We found them everywhere when we woke up as well," Petra confirmed.

Even then, two shadowy figures were drifting through the dining room.

Nothing like this had happened before.

It was as if the Shadow Puppeteer was giving Petra the opportunity to carry out his plan.