The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 553: The Mark-Senm Family Crest

Lu Li decided not to press the matter, instead asking a few more questions.

One of the organization's employees suggested Lu Li speak with Moss, who had been an agent-rank investigator before he retired.

Thanking them for the advice, Lu Li took one last look around the base before leaving and returning upstairs to the shop.

“I was told I might be able to learn a few things from you,” Lu Li said to the old man behind the counter.

“If I can help,” the old man replied, seemingly happy to pass the time with a conversation.

“What's the difference between the exorcists on the Allen Peninsula and those on the Main Continent?”

If the local exorcists were prejudiced against anything unusual, Lu Li would have to be especially careful about Anna's nature.

“Is this about her?” the old man inquired with a smile, but continued without waiting for an answer. “On the Main Continent, most exorcists are bound by lineage. Some are searching for successors, while others are preserving family traditions.”

Exorcists who have upheld their traditions pass down their knowledge to their descendants—knowledge about the types of anomalies, combat techniques... and their attitudes toward them.

Not all exorcists are biased, but few remain truly objective. There are a few more in the larger investigator organizations, but their numbers are still small in the grand scheme of things, and genuinely neutral individuals are a rarity.Most people believe wild animals are always dangerous—even if their tamers assure them otherwise.

Following the old man's explanation, Anna took out the pen and showed Lu Li its purpose.

“But it can’t conceal her aura completely, can it?”

Anna gave a slight nod.

“So, no matter what, keep your assistant close,” the old man warned. “For the sake of the other exorcists, and for the sake of you both.”

“I understand,” Lu Li replied. “I have one more question.”

“What is it?”

Lu Li asked him about the Principality of Saint Mark.

The principality was located on the eastern part of the Main Continent, bordering the Kingdom of Ellen. During the last major war between humans, it was destroyed and absorbed by Ellen. The territory is now known as the County of Saint Mark.

“My apologies, but I don’t know much about its history,” the old man admitted, “but I can recommend someone who does.”

“No one knows the history of that once-illustrious family better than he does.”

“Where can I find him?”

“Gavril York, a history professor at Shutes University. The university itself is nearby, just behind the library.”

Lu Li thanked him and turned to leave.

“Wait,” the old man called out, rapping his knuckles on the counter. “There’s an old custom: a visiting investigator can choose any item from the shop.”

“You already gave something to Anna,” Lu Li pointed out.

“That was a special gift. It doesn't count.”

A free gift is the most valuable kind.

Remembering a phrase Oliver was fond of repeating, Lu Li gave an appreciative nod and began to browse the shelves.

The Curiosity Shop certainly lived up to its name; most of the items were quite unusual. Aside from the conspicuous clock-like device that was clearly focused on Anna, his eyes were drawn to caged birds and other strange objects whose purpose was unclear.

There was a walking cane, a hat, and even a warm blanket tucked away somewhere.

“Need help choosing?”

“Thank you.”

The old man seemed to enjoy the ritual himself. He carefully sorted through various items, murmuring comments about each one under his breath.

“The Mark-Senm family crest... this is the one for you.”

Finally, he took an old, dust-covered metal brooch down from a high shelf. He gave it a shake, blew off the remaining dust, and carefully polished it with a handkerchief. A pattern emerged: ornate letters arranged in the shape of a rough pentagram.

“The Mark-Senms?”

“An old family of exorcists. Over a century ago, they incurred the wrath of a terrifying power. Their entire bloodline was wiped out in a single night.”

“This crest may not seem like much, but it’s able to suppress some of the influence from anomalies. It’s not an extraordinary item, but it will be more useful to you than to anyone else.”

It truly offered little protection, even less than a piece of Deep Sea Stone of the same thickness. But the old man was confident that in Lu Li's hands, it would be more valuable than in anyone else's.

When Lu Li took the brooch, the rhythmic clicking of his Mind Level counter, usually a steady beat, almost fell silent.

The clicking would likely resume after a few minutes, or perhaps a dozen, but until then, Anna's influence was minimal.

Lu Li tucked the crest into his pocket, bid the old man farewell, and went out into the street.

Raindrops settled on his wheelchair, but an invisible umbrella shielded Lu Li from them.

On the misty street, no one noticed what was happening around Lu Li.

Following the old man’s advice, Lu Li and Anna made their way to Shutes University. In the gloomy weather, the building looked more like a nobleman's estate.

“How do we get in?” Anna asked, gazing at the locked gates and the gatekeeper’s lodge.

“As guests.”

His investigator status gave Lu Li the right to enter any place not closed to the public. The gatekeeper recognized neither the crest nor its significance, but he agreed to go and find out if they could be admitted.

A few minutes later, the gatekeeper returned, accompanied by a middle-aged man carrying umbrellas.

“An investigator... How can I help you?” Professor Gavril York was aware that exorcists existed, and he seemed surprised by the unexpected visit.

“The old man at the Curiosity Shop sent me. He said that you know the history of the Principality of Saint Mark better than anyone.”

The professor smiled, asked the gatekeeper to open the gates, and ushered them inside.

“In Ellen Royal City, you’re unlikely to find anyone more knowledgeable about the history of the Principality of Saint Mark than me. Please, come in. It’s inconvenient to talk out here.”

Lu Li nodded. Anna wheeled his chair onto the campus, and they followed Professor York.

“Are classes still in session?” Lu Li asked.

“Yes, but we are preparing to close down. The fog will soon envelop this area, so the university could be shut down at any moment,” the professor sighed heavily.

In these times of anxious uncertainty, only a third of the students were still attending the university—and with each passing day, their numbers dwindled further.