The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 763: A Living Legend

Professor Nuno Alexandrovich, indignant at Katerina's failure to grasp Lu Li's significance, recounted the legendary tale of how Lu Li had ventured alone into the plains of the Old Riverbed—the Gloom Wastes—to confront the Third Calamity, and had nearly succeeded.

What was more important, Lu Li had not faded into history.

He was still young and had time to accomplish much more.

Katerina still found it hard to reconcile the Lu Li she traveled with as a hero of legend. But then she remembered that Lu Li had managed to escape the Emerald Dream and possessed a Cursed Title.

An ordinary person truly would not have been capable of such a feat.

— A Cursed Title? That is but a minor episode in Mr. Lu Li's life, — Professor Nuno Alexandrovich declared, speaking of Lu Li like a devoted fan with unconditional faith in his abilities. — Mr. Lu Li holds the title of exorcist, the Harbinger of the Evil God's End.

— The Harbinger of the Evil God's End? Is that a Cursed Title? — Katerina asked doubtfully, having received no new insight regarding Cursed Titles.

— It is an honorary title from the Old Era, which means... — A youthful fire ignited in Professor Nuno Alexandrovich's eyes. — ...that Mr. Lu Li has personally slain... a divine entity.

— A divine entity... — Katerina whispered, feeling the weight of the words. — Like the one in the city?

— Precisely.Professor Nuno Alexandrovich took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement. — So now you understand the significance of Mr. Lu Li being alive and young?

Not waiting for Katerina's reply, Professor Nuno Alexandrovich, seized by a youthful fervor, exclaimed, — Perhaps this is the beginning of our counter-offensive against the anomalies, a grand poem of humanity's return to the world stage!

— You're getting too worked up, — Lu Li noted calmly, observing Professor Nuno Alexandrovich.

While such a vehement reaction could be attributed to long-suppressed emotions, to the joy of sunshine after a storm, it was still unbecoming of an elderly professor.

He was breathing heavily, and a trickle of saliva ran down his chin, unnoticed by him.

Lu Li's remark pulled the old man back from the brink of madness. He closed his eyes, taking a moment to compose himself before saying hoarsely, — Forgive me, Mr. Lu Li. I became too agitated... I nearly fell into a delirium.

Professor Nuno Alexandrovich lowered his head and rubbed his bandaged right hand. — It's constantly influencing me... amplifying my emotions.

They didn't dwell any longer on the professor's condition. Lu Li asked him what had happened after his disappearance. Katerina, born in the Age of Anomalies and having lived her entire life near Mantistown, knew very little.

— Silence became the Stillness, your deeds became known in every corner of the land, and then...

Then came the Fourth Calamity, the "Light Stealer." The Lennon Archipelago was destroyed by an unknown force, the world plunged into darkness, and the Age of Anomalies began.

Storm Cape did not remain a safe place for long. The sea that washed its shores became the Sea of the Fall, and people, in a desperate bid for survival, began to search for a new safe haven.

After several years spent struggling to survive, people saw the light of Midnight deep within the gloom-shrouded Wastelands. They gathered there, strengthening that light, and then began to spread it like sparks...

Remembering the "Anomaly Bestiary," Lu Li asked how one could get rid of the corrupting influence contained within the book. Professor Nuno Alexandrovich immediately grew nervous and asked if Lu Li had looked inside.

Lu Li recounted honestly what he had seen. Upon hearing that the vision had vanished, Professor Nuno Alexandrovich breathed a sigh of relief. — That book comes from *there*, and for many on the outside, it is a source of danger and contamination. Special methods are required to read it...

— From there?

— From the real University of Claire.

— But isn't this it?

A look of sorrow mixed with a contradictory pride crossed Professor Nuno Alexandrovich's wrinkled face. — This is merely the outer shell of the University of Claire.

He did not elaborate, instead producing a small wooden box that held several oval, pea-sized golden kernels.

— Eat these and go to the window.

— What is this? — Katerina asked, suspiciously twirling a golden kernel between her fingers.

— These are given out by the Midnight Church. They allow you to see what is hidden by the alchemy towers... It's something of a prerequisite for gaining residency, — Professor Nuno Alexandrovich explained, directing his last remark specifically to Katerina.

Katerina glanced at Lu Li and, seeing that he had already swallowed his kernel, reluctantly followed his example.

Lu Li walked over to the window and looked out.

The window overlooked the back of the "outer" University of Claire. For a moment, everything was still, and then Lu Li's gaze was inexplicably drawn to a tall, black alchemy tower in the distance. A strange force created a resonance between him and the tower, generating a feeling of recognition and acceptance.

Suddenly, the sprawling buildings rippled like the surface of a placid lake disturbed by a gentle breeze. The view distorted, revealing what lay hidden beneath.

A gigantic tree, blotting out the sky, towered over the land. Its lush canopy almost completely concealed the heavens. Perched upon its branches, which were wider than city streets, were wooden houses.

Katerina stared at the sight, her mouth agape, unable to utter a single word.

— Didn't it strike you as strange that there are almost no students at the University of Claire, and that everything is so deserted? — Professor Nuno Alexandrovich's voice came from behind them.

— That's because the real University of Claire is over there.

The alchemy towers scattered throughout Midnight surrounded this World Tree, their sole purpose to conceal its existence.

Lu Li gazed at the sky-blotting canopy and the tiny, ant-like figures moving along its branches. — What's the difference between the outer university and the real one?

— Knowledge, — Professor Nuno Alexandrovich answered from his bed. — We, in the outer University of Claire, teach only the basic, "useless" subjects.

He stressed the word "useless." — Botany, archeology, linguistics, the fundamentals...

— And up there? — Katerina asked, her eyes still fixed on the giant tree. She suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to climb it and live there.

— Up there is real, but cursed, knowledge.

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed from the corridor outside the door, rapidly growing louder.

— Old man, did you really drag us all the way here just because you took a fall?

The door swung open, and several elderly men entered the room, the rough exclamation preceding them.

— I just wanted you to meet someone, — Professor Nuno Alexandrovich said with a mysterious smile, as if anticipating something. — Leon, Deizi, do you recognize this... gentleman?

The group of professors turned to look at Lu Li.

— Your nephew? — asked Leon, the one who had shouted so rudely at the door.

Professor Nuno Alexandrovich replied meaningfully, — Black hair, black eyes, the Great Migration from Revoltown... Does that tell you anything?