The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 919: The Cold Winter

The friction between Vinnelag and Midnite was hardly a secret.

Or, more accurately, the Inquisition's meddling had made Vinnelag a pariah in this world.

Their embassies were the sole remaining link between the two human cities, and both were deliberately situated in contentious locations.

For instance, Vinnelag had housed Midnite's embassy on Royal Street, bordering the slums. In retaliation, Midnite placed Vinnelag's embassy on a street notorious for its ill repute—

Vinnelag sneered at Midnite, calling its people neither human nor ghost for fraternizing with anomalies. Midnite, in turn, derided Vinnelag for its extremism and obliviousness—a fanatical exclusivity common to many churches.

The difference, of course, was that Midnite's gods were real.

Vinnelag, on the other hand, put its faith in a false "god"—one that never answered, one that could not be perceived.

Despite their deep-seated disagreements and the constant attacks on their embassies, the two cities stood united when it came to matters of human interest.

That is, until the scandal surrounding the manhunt for the exorcist Lu Li broke out.

Midnite's newspapers were quick to publish the story, filled with quotes from various councilors, nobles, and academics mocking Vinnelag: "They're even more foolish than they appear," "A legendary exorcist, exiled and now a wanted man," "Mayor Matteus is a coward, too afraid to stand up to the Inquisition," and "The Inquisition's guards are nothing but a pack of idlers, good only for bickering among themselves."More radical claims followed: "Vinnelag is a settlement of heretics," "Their false god ordered its followers to kill Lu Li," "Next they'll be hunting any outsider," "Vinnelag is already under the complete control of the church."

A publication called "Vincent's Rumors" rose to prominence during the incident. Their reporters ventured into the Old Sewer to interview the local anomalies, publishing their exact words: "The exorcist... he makes us afraid," "That man is more of an anomaly than we are," "The Spiral Hall is still in ruins, and the surface he ripped open like a city remains unrepaired," "It's a disgrace to the Old Sewer; no human has ever dared, or could ever do, such a thing," and "Many of us anomalies... we respect him." These quotes were published alongside photographs of the ruined Spiral Hall, the damaged main lines, and the anomalies themselves, all to prove that Lu Li was still a legendary exorcist, and Vinnelag was nothing more than a bunch of backward traditionalists.

Whether true or biased, the story certainly inspired confidence in many. One councilor even proposed founding a new church dedicated to worshiping Lu Li. It soon came to light that many others shared the idea, but none could act on it—Lu Li had yet to give his consent.

As a result, the University of Claire, which had recently been in contact with Lu Li, experienced another surge in popularity—though sadly, not from an influx of students.

Setting aside politics, Midnite truly wasn't as extreme or inhumane as Vinnelag. It tolerated the existence of the Old Sewer, for instance, and even accepted anomalies that had embraced human civilization.

And Vinnelag wasn't as extreme as Midnite's papers claimed—only the Inquisition was truly fanatical. The mayor's office and the common citizens were either neutral or simply indifferent. After all, the biting cold and gnawing hunger were far more terrifying.

While the arguments and bickering raged on, far from the center of the storm, Lu Li prepared for the New Year Prusius had mentioned.

Beneath the cool shade of Enni, whose lush leaves offered a surprising shield from the cold, Lu Li calmly read the latest newspaper from Midnite.

Prusius hopped at his feet:

— There's still over a month until the New Year, Mister Lu Li, will you get me something? I want books! Lots and lots of books!

— Wishes... shouldn't... be spoken aloud, — Ophelia said as she approached the shade of the tree. Enni's branches swayed slightly, as if to welcome her.

The "humanity" gifted to her had awakened Enni, and in just over twenty days, she had experienced a burst of growth. Though still slender as a sapling, she was lusher than ever, and the new leaves unfurling from her branches cast a faint shade upon the ground below.

For now, she could only express simple emotions—gratitude, joy, affection—but in time, she would grow stronger and more intelligent, gradually extending her influence over the entire Elm Forest.

— So that's how it is? And what is Mistress Ophelia's wish? — Prusius asked again.

— Wishes... shouldn't... be spoken aloud, — Ophelia repeated.

Prusius asked hesitantly:

— But if I don't say it, Mister Lu Li won't know, right?

— I hope... my... gift is—

The appearance of the Trader, Anthony, cut Ophelia off:

— A letter from Matteus in Vinnelag.

Unfolding the letter, Lu Li read through its contents. Matteus wrote of his recent troubles, the news of the steam knight Vino's return, and the information Lu Li had just learned from the newspaper—the fact that he was now a wanted man in Vinnelag. The mayor also detailed the city's dire firewood shortage. Prices had soared by nearly seven times since the start of winter. The poor, unable to afford fuel, had resorted to gathering dung from the streets and tearing apart abandoned houses for scraps to burn. Throngs of citizens, with no other way to stay warm, now huddled in church soup kitchens and other public shelters. The forests surrounding the city had been stripped bare long ago, and to prevent people from being killed by anomalies or freezing to death while foraging for wood, Matteus had been forced to dispatch a large number of soldiers to act as guards.

Lu Li could help Vinnelag with its firewood shortage. The Shadow Swamp was full of dry, fallen wood shed by the giant trees.

After writing a letter for the Trader, Anthony, to deliver to the Mother of the Swamp, Lu Li soon received a reply: a piece of parchment, handwritten in a beautiful, formal script. Its simple contents belied its significance: "There is still wood. Do you need it?"

Lu Li sent back his confirmation, then wrote to Mayor Matteus, informing him that he could supply some of the needed firewood. He told the mayor to prepare warehouses for storage and that he would dispatch the Trader, Anthony, to the Shadow Swamp to arrange the transport.

When the subject of payment arose, Lu Li said it was free of charge, as the Mother of the Swamp had given him the wood for free. Mayor Matteus thanked Lu Li for his generosity but insisted on giving him some money under the guise of a transportation fee, allocated from the municipal treasury.

Lu Li entrusted the money to the Trader to manage. But if he hoped to expand his trade network, the task of finding the missing Traders was becoming ever more urgent.

— Can we unite the Elm Forest and the Shadow Swamp? — asked Prusius.

Perhaps it was because Sea Gaze Cliff was just that—a cliff by the sea. It lacked a powerful guardian to ensure its safety, and the sense of security here was far less than in the Shadow Swamp.

Nor was it nearly as lively.

The moment he finished speaking, Prusius felt Ophelia's cold stare. With an embarrassed chuckle, he ducked behind Lu Li's legs.

— Enni is not yet mature enough, — Lu Li replied simply.

She might become a vassal of the Mother of the Swamp.

Anna would not allow that to happen, and neither would Lu Li.

The Trader, Anthony, returned shortly after, but he didn't bring a letter from the Mother of the Swamp. Instead, he carried a message from the runaway cult.

They reported that their ocean liner was complete and invited Lu Li to attend its departure.

...

— Mister Lu Li is arranging a way to replenish our firewood... Prepare the empty warehouses. — Having received the letter, Mayor Matteus let out a deep sigh.

Things were going from bad to worse, and he could do little more than struggle to keep them from deteriorating completely.

— Will the Inquisition interfere? — asked Valendo.

— They wouldn't dare. Without firewood, many citizens won't survive this winter.

It turned out Mayor Matteus was wrong. The Inquisition was far more aggressive, and far more ruthless, than he had ever imagined.