The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 962: The Professors' Intentions

The old, slow-moving professor was the last to arrive.

All the junior course professors were present.

"Gentlemen, you've likely guessed why I've called you here... Mr. Lu Li has already earned enough academic credits to advance to the next course."

The professors showed little surprise. Just as Spit Haig had said, they had all anticipated this.

Even so, considering Lu Li knew so little about the Age of Anomalies and lacked even the most basic knowledge, they couldn't help but admire his aptitude for learning.

"Mr. Lu Li stopped attending my classes three days ago," Professor Ruberhro stated, because he no longer needed the slow-paced alchemy course.

"He spent all of botany class reading, which is how he passed the level 1 botany trials," the botany professor concurred.

"He used a few little tricks in class and during the trials, but divination doesn't consider it 'cheating'," the Nameless Lady muttered, as if speaking to herself.

A helpless Professor Sesar had nothing to add—linguistics was never part of Lu Li’s curriculum. Sesar had only seen the young man during his first few days as a freshman, and at mealtimes.

But all the professors recognized and praised Lu Li.Only Professor Maewen, the combat arts instructor, expressed some dissatisfaction:

"He never attended a single combat arts class after his first few days as a freshman."

"Mr. Lu Li is a natural scholar. Combat would be a waste of his talent," Professor Ruberhro said, earning a nod of approval from Spit Haig.

"Destroying anomalies is what's important," Professor Maewen snorted.

"It is more important to study *how* to destroy anomalies," countered the Professor of the In-Between, a follower of the Midnight Church.

Spit Haig cut their argument short and steered the conversation back to Lu Li's advancement.

"Though it's rare, in the twenty years the Academy of Giant Trees has been around, surely a situation like this has come up before, hasn't it?" Professor Sesar asked.

"How did the academy handle it then?"

"Of course, they were allowed to advance," the old professor said after a brief pause, then slowly added:

"It's just that the rules at the Academy of Giant Trees were much simpler back then, more like a miniature version of the outside world where the law of the jungle prevailed... That probably changed about ten years ago, when the courses were given more structure. Let me think... Bathia Horn, he advanced to the middle courses in just a week, and the academy didn't stop him."

"The Horn family..." Spit Haig sighed, thinking of their bloodline, when he suddenly recalled something and exclaimed in shock:

"The victim of the Foul Bite?!"

"The very same," the old professor confirmed with a heavy nod.

Even after a decade, the memory of that bloody ceremony was still fresh in his mind.

"That is all the more reason why we cannot let Lu Li advance to the middle courses so quickly," Spit Haig said.

"The Foul Bite was a coincidence. No one could have predicted that the academy would..." The Professor of the In-Between, who supported Lu Li's advancement, cut himself off and changed tack.

"Perhaps we should ask Deputy Dean Kris. She'll know how to handle Lu Li's situation."

Spit Haig sighed.

"That's the problem. Professor Kris has no objection to Lu Li advancing right now..."

A brief silence filled the office.

"He isn't ready for the middle courses..." the Nameless Lady mumbled, her voice cutting through the silence with unnerving clarity.

"I agree. It's far too soon for Lu Li to be moving to the middle courses," Professor Ruberhro added his support.

"I don't think Mr. Lu Li would have any trouble adapting," Professor Sesar said with a frown.

"I believe what Professor Ruberhro meant," the old professor replied, "is that Mr. Lu Li isn't familiar enough with the academy. He doesn't yet understand its 'purpose'."

Professor Maewen crossed his arms.

"You're worrying for nothing. Don't forget where he comes from—the Land of Light. He's an exorcist from the Ancient Era. The weight of his identity means he doesn't need to get bogged down in the academy's ways."

"Professor Maewen is right. Lu Li is from the Ancient Era, and the memory of what can happen is still fresh in our minds," said the old professor.

"Exactly. If his mind falls into the abyss, it will be irreversible. Remember the fallen heroes."

"Lu Li is a legendary exorcist, he's different!"

"No one is born a legend. Even the greatest glory fades, just like any kingdom will one day fall."

"Gentlemen... Gentlemen!" Spit Haig had to raise his voice to cut through the escalating argument.

"I did not call you here to argue... Fine. Let's first discuss Mr. Lu Li's progress."

"Mr. Lu Li is learning faster than we anticipated. At this rate, he's highly likely to pass the level 2 alchemy trials soon," said Professor Ruberhro.

Typically, it takes a student starting from scratch one or two months to master the level 1 material. Lu Li's pace was so fast it raised a subconscious concern about whether he was truly absorbing the information.

"He should be studying divination," the Nameless Lady murmured dreamily.

"And what?" Professor Maewen retorted sarcastically. "End up as something halfway between a man and a ghost in a few years, or even months, from too much contact with the In-Between?"

"He has the talent and the strength to suppress the corruption! You brother of a wild lion."

"Don't call me that! You've spent so much time with the In-Between you've forgotten what you are!"

Professor Maewen and the Nameless Lady squared off, and the voices of the other professors began to rise in volume as well. Realizing another argument was about to erupt, Spit Haig opened his mouth to intervene.

"We have no reason to hold him back," Professor Sesar said quietly.

The office, on the verge of descending into chaos, fell silent once more.

Faint sunlight filtered through the drawn curtains.

Spit Haig looked up.

"I have an idea."

...

"What?"

Lu Li calmly regarded Professor Haig, who had just entered his room.

Spit Haig seemed to feel the pressure from that calm gaze, but he steeled himself and spoke:

"We were hoping you would continue to accumulate academic credits to achieve an elite advancement."

Beyond the standard advancement were 'excellent' and 'elite' advancements, corresponding to earning 15 and 20 academic credits, respectively.

"Alright," Lu Li agreed.

The academic credits he had earned after completing his 'theory of humanity' course were already enough for him to advance to the middle courses with elite status.

Spit Haig realized this too. He could only hint delicately that the professors hoped Lu Li would remain in the junior courses for a little while longer.

"What's the reason?"

It was complicated...

Spit Haig considered for a moment before laying out his prepared arguments:

"The middle courses only cover material from levels three to six. Your progress through the trials won't be any faster there, and you don't have any teammates."

Starting with the middle courses, students undertake missions and external trials. These can take place in forbidden zones, on the surface, or in the Old Sewer. A team becomes essential.

"The Lince family heir, whom you get along with best, and Dogmeat will need time to advance to the senior courses. If you move on to the middle courses now, you'll be stuck with teammates you don't know."

"My advice is to first select your teammates from among the students who will be advancing soon, and then move to the middle courses together."

Lu Li considered this for a moment, then nodded to Spit Haig.

"I'll think about it."