The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 989: The End of Confinement

Possession by vengeful spirits, wandering spirits of defilement, inexplicable curses, and finally, the "benevolent" spirits and monsters that allowed Kiruet to complete the assignment.

Even with sufficient preparation, Kiruet paid a heavy price: three months of continuous failures that resulted in the deaths of several victims and left others seriously injured.

Kiruet had asked Lu Li to find a way to make the gatekeeper choose tasks involving spirits and monsters, as it was the best way to avoid spending too much time on the 6th-level trials.

Sequence Potions naturally increased Lu Li's chances of success, but that wasn't enough; only powerful and effective Sequence Potions or their analogues could guarantee he would pass the trials.

And the gatekeeper didn't forbid this; they were only interested in the outcome of the assignment.

Lu Li wrote his request on a slip of paper and handed it to Antony. He hoped Professor Kris could help. If not, Lu Li would have to seek out others, such as Kane.

— Don't you dare look for Kane.

My dear, isn't it nice to stay at the Academy of Giant Trees?

Alright, it's a real shame our legend is hiding in a tree hollow. Once you're out of confinement, stop by my office and claim your sweet reward.

— Kris, you can call me 'dear'.Then came the 3rd-level alchemy trials.

Kiruet had Merchant Antony deliver Margaret's manuscript to Lu Li. It detailed her experiences and methods—along with thoughts she seemed to have written to herself. Margaret, it appeared, had used the notebook as a sort of diary.

Since Margaret was now permanently lost to the dungeon, Lu Li read through the notes without any compunction.

The notes from Margaret, a 6th-level alchemist, were profound, complex, and useful. Lu Li mastered many of the described crafting methods and the properties of the alchemical ingredients. The occasional scattering of her thoughts kept the process of absorbing the knowledge from becoming tedious.

— The properties of Catcher Grass are intense; a moderate addition of explosive alchemical substances will increase the success rate and the effect... After alchemy class, the professor praised this new discovery, telling me that corresponding properties can be added to any crafting process. It could be a failure, a success, or a mutation. She encouraged all alchemists to develop their own style, not just stick to the standard, uniform methods...

— 3rd-level alchemy is undoubtedly more difficult than 2nd-level. It requires a higher skill level, mostly because of the increased number of base potions needed for crafting. Kiruet has two months to go. I'll wait for her. If I can get an excellent promotion in the course, I'll be able to obtain more resources...

The blank spaces on the pages were wrinkled, once damp and then dried.

They were the traces of tears Kiruet had shed, clutching the notebook through the night.

— Base potions are useless, and so are analogues. Only Sequence Potions will work. Sequence 39, 'Silent Forest,' is the best choice, but the price is exorbitant, even if the reward for success is great.

Kiruet is looking for a way, but I don't think she'll find one.

I'll try to craft a weakened version of 'Silent Forest'...

— Dewy Night Grass instead of Fluorescent Grass—it's not right. What's the problem? A conflict of properties, or is substitution impossible? After exploring the dungeon again, we realized we weren't the only ones who had found it.

There are outsiders, anomalies, and humans there, and all of them have been assimilated by the dungeon.

We have to avoid being assimilated...

— I'm heading into the dungeon tomorrow morning. 'Silent Forest' gives this operation a very high chance of success. And even if it fails, Lu Li's arrival means Kiruet no longer has to worry about me.

At this point, the entries in the notebook ended, and Lu Li already knew what happened next.

Closing the notebook, Lu Li asked Merchant Antony to bring him a crucible, a hanging cauldron, firewood, and alchemical ingredients.

The cramped solitary cell soon became almost impassable. With no ventilation, the smoke from the fire he'd started quickly filled the small space.

When the smoke grew so thick it was difficult to breathe, Lu Li took out the iron key and opened the door. Smoke billowed out of the cell and spread down the corridor.

The heavy tread of boots echoed in the hall. The gatekeeper appeared like a shadow, paused for a moment, and then departed.

Because Lu Li was still inside the cell.

The lingering smoke soon drew the attention of the occupants of the other cells. The Merchant brought a note from Fudot.

— What are you doing?!

— Practicing alchemy.

— In solitary confinement...?

The smoke that filled the corridor lingered all day, finally dissipating only after Lu Li had mastered the crafting of universal base potions.

Time passed, and the day before the end of his confinement arrived.

The night was quiet. Lu Li was sleeping peacefully, lying on his side on the bed.

Knock, knock, knock—

At some point, a rhythmic knock sounded on the iron door.

Lu Li woke slowly, his gaze falling on the alarm clock on the dim table. It was still the middle of the night. His confinement wasn't supposed to end until morning.

Knock, knock, knock—

There were no footsteps, no sound of breathing, only the slow knocking at the door for a second time.

Knock—

Click.

As the third knock came, the squeal of the iron door opening echoed down the silent corridor.

— Come in.

Lu Li spoke to the tall, dripping shadow that stood in the corridor.

The Uninvited Guest at the door departed without a sound, its figure vanishing into the swirling darkness.

This was why the key to the cell was left with the imprisoned student.

Lu Li called for Merchant Antony to inform the gatekeeper about the appearance of the Uninvited Guest, then closed the iron door and went back to sleep.

The rest of the night passed peacefully.

...

Click—

The iron door, which was more symbolic than practical, was opened from the outside.

Lu Li stepped out of the cell that had been his home for half his life at the Academy of Giant Trees and saw Fudot and Yeger emerging from their own.

Their month-long term of confinement was finally over.

Thanks to Merchant Antony, Fudot and Yeger had not been cut off from the outside world, despite their long confinement.

Kiruet and Nasi welcomed their return with a table laden with a hearty meal.

Kiruet, whose wounds had fully healed by the tenth day, thanked them, and then Nasi recounted the events of the past month.

Because of Lu Li's confinement, the Holy Light Squad's reputation, which had recently improved, was tarnished once again—this time, more severely than before. The middle-course students treated them like scum.

But for the Holy Light Squad, which was down to only two members, this wasn't bad news.

No other teams came to provoke them or look for trouble anymore.

Taking advantage of the lull, Kiruet and Nasi completed many assignments, accumulating team points and briefly appearing in the rankings.

Unfortunately, this only lasted for two days.

— The middle courses are hunting us. They'd rather not exchange their team points at all than let us appear in the rankings...

— Childish behavior, — Fudot snorted coldly, her arms crossed over her chest.

After the hearty breakfast, Yeger returned to his bed to rest, and Fudot sat reservedly by the fireplace. Lu Li, however, left the common room, heading for Professor Kris's office to meet with the waiting Lords.

A Catcher's Net.

This was the 'analogue' Professor Kris had prepared for Lu Li.

An anomaly caught in the Catcher's Net could not escape, regardless of whether it had a physical body. However, there was an obvious drawback: the anomaly's size could not exceed that of the net.

Considering that no giant anomalies appeared in the Midnicht assignments, this was sufficient.

All Lu Li had to do was identify the anomaly, cover it, and destroy it.

— Ready, my dear? — Professor Kris stood beside Lu Li, exuding an air of authority. The wide brim of her hat cast a shadow like a cornice.

— If you don't go to the Forbidden Zone, those Lords will attack the Academy of Giant Trees to rescue you.