The Bizarre Detective Agency Chapter 38

Lu Li's walk back drew more attention than usual. Of course, his decision to travel on foot rather than by carriage had something to do with it.

— Mr. Lu Li, you're back... er...?

— Is there anything you need... hmm?

— Thank you, Mr. Lu Li! Are you alright?

This time, the greetings from the residents of Sailor Street were peppered with questions.

It was still morning when Lu Li returned to the detective agency, breakfast in hand. Anna sat at the table by the window, her chin resting in her hands as she gazed out at the street. It seemed she could watch the mundane bustle of the city for the entire day.

First, Lu Li called Oliver, asking him to look into something and stop by the agency. Then, he started brushing the dust from his clothes.

An hour later, Oliver timidly pushed open the door to the detective agency.

He found Lu Li perched on a small stool in the corner of the living room, sleeves rolled to his elbows, washing his clothes. Anna floated near the table, her cheeks cupped in her hands, her gaze occasionally drifting from the street to watch Lu Li.

— Hello, boss, — Oliver said, waving cautiously. — Hi, Anna.

— Hello, — Anna nodded.

— Find anything? — Lu Li asked, not looking up. Beside him, his freshly washed black cloak lay in a small wooden basin.

— Yeah. Someone really did die in the library fire. Her name was Ophelia Green. She was Miller Green's adopted daughter.

— A child died?

— Er... no. This was about twenty years ago. She worked at the library and was reported missing after the fire.

— What happened next?

— The police never found a body. Ophelia was officially listed as missing.

— I encountered her ghost in the library basement.

— Do you want me to contact Miller Green and tell her what happened to her adopted daughter? — Oliver asked, seeming to catch on. — Or... are you planning to use this information to make a few shillings?

Anna, who had been listening by the window, frowned.

— That would be going too far, — Lu Li said, looking up from his washing. — But you can give it a try.

— You mean... ah, alright, — Oliver replied, bewildered, and turned to leave.

— Wait, not yet. I have another job for you, — Lu Li called out to the flustered Oliver. — Find Ophelia's address. And don't forget your pay from last time. It's on the table.

— Oh, right.

The mention of money instantly brought Oliver back to his senses. He snatched his pay from the table and hurried out of the detective agency.

The door clicked shut, and Lu Li bent over the basin again, resuming his washing. Anna whispered hesitantly, — That isn't very nice, is it? I... I'm not criticizing you, it's just... that kind of behavior...

— You mean blackmail? I know where to draw the line.

— Oh... — Anna could only put her trust in Lu Li.

But Lu Li never got the chance. That afternoon, Oliver called to report that the job had been a dead end from the start: Miller Green had passed away several years ago, leaving Ophelia all alone. Of course, Ophelia was dead too, merely existing in the world of the living in another form.

— Should I keep looking into it? — Oliver asked quickly from the other end of the line. He was in a hurry; phone calls were expensive.

— Just give me the Greens' address. I'll go myself. — Lu Li had become interested in Ophelia. The ghost he'd encountered in the basement was unlike any other. Not even Asina's ghost had radiated the same terrifying malice as Ophelia. It was very likely a Vengeful Spirit.

Lu Li had no intention of fighting a Vengeful Spirit, but he needed to learn as much about it as he could. How it had formed, for instance. With that information, he could draw his own conclusions before consulting Gades. He couldn't just ask outright; Gades would surely demand a hefty price for "knowledge of Vengeful Spirits."

And right now, Lu Li was broke.

"Blackrose District, number 38."

His clothes were washed, but they still needed to dry, and Lu Li didn't have the spare shillings to buy a new set. Once his black cloak had stopped dripping, he put the still-damp garment on, bid Anna farewell, and set off for the Blackrose District.

Lu Li returned to the detective agency as evening approached. After greeting Anna, he pulled a clean sheet of wrapping paper and a quill from a drawer and began to write:

Number: 1

Form: A burnt, charred, humanoid ghost

Level: Vengeful Spirit (unconfirmed)

In Life: Name - Ophelia Green; 29 years old; Height - 175 cm; employee of the Belfast Library; orphan, adopted by Miller Green (Miller Green deceased three years ago);

Character: Fed stray animals; bought food for the orphanage on payday; occasionally visited Catherine's Tavern in the evenings (a tavern in Port Roadster catering to women, featuring male performers); neighbors saw her buying books like "My Love Affair with Baron Joseph" and "Empress Catherine and Her Lovers"; preferred to live at the library rather than at home after Mrs. Miller's death; asked neighbors to introduce her to young men; went on frequent dates, but without success; once struck a man, saying he disgusted her.

Location: The ruins of the library on Gasner Street

Client: None

Payment: None

Lu Li had gleaned all this from interviews with Ophelia's neighbors and friends.

Frankly, Lu Li found it difficult to reconcile the information on the page with the Vengeful Spirit he had encountered in the basement.

It was unexpected, yet predictable. A change in personality after death wasn't uncommon, especially after an agonizing one. Not every ghost was like Anna, retaining her original character—and even her fear of other spirits.

Lu Li took up the quill again and wrote a conclusion at the bottom of the page:

Analysis: After questioning local residents, no cases of supernatural encounters have been identified. It is unknown whether Ophelia is sentient or if her disposition toward the living is hostile. Abilities are unknown. Emits a constant smell of burning.

Conclusion: Postpone investigation until a more opportune time.

He wasn't worried about anyone else entering the basement. The countless footprints in the ruins of the library indicated that many people had explored the site before him. But all the tracks stopped short of the basement entrance; no one had descended the stairs.

This meant that most of the locals, fortune seekers, and even the police had not dared to venture into that basement. Lu Li was the first.

Establishing contact with the Vengeful Spirit in the basement was a possibility, but not right now.