Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 611 - 611 130

611: 130.

Maxson family crest 611: 130.

Maxson family crest Lu Li didn’t discuss the point further and began asking other questions.

Members of the United Organization suggested that Lu Li should consult Old Moss upstairs—a former senior investigator before his retirement.

After expressing his gratitude, Lu Li looked around the base before departing.

When he returned to the surface, a hazy drizzle had unexpectedly begun to fall.

Passersby on the damp cobblestone streets were clad in coats, with numerous black umbrellas blooming against the backdrop of the ancient alleys.

The foggy desolation momentarily gave him the illusion of being in old London.

With the guidance of a compass needle, Anna wheeled Lu Li out of the depths of the shop.

“The people downstairs said I could ask you some questions,” Lu Li told the seemingly ordinary old man behind the counter.

“If I know the answers,” the elderly man didn’t mind passing the boring time with a conversation.

“What’s the difference between the Exorcists from the Ailen Peninsula and those from the Main Affinity Continent?”

If the local Exorcists were filled with prejudice against the supernatural, Lu Li would need to handle Anna’s sensitive identity with care.

“Is it for her?” The old man smiled, and without waiting for Lu Li to respond, he continued, “Many of the Exorcists on the Main Affinity Continent have legacies.

They either look for young people to succeed them, or it’s done within families.”

The unbroken lineage of Exorcists would impart their knowledge to the next generation, including the types of supernatural beings, combat techniques… and also their hatred.

Not all Exorcists remained rational, but those who did were a minority.

In the three major organizations, there were more such investigators—but compared to the number of Exorcists, the ones with a relatively neutral attitude were very few indeed.

Just as most people believe that wild beasts are harmful, no matter how earnestly Beast Tamers or those who live with beasts insist on their non-aggressiveness.

After she finished speaking, Anna demonstrated the fountain pen and explained its function to Lu Li.

“But it can’t completely cover it, can it?” asked Lu Li.

Anna nodded slightly.

“So no matter what, don’t let your assistant stray away from your side,” the old man advised Lu Li.

“For the Exorcists, and for you both.”

“I’ll be careful,” Lu Li replied, then added, “One last thing I need to ask.”

“What’s that?”

Lu Li inquired about matters related to the Old Duchy of Saint Mark.

The Duchy of Saint Mark was situated on the eastern part of the Main Affinity Continent, bordering the Arlen Kingdom.

It was unfortunately destroyed in the last human war and was annexed by the Arlen Kingdom; now, the place is known as Saint Mark County.

“History, huh… I’m sorry, I don’t know much about the affairs of the Old Duchy of Saint Mark,” the old man replied.

“But I can recommend someone to you.”

“No one knows the history of this once-glorious family better than he does.”

“Where can I find him?”

“Gawain York, history professor at Xiusi University.

That school is right in front of the library.”

Lu Li nodded in thanks, ready to leave the place.

“Wait a moment,” the old man called after them, tapping the countertop, “There’s an old tradition here, a newcomer detective may choose an item.”

“You’ve already given Anna something,” Lu Li said.

“That was an extra gift, it doesn’t count,” the old man responded.

Free things are always the best.

Lu Li suddenly remembered a phrase Oliver often mentioned in his ear, so he nodded lightly, scanning the shelves with his eyes.

This pseudo-shop was called “Curios and Oddities,” and most of its goods matched this description.

Aside from the clocks whose hands clearly pointed towards Anna, and the crow in the birdcage, Lu Li found it difficult to discern the use of other items by observation alone.

Such as a wand, a hat, or even a blanket.

“Do you need my help selecting something?”

“Thank you.”

The old man seemed quite interested in picking out items for customers, searching the shelves and muttering to himself from time to time.

“Hmm…

the Maxson family crest…

it’s you.”

Finding a crest covered in a thick layer of dust atop a shelf, the old man finally plucked it off after much deliberation, gently knocking off most of the dust on the tabletop and then carefully polishing it with a handkerchief.

The pattern on it gradually became clearer.

The old crest was full of a sense of the era, the pattern on the badge consisting of an incomprehensible complex font that subtly formed into an irregular pentagram.

“What is the Maxson family?” Lu Li didn’t reach for the crest on the counter.

“An ancient exorcist lineage that provoked the horror over a hundred years ago, all those who bore the family’s bloodline died overnight.”

“This crest can help you resist a certain degree of strange aura invasion, an insignificant trinket, but it might be quite useful for you.”

The power it could fend off was tiny, even less than a Deep Sea Stone of the same thickness.

But just like the old man said, it was more useful in Lu Li’s possession than it would be for anyone else.

When Lu Li reached out and grasped the crest, the Sanity Value Counter that had been ticking at a slow pace all along nearly came to a halt.

It might beep again in a few minutes or tens of minutes, but it had reduced Anna’s intrusion to a minimum.

Lu Li put it in his pocket, bid the old man farewell, and stepped onto the street.

Moisture hit his face as the light rain falling on Lu Li in the wheelchair was blocked by an invisible umbrella.

In the hazy streets, nobody noticed the anomaly by Lu Li’s side.

Following the old man’s direction, Lu Li and Anna located Xiusi University.

In the gloomy curtain of rain, the university nestled in the mansion looked like the estate of nobility.

“How do we get in?” Anna looked at the closed gate and the gatekeeper’s lodge inside the manor.

“As guests.”

Being an investigator meant Lu Li had the right to enter any non-secret areas.

Although the gatekeeper did not recognize the crest and its significance, he was willing to inquire on Lu Li’s behalf.

A few minutes later, the gatekeeper appeared at the mansion’s door, accompanied by a middle-aged man holding an umbrella.

“Investigator…

may I ask what brings you here?” As a professor, Gawain York would certainly know about the affairs of exorcists, so he found the sudden visit odd.

“The old man from the ‘Curios and Oddities’ general store sent me here; he said no one knows more about the Old Duchy of Saint Mark than you do.”

Gawain York’s expression relaxed, he signaled the gatekeeper to open the gate and said with a smile, “Of course, you’ll find it hard to come across anyone in the Royal City who knows more about the history of the Old Duchy of Saint Mark than me.

Please come in, this isn’t the place to talk.”

Lu Li nodded gently, pushed by Anna into the campus, following behind Gawain York.

“Are the students here still continuing their normal studies?” Lu Li inquired.

“Yes, but we are already preparing to say goodbye.

The fog is almost upon us, and the university could close down at any moment,” sighed Gawain York.

By then, the school would lose its purpose—although its current purpose was already quite diminished.

The students still attending classes were less than a third of the usual number and were dwindling as time went on.