Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 631 - 631 150

631: 150.

Gift 631: 150.

Gift The people gathered in front of the door retreated in fear.

Because of the Exorcist’s status and mystique, they did not press or morally coerce Lu Li; they simply pleaded—Anna had hoped they would do that, so at least she would have a reason to be angry, rather than being unable to block the trouble for Lu Li as she was now.

“The situation in the Royal City is more complicated than you think,” Avar Montes took the opportunity to say, worried that the public and Lu Li might come into conflict: “There are thousands of Exorcists in the Royal City, even if His Excellency Lulian were willing to go, he wouldn’t change much.”

“Lu Li is worth those people,” Anna replied coldly.

For a moment, Avar Montes felt as if his Sanity Value Counter was clicking away helplessly, he gave a wry smile: “Of course, I just meant that it’s difficult for Lu Li to look after the entire city….”

He already knew about Lu Li’s identity: the one who sounded the Evil God’s Death Knell, and he didn’t think it was an exaggeration.

Even though there were many Exorcists in the Royal City more powerful than Lu Li.

“If it is something I can do, I will do it.”

A calm voice suddenly came from the bedroom, Anna stepped aside, revealing Lu Li pushing his wheelchair.

In other words, Lu Li did not think he was capable of fulfilling their request: “The situation of the Royal City is unknown, and the caravans outside the city gates are more eager than we are.”

Rejected by Lu Li, the people returned downstairs with disappointment and regret.

People feel sympathy for the misery of others, and they also feel relieved—although they did not get the desired result, they knew there were many others a few miles away who were still refused outside the city gates, shivering in the cold wind, which somewhat eased their unease.

“Mommy, I want to hear a story,” whispered Little Angel, curled up in her mother’s arms in the corner of the wooden house.

In the quiet living room, the woman gently patted her daughter’s back, murmuring slowly as she told the story: “Once upon a time, there was a couple who loved each other dearly, their love for each other didn’t wane through over a decade of life…

This year, the festival was approaching.

The wife, Della, wanted to prepare a gift for her husband, but they were too poor to afford even a decent gift….”

…

“I won’t disturb you any longer.” Upstairs, Avar Montes gave a slight bow to Lu Li and Anna before returning to the attic to continue surveying the surroundings of the farm.

Anna closed the room’s door, pushed the wheelchair back to the warmth of the fireplace wall, and picked up the blanket that had fallen on the floor to cover Lu Li’s legs again.

“I plan to go take a look,” she said, squatting in front of Lu Li, smoothing out the wrinkled blanket.

Anna looked up at him, causing her cloak to slip down a bit, revealing her ethereal and beautiful cheek.

“Why?” Lu Li countered, this wasn’t like something Anna would do.

“Because you want to help them.”

Lu Li silently locked eyes with Anna.

As he went to write something, Anna’s hand rested on the back of his hand without warmth or weight: “You stay here.”

As if answering Lu Li’s confusion she said, “I’m the same kind as them, it’s easier for me to get close to them, to be accepted by them….”

“Be careful,” Lu Li said.

Anna pursed her lips, seemingly smiling, as she stood up to place the “lighthouse” beside Lu Li and took off the cloak that covered her body: “If I don’t return in an hour, don’t look for me.

Leave this place as quickly as possible, the further the better.”

“Mhm.”

For Lu Li, whose body condition was even worse than a normal person’s, going there was no different from seeking death.

Anna’s figure faded, disappearing into the room.

Soon, Lu Li seemed to detect a slight coolness on his forehead, as if it were merely an illusion.

Her departure didn’t disturb anyone, including the Exorcist on the farm.

…

“…Della thought about her beautiful long hair which would make even the most beautiful woman in the world jealous.

She thought about selling her hair to prepare a holiday gift for her husband: a handsome pocket watch chain!

It would suit the heirloom gold watch her husband owned.

So that morning…”

The woman’s voice grew softer, and the hand patting the back stopped as well, because Little Angel in her arms had already entered dreamland.

Nearing midnight, people who had traveled all day or even from farther away shed their panic, and overwhelming fatigue sent them one after another into sleep, except for a few old men and women who couldn’t sleep.

They sat by the window, looking out periodically at the men patrolling the clearing outside.

The bonfire consumed fuel faster than expected.

It wasn’t the wind’s fault; scared people had added too much wood.

The Exorcists had to control the frequency and quantity of their wood contributions, demanding only 30 pounds be added every half hour.

That would sustain them until dawn and leave them a surplus of about 100 pounds of wood.

The dozen pounds of coal were more than enough to keep those in the wooden house and barn warm.

If worst came to worst, there were a few rolls of straw in the barn that could be ignited—although they had been unrolled and spread under the people as dry grass to insulate them from the icy ground.

In this calm, an hour passed quickly.

In the second-story bedroom, Lu Li’s gaze fell on the alarm clock beside the oil lamp: the minute hand now pointed to the same spot it had when Anna left.

But Anna had not returned.

Lu Li moved the blanket from his legs and left the wheelchair and the room with the slow movements of an elderly person taking a stroll as he ascended to the attic.

“Your leg… you’re leaving the farm?” Avar Montes instinctively tried to support the seemingly clumsy Lu Li, but then he was stunned by his words.

“Yes.”

Avar Montes looked toward the stairs behind Lu Li, “And the assistant Miss?”

“She’s temporarily gone.”

“Gone?

When… cough, but it’s dangerous outside, and you’re not in good condition.”

Avar Montes tried to persuade Lu Li to stay, but he failed.

All he could do then was ask if Lu Li needed company, and after being refused again, he could only reluctantly send Lu Li out of the wooden house.

He and his companions witnessed Lu Li, taking only an oil lamp, walking slowly yet resolutely into the black wilderness blanketed in mist.

That direction was toward the Arlen Kingdom.

…

“Mommy, where did the story leave off?”

The door of the house opened briefly, and the clear sound of wind and the cold breeze that blew in woke up a few people, such as Little Angel.

The woman smiled and continued, “Della cut off her hair to buy a pocket watch chain as a gift for her husband.

Her husband Jim was also planning a holiday gift for his wife.

He thought of her beautiful long hair and wanted to buy her a wood comb, but it was too expensive.

In order to afford the comb, Jim decided to sell the heirloom gold watch and used the money to buy the comb.”

“On the holiday, they gave each other the most sincere, yet most useless gifts: a watch chain and a comb.

They were willing to sacrifice their most precious possessions to give each other gifts.”

“They are so silly…” Little Angel said, biting her nails.

The woman tenderly tousled Little Angel’s hair and pulled her into her embrace, “It’s not silly, it’s love.

You’ll understand when you grow up.”