Richard, the patient from the psychiatric hospital, was bound to give the Night's Watch a headache. Still, since the Watch hadn't contacted Lu Li yet, it ant the situation was likely under control. Otherwise, they would have had no reason not to reach out to him.
Today, a relaxed atmosphere prevailed in the detective agency. They had returned late last night. Anna had gone back into her painting, and Lu Li, after carrying the jar into the agency, took a carriage early in the morning to deliver the torn-out page to his client. His efforts earned him his rightful reward and a flood of grateful tears. Afterward, Lu Li returned the carriage, bought breakfast, and ca back to the agency.
Anna had slipped out of her painting early—ever since they'd left the gallery, she had grown to dislike being inside it. She was now sitting by the window, resting her chin in her hands and dangling a foot as she gazed outside. A light drizzle was falling, and while there were fewer pedestrians on the cobblestone streets, it was still a lively scene. Children ran and played in the rain, and most people seed to welco it, glad for the way it chased away the fog.
Except for the sculpture. It remained as still as ever, like sothing dead.
Lu Li tucked the one-hundred-shilling reward into a book. He had now saved up nine hundred shillings; he only needed to earn another hundred, and Gades would finally reveal the grim truth.
The Haunted House case was the perfect opportunity, and Lu Li planned to take it on. However, an unexpected event disrupted his plans.
"It's... uh... boss... well... you see... I wanted to say..."
Oliver mumbled on the other end of the line.
Lu Li remained silent, waiting patiently.
"Um... boss, are you still there?"
"I'm listening."
After a long pause, Oliver blurted out, "Mrs. Slav is making
write you love letters again, but I've co to realize that this is wrong, that it's seriously damaging our relationship, so I've decided to—"
"Get to the point."
Lu Li cut off Oliver's long-winded speech.
"Uh... right. My brother told
there's a shipnt that can be transported from the other side of the Allen Peninsula to Belfast for a lot of money. I want to give it a try."
Oliver quickly laid it all out in a single, uninterrupted rush.
"Alright."
Lu Li didn't object. After all, his relationship with Oliver wasn't purely business.
Fearing Lu Li had misunderstood, Oliver quickly added, "A qualified replacent will take my place temporarily! She's very capable!"
"You have soone in mind?"
"Yes! I'm sure one person can handle this job."
Oliver didn't say who it was, and Lu Li didn't ask. After a mont, realizing he couldn't keep his boss in suspense for long, Oliver confessed, "It's my sister, Joan!"
Anna, who was by the window, pricked up her ears—she thought she heard soone say a na that sounded like her own.
"She's had a huge interest in ghosts since she was a kid. I think she's perfect for the detective agency and will be a great assistant to you! It's just..."
Oliver hesitated for a mont, then continued uncertainly, "She has... a few little quirks..."
"In that case, there's no need to hire anyone for now. I can manage the agency on my own. When you get back..."
"But she's very beautiful!"
A shout from the receiver cut Lu Li off.
"...When will she be here?"
Lu Li asked after a brief pause.
Anna shot him a disdainful look.
Her noble manners and everything befitting a lady were gradually fading away.
"I've already told her. Whenever she's free..."
Knock, knock, knock.
At that mont, a knock sounded at the door.
"I hear it! Was that a knock on the door? That must be her. I'll hang up now."
Click.
Oliver hastily hung up on the other end. Lu Li set down the receiver and walked toward the door.
Standing by the door, he turned his head and asked, "Don't you need to hide?"
"I've already learned how to beco invisible," Anna giggled and faded into the air. "You can't see , can you?"
With that, Lu Li opened the door.
In the dim hallway stood a girl in a white dress. She had short hair that reached her ears, delicate features, and skin as smooth as porcelain. The only flaw was her completely expressionless face.
"Is this for the interview?" the girl asked, lifting her head to look at Lu Li.
But Lu Li didn't feel her gaze on him. Her eyes were vacant.
"Yes."
Lu Li stepped aside, allowing the girl to enter the detective agency.
After closing the door, Lu Li returned to his desk and sat down, looking at the girl opposite him.
"So, to begin, could you tell
how old you are?"
The girl paused for a mont, then quietly shook her head. "...I don't rember."
"What do you an, 'you don't rember'?"
"I don't rember what happened before..." A look of confusion flickered in the girl's dull eyes as she stared at Lu Li with a blank gaze.
"May I tell a story?"
Perhaps this was the "quirk" Oliver had ntioned?
"...You may."
Ordinarily, he would say no, but Oliver had said his sister was special.
And she was indeed very beautiful.
"Once upon a ti, there was a girl... Her na was Michelle."
The girl began to tell a story in a flat, emotionless monotone, perhaps about herself. Michelle wasn't from Belfast. A year ago, she had moved here with her parents from a neighboring county.
Ira Street was perhaps one of the oldest streets in Belfast, built by the first settlers. Michelle's parents bought a house here because of the low price. Her father worked as a water carrier, and her mother worked at a laundry. They placed all their hopes on her, sending her to study at an academy.
Michelle had been very pretty since childhood. Unlike most girls who only beca attractive as they grew older, she could already be considered graceful, even beautiful.
But beauty was only skin deep. At heart, she was a quiet girl raised in a poor but honest family, which had made her fair-minded. And her grades weren't bad either.
"The story happened on a very ordinary day... At half-past eleven."
The girl telling the story glanced at the clock on the desk, suddenly stopped, and returned to her previous dazed state.
"Actually, that clock is seven minutes fast," Lu Li replied. "If you're in a hurry, please continue."
The girl spoke with a clouded expression, "I promised my parents I'd be back before noon. May I co for the interview tomorrow?"
"...Of course."
Lu Li stood up and walked the silent girl to the door.
Thud.
The door closed.
"Oliver's sister seems to be a bit unwell..." Anna floated over to the desk and perched on its edge.
Lu Li thoughtfully returned to his desk. Just then, another knock ca from the door.
"Maybe she had sothing else to say," Anna shrugged and followed Lu Li as he went back to the door.
The door opened to reveal a girl with pigtails and a mask, brimming with youthful energy.
"I'm Oliver's sister, Joan, here for the interview," her cheerful voice announced.
"...?"
Lu Li and Anna exchanged a look, the sa question in both their eyes. If this was Joan, Oliver's sister, then who was the girl they had just been interviewing?
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