Back in reality, Florent thought he had to play the role of the Apprentice first. After all, on the path from "Apprentice" to "Gate," aside from a few sequences, Florent had no concrete method for interpreting this path.
Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind: what if he too had migrated at the same time as Klein, and what if he too was a "Projection" of the "Castle of the Sefirah"?
This thought alone suggested a real possibility. Even if the odds were one in ten thousand, for Florent, the outcome could change everything; his entire plan for advancement could be upended and rebuilt.
Without caring about appearances, his face red with impatience, Florent rushed to the kitchen.
Once inside, he tried to remain calm, a small smile appearing on his face, a mixture of curiosity and joy, as he whispered to himself, "Don't get carried away, stay calm."
Balancing excitement and reason, he found four Trier golden loaves, famous throughout the northern continent for their golden color and soft crust.
With the four loaves in hand, Florent returned to his room, drew the curtains, and let the filtered sunlight illuminate his face.
After placing the loaves in the four rooms of his room, he waited a few minutes to calm his emotions, then began the ritual from the center.
Florent took the first step with a serious expression: "Immortal Lord of Heaven and Earth, for the blessings."
Then the second step: "Lord of Heaven and Earth, for the blessings."
With an even more solemn gaze, he took the third step: "The Exalted Thearch of Heaven and Earth, for the blessings," he said reverently.
Exhaling deeply, he took the final step: "The Celestial One Worthy of Heaven and Earth for the blessings."
Once the ritual was complete, he closed his eyes and waited. Three minutes passed, but nothing happened.
With a self-deprecating smile, he sighed, "Too bad, I expected too much." Then he added, "On reflection, it's obvious. Everyone connected to the castle of the sefirah has an object connected to it: Rossel had a deck of cards, Klein had the transfer ritual, the Goddess of the Night... I don't know what, but I have nothing."
Florent closes his eyes for a moment, then remembers what was most important: now he had to play the role of the Apprentice.
In Trier, the best place to bring new knowledge to light was an iconic building: the National Library of Trier.
After double-checking the house to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, Florent gathered the money and items he might need and left the house.
Trier's architecture reflected the typical Intis style, and Florent admired the bustling streets, lined with ornate, gilded lampposts that displayed prosperity without tinsel.
Although the streets of Trier were sometimes congested, each district had its affluent neighborhoods. These far outnumbered the rest of the city, while the slums were filthy and run-down.
Only by visiting these poor areas can we nurture the true future of the city.
Florent hailed a four-wheeled carriage. Once the driver stopped, he climbed in and said, "To the National Library in Trier, thank you."
During the journey, he remembered the library, the pride of the Republic of Intis, one of the largest libraries in the world, the other being the Light of Knowledge Library in Luenburg.
One had been built with the help of the Church of the God of Steam and Machines, the other by Luenburg and the God of Knowledge and Wisdom. The National Library in Trier was primarily a treasure trove of general knowledge, while the one in Luenburg housed more in-depth knowledge.
In the steam age, many revolutionary theories and inventions were linked to these two institutions.
Access to the Trier library was simple: one simply had to avoid getting dirty. The steam priests tolerated the poor, as long as they weren't sold enough to damage the books. Unfortunately, most of the poor were too concerned with their survival to come.
Knowledge is both valuable and inexpensive. Valuable enough to be worth its weight in gold, but cheap enough to be rejected by many.
The library was not as dazzling as the neighboring buildings, but its pure white facade was appreciated by both the Church of the Eternal Sun and the Church of Steam.
The coachman chose a cautious route, passing through the poor and crowded neighborhoods. The library, located between the wealthy and the poor, was built in the hope of sharing knowledge across social divides and changing people's destinies.
According to the teachings of the Steam God: "God said: He who seeks strength, let him become stronger." And knowledge was one of the powers favored by the Steam God.
Even if only one in a thousand, or even one in ten thousand, people managed to change their destiny thanks to the library.
Soon the car arrived in the Hopton district. The cobblestones were less luxurious than before, but still clean, with good drainage, and free from unpleasant odors.
The pure white building, simple yet imposing, inspires both respect and awe.
Maintaining such immaculate whiteness was difficult and impressive, a true marvel in the eyes of believers.
Florent handed the coachman six sols and said, "Keep the change." Then he went straight to the library, thinking, "Carriages are reserved for the upper middle class; six sols is a considerable expense for them."
The library's entry policy was rather lenient. After a quick, discreet glance, the guard decided not to arrest him.
So, Florent enters this impressive library in Trier
(End of chapter)