After the embrace between Quevedo and Karl, the latter seemed at last to lay down the burden of his nobility. He exhaled slowly, then signaled to the coachman who awaited his orders in the back. The coachman seemed already to know the meaning of the gesture: he gently whipped the two sturdy horses, and the carriage slowly pulled away from Trenck Street.
Quevedo watched the car drive away, his heart a little heavy. He reached out in the direction it had gone, closed his hand twice in mid-air, as if hoping to bring it back with the sheer force of his mind. But alas… even if Quevedo were to elevate his "Savant" Sequence to Sequence 7, "Expert," he could never pull that car back to him.
Of course, without a "Mechanical Expert" capable of crafting a suitable, extraordinary object, it's impossible. Perhaps an "Astronomer," on the other hand, would possess a supernatural ability that would play a direct role in this kind of situation.
As he reflected on the extraordinary path of the "Paragon," Furen couldn't help but sigh: for a wild Beyonder, a path that offered no direct abilities until Sequence 5 was truly disadvantageous. But when he thought that he would soon become a Beyonder with powers, he could only rejoice: the "Master of Towers'" abilities might not be powerful, but they were varied and versatile enough.
Quevedo turned around and let out a plaintive cry: "Oh, Karl! Why did you let that carriage leave? I wanted to admire the elegance of the Green family's aristocratic carriage."
After glancing at Quevedo, Karl said calmly:
"Quevedo, I remember you were supposed to have your own carriage. Why did you want to take mine? Besides, that tavern you were talking about is in the Hoshino district, isn't it? You don't need a carriage there."
Quevedo, looking like a defeated dog barely recovered from humiliation, said, "That's true, but I've never traveled in anyone else's carriage, and…" His expression brightened with sudden interest. "I've heard that the carriages of the nobility are extremely luxurious and that many erotic novels are set in them. So, hehe, why not have her called back?"
If they had been in an anime, we would surely have seen thick black lines appear on Karl's forehead. In reality, Furen could already see him turning green with anger at his friend's absurd whims.
"No. And you read too many of those... suggestive novels. And anyway, I can't call the car. And my car isn't luxurious at all."
Quevedo immediately fell back into depression. This time, Karl didn't let him sink any further.
"That's enough. Your goal isn't to see my car, but to get us to the tavern for the Beyonders meeting. Stop dawdling. Let's go."
Upon hearing the words Beyonders meeting, Quevedo instantly regained his inhuman enthusiasm.
"Yes, that's right, the Beyonders meeting! The Old Sage's Tavern is... uh... to the north. Come on, let's go!"
He began walking ahead of them with surprising speed. Furen had difficulty keeping up with Quevedo's emotional rollercoaster, but seeing Erich and Karl advancing silently, he followed them too.
Fortunately, Furen had no heart problems, otherwise he would never have been able to endure such a spectacle. He approached Erich and asked him in a low voice, "Erich, are you sure these sudden mood swings in Quevedo aren't a problem?"
Erich glanced at Furen, then smiled slightly:
"No. At first, I was surprised too. I grew up surrounded by people like me. And then, when I arrived in Intis, I didn't expect to meet this kind of person. But since Quevedo is doing well, then there's no problem. Studying in Trier is enriching: in addition to knowledge, seeing all kinds of people is also part of the experience."
Furen hadn't expected the cold Erich to be so lively, which delighted him: "Yes, I too would like to travel one day. Lenburg is one of my destinations. I hope to meet someone as learned as you there."
For once, Erich's usually icy voice was tinged with emotion: "Lenburg... There are many cities, you can't generalize everything. But in Intis, you all call us 'the Lenburgers'... Well, Lenburg is indeed the capital, and I'm from there."
Looking at Quevedo, who was showing them the way while chatting with Karl, he continued:
"In our country, scholars don't work in libraries. Their offices are practically private libraries; you surely know that Lenburg is the holy land of papermaking. Many famous scholars prefer to study at home rather than at a university. Well… except for academic exchanges. And they aren't cold; they like to share knowledge with other brilliant minds."
Intrigued, Furen immediately continued:
"I can see your passion and erudition. And what are the customs of Lenburg?"
Proudly, Erich replied:
"Lenburg, the sacred land of knowledge. There, everyone loves to learn. Even the poorest read avidly and work hard. The god of Knowledge and Wisdom says: 'Knowledge comes from work. To honor knowledge is to honor work.' That is why we do not have slums like those in Trier."
Furen could hardly believe his ears. In Erich's words, Lenburg sounded like a communist paradise, an ideal almost too good to be true. He told himself he'd have to see it for himself before judging.
Before he could ask any more questions, Quevedo suddenly appeared in front of him: "Hey, Furen, stop arguing. We're here. Look."
Furen followed the direction indicated by Quevedo and spotted an establishment that looked more like a café than a tavern—a tavern guarded from the outside. Its appearance far surpassed that of the Fire Axe Tavern: the entire building resembled a modern, luxurious hotel in the middle of a residential neighborhood.
Furen was astonished that such a luxurious place existed at that time. Looking up, he saw Quevedo grinning broadly. Karl himself seemed surprised that such an establishment could exist in the residential district of Hoshino. As for Erich, he wasn't even looking at the tavern; he was observing the surroundings, as if something had caught his eye.
(End of chapter)