Lord of Mysteries: The Traveler

You feel like supporting me whilst acquiring a few perks for yourself? Say no more... I got y'all...

[email protected]/MayaMatengele01

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Returning to reality, Florent realized he needed to first experiment with the acting method for the 'Apprentice' Pathway. After all, aside from a few specific Sequences, Florent had no solid knowledge of how to act along the Pathway from 'Apprentice' to 'Door'.

Suddenly, Florent considered another possibility...

What if he had transmigrated in the same way as Zhou Mingrui (Klein)? What if he too, was a 'projection' from the 'Sefirah Castle'?

The thought made Florent's heart race, and he felt a surge of hope. Even if the probability was one in ten thousand, the outcome would be entirely different for Florent. His entire advancement plan could be completely overturned.

Without caring about his disheveled appearance, Florent rushed to the kitchen, his face flushed with anticipation.

Once in the kitchen, Florent forced himself to calm down, a faint smile creeping onto his face as he muttered to himself, "Don't get too excited. Stay composed..."

Caught between excitement and rationality, Florent found four loaves of Trier's local staple, the Trier Golden Bread, a delicacy famous across the Northern Continent for its golden hue and soft crust.

Carrying the four loaves of bread, Florent returned to his bedroom and drew the curtains. The sunlight filtering through the fabric illuminated his face, which was now glowing with hope.

Placing the four loaves at the corners of the room, Florent waited a few minutes to steady his emotions. Then, standing at the center of the room, he began the 'Luck Enhancement Ritual'.

Taking his first step, Florent intoned solemnly, "The Immortal Lord of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."

He continued, taking the next step, "The Sky Lord of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."

Taking the third step, "The Exalted Thearch of Heaven and Earth for Blessings," Florent said with even greater reverence.

Florent exhaled deeply, as if releasing a weight from his chest, and took the final step, "The Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."

After completing the ritual, Florent closed his eyes and waited. Three minutes passed, but nothing happened.

Sighing, Florent muttered, "I was too hopeful." He chuckled self-deprecatingly, "Well, it makes sense. Everyone that is connected to the Sefirah Castle has an item/concept linking them to it. Roselle had his deck of cards, Klein had his ritual, and the Evernight Goddess had something too. But I have nothing."

Closing his eyes briefly, Florent refocused on the present. The most important task now was to act as an 'Apprentice'.

In Trier, the best place to acquire new knowledge was the city's landmark, the Trier National Library.

Without hesitation, Florent searched the rooms he had already explored the previous day, gathered the necessary funds and items, and left his home.

Trier's architectural style was distinctly Intisian, and as Florent walked through the streets, he marveled at the ornate lampposts adorned with intricate carvings. The golden accents gave the city a unique charm, luxurious yet not overly ostentatious.

Trier's roads were not particularly smooth, but every city had its wealthy districts, and the affluence of these areas far surpassed the rest of the city. Golden Hampstead was no exception.

While Trier's slums were shockingly large and notoriously filthy, the noble and wealthy districts were resplendent. Outsiders often marveled at the city's prosperity, but only by visiting the slums could one glimpse the city's true future.

Florent hailed a four-wheeled carriage... As the driver brought the carriage to a stop, Florent climbed aboard and said, "Please take me to the Trier National Library. Thank you."

As the carriage began to move, Florent recalled his memories of the Trier National Library, Trier's jewel, the pride of the Republic of Intis, and one of the largest libraries in the world. The other was the Library of Knowledge's Light in Lenburg.

The two libraries were maintained by different entities... the Trier National Library was supported by the Church of the 'God of Steam and Machinery', while the Library of Knowledge's Light was jointly built by Lenburg and the 'God of Knowledge and Wisdom'...

The former was a treasure trove of general knowledge, while the latter housed advanced scholarly works and rare manuscripts.

In this age of steam, many groundbreaking theories and inventions were closely tied to these two institutions.

The Trier National Library had only one entry requirement: visitors must not be excessively dirty...

Damaging books through careless handling was frowned upon...

However, if someone was poor but not overly unkempt, the priests of the Church of Steam would usually allow them entry, though many of the poor struggled to survive and had no time to visit.

Knowledge was both precious and cheap. It could be worth a fortune, yet people often treated it as worthless.

The exterior of the Trier National Library wasn't as dazzling as the surrounding golden buildings. Instead, it was a pure white, a color favored by the Church of the 'Eternal Blazing Sun'...

In fact, the library was a joint project between the Church of the 'Eternal Blazing Sun' and the Church of the 'God of Steam and Machinery'.

The carriage driver took a clever route, avoiding the slums and even the commoner districts. The library was located in Hopton District, situated between the affluent Hernk District and the commoner Winston District...

The library's founding principle was to share knowledge with both the rich and the poor, offering a chance to change one's destiny.

After all, one of the teachings of the 'God of Steam and Machinery' was, "The Lord said, let the strong grow stronger..."

And knowledge was one of the powers favored by the God of Steam.

Although only one in a thousand, or even ten thousand might change their fate through the library.

Soon, the carriage arrived in Hopton District. The streets here were less opulent than those in the wealthier areas but still relatively clean. The drainage system was decent, so there was no overwhelming stench of waste, unlike the slums, where the ground was so covered in filth that it was impossible to tell what was causing the smell.

The pure white building of the library was striking. Despite its massive size, the immaculate whiteness inspired awe.

White was easily tarnished, and maintaining such purity was both impressive and unsettling. To the faithful, it was a testament to divine power.

Handing the driver about six Sols in change, Florent said, "Keep the change." and headed straight for the library...

He thought to himself, 'Carriage rides are only affordable for the upper-middle class. Six Sols would be a significant expense for most middle-class citizens...'

The library's entry policy was quite lenient. After a quick and discreet inspection by the guard, he was allowed to enter.

And so, Florent stepped into the awe-inspiring Trier National Library...