Returning to reality, Fullen decided he should first try acting out the "Apprentice" method. After all, when it came to acting the "Apprentice → Door" Pathway, he had almost no concrete guidance—only a vague idea for a few Sequences.
Suddenly, a possibility struck him.
He had transmigrated to the same era as Klein.He was also a "thrower" from Sefirah Castle.
As Fullen thought of this, he immediately felt that the possibility wasn't zero. Even if it was only one in ten thousand, the difference in outcome would be enormous—his entire promotion plan could be overturned and rebuilt from scratch.
So Fullen, ignoring his disheveled appearance, rushed straight to the kitchen, cheeks warming with anticipation.
Upon arriving, he forced himself to calm down. A faint smile appeared on his face at his own speculation, and he reminded himself:
"Don't expect too much. Stay calm."
In this strange mix of excitement and rational restraint, Fullen gathered four local Trier staples—Trier Golden Bread, famous throughout the Northern Continent for its golden crust and crisp texture.
Carrying the four loaves, he returned to his bedroom and drew the curtains. The sunlight still pierced through in thin streaks, casting a bright glow across his face.
After placing the four Trier Golden Breads in the four corners of the room, Fullen waited a moment for his emotions to settle. Then he began the ritual from the center.
"Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."
Fullen took the first step with solemn composure.
"Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."
He took the second step.
"Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."
The third step—his expression grew even more serious.
"Celestial Worthy of Heaven and Earth for Blessings."
Fullen exhaled deeply, as though releasing something suppressed in his chest, and took the final step.
After completing the Ritual of Return, he closed his eyes and waited.
One minute passed.Two minutes.Three.
Nothing happened.
Fullen sighed."I really expected too much."
He chuckled at himself.
"Thinking about it, it makes sense. Anyone connected to Sefirah Castle has an item that links them to it. Roselle had his deck of cards, Klein had the luck-enhancing ritual… Even the Evernight must have had something. But me? I have nothing."
He rubbed his temples, then refocused. The important thing now was to act as an Apprentice.
And in Trier, if one wanted to learn anything new, the best destination was the city's iconic building:
The Trier National Library.
Fullen didn't hesitate. After rechecking the house he had examined yesterday and taking the necessary money and items, he left home.
Trier's architectural style was the epitome of Intis aesthetics. The streets bustled with activity, flanked by ornate streetlights. Their golden designs gave the city its distinctive character—prosperous, yet never gaudy.
The roads were uneven, yet in every city there were wealthy districts, and the riches of these areas far exceeded the era. Gold Hansdon District was no exception.
Although Trier's slums sprawled across vast areas—filthy, chaotic, nearly unlivable—its noble and wealthy districts were magnificent. Outsiders often praised Trier's prosperity, but only by stepping into the commoner districts, or even the slums, could one see the city's true future.
Fullen hailed a four-wheeled carriage. When the coachman pulled up, he entered and said:
"Please take me to the Trier National Library. Thank you."
As the carriage began moving, Fullen recalled details about the library—Trier's jewel, the pride of the Intis Republic, and one of the largest libraries in the world. The only comparable institution was in Lunburg—the Light of Knowledge Library.
One library was built with help from the Church of Steam and Machinery.The other was jointly founded by Lunburg and the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.
The Trier National Library housed general knowledge.The Light of Knowledge Library contained profound, specialized texts.
In this Steam Age, many groundbreaking inventions and theorems could be traced back to these two places.
There was only one rule for entering the Trier National Library:
You must not be excessively dirty.
Books were treasures—cleanliness mattered. A poor person could enter as long as they weren't too filthy, and the priests of Steam usually turned a blind eye. But for most poor people, simply surviving consumed all their time; they had no opportunity to study.
Knowledge was precious, yet cheap—So precious that no amount of gold could buy certain secrets,Yet so cheap that people discarded it like worn shoes.
The exterior of the Trier National Library was not as dazzling as the surrounding rich districts. It was pure white. But this did not bother followers of the Eternal Blazing Sun—after all, the library was jointly founded by the Eternal Blazing Sun Church and the Church of Steam. Pure white was one of the Sun's favored colors.
The coachman took a clever detour—not to lengthen the route (they charged by time), but to avoid the slums and commoner districts entirely. Hopetown District lay between the wealthy Heink District and the commoner Winston District. The library's ideal was that rich and poor could pursue knowledge together and change their fates.
After all, one of the doctrines of the God of Steam was:
"God said, let him who strives be strong."
Knowledge was a form of strength.
Although only one in a thousand—or even one in ten thousand—ever changed their destiny through the library.
Soon they arrived at Hopetown District. The streets here were less luxurious but still tidy. The drainage system worked, so there was no overwhelming stench like in other areas. As for the slums…You couldn't even tell what you were stepping on, let alone where the smell came from.
The bright, pure-white building radiated solemnity. It was just a public building—yet the immaculate whiteness made it awe-inspiring. Maintaining pure white was difficult; such cleanliness felt miraculous to believers.
After paying the coachman about six souler in change, Fullen said:
"Keep the change."
He walked directly toward the entrance.
"Carriage rides are for the upper-middle class," he thought."Six souler is something a middle-class person wouldn't casually spend."
The library's entry requirements were lenient. After giving Fullen a discreet inspection, the doorman decided he was clean enough and allowed him through.
Thus, Fullen stepped into the awe-inspiring temple of knowledge.