Upon entering the library, Furen was immediately struck by the sight of an ocean of gold. The first floor was entirely devoted to the books collected by the followers of the "Church of the Eternal Sun".
At first glance, the content presented no particular problems, except that all the authors, without exception, sought to extol the virtues of sun worship. One could even find, from time to time, small hidden inserts, veritable disguised advertisements glorifying the Sun.
"These madmen who worship the sun..." thought Furen. In his eyes, the believers of the Eternal Sun were like salesmen within a vast proselytizing network: wherever they went, they never stopped preaching.
The nickname for Trier, "the City of the Sun", actually existed since the founding of the Intis. But originally, that is to say towards the end of the Fourth Age in the esoteric world, this seemingly laudatory nickname had an ironic connotation.
It was said at the time that "the City of the Sun" mocked the excessive fervor of the faithful of the Eternal Sun: those who got too close to the sun ended up either dead or mad.
In retrospect, it is not surprising that those who first gave Trier this name were worshippers of the god of Knowledge and Wisdom. At that time, the followers of the two deities were only temporarily united by external circumstances, which made this nickname all the more fitting and apt.
Furen owed all this occult knowledge to his father, Martin Abraham. In the secret room of the family library was a book entitled The Last Madness, The Pale Calamity.
Its author, although a mere traveler in Sequence 5, had survived the final phase of the Pale Plague and had pored over countless archives. His work therefore enjoyed considerable credibility.
The National Library of Trier had a somewhat unusual configuration. Unlike traditional libraries, the first floor did not house general knowledge about the world, but rather practical works: manuals for learning how to provide for oneself or treatises on how to easily monetize one's knowledge – even if their scope remained modest.
On this floor, Furen glimpsed here and there a few readers, standing or sitting, absorbed in their reading. Their clothes were mostly simple, even shabby. Some, deep in their reading, unconsciously brought their hands to their hollow stomachs. Beneath these coarse clothes, one could make out emaciated, almost skeletal figures.
« That's touching, isn't it? »
A voice rose behind Furen, who was observing the readers on the first floor. He did not turn around immediately; he first searched his memory to whom this voice could belong, while turning slowly, with a measured gesture.
In front of him stood two young men whose clothes contrasted sharply with those of the readers.
The first man had short, blond hair and wore a long white tunic embroidered with gold thread. Seeing Furen turn around, he gave her a kind smile and raised his hand in greeting. On his wrist shone a gold rosary, adorned, strangely enough, with a small kumquat flower, also made of gold.
The second man, with brown hair, wore a navy blue suit over a brown vest. His demeanor seemed more reserved than the first, but not cold: he simply gave off an impression of unwavering calm.
The contrast between their styles was so marked that their duo seemed almost incongruous… and yet, strangely, their association seemed natural, even harmonious.
As Furen watched them intently, the blond man, noticing her reaction, gave a slightly embarrassed smile before lightly scratching the back of his neck. Then, in a tone that was both playful and friendly, he said:
« As always, Furen, you're hard to recognize, your friend! It's me, Quevedo Heimer! The respected 'Splendor of Wisdom,' Master Roman Karman, do you remember? I was his student, just like you, when we attended his classes at Count Mann's manor! »
At these words, Furen abandoned his pensive expression and displayed a slightly contrite smile. He extended his hand towards Quevedo and replied:
« Excuse me. My memory may not live up to my friends' expectations, but I always do my best to recognize them. And... may I ask who your partner is? »
Quevedo then exclaimed enthusiastically: « Ah, this greeting is such a beautiful custom! It perfectly embodies the warmth of the people of Trier! Governor Roselle is truly a man of great talent! »
Then, returning to the subject, he introduced the other man:
"« This is Mr. Erich Sabbach, from Lemberg. Of all the young men I have met, none equals his erudition. He could converse as an equal with the scholars of the previous generation. We met right here in the library. He is a man of admirable erudition! »
Quevedo, filled with respect, leaned slightly forward, palms turned towards the sky, as if presenting a treasure too precious to be touched.
The young man in the blue suit stepped forward, extended his hand to Furen, and calmly said:
« Hello. I am Erich Sabbach, from Lemberg. I am pursuing my studies in Trier. Mr. Quevedo is without a doubt the most passionate and erudite man I have ever met. I am happy to meet one of his friends. »
« Don't let his cold demeanor fool you!" Quevedo exclaimed immediately. "In reality, he never hesitates to reach out to anyone who shares his thirst for knowledge. »
Then, with a small apologetic smile, he clasped his hands in front of him, as if to apologize for having "slandered" his friend.
Furen paid no attention. He shook Erich's hand and replied:
« A friend from that hallowed center of learning, Lemberg, can only be a brilliant mind. Quevedo himself is a man of remarkable erudition; a friend he esteems so highly can therefore only be exceptional. I hope that you will become not only Quevedo's friend, but mine as well. For a scholar, having a learned friend is the greatest of rewards. »
Quevedo seemed a little surprised by Furen's calm and measured tone, but he quickly regained his composure. Then, suddenly remembering something, he took a pocket watch from his white robe, consulted it, and exclaimed, « Excuse us, but we must go to the reading room at Earl Conley's manor. What a joy it will be to discover this ocean of books! I hope we will soon have the opportunity to share a true feast of knowledge together. »
« Don't worry, » Furen replied understandingly.
« I'm sure we'll have the opportunity. Go ahead then, and don't let my presence delay you.»
Quevedo and Erich gave him a slight nod before walking briskly away.
At the time when Furen was receiving his education, there were no public schools as such. Nobles and the wealthy refused to allow their children to study with the common people, and ecclesiastical schools rarely provided truly useful instruction.
For those who could afford it, hiring a private tutor at home was the best option.
But the true masters, proud of their rank, did not go to the homes of the newly rich. Fortunately, these teachers did not always teach privately: some nobles, linked to the rich by interests, allowed their children to take classes together; some had the power, others the fortune.
The alliance of power and money seemed inevitable, both in the ordinary world and in the occult world.
Furen was no exception: it was at Count Mann's that he followed the teachings of the master Roman Karman.
It was probably under these circumstances that he met Quevedo.
(End of chapter)