After getting a general idea of the library, Furen sat down at an empty table on the seventh floor and began to consider his future course of study. This familiar feeling almost reminded him of his university life: back then, he liked to spend time reading foreign and domestic novels kept in his school library, rather than studying there. His roommates therefore always wondered why someone who was so diligent in the library still got such average grades.
Scoffing inwardly at the fact that he was even thinking about such things, Furen came back to reality and focused on the problem at hand: what books should he actually read?
The books that could help him play the role of "Master of Tricks" were, unsurprisingly, those on magic. Unfortunately, such books occupied only a tiny space on the sixth floor—most spoke only of the virtuosity of magicians and the mysterious beauty of their tricks.
This was a shame: no magician would risk writing a book revealing the secrets of his art and thus offending his entire profession. Even the most famous magic books revealed only a few unimportant tricks—and even then, their explanations were so unrealistic as to be almost inhuman: some required years of hard practice, others exaggerated the difficulty of the tricks. As for the other secrets of magic, they remained shrouded in mystery—so much so that the explanations amounted to saying nothing at all.
"Hmm… I can still read a few and take notes on the magic tricks I could actually perform with my "Master of Tricks" abilities. After my promotion, this could serve as a stepping stone to joining a circus. Oh, and I should also go see some circus performances, especially the magicians' performances. Come on, let's put that on the plan."
Furen tapped the table, earning annoyed looks from the people around him, then changed his mind and gently tapped his temple instead.
"The role of the 'Astrologer' requires a solid foundation in occult knowledge. This falls into three parts: first, the books I have at home—my father owned a large number on divination, especially crystallomancy and astrology, but also a few other forms of divination; then, the second layer of the National Library of Trelle, in the theological section devoted to sacred astronomy—'the majesty of the gods is like the stars of the sky, haughty and inaccessible, their grace as vast as the sea, their power as terrible as a prison'; finally, the third layer, that of the natural sciences, houses works on astronomical observation: ancient celestial maps without a telescope tracing the seasonal and cyclical variations of the stars, but also modern maps of the galaxies made possible by the invention of the telescope. The former are macroscopic, the latter microscopic, and both have their uses."
Furen pondered his next role, but he couldn't guarantee the accuracy of his assumptions—his father had left no precise method of "role-playing." Most people progressed only with time and perseverance: every role eventually became digestible.
"The next rank after the 'Astrologer' is the 'Registrar.' The Registrar's principle is to record all sorts of supernatural abilities as well as the landscapes and customs of various places. The most useful books for this role are undoubtedly found in the travelogue section on the fifth floor. As the most vivid and concrete texts of literature, travelogues always occupy an important place in libraries. As for supernatural abilities, recording them is only one part of the job—understanding and defining them is another, and that part even seems relatively easy to me."
Thinking of this, Furen paused, crossed his fingers, closed his eyes slightly, and summarized:
"In short, what I need are the magic books from the sixth floor, the theological astronomy books from the second, the scientific astronomy books from the third, the travelogues from the fifth, and the occult books from my own house. Oh yes, and I must go to the circus to observe the magic shows directly."
"It's decided. Time is running out, I have to take action now. The longer I procrastinate, the less I'll accomplish anything."
Furen then remembered that in the past, he sometimes wanted to study in the library, but in the end, out of laziness or disinterest, he spent very little time there. He had to admit that reading novels in the library was much more enjoyable than studying there.
Driven by curiosity, he decided to begin with travelogues. They were the closest form of literature to the novel, a reportage of reality, and many of them were even more captivating than fiction—because they were true. Reality, after all, is often the greatest of novels: some events far surpass the authors' imaginations.
Even in this single field of literature, the National Library of Trelle excelled. The classification was very clear: stories by Intis, Loen, Feysac, Fenepot, maritime stories, and even stories from the southern continent. Some were almost novelistic, so inaccessible were the places described to the ordinary person.
Furen picked up a book titled "Travel Narratives and Observations in Trelle," written by Isis Berru, a Loenian author. Intrigued, he took it off the shelf, glanced at the introduction page and the table of contents—the book seemed very readable, as the author had chosen to write it in novel form.
Isis Berru was one of Loen's most famous novelists in recent years. The era particularly appreciated travel writing, and unusually, Isis was both a devotee of the Goddess of the Night and a woman. This made her all the more remarkable in a country like Intis, dominated by the Church of the Eternal Sun. Yet, against all odds, she enjoyed great popularity among Intisian readers of travel writing.
"…In the City of the Sun, everything is so bright, something unimaginable for a resident of dark, foggy Backlund. Of course, I have nothing against gray skies: too bright a light always ends up being harmful, to others as well as to oneself…"
"...To write a travelogue as close to reality as possible, the best thing is to live like the locals, to share their joys and sorrows. Luckily, I have a friend who lives in Trelle. Her family, worshippers of the God of Steam, are much more pleasant to be around than the worshippers of the Sun, whose tone always betrays a slight condescension. That said, it must be said that they remain very courteous when addressing unknown ladies..."
Engrossed in his reading, Furen lost track of time. Once he finished the book—a relatively short work compared to the multi-million-word online novels—he let out a long, contented sigh and stretched, only then noticing that the room was now bathed in the orange light of candles.
After putting the book back in its place, he stood for a moment savoring what he had just read. Thinking back to Trelle, he understood why Isis Berru's stories were so popular: they deserved it.
Leaving the National Library of Trelle, he returned home, enjoying the walk, under the mixed light of the scarlet moon and the yellowish setting sun.
(End of chapter.)