Lord of Mysteries: The Lord of Power

As the rhythmic sound of the horse's hooves echoed, Furen turned his thoughts to the simple yet aesthetically pleasing envelope in his hand.

He covered his right hand with his spiritual energy, and the faint blue glow was not blinding inside the carriage, but it certainly added a sense of mystery. Furen extended his hand toward the area on his coat where he kept his dagger, pulling out the weapon.

"Opening the door" was no use against a barrier with no door, but Furen pressed the mysterious paper to his skin, right above where the dagger was hidden in his coat. This was the best way he could think of to utilize both of these magical items. As for using the paper in combat, Furen decided to wait for the appropriate moment to pull it out.

With a swift motion, Furen unsheathed the incredibly sharp dagger, effortlessly breaking the wax seal on the envelope. The sharpness of the blade made Furen nod in approval. This was far quicker than the last time he opened a letter.

After putting the dagger back using his ability, Furen took the letter out of the envelope and casually placed the envelope on the seat next to him. He then read the letter carefully.

As expected, the letter was not as critical as the one from the Abraham family, but it still contained some important information.

"Firstly, I apologize for my rashness and impetuosity. After such a long separation, I truly miss the friends I made under Mr. Roman's guidance, especially you, Furen Freeman. You were the most worthy friend I met under his teachings. Though you were always very quiet, only those who conversed with you truly know how knowledgeable you are. It has been many years, and I am very glad to reconnect with you.

"I hope we can meet again in the halls of knowledge. This time, we are no longer naive youth, but scholars devoted to the pursuit of knowledge. Although I don't know much about your circumstances, I do know that you endured an unbearable tragedy in the past.

"Now, I would like to invite you, as a friend, to join me in completing the final portion of the knowledge you left behind under Mr. Roman's tutelage—entering the 'Salon,' a place where peers exchange knowledge. Of course, with the enthusiastic promotion by our dear Emperor Roselle, this salon can even extend to coffee houses. As you know, I am a devoted admirer of Lord 'Son of Steam,' so I feel that exchanging knowledge in a coffee house is the most delightful experience.

"Coincidentally, I, along with Mr. Erich, whom you met in the library last time, will be attending a philosophical salon at the Scarlet Gold Café on Trenk Street in the Starfield District. I hope I can have the honor of meeting you there at 3:00 PM on July 15th. I would like to invite you to join this philosophical salon…"

After quickly finishing the letter, Furen could not help but gently tap his head. The letter posed no real confusion, but Furen's concern lay in the fact that he had no concept of philosophy in this world.

As for attending, Furen definitely planned to go. For someone like him, eager to experience the mysterious world firsthand, rather than just follow his father's path, this philosophical salon was an excellent opportunity.

Furen couldn't help but marvel at how perfectly Quevedo had timed this, offering his help to a long-lost friend. As for the philosophical knowledge, Furen had no choice but to adjust his learning plans. He would need to skim through some basic philosophical theories in the next few days.

If he arrived at the salon and had no knowledge to contribute, Furen could only imagine the awkwardness he would face. Moreover, for someone like Furen, who urgently needed to establish new social connections, it would be a heavy blow.

Rubbing his head, Furen placed the letter back into its envelope and casually shoved it into his coat pocket. Then, not knowing what else to do, he turned his gaze to the window.

At that moment, Trier was basked in sunshine, and the golden decorations on every building, which shimmered even at night, were now dazzling in the daylight. However, the sunlight reflected off them was not harsh, creating a wondrous experience for Furen. He also felt a deep admiration for the craftsmanship of Intis' golden paint.

Intis truly was a country that had mastered the use of gold, and as Furen gazed at the passing artworks outside the window, he lost track of time. Before he knew it, he had passed the Trier National Library, where he had arrived the previous day.

Finally, Furen arrived at the "Flaming Axe" tavern. After paying the coachman, he began to examine the tavern that had provided such a good experience for his father.

In fact, as soon as he got out of the carriage, Furen smelled the pungent odor of urine. It seemed to be the scent of poverty in this era. Even those who had escaped the poor common folk still lived without proper sanitation—public restrooms and sewage systems were luxuries beyond their reach. The amount of money needed to build a city was unimaginable to the countries of this era.

The common folk simply could not afford to improve their lives. Even if a commoner no longer feared starving, they could never guarantee they would not fall back into poverty. In fact, any small illness or disaster could push them back into the depths of poverty, possibly for a lifetime.

As for the government, there was no hope. Among the various royal families with extraordinary powers, who would care about the plight of the common folk, people who had no relation to them?

Back to the topic at hand, the "Flaming Axe" tavern was not particularly special. It wasn't a luxurious tavern; in fact, it looked almost identical to the neighboring houses. Or rather, it appeared dirtier compared to the residential buildings or shops around it, showing the normal characteristics of a tavern in a lower-class district.

What stood out, however, was that the tavern was made of stone, while some of the other buildings in the area were made of wood. For Furen, who had never been to a commoner district since crossing over, this was hard to imagine, especially since this was the capital of Intis.

The tavern's sign was slightly tilted above the entrance. The words "Flaming Axe" seemed bold, and from the writing, one could sense the rebellious style of the person who had written it.

The tavern's door wasn't the sleek kind you would see in modern bars, but instead, it resembled the kind of door you'd find in an "One Piece" manga tavern. It was a simple wooden door that didn't obscure the view inside and didn't make much noise when opened.

With a curious look in his eyes, Furen took a moment to think about what he should ask once inside. After a moment, he pushed open the wooden door and entered the old tavern, which appeared mysterious and brutal through the eyes of a modern, ordinary person like him.