Chapter 3

The basement of the Jinji Inn was open.

It was a small bar that could only accommodate twenty to thirty people.

As Lumiyan walked in, he saw a man jump onto a small round table, holding a beer, and say to the four or five guests around him, "Ladies and gentlemen, listen to me, listen to me! I experienced something incredible the day before yesterday!"

By the light of a few gas lamps on the wall, Lumiyan noticed that the man was very young, around twenty-two or twenty-three years old, with short light brown hair, no beard, and a particularly rosy face, perhaps due to the alcohol.

He was wearing a beige shirt, black trousers, and unbuckled leather shoes. He was not short, standing at over 1.7 meters tall, but his arms and legs were unusually short, making him look about 1.6 meters tall.

At that moment, he waved his short arms and said with spittle flying, "How incredible was it? I'll tell you, it changed my view on faith. As a believer in the God of Steam and Machinery, I'm ready to convert to the Eternal Sun! Isn't that amazing?"

"Can you imagine me being hungry for five whole days? I was unemployed, fired by that scoundrel of a manager, and I couldn't find a job even after spending all my savings. I was so weak, lying in bed, almost dead. Do you know what it feels like to be on the brink of death? Oh, may the gods protect you from ever knowing."

"At that time, I thought, I can't die like this. I came to Trier to make a fortune, and I have to do something. Then I saw the portrait of Saint Vieve on the wall. Yes, I struggled to get up, knelt on the ground, and prayed to Saint Vieve for help. At that time, I was still a believer in the God of Steam and Machinery, but what can a starving person not do? Besides, it wouldn't do any harm!"

"After I finished praying, it was only five minutes before a friend came to visit me and discovered my difficult situation. He didn't have much money, but he reminded me that I had rented a kerosene lamp for the night, with a deposit of 35 kopecks, which is 7 rik!"

"God, I had forgotten about that. I quickly had my friend return the kerosene lamp and used the refund to buy bread and half a liter of cheap wine. The bread was cold and damp, like it had been sprinkled with oil ash, and the wine was a bit sour, very light, but it was the most delicious meal I've ever had. Ladies and gentlemen, I came back to life! I even found a new job today, and I'll go to the nearest Saint Vieve church to light a candle when I have a day off tomorrow!"

Saint Vieve is a female angel mentioned in the holy scriptures of the Eternal Sun, the only one, and one of the patron saints of Trier—along with two others, one from the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery and one from the historical figures of Intis.

Lumiyan watched the young man's blue eyes brighten with excitement as he walked to the bar.

The bartender was around thirty, with a ring of dark brown beard around his mouth, not very thick, and his hair, the same color, was tied into a ponytail with an artistic flair.

Lumiyan sat on a high stool and asked with a smile, "Is what he's saying true?"

"Who knows?" The bartender shrugged. "You should have heard the saying: 'Believe a Liman and you might as well believe a snake.' Charlie is a Liman. Liman Province and Lester Province are both in the south, with similar accents, but Liman is closer to Lemburg and is a mountainous province."

The bartender's azure eyes sparkled with obvious amusement. "Your feeling is correct. The saying is even longer: 'Believe a Loen and you might as well believe a Liman, believe a Liman and you might as well believe a snake, but never believe an Islander.'"

"If that's what he truly experienced, he definitely doesn't know that the portrait in his room isn't of Saint Vieve at all."

"Who is it then?" Lumiyan asked, amused.

The bartender struggled to control his laughter. "Charlie lives in room 504. The previous tenant often went to the Red Princess district's Wall Street and pasted a portrait of one of Trier's most famous prostitutes from a few years ago, Suzanne Matisse, in the room. Imagine, imagine, Charlie thought he was praying to an angel for help, but he was actually praying to a prostitute. He even thought this changed his luck, freed him from hunger, and got him a new job. Isn't that ironic?"

"Yes," Lumiyan agreed wholeheartedly.

He couldn't have made up such a plot; reality sometimes surpasses fiction.

He added, "As long as it works."

The bartender didn't continue the conversation and asked, "What do you need?"

"A glass of absinthe," Lumiyan tapped the bar with his fingers, indicating he was thinking. "What do you have to eat here?"

"How about Divar meat soup? One large spoon for 3 rik." The bartender suggested. 3 rik is 15 kopecks, 15 fergins. Lumiyan showed interest, "What is Divar meat soup?"

The bartender explained casually, "It was invented by a restaurant owner named Divar. He cooked meat, sauerkraut, turnips, and other ingredients into a thick soup, sprinkled cheese and breadcrumbs on top. One serving is enough to fill you up, and it tastes quite good. So, Divar is now rich and has moved to the Opera District."

Lumiyan was currently in the Honest Market District, also known as the Market District, located on the south bank of the Saren River, with a large number of slums. The Opera District is on the north bank of the Saren River, adjacent to the Avenue District, one of the core areas of the Republic.

There are twenty districts within the walls of Trier.

"Sounds like a good amount," Lumiyan smiled and nodded. "I'll have one." Although he would recover his physical condition by six in the morning and wouldn't have to worry about hunger, eating was one of the few things that made him feel alive.

The bartender nodded and then asked, "Small mummy or somersault?"

"What?" Lumiyan didn't hide his confusion.

"This is the black slang used in Trier bars, cafes, and beer houses. 'Small mummy' refers to a small portion of absinthe, 'somersault' is a double portion, 'red tomato' is absinthe with pomegranate juice, and 'parrot' is absinthe with mint. There are many more. You have a lot to learn in Trier."

"Then I'll have a small mummy." Lumiyan could sense the bartender's hidden prejudice against outsiders, but he didn't care.

"7 rik." The bartender opened a small high glass and quoted the price.

This was more expensive than the absinthe in the old tavern in Kordu Village, but it was reasonable in a place with an entry tax.

Soon, a glass of pale green absinthe, shimmering with a hallucinogenic glow, appeared in front of Lumiyan. He picked it up and took a light sip, savoring the refreshing taste and the subtle, lingering bitterness that spread through his brain.

While waiting for the waitress to bring the Divar meat soup, Lumiyan looked around and noticed glass jars, hoses, valves, gears, and other items piled up on the side of the bar.

"What's this?" He looked at the bartender with a questioning gaze.

The bartender, while wiping a glass, answered casually, "It was left by a previous tenant. He was a believer in the God of Steam and Machinery and always thought he had a talent for mechanics, so he collected a lot of similar items."

"What happened to him?" Lumiyan asked, even though he guessed the outcome wouldn't be good.

The bartender was silent for two seconds. Lumiyan didn't press further, turned his head to look at the pile of half-assembled parts, and fell into thought for a few seconds. Then he left the high stool and squatted down to tinker with the pile of parts.

The bartender glanced at him but didn't stop him. He only reminded him when the Divar meat soup was brought from the kitchen.

After a busy session, Lumiyan sat back on the high stool and tasted the thick soup with a spoon. The rich aroma of meat, the taste of cheese, the freshness of sauerkraut, and the sweetness of turnips combined into a memorable and delightful flavor, and the bread soaked in the broth was the most precious gem on the crown of this dish.

Lumiyan didn't expect that a 3 rik serving of thick soup would contain several pieces of meat, enough to satisfy an adult.

When the plate was clean, Lumiyan took out a handkerchief, wiped his mouth, and squatted back by the pile of half-assembled parts, continuing his busy work.

Ten minutes later, he placed a machine on the bar.

The machine had a glass jar on top and a complex set of parts below, connected by two rubber hoses.

Lumiyan then asked for a glass of water, poured some of the remaining absinthe into it, turning the clear liquid pale green.

Finally, he inserted one of the rubber hoses into the glass. The bartender, with his ponytail and artistic flair, watched carefully and asked, puzzled, "What is this?"

"This is my invention," Lumiyan drew a triangular holy emblem on his chest. "I am also a believer in the God of Steam and Machinery and have achieved a lot in the field of mechanics."

He then extended his left hand, wearing a black glove, and pointed to the machine. "It is a groundbreaking machine, and its function exceeds your imagination!"

"What can it do?" Charlie, who had been praying to a prostitute, walked to the bar with a beer bottle, looking curious.

"It's called the Fool's Instrument. It can test a person's level of foolishness, and similarly, their level of intelligence."

"Really?" Charlie and the bartender's faces were full of disbelief.

Lumiyan explained in detail, "Its usage is very simple. Blow into this hose until the liquid in the glass rises to the glass jar and forms bubbles. By observing the bubbles, we can determine the corresponding level of foolishness or intelligence."

He then picked up the exposed rubber hose and started to blow.

Through the联动 of gears and valves, the pale green liquid in the glass was sucked into the machine, rising to the top glass jar and forming a small bubble.

"What does this indicate?" Charlie asked, eagerly.

Lumiyan's lips curled into a bright smile, "My friend, the principle of this machine is equally simple: When you believe what I say and really use this machine to blow a bubble, it proves that you are a bubble-headed fool."

Charlie's expression froze, and his eyes turned angry.

The bartender, on the side, burst out laughing.