Find That Book

The owner scratched his head and said with certainty, "The Charm of Industrial Computing is far too obscure. If my shop doesn't have it, then none of the other shops on this street will either."

The owner patted the young university student on the shoulder. "You should look somewhere else. Don't waste your time in any bookstore on Lubo Lane."

"What do you need?" the owner suddenly asked Gallo from the side.

Gallo, who had been watching the young university student leave, simply replied, "Didn't find what I wanted."

Then he followed behind the student and left the bookstore.

When he saw that the young man still seemed intent on trying his luck at other bookstores in hopes of finding the book he wanted,

Gallo jogged after him and called out, "That shop doesn't have the book you're looking for either."

"What?" The university student turned around in surprise, staring suspiciously at Gallo as he ran over.

"The Charm of Industrial Computing! That's the book you're looking for, right?"

"Yes, but... who are you?" The other man suddenly understood. "Were you an employee at that bookstore just now?"

In his eyes, Gallo looked far too young to be a bookstore clerk, so he remained somewhat doubtful.

"I just happened to hear what you wanted to buy in that shop. But I'm certain this store doesn't have that book."

"How do you know? I don't have time to waste, and I'm not giving you money for your little tricks." The university student's expression suddenly turned serious.

Clearly, he took Gallo for one of those street scammers or petty thieves.

"There are forty-one bookstores on this street, and I've memorized every book in all forty-one of them." Gallo tapped his head, not getting angry even though the other man had misunderstood him.

Gallo continued, "The Charm of Industrial Computing is at Joel No. 1 Bookstore, and there's only one copy left. If you go now, you'll definitely be able to buy it."

"Hmph! Joel No. 1 Bookstore? I've already been there, and I searched the whole place without finding that book! You little liar, stop following me!"

Seeing the man leave in irritation, Gallo called out loudly, "The Charm of Industrial Computing was written by Babbage!"

The other man stopped and turned back to look at Gallo.

"It's on the top left side of the sixth bookshelf at Joel No. 1 Bookstore. It probably hadn't sold for a long time, so they treated it as unwanted stock and left it there. That spot is especially easy to overlook. And it's an old book, so the title isn't printed on the spine. Go now, and you'll definitely be able to buy it."

The man clearly believed Gallo now, since the book truly was extremely obscure.

Industrial computing was not a popular field at present, but his professor thought otherwise. He was convinced that Professor Babbage, twenty years ago, had possessed extraordinary foresight.

Babbage had also written The Charm of Industrial Computing, and the book was related to the academic assignment his professor had given him. Much of the material he needed to cite was in that book.

If he failed to complete it, it would not only affect his professor's impression of him, but also cost him his chance at a scholarship.

Looking at it pessimistically, it might even affect whether he could graduate from Imperial Industrial University.

"Fine, I'll go to Joel No. 1 Bookstore now. If I really find that book there..."

Gallo held up two fingers. "How about two Fenso? Consider it a normal transaction. You spend two Fenso to save time and solve your problem."

"Fine, no problem! But you're coming with me."

"Of course. I still have to collect the money you owe me."

The two of them arrived at the entrance to Joel No. 1 Bookstore. The young university student glanced at Gallo, then went in alone.

Gallo had not gone in with him because when he had asked Joel No. 1 Bookstore about becoming a helper apprentice, the clerks had laughed at him and driven him out.

If they went in together, the young man might be mistaken for someone Gallo had brought to argue with them.

But only a few minutes later, the man excitedly left Joel No. 1 Bookstore with a thick copy of The Charm of Industrial Computing in his hands.

"I really found it there, heaven! This has solved a huge problem for me. I wasted so much time today, running from bookstore to bookstore on Lubo Lane. I really should have met you sooner."

Gallo held up two fingers again.

The man smiled. "My name is Stuart Kent. How about I treat you to something at that cafe? I haven't eaten anything today. I was looking for this book the whole time, and I'm starving now."

Gallo refused outright. "No, I only want my two Fenso."

"Of course, of course. Come eat something with me first. I could hear your stomach growling earlier, and I'll definitely pay you two Fenso. I just don't have any small change on me right now."

Indeed, Gallo had not eaten anything at noon. He was hungry and thirsty now.

Since the man wanted to treat him to something at a cafe and had promised to pay him two Fenso, Gallo readily followed him.

Outside a cafe on Lubo Lane called Moonlight Cafe, many outdoor tables and chairs had been set up, with quite a few patrons seated outside.

The two of them sat at the outermost table outside the cafe.

"Two coffees, with milk and sugar, and two plates of Madeleine Cake, please. And I'd like to pay now. How much is it altogether?"

The two coffees and two plates of Madeleine Cake cost six Copper Nil and two Fenso in total. Stuart paid with one five-Copper Nil bill and two one-Copper Nil bills.

When the female cafe clerk gave him three one-Fenso coins in change, Stuart pushed all three coins toward Gallo.

But Gallo only took two and returned the remaining one.

"I only want the two that belong to me. But I really am hungry, so thank you for the meal."

Stuart smiled kindly. As he was about to put away the one-Fenso coin, Gallo stopped him again.

"Wait, can I trade coins with you?"

"What?" Stuart watched Gallo take an ordinary-looking one-Fenso coin from his coat pocket. He said, "This coin is a little dirty."

"Dirty? It looks fine to me."

Gallo asked in surprise, "Don't you think it's a little dark, and kind of greasy in your hand? Like it's coated in grime?"

Stuart took the coin from Gallo's hand and said, "No. It doesn't feel greasy either."

"Then forget it. Maybe I'm overthinking it. Let's not trade."

Gallo put away the coin he had used for divination today. The coin that looked grimy to him appeared perfectly normal to everyone else.

That made Gallo certain it was connected to the divinations he had performed with the coin today. And from his perspective, the final divination had been accurate as well.

Although none of the shops on Lubo Lane had hired him, Gallo had found another way to make money.

A Moonlight Cafe server placed two cups of coffee and two plates of Madeleine Cake before them.

Each plate held six Madeleine Cakes, their delicate shell-shaped forms crafted by the pastry chef.

Gallo only ate two, saving the other four to bring home for Lily and his mother.

This kind of dessert was a rather luxurious treat for their family.

After eating two cakes, the hunger in Gallo's stomach eased. It no longer hurt so badly, and he had enough strength to walk home again that night.

"Aren't you going to finish those cakes?"

"Thank you, but I want to bring the rest back for my little sister and mother to try."

Stuart smiled. "Actually, I usually live very frugally. I've only come to cafes like this a handful of times with classmates. The cost of living in Tin City is too high. I scrimp and save every day. Without scholarship support, I couldn't survive at university at all."

He continued, "And you helped me find this book, which means you helped me keep my end-of-term scholarship."

Gallo asked, "So... what if I started a business here? People could pay me two Fenso to ask about a book, and I could tell them exactly which bookstore had it and where it was located."

Stuart looked up at Gallo and asked in confusion, "Don't tell me I'm your first customer."

"I am afraid you are."

Stuart took a sip of coffee, swallowed the cake crumbs in his mouth, and said, "Uh... the book I was looking for is just far too obscure. So obscure that even the bookstore owners and clerks on this street had forgotten or overlooked it. For other Imperial Industrial University students like me, if we want to buy or find a book and already know its title, we're already more than halfway there. If we patiently visit a few bookstores, we can always find it. Of course, paying two Fenso to save time is definitely worth it!"

Just as Gallo began to feel a little disappointed,

the other man continued, "Actually, when people are looking for a book, they often don't even know its title."

Gallo froze for a moment and asked, "What do you mean?"

"For example, if someone needs to complete a paper, they may need to cite or consult a great deal of material. They might know the professional field or academic scope, but they don't know which book, document, or paper written by others they need to find. Finding books or material suited to their own needs is incredibly difficult, so for one paper, we often spend a year or even longer."

Stuart placed his hand on the book. "I'm just lucky because my professor told me this book's title. If I didn't even know the title, I would have wasted far more than just one day!"

Gallo nodded. Although this world was at the beginning of its Industrial Revolution, what university students and intellectuals needed most at this time was technology for searching computerized archives.

The roar of steam engines could not help them in the slightest.

Gallo watched Stuart continue eating the remaining Madeleine Cakes. He picked up The Charm of Industrial Computing and said, "Let's sit here a little longer. If you're not in a hurry to leave, can I finish reading this book?"

Stuart nearly choked on the cake in his mouth. He took a sip of coffee to wash it down before saying, "It's such a thick book. It would take me a whole week to finish it."

Gallo had already opened the book. "I probably won't need that long," he said calmly.