Charlie

The Basement of the "Golden Rooster Inn" houses a small Bar that can only accommodate twenty or thirty people.

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

By the light of the few Gas Lamp on the wall, Lumian noticed that the man was very young, about twenty-two or twenty-three years old, with short light brown hair, no beard, and a particularly ruddy face, perhaps because he had been drinking.

He was wearing Linen-Colored shirt, black trousers, and strapless leather shoes. He wasn't short, standing at just over 1.7 meters, but his arms and legs were unusually short, making him look about 1.6 meters tall.

At this moment, waving his short arms and spitting as he spoke, "Just how incredible is it? I'll tell you, it changed my view of faith. As a believer in the ' God of Steam and Machinery,' I'm ready to Convert the ' Eternal Blazing Sun '!"

"Listen to that, isn't it amazing?"

"Can you imagine that I went hungry for five whole days? I lost my job, was fired by that bastard manager, and couldn't find work until I had spent all my savings."

"I was starving for five whole days and could only lie in bed. I was so weak that I almost died. Do you know what it feels like to be about to die? Oh, may God Protection you so that you never know."

"What I was thinking was, I can't die like this. I came to Trier to make a fortune. I have to do something. Then I saw the picture of Saint Viève on the wall."

"Yes, I struggled to my feet, knelt on the ground, and prayed to Saint Viève for help. At that time, I was still a believer in the ' God of Steam and Machinery,' but what can't a starving man do? And, in any case, it wouldn't do any harm!"

"About five minutes after I finished praying, a friend came to visit me and discovered my difficult situation. He didn't have much money either, but he reminded me that I had rented a Kerosene Lamp for the night, and the Deposit was 35 Kopek, a whole 7 Rick!"

"God, I had completely forgotten about this. I quickly asked my friend to return the Kerosene Lamp and used the refunded Deposit to buy Bread and half a liter of cheap liquor. The Bread was cold and damp, as if it had been sprinkled with putty, and the liquor was a bit sour and very weak, but it was the most delicious meal I had ever eaten. Lady and gentlemen, I am alive again!"

"I also found a new job today. I'll go to the nearest Saint Viève Church and light a Candle when I have my day off tomorrow!"

Saint Viève is the only Women Angel mentioned in the Holy Scripture of the Church of the Eternal Blazing Sun, and one of the Guardian Angel of the city of Trier —the other two belonging to the Church of the God of Steam and Machinery and great figures in the history of Intis, respectively.

Lumian walked toward the bar, watching the young man's small blue eyes brighten with excitement.

The bartender, who was wiping the Bartender with a velvet cloth, looked up at the "Speaker" standing on the round table and chuckled softly, "Charlie can never stay quiet, he's always talking nonstop."

The Bartender was around thirty years old, with a Deep Brown beard around his mouth, though not very thick, and his hair, the same color, was tied into a ponytail with an artistic flair.

Lumian sat down on a Bar Stool and asked with a smile, "Is what he said true?"

"Who knows?" The Bartender shrugged. "You've probably heard the proverb: 'It's better to believe a snake than a Lim.' Charlie is a Lim."

Lim Province and Leston Province are both in the south and have similar accents, but Lime is closer to Lenburg and is a mountainous province.

Lumian said thoughtfully, "This proverb isn't finished, is it? I feel like there's more to it."

The Bartender's azure Eyes crinkled with amusement as he said, "Your feeling is correct; that proverb is longer than you think."

"It's better to trust a Rim than Loenian, and better to trust a snake than a Rim, but never trust Islanders."

The Archipelago refers to the Sea of Fog Archipelago west of Intis, one of the Republic's overseas colonies. The Islanders in Trier often acted as Thug and Swindler.

Before Lumian could ask any more questions, the Bartender glanced mockingly at Charlie, who was still going on and on, and said in a low voice, "If that's something he actually experienced, then he certainly wouldn't know that the picture on the wall in his room isn't actually of Saint Viève."

"Whose is that?" Lumian asked, amused.

The Bartender tried hard to control his laughter:

Charlie lived in room 504. The previous tenant frequented the Red Princess District's City Wall Street and had a picture of Suzanne Matisse, one of Trier's most famous prostitutes from a few years ago, posted in the room.

"Just think about it, just think about it. Charlie thought he was asking Angel for help, but he was actually praying to a prostitute, and he even thought that this would change his luck, free him from hunger, and get him a new job. How ironic!"

"Yes," Lumian wholeheartedly agreed.

This is a plot he couldn't have come up with; reality is sometimes even more absurd than stories.

He then added:

"As long as it works."

The Bartender didn't say anything more and asked, "What do you need?"

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

"How about the Divar Soup? Three Rick a large spoonful," the Bartender suggested.

3 Rick is equivalent to 15 Kopek and 0.15 Felkine.

Lumian showed great interest:

What is Divar Soup?

The Bartender casually explained, "It was invented by a Restaurant Boss Divar. He cooked meat, sauerkraut, Turnip, and other ingredients together into a thick soup, then sprinkled it with cheese and Bread. One serving is enough to fill you up, and it tastes quite good. So, Divar is rich now and has moved to the Opera District."

Lumian is currently in the Honest Market District, also known as the Market District, located on the Serenzo River, which has a large number of slums, while the Opera District is on the Serenzo River, adjacent to the Boulevard District, one of the core areas of the Republic.

--There are twenty districts inside the City Wall Trier.

"Sounds good." Lumian nodded with a smile. "Then one of these will do."

Although he recovers by six in the morning and doesn't have to worry about hunger, eating is one of the few things that makes him feel alive.

The Bartender nodded, then asked, "' Little Mummy ' or ' Flip '?"

"What?" Lumian didn't hide his bewilderment.

The Bartender, unsurprised, calmly explained, "These are common slang terms used in Trier Bar, Café, and Beer Hall. ' Little Mummy ' refers to a small serving of Anise Absinthe, ' Flip ' is a double serving, ' Red Tomato ' is Absinthe with pomegranate juice, and 'Parrot' is Parrot with mint. There are many similar terms."

"My friend, you still have a lot to learn in Trier."

"Then let's call it ' Little Mummy '." Lumian could sense the Bartender's Concealment prejudice against outsiders, but he didn't care.

"Seven Rick," the Bartender announced the price as he turned over the small stemmed glass.

This is more expensive than the Absinthe at the Old Tavern in Cordou Village, but that's normal in places with market taxes.

Before long, a glass of pale green Absinthe with a mesmerizing glow appeared in front of Lumian.

He picked it up, took a small sip, and felt the subtle yet lingering bitterness spread through the refreshing taste, seeping into his brain.

While waiting for the waitress to bring over the Divar Soup, Lumian looked around and noticed glass jars, hoses, valves, Gears, and other items piled up on the side of the bar.

"What's this?" he asked the Bartender.

While wiping the glasses, the Bartender casually replied, "It was left behind by a previous tenant. He was a believer in the ' God of Steam and Machinery,' and always felt he had a talent for mechanics, so he collected a lot of similar things."

"And what about him now?" Lumian asked, though he knew the ending wouldn't be good.

The Bartender paused for two seconds before saying, "He went to the Factory. He said he was distracted while working and got caught in Machine; half of him was crushed."

Lumian didn't ask any further questions, turned his head to look at the pile of half-assembled Parts, and fell into thought.

A few seconds later, he got off the Bar Stool, squatted down to the side of the bar, and started fiddling with the pile of stuff.

The Bartender glanced at him but didn't stop him, only offering a word of caution when the Divar Soup was brought over from the kitchen.

After a while of busy work, Lumian sat back on the Bar Stool and began to savor the thick soup with a spoon.

The rich aroma of meat, the flavor of cheese, the crispness of sauerkraut, and the sweetness of Turnip combine to create an unforgettable and wonderful taste, while the Bread soaked in the juices are the most precious jewel in the Crown of this dish.

To Lumian's surprise, the thick soup in the 3 Rick ' bowl contained several pieces of meat, enough to fill an adult's stomach.

Once the plates were clean, Lumian took out a handkerchief, wiped her mouth, and squatted back down beside the pile of half-assembled Parts to continue her previous work.

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

The Machine has glass jars on top and complex Parts below, connected by two rubber hoses.

Lumian then asked for a glass of water and poured in some of the remaining anise liqueur, turning the clear, colorless liquid a pale green.

Finally, he inserted one of the rubber tubes into the cup.

The Bartender, with his ponytail and artistic air, looked at it carefully and asked, puzzled, "What is this?"

"This is my invention." Lumian drew Triangular Holy Emblem on his chest. "I am also a believer in the ' God of Steam and Machinery,' and have achieved considerable success in the field of mechanics."

Then, he extended his left hand, which was gloved with a black Gloves, and pointed to the Machine:

"It's a revolutionary Machine; its impact is beyond your imagination!"

"What can it do?" Charlie, seemingly praying to a prostitute, walked to the bar carrying a beer bottle, looking curious.

Lumian said with a mixture of seriousness and excitement, "It's called the Fool's Instrument.' It can test a person's level of stupidity, and similarly, it can also test their level of intelligence."

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

Lumian explained in detail, "It's very simple to use. Just blow air into this tube until the liquid in the cup rises into the glass jar and forms bubbles."

"By observing the bubbles, we can obtain a corresponding level of stupidity or intelligence."

After glancing at Lumian a few times, Charlie said eagerly, "It's amazing. No wonder he's a follower of the ' God of Steam and Machinery '."

He immediately picked up the exposed rubber hose and began blowing air into it.

Through the coordinated action of Gears, valves, and Parts, the pale green liquid inside the cup is drawn into the Machine, rises to the glass jar above, and forms a small bubble.

"What conclusion does this represent?" Charlie asked expectantly.

Lumian's lips curled up little by little, revealing a radiant smile:

"My friend, the principle behind this Machine is equally simple:"

"If you believe me and actually use this Machine to blow a bubble, it proves you're a 'bubbly idiot.'"

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

The Bartender next to him burst out laughing.

"Great prank!" he exclaimed sincerely.

Lumian smiled at Charlie, waiting for him to explode.

After a few seconds, Charlie surprisingly suppressed his anger, walked over to the guests who had listened to his story, and exclaimed loudly, "Lady and gentlemen, look what I've discovered! A revolutionary Machine! It can test your intelligence!"