Lord of Mysteries: The Lord of Power

After bidding farewell to Quevedo, Furen, unfamiliar with the Trier National Library, decided to explore its floors first. Once familiar with the layout, he planned to decide what to read and formulate a more specific plan.

The classification of books in a library is a meticulous discipline. The goal is to help readers find the books they need easily and spend their time reading rather than searching. This has consumed the efforts of many renowned scholars. The importance of classification remains consistent across worlds, whether on the original Earth or the mystical version of Earth Furen now inhabited.

Interestingly, in this world, civilization seems to have developed on the foundations of a previous Earth's civilization. Consequently, the library classification systems in both worlds are strikingly similar.

The library is divided into ten categories: General Works, Theology, History, Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Technology/Engineering/Industry, Commerce, Arts, Language, and Literature. However, the Trier National Library has an additional category: Livelihood, which occupies the first floor.

The key difference between the two worlds is that theology has replaced philosophy. Here, philosophy has never been independent from theology, likely due to the tangible power of deities in this world. Even Intis's most famous philosopher, Gekai Allen, who is often compared to Ruen's Lourmi, openly stated: Philosophy is an extension of theology. Without theology, there is no philosophy.

In fact, all worldly philosophers are staunch supporters of theology—at least on the surface. Lourmi is a devout follower of the "Lord of Storms," having been awarded the "Disciple of Storm" medal, the highest honor for non-Storm followers. Similarly, Gekai Allen is a devout believer in the "Eternal Sun" and has been granted the title "Morning Sun," the highest honor for non-Sun believers.

On Earth, there's an unconventional saying: At the end of science lies philosophy, and at the end of philosophy lies theology. In this world, with its real deities and a theocratic order overshadowing kingship, this saying has become a reality.

The Library Floors

The library's floors are divided as follows:

First Floor: Livelihood

This category includes practical knowledge that can easily translate into financial gain, drawing from the remaining nine categories. However, its organization is less rigorous, and the knowledge is shallow.

Second Floor: Theology, History, and General Works

On the second floor, three sections greet visitors—left, right, and center. The left is dedicated to theology, the right to history, and the center to general works.

The general works section is frequently updated, reflecting the need to acquire new books across other areas of the library. In Intis, the Church of Steam and Machinery, known for its "universalists," compiles most general works, leveraging this opportunity to increase their influence. A smaller portion of general works is written by followers of the God of Knowledge and Wisdom.

The history section only records events from the Fifth Epoch onward. Books about the Fourth Epoch, also known as the Age of Gods, are mostly lost or destroyed. Surviving fragments are ambiguous at best, preserving little coherent knowledge.

"The Fourth Epoch was a time when gods ruled nations directly, and distinctions between good and evil deities barely existed. Instead, gods were categorized as either those who governed nations or those who did not manifest directly." — The Fourth Epoch: The Age of Gods by Rone Lewis.

This book, authored by someone who witnessed the transition from the Fourth to the Fifth Epoch, documented the changing dynamics of divine faith. Unfortunately, it was later banned by major churches for undermining the new strategies of the Union of True Gods.

Third Floor: Social Sciences and Natural Sciences

These two disciplines share the third floor. However, the scope of science here is narrower compared to the broader understanding of science on Earth.

Fourth Floor: Arts and Languages

The fourth floor is split between arts and languages, with arts taking up the larger portion. Language studies are categorized into Northern Continent, Southern Continent, and a few other regional languages. Although the Southern Continent remains undiscovered, numerous texts suggest its existence as a dreamlike utopia.

Fifth Floor: Literature

This floor contains an extensive collection of literary works, including novels, poetry, songs, and more.

Sixth Floor: Technology/Engineering/Industry

This floor focuses on technical knowledge, encompassing engineering, industrial practices, and related fields.

Seventh Floor: Commerce

Books related to commerce, trade, and emerging disciplines occupy this floor. Though the collection here and on the sixth floor is currently thinner than the lower levels, it is rapidly expanding due to the explosive growth of knowledge.

The Trier National Library, with its seven floors, subtly reflects the presence of the Seven Gods. The newly risen God of Steam must bow slightly before the older six deities, even in such seemingly trivial aspects.

Underground Storage

Beneath the library lie several vast underground storage levels, housing backup copies of books for lending purposes. While most books have only one copy, some popular works have up to five. With the sheer volume of books in the Trier National Library, it is impossible to ensure every book has multiple copies in storage.

As Furen ascended the stairs, he reviewed this knowledge in his mind, occasionally shaking his head. These grandiose facts about gods and epochs held little relevance for most people. In this world, even a shallow belief sufficed, as long as one professed faith in some god. No one would pry into another's devotion—unless they lacked any faith at all.

***

Please give feedback to paragraph and chapter comment to improve my translation. Please tell me if I made a spelling mistake and used an incorrect term. That's all, thanks!