On the carriage, Florent alternated between reviewing yesterday's lessons and planning what to do today.
However, his mind was restless. It was like the fleeting satisfaction of studying on a phone... momentarily gratifying, yet ultimately as futile as drawing water with a bamboo basket, leaving him forgetting his original intentions.
Thus, Florent decided not to overthink things. Instead, he entered a meditative state on the carriage.
Time passed as he meditated, and before he knew it, he heard the carriage driver calling out to him.
Florent got off the carriage and saw the place he had been most concerned about in this world and at this time, the Trier National Library.
Leaving the carriage, he walked with the familiarity of a scholar who frequented the library, effortlessly making his way to the second floor.
As he ascended the stairs, he noticed many well-dressed gentlemen leisurely descending.
Checking the time, he realized it was almost lunchtime, around 11:15 a.m.
Although Trier was undergoing industrialization, the middle class and above had not yet adopted the frantic pace of modern Earth. They still approached life with a calm demeanor, and even their work schedules were more relaxed than the modern 9-to-5 grind.
This applied only to a small minority of course. The number of people Florent considered middle class was far smaller than the middle class on Earth, or rather, the top 10% of this world.
From this perspective, while modern 9-to-5 or even 9-to-9 work schedules had their merits, their negative impacts were far more terrifying, with the drawbacks outweighing the benefits.
Florent paid no attention to the others. Though he was also hungry, going downstairs to eat now would render his trip upstairs meaningless.
The education he had received taught him that everything must have a purpose, reflecting the modern mindset of seeking quick results.
However, as someone who grew up in the modern era, some habits would always stay with him. The idea of purposefulness had its positive aspects, it just required a shift in mindset.
Coincidentally, it was the peak lunch hour, so Florent easily found a seat on the second floor of the library. Normally, this spot would be crowded, as the wealthy who enjoyed studying couldn't be expected to read intellectually challenging books in what they considered a place for leisure.
Similarly, the fifth floor of the library was a favorite among the wealthy and idle. After all, nobles everywhere loved discussing philosophy, theology, and literature.
One couldn't expect them to casually discuss advanced mathematics or linear algebra at a salon. Of course, this didn't mean no one did...
Some private salons hosted by those who had made their fortunes during the industrial revolution invited like-minded individuals for discussions. However, these gatherings resembled modern scientific conferences, albeit with a more relaxed atmosphere.
But even scientific giants had to stick to traditional topics when mingling with nobles or wealthy merchants. The social scene here was clearly different from the scientific community.
Florent still wanted to read the hefty 'A Concise History of Ancient and Modern Philosophy'. Though its size was intimidating, its content was beginner-friendly, especially for self-taught learners like Florent who lacked a dedicated philosophy teacher.
His mind wasn't entirely at peace, so he always meditated before reading to get into the right state. This practice not only calmed his mind, but also improved his meditation speed, making it quite useful.
Skipping over Florent's deep dive into the ocean of philosophy, he woke up to find it was already early afternoon. Checking his watch, he saw it was past 1 p.m... It seemed his internal clock was still subtly reminding him of time.
Feeling his stomach growl, Florent realized his last meal had been the two Desi pies and seafood soup. He packed up his notes, tucked his notebook into his pocket, and returned the hefty book to the shelf.
During this process, Florent consciously slowed down. His nature was to rush, prioritizing efficiency above all. But today, watching the leisurely pace of the well-dressed individuals made him wonder if they ever exercised.
However, the people he could currently associate with were limited to this group.
Hoping to connect with people who moved at a different pace was challenging. Being out of sync with the group would only lead to exclusion... a human instinct and flaw. Of course, one couldn't expect much from those controlled by such instincts.
Florent could only silently hope that the young people he was about to meet wouldn't adopt their elders' slow pace. For him, it would be torture.
After leaving the library, he glanced at the surrounding restaurants, but wasn't eager to dine just yet. Although he currently had plenty of money, spending it as lavishly as he had yesterday would soon leave him penniless.
The materials needed for his potion were also a significant expense. While the main ingredients for Sequence 8 and Sequence 7 were already taken care of, the subsequent materials would require his attention, and they were costly...
Florent followed the roads radiating from the library, passing rows of upscale restaurants, and eventually found a modest yet decent-looking eatery for a typical Trier lunch.
Fortunately, it was still the tail end of lunchtime. The waitstaff hadn't fully relaxed, and the kitchen fires hadn't been completely extinguished, so he could still get a quick meal.
Trier's lunch offerings weren't particularly special, consisting mainly of salads, including main-course salads, and dishes like fried potatoes... though thankfully not fish and chips, as that would inevitably bring to mind the infamous "stargazy pie", one of the British Empire's two culinary 'delicacies'.
There were also steaks and lamb chops, but not many fish dishes. Unlike Britain, Intis had only half its borders along the coast, so its people weren't particularly fond of fish. This aligned well with Florent's eating habits.
With his stomach growling, he ordered a steak and a Trier coffee. Trier's coffee wasn't high-end, it was a lower-grade product, as Trier wasn't an ideal location for coffee cultivation.
Tasting the steak which was almost indistinguishable from its Earth counterpart, Florent could only lament that the flavor of steak in this new century hadn't changed much from what he remembered...
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Stargazy Pie...