Chapter 5: The Meeting at the Library

Carl walked through the bustling streets of Mucrea, determined to find a library. He was thirsty for knowledge and eager to explore more about the new world he found himself in. After asking a few locals, he finally found the desired location: an imposing stone building with large windows and a sign indicating "Royal Library of Mucrea."

As he approached the entrance, Carl noticed a crowd of people in front. Apparently, accessing the library was not as simple as he had imagined. There was an entrance fee, and only nobles and traders seemed to have the financial means to pay it. For a commoner like Carl, it was an insurmountable barrier.

He watched with a mix of frustration and disappointment as the privileged ones passed through the door and entered the library. Carl was about to give up and return to the training camp when his eyes met those of a young woman standing at the library entrance.

She was a charming figure with long golden hair and expressive eyes. Her fine and elegant attire indicated her noble status, but there was something curious in her gaze. She seemed intrigued to see a commoner like Carl so interested in entering the library.

Intrigued by the young woman's reaction, Carl decided to approach her. He cautiously addressed her, hoping not to be rejected or treated with disdain. With a hesitant voice, he asked, "Excuse me, miss, but it seems that access to the library is restricted to nobles and traders. I don't have the means to pay the entrance fee. Would it be possible for me to have a brief moment to enter and seek knowledge?"

The young woman, whose name was Erika, looked at Carl with curiosity and a slight smile. She seemed intrigued by his presence there. After a brief pause, she replied, "It is true that access to the library is restricted, but I confess I am curious about what a commoner like you seeks here. How is it that a man without possessions knows how to read and has an interest in knowledge? I will pay for your entrance out of sheer curiosity. But know that this doesn't guarantee my friendship or any kind of relationship."

Carl was surprised by Erika's unexpected offer. He thanked her with a smile and a nod, feeling grateful for this opportunity. He followed Erika to the library entrance, where she paid his entrance fee without hesitation.

They walked together through the interior of the library, observing the shelves filled with books and scholars engrossed in their readings. Carl felt like a fish out of water in that luxurious environment, but at the same time, a flame of determination burned within him.

Although Erika didn't say much during the encounter, Carl was drawn to her curiosity and willingness to challenge social expectations. He was determined to show her that a commoner could also seek knowledge and aspire to something greater. With the knowledge he had from the modern era, Carl probably knew about many things that Erika was unaware of.

After some time, Erika announced that she needed to leave. She bid Carl farewell with a nod and an enigmatic smile. Carl watched as she walked away, feeling a mixture of emotions within him. Shortly after, he continued reading, seeking every useful piece of information: geography, politics, customs, and most importantly, information about awakened warriors.

What he discovered was enough to leave him excited about what was to come. According to the books, there are awakened warriors capable of shattering mountains and splitting the skies with a mere wave of their hand. Of course, these are few and may not even exist in the current era. But knowing where he could go by using mana to strengthen his body gave Carl a perspective of this new world.

After familiarizing himself enough with the world around him, Carl returned to the dormitories of the training center

. When he left the library, it was already dark, and the next day would be busy. He needed a good rest. All recruits had numbers printed on their uniforms, so it was easy to find his bed in the dormitory. There were no rooms for mere recruits, only sheds with multiple beds side by side to accommodate each unit of recruits, each unit consisting of about 50 recruits, all sleeping in the same shed.

Carl quickly found his bed. The new recruits were getting acquainted and chatting until it was time to sleep. Carl also talked with the recruits in the neighboring beds and discovered that they were commoners like him, young people without prospects for growth, seeking a future and glory on the battlefield.

There was still about an hour until the designated time for everyone to be asleep, so Carl decided to do some exercises he knew from his past life and that were very effective, like push-ups, squats, and a training to increase arm strength using the weight of his own legs. The recruits who saw this laughed at Carl because they didn't know the great benefits it brought. Carl simply ignored them and continued training until bedtime.

The next day, before the sun rose, a signal was sounded for everyone to wake up. It was time for basic training for recruits. While most recruits reluctantly got out of bed, Carl swiftly dressed in his uniform and headed to the designated location from the previous day. Only a few recruits arrived before him. The instructors were clearly dissatisfied with the performance of the young recruits.

Without waiting for anyone, they began the basic demonstration of how to use a sword. Soon after, they demonstrated other types of weapons, such as the spear and the bow. Carl listened attentively to everything.

After the entire demonstration was over, they were taken to practice with wooden dummies. Carl decided to practice with all the weapons and decide his main weapon according to affinity. And so the morning ended, reaching lunchtime. All the recruits went to the cafeteria to get their portions of food and discuss the training.

While eating, Carl was intrigued by the fact that they didn't go through any basic physical training, like push-ups.

"I guess they don't know the benefits of doing push-ups. I suppose repeatedly pushing the ground must be something funny to them," Carl pondered.

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