After bidding farewell to Priest Augustus, Shard first visited the Black Raven Library to inquire about the Arcane Technique and Sorcery of detoxification. Failing to find a target at the right price, he then went to Old John's Pawnshop and the Seven Brooms Tavern in Coldwater Port, where he posted a commission for "purchasing the blood of cherished creatures."
Although the first Ti Key did not even allow Shard to carry Magic Potion Ingredients to the past, this ti, since the Deity asked him to carry blood, he believed that the blood could be brought to the banquet.
And so, Shard had no other pressing matters to tend to until the end of the Big City Roder Card competition.
On Wednesday, the Second Phase of the Big City Player's competition officially began. That morning, Shard, accompanied by Mia, went to the Prophet's Society. They first t with Luviya to discuss the "Divine Banquet" affair, and then they found Vice-President Mark.
After the global Roder Card competition began, Vice-President Mark, contrary to the preparation phase, beca less busy.
Today, the foot traffic at the Prophet's Society was at least double what it usually was. People crowded the first-floor hall, jointly examining the bulletin board for more detailed rules about the Second Phase, or discussing amusing incidents from the First Phase amongst themselves.
The expansion of the playing base would lead to so rare plays appearing. People enjoyed discussing these plays, and even the regular newspapers and tabloids lately preferred to fill their back pages with entertaining stories from the Roder Card competitions.
Shard found the Vice President on the third floor and explained the information he wanted to know.
"The number of people entering the Second Phase?"
Vice-President Mark stood at the third-floor staircase, arms crossed in front of his chest, looking at Shard sowhat unexpectedly,
"No, no, I can't say. It is strictly forbidden for internal mbers of the association to disclose data about the competition."
He shook his head emphatically,
"Even if we are friends, I absolutely cannot reveal it."
Actually, releasing this data wouldn't affect the outco of the competitions. But for fairness and to maintain interest in the gas, allowing people to earn as many copper coins as possible, all competition data would not be released until the final champion appeared.
"Three digits?"
Shard asked quietly, and Vice-President Mark cautiously looked around, then nodded.
He didn't "say" the number, so it wasn't a breach of the rules.
"115?"
The gentleman in the suit lowered his head a bit more.
"108?"
He then looked up slightly.
"Hmm... 112?"
"I didn't say anything,"
the Vice President said with uprightness, and Shard couldn't help but complint,
"Your lips are sealed; it seems I won't get any answer from you."
His visit to the Prophet's Society, besides gathering intelligence, was also to collect the special invitation fee—essentially the down paynt for inviting him, a player who held Genesis Series Roder Cards, to participate in the competition.
Officially, it wasn't called an invitation fee but compensation for lost work ti, clothing costs, and travel expenses.
Mr. Mark, accompanied by Shard to the Accounting Office to withdraw money, curiously asked him if bringing the cat was ant for luck.
"Yes, my friend Baron Lavende has also made it to the Second Phase, and he invited
to play cards today in the east and south of the city."
Since the Second Phase was a multiplayer card ga, Baron Lavende naturally wanted to play cards with the holder of three Genesis Series cards.
"People say cats bring luck."
Shard said with a smile as he took the envelope from Vice-President Mark's hands, then patted the head of the cat, which appeared very well-behaved, on his shoulder:
"I believe, my... cough, the cat I own should also bring luck."
"ow!"
The cat rubbed Shard's hand and fixed its eyes on the envelope in his hand.
The Second Phase of the Big City Players continued from Wednesday to Sunday for a total of five days; however, a player had to have played one ga in all six venues—East, West, South, North, Center, and University District—before the total number of copper coins could be tallied. Since Baron Lavende had invited him today, Shard planned to play two gas today, then one each following day. This would make his schedule lighter and allow him to fully enjoy the "Big City Player's" delights.
After leaving the Prophet's Society on Wednesday morning, Shard played his first card ga of the "1853 Big City Roder Card Competition" at Marquis Martinez's mansion in the eastern part of the city.
In addition to Baron Lavende and his friends in the five-player ga, there was Sir Solar, a horticultural artist who had managed the garden at Cold Spring Palace, and two other gentlen who just happened to be waiting to form a ga.
Hearing they would play against Shard, who owned three Genesis Series cards, excited them. Apart from the participants, almost all the card players in the mansion gathered around once the ga had started.
Even though in the end, Shard only drew the "Genesis: Silver Moon" card, and despite not using the effect to adjust the numbers, he erged victorious with 25 copper coins in hand, yet the people were still imnsely thrilled.
The host of the competition venue, Marquis Martinez, only arrived after Shard and his group had finished their card ga. He warmly shook hands with Shard and inquired about Shard's schedule for the upcoming days.
It seed that the Marquis also wanted to have a ga with Shard.
After the morning card gas, Baron Lavende and Sir Solar invited Shard to have lunch in the eastern part of the city. The east side of Tobesk was already an area where the wealthy congregated, boasting superb living conditions and infrastructure.
After lunch, Mia, who was forcibly taken out by Shard, imdiately felt sleepy but didn't throw a tantrum because she couldn't nap in the sun on the windowsill at ho, as Shard was holding her.
In the afternoon, Shard, Baron Lavende, and Sir Solar did not imdiately head to Hall 3 of the Draleon Royal Opera House located in the south of the city. The city's six competition venues had different opening tis, and the opening tis of the Opera House coincided with those of its venue.
This ant that the people playing Roder Cards here could enjoy the opera while playing.
Thus, Shard was invited to the "Rochester Roder Card Club" belonging to Baron Lavende and Sir Solar. This was a rather upscale noble club, featuring a bar, restaurant, library, and casino for entertainnt and socializing among its mbers.
Shard's arrival was warmly welcod because, coinciding with the "Big City Player" tournant held in Tobesk City, mbers who had qualified for the next round gathered to discuss this year's competition.
Aside from Shard, the guest, the club also hosted other invited Roder Card players from various places, including Carsonrickians and nobles from the little duchies subordinate to Draleon.
"Is that Vigil Caron?"
Sitting in the plush seating at a corner table, Shard and Baron Lavende exchanged decks, inspecting each other's cards. Hearing a conversation nearby, Shard discretely glanced to the side.
Three fashionably dressed, sowhat ostentatious n stood holding wine glasses, exchanging views about the artistic trends in Tobesk. They significantly admired the Cavendish Family's decoration style, dominated by gold, but also felt that Tobesk's city layout was too rigid and overly monotonous.
Just then, Shard heard the man sitting with his back turned to him being referred to as "Vigil Caron." Though Director Anlos had shown a frontal photograph at the ti, Shard was quite certain it was this man.
Vigil Caron was not only the person Shard was tasked by MI6 to monitor during the finals of the Big City Player, but also the person Carsonrick's Grey Hawk operation required to be approached for a secret letter.
"Caron? Yes, it's said he's the lover of Grand Duke Seth."
Baron Lavende said mockingly, but recalling the rumors about Shard, he decided not to dwell further on the topic of "lovers."
"Mr. Caron is a genuine Roder Card expert. His deck contains six Special Rule Cards, many of which were acquired with help from Grand Duke Seth. However, his performance in the preliminary rounds was quite astounding."
"Do you think he will make it to the finals?"
Shard curiously asked, and Baron Lavende, thinking that Shard was assessing his opponent, considered it carefully:
"According to the underground betting odds, there is a high likelihood he will make it to the finals."
"Underground betting..."
Shard sat back in his chair, leaning back into the shadows, while his hands caressed the cat in the light of the table. Mia was familiar with this gesture; it ant Shard was contemplating their household finances.
"Baron, do you know my odds?"
"Even odds to make it to the finals, twenty to one against."
If Shard were to forgo his dignity as a Roder Card player, he could probably get rich quickly.
"And the odds for the championship?"
"Around 1.7 to claim the title. You are this year's hot favorite. But that was the market I checked yesterday. Just now, you won the first ga of the second round in the eastern city, so the odds to claim the title have likely lowered a bit. They will lower even further once the finalist list is confird."
Speaking quietly, Baron Lavende looked around and lowered his voice:
"I have placed my bets on you winning. If you really win, the 'Ancient Fairy Tale: Flower Girl' card I've temporarily entrusted to you can be a congratulatory gift for your victory."
It seems Baron Lavende made a substantial bet.
The Prophet's Society doesn't set up gambling operations for the Big City Player, but that doesn't an others wouldn't do so. Underground betting did carry risks, and even with Baron Lavende's referral, Shard was still concerned he might lose his principal.
He had been preparing significant amounts of cash for two special types of blood—if seen in a broader tifra, for three types. But whether he should bet on himself to win the 1853 Big City Player championship required careful consideration.
[Outlander, I thought you didn't gamble?]
"This can hardly be considered gambling. I'm not betting out of greed but for sustenance. Moreover, if I really did place a bet, maybe I could donate half of the winnings to the orphanage, especially with winter only a few months away."
Shard thought to himself.
After discussing the underground betting odds with Baron Lavende, as well as the expert Roder Card players at the competition this year, Shard did not pay much attention to Mr. Vigil Caron.
However, when they later had dinner together at the club and proceeded to the opera house in the southern part of the city, Shard once again saw Mr. Caron there, in Hall 3 of the Opera House.
Since they had already t and it was heard that Shard was the rumored card player holding three Genesis Series cards, Mr. Caron joined them for a multiplayer card ga.
Honestly, playing Roder Card in the regal and elegant opera hall, where everyone was dressed formally and listened to the opera, was indeed an enjoyable experience.
The opera performance, organized by the Prophet's Society, was "Tiffany Saiderda." It told the story of a child raised in a casino, disguised as a boy, who faced conflicts and vendettas upon reaching adulthood—it very much matched the atmosphere of the Big City Player.
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