[WP] Chapter 20: Founding Silver Moon

[WP] Chapter 20: Founding Silver Moon

The document that the doctor handed to Shade was a formal description of the tuition standards of higher education institutions. The same printed version even added a sun pattern in the upper right corner and three combined gears in the lower left corner as page decoration. Even ordinary people would not feel strange when seeing this.

Compared to the knowledge given, the first-year correspondence ring sorcerer fee is very cheap, only 50 pounds. You know, according to Shade's initial understanding, in this world, even a boy from a middle-class family pays about 100 to 150 pounds a year in a medium-sized boarding school.

He still looked embarrassed. Let alone 50 pounds; he couldn't even take out 5 pounds in cash.

But there are still many relics belonging to the detective in the house. If they are all sold, they can be worth at least 50 pounds. Besides, several commissions will be completed soon, so Shade has a way.

"Do you need cash immediately?"

This is the most difficult thing.

"The college needs cash in gold pounds, but it can also be other currencies, but you need to ask about the exchange rate. Of course, if you can't take it out for the time being, the college also has loan projects, but the interest may make you suffer."

Dr. Schneider introduced, and Miss Louisa put her hands on her knees and said kindly:

"However, my opinion is that the team can lend it to you. We have this fund. After all, except for rich people like doctors, no one can take out so much cash at one time."

The blue-eyed doctor touched his nose and looked a little embarrassed.

"I was like this at the beginning. This is very common, but you have to consider whether you can afford this loan."

The blonde lady kindly reminded.

"There is no interest on this tuition loan, but you need to pay back 10 pounds in the first month and 20 pounds in the next two months starting from the date of the loan."

The doctor also added:

"No need for collateral; I will be your group guarantor. Anyway, I know your identity information; you can't leave."

The doctor knew that Shade had just recovered from "blindness and stupidity" and understood his situation very well.

Shade breathed a sigh of relief; it seemed that he was really lucky. Of course, he did not forget to thank him; he met a very good person:

"I will repay the money as soon as possible, Mr. Schneider, Miss Louisa; please allow me to thank you again."

Speaking of this, he suddenly remembered something. Because of this interest-free loan, he decided to give more trust to Dr. Schneider and the writer in the same group, so he took out the notebook he carried with him.

Carefully peel off the leather cover of the notebook and take out a card from the gap.

On the front of the card, there is a pattern of a woman sitting sideways holding up a silver moon. This is the most precious relic of the former detective, a Rhodes card with the suit of "Sun 3." Shade saw that his door lock could be easily split with an axe, so he carried it with him.

"Excuse me, is this valuable?"

"A special series of Rhodes cards?"

Before Shade handed over the card, Miss Louisa recognized it at a glance, but she shook her head and motioned for Shade to hand it to the doctor:

"I don't play cards often, so I don't know the value of this kind of thing. Let the doctor take a look."

"It is indeed a Rhodes card. It not only has a special pattern but also has special effects. Is this a genuine product?"

The doctor took it curiously and examined it in the warm yellow light of the gas lamp on the wall. He had no intention of revealing Shade's identity and background to Miss Louisa, so he popularized common sense for Shade in his speech:

"Although I am not a collector, I know that some nobles and enthusiasts are crazy about these special Rhodes cards. The special patterns themselves are very precious. If there are special rules. That kind of fanatical collecting hobby is even stronger than men's desire for beautiful ladies. I can't understand that kind of behavior. I heard that last year, the Biford Auction House was not far from St. Teresa's Square, where you lived once... Hmm? Is this the Silver Moon of the founding series?"

The doctor suddenly asked in surprise.

"What?"

Shade didn't understand, but the blonde lady got up and looked at the card with great interest.

The doctor placed the cards on the coffee table between the three people and introduced them to the two people who didn't know about the Rhodes card:

"Look, there is a vertical line in the upper center of the front of this card. This means that this is the original series card of the Rhodes card. It is said that only 13 original series cards were issued 300 years ago. Each card has a different pattern and must have special rules. [Silver Moon] is one of them, so it is called the original Silver Moon. And under the rule system of the Rhodes card, each original series card has extraordinary effects."

"Although I don't play cards, I think the rules above are indeed extraordinary."

Dorothy Louisa, who read the effects one step ahead, said, and the doctor also lowered his head to look at the effects on this card. Although he is not a gambler or a Rhodes fanatic, he also knows how terrible a card that can adjust numbers from "1" to "5" under the rules similar to "21 points" will be.

"Is this authentic? It should be very valuable, right?"

The blonde girl asked. Shade was also looking forward to it, but the doctor shook his head decisively.

"It's impossible. It's impossible to be authentic. Each card of the founding series is equivalent to the houses on a street around Saint Teresa's Square, or even more. It can't be authentic. The founding series was issued three hundred years ago. It's either damaged or in the tombs of great nobles or family collections. It's impossible to appear easily."

He knew Shade's background, so he made such a judgment.

"Is it still valuable if it's not authentic?"

Shade also agreed with Dr. Schneider but still asked this question. He also didn't believe it was authentic. After all, it was an antique from 300 years ago.

"Not even a penny. People only support genuine cards. Especially those special series of Rhodes cards. Using pirated Rhodes cards will be boycotted by all fans, so imitations are not valuable, but this imitation is really good."

The doctor also handed the card to Shade with some regret:

"Let me lend you the money first. However, you may want to have this founding [Silver Moon] appraised and try your luck."

"Where to appraise?"

Shade also became interested.

"I know this, the [Prophet Association], they specialize in this."

The writer Miss Louisa said, and the doctor nodded. He introduced it in more detail because he knew that Shade would not know:

"The issuance of Rhodes cards has always been the responsibility of the [Prophet Association], so they also provide special card identification services, charging 5 pence for each card, which is quite cheap. If it is authentic, the Prophet Association will issue an identification certificate. If people want to participate in a formal Rhodes card competition and mix special cards in the deck, they must produce an identification certificate."

The popularity of Rhodes cards in this world is higher than Shade thought, but it is not very surprising to him. After all, it is just a card game. In the Steam Age, when productivity was relatively liberated compared to hundreds of years ago, some special entertainment was also normal.

The doctor continued to introduce:

"The [Prophet Association] is also an organization of ring magicians, but it is not very formal. It has cooperation with the college and the church, is recognized by us, and even has some connection with our group. Their original business was divination. Around the 15th century of the Sixth Era, they launched a special series of Rhodes cards to facilitate the promotion of divination business, and their main business became Rhodes cards."

The doctor pursed his lips, and it was unknown what he was expressing:

"The association made a fortune by holding various Rhodes card competitions. Printing paper cards is like printing gold pounds. Ahem, I am not envious of this business. Of course, the [Prophet Association] still provides divination services, but it also involves book publishing and newspaper distribution. The famous local "Three Penny Newspaper" is run by them."

The name of this newspaper is concise.

"The Prophet Association has many branches and organizations in big cities like Tobesk. There is one near Saint Teresa Square, which is more formal. Tsk, it's really good to live in the city center. Even if there is an extremely small probability that your card is the legendary founding series Silver Moon card, you don't have to worry about the news being leaked. This is a very formal organization."

The doctor joked.

"If this card is genuine, remember to tell us; maybe it will be a good subject for a novel."

Miss Louisa also joked.

(End of this chapter)