Whispering Verse

Even though Shade won a clean victory, Mr. Lavender was still very excited. But unfortunately, his number had already been called, and he could only stand up and leave with regret, but he put away Shade's business card solemnly.

After the card game ended, there was no organizer and no one wanted to play cards anymore. Shade sat there and was confusedly invited to join the discussion of royal anecdotes. He was forced to talk to Morgus Cavendi who didn't understand anything Prince Xu expressed his opinions on the conflict between Prince Xu and the commander of the Army's Third Steam Equipment Division, Marquis de Callard.

Fortunately, his number was finally called. Seeing that he had an excuse to leave, he hurriedly stood up and handed out his business cards to the people around him. This was a good opportunity to attract business for himself. Everyone who played Rhodes It's a rich man.

I pushed open the side door of the room and walked in. Of course I didn't forget to close the door. The last Rhodes collector who entered here had already left through the main entrance of the room. At this time, there was only an old man behind the desk. He yawned and asked Shade to sit down.

The room is not big, it can even be said to be a bit small. Only some picture frames on the walls were considered decorations, and the Rhodes appraiser's table occupied almost a quarter of the room.

When he sat down, Shade also noticed that in addition to several gas lamps and various lenses, there was also an obvious black metal box on the table. The box was filled with torn Rhodes cards. On the top is the "Flower 1" card from the Delarian Heroes series that Mr. Lavender showed off to everyone. It has no special effects, but the card surface is very beautiful, but unfortunately it is also fake.

"Do you know that the counterfeit Rhodes cards will be torn up?"

The old man wearing glasses asked. After seeing Shade nodding, he signaled that he could show the cards to be identified.

Carefully open the diary, take out "Sun 3" [Founder·Silver Moon] and place it on the soft cushion on the table. The old man wearing gloves reached out and took it, glanced at it and frowned:

"Silver Moon from the Founding Series?"

He looked up at Shade, as if looking at a mental patient, obviously not believing that anyone would come to identify this.

But he still dutifully pulled the gas lamp near his lotus mouth, adjusted the light to the strongest, picked up the magnifying glass and examined the details of the card under the lamp.

Shade sat there waiting for the "lottery ticket he found" and suddenly felt less nervous. But the person sitting on the other side of the table became nervous over time. It was almost dozens of minutes later that he raised his head and looked at Shade seriously. His forehead covered by his hair was already sweating:

"Silver Moon from the Founding Series?"

It was exactly the same question that Shade had asked when he sat down, but the tone was completely different.

Shade, who probably understood the result, just shook his head:

"Probably."

He said very reservedly, even though he thought he could control his emotions, he still couldn't hold back his joy at this moment.

"Oh, sir, please wait, please wait. I can't identify this card. I'll go get someone else."

The old appraiser returned the cards to Shade tremblingly, took off his glasses, picked up a towel from the shelf nearby and wiped his face, then walked around the table and ran to the door:

"Sir, don't run away. I'll be right back! Give me three minutes."

His voice began to tremble when he spoke.

"Why did I run?"

Shade thought to himself, watching the door close.

Then he looked down at the [Origin·Silver Moon] "Sun 3" and looked at the lady on the card holding the silver moon sideways:

"Speaking of which, Yinyue and I really have an inexplicable fate."

It didn't take three minutes or even one minute for the old appraiser to rush back. He held the door frame, looking like he was about to suffocate:

"That's great sir, you're still here."

"Why am I not here?"

Shade thought to himself, picked up the cards and stood up. Only then did I hear the sound of running again in the corridor behind the old appraiser, and soon I saw a tall, thin, middle-aged man wearing black leather shoes running over. He was wearing a black formal suit and a brooch with the Ouroboros logo:

"Cyndia Mark, vice president of the Tobesk branch of the Prophets Association."

The middle-aged man passed the old appraiser while panting, and came over to shake hands with Shade.

"You'd better catch your breath first before speaking. I won't run away."

Shade said, and then asked in a low voice:

"So, is this card of mine real?"

Mr. Mark invited Shade to the third floor of the association for talks. This time it was a very formal reception room, and there were even servants hired by the association to prepare tea for the guests.

Shade sat down on the sofa in the reception room and saw that after Mr. Mark also sat down, two more appraisers who were probably older than Priest August walked over in a hurry:

"We need to do further appraisal on this Silver Moon from the founding series, but it is here, in front of you. Sir, can you wait a little longer?"

Vice President Cyndia Mark wiped his sweat as he spoke, and Shade keenly noticed that the collar of his shirt inside his formal suit was soaked with sweat.

"Of course it's no problem, but the cost of the appraisal..."

Shade hesitated deliberately.

"Of course it's still fivepence, so you don't have to spend any more."

Mr. Mark said, taking the business card from Shade, he was as surprised as Mr. Lavender just now at the address of "No. 6 Saint Teresa Square".

Asked again:

"Mr. Hamilton, would you like any refreshments?"

"I guess that won't be necessary for now."

Shade waved his hand, although the Prophet's Association is a very formal world-wide organization and will not kill people to seize cards. But as a foreigner who is helpless and has little influence or strength, it is better to be cautious when going out.

He looked at the three old appraisers who had been hastily summoned. The three of them had already laid out densely packed tools and lenses on the long table on the other side of the reception room, and opened all kinds of strange-looking glasses sent by the servants. Light fixtures. The grand floor-to-ceiling window curtains in the reception room were tightly closed, shutting out the silhouette of Yodel Palace in the morning mist:

"About this Creation Silver Moon...if it is real, I think the Association will not spread it everywhere."

Shade did not look at Mr. Mark, but said unconsciously.

"Of course, the association is absolutely impartial when it comes to Rhodes cards and will never harm the interests of any collector. This is our purpose."

Mr. Cyndia Mark assured that Shad, who owned this card by default, was a collector.

He looked at Shade from the corner of his eyes. He was well-dressed but did not look like a rich man, but he had a unique temperament. After hesitating for a moment, Vice President Mark asked:

"Then can you please tell us the origin of this card? There is no other meaning. It is just that the last time the association saw it was the 'Big City Players' Rhodes Competition about 127 years ago. That year, Stevie Bye Baron Lun entered the finals with this card, and it can be said that he stole the show. The association wanted to record the whereabouts of this card over the past hundred years, and I never expected that I would be lucky enough to see it."