Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic

"Since Blood Coin can be used as payment only after it's activated, why didn't you perform divination immediately after activation, instead of holding onto it?"

"Blood Coin has another minor trait. Each Blood Coin possesses the ability to sense other Blood Coins. When I took out this last Blood Coin from my containment method, it sensed the presence of another Blood Coin in Tobesk. However, the sensation was very vague; it would become stronger once activated."

She had Shard and Miss Beyas try touching the Gold Coin without wearing gloves. Instantly, the sensation of the Blood Coin's tremble transmitted from their fingertips to their brains.

"Correct, I've discovered that the holder of the Blood Coin is here at the banquet. I invited Miss Beyas to this banquet, planning to find that batch of Blood Coins together, and then conduct divination immediately on her. I hadn't expected that just when I was about to discuss this with her, you showed up."

Miss Annette looked at Shard:

"You see, Detective, you needn't worry about me."

"You saying that makes one worry all the more."

Miss Beyas said, somewhat at a loss for words. The woman sitting beside her had made such a radical move for her sake.

"That batch of Blood Coins totals to five, and they are in the hands of Baron Cobol, who seems to think those Old Pounds are his lucky charm. The banquet's dance starts after 9 o'clock, and my plan was to take advantage of it to meet with him alone, then propose that I am a coin collector interested in trading for those Old Pounds he carries. If he refuses...

then I would have to resort to other methods."

The other methods probably wouldn't be legal.

"How much is the market value of those five Old Pounds?"

Shard asked.

"Because it's unclear which era's Gold Pounds those five Blood Coins have become, it's difficult to estimate their market value, but the maximum value of a single coin wouldn't exceed five Gold Pounds. They wouldn't change into overly expensive antiques, otherwise they couldn't be easily traded as currency."

Blood Coins only trigger their trait when they themselves are traded as currency. If traded as antiques, they would just be ordinary antiques.

In the midst of speaking, the brown-haired diviner stood up:

"I'll go implement the plan now, wait here for me. After purchasing them, we'll perform divination immediately."

"No need for that trouble, sit down, Miss Annette."

Shard extended his hand:

"Give me the Gold Pounds you've prepared to buy the Blood Coins with. You two wait here for a moment, I'll go get those antiques."

"Do you know that Baron?"

Miss Annette asked, then handed the prepared bills to Shard. She had prepared 30 Pounds in case the other party raised the price.

"Of course, I do, thanks to this."

He waggled his Roder Card at the two ladies.

From the time he left the card game to his return, an entire hour had passed, yet the match in the banquet hall on the second floor in front of the French windows was still going on.

When he left, it was Baron Lavende and Baron Cobol playing against one another, and upon his return, Baron Lavende was still sitting there, but the opponent had changed to Baron Rwanda. The two Barons had a long-standing grudge, with neither willing to concede defeat.

Baron Cobol was standing behind Baron Lavende watching the game, so Shard invited the Baron to talk aside.

The Baron did not refuse and accompanied Shard to a place away from the crowd, in front of the French windows. Looking down at the city from the second floor, those yellow lights represented the power of this era.

Once sure no one was around, Shard flicked his fingers at Baron Cobol:

"Baron, I hear you recently acquired a few Old Pounds in good condition. Are you interested in selling them?"

The Baron was in the business of antiques, and the news of those coins hadn't been hidden, so Shard's trade offer was not out of place:

"As you know, there was a shooting not long ago..."

The young detective hesitantly pointed at his chest:

"So lately, I've been looking for some luck-bringing coins to carry with me. Otherwise, I always feel like I could be shot in the back again. I have a friend who's a psychologist, and he says it's some sort of post-traumatic syndrome, sorry, I don't quite remember the technical term."

Baron Cobol showed a smile of understanding; the banquet was able to take place because of this very incident:

"These are my lucky coins, but since you are asking, I think I can manage to part with them. Mr. Hamilton, do you want all five?"

"Certainly."

Shard nodded, but the Baron didn't agree immediately. Instead, he pondered for a moment and suggested:

"However, please allow me to change the method of transaction, as trading Gold Pounds is just too vulgar. Would you be interested in getting a chance to obtain these antique coins for free?"

"What do you mean?"

Shard hesitated, worried that the other party actually didn't want to sell those Gold Pounds.

"If you want these five coins, then gamble with me in Roder, you win, and the coins are yours."

He took out a tied-up small cloth bag from his pocket and gave it a shake. Shard squinted his eyes.

"If you lose, I give you 50 Pounds, and you still get the coins... but you must give me your 'Northern City: Coldwater Harbor'."

'Northern City: Coldwater Harbor', as a Roder Card with special rules, had an auction price ranging between 50 to 70 Pounds. And the price of 50 Pounds plus five Old Pounds just about balanced with it. This meant that even if he lost, Shard wouldn't suffer any loss.

But the issue lies in the fact that the special Roder Card "Northern City: Coldwater Harbor," while estimable in terms of market value, is actually unattainable, and those old pounds aren't particularly treasured.

In other words, the transaction isn't about Shard wanting to buy those five coins, but about Baron Cobol wanting to gamble on acquiring Shard's Roder Card.

"Winning saves Miss Annette a tidy sum of money, losing is akin to buying those blood coins at fair value... It seems like a no-lose situation, so why refuse?"

Shard pondered this internally, then revealed a provocative smile to the Baron:

"Of course, why not have a thrilling round of Roder Card?"

Shard's return had attracted attention and when he and Baron Cobol announced their wager on the Roder Card, it sent people into a frenzy. Gambling with Special Rule Cards was far more appealing than simple monetary bets.

"I notice the ball is about to start, so let's not make it too complicated. Basic rules, first to win three times is the victor. Or whomever exhausts their deck first loses."

Shard wasn't interested in wasting time here.

He still adhered to his good habit of not gambling, but this time he was somewhat rescuing Baron Cobol – leaving those blood coins with him was bound to lead to trouble eventually, with Captain Lades serving as an apt example.

"Detective, are you really willing to bet a card? Those antique coins aren't really valuable," said Baron Lavende, trying to counsel Shard in a hushed tone as his friend, to which Shard shook his head:

"Look, I've been knighted today. On such a memorable day, how could I not indulge in an exciting game of Roder Card?"

The people who heard his words all smiled; such remarks suited the tastes of the gentlemen gathered here perfectly.

"I'm looking forward to your luck."

Baron Cobol said, rubbing his hands together, his face flushed with anticipation for the match. For him, the worst outcome was losing some antique coins, a trade-off he found more than acceptable.

Excited onlookers gathered around, and Shard, who had already taken a seat, looked up at Baron Lavende and Baron Rwanda:

"How about you both check the deck and deal the cards?"

"Certainly no problem."

The surrounding crowd buzzed with excitement; everytime a special card changed hands, it was an event that stirred lengthy discussions.

"Then I'll officiate, to ensure the spirit of fairness is maintained in this game."

An elderly gentleman said from within the crowd, while people nearby introduced him to Shard as Viscount Conanberg, a well-known local Roder Card player.

"We have twenty minutes until nine, looks like we need to make this quick."

Shard handed the deck to Baron Lavende, who eagerly went to the table while the crowd moved in a bit, not wanting to miss any thrilling moments.

In this corner of the second-floor banquet hall, the atmosphere grew increasingly lively. The unique culture created a special community of Roder Card enthusiasts, with games involving esteemed card players being considered "refined entertainment," most suitable for such high-end gatherings.

Everyone avoided wasting time, and the match officially began, with the two Barons dealing the initial cards for both parties, who didn't look at them immediately but signaled to continue dealing.

Baron Cobol's second card was a Sun 7, so he peeked at his hole card. Shard's second card was also a Sun 7, prompting him to check his own hole card too.

"It seems my luck is still good."

The Baron revealed his hole card to be a Moon 13, totaling 20 points. Stroking his chin, he nodded towards Shard:

"Mr. Hamilton, how about you?"

"Hit me."

Shard replied, then the next card was a Flower 6. Shaking his head in disappointment, he turned over his hole card – 9+7+6, he had busted.
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The onlookers whispered among themselves, while Baron Cobol showed a smug smile.

In the second round, neither looked at their hole cards again, but Shard's second card was immediately a Queen. The Baron, looking stern, hit again, hoping for a Blackjack, but predictably busted.

Now it was one to one. Shard remained calm; he didn't get too passionate about these kinds of games. Baron Cobol, on the other hand, was becoming nervous – this was about getting his hands on a special card.

In the third round, the Baron looked at his hole card first before deciding to hit. He stopped after the third card, scoring 19 points.

Shard continued until the fourth card. His first three were Sun 1, Sun 4, and Sun 5. As Baron Lavende dealt the fourth card, it was a Sun 10, eliciting gasps from the crowd.

Shard's Sun 10 was the "Primal Steam Engine: Mark IX." When this card is drawn, if at least two cards are held already and all are of the Sunflower Suit, then the number of this card can be adjusted within 9 or 10.

"Oh, Mr. Hamilton, you truly are rather lucky," even Baron Cobol, his adversary, couldn't help expressing his amazement. However, Shard saw it as bad luck:

"Whether it's a special card or not, I could have won this round. The effect of the special card was wasted here, needlessly burning through my luck."

"Mr. Hamilton, do you also believe in the conservation of luck?" asked a middle-aged military officer in uniform from the crowd, a friend of Captain Lades whom Shard had just met.

"Of course not, just a bit of regret that this card didn't show up when I had 22 points," Shard joked, which garnered approving laughter from the crowd.