Chapter 55: Beginner's Luck

During the wait, Shade found an empty armchair and sat down. Beside him, a group of men who seemed to have just met were gathered, discussing current political affairs.

Eavesdropping slightly, Shade discovered they were discussing the possibility of a full-scale war breaking out again between the northern kingdom of Delarion and the southern United Kingdom of Carsonric.

However, before long, the topic shifted to maritime trade between the Old World and the New World, as well as the subject of pirates. One of the participants, a middle-aged, stout man who appeared to be a manager for a certain trading company, was very familiar with the situation in the New World. He believed that as long as one had the courage to set sail, adventurers could always strike it rich.

The New World was abundant in resources; although it lacked indigenous populations, many ancient ruins could be found there. Coldwater Port, the most important port city in western Delarion, served as the gateway between the Old World and the New World, and opportunities were never in short supply there.

After the stout man was called away for appraisal, the group's conversation finally turned to Rhode cards. The men, who were strangers to one another, compared their decks, showing off newly acquired special cards or laughing together about the amusing anecdotes of the city's Rhode card collectors.

A middle-aged man with a mustache, wearing a black top hat and leaning his gold-inlaid cane against the sofa, was the leader of the group. He possessed more special-faced Rhode cards, one of which was the 13 of Hearts from [Northern City: The City of Art, Atek], which even featured a special rule

[When used, roll a 20-sided die. If the result is 20, you may redraw your hand unconditionally.]

This was a genuine card verified by the Prophet Association; thus, although the effect was quite ordinary, it was still enthusiastically praised by the crowd of Rhode card enthusiasts.

The mustachioed man introduced himself as Mr. Lavender. Seeing that the atmosphere was heating up and that he had nothing to do, he made a suggestion

"Why don't we play a game of Rhode cards using the simplest rules? If I win, you all owe me 5 pence; if I lose, I'll pay the winner 10 pence. Oh, gentlemen, let us pass this boring morning with some amusement."

The so-called "simplest rules" meant that each person would draw three cards consecutively, determining the winner based on the rules of Blackjack. If both parties busted, they would draw another three cards until someone won.

The stakes were not particularly high, and since the idle chatter was indeed dull, onlookers began to gather, crowding around Mr. Lavender to watch the spectacle.

Shade also moved closer to watch, though he had always loathed gambling and was unwilling to participate even in such small stakes, so he merely observed.

Three men were willing to play against Mr. Lavender.

First was Mr. Luke, who worked at the tobacco company in the south of the city. He had just mentioned the tobacco trade and taxation issues between Delarion and Carsonric, but unfortunately, he was immediately eliminated with a score of 25.

The second was old Mr. Ponton, who made a living from local property rentals. He had thick knuckles and a crooked right eye behind his spectacles, but his Rhode card skills were top-tier. It took three grueling rounds against Mr. Lavender before he finally won 10 pence, earning cheers from the onlookers.

Finally, there was the burly Captain Swell. His ship traveled the waterways of the Old World, primarily engaged in inland river shipping. He was a regular here, and many people, including Mr. Lavender, knew him.

Unfortunately, Captain Swell's luck was abysmal; his first two cards already exceeded 21, forcing him to regretfully toss away 5 pence.

"Anyone else want to play?"

Mr. Lavender seemed to be on a roll. After defeating his third opponent, he extended an invitation to the onlookers. He was a frequent visitor to the local Prophet Association and various Rhode card clubs, and was a somewhat well-known card shark in the city. Consequently, the gentlemen watching only jeered and cheered, but no one was willing to step into the fray.

After all, five pence was still money.

Mr. Lavender scanned the crowd and finally spotted Shade's unfamiliar face, noting that he seemed to be a newcomer to such places.

"Sir, would you care to play a hand with me?" the middle-aged man invited kindly.

"I'm sorry, I don't gamble," Shade replied, shaking his head.

Mr. Lavender did not take offense; instead, he smiled.

"Then let's not bet money. Let's just play one round, how about it? My waiting number is 21, and it's almost my turn. We'll just play one round for fun."

The surrounding crowd began to egg him on, pushing Shade toward the front.

Shade thought about it. Since there was no money involved, playing a round wouldn't hurt; it could serve as a way to pass the time. Thus, he took a seat on the armchair opposite Mr. Lavender and took the opportunity to hand the wealthy gentleman his business card.

"Shade Hamilton, Detective."

"I've heard that the profession of a detective is quite skilled at card games."

Mr. Lavender took the card. Upon seeing the address of the detective agency, he was visibly startled; he clearly hadn't expected a young detective to have the means to open an office in such a prime location.

"But I've hardly ever played," Shade said as he took out his own deck—the one he had picked up while going to collect Mia. Both parties shuffled each other's decks, and then each drew three cards from the top of their respective piles.

With an excited expression, Mr. Lavender revealed his cards. His deck contained many exquisitely designed special cards; one of the three he drew was

"Look, Sun 5, Silver Moon 8, Star 4. That's 17. Quite good luck."

The people behind him whispered their congratulations.

Since there was no money at stake, Shade felt no pressure. He flipped his first card onto the table—it was the Sun 13. The onlookers immediately let out sounds of regret. Under the rules of Blackjack, the probability of busting after drawing two more cards was quite high.

Shade flipped his second card: the Star 7. The total was now 20. However, under the simple rules, he could not stop; he had to draw a full three cards.

Caught up in the atmosphere, the crowd began exchanging opinions on what the detective's final card might be.

Shade was also curious to see how his luck would hold up today. He picked up the final card, held it up, and carefully peered at the number on the face. The people behind him leaned in to look, and they all let out a collective gasp. Even the woman in his head gave a light chuckle, reminding Shade that she was always there.

A smile appeared on Shade's face, as if the pressure from last night's events had vanished in this single moment. Playing cards truly was a good way to unwind.

As he placed the Star 1 on the table, Mr. Lavender, sitting opposite him, immediately leaned over the coffee table to look. He wore the exact same expression of astonishment as the onlookers.

"Oh, 21! Beginners always have such miraculous luck. But Detective Hamilton, would you like another round? It has been a long time since I was beaten by a 21."