Chapter 8: Rhodes |
“If this business deal goes smoothly, maybe I can really consider staying here as a detective. Once my life stabilizes, I’ll look into the supernatural and see if there’s any hope of finding a way back home.”
While idly monitoring the club entrance, the outsider couldn’t help but think of his distant hometown. Shade sighed softly.
He estimated the time again. Since Mr. Lawrence had also entered the club, it was unlikely either of them would come out within an hour.
“They seem busy. Should I find a place to rest?”
As this thought crossed his mind, his eyes wandered around and spotted a tavern at the corner of the street named the “Howling Hound.”
A tavern situated on a main road and open during the daytime was usually not too rowdy, especially since it was only two in the afternoon. Shade pinched the ten-penny note in his pocket, licked his dry lips, confirmed the time, hesitated for a moment, and then walked over.
Pushing open the tavern door, the first thing he saw was a row of gas lamps mounted on the wall, illuminating the dim interior. The air was filled with a mixture of alcohol and fermented food smells, which unsettled his still-hungry stomach.
Shade now understood that this era primarily used gas lamps for lighting. In addition to gas pipes running along the walls, there were usually steam pipes as well. The gas pipes were thinner, while the steam pipes were wrapped in insulation.
The round wooden tables in the tavern were mostly empty. Only three customers sat around a wooden table by the wall far from the bar, playing cards. A landscape painting of snow-capped mountains hung on the wall near their table.
Perhaps they were simply enjoying a leisurely summer afternoon. Shade didn’t disturb them and instead walked to the bar where the bartender stood, planning to buy just a glass of ice water. Before he could, one of the card players let out a cheer:
“This round’s mine again!”
The bearded, disheveled middle-aged man stood up triumphantly, tossing his cards onto the table.
“Look! Exactly 21!”
He glanced around smugly but found only his friends and the newly arrived Shade. Spotting Shade, his eyes lit up.
“Let’s buy this gentleman a pint of rye beer!”
The man, though not wealthy, was generous with his winnings. Surprised, Shade turned to look at him, then nodded slightly in thanks after a brief pause.
“Thank you for the kind offer, but I think a glass of ice water will do just fine.”
Shade wasn’t much of a drinker and had no idea how strong rye beer was. Besides, he was still on a detective mission and didn’t see a need to consume alcohol.
A glass of water was obviously cheaper than beer, and the three men assumed Shade was trying to save them money, which made them feel positively about him. Noticing that Shade was alone, they invited him to join their card game.
Shade, not knowing how to play, could only watch from the side as they patiently explained the rules of “Rhodes Cards.”
The cards in this world resembled playing cards from his previous life, with four suits and 54 cards in total. However, the suits here were the sun, moon, stars, and flowers.
The most popular game was similar to “21” and called “Rhodes Cards.” Other games, like Solitaire, Old Maid, or High Card, also existed, but Rhodes Cards were globally dominant. Legend had it that the game’s creator was named Rhodes.
The cards featured illustrated fronts with suit and number markings in the top left and bottom right corners. Consequently, certain cards from limited-edition series issued during special eras became particularly valuable.
The most recent special series of Rhodes Cards, named the “Fairy Tale Series,” had a print run of only 1,000 decks.
The three men, not being wealthy, weren’t well-versed in rare cards and could only provide general information. All they knew was that some nobles were fanatical about collecting these rare cards. Especially those cards featuring unique designs or special game rules, which were worth a fortune.
There were rumors of a card auctioned last year at the Byford Auction House fetching 12,000 pounds.
Shade quietly calculated the value of that sum against everyday goods and thought about the “Sun 3” card tucked in his journal. He didn’t feel like laughing—he seriously doubted the authenticity of the card he had inherited.
If the card, featuring a woman seated while lifting a silver moon, was genuine, it would erase his last remaining worries about his future life.
After an hour of chatting with the three card players, Shade excused himself and returned to the newspaper office. The spot beside the mailbox had been taken by a young man in a brown vest and glasses.
He was likely the real reporter, so the young detective moved to stand by a black iron lamppost.
The lamppost was cylindrical and also gas-powered. Shade stood casually beside it until he noticed the plaque warning against smoking near the pole. The consequences were the smoker’s responsibility.
Imagining what might happen, Shade instinctively moved a few steps away from the potential hazard.
As the sun sank lower in the sky, Shade continued to wait patiently. The hunger he had felt earlier peaked and then faded by the afternoon, leaving him feeling significantly better. He decided that if Madame Lasso didn’t show up by five, he’d head to the 【Church of War and Peace】 to collect relief food.
At the same time, he could investigate the church to see if it held any supernatural power.
“But what if they discover the secret of the outsider as soon as I step inside?”
Shade was a bit apprehensive about this, but given how little he knew, his options were limited.
Perhaps sensing his thoughts drifting to her again, the voice in his head spoke once more:
【Observe his ring.】
The same phrase had come up earlier in the day, but back then the pronoun had referred to a woman. Now it was a man.
Shade immediately looked toward the club entrance and saw a young man with a suitcase stepping out. On his right middle finger was the distinctive white pebble ring he had seen on Madame Lasso earlier in the day.
The design was so unique that Shade was sure he wasn’t mistaken.
Both wore the ring on the same finger, but the voice in his head didn’t offer any further guidance.
“Interesting. Why would the ring’s owner change?”
Shade pondered, watching the man with the ring leave the club. Instead of hailing an empty carriage, the man merged into the bustling evening crowd, following a stout, briefcase-carrying man eastward.
The steam-shrouded city blurred his figure. If Shade didn’t follow, he would quickly lose track of him.
“Should I follow? The voice in my head wouldn’t say something irrelevant.”
Turning away from the club entrance, Shade unfolded an eighth of his notebook’s map and searched for the 【Church of War and Peace】. The relief-food-distributing church was also east of his current location, and it was nearly five o’clock.
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