The original tables and chairs in the conference room have long been cleared, and now there are folding chairs with red cushions in the room. In front of the wall where the terrace is located is a mahogany high platform, with tables placed on the high platform.
This is what the auctioneer will use later.
The auction items were all placed around the room. Among them, the Rhodes card that Shade was interested in was placed near the door. It was obvious that it was not the protagonist.
"Let me take a look."
He stopped in front of the glass counter, looked at the cards on the red velvet pad, and smiled:
"The special card in the queen's suit is really interesting."
[History of the Development of the New World·The Wind of Development], Queen of Colors. (Note)
After drawing this card, randomly select a card from the remaining deck. If it is the sun suit, then [History of New World Development·Pioneering Wind] is regarded as the king. The effect of the drawn card is invalid and discarded. It will not be re-added to the deck and will be treated as king.
These are cards that have been drawn normally.
"The queen's suit itself is only smaller than the king and blackjack, so it doesn't mean much for the queen to become the king."
Different from other Rhodes cards with special rules, there is a line of small words written in Delarian and Kasenric respectively below the rules:
[Commemorating the great geographic discovery of the New World, which was a turning point in civilization, I hope the wind of pioneering will spread throughout the world.]
The "New World Development History" series of cards was released about half a century ago, and will be reprinted every five years, but the special cards will be different each time it is reprinted, so it is also called "New World Development History I" and "New World Development History"
II" and so on. The series of cards was produced to commemorate the discovery of the New World. The first edition of fifteen special cards was not released, but was given to the fleet that discovered the New World many years ago.
As for the Queen's suit that Shade is currently seeing, due to its commemorative significance, the normal selling price is definitely more than 80 pounds. Because it is a charity auction, most of the auction's base prices are at a premium. The current base price is 85 pounds and 12 shillings.
But obviously, even if the final price breaks through three digits, it is still possible.
“It’s really good.”
Shade narrowed his eyes slightly as he looked at the silhouettes of ships coming and going from Dagon Harbor, a famous port in the New World, on the card. He had always been economical, and except for the Ring Warlock, he had never spent more than 100 pounds at a time. But this card
It looks really tempting.
【Do you want to buy it? Let’s indulge once in a while? 】
A murmur sounded in her ears, her tone was very gentle.
"No."
At least three seconds passed before Xia De shook his head firmly:
"You have to restrain your desires. Even though I have saved a lot of money recently because of the difference engine drawings of the espionage case, my future expenses are still very large and I cannot spend money carelessly."
Even though he said this, he still looked down at the card.
【Is this considered penance? 】
"No, it's just a plan for the future. And look, when have you ever seen me spend money for pleasure? Oh, the money spent on Mia is not included. That is Miss Gothe's remittance."
He glanced at the card again, then turned around and left. But he did not leave the room, but continued to stay here, wanting to see what the final transaction price would be.
There are still fifteen minutes before the auction starts here. A few people have already taken their seats on the folding chairs, and Shade has already walked to the easels in the southeast corner of the room. The floor-standing gas lamps were specially installed.
Under the light, these works of art look pretty good.
This is not an antique painting, but one donated by well-known local painters. The base price of each pair is 10 pounds. As for whether it is worth the price, only the buyer himself knows.
Shade stopped in front of the easel and saw that these oil paintings were all about heroic epics and myths. The three paintings closest to him were "The Brave Slays the Demon", "The Girl Holding Fire" and "The Phoenix in the Sky".
All three paintings use a large area of red as the background color, but the first one is dark red, the second one is red and black, and the third one is bright red.
"How does it look?"
There was a voice in his ears, and Shade turned his head slightly. What he saw was a short and thin man wearing a red beret and two small beards.
"It depicts the epic feeling very well, but I don't understand. This one is a legend of a brave man defeating demons, and that one is related to the local tradition of worshiping fire. What does the middle one mean?"
The oil painting in the middle is "Girl Holding Fire". A little girl with gray hair wearing a white robe, sitting barefoot by the campfire, with her eyes closed and her head tilted, holding a slender flame in her burned hands. The background is very
An abstract red and black scene, Shade couldn't see the meaning of the painting.
"This is a story I heard from my friend who is a folklore professor, the original fire. It is the legendary fire, the first fire after the birth of the world. The prosperity of the fire symbolizes the prosperity of the world. It is very interesting.
Story, isn’t it?”
The man wearing a red hat holds his chest with his right hand and touches his chin with his left hand.
"Sir, are you the painter who created this painting?"
Shade asked, who nodded while controlling his proud expression:
"Yes, so I came here specifically to see who will finally appreciate my artistic attainments."
"But according to the locals, the local fire worship tradition is related to the Phoenix. Is this legend of the primordial fire also related to fire worship?"
Shade was basically certain that the "primordial fire" the other party heard about should be the flame in Sister Devlin's hand.
"No, no, the legend of the Phoenix is the origin of local customs, and the Primeval Fire is an ancient myth spread throughout the world."
The painter talked about it:
"I have also traveled around the Old World because of my collecting work, and heard many interesting stories. In areas with a tradition of worshiping flames, you can mostly hear about ancient myths related to the 'primordial fire', Midhill
On the contrary, it is difficult for Fort to hear such stories. The custom of worshiping the Phoenix has suppressed the myth of 'primordial fire'. This should be regarded as the victory of folk custom over myth."
Shade nodded, staring at the slender flame in the little girl's hand in the oil painting. If the "primordial fire" is really the so-called first flame, then this relic can also be regarded as an item from the First Era.
In the end, the [History of New World Pioneering and Pioneering Wind] that Shade was interested in was bought by a businessman from Carsonlik for a sky-high price of 132 pounds, which made Shade completely give up.
After the auction ended, he thought about going to the Rhodes venue and playing cards with the local poker players. But just as he reached the first floor from the second floor of the castle, he was called away by Miss Aurora's maid.
It was still the lounge where they met a few hours ago, and the two witches were also there. Seeing Shade walk in, they motioned for him to sit down and talk:
"People from the Truth Society showed up here?"
The old witch opened her mouth and said.
"Huh? Oh, the church discovered it, right?"
Shade was not surprised at all.
"Yes, but that's not important. Let the Zhengshen Church handle this matter."
Miss Aurora said:
"I came to see you because of another matter. About twenty minutes ago, someone in the No. 1 auction hall bought an antique at a high price."
Grandma Cassandra handed Shade a black and white photo. It was actually a metal coffin, with a dense pattern of branches, leaves and vines on the surface, and a silver cross in the center of the coffin lid.
"According to the information provided by the seller, this is an antique that was dug out from the northern side of the Cameron Mountains, where the Principality of Set is now, in 1054 of the Universal Calendar. It is now being put up for auction by the foreign antique dealer, and the bidding has begun.
The price was 1,200 pounds. Then, someone directly raised the price to 6,000 pounds and bought it."
"6000?"
Shade was really shocked. He just bought more than 100 pounds of Rhodes cards and couldn't bear to buy them:
"Is there something wrong with this deal?"
"I have checked all the antiques at the auction in advance. These are not relics."
The old witch said with certainty:
"After the transaction was completed, I smelled a strange smell from the buyer. He didn't seem to be human."
Miss Carina said that Granny Cassandra is an expert on demons and alien species, so it is normal for her to be aware of this.
"Carina said that your perception of relics exceeds that of a normal ring warlock. The coffin has not been delivered yet, and we hope you can take a look."
Miss Aurora looked at Shade:
"Although this has nothing to do with the Parliament, all the abnormalities in Fort Midhill are worthy of attention now. Especially items like coffins, which are too closely related to death."
"No problem, I'll go now. But who is that buyer? He can afford 6,000 pounds at a time. His status must be very prominent, right? Moreover, this money should be prepared in advance."
Shade asked again.
"Not a local, he is a viscount of Carsenlic. He is a distant relative of the Anjou family of the Carsenlic royal family. He is famous for his family's southern vineyards and red winery. This time he came to Delrayon
, also for the wine business.”
Grandma Cassandra said.
Shade nodded, then suddenly raised his head;
"Wait? A man from Kasenlik? Red wine? Is the name of the rich man who bought the coffin Armand Bernhardt?"
"Yes, Viscount Bernhard."
Miss Aurora nodded in surprise:
"Detective, do you know him?"
"I"
He was about to say that he knew him, but then he thought that he had attributed the red phenomenon that appeared in the sky to the vampires when he entered the narrow space, and said that he only saw it from a distance and did not know his name.
"After that, I probably met him once more."
Then I thought about the time I met my uncle and nephew at the Sikal Hotel, but that time involved the grey-headed eagle.
So he immediately shook his head:
"I don't know him. I just met this gentleman when I was hanging out in the city and helping people solve problems."
"It seems like you've had a very fulfilling time here this autumn."
Miss Aurora smiled and said:
"Carina also said you were working very hard."
"Then let me go take a look at the coffin first. As for Bernhardt, we will talk about it later."
He stood up, hesitated and asked again:
"What's Viscount Armand Bernhard's reputation at Kasenrich like?"
“A very nice upper-class gentleman.”
Miss Aurora said.
"I see."
Shade opened the door and walked out, while the conversation between the two witches continued:
"I also met Mr. Bernhardt in Kasenlik. He rented my ship to transport wine to the New World. He was also a poor man. His parents died young. Although he inherited the title, he didn't have many people around him.
Someone who can be trusted. It is said that he was married, but his wife passed away very early."
"Is there anyone else in the Bernhardt family?"
The old witch asked curiously, and the curly-haired young witch recalled:
"The Bernhard family has never been prosperous. In modern times, Armand Bernhard has no other relatives of his own surname except for two uncles and a minor niece."
PS1: Thank you to the reader @daitianshi, the name of the Rhodes card was provided by him in the Rhodes card collection building.
PS2: Modify the details of the previous chapter and change Iluna’s dance invitation time to 9 o’clock.
