Sunday, the 15th day of the Harvest Moon, was also the last day of the 1853 Grand City Players playoffs. Shad went to the University District in Tobesk that morning to play his last multiplayer game.
So, after six games lasting five days, Xia De won the game with 25, 25, 19, 25, 23, and 24 copper coins respectively. After winning six games in a row, he had a total of 91 copper coins in his hand. (Note)
Shade wasn't sure he could finish first, but he was sure it would be enough to get him into the finals.
Therefore, after receiving the copper coin statistics at the Prophet's Association at noon that day, he did not wait for the final statistical results to be announced in the association like other players, but went to Coldwater Harbor to check his commission to purchase special blood.
Mr. Edmund had no news, but someone in the Seven Broomsticks Tavern was indeed very interested in Shade's acquisition and left relevant information. However, Shade did not think that the blood of magical animals such as the so-called "Silver Blood Toad" and "Three-Headed Seahorse" would meet the requirements of the blood-sucking god.
In the Sixth Age, these creatures were already rare, but in the Fifth Age they were common creatures.
After returning to Tobesk from Coldwater Harbor, Miss Carina sent a letter saying that she had found the right blood, provided by Miss Xiwei Aurora. To be specific, it was actually found by the deep-sea mermaids attached to the Aurora family.
It was the blood of a creature called "Abyssal Eye Dragon Squid", which lived in the deepest abyss between the Old World and the New World. Just by listening to the name, we knew that they had dragon blood. But what kind of creature was the pure-blooded dragon and produced this terrifying and terrible offspring? The contemporary circle magic group did not have a definite answer.
The mermaids believe that they were bred from a pure-blooded dragon and some tentacle-growing evil creature that lived in the warp.
But no matter what, the blood of this terrifying creature is absolutely precious from any perspective. Moreover, although this blood is toxic, it will not directly poison people to death. Drinking the blood of the dragon squid will connect you to the abyss in your dreams and peek into the terrifying abyss scene in your dreams.
This is somewhat similar to the effect of the mermaid curse. As long as the spirit is strong enough, although sleep will be affected for a few weeks, there is no need to worry about life safety.
"How much does Miss Aurora want?"
Xia De was very pleased with the blood.
"She said she didn't want your money, but I felt she was up to something bad. So, I copied a short paragraph about marine life species from Miss Feliana's notes and gave it to her as payment for you."
Miss Carina said.
Shad's family does not have the conditions to store this precious blood, so the blood is first kept with Miss Aurora. When it is needed, Miss Carina will get the blood through the Witch Council.
This way, Shade only needs to find one type of blood, but that's not easy either.
"Precious blood doesn't necessarily have great power, but it must be rare or have a story behind it... I've helped you find it, but you know it's not easy. But, are you looking for blood or wine?"
At Old John's Pawn Shop, Old John, who had just finished dinner, welcomed Xia De who came to visit.
"I do know a story about 'blood and wine', but what I need is blood, not a story or wine."
Xia De was quite troubled.
Father John behind the counter glanced at him and handed the newspaper to Xia De:
"I forgot to congratulate you."
The Tobesk Evening News, which still smelled slightly of ink, published the final list of the "Big City Players". Because it involved honor and vanity, the title of the list provided by the Prophet Association also specifically emphasized that this was a ranking based on the "semi-final results".
The name of Shad Suren Hamilton was ranked first, and among the people Shad knew, Baron Rwanda was unlucky and was eliminated in the preliminary round, Baron Lavender and Lady Sangmei of the Three Cats Inn failed to enter the finals. However, Mr. Virgil Cameron, the lover of Grand Duke Set, successfully entered the finals.
This means that Xia De must carry out the surveillance mission given to him by Director Anros.
"It's not surprising. I had expected that I would make it to the finals."
Xia De put the newspaper aside and continued talking about blood:
"Dad John, I know you have a wide network of contacts. Is there really no way I can help you find out more?"
"I have asked all the acquaintances in the area around Tobysk. If I need more information, I can only write to old friends in other places, but this takes time."
The waiting time for the key will end tonight. But without the two kinds of blood, Xia De cannot attend the cocktail party even if he enters the past again.
"Is a week okay? I can accept anything under 4,000 pounds."
"Are you including the bonuses of the players from the big city?"
Old John asked in surprise, but nodded:
"Since you are willing to pay so much money, a week will definitely be enough. Even if my old friends in other places don't have the goods, I can ask my friends in the New World. However, the storage of blood is a big problem, and I will charge you for the transportation fee... ... If you really win the championship of the big city players, I can offset the transportation fee for you."
"Dad John, when did you become so generous?"
Xia De asked suspiciously, and then seemed to remember something:
"You're not going to place a bet, are you?"
"Don't talk nonsense. I'm not the kind of person who goes to underground casinos to place bets."
The old man picked up the newspaper again and hid his eyes behind it. But before Shade left, he couldn't help asking:
"What do you think are your chances of winning?"
He must have placed a bet, too.
"Looking at the odds, I have the highest chance of winning."
This is a more objective statement.
"I know from the compensation... ahem, I'm asking about your own feelings."
"I think the probability is more than 60%. I haven't looked at the grouping yet. Maybe the opponent's special card just happens to counter the effect of the special card in my hand."
Xia De is still relatively conservative.
"Sixty percent... That's high enough."
The eight players who entered the 1853 Big City Players Rod Tournament were Knight Shad Hamilton (Delaion), Baron Sheppard (Delaion), Mr. Dirac (Delaion), a mechanical engineer from Tobesk, Mr. Kubrick (Carsenrick), a businessman, Professor Wilde (Carsenrick), a mathematician, Baron Cooper (Principality of Lagsen), aristocratic adviser Mr. Virgil Cameron (Principality of Set), and Captain Butler, who had dual citizenship and sailed between the New World and the Old World all year round.
The names of the eight people appeared not only in the evening paper on Sunday evening, but also in the morning paper on Monday morning. Although the front-page headline was a public speech entitled "Important Instructions of His Majesty the King on Autumn Harvest Work", the attention attracted by the players in the big city still made Tobesk this autumn more lively than in previous years.
The grouping was announced early on Monday morning. Shade's first opponent was Professor Wilde, a mathematician from Carsenrick. According to the gossip Shade heard from the Prophet Association, the opponent took the opportunity to come to Delarion from school to attend a meeting and participated in this year's Big City Players. He ranked second only to Shade in the semi-finals.
The finals for the big city players are all held at the Prophet's Association. In addition to having a special invitation letter, each contestant can invite a companion to watch the game.
Shad wanted Director Anros to send someone to appear with him, so that he would not have to keep paying attention to Mr. Virgil Cameron. But Director Anros apparently thought that doing so might lead to Shad being linked to the identity of an MI6 agent, so he rejected Shad's request.
However, Director Anros mentioned that Mr. Cameron's trip in Tobesk was normal, and no suspicious person had contacted him so far. Seeing that the players in the big city had reached the final stage, Mr. Cameron even bought a train ticket to leave the local area and return to the Principality of Set, so the Sixth Department was suspecting that there was something wrong with the intelligence they received.
The "Grey Eagle" is dead, and if a contact person appears, that would be something that would make Shade feel strange.
On Monday, Shad invited Dorothy to accompany him to the duel with Professor Wilde. The female writer happened to be free, so she agreed and witnessed Shad quickly kill the professor in two rounds.
After the game that day, Virgil Cameron sent a note to Shad again, wanting to talk to him alone, but Shad declined because he had a dinner date with Dorothy. During dinner, Shad did not forget to bring the bottle of high-end red wine from the Roselle Winery that he had taken out of God's gift box this week, which greatly reduced the cost of the meal.
On Tuesday, Dorothy was going to the Steambird Daily newspaper to proofread the manuscript of the novel, so Shad invited Luvia as his female companion to accompany him in the duel with Captain Butler. Although Luvia was a staff member of the Prophet Association, not all staff members could enter the venue.
Tuesday's match was held in the afternoon, and Shad brought the cat with him. I don't know if it was Luvia's luck or Mia's luck, but although Captain Butler narrowly won the first game, Shad won the remaining two games.
At the same time, in the other venue, the duel between Mr. Dirac, a mechanical engineer from Tobesk, and Mr. Virgil Cameron, a noble advisor to the Principality of Set, was decided, and Mr. Cameron won.
Mr. Cameron twisted his neck to relax it, which was stiff from being too focused. He tilted his head to look at the other side of the venue, and happened to meet Shade's eyes.
Shade smiled and nodded politely, but Mr. Cameron looked a little nervous. The latter looked away, which did not surprise Shade. He was probably confused as to why he, holding the Founding Silver Moon, had always refused to meet him.
"This kind of life is really comfortable. I don't have to worry about being the chosen one. It allows me, a foreigner, to enjoy the customs of the Steam Age."
Shade stretched, then stood up and walked outside with Luvia.
Outside the window, the green leaves on the branches gradually turned yellow. With the cold wind, the leaves fell behind the running newsboy, lying on the gray long stone bricks and being crushed by the wheels.
The harvest month is entering its second half and summer is completely over.
A newsboy in patched overalls and a dirty flat hat ran with a wild cat on the foggy street. He waved a newspaper that smelled of ink, and the front page headline showed the silhouette of the Prophet's Association and two Rhodes cards cut together.
"The champion of the 1853 Big City Players will be between Knight Shad Hamilton of this city and Mr. Virgil Cameron of the Principality of Set."
That childish but loud voice seemed to spread throughout the streets and alleys of Tobysk, along with the sound of four-wheeled horse-drawn carriages rolling over stones and soles rubbing against the road, and along with the spreading mist, it spread to thousands of households.
In the distance, towering chimneys spewed black smoke into the sky, and people were crisscrossing the busy Silver Cross Avenue. As the lights came on, the little princess Ajelina saw the figures of Shad and Luvia passing by the street from the window of the Yodel Palace.
The wind and steam trains will carry the news further.
"Big City Players 1853" is probably the most lively event in Tobysk City this autumn.