Mr. Roland didn't look at Shade's cards, but took the wine glass from the bartender who delivered the wine:
"Although I thought I could beat the knights of the Northern Kingdom, but in the autumn, some minor incidents happened at home, so I was unable to travel to the Northern Kingdom. In fact, I planned to go."
After finishing speaking, he noticed that everyone was looking at the table. The middle-aged bartender in an apron did not leave immediately after delivering the drinks. Instead, he glanced at the table, and then patted the poet on the shoulder with a smile:
"Mr. Roland, it seems that you have met your opponent this time."
Only then did the poet look down, and the three cards of Xia De on the table were Moon 2, Flower 11 and Sun 8, totaling 21 points.
"Is there such a thing?"
Mr. Roland muttered in surprise, but he didn't say much. Instead, as if he was inspired, he wrote down a few words in his notebook, and then signaled to Xia De to proceed to the second round:
"I've seen a picture of the big city player champion in the newspaper."
The poet said casually, and got the first hole card of the second round:
"I don't know why, but all the newspaper photos of the knight of Delarion have no frontal photos."
"I know this."
Xia De also took his own cards:
"I heard people say that although that gentleman is a champion, because he hates gambling, he only regards Rhodes as an interest and hobby. Therefore, when he heard about the big city players, the underground casino offered the odds of the champion After that, I decided not to let myself appear in the newspaper to prevent my reputation from being tarnished."
"He's really a man of noble character."
Mr. Roland praised, confirming that Xia De will continue to draw cards after the third card, Xia De smiled:
"After all, he is the only sealed knight in this era of Delarion."
"Carson Rick hasn't been canonized as a knight for many years. The Hamilton of Rejed is probably the only real knight in this era. I suspend the card, 19 o'clock."
Mr. Roland revealed the hole cards, 9 of flowers, 1 of flowers and 9 of stars.
He looked at Xia De expectantly, and Xia De continued to ask for a fourth card:
"I'm actually curious, Mr. Roland, since you're so lucky, why don't you go to the casino to get a lot of money for yourself, so that you have more time to write poems? I'm afraid the translation work in the bookstore won't make you money Too much money."
"Because the translation work itself is very interesting, the "Hamilton Detective Stories" we have been busy translating recently is a good book."
Mr. Roland said, and then saw Shade uncover all the cards, Sun 4, Sun 10, Star 1 and Flower 5, 20 points, just a little more than Mr. Roland.
The poet shook his head helplessly:
"In addition to the interesting work, it's also because I'm afraid of meeting someone like you."
He took a big sip of wine and said amidst the booing of the people around him:
"I will continue to play, it seems that today I really met my opponent."
The third round continued, and Mr. Roland explained while taking the cards:
"Well, back to the topic, I don't go to the casino to gamble, partly because I am a decent person, and partly because I also believe that luck has a price."
"Mr. Roland, I would rather pay the price than ask for your luck."
Standing next to the poet, the bearded man with a brown leather belt crookedly said jokingly, but Mr. Roland did not laugh. He reached out and took the second card:
"If you were me, you probably wouldn't think this way. Luck really has to pay a price."
Xia De noticed that his expression was a bit strange, but before Xia De could go further on this topic, Mr. Roland showed the cards in his hand:
"Look, I have drawn a special card. Star One, [Carson Rick Horror Story·The Headless Horseman Jack]. When drawing this card, if the opponent's first hole card is also of the star suit, and the number is less than or equal to 5, then You can choose to forcefully subtract one from the opponent's total points."
The onlookers immediately chatted excitedly, the appearance of special rules cards is always so exciting.
Xia De stretched his head slightly, and looked at the face of the card with interest. The picture on the card is not particularly scary, but a headless horseman in armor standing in the cemetery, with his back to the three moons behind him, holding his helmet in his hand. Since nothing is depicted in the helmet, the scene looks only slightly creepy.
"The Carson Rick Horror Series?"
Xia De asked with a smile, this is a series that was launched twenty years ago and has been reprinted four times so far. Corresponding to it is the [Della Rion Horror Stories] series. These cards with special rules contain the traditional horror stories and modern urban legends of the two countries.
Because of the particularity of its card surface, it is enthusiastically pursued by a small number of Rhodes card lovers. Not to mention the special rule cards, even the more common cards with special card faces, the price exceeds the average value of special Rhodes cards of the same kind at the same time.
Of course, although Mr. Roland drew a special card, he eventually busted and lost to Shad's 18-1=17 points.
In the next six rounds of cards, the poet also fully demonstrated his luck and drew out another special card of his own, the [Modern Girl·Pub Girl] from Star 7. The face of the card is the side face of a girl with a lazy expression sitting alone at the front of the tavern counter with a goblet under the gas lamp.
The effect is to throw a 20-sided dice. If the result is 1 or 20, the card points can be adjusted between 6 and 7.
But even though the special cards were drawn, in the total of 9 rounds, Mr. Roland, the poet, did not win any rounds, not even a draw. This is a very abnormal thing. You must know that even if Xia De plays cards with an opponent with ordinary luck, the opponent will not lose so badly.
"Today is probably not suitable for gambling."
And when everyone left, the poet pushed the lost money to Xia De, and asked tentatively:
"Mr. Watson, you didn't appear here by accident and played cards with me, did you?"
He gave Shad 3 small silver coins of 1 ore and a few banknotes.
Xia De raised his eyebrows:
"Mr. Roland, you are very sharp."
He pushed the coins and bills back:
"In fact, I have always hated gambling. This time I just want to get closer to you, so I will act as your opponent."
He pointed to the money:
"Please take back the money, but I have some questions that I would like to ask you."
Mr. Roland narrowed his eyes and looked at the young man in front of him:
"Have you seen 'Cherubim' too?"
"You mean the Lady of the Lake? Oh, no, I haven't seen it."
According to local folklore, many names have been given to the "Goddess of the Lake". Professor Drake, who has disabled legs, called the lake "the lake of cherubim", so the goddess of the lake can also be called "cherubim".
"I haven't seen it before. You really won me with your card skills and luck?"
Mr. Roland was very surprised, Xia De thought for a moment:
"Actually...my luck has always been good."
As he said that, he briefly shuffled his deck, and then randomly picked out a card to display, and the card turned out to be Sun One:
"However, I did come here for the 'Goddess of the Lake'. I heard about you from Professor Drake and want to know more details."
"It turned out to be Professor Drake. Yes, I mentioned myself to the professor in order to find some information."
Mr. Roland held the handle of the wooden wine glass with his left hand, and his expression began to relax:
"Young man, your luck is good enough. I advise you not to look for the goddess in the lake again."
"I have a reason to look for it. Mr. Roland, please tell me about your experience in spring. For this, you can ask as much as possible."
The poet sighed, and held up his right hand, which was missing two fingers, and showed it to Xia De:
"Everything comes at a price."
"I see."
Shad nodded.
"You really understand?"
Mr. Roland smiled wryly. Seeing that Xia De was serious, he nodded:
"I have been reluctant to mention that matter to others, but since your luck is better than mine, I think even if I don't tell you, you will find it yourself sooner or later. Well, I can tell you the specific experience, but You have to promise me one thing. If, I mean, if, if you can really see the cherubim, please ask him for me to take back my luck."
The atmosphere in the tavern was very leisurely in the afternoon. There were not many customers yet. After the card players left, no one paid any attention to the two people at the table.
"Take it back?"
Xia De hesitated and asked:
"You paid the price and obtained extraordinary luck, why do you want to take it back?"
"Excessive luck is a burden to mortals."
Mr. Roland stroked his chest with his handicapped hand:
"I made a wish to the cherubim~www.mtlnovel.com~ The other party just took away a poem I created at that time.
After returning home, I looked exactly like an ordinary person from the outside, but since the spring, I felt more and more clearly that I was carrying a mountain on my back. It's as if an old-fashioned steam engine has been fitted with a latest-model fuel tank. Sometimes, people don't really need things that they don't use. "
The poet went to see Xia De again, and the young stranger showed a clear expression:
"As a poet, your inspiration should be very high, so you can experience some things that ordinary people cannot understand."
"Yes."
Mr. Roland nodded:
"Mr. Watson, since you can understand, then come and listen to my story. This story is not long, but the process is a bit unbelievable. I hope you can believe me."
The two ordered more drinks, and the poet began to tell his story.