Chapter 20: Founding · Silver Moon

The document the doctor handed to Xia De was a very formal explanation of the fee standard for higher education institutions. The same printed version even added a sun pattern in the upper right corner and drew three combined gears in the lower left corner as page decoration. Even if ordinary people saw this, they wouldn't feel strange.

Compared to the knowledge given, the tuition for a first-year correspondence Ringed Shushi was very cheap, actually only 50 pounds. You know, according to Xia De's preliminary understanding, in this world, even the tuition for a boy from a middle-class family in a medium-sized boarding school was about 100 to 150 pounds per year.

He still showed a difficult expression; let alone 50 pounds, he couldn't even take out 5 pounds in cash.

But there were still many relics belonging to the detective in the house. Selling them all would be worth 50 pounds, and there were several commissions that would be completed soon, so Xia De actually had a way.

"Do I need to give cash immediately?"

This was the most difficult thing.

"The Academy needs cash in gold pounds, but it can also be other currencies, but you have to ask about the exchange rate. Of course, if you can't take it out for the time being, the Academy also has loan projects, but the interest might make you suffer."

Dr. Shi Nai De introduced, and Miss Louisa, who had her hands on her knees, also kindly said:

"However, my view is that the group can lend it to you; we have this fund. After all, except for rich people like the doctor, no one can take out so much cash at once."

The blue-eyed doctor touched his nose, looking a bit embarrassed.

"I was like this at the beginning; this is very common, but you have to consider whether you have the ability to bear this loan."

The blonde lady reminded kindly.

"This loan for tuition doesn't have interest, but starting from the date of the loan, you need to pay back 10 pounds in the first month, and then 20 pounds per month for the next two months."

The doctor also added:

"Collateral is not needed; I will do the group guarantee for you. Anyway, I know your identity information, so you can't leave."

The doctor knew that Xia De had just returned to normal from "blindness and ignorance" and understood his situation very well.

Xia De then let out a long breath; it seemed that his luck was really good. Of course, he didn't forget to thank him. He really met very good people:

"I will pay back the money as soon as possible, Mr. Shi Nai De, Miss Louisa, please allow me to thank you again."

Speaking of this, he suddenly remembered one more thing. Because of this interest-free loan, he decided to give more trust to Dr. Shi Nai De and the writer lady in the same group, so he took out the notebook he carried with him.

Carefully peeling off the leather cover of the notebook, he took out a card from the gap.

On the front of the card was a pattern of a woman sitting sideways holding up a silver moon. This was the most precious relic of the former detective, a Luo De card with the suit of "Sun 3." Xia De saw that his own door lock could be easily split with an axe, so he carried it with him:

"Excuse me, is this valuable?"

"A special series Luo De card?"

Xia De hadn't handed over this card yet, but Miss Louisa recognized it at a glance, but she shook her head, signaling Xia De to hand it to the doctor:

"I don't play cards often and don't know the value of this kind of thing. Let the doctor see it?"

"It is indeed a Luo De card, not only with a special pattern but even with a special effect. Is this genuine?"

The doctor took it curiously and checked it against the warm yellow light of the gas lamp on the wall. He didn't mean to reveal Xia De's identity and background to Miss Louisa, so he popularized common sense for Xia De in his words:

"Although I am not a collector, I know some nobles and enthusiasts who frantically pursue these special Luo De cards. The special pattern itself is very precious. If there are special rules... that kind of fanatical collecting hobby is even stronger than a man's desire for a beautiful lady. I cannot understand that kind of behavior. I heard that last year, at the Beaufort Auction House not far from St. Deran Square where you live, it once... Hmm? This is the Silver Moon of the founding series?"

The doctor asked in surprise.

"What?"

Xia De didn't understand, but the blonde lady was very interested and got up to look at the card.

The doctor placed the paper card on the coffee table between the three and introduced it to the two who didn't understand Luo De cards:

"Look, in the center above the front of this card, there is a vertical line. This represents that this is a founding series card issued by Luo De cards at the beginning. It is said that founding series cards were only issued 13 cards 300 years ago, each with a different pattern and must have special rules. 【Silver Moon】 is one of them, so it is called Founding · Silver Moon. And under the rule system of Luo De cards, every founding series card has extraordinary functional effects..."

"Although I don't play cards, I think the rules above are indeed extraordinary."

Dorothy Louisa, who finished reading the effect one step ahead, said. The doctor also lowered his head and looked at the effect on this card. Although he was not a gambler or a Luo De card enthusiast, he also knew that under rules similar to "21 points," a card that could adjust numbers from "1" to "5" would be how terrible.

"Is this genuine? It should be very valuable, right?"

The blonde girl asked, and Xia De was also looking forward to it, but the doctor shook his head decisively:

"Impossible, it is absolutely impossible to be genuine. Every founding series card is equivalent to the houses on a street around St. Deran Square, and even more, far more. This cannot be genuine. The founding series was issued three hundred years ago; either it has been damaged, or it is in the tombs of nobles or family collection rooms, and it is impossible to appear easily."

He understood Xia De's background, so he made such a judgment.

"Is it not valuable if it's not genuine?"

Xia De also agreed with Dr. Shi Nai De's words, but still asked like this. He also didn't believe it was genuine; after all, it was an antique from 300 years ago.

"It's not worth a penny. People only support genuine cards. Especially those special series Luo De cards, using pirated Luo De cards will be resisted by all enthusiasts, so imitations are not valuable... But this imitation is really quite good."

The doctor also handed the card to Xia De with some regret:

"Let me lend you money first... However, you might be able to go and identify this Founding 【Silver Moon】 and try your luck, which is also not bad."

"Where to identify?"

Xia De also became interested.

"I know this, 【Prophet Association】, they specialize in this."

Writer Miss Louisa said, and the doctor nodded. He introduced it more specifically because he understood that Xia De definitely didn't know:

"The issuance of Luo De cards has always been organized by the 【Prophet Association】, so they also provide identification services for special cards. Identification costs 5 pennies per card, which is quite cheap. If it is genuine, the Prophet Association will issue an identification certificate. If people want to participate in formal Luo De card competitions and mix special cards into the deck, they must provide an identification certificate."

The popularity of Luo De cards in this world was higher than Xia De thought, but it didn't surprise him much; after all, it was just a card game. In the steam era where productivity was relatively liberated compared to hundreds of years ago, it was normal to have some special entertainment.

The doctor continued to introduce:

"【Prophet Association】 is actually also a Ringed Shushi organization, but it is not very formal. It has cooperation with the Academy and the Church, is recognized by us, and even has some connection with our group. Their initial business was divination. After launching special series Luo De cards around the 15th century of the Sixth Era to facilitate the promotion of divination business, their main business became Luo De cards."

The doctor pursed his lips, not knowing what mood he was expressing:

"The association made a fortune by holding various Luo De card competitions. Printing paper cards is almost like printing gold pounds... Ahem, I'm not envious of this industry. Of course, the 【Prophet Association】 still provides divination services now, but it also involves book publishing and newspaper distribution business. The locally famous 'Three Penny Newspaper' is operated by them."

This newspaper name is really concise.

"【Prophet Association】 has many branches and institutions in big cities like Tobesk City. There is one near St. Deran Square, which is more formal. Tsk, living in the city center is really good. Even if there is an extremely small probability that your card is the legendary founding series Silver Moon card, you don't have to worry about the news being leaked; this is a very formal organization."

The doctor joked.

"If this card is genuine, remember to tell us; perhaps this is a very good novel material."

Miss Louisa also joked. She had a quite good attitude toward the stranger Xia De, and it seemed she was also very happy that the group reached five people. ===== CHAPTER 21 =====