Chapter 4172: Printing Industry Exhibition

"Is that so, then your afternoon..."

Viga made a reserved expression, and Megan, of course, saw her meaning:

"You arrange actions according to the original plan. I'll leave in a while; there are still some things at Paradise Island Pharmaceuticals that need me to handle. I put the research report on the heart on your study table. If you need it, come find me again."

Xia De didn't obtain new miracles just now. What he wanted to experiment with was his only chaos-attribute miracle, which was "Chaos Residue". This miracle came from the nun and was a miracle created by the nun combining the violence of the initial fire with the coldness of death. It was also the most powerful fire attack in Xia De's hands.

The miracle practice field in Viga's underground palace was reinforced by multiple rituals. It was said that Vanessa had helped reinforce it twice with the power of the earth in previous years, so Xia De could try casting spells with great peace of mind.

"Chaos Residue."

A rotating crimson fireball was summoned. The color of the fireball was deeper than before. Xia De didn't rush to throw it out but carefully felt the changes that occurred in the miracle after obtaining the blessing.

"The power of death and the initial fire conflicted more fiercely in this miracle. But the miracle didn't become unstable because of this, but became more powerful because of the conflict between the two forces with opposite natures."

He summarized, then threw the fireball toward the target in front. Even though he deliberately controlled the power, the entire room still shook like an earthquake. However, the ritual light marks on the room walls immediately lit up, and all sounds and vibrations were absorbed.

"The power has increased a lot. Speaking of which, during the validity period of the blessing, I can also go to Moon Bay to chat with that mermaid again, about the sea, about flesh and blood, about skin-objects, about sin. Sunday, just when the new time key is used, there is a high probability of having nothing to do."

But Xia De didn't rush to return to the ground. He was still thinking about the dream just now:

"I always feel I dreamed of something extraordinary just now, but now when I recall it, I only remember a vast fog."

"She" smiled gently:

【You have forgotten other dreams before.】

"But this dream is very different. It seems something I have been looking forward to has appeared, but I just can't remember it."

Xia De was very distressed about this, but the charm of dreams seemed to be like this. Things seen after closing eyes disappear after opening eyes; and the troubles when opening eyes seem to disappear completely in those strange and interesting dreams.

Xia De thought while returning to the ground. Megan was preparing to leave, so she kissed Xia De fiercely in front of Viga, and only then waved goodbye to everyone happily.

After sending Megan away, the time had already reached two o'clock in the afternoon. Viga saw Xia De looking at her and said embarrassedly:

"Then shall we continue today's plan?"

"Okay, where are we going next?"

Because the places they went for an outing this morning were all natural landscapes, Xia De thought Viga would choose places like museums and art galleries when arranging the afternoon itinerary.

And facts proved that Xia De was right. Viga smiled and asked:

"I know you are very interested in Tarot cards."

The Outsider nodded rapidly. Teasing cats, playing cards, and sleeping with girls were probably the few hobbies and interests he had since coming to this world:

"Are we going to the Divination Association this afternoon? I heard Luweiya say that the Arcadia Divination Association is the second-largest branch in the Kingdom of Karsenrik after Willundale."

Viga shook her head:

"It's not the Divination Association. It seems you are really busy and haven't discovered this news."

"Isn't the Old World Industrial Expo going to be held in the second half of the month? Currently, Oakham Park is already being arranged, but before the Expo opens, some guilds participating in the Expo will also hold some small exhibitions separately, which can be considered as warming up for the Expo."

"Now the Karsenrik Printing Industry Guild is holding a small printing industry exhibition in the Upper City. The Divination Association has its own printing plant and is also a guild member. Besides the Divination Association, the Royal Mint, major domestic newspapers, and book printing plants have also participated."

"It is said that the Divination Association has brought out some very precious early Tarot cards for exhibition. And guests visiting this exhibition can also get a numbered ticket. After the Old World Industrial Expo officially opens, the Divination Association's exhibition area will announce 100 ticket numbers, and with the number, one can receive a commemorative Tarot card—yes, a Tarot card with special rules."

"The Divination Association really has a business mind. Although some public opinion condemns this as attracting tourists in a way similar to gambling, everyone admits that this means is truly powerful."

Commemorative Tarot cards issued by the Divination Association usually have special rules, but the rules are usually not very strong. Xia De's Star 12 【City Player · 1853 Tobesk Champion】 and Star 13 【Dove of Peace · Kansas Mountain Talks】 belong to this type of commemorative special cards.

Xia De blinked:

"Is this an itinerary specially arranged to take care of my interests?"

Viga pursed her lips and continued to smile:

"You accompanied me to the places I was interested in this morning, and now it's my turn to accompany you to the places you are interested in. Then, can we set off now?"

"Of course, let's go now."

To get that special commemorative card, one has to wait until the Expo opens, and finally, it has to be done in the form of a "lottery". So theoretically, if one can get more tickets in hand, the probability of winning is greater.

Although Xia De didn't want to call all the girls in the mansion out, he had the heart to bring Eve, Miss Luo Lin, and Ajelina out together.

Viga didn't want to take so many people out on a date, and not to mention that she discovered today that Xia De directly called her student's name, which instinctively gave her a sense of crisis:

"Although it is said that all 100 cards need to be drawn by number, the numbers are also selected by the Divination Association. The Expo is held in Arcadia, so even the Divination Association has to give the locals some small face."

When setting off, Viga said, not letting Xia De call others. There were only the two of them and two accompanying maids this afternoon, and even Miss Luo Lin didn't go out together.

"Viga, you mean..."

"Keep my ticket well. After the Expo opens, take my ticket to collect your card."

She said very lightly:

"The Astley family still has this kind of privilege."

This exhibition, of course, requires tickets. It is said that ticket prices vary according to the session, for example, weekend sessions are obviously more expensive. However, Viga's ticket was sent directly by the local Divination Association, so Xia De didn't know the price either.

The exhibition rented the venue on the fourth floor of the Candlekeep Library. Viga had just appeared on the first floor of the library when library staff immediately greeted them. It was known locally that Viga didn't like men, so two quite young girls led Xia De and Viga to the exhibition hall where the exhibition was located.

The smell of ink and machine oil in the exhibition hall was very heavy, and the floor was a polished walnut floor. The lamp holders of the brass gas lamps hanging from the dome were carved with tangled vines, and the surrounding walls were hung with light beige wall cloth.

The antique shelves that originally displayed ancient books in the exhibition hall were now carefully arranged into exhibition stands, interspersed with temporary long tables in the hall, retaining the elegance of the library while adding a bit of the atmosphere of the fusion of industry and art.

The entrance to the exhibition hall was the ticket verification area. The numbered ticket stubs were specially made by the Printing Guild, printed with exquisite floral letters and guild emblems. Xia De carefully put Viga's ticket stub into his card box.

Although today was a workday, there were still quite a few visitors in the venue. Noble ladies in waist-cinching long dresses and feathered hats, gentlemen holding walking sticks and wearing formal wear, as well as young students in uniforms and local scholars, all visited each exhibition area quietly and curiously.

The exhibition hall was divided into multiple different areas, and different areas were the exhibition stands of various participating parties. Besides the "Divination Association" and "Royal Mint" mentioned by Viga, organizations such as the Karsenrik Booksellers and Publishers Association, the church's classics printing plant, and the Willundale Newspaper Association also participated in this exhibition.

The exhibition was quite interesting. Xia De didn't rush straight to the Divination Association's exhibition area but visited each exhibition area in order from the entrance with Viga.

Here, there were not only posters and brochures printed by each printing plant, but also movable type templates of different specifications, typesetting tools, and small printing equipment.

Among them, the color printing technology that had not yet been promoted on a large scale could be seen almost everywhere in the exhibition hall. In the current era, printed matter was transitioning from black-and-white printed matter to color printed matter. Color lithography technology had already been verified as a qualified technology. If the world wouldn't be destroyed because of this, color printed matter should be able to spread across the civilized world in more than ten years.

"Truly interesting. Civilization is spread and inherited in our era because of this kind of technology."

Xia De praised in a low voice, and Viga nodded lightly. She didn't expect Xia De to really be interested in this exhibition; she originally thought Xia De only came for Tarot cards.

Book binding samples printed with exquisite patterns, the gold-stamped book titles shining in the light, the corners polished smooth and warm; posters and brochures with bright colors, as long as one got close, one could smell the light and non-pungent ink fragrance. The fonts on them were neat and clear, with both classical serif fonts and simple sans-serif fonts.

Beside the small manual printing press brought by the printing plant, several apprentices in work clothes were carefully demonstrating the process of typesetting and pressing. The surrounding visitors consciously lightened their steps and discussed the exquisiteness of typesetting and the color of the ink in low voices.

Opposite the Typesetting Workers Association exhibition stand was the Willundale Booksellers and Publishers Association exhibition area, and behind them was the exhibition area of the Five Gods Church's dedicated printing plant.

Books and printed matter issued by the church had strict specification systems, especially classics with scriptures. Their paper, ink, and other publications on the market were completely different, so the technology used was also different from normal printing plants.

The Divination Association exhibition stand that Xia De was thinking about was on the east side of the church printing plant. The exhibition stand was half-surrounded by a light purple silk curtain, which was quite the style of the diviners.

The tables in the exhibition area were covered with black silk velvet, on which exquisite Tarot cards were neatly placed. These cards were not issue cards that players could use, but special exhibits used to show the strength of the association's printing plant.

The edges of the cards were gold-stamped, and the card faces were printed with complex symbols, star signs, and divination patterns. Each one was like a carefully drawn work of art. Even if they couldn't be used in official competitions, Xia De was very interested in collecting a set.