Chapter 4173: Cards and Currency

Beside the association's exhibition area table were neatly arranged glass display cabinets with locks, and inside the cabinets were the ancient Tarot cards displayed separately.

Two members of the Divination Association dressed in dark robes were explaining the history of these cards and the experience of being collected by the association to the surrounding visitors in a low voice. This area was also the most crowded place in the entire exhibition hall.

Xia De leaned over impatiently, and then also found that the poster on the wall beside him was promoting the "Old World Expo · Arcadia City Cup Tarot Tournament". This card game would be held during the Expo. Although the prizes for the top three and the lottery prizes were the same commemorative special cards, Xia De was still very interested.

"You turn around here by yourself; I see an acquaintance."

Viga said softly at this time, pointing to a group of young noble ladies in the newspaper exhibition area not far away.

Viga grew up locally. Although she was physically weak, she also had noble lady friends of the same age she knew since childhood. Most of the friends of the same age as her were now married and had children, but since she met them, she still had to go and say hello. As for not letting Xia De go with her, it wasn't that Viga didn't want to show off, but she was worried that those friends would mention the topic of "having children" like the ancient princess in the morning.

Viga didn't want to stay in such a crowded exhibition area, nor did she want to talk about the topic of descendants with her friends. So she went to talk to her friends, and Xia De continued to stay in the Divination Association's exhibition area looking at the ancient Tarot cards in the glass display cabinet. These cards were used to show the early printing technology of the Divination Association.

The two oldest founding series Tarot cards of the Divination Association were now in Xia De's card box, so it was impossible for other "founding" series cards to appear in this display cabinet, but there were the oldest "Angel", "Demon", "Holy Sword", "Dragon", and "Legend" series cards besides the "Founding Series".

A row of display cabinets displayed more than twenty special rule cards in total. What attracted people's attention the most were still the five cards in the middle. One card from each of the five oldest series, some cards Xia De hadn't even seen in the association's "Tarot Card Illustrated Book". They should have been recovered by the association recently—

【Angel · Wing of Resurrection Aveline】, Suit: Moon 13

In the stop-card stage, if both sides bust, and the point difference between the two sides is greater than 2, the holder of this card can guess the suit of the next card in their own deck. If the guess is correct, their own total points are considered 1 point.

【Demon · Fear Demon King Flacos】, Suit: Sun 4

When drawing this card, if the opponent has not stopped, the opponent must draw three cards in the next round. If the three suits are all different and there is no sun suit, the opponent can choose to keep any number of cards among the three; if the three cards have the same suit, the opponent's final points are considered 22 points; if it is not the above situation, discard the three cards.

【Holy Sword · Sword of Shattering Abyss】, Suit: Flower 8

When drawing this card, guess the suit of the next card in the opponent's deck. If the guess is correct, choose to give the card to one of the parties in the card game. If the guess is wrong, discard the card.

【Dragon · Red Dekai who Devours Stars】, Suit: Star 1

After drawing this card, all star-suit cards drawn in the card game must be discarded and redrawn. One can choose whether to discard this card.

【Legend · Origin Sea】, Suit: Flower 6

When drawing this card, if 1 flower-suit card has already been drawn, the card number can be adjusted within 6 or 7; if 2 flower-suit cards have already been drawn, the card number can be adjusted within 6, 7, or 8; if 3 or more flower-suit cards have been drawn, the card number can be adjusted within 6, 7, 8, or 9.

"Hiss~"

Xia De stared at the five cards with his head stretched out. There were quite a few visitors around him with similar expressions and actions.

"I only have the Angel, Demon, and Holy Sword series in my hand, and now I finally get to see the Dragon and Legend series."

He looked at the last card 【Legend · Origin Sea】 again:

"In the era of President Charnem Rod, did the Divination Association already regard 'Origin Sea' as an important legend?"

"She" smiled:

【You really want these cards, right?】

"Of course."

Xia De answered in his heart, but he also knew that the association definitely wouldn't easily transfer these cards. Moreover, he had already obtained two special cards of the founding series from the association in a row. If he got another one, others would also feel that the Knight Hamilton of Lei Jiede was a bit too much.

"The Divination Association also needs ancient cards for exhibition at the headquarters. The difficulty of getting these cards is probably as difficult as getting 【Founding · Fate】 before."

"She" smiled gently, and then reminded softly:

【Before you think about the card problem, your "acquaintance" has appeared behind you.】

Xia De wasn't surprised but thought about the acquaintances who might appear on such an occasion:

"Is it Mr. Finch?"

【No.】

"Is it Mr. Gerald Delong, the 'Construct Master'?"

【No.】

"Then it must be Miss Pawo."

【Yes.】

It wasn't that Xia De didn't see Miss Pawo because he was too absorbed in looking at the cards just now, but Miss Pawo had also just arrived here. She also seemed to be visiting curiously like a normal visitor, but she clearly had no intention of approaching the Divination Association exhibition area; after all, there were too many people here.

Miss Pawo walked toward the exhibition area behind the Divination Association, which was close to the southwest corner of the entire exhibition hall, the exhibition area of the Karsenrik Royal Mint.

The address of the Karsenrik Royal Mint was on the Tower Mountain in the east of Willundale. It was not only responsible for minting the country's Krona, but in recent years, after the upgrade and transformation of the factory's steam equipment, it also undertook the work of minting precious metals, commemorative coins, and collection coins. It is said that some small principalities attached to Karsenrik would also entrust the mint to mint their currency.

The mint was probably preparing to show off its latest printing technology during the Industrial Expo—referring to directly showing the finished products without leaking secrets. And during this small exhibition, they displayed some commemorative coins prepared to debut during the Expo and some unimportant discarded old molds and original designs of coins.

Miss Pawo seemed very interested in the mint's exhibits and didn't move after staying in that exhibition area.

Xia De turned his head to look at Viga's direction again, seeing Viga and her childhood friends still chatting. He thought for a while, but still turned and walked toward Miss Pawo.

"Are you really here to visit, or do you have other purposes?"

He stopped beside Miss Pawo with his hands behind his back. In front of the two were the original design manuscripts of the old version of the Karsenrik 1-denomination Krona banknote.

However, Xia De thought he should still be polite, so he added:

"Good afternoon, Miss Pawo."

The female warlock looking at the glass display cabinet turned her head and glanced at him:

"God-Awakener?"

"I find you are always able to recognize me."

"No, this time I just smelled the perfume on you, another witch's perfume, right?"

She asked quite affirmatively, then continued to look at the manuscripts in the glass display cabinet:

"I'm just here to visit, otherwise I wouldn't have come without anyone. In fact, even without the matter of the tenth Chosen, I had planned to come to this city this month."

"Because of the Old World Industrial Expo?"

"Yes, although this is an ordinary person's Expo, it still has very great value. Everything of ring-warlocks is built on the foundation of ordinary people; we are very clear about this point."

Xia De nodded and also recognized this statement, and Miss Pawo asked again:

"Since you are idle, why don't we chat—what do you think currency is?"

The Outsider responded almost instinctively:

"General equivalent."

Miss Pawo laughed:

"A very professional and precise answer. Do you have an academic background in the field of economic politics? However, my answer is not so academic. In my view, currency is a river, carrying almost all information of a civilization."

Xia De thought carefully:

"A very romantic statement."

"You know I am a ring-warlock specializing in mathematics. After being defeated by you in Tobesk a few years ago, I also thought about how to continue to improve my power after returning. I still recognize that mathematics can calculate everything, so mathematics can also relate to everything. I once tried to introduce the power of currency into my power system, and then I touched the great power called 'civilization'. Although mathematics is equally great, civilization is even more shocking to me compared to it."

"I am very curious, what gains did you have in the end?"

Xia De then asked, but Miss Pawo shook her head:

"This is a secret."

Xia De then didn't ask any more, and Miss Pawo said again:

"Speaking of which, I haven't congratulated you on successfully containing the 【Skin-Object Hall】. Also, thank you for helping my people in the hall."

She was referring to the professor of the 【Truth Society】 who appeared in the hall. The latter didn't follow the church's team to withdraw from the hall, but clearly wasn't trapped inside either.

"I am very curious, what are you doing in that kind of place? Just for the powerful life energy possessed by skin-objects?"

"On one hand, it's curiosity about what the inside of the relic is like; on the other hand..."

She raised her eyebrows:

"Someone told us that some high-value literature related to the birth of life was hidden somewhere inside the 【Skin-Object Hall】. She gave the specific location and the method to enter the hall. With such a good thing, of course, I wouldn't let it go."

Xia De didn't speak, and Miss Pawo asked:

"Are you not curious who it is?"

"You used the female personal pronoun. The only intersection between us is that 'Red Stone Duchess', right?"

This was the title for Viga's mother among the skin-objects, combining her two code names in the 【Truth Society】 and the 【Emerald Alchemy Association】.

"Yes, but it is not the current her, but the past her. Just after we arrived locally and started to be active, someone in the Candlekeep black market found us, and after confirming that we were members of the 【Truth Society】, they gave us a package from more than twenty years ago."

?? PS: The five cards mentioned in this chapter may have their suits and points adjusted in the future.

PS: The five playing cards mentioned in this chapter may have their suits and values adjusted in the future.