Steampunk: Sixth Era Epic-Chapter 501 - Multiplayer Card Game

Since Shard had to defeat his opponents in the card game, there was no time to waste playing cards one by one. After consulting the staff of the Prophet's Society, a multiplayer card game was adopted. This type of game generally only appears in very formal Roder Card competitions.

Shard returned to the second floor one step ahead, allowing the Prophet's Society's people to check his deck, where he of course saw Luviya, Dorothy had already joined her.

Marquis Grassley, eager to try, stated that no one would give Shard any allowances in the upcoming card game:

"This is 'Genesis: Darkness'!"

The marquis, with his hair slicked back, raised his eyebrows. He was really very excited, unable to contain the smile on his face:

"If Duke Lucas knew about this, he would come to the party no matter the flu, ha, he might even carry his regret to his coffin. Although even if we beat you, we cannot get this card. But since you want to obtain a card from the Genesis Series, Sir Hamilton, you must face the trial!"

He probably took 'Genesis: Darkness' as a treasure, and Shard as the knight seeking it.

"Of course, but how exactly do we play this game? I've never played a multiplayer card game before."

That was actually what Shard was worried about.

"Don't worry, it's very simple."

The marquis said with a smile, draping his arm over Shard's shoulders:

"You're going to enjoy the upcoming game."

When the Prophet's Society had set the rules and selected the other four to join Shard in the game, the servants went upstairs to invite Queen Diana to come down.

The journalists who were invited to the Queen's birthday party were even more excited and thrilled than those participating in the card game.

When Queen Diana arrived to observe, Shard and his opponents – Marquis Grassley, Earl Talankon, Viscount Forderman, and Mr. Spears – sat down, the surrounding crowd began predicting the outcome of the game, the flashing lights almost brighter than when Queen Diana first appeared.

Surrounding the card table were a knight, a marquis, an earl, and a viscount. Mr. Spears, who held no noble title, was the Kingdom Parliament's first Permanent Secretary. According to the regulations, the person holding this position, upon retirement or death while in office, can immediately obtain a non-heritable baron title.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please pay attention, I will officiate this game, and the dealer is Mr. Sicconi from the association."

Vice President Cyndia Mark's voice drew everyone's attention, his team had led the event at Yordle Palace that night:

"There are a total of five players today, and after discussion, we have adopted the following rules: each player has ten Golden Stars!"

Staff of the Prophet's Society distributed fifty pure gold five-pointed star buttons, provided by Queen Diana, from a brass box to the five people next to the card table – Luviya was next to Shard.

"Mr. Hamilton, please take care of these."

Pretending not to know Shard, she lowered her voice to whisper in his ear as she placed the box beside him.

"After obtaining the first hole card, you may choose to use the Golden Stars to bet.

After everyone has stopped drawing cards, except for the last player, you may choose to use Golden Stars to place an additional bet. At the end of each round, the winner takes twice the number of Golden Stars from the first bet and 1.5 times the Golden Stars from the second bet from the table, rounding up fractions. If there are leftover bets on the table, they are kept by the referee; if the table's bets run short, they are taken from the referee; if both the table's and the referee's bets are insufficient, only the total of the table's bets can be taken."

Mr. Mark said, asking each of the five if they understood the rules before announcing:

"Losing all your Golden Stars means automatic elimination from the game. When there is only one person left at the table, the last winner takes victory in the gambling game. If during the game anyone holds 25 or more Golden Stars, they also automatically become the winner."

Many of the guests who came to the party were Roder Card enthusiasts. Hearing these rules, they discussed among themselves, and some even asked if this was the final game of the year for the "Big City Player."

Shard did some calculations and figured that with this method of play, if everyone could remain rational and only bet one Golden Star per round, even if someone could win consecutively, it would take at least 10 rounds to win. And in a scenario where no one wins consecutively and all choose to bet one Golden Star each round, the game would take even longer.

"But it's indeed interesting."

Shard thought to himself, twirling one of the stars from the box in his hand, ready to toss it towards the center of the round table. For the first round, he might as well just observe.

The dealer was alone, but each person had their own deck, so Mr. Sicconi from the Prophet's Society had to deal with five decks. This seemed somewhat time-consuming but also gave the others time to think.

Shard had added all his Special Cards into his deck, but none of the nine Special Cards appeared on the first draw. The first card was the Moon 6.

Tossing a Golden Star into the center of the table, shard's thoughts were echoed by his three other opponents who also unanimously chose to throw a Golden Star as a trial in the first round, except for Earl Talankon.

Earl Talankon, the youngest at the table besides Shard, appeared to be only in his early thirties. He made a show of gauging the others' expressions, hesitated slightly, and then threw in two Golden Stars.

"Did you draw a King or a Queen?"

Marquis Grassley asked.

"Marquis, why couldn't it just be my confidence that I can win in the first round?"

"Come on, you've played cards with me in the Lucky Club before you were even of age; I know you're not one to bet on luck."

Marquis Grassley said, stroking his chin, then looked at the dealer:

"After drawing a King or Queen, you are not allowed to continue drawing cards, so will you allow the dealer to continue to deal?"

"I can honestly say that I did not draw a Kingdom, but I still will not draw more cards, of course, I will not place a further bet either."

Earl Talankon said with a smile, then turned to ask the four:

"What about you?"

If his hole card was indeed a Queen, then not drawing more cards was to follow the rules. But if not, with the other four thinking it was, they would definitely try to aim for 21 points. If the other four all bust and the Earl's hole card was not a Queen, he would be the only one not to bust and thus, the winner of the first round.

"I don't believe your luck is that good."

Viscount Forderman said with a laugh:

"I'll take a card."

"So will I."

Mr. Spears said as well, the first Permanent Secretary of the Council, now 43 years old, with sunken eyes and sparse hair, the kind of person who looked clever at first glance.

"I'm not taking a card or raising the bet."

Marquis Grassley declared, becoming the second player to stop. But he did not reveal his hole card either; after all, to stop taking cards was not to admit defeat.

"I'll continue to take cards."

Shard said, observing the expressions of his opponents and listening to the discussions of the onlookers nearby, pondering under the crystal chandelier:

"In such a multiplayer card game, one must consider not only the opponents who continue to take cards but also the points of those who have stopped, to prevent both parties from fighting and allowing someone else to win. In such a situation, if one had the ability to read minds, they would likely be invincible."

[So would you, because of Roder Card, go out of your way to learn the mind reading ability?]

A voice whispered in his ear.

"Who do you think I am?"

Shard retorted.

[Switching out someone else's hole card, letting your opponent be the cheated one.]

She whispered in his ear, her tone carrying a hint of amusement.

On the second card, Shard received a 6 of flowers, making a total of 12 points. While he was considering whether to stop, Mr. Spears was the first to announce he would stop without raising the bet, while Viscount Forderman continued to take cards.

Shard thought for a while, glancing at the Earl who seemed to have drawn a "Queen" and who smiled back at him, his face inscrutable.

"I'll continue to take cards as well."

Shard declared.

Thus, only Viscount Forderman and Shard received a third card.

"I'll stop here."

The Viscount glanced at his third card, then flipped over his hole card;

"8+2+9, 19 points. Talankon, I don't believe you have the Queen! I raise by one Golden Star."

Seeing someone finally reveal their hole card, both Marquis Grassley and Mr. Spears, who had already stopped, revealed their cards as well, as they could no longer win. The former had 13 points, which was why he had stopped in the first round, while the latter had 17 points.

"Believing it or not doesn't matter."

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Earl Talankon said, steadfastly not revealing his hole card, but instead posed a question to Shard:

"So, Knight, are you going to continue and take the fourth card?"

Each card was thrown face down, but except for the first card, they had to be revealed before the other opponents and oneself decided whether to continue taking cards. Since there were no other opponents taking cards, Shard's third card had not been revealed yet.

"I... Earl Talankon, no matter what your hole card is, you're bound to lose."

He said hesitantly.

"Oh? Did you draw the King?"

The Earl was quite surprised, but Shard shook his head:

"Earl, I guess your hole card is the King, and my third card is, an 8 of flowers, 'Eastern Old Continent Scenery: Tis Lake.'

Seeing the Earl at a loss, Shard went on to explain:

"After drawing this card, I guessed the number of one of your unshown cards. If I'm correct, I can choose whether to force your card's number to increase by one after you reveal it. If you reveal your card first, it has no effect. Now your hole card is unknown, and I'm guessing it's the Queen."

He revealed his own hole card:

"6+6+8, I have 20 points. Earl, your turn to show."

There was a moment of silence around the table, then Marquis Grassley couldn't help but laugh out loud, the other two gentlemen also tried hard to contain their mirth:

"Haha, Talankon, you'd better not have the Queen. Although it's a loss either way, if you have the Queen, we'll be mocking you for months over such a hand."

"What a thrilling round."

Queen Diana, who had been watching from behind Shard, also understood and said with a laugh, and the onlooking guests also showed smiles.

If the Earl with only one card didn't have the Queen, then Shard would win; if he did, according to the rules of the special card, adding one to the Queen would mean busting.

Earl Talankon's face turned red, and he glared at Shard, panting heavily before finally saying:

"After so many years of playing Roder Card, this is the first time I've encountered such an infuriating situation. Oh yes, definitely infuriating. I heard someone won a 'King's Secret Order' last week in the Lower District, Mr. Hamilton. It seems that was not luck after all."

He flipped his hole card, and sure enough, it was the Queen.

A laugh that was polite enough came from the crowd, the Earl pressed his right hand to his forehead, shaking his head nonstop, while Marquis Grassley tried to control his laughter, his body quivering in his seat:

"That's the charm of Roder Cards for you."