Although the investigation had made further progress, Shade and Mr. Bernhardt would have to pause their work until Shade obtained a map of the sewers near the Steam Bathhouse. It would be unwise to rashly enter unfamiliar sections of the sewers without a map, and they were nearly certain that traps still awaited them in that most likely abandoned underground laboratory.
Seeing that Mr. Albert still had work to do, Shade and Mr. Bernhardt did not disturb him further and soon took their leave. They then sat in the Spider Inn for a while longer, where Mr. Bernhardt eagerly asked about last night's card game.
When he heard that Viscount Gra, the champion of last night's "Great City Player 1850," had actually attended, he was especially regretful that the game could not be announced as "a match between two Great City Player Champions."
"If people could know about it, it would surely become a hot topic among Moon Bay City Rhodes Cards players for months. Did Viscount Gra show anything unusual last night?"
He suddenly asked. Shade shook his head.
"Viscount Gra has problems too? But he's just an ordinary person."
"No, no, it has nothing to do with what we're investigating. I merely heard something locally. Just heard it."
He lowered his voice as he spoke to Shade.
"More than one person has mentioned that Viscount Gra cheats when gambling cards with others. There are some rather unpleasant rumors about him here, but they are only rumors. For example, that he controls several Rhodes Cards Casinos and is personally involved in the black-market trade of expensive Rhodes Cards. Let me stress again, they are only rumors. Perhaps they were spread by people jealous of him."
Shade nodded in understanding. But even if it was true, Viscount Gra had genuinely