Seeing that the young people were listening to him attentively, Professor Manning recalled his teaching career before retirement and said a little more:
"I have even heard some stranger rumors, all of them urban legends. For instance, the blood of some Burgundy Family members is silver; for instance, the Burgundy Family practiced intermarriage in its early years to ensure the purity of its bloodline; for instance, the Burgundy Family left behind a large cache of secret treasure to be used when restoring the kingdom; for instance, the Burgundy Family possessed an ancient Rhodes Card."
The young History Lecturer raised his hand and asked:
"Professor, why would possessing a Rhodes Card be an urban legend? Isn't that perfectly normal?"
The old professor set down his teacup and spoke softly:
"Because it is said that the ancient Rhodes Card appeared in the royal court before President Chanem Rod of the [Seer Association] created the Rhodes Card game. But that is impossible. Rhodes Cards did indeed originate with the Seer Association. No Rhodes Card could have existed before then."
Shade took a deep breath. Unless that card had traveled through spacetime into the past, there was only one possibility for a "Rhodes Card from before Rhodes Cards"—
[Myriad Aspects of Impermanence Cards]
(Little Mia was running.)
"Oh, Leisha, you should have seen Shade's expression then. I was sitting right beside him. He practically had 'I want that card' written all over his face. It was very amusing."
That evening, in the private dining room of the secret club Leisha had reserved in advance, Dorothy said this to Leisha with a laugh.
Her Royal Highness the Red-haired Princess also smiled as she looked towards Shade, who was teasing the cat:
"Though I did not see it, I can imagine it. So the Burgundy Family