Shard had blended into the crowd at this moment, and after Mr. Osenfort beautifully won with 21 points against his third opponent, he raised his hand to indicate:
"I would like to issue a challenge next."
"Oh, it's Mr. Watson."
Earl Granger remembered Shard and greeted him with a smile. Seeing that the Earl knew this stranger, people made room for Shard to sit on the short sofa opposite Mr. Osenfort. The Earl quietly introduced Shard's identity to the Prince, and Prince William Anjou studied Shard with some surprise as Shard took out his card deck to show everyone:
"Ladies and gentlemen, I'm a foreigner. It's an honor to play cards with Mr. Osenfort, but there are no special cards in my deck."
He suggested his opponent check his deck, but the middle-aged man waved his hand dismissively:
"Mr. Watson, you seem to be from the Northern Country?"
"Yes, I was born in Draleon and am currently a novelist traveling in the Old Continent."
