Chapter Seventy-Five: Love Gradually Falling into Ruin

The dragon depicted on the card appeared to be Sindragosa. In truth, she was Sindragosa—yet in a certain sense, not truly the original. Her new body was forged from the dragon bones of Kunlun Dragon City, so she no longer resembled the blue dragons of the beastly world; instead, she bore a distinct Eastern aura, a fusion of East and West.

At this moment, she existed in a state akin to Schrödinger’s dragon. Many of her traits had grown peculiarly strange.

Glancing at the back of the card, Roald found a long series of descriptions, such as: “Lich King, I’m hungry; Lich King, I’m thirsty; Lich King, I’m tired...” and so forth. Roald felt his head begin to ache.

Each of these suffixes meant the deck would undergo a renewal, with cards and souls vanishing accordingly. When the Blue Dragon Queen was displeased, there was not a single minion of the Scourge that could claim innocence.

Feeling the trembling of the card, Roald communicated telepathically with Kel’Thuzad. After all, when it came to raising pets, Kel’Thuzad was more experienced and served as a knowledgeable advisor. When in doubt, it was never wrong to consult the steward.

“Are you there, Kel’Thuzad?” Roald spoke directly.

“I am here. I have always been awaiting your instructions, my master.”

Kel’Thuzad’s tone was as unhurried and elegant as ever, yet his response came almost instantly, tinged with a trace of eager anticipation.

“The Scourge is about to face its greatest crisis in history. You already know why... Sindragosa.”

Kel’Thuzad fell silent, pondering why Roald would say such a thing.

“Er, what I mean is, do you have any advice regarding your experience raising Mr. Bigglesworth? And one more thing—we may be out of funds.”

“But master, the premium cat food for Mr. Bigglesworth has always been purchased with my own money, earned through my own means.”

After an awkward silence, Kel’Thuzad glanced around the underground chamber at the piles of premium cat food he had stored. He had sent wraiths to “buy” it nightly from closed pet stores across several neighborhoods, paying a small portion of souls as the price, and had even formed a special wraith squad dedicated solely to acquiring cat food.

During the day, Mr. Bigglesworth himself would scout the streets, noting which shops carried the best brands. Come nightfall, the wraiths would launch their grand cat food raids.

This operation had been running for a week. Judging by the fact that Mr. Bigglesworth had doubled in girth, Kel’Thuzad was thoroughly pleased with the results.

“Oh, that’s a sad day for all the cats of New York, Kel’Thuzad. What I meant to say was, Lady Sindragosa may devour cards, which will only worsen our already strained finances.”

“But master, our finances have always been strained with blood and frost,” Kel’Thuzad replied. For him, blood and frost were intrinsic to existence—hardly anything strange about it.

“No, Kel’Thuzad, what I mean is, after Lady Sindragosa’s arrival, she will consume a vast amount of soul energy, and...”

After all, her traits suggested she could devour cards at random. What if, one day, the great Blue Dragon Queen grew displeased and decided to snack on Kel’Thuzad himself?

“I understand,” Kel’Thuzad replied.

“Aren’t you worried?”

“Worried about what? Is the Lich King himself not still here?”

Kel’Thuzad folded his hands, a perpetual smile on his face, his tone graceful as always.

“Great master, whatever the circumstances, you must always remain serene and keep smiling. What could possibly be more frightening than death?”

Roald was speechless.

Holding Sindragosa’s card, Roald completed the final step. As golden light scattered from the fragments, the human form of Sindragosa appeared before him.

...

Moonlight streamed down, and the night along the riverside in Queens stood in stark contrast to Manhattan. It was cool but not cold; distant streetlights still flickered, and from across the river came the constant cries of Manhattan’s nightlife.

Leaping from the card, Sindragosa walked barefoot step by step across the soft sand, savoring its delicate texture beneath her feet. Everything here was new to her, and she gazed around with curiosity.

“My knight, though this is not Northrend’s graveyard, nor the bountiful wheat fields of Four Winds Valley, nor the verdant forests of Darnassus, the air here is so free it makes my blood rejoice. Yet now that I have emerged, I feel your neglect!”

Sindragosa, the tragic Blue Dragon Queen, longed for freedom but feared it at the same time. The cold winds of Northrend had swept away too many fond memories. As she walked along the shore, she focused all her attention on the newly born Lich King at her side.

“My lady, this is a new world—nothing like Azeroth. I was only considering which territory might become the brightest jewel adorning your skirt. It is not neglect. I was merely pondering how best to prove my devotion!”

“That sounds enticing. There seem to be many fascinating places in this world?”

“Yes!”

Sensing the man’s state of mind, Sindragosa paused before she spoke.

“I am not one of your duplicitous humans, nor one of those self-important elves. Dragons never hide our emotions. Our long lives have taught us that so-called reserve is just base arrogance—a tedious form of pride!”

She showed not the slightest sense of impropriety, stepping forward and placing her hand on Roald’s shoulder.

“Are you such a person?”

The voluptuous Blue Dragon Queen puffed out her chest, as if to appear taller than Roald.

“Like those characters in the poetry collections of Azeroth’s troubadours—a person who knows nothing of himself cannot claim wisdom. I never liked all those human pretenses.”

“My lady, human nature is fraught with contradiction and complexity; that is its essence. As wise as you are, there is much to learn in this new world.” Roald lifted her hand and gently squeezed it. “If you wish to live among humans, you must understand what it means to be one!”

“Do you mean to keep me as your canary?”

“My lady, the moment you came to my side, you already were.”

Roald laughed, a booming, uninhibited sound—the pent-up emotions of being thrust into an unfamiliar world finally released.

“You intrigue me as much as you annoy me. But I rather like it,” Sindragosa said, watching Roald laugh so heartily. In the soul of this man, she sensed a note of madness—a restrained, yet utterly determined madman.

“You look so foolish when you speak so seriously! And you look even sillier when you smile like that. But I think you’re wonderful. Kiss my fingertip, and let us forge our pact!”

Stripping off her gauntlet, Sindragosa extended her index finger before Roald. Her hand was as white and flawless as jade, the nail tinged with a dark hue.

The purple of her nail and the slender whiteness of her finger seemed at odds, yet blended together perfectly.

“In your eyes, I see deep ambition. You make betrayal feel impossible. Yet when I look again, I see nothing but indifference to life itself, as if this world means nothing to you.”

Sindragosa gripped Roald’s hand tightly, almost painfully so.

“And yet, I am utterly entranced!”