Chapter 804

Chapter 804: The Game of the Eredar

After many voyages, Jesse felt like he could grasp the personality of the sea beneath him. The moodiness of Palatine Bay, the restlessness of Booty Bay, and the indifference of the Hillsbrad coast.

The Great Sea was like a giant always watching you. Every breath it took could easily destroy you, but it chose not to, leaving everyone sailing on it in constant anxiety, either slowly going crazy or growing numb.

The longer Jesse spent at sea, the more he respected the goblins working on the ship. Even when they sometimes spoke to him rudely or pointed fingers, he didn’t mind much.

If a journey of one or two months was so exhausting, it was hard to imagine what hardships the sailors who worked at sea all year had to endure.

Aside from the pain of sailing, there were also Naga, legendary ghost pirates, and whispers from the sea that sailors mentioned but Jesse had never truly felt.

That night, the ship began to rock.

The darkness was thick as ink, raindrops brushed his face, and rumbles echoed from the clouds, but there was no lightning. It seemed the "Moving Pandaria" had failed to avoid the storm.

Jesse returned to his cabin and shut the door, blocking most of the rain and wind noise outside.

It had been two weeks since leaving Booty Bay, and ship life grew duller. He had been studying Dwarven, and now seeing the book "Runes" on his bedside made him feel dizzy.

"Looks like I won’t sleep well again tonight."

He said, glancing at the succubus in the corner, scratching his head impatiently.

"Then let’s play an interesting game to pass the time?" Molofeel tilted her head slightly.

"Sounds good." Jesse took out his pouch. "Let’s play chess."

Saenor jumped onto the table excitedly. "Is it that game with kings and knights? I want to try!"

"But we have no board or pieces," Molofeel said.

Azeroth did have a game like chess, with the famous board in Karazhan, but they couldn’t play that now.

Jesse pulled out some gold coins and silver coins from his pouch, found a blank paper, and drew grids on the back.

"You use gold coins, I’ll use silver coins, Molofeel. Place five in a row to win. Simple, right? You go first."

Molofeel picked up a gold coin and studied the paper. "Anywhere is fine?"

"Anywhere," Jesse replied.

She carefully chose a spot near the center to place the coin. But Jesse, though he hadn’t played for twenty years, had sneaked many games of five-in-a-row in school. Even against a real demon, she couldn’t beat him at the start.

Once he got into the game and remembered his old tricks, Jesse felt like he was back in the classroom, ignoring the ship’s sway and his seasickness.

Sure enough, after just a few rounds, the succubus fell into his trap. The imp giggled, but Molofeel saw it right away.

"Master, you’re too good at this. Is winning like this even fun for me?" she complained.

Jesse spun a silver coin. "Play more and you might win, or do you know other games?"

"Like a demon’s game? An Eredar game?" Molofeel asked.

"What do they play?" Jesse grew curious.

Molofeel said, "Most Eredar masters I met cared nothing for pleasures or games. They only wanted deep spells and power, and destruction proved it best."

"But not all. There was one Eredar warlock." She flipped a gold coin in her fingers. "Unlike others, he loved an otherworldly chess and forced me to learn it to play him."

"Tell me more," Jesse said.

"But that board and pieces were summoned by Arcane, Master," Molofeel said mockingly.

Jesse’s face turned cold. "Forget it. Keep playing my game."

"Is that an order?" Molofeel asked.

"If you don’t want to, forcing you is pointless," Jesse said, tossing the coin aside.

"I’ll play with you, Master!" the imp grabbed a gold coin. "Let’s play, ignore this monster! See, I’m not useless, am I?"

"Alright," Jesse said, resetting the paper.

He glanced at the succubus. She had retreated to the bed, crossing her legs and staring blankly at the door.

A flash of lightning lit up the room, showing her cold pale face and horns clearly.

The life-fire in her eyes had dimmed, leaving only a faint glow. Jesse rarely saw Molofeel like this.

"What?" he asked. "Do you miss that Eredar? Did you love him?"

After a rumble of thunder, Molofeel smiled. "Master, you doubt my love for you, but think I loved an Eredar? I smell jealousy…"

"I feel nothing for those Eredar masters. Most are in the Burning Legion or close to it, no better than dogs," she whispered. "I just feel I’ve lived too long. My past is now fragments in my mind, and thinking of it feels strange."

"You’re the first demon I’ve met who misses the past," the imp said, moving a coin. "Did Master’s Essence of Fire give you side effects?"

Molofeel gave him a scornful look but didn’t argue. "Are you sure you’re okay, Molofeel?" Jesse asked.

"What could be wrong?" the succubus waved her hand. "Is it bad for a sentimental person like me to be a little sad? Give me some more mana, Master? Maybe I’ll perk up."

"Spare me," Jesse lowered his head and reached for the silver coins.