The world changed a lot, but not entirely.
The Maelstrom disappeared, and the wound that was once the Well of Eternity was healed by the infusion of attributes accumulated in the heart of darkness. These attribute points, surpassing the six fundamental forces, were the most suitable healing remedy.
The Old God N'Zoth was gone, taken to the Twisting Nether, and it was unknown whether he was dead or alive.
However, considering his status as an Old God and having lurked in Azeroth for tens of thousands of years, he would likely make an excellent spy.
The Burning Legion's methods of torment were no less cruel than the Old Gods', and perhaps even surpassed them.
Due to the Well of Eternity's rupture, and without the Well of Eternity, the Highborne, accustomed to Arcane magic, left Kalimdor and settled in the Eastern Kingdoms. This was because their queen sacrificed herself to seal the portal, and they had gradually drifted away from their kin who revered the way of nature.
Before leaving, they also took a bottle of water from the Well of Eternity. Illidan, who had never appeared but was active on the war front, was imprisoned for stealing the Well of Eternity's water and privately diverting it into a lake on Mount Hyjal to create a new Well of Eternity.
Furthermore, his absorption of demonic power also led to his ostracization by his people.
Malfurion, on the other hand, made one appearance and performed quite well, being appointed as the Archdruid, responsible for managing all druids.
Tyrande also became the leader of the Night Elves race and the head of the Sisterhood of Elune.
The second Burning Legion invasion and Arthas's involvement in the War of the Ancients happened concurrently, meaning he was absent from this war.
However, if he had been present, Tyrande would surely have recognized him, though whether they would reunite is another question.
A few days later.
Tirisfal Glades, Menethil Harbor.
The recovered Arthas was fishing by the sea, always accompanied by a beautiful figure.
Jandice, the eldest daughter of the Barov Family, wore a maid's uniform and stood behind him, serving as both attendant and bodyguard.
During the second Burning Legion invasion, she broke through to the Archmage realm. Her illusory magic, so real it deceived even Archimonde, bought a long time for the Night Elves who were preparing to detonate the World Tree.
Although not many in the Eastern Kingdoms knew about this battle, the surviving kingdoms were each dealing with their own problems.
Some were clearing residual Undead, some were trying to restore contaminated land, and Gilneas was plagued by Undead and Worgen.
Yet, after Jandice became an Archmage, nobles seeking marriage alliances still came in an endless stream.
If a family had an Archmage, it represented power that could reach the decision-making council of the six in Dalaran, ensuring the family's protection and removing any worries about decline for a century.
The deterrence of an Archmage was truly terrifying; angering one meant the destruction of a town with a single strike.
It was like a nuclear weapon; if it didn't strike, it was fine, but once it did, it would be extraordinary.
No one wanted to offend an Archmage; without absolute certainty, it was better to respectfully appease them than to make an enemy.
However, the Barov Family was now in decline. The family patriarch, Alex, was expelled from the family register and was no longer considered a family member.
No joke, for a patriarch to be expelled from the family register was truly absurd.
But the one who spoke was another Archmage, Ilucia, who was also the patriarch's wife. She truly had the authority to do so.
Not only was Patriarch Alex expelled, but her two sons, Alex and Weldon, were also disowned and stripped of their inheritance rights.
Because they sided with the Undead Scourge, the father and two sons were all wanted by the Lordaeron Alliance, declared heinous fugitives, with a 500 gold bounty for their assassination.
It didn't matter if the sons were gone, as long as the daughter remained. Ilucia herself was still in her prime, and mages always had many ways to stay young; at worst, she could just have a few more children.
Furthermore, the Barov Family's legacy was not important; she had already offered it to Prince Arthas as royal property.
Arthas had mentioned that he didn't want these Highlords to exist. Before the Burning Legion's invasion, all human kingdoms operated under a feudal system.
The king was essentially just the largest lord, nominally the suzerain of all lords.
How does that saying go? My vassal's vassal is not my vassal, and my daughter's daughter is still...
Hmm, P-game players, stop your sinful thoughts!
This point was perfectly suited for reform during wartime, to dismantle the old system and establish a new, centralized imperial power.
Arthas was not skilled in infighting; he was even inferior to Jaina, and even his wife Sylvanas was far more politically astute than him.
Not being skilled meant not being skilled. Even if the system could grant powerful combat strength, it couldn't provide the wisdom for political maneuvering.
This was irrelevant as long as he controlled military power and didn't prioritize civil over military affairs, being flattered by so-called nobles. All of that was irrelevant.
This aspect was perfectly suited for the Black Dragon Princess Onyxia, and it fit her very well.
A woman who could charm the nobles in Stormwind into a frenzy, nearly causing a national crisis, was beautiful and extremely dangerous.
She was also a master of political maneuvering. With her at the helm, and the help of Dragon Queen Sinestra, dealing with the Highlords within Lordaeron was a cinch.
The goal was to transform Highlords from actual land controllers into mere honorary titles, taking the land back from their hands.
Lords willing to cede their land to the Lordaeron royal family could become wealthy men, while unwilling lords could exchange land, moving their holdings to other areas.
For example, the wildlands and rainforests in the southern part of Stormwind, or even Booty Bay at the southernmost tip, or Northrend to the north, and the continent of Kalimdor across the sea.
While this was somewhat troublesome, the land that could be exchanged could triple, leading to substantial profits.
For nobles who were unwilling to both surrender and exchange land, Onyxia's method was to have Undead, Demons, or even Trolls kill them.
Not a single one was left; without heirs, the title could not be passed on, and according to the law, it would be reclaimed by the royal family.
It wasn't about 'killing the rabbit after the hounds are gone,' but rather that a kingdom with highly centralized imperial power and a wise and sagacious king would prosper.
The citizens would no longer worry about three meals a day; they would only need to work, and without exploitation, they could support themselves.
If they were diligent, they could create more wealth, even marry and have children, experiencing a fulfilling life.
As for why this was necessary?
It wasn't because Arthas was kind, but because he knew that the future Alliance would be like this, and his good brother, the berserker Varian, had dealt with most of the kingdom's nobles.
Only by concentrating the entire kingdom's power could Stormwind become the leader of the Alliance, suppressing other allies and possessing absolute dominance.
Facts also proved that under a highly unified imperial power, Stormwind could quickly produce troops and equipment for every war it faced.
All of this involved abandoning the old noble council system, a system where even minor issues could be debated for an entire day should have been thrown into the dustbin of history long ago.
No, it should be written into history books, to let this system be infamous for ten thousand years.
The feudal system in the past was only due to the vast territory, undeveloped technology, and insufficient magic levels, making it difficult to obtain information from distant places.
To facilitate governance and win over people's hearts, the feudal system emerged, allowing for 'states within a state.'
Now, technology has advanced, and mages are everywhere.
Portals can deploy armies to any part of Azeroth in a short time, and technology can also improve the quality of life, offering great advantages in construction.
The feudal system has completed its historical mission and can now retire into the dustbin.
Looking at the shimmering sea, Arthas seemed very leisurely. If only he had a coconut right now, it would be perfect!
"Do you have any coconuts?"
Jandice stood with her hands clasped in front of her lower abdomen, bowing slightly to showcase her youthful curves. Her pretty and charming face held a gentle smile, and her tone was very respectful, with a hint of incurable fanatical adoration in her heart.
Undoubtedly, after witnessing the Battle of Mount Hyjal, her feelings for Arthas had grown even stronger.
"Master, your body still needs rest, and you cannot drink coconut juice yet. If you don't mind, you can have a cup of warm milk."
"Freshly squeezed?"
Arthas blinked, his tone slightly teasing.
Jandice's pretty face flushed slightly, and she tucked the strands of hair blown loose by the sea breeze behind her ear.
"It's all freshly squeezed today, ensuring it's fresh and delicious."
"Then I'll have a cup of milk, and some snacks too. I'm a little hungry."
Arthas didn't care about these details. Maids were meant to be used; why have them if they weren't used?
In the distant bay, there was a huge skeleton, said to be the remains left behind after an ancient god-demon was built.
In fact, it was the remains of a Faceless One. The void energy that dispersed after its death turned the Tirisfal Glades into a dark and terrifying area.
The High Elves' first battle was here. The void energy mixed with Arcane energy, and elves who absorbed too much would go mad. That's why they reluctantly left this treasure land and settled further north.
Holy Light was best for dealing with Void and Shadow power, and the Faceless One's remains were now just bones, which made for good material.
After tens of thousands of years of exposure to wind and sun, any remains that survived were good stuff.
Plop!
Ripples began to spread across the sea, and a Naga with snake hair broke through the magical barrier, appearing out of thin air.
Her ability to break through the barrier proved her familiarity with the place; otherwise, it would be impossible not to trigger an alert, or perhaps she was even permitted to enter.
Arthas recognized her at a glance. He took a sip of the green tea beside him, still watching his fishing rod. It seemed today would be another day with no catch.
"Lady Vashj, long time no see."
A normal person seeing a snake-haired Naga appear before them would at least be incontinent, if not completely terrified.
Snake hair was the highest rank among the Naga; only powerful Naga would grow snake hair.
Queen Azshara herself had snake hair, and Vashj, as her handmaiden, was very powerful and also had snake hair.
Her amber eyes stared intently at Arthas; Vashj seemed to be contemplating something.
As a puff of smoke rose, she seemed to be changing her form?
Jandice, who had returned, stood in front of Arthas, an Arcane energy swirling around her. Serving her master was her duty, and protecting his safety was her mission.
Even though Arthas was still very weak, he would slowly recover. He didn't care about his attributes being reset to zero.
Confidence could be displayed and could also influence the emotions of others.
The smoke gradually dispersed, and a barefoot elf emerged from within, with pale purple skin and a cascade of snowy white hair over her shoulders, dressed in the luxurious gown of a Highborne.
She bowed gracefully, an angle that allowed Arthas to feast his eyes on her ample, very white 'bamboo shoots'.
"Your Highness, I am Vashj, sent by Her Majesty the Queen to visit Your Highness. May I ask if Your Highness knows a man named West Gate Snow Flutist?"
She had come looking for him!
Although he didn't know how Azshara had found him, especially since his current appearance was very different from his Lich King form in ancient times.
His power was reset to zero, and he couldn't even use his skills. He needed to carefully level up again.
Fortunately, he still had powerful mage guards by his side; they just needed to wound the prey to near death, and he could finish them off.
This felt a bit like being a kept man, but it was safe and stable.
He wasn't doing that now, however, as he was still recuperating.
He didn't know what had happened; he only remembered the Well of Eternity exploding, him using the heart of darkness to mend The Maelstrom's wound, and giving a portion of his attributes and Old God power to Azshara.
The long battle with Archimonde, the extreme negative and violent emotions brought by Void Absorption, and finally a direct punch from Sargeras had left him utterly exhausted. After his mental energy was depleted, he collapsed into sleep.
He woke up to the present, his lost wife returned, and his territory bustling with activity; it seemed everything was back to normal.
These past few days, he had been listening to the recent changes and observations, wanting to understand what had changed.
"I don't know him, but I do have a question I'd like to ask you. Would the beautiful lady be able to answer me?"
"Jandice, please bring the tea set. How can we not offer tea to such an esteemed guest?"
Servants came forward with an exquisite tea set, made of jade, with intricate patterns carved into the teapot and cups. Without even looking, one could tell it was the handiwork of High Elf artisans.
Only races with sufficiently long lifespans would pursue such aesthetic craftsmanship. dwarf and Gnome craftsmanship emphasized rugged durability; as long as it worked, it was fine, with no regard for so-called beauty, which they considered ostentatious and impractical.
A magical brazier was placed next to the table, and a barrier rose, blocking the sea breeze.
He skillfully picked up the teapot to brew tea. This type of tea, called stir-fried tea, was very popular in Stormwind and the Lordaeron Alliance. It was said that the races of Kalimdor also liked it, finding its taste excellent and mellow.
Dry tea leaves were easy to store and transport, convenient to carry, and helped to alleviate greasiness and refresh the mind.
Vashj, transformed back into a Highborne, showed no discomfort. Her pale fingers picked up a teacup, blew on it lightly, and took a small sip.
It was evident that she also frequently drank tea, which explained her practiced movements.
It had been a year since the second Burning Legion invasion, and many things had concluded.
Although Jandice was wary of Vashj, she didn't feel like she was facing a formidable enemy. This wasn't because there wasn't a significant disparity in their strength, but rather because the other party was a partner, which allowed her to be so at ease!