"I trust every decision you make. Don't be afraid of making mistakes; we can afford to lose. We are a large enterprise; we can make a hundred or a thousand mistakes, but our enemies only need to lose once to face national demise and extinction."
"You are all the people I trust most. Just do things according to your own ideas. If you can't make up your mind, discuss it together; don't keep things bottled up. One person can think of the benefits, two people can consider the drawbacks. I don't want you to bear too much burden; that's my responsibility. You just need to be happy."
Arthas's half-confession made everyone blush and feel quite embarrassed.
Vereesa's expression was strange as she listened, thinking, "Does 'we' include me?"
Sylvanas let out a soft breath, her ample chest rising. Usually heroic, she rarely threw such a flirtatious glance, thinking, "I'll reward you well tonight."
"Many of the undead are High Elves. They told me that the Lich King's mind control was sometimes strong, sometimes weak. After the Battle of Mount Hyjal, it seemed to weaken quite a bit, but it still maintained a strong grip."
"What I'm thinking is whether we should deal with the Lich King, a problem that has brought too much pain to Lordaeron and Quel'Thalas."
"Many of the undead who were released from control were mages, alchemists, and artisans in life. They don't need rest or food, and now everything needs to be rebuilt. The Eastweald region has a lot of miasma and poisonous gas, which is very dangerous for the living. But if we let the undead handle it, the cost will decrease, casualties will be reduced, and the effect will be very good."
After all, she was the Queen of the Forsaken, and she seemed very enthusiastic about reorganizing the undead forces.
It's better for a woman to have some ambition in her career. If she's often idle at home, over time, there might be friction and discord. When things get chaotic, he can't help either side; both sides are important to him.
Jaina thought for a moment. Now, she was not an overly filial daughter, and her husband was not an overly filial son. The two of them, childhood sweethearts, had finally achieved their happy ending.
"The Lich King's base is in Northrend; it's not easy to deal with him. We don't know how many undead are there. A long expedition is too difficult right now; we don't have the conditions for it."
"If we use remote magic attacks, as long as we locate the Lich King, we might be able to solve the problem with minimal cost."
She thought a lot; she commanded the Alliance expedition to Kalimdor, which also showcased her astonishing talent.
She truly lived up to her title as the Queen of Lordaeron; she was capable, not a delicate noble maiden.
Arthas's expression was a bit strange; wasn't this what Illidan wanted to do? The method was also quite similar.
Sylvanas, though refuted, was not angry. She had only proposed a conjecture, not necessarily something to actually do.
She also knew the difficulty was great; as long as the Lich King's control was weakened, the undead who regained their free will would be difficult to control again.
Onyxia's eyes flickered. When it came to marching and fighting, she was certainly no match for Sylvanas, nor was she a match for Jaina in overall planning. But she had plenty of schemes and stratagems; being a military advisor was no problem at all.
"Since that's the case, why not divert the trouble? Give the Lich King some problems so he can't focus on Lordaeron. When it comes to magic attacks, the Blue Dragons might have a way."
"I think the Vrykul and the underground Nerubians in Northrend are very suitable. We should send a small team over to assist in commanding. As long as we can decipher the Lich King's schemes, there shouldn't be much problem in terms of raw strength."
These words reminded Arthas; he almost forgot there was still Ulduar in Northrend.
Perhaps he could reach some agreements with Yogg-Saron, letting the Titan constructs clash with the Lich King, which would absolutely crush the Lich King.
Mind control seemed invincible and annoying, but that was against the undead, dead creatures. Titan constructs were more like robots, without souls or consciousness, so they couldn't be controlled.
"Jaina, when you talk to Tyrande, please ask if they are currently pursuing a Night Elf who has been infused with Fel Energy and become a demon, named Illidan."
"If so, tell her to stop the pursuit; he is not an enemy. To deal with the Lich King, he might be a good candidate; some things always need someone to do them."
"I still have some impression of Illidan; he is a very good choice for dealing with the undead and the Burning Legion."
Jaina nodded, a hint of a smile appearing on her delicate, fair face.
"I understand, husband. I'll try to contact Lady Tyrande later."
Actually, if nothing unexpected happened, shouldn't Maiev Shadowsong be leading her troops to pursue Illidan now?
"Alright, that's the plan for now. Onyxia, I'll trouble you with financial matters. I don't understand business. Once we deepen our cooperation with the Naga and monopolize maritime trade, no matter how cunning those Goblins are, they will only become our tools."
"To deal with those little green-skins, we still need to divide and win them over, setting up an example of cooperation with us, letting the Goblins see the benefits of working with us. Set up a target that constantly attracts the Goblins' attention; to snatch the bones we throw out, they will only serve us better to win us over."
"As for goods, raw materials will be the main focus. With the world soul's blessing over the territory, as long as materials are abundant, many projects can be built in an instant."
Arthas rambled on, and as he spoke, he felt drowsiness creeping in.
This was the intense fatigue in his brain after overthinking.
"That's enough for now; I'm going to sleep for a bit. I'm very tired."
Arthas didn't want to sleep right now, but he couldn't resist. After his attributes were cleared, his physical fitness also declined significantly, and his mental strength wasn't as good either.
Aside from the daily effect of auras, without sufficient basic attribute support, even the best support couldn't stir up much trouble.
Watching Arthas fall asleep right after speaking, Jaina felt a pang of heartache.
"He's too tired. Ever since he rescued the Red Dragon Queen and returned, he's been in a deep sleep. He's been through a lot; I hope he'll be alright."
The Dragon Queen Sinestra went over and helped Arthas up, letting him lean against her chest.
"The Burning Legion invaded the timeline, and master went to resolve that problem. If it hadn't been resolved, it would have been the outcome of the Burning Legion successfully invading, and there wouldn't have been the Battle of Mount Hyjal."
"Fortunately, we won and didn't let the Burning Legion succeed. Master still needs rest and time to recover."
Don't worry, master has the favor of the azeroth world-soul."
"If the world soul awakens, she will be even more powerful than Sargeras, the leader of the Burning Legion. All we need to do is maintain world stability and repair the world's wounds as much as possible."
Perhaps it was because they had fought side by side, their feelings grew deeper and more intimate, making Sylvanas a little jealous—that was her husband!
Jaina pondered briefly and raised a question.
"world soul? Titan? If the world soul awakens, will our world still exist? Will it be destroyed?"
She thought that the awakening of a world soul meant consuming or destroying a planet as nourishment to grow.
That was the real concern; if the world soul awakened and the planet exploded, that would be ridiculous.
What kind of dark humor was that?
"No, you can rest assured about that. The Burning Legion's base is called Argus, which is also a world with a world soul, and it still exists there."
This was not much of a secret, just like the Burning Legion knew the location of Azeroth. Whether they could get there was another matter entirely.
I know an atomic bomb is powerful and can create five-thousand-degree acquaintances. The question is, how do you build an atomic bomb?
Knowing and doing are two different things.
With three women, it was a lively show. After Sinestra left with Arthas, they started chattering again.
It was all about the development of the territory. After a major war, it was time for recuperation. They also had to maintain the fruits of victory, but external invasion wars brought very low returns, only losses and no income.
In the depths of The Great Sea, Nazjatar, Eternal Palace.
Inside the palace, expanded with Arcane magic, after tens of thousands of years, there were still exquisite carved patterns on it.
A tall, beautiful Elf reclined on the throne. Even deep beneath the sea, she still radiated a faint glow, her exquisite face captivating, and her noble, elegant aura commanded reverence.
She was currently lazily flipping through an ancient text, the book floating automatically, only turning a page when Azshara occasionally sipped a mana fruit wine.
Vashj entered silently, her bare feet treading on the white jade floor, with only transparent nail polish, maintaining her original, natural look.
She bowed slightly, her voice respectful and joyful.
"Your Majesty, I believe I have found Lord West Gate Snow Flutist. He seems to have reincarnated as a Human Prince named Arthas."
As she spoke, she shared her conjecture, along with some Arcane images, similar to a camera's function.
Hmm?
A sudden huge wave surged in the calm seabed, as if the seawater was boiling under the Arcane pressure.
The laborers were startled, quickly stopped slacking off, and resumed working diligently.
The Naga overseers did not punish them; instead, they knelt towards the Eternal Palace with extreme fanaticism in their eyes. Everything was for Queen Azshara!
Looking at the frail Arthas in the image, Azshara frowned slightly. He didn't look like him at all. But the Black Dragon Aspect was in his territory, and her attention was focused on Arthas, which might be a good confirmation, more convincing than any other evidence.
"Heh, Arthas? I should have guessed it earlier."
To be honest, this love that spanned ten thousand years had not been dispelled by time; instead, it had become exceptionally pure.
Perhaps Azshara had high standards, or perhaps no one was worthy of her, but this feeling had continued to this day.
Being able to tear Archimonde apart with her bare hands and fight the Fallen Titan to a standstill was already the strongest combat power. As her spouse, he could truly be said to be above the passing mark.
"Sinestra wouldn't make a mistake; she's very shrewd, with sharp insight. Once she sets her sights on something, she'll invest everything, truly a mad gambler!"
"Heh, this time she got lucky; she won her gamble."
"Arthas said he wanted Demons, so send the Demons over. Tell Elisande to beat the Demons to within an inch of their lives before sending them. What he says must be carried out to the letter, understood?"
It just goes to show how much the Queen doted on her man. If he said he wanted Demons on their last breath, there was no way she'd send ones that still had two breaths left.
Thanks to Arthas's power bestowal, she had unexpectedly managed to preserve many of her subjects, the largest branch being in the city of Suramar.
It wasn't far from the Eternal Palace, and occasionally Elisande would come to visit her and discuss recent matters.
They all shared one characteristic: patiently waiting for Arthas's return.
"Your command, my will."
Vashj bowed and retreated, feeling quite happy in her heart. If she could make the Queen happy, then everything she did had meaning.
Azshara, having received the good news, didn't even read the book anymore. She placed it on the table, where she happened to see the cover—"A Tear-Jerking Love Story."
Who would have thought Azshara was such a queen, actually liking serialized novels like this!
Arcane energy surged, and a mirror made of seawater appeared.
On the other side was a lush forest, where a priestess in a pure white Moon Goddess priestess robe, yet with muscular physique, was praying.
Turning around, a mature charm emanated from her, and unique patterns adorned the corners of her eyes—it was High Priestess Tyrande.
"Does Your Majesty have business?"
Although they had split, the Highborne had sunk to the bottom of the sea, and those who hadn't gone to the bottom of the sea went to the Eastern Kingdoms continent.
But they were still of the same race. They had also fought side by side against the Burning Legion ten thousand years ago, and their spouse was the same person, so there was still a bond of friendship.
Unlike Azshara, Tyrande had given birth to a child after the war. On the night the child was fortunately born, moon goddess elune even performed a miracle, blessing the child.
Named Shandris, there was no doubt that this was Arthas's bloodline.
A unique half-elf, her skin was also paler, but she lacked the characteristic long ears.
Now, she had taken over the position and become a general of the Sentinels. Her talent was exceptional, and she was now close to touching the threshold of demigodhood.
However, to become a demigod, talent, luck, and recognition from a world soul were all indispensable.
Sometimes Azshara was quite jealous; by the time she wanted children, it was already a bit late. This time, having caught Arthas, she absolutely had to make him give her a child, otherwise, this matter would not be over!
It's hard to imagine having a daughter who is thousands of years old. What would that feel like?
It's really hard to keep a straight face; the good news is it's a daughter, and the bad news is also a daughter.
"He's back, reincarnated as a mortal. His name is Arthas, the Prince of Lordaeron. The Jaina you saw last time is his wife. Hehe, your man seems to have found many women. Have you thought about how to punish him?"
She was still instigating Tyrande to cause trouble here. As long as Tyrande threw a tantrum, wouldn't Azshara easily gain more favor?
Scheming!
It's all scheming!
When it comes to women's cunning, eight hundred is not too few, and eight thousand is not too many.
Tyrande, originally as calm as still water, had her green eyebrows twitching continuously upon hearing the news. Her face showed no expression, but her actions had already betrayed her inner thoughts.
Although Tyrande said that this was the moon goddess elune's instruction, and they hadn't known each other for long, logically speaking, there shouldn't have been such deep feelings.
But Arthas was too fierce; he struck true with one blow.
In the eyes of all the Night Elves, he was a great hero. After Archimonde massacred demigods and shattered the morale of the entire Anti-Mage Alliance, it looked like they were about to be completely overwhelmed.
At that time, Arthas stood up alone, faced the most powerful Archimonde, and brutally killed him right in front of both armies.
His methods were extremely cruel, yet also extremely satisfying. The goal was to kill the opposing army's commander right in front of them. Such an act not only showcased immense military power but also boosted morale, reinvigorating flagging spirits.
One person cannot kill an entire army. As long as there is perseverance, even if they all rushed forward and self-detonated one by one, they could still blow Archimonde to death.
It's just that the cost would be unbearable. Even if everyone died and Archimonde was also blown to death, what about the remaining demon army? Who would stop them?
At this moment, the communicator beside him rang, and the magic mirror, entwined with green vines, shimmered with Arcane light.
This was a communicator connected to Jaina, the Queen of Lordaeron, somewhat similar to a video call.
Thanks to the calming of The Maelstrom, there were no longer chaotic Arcane storms swirling in the middle. In such a place, even magic couldn't be cast, let alone such long-distance communication.
Tyrande apologized and then accepted the communication request.
The next second, Jaina, with golden hair and blue eyes, exuding the charm of a young married woman, appeared in the mirror.
"Good evening, Lady Tyrande."
Due to their belief in the moon goddess, most Night Elves are nocturnal. It's not strictly necessary, but praying to elune at night yields better results, and they also have more vibrant energy during the night.
Dragon blessings and closeness to nature granted them natural night vision, allowing them to see things more clearly at night than during the day.
"Good evening, Lady Jaina."
It was evident that the two had a good relationship; they had fought side-by-side before. Moreover, Tyrande had actually wondered if Jaina's spouse was the same person as her own spouse, but spanning tens of thousands of years, this seemed implausible.
Time was limited; Jaina would have to go see her husband soon. He was currently in a weakened state, and as his wife, she had to stay by his side no matter what.
"Tyrande, I wanted to ask, have you been pursuing Youdian? Oh, I misspoke, it should be Illidan, my apologies."
Alright, playing a pun, are we?
Tyrande didn't mind. She pondered for a moment, then nodded and said,
"Yes, we initially promised to release him to assist in fighting the Burning Legion, but he had to return to the dungeon afterward."
"He seems to have his own ideas. Maiev is currently pursuing him. What's wrong?"
The saying 'No business, no visit' is popular among the Pandaren, and among the Night Elves, it's 'No urgent matter, no visit,' which is pretty much the same.
Jaina didn't hide anything and explained the situation regarding dealing with the Undead Scourge.
The main participants in the Battle of Mount Hyjal were the Anti-Mage Alliance and the Burning Legion.
The Anti-Mage Alliance included Night Elves, Humans, Dwarves, Gnomes, Orcs, Trolls, Tauren, and Mantid, among other races. The Mantid had migrated from Pandaria ten thousand years ago to participate in the war. Due to their vast numbers, they withstood the Burning Legion's offensive, giving the Night Elf army time to regroup their battle lines.
After the Well of Eternity exploded, eighty percent of the land sank into the sea, and even Pandaria was shrouded in mist and isolated beyond the ocean.
Later, the Mantid migrated to Thousand Needles, which was somewhat barren but very suitable for Mantid development. They also maintained good relations with the Night Elves and Naga. Tyrande and Azshara could nominally be considered their matriarchs.
However, it was not easy to order them to do things unless Arthas himself issued the command. Otherwise, they would only occupy and multiply there, neither actively attacking nor actively doing anything.
The Aqir were originally created by the Old Gods, and serving the Old Gods was an instinct embedded in their bones.
Thanks to Arthas changing many things, when the Burning Legion returned, Tyrande went to the Watchers' Dungeon to release Illidan.
Maiev, who should have gone to hunt Demons, returned instead. The two must have discussed some conditions, which meant Tyrande no longer had to kill her own kin.
The only certainty was that Illidan had to return to the dungeon after the Second War to continue his endless imprisonment.
Illidan was no fool; after the Second Great War, he immediately fled. He ran off to confront the Burning Legion, which he had always yearned for. He wasn't trying to fulfill some obsession but rather to tell Tyrande that what Arthas could do, he, Illidan, could also do.
Returning to the Burning Legion, after the defeat in the great war, Archimonde was once again slain.
Lich King Ner'zhul then ordered all Undead to retreat back to Icecrown Glacier in Northrend. He needed these soldiers to guard his safety and also used this opportunity to break free from the Burning Legion's control.
The Dreadlords Kil'jaeden had assigned to monitor him were all dead. Now, unconstrained, Ner'zhul spoke with much more resolve, bravely saying 'no' to Kil'jaeden's commands.
Coincidentally, the remaining Demons on Azeroth were just a few stragglers, and there were also professional demon hunters tracking them down, possessing means to expose their disguises, leaving the Demons nowhere to hide.
The Burning Legion still had some fight left, but their cards were few.
The Alliance did not know about the internal strife between the Lich King and the Burning Legion, but no matter what, as the culprit who plagued the Kingdom of Lordaeron, Ner'zhul must die!
Even death would be difficult; he had to be subjected to the most severe method, extracting all the anima from his soul until he was completely annihilated.
"Aren't you going to pursue Illidan? But it's very difficult to persuade Maiev."
Tyrande herself had no problem with it; she, Malfurion, and Illidan were all childhood friends.
One became the High Priestess serving the moon goddess elune, one became the favored disciple of the demigod Cenarius, and the other was an excellent mage who, after absorbing Fel Energy, became a unique kind of demon.
Maiev and Tyrande used to be rivals. Maiev wanted to be the High Priestess, but it ended up being Tyrande.
Believing herself no less capable than Tyrande, she angrily went on to form the Watchers, dedicating herself to hunting Demons, essentially operating independently.
"You still need to figure that out. Tell her not to enter the Tomb of Sargeras. Illidan, infused with Fel Energy, can avoid many Demons. But if Maiev takes people in, they might die inside."
Jaina was kind enough to say everything that needed to be said.
It was precisely because of the annihilation at the Tomb of Sargeras, with only Maiev herself escaping, that she intensely hated Illidan. To exact revenge, she was willing to resort to any means.
"What?"
Tyrande was a bit surprised, and she had her own thoughts.
"I understand. I will persuade her to temporarily abandon the pursuit, because the war is not over yet. This reason should be able to convince her."
Azshara watched from the side; their entire conversation had not been hidden from her, and it seemed there was no need to hide it.
After all, Arthas could be Azshara's spouse, he was the father of Tyrande's child, and now he was Jaina's husband.
In a sense, all three of them were Arthas's wives, calling him their husband.
That night, Arthas woke up from a sleep, feeling fully rejuvenated.
His attributes were too low, making him similar to an ordinary person. When he thought with his brain fully engaged, his mental energy depleted particularly quickly.
As soon as he opened his eyes, Jaina, who was beside him, noticed. She went over and helped him up, letting him lean against her.
"Slowly, don't bump your head. Jandice, please bring in the porridge and bread."
"Yes, Madam."
Jandice looked on with a longing expression. As a maid, serving her master was her duty. Setting aside her Archmage credentials, she was still just a maid.
And a unlucky one who hadn't been chosen for the bedchamber; it simply wasn't her turn.
If she could bear Arthas a child, she could inherit the Barov Family title in the future. The Barov Family was completely finished now, only nominally attached to Ilucia, and had not been completely abolished.
When it came to serving others, Jaina wasn't particularly skilled, but she knew what to do. Because of love, and a hint of the 'main wife' status, she managed.
"What time is it now? Have the Naga delivered the Demons yet?"
Arthas yawned, found a soft spot to lean on, and his voice was indescribably lazy.
No wonder aristocratic life was good. Clothes were handed to you, food was brought to your mouth, and even for going to the toilet, maids helped. If he wanted, Jandice would even chew food and personally feed it to him. The main focus was comprehensive service; there was nothing you couldn't do, only what you couldn't think of.
"They've been delivered, waiting for you to handle them. The Enchanting Hut and Slaughterhouse have produced many materials and weapons. The good ones have been distributed to the Lordaeron soldiers, and the less good ones are sold. Currently, they've completed re-equipping."
"It's never too late to eat your fill before dealing with anything. You always like to shoulder everything yourself. I am your wife, and I don't want to be a useless vase. I also want to be able to help you, even if it's just a tiny, insignificant bit."
Jaina gently stroked her lover's hair, her voice murmuring and full of affection.
Although Arthas did not attend the Second War, it was she, Sylvanas, and Onyxia who led, but behind it all, it was inseparable from the support of the territory Arthas established.
The City of Hope alone could solve the logistical problems of the expeditionary force. Even the Naga were willing to cooperate with them, providing protection for ships during voyages. Otherwise, encountering greedy Naga on the high seas, with ships wrecked, lives lost, and all cargo gone, would be a perfectly normal occurrence.
Foolish women only look at the surface, not the inner substance or the future, while clever women often have a more unique vision and can clearly distinguish who holds the real power.
"Ahem, it should be a period of stability now. Once I'm better, we should have a child too."
Arthas was a little embarrassed by what she said. It was the first time he had been confessed to so deeply by a beautiful woman; this feeling was indeed a first.
He admitted he was a very vulgar man who liked beautiful women, and when he saw one, he thought it would be even better if he could possess her.
Jaina, however, was different. Once their relationship was established, she was wholeheartedly devoted. Even if her beloved turned into the Lich King, she would try every means to awaken his conscience. Only after his complete death would she consider what came next.
He used to jokingly call her 'unfilial daughter' because she caused the death of her father, Admiral Daelin.
Now that they had spent more time together, he realized people weren't always as they seemed.
"Okay, one isn't enough. I want two, or even three. Preferably a daughter."
Jaina's eyes curved into crescent moons, somewhat looking forward to their future life.
Daughters usually have a better relationship with their mothers. Mothers and daughters can share private conversations, which can't be discussed with fathers, and they would be too embarrassed to.
"Sylvanas is the same. She's actually quite lonely. The fall of Quel'Thalas, and her people suffering from Arcane addiction... Although she doesn't say it, she still cares deeply."
"As your wife, she also has to consider your interests. Even if she wants to help, she doesn't dare to give too much. She's in a difficult position, caught in the middle."
"And some High Elves accuse her of betraying her people, saying that the City of Hope could have supported them but remained indifferent, and the meager supplies they did provide were nowhere near enough."
During their late-night chat as a couple, they discussed many things, even matters concerning other sisters, and she spoke frankly.
There are many ways for the main wife to establish authority and win people's hearts. If one can put themselves in others' shoes, they will surely gain goodwill, provided the other party isn't a heartless beast.
It was precisely because he saw through Sylvanas's character that a Sylvanas who hadn't gone mad would definitely be a family-oriented type. She used to be alone, but now she's married, with a family. Between her people and her family, she would undoubtedly choose her family.
Arthas sensed a hint of conspiracy, not because he was particularly clever, but because human nature is inherently evil, and it's normal to assume the worst of others.
What race would be so kind as to help a creature completely unrelated to them? Without self-interest, there would be no action.
A flash of inspiration, occasional whims are normal.
And those High Elves who were clamoring that Sylvanas wasn't doing well enough, were probably being instigated by someone, right?
He tapped his fingers rhythmically on her plump thigh a few times, then casually took a sip of the meat porridge Jaina fed him.
"I think there's a conspiracy. Someone is instigating it behind the scenes. It could be the nobles of Lordaeron, or the High Elves, or even other forces."
"Sylvanas is doing very well. No matter what she does, she is my wife, your sister."
"Jaina, I'm sorry to put you through this. It's actually my problem; I always think of marrying beautiful women I see."
Arthas half-confessed. He felt this was quite normal, but he still had to say it. If he made Jaina happy, she would help him cover things up. She was that kind of pure woman.
If any other woman heard her husband say he liked other women, she would undoubtedly be very angry.
Jaina, however, was different. She just smiled, neither objecting nor agreeing. With a delicate hand, she picked up the spoon and fed him the meat porridge spoon by spoon.
"It's enough that I have your heart. Do you want me to investigate this?"
"Hmm, it's best to call Sylvanas and Onyxia and let them know too. When it comes to schemes and tricks, Onyxia is the expert. Fortunately, she's on our side."
Arthas felt a bit fortunate, but he overlooked one point: Onyxia was not yet his wife.
At least not officially. Dragons didn't care about weddings, but promises had to be made, otherwise, he would feel uneasy.
Jaina also thought of this, a slight smile playing on her lips.
"Speaking of which, it's time to prepare a wedding for her, isn't it? I just wonder if she'll be willing to marry you."