Of the noble young ladies Andreas had met at the social gatherings with Leticia, almost all except Celeste had sunk into the depths of the ocean along with Zin-Azshari. Unless something unexpected had happened, they had likely all been transformed into Naga.
Losing her friends and her mother at such a young age, it was entirely due to the dedicated care of Dath'Remar—who acted as both father and mother—that Celeste was able to grow up into the healthy individual she was today.
While Celeste occasionally displayed mischievous or "black-hearted" tendencies, this small flaw did nothing to diminish her personal charm. It was said that Delier had already processed several rounds of young men from the Moon Guard who were lining up to pursue her.
Even among her colleagues in the Lord's Office, there was no shortage of those who boldly declared their love for her. However, without exception, these poor boys were all "sunk" by Celeste's seemingly pure, innocent smile and her effortless, polite rejections.
After losing her mother in the War of the Ancients, the busy Dath'Remar had neither the time nor the inclination to find a new partner. Celeste was raised entirely by the two male figures in her life: her father, Dath'Remar, and her brother, Danath.
Through their interactions with Celeste, both Andreas and Leticia had eventually discovered a pattern.
This girl had absolutely no interest in impulsive males of her own age; instead, she favored mature and steady elders like her father and brother.
Judging a Night Elf's age by appearance was entirely meaningless; the difference between age groups was mainly reflected in their temperament. According to the "Celeste Observation Report" submitted by Leticia, Celeste would appear more patient and sincere when talking to older men.
In contrast, when dealing with younger people, the warm yet distant smile on Celeste's face—the kind that kept people at a thousand miles' length—almost never wavered.
Dath'Remar, your sins are heavy indeed...
Thinking about Celeste's future as a hardcore "uncle-con" (obsessed with older men), Andreas felt a throbbing pain in his temples.
...
The war on the Tanaris front continued to proceed according to the path Andreas had envisioned.
After taking the Ruins of Hot-Shadow, the soldiers of the Expeditionary Force used their superior firepower to continue pushing forward. Having repelled the desert guerrilla tactics of the Sandfury Trolls along the way, the Expeditionary Force established another forward base at the entrance leading to the Shimmering Flats.
Andreas couldn't be bothered to think of a new name, so he simply followed the original laws of historical development and called it Gadgetzan.
By advancing to Gadgetzan, the primary objectives of the Expeditionary Force were largely achieved. The Sandfury Trolls had retreated to the Shifting Sands Outpost in front of Zul'Farrak, guarding it strictly. This was one of their most vital water sources, and they could not let the Night Elves take it under any circumstances.
Andreas never intended to wipe out the Sandfury Trolls in one fell swoop. If he truly pushed these savage fellows too far, they might actually resort to total mobilization on the spot.
Over a million trolls swarming in... the thought alone was terrifying. Given the absolute disparity in numbers, without a decisive weapon advantage, being trampled would only be a matter of time.
After clearing the road to the Shimmering Flats, the Shen'dralar's pioneering troops officially entered Thousand Needles.
This rocky forest region, where food cannot be grown nor livestock grazed, was rich in minerals—particularly iron and tin. For Moonshadow's Rest, which would need large amounts of steel to build warships in the future, this was a strategic high ground that had to be secured.
As for the Shimmering Flats connecting Thousand Needles and Tanaris, this barren land could grow no plants; only a few scavengers wandered nearby. Andreas intended to use this place as a joint training ground for the Shen'dralar and the Tanaris Expeditionary Force.
Although Eldre'Thalas had publicly announced its return to mainstream Night Elf society, their location was too far from the core residential areas in the north. Aside from trade through caravans, there were few opportunities for daily contact. Furthermore, the Shen'dralar consisted mostly of scholars who had been shut away for thousands of years. To reintegrate them into society, Andreas had to take the initiative in planning.
Seeing that the Night Elves were content to hold the entrance to the Shimmering Flats and had no intention of continuing their march, the Sandfury Trolls—limited by the gap in strength—temporarily had no intention of provoking them either.
With Gadgetzan as the boundary, the two sides entered a phase of relatively peaceful confrontation. However, both harbored hatred and hostility toward the other. Once the Expeditionary Force consolidated its current territory, this unfinished war would eventually resume.
Occupying eastern Tanaris offered another benefit for Andreas: the Night Elf-controlled area directly bordered the Caverns of Time, the lair of the Bronze Dragonflight.
The Dragonflight had little interest in land, especially the Bronze Dragons, who were very "Zen" regarding the physical world. They spent most of their time wandering through various branch timelines; the so-called "lair" of the Caverns of Time was merely a transit base for traveling between timelines.
Just as Andreas was planning to visit the Bronze Dragons at the Caverns of Time, a voice he hadn't heard in a long while finally resonated in his mind.
"Andreas, the 500-year term is up. Are you ready?"
...
At the same time, Tyrande, standing atop Nordrassil, heard a similar inquiry. The High Priestess of Elune, who had kept a low profile for centuries, breathed a sigh of relief.
For intelligent beings, the unknown is the most terrifying thing. Now that the long wait had finally come to an end, Tyrande actually felt much more relaxed.
"Shandris."
"Yes?"
Hearing her mentor's call, Shandris, who was helping Tyrande look over official documents, raised her head.
Tyrande straightened her snow-white priestess gown and said to Shandris with a grave and solemn expression: "The time of my agreement with Elune has arrived. I do not know what will happen next or how much time it will require."
"If I suddenly vanish from where I stand, explain it to Malfurion and the others for me to avoid causing a panic."
"Elune... is it?"
Shandris's pupils contracted. Speaking of Elune, she suddenly thought of the other individual favored by Elune besides Tyrande.
"I understand. But please allow me to leave for a short while."
Seeing the urgency in Shandris's eyes, Tyrande, who had worked with her for many years, naturally knew what she was worried about.
"Mmh. Go. Come back as soon as possible."
...
When Shandris rushed through a portal to the Lord's Palace of Moonshadow's Rest, she didn't even stop to return the salutes of the guards, speeding straight toward the seventh-floor Lord's Office.
"Andreas!"
Andreas was currently giving instructions to Leticia, Maclay, and the others. Seeing Shandris rush in out of breath, he immediately understood the situation.
Waving his hand to dismiss Maclay and the other administrative officials, Andreas chuckled knowingly. "I see. So she received the notification as well?"
Shandris's expression was heavy. "What exactly is Elune's purpose in calling both of you? It couldn't be that she wants you to have a one-on-one duel to settle things, could it?"
Andreas rolled his eyes in amusement. "How could Elune use such a crude method? I suspect she will set separate trials for Tyrande and me."
Looking at Leticia and Celeste standing on either side, Andreas sighed helplessly. "Neither of these children is easy to deal with. When you have time, try to come to Moonshadow's Rest more often to help me keep an eye on them."
Pointing at the two defiant girls, Andreas said jokingly, "After all, given their status, Maclay finds it difficult to be strict with them."
Shandris looked at the two girls with some confusion. She already knew Leticia was a mischievous girl who would "climb the roof if not beaten for three days," but Celeste...
"Fine, I'll try to find time to come over. But you know the situation in Astranaar; how much free time I'll have... I can't say for sure."
"Just do your best. And... leave that 'lone wolf' fellow to you as well."
Andreas pointed toward the north of the city and exchanged a look with Shandris. She immediately understood his meaning.
Seeing Shandris nod solemnly, Andreas relaxed his posture. "It's about time."
Taking one last look at the three people in the room, Andreas closed his eyes and sent a call to Elune.
"Respected Elune, I am ready."
"Very well. Then let us set out together. Destination: The Emerald Dream."
"...Huh?!"