Under the kind farewell of Rezan, Andreas and his party boarded the ship again and left Zandalar Port.
Celeste, who had been extremely restrained, finally let out a sigh of relief. "We finally left. The strong hostility of this city made it hard for me to breathe."
Shandris sneered, "Although that God-King spoke nicely, claiming it was to promote the development of the Cenarion Circle, he was actually just seizing the opportunity to plant spies."
Andreas smiled dismissively. "Let him be. Even without the invitation from the Cenarion Circle, do you think Zandalar wouldn't try to infiltrate the continent?"
"Regardless of their intentions, the Cenarion Circle is ultimately a neutral and transparent international organization. With Cenarius presiding, rashly provoking conflict within the Council will only lead to humiliation. We shall wait and see their subsequent actions."
With the conclusion of this trip to Dazaralor, Andreas' vacation officially ended.
When the group returned to Anathiss by ship, Malfurion, who had awakened from the Emerald Dream, was focusing on handling state affairs.
With the Archdruid's calming presence, Tyrande had been very compliant over the past few years, and the stern expression she usually wore had softened considerably with her partner's return.
"Andreas, you're finally back. The Zandalari Trolls didn't give you any trouble, did they?"
Malfurion, who had been engrossed in reading documents, stretched his body and rubbed his lower back, which was aching from sitting for too long.
"It was fine."
Andreas glanced sideways at Malfurion's left hand rubbing his waist, unsure whether the Archdruid was genuinely suffering from back pain due to prolonged sitting or some other reason.
"Zandalar agreed to send Druids to join the Cenarion Circle. Although they definitely have their own intentions, this is a good start nonetheless."
Malfurion said with relief, "That's good. Let them use whatever means they have. With Cenarius present, they won't be able to pull off anything significant."
Malfurion's return from the Dream this time is expected to last about 200 years. He temporarily entrusted the affairs of the Emerald Dream to Koda and Shaun.
Regarding the miracle tree arcan'dor, not only was Fandral interested, but Malfurion also paid it considerable attention.
As someone who personally experienced the War of the Ancients, although the New Well of Eternity is now operating stably and controllably under the management of the Night Elf Republic's high-level officials, he remains wary of this type of large-scale magic source.
If the akandor truly proves effective, Malfurion intends to propose that the Highborne gradually reduce their reliance on the Well of Eternity.
Andreas had no objections to this. Mana Addiction is highly dangerous. After all, the Well of Eternity is immovable, and if they are away from the World Tree's nourishment for too long, who knows when the addiction might flare up. Complete cure would, of course, be best.
With Malfurion presiding over the Council, Fandral was freed up. In recent years, he has remained in Suramar without moving, focusing alongside Vastann, who recently arrived in Suramar, on tending to the second akandor seed.
"Oh, right."
Speaking of Fandral, Malfurion suddenly remembered something.
"Regarding the Moon Guard Fortress you mentioned before leaving, under the persuasion of Delier and the other Moon Guard, those stubborn Highborne finally relented."
Malfurion's expression was displeased. "However, they do not plan to return to Kalimdor to live, but instead chose to attach themselves to Black Rook Hold, with all members continuing to oversee the Moon Guard Fortress."
Andreas shrugged. "That's reasonable. As communication deepens with their other compatriots, time will allow them to re-establish a profound connection with the nation. Let's take a long-term view."
The Moon Guard Fortress, as a satellite city of Suramar, was originally built to protect Suramar.
With the addition of these Moon Guard, the pressure on Fandral to monitor Suramar was significantly eased.
The Highborne elders of the Moon Guard Fortress were almost all born in Suramar, and driven by the desire to return to their roots, they have always wanted to re-establish contact with this former jewel of the Night Elf Empire.
With the Moon Guard helping with supervision, Fandral was happy to take it easy, and he and Vastann simply stayed in Phalanaar, wholeheartedly caring for the akandor.
Furthermore, Fandral sent back news that Vastann had discovered traces of High Elves activity in the Suramar region.
Andreas was very surprised by this. As far as he knew, the High Elves should not have the capacity to explore outward at this point in time; they were already stretched thin just dealing with the Amani Trolls' offensives.
"A civilian organization? The Sacred Mysteries Society?"
Andreas felt like he had heard the name of this organization somewhere, but it wasn't until Celeste reminded him that he realized it.
"It's the organization Sthragosza mentioned. What exactly does this Sacred Mysteries Society do?"
Leticia was playing with three juvenile Mana Sabers. She said casually, "It's said to be an organization that excavates ruins everywhere, commonly called grave robbers?"
Aurora, who was petting the big cat, rolled her eyes. "It's different. Grave robbers have no bottom line. These High Elves, who call themselves the Sacred Mysteries Society, at least report to the local magistrate. They count as a semi-official organization."
Andreas rubbed his chin in confusion. "Why are the High Elves excavating ruins? Searching for artifacts to deal with the Amani Trolls?"
Celeste sighed softly. "That possibility exists. I was in contact with that young man Anasterian before. The Amani Trolls' offensives have become increasingly fierce in recent years, and QuelThalas is gradually struggling to cope."
As the Amani Empire ended its internal strife and reunified, the Forest Trolls' offensives grew stronger year by year. Although QuelThalas was powerful and wealthy, they faced the same problem as the Night Elves... they couldn't afford casualties.
After DathRemar journeyed east, the High Elves gained the Sunwell as a new source of magic, and they also recovered the previously abandoned arcane golem technology.
However, compared to the Night Elf Republic, which had undergone multiple technological innovations, QuelThalas' arcane golems, despite some improvements, still largely followed the old framework from the Night Elf Empire era, and their combat power was far inferior.
Although cross-sea trade with the Night Elf Republic ensured the High Elves had resources to build arcane golems, the role these inefficient and clumsy arcane golems played on the battlefield was far inferior to the various improved versions used by the Night Elf Republic.
To adapt to the increasingly volatile battlefield situation in the future, Andreas even began ordering the technical Artisans to research Naval Arcane Golems, and they have already achieved preliminary results.
"Amani Trolls..."
Upon careful calculation, Andreas suddenly realized something.
'It is now over 2800 years before the Dark Portal. Does this mean... the Amani will soon launch a general offensive against QuelThalas?'
"Leticia, I asked you to coordinate attention on the development of humans in the Eastern Kingdoms. What is their current situation?"
Leticia was happily playing with the three small leopards. Hearing Andreas' question, she immediately straightened her posture.
"Regarding this, Alfonso brought back a lot of important intelligence, which I was preparing to report to you."
"The humans recently ended the chaotic tribal era of constant mutual warfare and established their first unified human nation."
"The founding monarch is named Thoradin, and he named the nation he established the Kingdom of Arathor."
Thoradin was born into the Arathi clan, a tribe that lived on the northeastern fringes of human territory and was constantly at war with the Amani Forest Trolls.
Even at a young age, Thoradin displayed his great vision and strategic mind. He realized that to completely defeat the Forest Trolls and win a territory where humans could develop safely, all human clans had to unite against the external threat.
To achieve this goal, the young Thoradin led his clan's warriors on a campaign of conquest.
The wars with the trolls gradually tempered Thoradin into a military leader and master strategist. Using various diplomatic means such as alliances and political marriages, he subdued all the surrounding clans in just six years.
Thoradin declared that he would forge a powerful empire for the future survival and development of humanity, ensuring that no foreign race would dare to easily invade human territory.
Although his vision seemed like a fantasy given the current clan-based structure of humanity, Thoradin eventually integrated all the humans near the Arathi clan through his powerful personal charisma.
Thus, under Thoradin's rule, humanity's first nation, the Kingdom of Arathor, was born.
Stromgarde, the capital of the Kingdom of Arathor, was located southeast of the human ancestral land of the Tirisfal Glades, in the region now known as the Hillsbrad Foothills.
The Hillsbrad Foothills bordered the troll-infested Hinterlands. This new capital was a frontline city through and through, clearly embodying Thoradin's enterprising and aggressive spirit.
At this time, the Amani Empire was focusing most of its military strength on the Eversong Woods area. The rise of humanity did not attract much of their attention; the Chieftain of the Amani Empire only sent a ragtag auxiliary force to wipe out this emerging human kingdom.
In the process of subduing other human clans, the visionary Thoradin did not execute the other chieftains. Instead, he made them generals commanding heavy troops within the Kingdom of Arathor.
Among these generals, two were the most battle-hardened and were particularly valued by Thoradin.
One was named Ignatius. He led the northern clans that originally lived in the cold Alterac Mountains. The harsh environment gave Ignatius and his soldiers robust physiques and unyielding wills.
Under Thoradin's orders, Ignatius led his northern clan army to fight bravely, blocking the invading trolls at the national border so they could not advance an inch.
Having slaughtered a large number of Forest Trolls over the years, Ignatius gradually came to be known by his people as "Trollbane"—the natural enemy of trolls.
The other general was named Lordaeron. His clan originally lived in the heart of the Tirisfal Glades, being the descendants of that large human tribe Andreas had unexpectedly discovered back then.
Due to being influenced by Tyr's power of Order beneath the Tirisfal Glades for many years, Lordaeron's troops were highly disciplined and possessed a strong knightly spirit.
Under the outstanding performance of these two generals, the Amani Trolls' auxiliary force was completely driven out of human territory.
However, at this time, Lordaeron and Ignatius both discovered a problem. The main force of the Forest Trolls did not care about them at all. Instead, they were massing in the northern forests, engaged in a back-and-forth struggle with the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas established by the High Elves. A great war seemed inevitable.
Andreas frowned after hearing Leticia's report. "Has it already come to this time..."
Under the influence of his long, immortal lifespan, Andreas had become increasingly insensitive to the passage of time. He had long since grown accustomed to the habits of long-lived species who do not count the passing days.
"Prishim."
"Present."
The loyal head of the intelligence department suddenly appeared behind Andreas.
"What is the situation in Quel'Thalas? Can Anasterian still hold out? What is the Kingdom of Arathor's current attitude toward the trolls?"
Prishim answered precisely, "Quel'Thalas is safe for the moment, but Eversong Woods is slowly falling under the assault of the Amani Empire."
"The Kingdom of Arathor has no intention of intervening in the war between the High Elves and the trolls. They seem to be planning to watch the tigers fight from the safety of the mountain."
"Heh~"
Andreas chuckled softly. "They have a beautiful plan. It looks like it's time to add some fuel to their fire."
"Leticia, you and Aurora will act as my representatives. Prepare to depart for the Eastern Kingdoms. I will bring this matter up in the Council tomorrow."
Aurora, who had been undergoing rigorous training, suddenly perked up. She had a premonition that the time for her to truly face war was coming.
Leticia was already used to such things. She nodded lazily. "No problem. What is our mission?"
Seeing the mixture of nervousness and anticipation on her daughter's face, Shandris gently put her arm around her shoulder and comforted her in a low voice.
Andreas continued, "Persuade the Kingdom of Arathor to send troops to help Quel'Thalas."
"Explain to them the logic of interdependence—that if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold. Remember, your mission is to serve as envoys to another country. I won't arrange too many troops for you. How you perform will depend entirely on your own abilities."
"Eh?"
Leticia rolled around on the sofa somewhat reluctantly. "I'm not good at this kind of mission. If you want me to lead an army in battle, that's fine, but persuasion..."
Andreas rolled his eyes. "Then use your strengths. Analyze the battlefield situation for the humans. As the primary recipient of intelligence, you should be very familiar with the situation in the Eastern Kingdoms."
"Yes, yes~ then the job of persuasion will be left to the little princess~"
Aurora curled her lip in dissatisfaction. Looking at the lazybones rolling around on the sofa with the small leopard, she complained, "I told you not to call me 'little princess.' And don't think about slacking off; I'll squeeze every bit of ability out of you."
"Ha... whatever. Before we set off, I'm going to pet the cat for a while."
"Meow?"
...The next day, during the High Council's daily routine meeting, Andreas informed the three councilors about the situation of the Kingdom of Arathor and the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas.
Tyrande frowned and questioned, "Kalimdor is our core territory. The two continents are tens of thousands of miles apart. I do not agree to a massive cross-sea operation to support the High Elves."
Tyrande's opposition was not outside of Andreas' expectations. Maiev and Malfurion also followed by agreeing with Tyrande's opinion.
Andreas waved his hand, caught between laughter and tears. "I think there's been a misunderstanding. I never said I was going to send an army to support them."
"Just as you said, cross-sea operations take too much time. By the time our troops arrive in the Eastern Kingdoms by ship, the war might already be over."
"I plan to arrange for a small number of elites to reach the Eastern Kingdoms through multi-stage relay teleports to try and persuade the humans and High Elves to join forces to defeat the Amani Empire."
Andreas tapped the table lightly and emphasized, "Trolls are the mortal enemies of the Night Elves, especially savage empires like the Amani and the Drakari who were granted lands outside of Zandalar."
"I suspect that the Amani's sudden intensification of their offensive is likely related to the Zandalari Trolls. Even if we can't wipe them out all at once, we at least cannot let the trolls continue to hold a dominant position in the Eastern Kingdoms."
Maiev thought for a moment and nodded. "That's true. Compared to dealing with savage trolls, the High Elves are at least our kin. But humans..."
Andreas was prepared for Maiev's doubts. He placed a white paper on the table detailing the history of human development recorded by Prishim.
"Here are observation reports on humans from my scouts over the years. At least from the reports, they are more civilized and easier to get along with than the trolls."
Malfurion briefly flipped through the white paper, a hint of surprise appearing on his face.
"If humans are truly as mentioned in the report, I have no objection to supporting the humans and High Elves in defeating the Forest Trolls."
"Hmph~" Tyrande snorted with her arms crossed. "As you wish. As long as we don't send an army across the sea, anything is fine. Let's see how much of an effect your silver tongue can have Andreas."
After receiving permission from the High Council, Leticia and Aurora, having made their preparations, led an envoy group of less than a hundred people and set off first.
The humans were left for the two of them to persuade, while the High Elves were handled by Celeste, an elder of the Sunstrider family.
Shandris decided to temporarily remain in Anathiss to train troops, while Andreas and Onyxia accompanied Celeste on her journey to QuelThalas.
Speaking of Onyxia, the Black Dragon Princess had a rather mischievous grin when she returned this time.
This unscrupulous older sister had tricked Ebysian into returning to Wyrmrest Temple. With a Black Dragonflight prince still lost outside, the entire Wyrmrest Temple experienced a small-scale upheaval because of it.
Nefarian had long been overwhelmed by the responsibility of shouldering the Black Dragonflight's future, and being devoted to research, he truly wasn't cut out for it.
Although Sinestra felt helpless, with only Nefarian and Onyxia as direct descendants of the Black Dragonflight royal family, she could only harden her heart and continue to urge Nefarian.
Onyxia had long made it clear that she had no intention of inheriting the title of Earth-Warder. Though Nefarian, as the elder brother, was very reluctant, he could only obey his mother's wishes and reluctantly take on the heavy responsibility.
Now, with the sudden appearance of another Black Dragonflight prince, and after Sinestra's authentication, this child was indeed her and Neltharion's direct descendant, Nefarian's heart immediately became lively.
The unscrupulous siblings took turns coaxing the honest Ebysian to stay in Dragonblight. Sinestra also greatly favored this younger son, who had a steady and introverted personality, quite similar to Neltharion in his youth.
Ebysian, still dazed and unclear about the situation, was collectively convinced by the three to stay. Nefarian even made a special trip to Highmountain to explain to the current Great Chieftain of the Highmountain Tribe.
Cut off from his retreat, Ebysian was very helpless, but having been isolated for many years, he did feel a sense of responsibility towards the Black Dragonflight. Under the persuasion of his mother and siblings, he finally agreed to stay and receive Sinestra's strict education.
Nefarian finally saw a glimmer of hope for liberation. Recently, he even abandoned his research, spending his days patiently teaching Ebysian various knowledge and training his combat abilities with his mother, hoping that this younger brother could take over his heavy burden in the future.
When Andreas and the others heard about this, they all made the same expression, glaring with disdainful dead fish eyes at the oblivious Black Dragon Princess.
...You're truly an unscrupulous older sister.
Onyxia retorted, hands on hips and chest puffed out, righteously, "How am I unscrupulous? Ebysian actively decided to take responsibility under our profound and righteous persuasion; I didn't force him to assume the Earth-Warder position."
"Heh heh~"
Andreas twitched his lips and quipped, "To describe tricking someone so elegantly, I really underestimated your shamelessness before."
...Many years later, a stable teleportation channel had been established between QuelThalas and the Broken Isles. Andreas and the two others successfully arrived outside Silvermoon City after a transfer.
Leticia and Aurora, who had departed half a month earlier, had already traveled south. Before they left, they informed the High Elf Arcanists in the teleportation tower of their mission.
As Andreas and the two others stepped out of the teleportation array, the young Sun King Anasterian personally led his Spellbreaker Guards to welcome them.
"Aunt..."
"Stop!"
Before the handsome blonde man could finish his full address, Celeste first raised a hand to stop him.
Rubbing her temples with a headache, Celeste said with a wry smile, "You don't need to use that address for me. We're not direct relatives after all, and long-lived elves don't follow that custom. Just call me by my name, each according to their own."
Andreas couldn't help but snicker to the side, and Onyxia's expression was also a bit strange.
According to normal seniority, Anasterian should call Celeste 'Great Aunt', but the still young and beautiful Celeste clearly didn't want to hear such an address.
Anasterian Sunstrider was less than 1000 years old this year. When he hastily ascended the throne in his early years, the nobles of the Silvermoon Council tried to seize more power while he was young and inexperienced. Ultimately, under Celeste's threats, delivered house by house, they had to retract their swollen claws.
After this royal power crisis, Anasterian, who had just come to power, quickly matured.
With such a strong 'Great Aunt' backing him, he quickly used the methods learned from his father and grandfather to win over some and suppress others, temporarily keeping these ill-intentioned nobles in check.
The most powerful supporter didn't want to be called old in front of her husband, so the observant Anasterian immediately complied gracefully.
Due to opposition within the High Council, QuelThalas and the Night Elf Republic had never formally established diplomatic relations, so QuelThalas naturally did not have a Night Elf Republic embassy.
Anasterian warmly invited the three to stay temporarily in the side hall of the Sunstrider Royal Court.
Originally, he wanted to take this opportunity to have a good talk with Celeste, but continuous reports of requests for aid from the front lines left the Sun King with no free time.
"Important matters first, Sun King, please go attend to them."
Celeste sighed and said, "Our matters can be discussed later, it's no bother. You must have already guessed our intentions, haven't you?"
A glimmer of shrewdness flashed in Anasterian's eyes, and Andreas chuckled inwardly.
He knew that this Sun King was definitely not as meek as he appeared at the moment; this humble posture was merely out of respect for Celeste, a senior elder.
However, his performance seemed to have fooled Onyxia. The Black Dragon Princess pouted after he left.
"This Sun King seems a bit lacking in confidence. Can we really persuade him to humble himself and ask humans for help?"
The inherent arrogance of the High Elves, inherited from the Highborne, was innate. To make them swallow their pride and seek aid from humans, who were 'not long ago' barbarians, was not something every High Elf could do; it required excellent foresight and courage.
Andreas raised an eyebrow and asked meaningfully, "You don't think highly of him?"
"Hmm, the current Sun King doesn't seem like a person of great courage."
"Heh~ Then let's just wait and see."
...High Elves evolved from the Highborne. Although their daily routines have changed significantly, their enjoyment of life has not been abandoned.
The side hall of the Sunstrider Royal Court was exquisitely built, and its magnificent and splendid halls greatly interested Onyxia. While Anasterian was busy handling official duties, she began to tour the entire palace under the guidance of the Head Handmaiden of the Royal Court.
Andreas, meanwhile, was embracing Celeste and adjusting to the time difference. The completely opposite daily routines of the Night Elves and High Elves still made them somewhat unaccustomed.
Early the next morning, Anasterian personally came to the guest palace to visit. Andreas and Celeste, having had ample sleep, appeared much more refreshed than the day before.
"Let's get straight to the point."
Celeste was the main character of this visit to QuelThalas; Andreas had no intention of interfering too much.
Celeste looked earnestly at Anasterian, who adopted an attentive posture, "You, being in the midst of war, should know best that QuelThalas' forces alone cannot withstand a full-scale assault from the Amani Trolls."
"With the Night Elves unable to send reinforcements, and excluding other unacceptable options, there is only one choice left for you."
"Request aid from humans."
While Celeste was trying to persuade Anasterian, Leticia and Aurora, who had already sailed south, had bypassed Silverpine Forest and Hillsbrad Foothills, landing on the western shore of Hillsbrad Foothills.
At this time, the Kingdom of Arathor had already driven out the Trolls near Stromgarde, so the fleet's landing went smoothly.
Humans had never developed a navy before, so when the defending soldiers patrolling near Stromgarde suddenly saw a group of purple-skinned Elves over two meters tall landing from the sea, they were astonished and immediately stopped them.
At this moment, King Thoradin was in Stromgarde discussing the issue of Forest Trolls with his generals, and Thoradin insisted that they should not interfere in the war between the High Elves and the Trolls.
As a king of great talent and vision, Thoradin clearly wanted to watch QuelThalas and the Amani Trolls fight until both were exhausted, thus allowing humanity more room for development.
Lordaeron had a different opinion on this; his territory was in the Tirisfal Glades to the north, where various legends about the High Elves still lingered.
"Your Majesty, with all due respect, although the High Elves possess strong combat power, their numbers are too few, and their birth rate is very poor. If we don't help them, the Trolls will eventually wear them down."
Lordaeron pointed to the Eastern Wilds region (Eastern Plaguelands) on the crude map on the table and said, "Once the Trolls defeat QuelThalas, they will be able to mobilize all their forces south, entering Hillsbrad Foothills through the Hinterlands mountains."
"At that time, facing the main force of the Trolls head-on, can our army truly defeat them alone?"
At this time, no spellcasters had appeared among the human Clans, nor had they been inspired by certain 'jigsaw puzzles'; they could only rely on physical strength to fight the Trolls, which would put them at a great disadvantage against the Trolls' Voodoo Magic.
Ignatius also seemed somewhat worried. "I also believe we should form an alliance with QuelThalas to crush the main force of the Forest Trolls once and for all."
"Although High Elves are inherently arrogant, their population problems mean they don't have much desire for expansion. Dealing with them is always better than constantly facing the eternally greedy Trolls."
Trolls are also a Short-lived race with strong reproductive capabilities; if their majority main force cannot be annihilated in one go, they will likely sprout up again like wild grass after a spring breeze.
Thoradin was now nearly 60, no longer as impulsive as in his youth, and the stubbornness characteristic of old age was beginning to show.
"High Elves have always looked down on humans. If we actively approach them, it will only be like offering a warm face to a cold backside."
The bald Thoradin said leisurely, "Unless they are at their wit's end and actively ask for help, I will absolutely not let the people of Arathor die for a war that is not their own."
Before Lordaeron could continue to persuade him, an urgent call from a civil official suddenly came from outside the door.
"Your Majesty!"
"Why the panic?" Thoradin said with an air of authority. "Calm down and tell me, what happened?"
"It's... an exotic race calling themselves the Night Elf Envoy Delegation wants to visit you. Should they be allowed into Stromgarde?"
"Night Elves?"
Thoradin and Ignatius' brows furrowed simultaneously; they had never heard of such a race.
Lordaeron thoughtfully asked, "Judging by the name, are they related to the High Elves?"
The reporting civil official quickly nodded, "Yes, although they are much taller than High Elves and their skin color is different, their physical features are very similar, and their ears are the long ears characteristic of Elves."
Thoradin frowned and asked, "Where did these Night Elves come from? Haven't we blocked all nearby checkpoints?"
"Your Majesty, we only blocked the land routes; the Night Elves came by ship from the sea."
"Sea?"
Thoradin's expression changed. "Night Elves can navigate the sea? How did they do it?"
Lordaeron interjected, "Your Majesty, now is not the time to worry about this question."
"Regardless of their intentions, let's at least meet their envoys first. I speculate it might be related to the current war in Eversong Woods."
...Leticia and Aurora curiously entered Stromgarde, led by human Scouts.
This frontline city was far from as prosperous and magnificent as it would be in later generations, and most of the materials used for its construction were still wood.
The productivity of humans in this era was very low; most of the armor they wore was simple leather armor, and their weapons were made of crude iron.
Leticia pouted in disappointment, "As expected, it's still very primitive. Human civilization isn't worth us investing too much energy into."
Aurora, however, seemed calm. "After all, they've only just transitioned from a tribal system to a national system, and they don't even have spellcasters yet. Don't expect too much from them."
When the two entered the Stromgarde Royal Palace to meet Thoradin, the palace, built with gray stones, finally looked somewhat imposing.
Thoradin, seated on the throne, was in full military attire; his bright silver armor was quite refined, and the sword planted on the ground looked extremely powerful.
As the chief envoy of the Envoy Delegation, Aurora, accompanied by Leticia, politely bowed to Thoradin, who was scrutinizing them.
"Your Majesty Thoradin of the Kingdom of Arathor, it is an honor to meet you. We come from the continent of Kalimdor across the sea, and we respectfully present the blessing of Elune on behalf of the High Council of the Night Elf Republic."
Thoradin didn't know what Elune was, but judging from the envoy's preceding and succeeding statements, it was likely a deity worshipped by the Night Elves.
The 'Emperor on Horseback' Thoradin nodded faintly. "Welcome to the two envoys. I am Thoradin, King of Humanity."
"The Kingdom of Arathor is currently in a state of war, and swords have no eyes. If the two of you have no important business, please return."
Aurora smiled and said, "Of course we do. We are here because of the current war between the Kingdom of Arathor and the Forest Trolls."
"Oh?"
Thoradin raised an eyebrow. "What use can just the two of you be to the war? Your Envoy Delegation totals less than 100 people, right? Are you perhaps trying to amuse me?"
Aurora was not provoked by Thoradin's mocking tone; she still smiled and said, "Your Majesty Thoradin, I have a question."
"Does the Kingdom of Arathor understand the combat capabilities of the Forest Trolls?"
Before the surrounding officials could speak sarcastically, Aurora emphasized, "I'm not talking about the motley Troll detachment you fought against, but the true elite forces of the Amani Empire. You wouldn't think that motley army represents the full strength of the Troll Empire, would you?"
"Insolent! You..."
"Wait!"
Lordaeron stopped the civil officials' outburst. He looked seriously at the young envoy and asked, "Please enlighten us, Miss Envoy, at least so we know how strong the enemy we face is."
Aurora turned her head and winked at Leticia. The usually carefree Leticia immediately became professional when discussing military matters.
"Not to mention the loa spirits you absolutely cannot handle, the Amani Trolls have a complete range of combat professions, with Witch Doctors and Shamans who can heal, and Witch Doctors who can use Voodoo Magic to restrict and harm enemies."
"Coupled with ranged Headhunters and strong Berserkers, without the magical support of the High Elves... with all due respect, your chances of defeat are 100%, with no hope of victory."
Currently, humans can only inflict monotonous physical damage, severely lacking spellcasters to enrich their tactical depth.
The Amani Trolls are, after all, an ancient civilization spanning tens of thousands of years. Utilizing Voodoo against enemies with a single attribute is child's play for them.
The issue raised by Leticia was exactly what Lordaeron was worried about.
They weren't afraid of cracking heads face-to-face with the Trolls, but they feared those moss-covered freaks using bizarre Voodoo Magic that they couldn't understand.
Having just emerged from the Age of Ignorance, humans still retained many primitive dark superstitious legends.
Living in Tirisfal Glades, constantly affected by the dark aura seeping up from beneath the ground by Zakaz, Lordaeron's Clan was even more sensitive to this.
If they were stunned by previously unknown Voodoo Magic during combat, Lordaeron's army might very well fall into panic.
It is natural for intelligent beings to harbor the deepest fear toward the unknown.
Compared to the purely fierce general Ignatius, Lordaeron, who considered all aspects of the battlefield more thoroughly, was better suited to become the army commander.
Leticia's words had perfectly stirred up his worry about the Trolls' fighting strength, and his tightly furrowed brows surprised Thoradin, who knew his capabilities well.
Noticing the King's gaze, Lordaeron said with a wry smile, "Although I am unwilling to admit it, the words of this foreign envoy truly hit the nail on the head."
"If we were to engage head-on with the main force of the Forest Trolls who destroyed QuelThalas, our chances of winning... are almost zero."
The Amani Empire has occupied the northern part of the Eastern Kingdoms for thousands of years, and almost everything north of Hillsbrad Foothills is Amani territory.
Facing such a long-standing and vast empire, neither Lordaeron nor Ignatius dared to thump their chests and guarantee victory over them.
Although King Thoradin lost his youthful drive after entering old age and his personality began to become stubborn and conservative, his judgment of people did not decline with his physical functions.
He saw the worries of Lordaeron and Ignatius, and it was clear that this envoy, who claimed to be a Night Elf, had struck a nerve.
Putting aside his contempt for the Trolls and Night Elves, Thoradin asked seriously, "The two Miss Envoys visiting the Kingdom of Arathor surely aren't just here to crush our morale, are they?"
"What can the Night Elves bring us? What do they wish to gain from us?"
There is no unconditional compassion or aid between nations. As the first founding monarch of humanity, Thoradin saw this clearly: the Night Elves must have a motive to proactively offer assistance.
Aurora, who was responsible for the negotiation, saw Thoradin relent, and her smile became even sweeter.
"It's simple. We need humans and High Elves to cooperate sincerely and inflict a devastating blow upon the Amani Empire occupying the northern continent."
Although there was no direct evidence to confirm it at this stage, Andreas had long suspected that the Zandalar were behind the Amani Trolls.
The Amani Empire was not skilled in military strategy. Their fighting style relied on crushing the enemy using powerful physiques and overwhelming numbers, a mistake the Aqir suffered greatly from back then.
However, according to Anasterian's description of this Amani offensive, their movements and retreats clearly followed a system.
Although the application was still very clumsy, this army, which once only knew how to charge while shouting "Urah," was actively incorporating battle formations and tactical variations into actual combat.
These subtle tactical changes could not have been conceived by the barbaric civilization of the Amani Empire; there must be a master guiding them from behind the scenes.
Thinking about who would be willing and able to help the Amani Trolls, the only answer was their suzerain state—the Zandalari Empire.
The goal of Zandalar is not hard to guess: they simply want to recreate the glory of the Troll Great Empire. Helping the Amani dominate the Eastern Kingdoms is just the first step. Andreas speculated that they must have also sent envoys to ZulGurub and ZulGurub.
Before departing, Andreas reminded the three members of the Council to keep a close watch on the movements of the Drakari Empire in Northrend.
At least so far, the Frost Trolls have made no moves, still hunkering down behind the second defensive wall in the ZulDrak region.
ZulGurub is far away in the savage jungles of the southern Eastern Kingdoms. This area has not yet been invaded by any outsiders, and it is difficult for Prishim to establish stable Scout outposts near the Gurubashi Trolls.
Zandalar's demands are completely contrary to those of the Night Elves. They want to revive the Troll Great Empire and let the Trolls once again become the rulers of the entire world, which the Night Elves can never accept.
Since Zandalar is staking its fortunes on the Amani, the most direct way for Andreas to crush their unwarranted delusions is to utterly defeat the Amani Empire.
This war is actually a long-distance confrontation between the two most powerful nations in the world today, with each side sponsoring its own proxies to enter the battlefield while offering strategies and cheering from behind the scenes.
"During the war against the Amani Empire, we recommend ourselves as temporary military advisors to the Kingdom of Arathor."
Aurora said with a smiling gaze, "After all, humanity's nation has only been established for a short time. Although you are guided by King Thoradin's innate strategic vision, the combat effectiveness of your army is truly worrying."
Seeing an expression of displeasure on Thoradin's face, Leticia interjected to explain, "Don't misunderstand. We are not criticizing the soldiers of Arathor for lacking the will to fight, but rather that you do not know how to maximize the damage inflicted upon the enemy using limited troops."
"Simply put, the Arathor Empire is acceptable on a strategic level, but when it comes down to tactics... it's a complete mess."
Lordaeron looked somewhat embarrassed. Tactical design could not be left to King Thoradin; that was the domain of generals like himself.
Although Thoradin was displeased by the bluntness of the two foreign envoys, he had to admit that they had hit the nail on the head regarding the Kingdom of Arathor's weakness.
After thinking for a moment with his head lowered, Thoradin showed no outward sign of his thoughts and said calmly, "The Kingdom of Arathor has never hired foreign military advisors before. Please rest in the city for now, and allow me to discuss this in detail with my ministers."
Leticia and Aurora nodded simultaneously. "That is acceptable, but please hurry. The war situation in QuelThalas is not very optimistic right now."
...In the war-torn Eversong Woods, the High Elf forces were stationed along the line between The Wayfarers' Residence and Thorny Breeze Village. The Amani Trolls' vanguard was already closing in on the High Elves' core residential areas.
"A loa, huh..."
Standing atop the highest watchtower in Thorny Breeze Village, Andreas gazed far into the distance at the Troll military camp opposite.
A massive lion squatted in the center of the camp, with a large number of Trolls gathered around it, bowing in worship.
In Andreas' memory, the Amani did not have a lion-form loa.
However, his impression of the Amani came from three thousand years in the future, when the Amani Empire had already declined after suffering the joint assault of QuelThalas and Arathor.
Thorny Breeze Village was just one of several key frontline defensive points for the High Elves. Andria suspected that the Amani had deployed loa to assist in combat across all battlefronts.
Onyxia looked solemnly at the loa. "Although I am confident I can block that lion, defeating him won't be easy either."
"If there were a few more loa of this strength... no wonder QuelThalas couldn't hold out."
However, considering Zandalar's own interests, the loa they brought should not be their true forms, but rather projections infused with power.
Even so, Quel'Thalas felt overwhelmed by the powerful offensive of the Amani Empire, and recently, Anasterian even personally came to the front lines to boost morale.
At this moment, the Sun King was on the square in Thorny Breeze Village, inspiring the fighting spirit of the defenders with an impassioned tone, but the effect of this kind of morale-boosting 'chicken soup for the soul' was destined not to last.
Morale is only one factor influencing the war; when both sides have equally high morale, the disparity in hard power will determine the war's direction.
"Sigh~"
Anasterian had visited multiple front-line villages today. Although he briefly boosted the soldiers' courage and fighting spirit, the most fundamental problems remained unresolved.
"The Amani Empire has a total force of over 100,000, and there are also many loa assisting them."
"In comparison, even if Quel'Thalas mobilizes all its national strength, the army it can muster is only 30,000. The disparity in military strength is too great."
Anasterian rubbed his brow, filled with worry, "If this continues, even if we can hold off the Amani's offensive on the front lines, our social order will continue to be affected by the war. We can't afford to drag this out."
After several millennia of reproduction, the tens of thousands of High Elves who migrated eastward initially have expanded their population to about 500,000.
Although still far behind the highly reproductive Trolls and Humans, their population growth rate was enough to make the Night Elves envious.
However, to win this war of national defense, Quel'Thalas has almost exhausted its national strength.
If these 30,000 elites were lost, Quel'Thalas would take at least a thousand years to recover, and the Amani Trolls would not give them a chance to breathe.
This war is one Quel'Thalas can only win, not lose. Considering the huge difference in birth rates between the two sides, they cannot even afford to prolong it.
Andreas said calmly, "You already know how to break this deadlock. You are the Sun King of Quel'Thalas, and the future of the High Elves depends entirely on your judgment."
Anasterian's expression changed somewhat, "Is this really the only way? Can the Night Elves not send reinforcements under any circumstances?"
Celeste shook her head and said, "Anasterian, you need to know something. Even though Andreas is the Speaker, he cannot make a decision alone in the High Council."
"Not to mention how long it would take to transport troops across the sea, the very reason for sending troops to aid the High Elves cannot even pass through the High Council."
Although Quel'Thalas has also been established for several millennia, they have always been confined to Eversong Woods, constantly dealing with Forest Trolls, and have had little contact with other races on the Eastern Kingdoms.
The arrogant High Elves disdained interacting with the barbaric Humans, even though they built Sunsail Port and initially developed a navy and maritime trade.
If it weren't for their current desperate situation, Anasterian wouldn't even want to seek aid from the Night Elves.
After all, the High Elves' departure back then itself implied banishment... although they themselves were unwilling to admit it, insisting that DathRemar led his people to leave voluntarily to seek a future.
Seeking aid from former compatriots was barely acceptable to the High Elves, but Humans... to put it harshly, after the High Elves established Quel'Thalas, they recreated the glorious civilization of the Highborne, while Humans were still playing in the mud for these several millennia, only gradually emerging from barbarism in the last 100 years or so.
In the minds of most High Elves, Humans were no different from primitives. Asking them for help was instinctively unacceptable to the High Elves.
When Anasterian tentatively revealed his intention to seek aid from Humans, the Silvermoon Council's opposition was very strong. They believed that seeking help from primitives would bring shame upon Quel'Thalas.
"Sigh..."
Under internal and external troubles, Anasterian's frequency of sighing increased sharply.
Celeste curled her lips in disdain, "Anasterian, if you're worried about the Silvermoon Council, I can take care of them for you. The key is your own thoughts."
'Take care of them...'
Anasterian's eyebrow twitched. He knew very well what Celeste meant by "take care of them."
Unless absolutely necessary, the Sun King did not want Celeste to help him in that way. Her previous harsh methods had been privately criticized by the nobles as undignified and not elegant enough... Of course, they only dared to complain secretly; Celeste had indeed left a very deep impression on them back then.
Andreas saw the conflicted expression on Anasterian's face and said with a chuckle, "Quel'Thalas is a monarchy. You are the King who holds supreme power. Council members only have advisory rights to you. Don't let their ridiculous theories of elegance tie your hands."
"At a critical moment when the nation faces life and death, is 'face' really that important?"
Andreas said with a half-smile, "Do you believe that once you die in battle or from exhaustion for various reasons, those council members will immediately rush to seek aid from Humans, using national salvation as a bargaining chip to seize greater power?"
The concept of nobility had already shown numerous problems during the Night Elf Empire era.
The meritorious nobles of the High Elves who experienced the War of the Ancients had long since passed away. For these several millennia, the Amani Trolls had been relatively peaceful due to internal strife, and Quel'Thalas had also enjoyed a long period of peace.
Once peace lasts too long, under years of comfortable and enjoyable life, Long-lived race nobles become bored and turn to political struggles as a pastime in their long lives.
This whole system was something the Night Elf Empire had already discarded, yet Quel'Thalas, which prided itself on perfectly inheriting the spirit of the Highborne, completely inherited these bad habits.
Although the nobles of the Silvermoon Council still carried the family names passed down by their ancestors, the spirit of pioneering had long been eroded during the long years of peace.
Anasterian gritted his teeth. Faced with the aggressive attitude of the Silvermoon Council, he was also very angry. These nobles clearly no longer had respect and awe for royal power.
If Celeste hadn't gone door-to-door to suppress them initially, their actions would probably have been even more extreme by now.
"I understand."
Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, the handsome Sun King's will was firm when he opened his eyes again.
"Aunt Celeste... Miss."
"I have decided to send envoys to seek aid from Humans. If the opposition from the Silvermoon Council is too strong..."
Celeste showed a sinister, dark smile, "Leave it to me. I will make them remember their 'beautiful' memories from before."
"My mind is made up!"
Inside the Sunstrider Royal Court's Deliberation Hall, Anasterian declared decisively, "For the continuation of Quel'Thalas, I have decided to send envoys to the Humans to seek aid."
"Absolutely not!"
"Your Majesty, please think twice!"
"Seeking aid from primitives is an absolute disgrace; it is a denial of Quel'Thalas civilization!"
"Ahem~"
Celeste, seated in the guest position, gave a timely, soft cough. The councilors who had been loudly wailing immediately fell silent. The Sunstrider elder's malicious gaze swept over the councilors who had been causing the most trouble.
However, this world never lacks stubborn people. One councilor passionately stepped forward, pointed at Celeste, and cursed, "Viper! My Morningstar Family will never yield to your tyranny!"
"This is the internal affair of Quel'Thalas! What right do you, this Viper who disgraces the noble demeanor, have..."
"Wuaah!"
An instant Fire Blast directly slammed into the face of the councilor who claimed to be a member of the Morningstar Family. If not for the enchanted necklace he wore automatically activating an Ice Shield at the last moment, he would have been blasted until his face was covered in blood.
Celeste stood up, her face dark, "What right? Just because my surname is Sunstrider!"
"Did my father's and brother's policies become too lenient, causing you so-called nobles to forget respect for the crown?"
"Ahem~"
Watching the councilors below who were now silent with fear, Anasterian, secretly delighted, coughed lightly and said, "Councilors, please do not forget Celeste's identity."
"Even if she married abroad, she is still a member of the Sunstrider family. Or perhaps... have you truly lost all reverence for the Sunstrider monarchy?"
Anasterian curled his lip into a cold smile, "If you want to rebel and usurp the throne, be straightforward about it. Let us have an honest and open discussion today."
"Whoever among you wishes to take this position and lead our people out of this catastrophe, step forward bravely. I would certainly like to hear what profound insights he possesses."
Looking down at the Morningstar Family member lying on the floor, his face filled with shame and indignation, a cold light flashed in Anasterian's eyes.
"Morningstar Family, by showing such contempt for the Sunstrider monarchy, do you intend to overthrow me and seize power?"
"N-no... we wouldn't dare."
Although extremely aggrieved, under the mocking and gloating gazes of the surrounding councilors, the stubborn Morningstar Family Councilor quickly bowed his head in submission.
Once the charge of treason and usurpation was confirmed, the consequences would affect more than just him; the entire Morningstar Family and the forces under their command would suffer devastating blows.
The mindset of the High Elves nobility is 'family before nation.' If he were remembered as the cause of their family's total destruction, the Morningstar Family Councilor did not know how he would face his own kin.
"Hmph!"
Snorting coldly, Anasterian spoke with renewed confidence, "Please remember your identities clearly. The Silvermoon Council was established by the Late King DathRemar to commemorate the achievements of your ancestors in founding Quel'Thalas."
"You certainly possess the right to supervise and advise the King, but that is all. Since when must the Sun King obtain the Silvermoon Council's permission to issue a command?"
"Do you all intend to rebel?"
As soon as this accusation was leveled, the councilors' faces changed color, and they hastily rose to bow respectfully.
"We dare not!"
"The Sun King exaggerates."
"This was merely the arbitrary action of the Morningstar Family Councilor, and has nothing to do with the rest of us."
The Morningstar Family Councilor was so angry his nose was crooked. These fence-sitters hadn't spoken like this last night.
"You all!"
"Enough!"
Anasterian slammed the armrest of the throne heavily. "Guards! Drag him out, and conduct a thorough investigation into the Morningstar Family."
Anasterian gave a meaningful glance at the pale-faced councilors present and said faintly, "I hope everyone here can properly understand their position and watch their mouths. Remember... trouble comes from the mouth."
"No! This is against the rules!"
Two Spellbreaker guards stepped forward in unison and restrained the Morningstar Family Councilor. Even as his internal magic was sealed and he was dragged away, he struggled fiercely, shouting loudly, attempting to incite the emotions of the other councilors.
"Will you just let this Dictator run wild! This is a blasphemy against the noble system... Ugh!"
The Spellbreakers were staunch supporters of the Sunstrider Royal Family. Seeing that this fellow intended to continue spouting nonsense, one of the Spellbreakers, unable to bear it any longer, covertly delivered a swift punch to the Morningstar Family Councilor's chest.
The Morningstar Family Councilor, whose magic and magic items had been sealed, possessed only the typical frail physique of a mage. After suffering the heavy blow, he immediately rolled his eyes and fainted.
Anasterian expressionlessly surveyed the uneasy councilors below. "We will now begin the vote on the proposal to send envoys to the Humans for aid. Who is in favor, and who is opposed?"
..."So I say, some people are just born lowlifes."
Andreas leaned back in the Sunstrider Royal Court's Rear Garden, filled with countless flowers, and amusingly said to Onyxia, "If you constantly adopt a conciliatory attitude towards them, over time these Ingrates will forget what gratitude is."
"Occasionally striking them down is actually more effective in maintaining one's authority, lest certain individuals breed unwarranted delusions."
The Black Dragon Princess agreed wholeheartedly. "You can't be soft on people like this. Giving them a good beating also serves as a warning to others."
The Morningstar Family was utterly ruined. Few nobles who reached the position of councilor had clean hands.
Once the decision was made to investigate, it would be easy to find a pile of evidence that would convince the citizens of Silvermoon City and ruin their reputation.
There is an ancient Chinese saying, 'A Gentleman Deceives with Reason,' which means using logical methods to deceive an honest person.
Andreas had many dealings with DathRemar. This founding king of Quel'Thalas was an absolute good-natured man, and even his son DathNath was not much better.
By the time it reached Anasterian's generation, although he had acquired some Imperial Stratagems through the long accumulation of years, the family education he received since childhood made it difficult for them to completely shed their politeness and adopt a hardline stance against the Silvermoon Council.
Anasterian said with a wry smile, "My outburst this time was merely borrowing power. I don't know if the council members will rebound significantly after Celeste leaves."
"They won't, don't worry."
Andreas explained with a smile, "As long as Quel'Thalas can achieve victory in this war against the Forest Trolls under your leadership, your prestige will soar, and those councilors absolutely won't dare to cause trouble again."
"I hope so."
The envoys Anasterian sent to seek aid had already departed by ship. He looked up at the clear sky above Eversong Woods and sighed, "The Quel'Thalas that the Late King DathRemar desperately established must not be devoured by the Trolls during my generation."
"Even if I have to bow my head to the Humans, I want to save this nation and save our people."
Andreas smiled and patted the young Sun King on the shoulder. "Having this mindset proves you are a competent king. Wait patiently; the Trolls will not be triumphant for long."
In the Amani Forest of southern Eversong Woods, Forest Trolls gathered from all over, and their total military strength was still gradually climbing.
Just as Anasterian had said, continuing to delay would only make the war situation worse and worse.
Although Quel'Thalas had not yet shown signs of defeat, no one could say for sure how much longer the frontline defenses could hold under absolute numerical inferiority.