"Arthas!" Jaina cried out excitedly. It was wonderful to see her fiancé again. Although they weren't officially engaged yet, both their parents had agreed. Barring any accidents, they would become husband and wife!
Arthas generously embraced Jaina, pulling her into his arms. "It's been too long. I've missed you dearly."
That one sentence was enough to make Jaina's heart melt. She was captivated. Young girls were always full of romantic fantasies, and she had heard stories about Arthas in Dalaran—tales of his romantic escapades as well as his heroic deeds in battle. This only made her more fascinated with him. Their marriage was a political alliance, arranged long ago. Rather than oppose it, it was better to accept reality, and Arthas was certainly not a bad choice.
"Ahem!" Archmage Antonidas coughed lightly, causing Jaina to break free from Arthas's embrace like a startled rabbit, her face blushing as she hid behind him.
"Your Highness, Jaina's magical talent is extraordinary. One cannot become an outstanding mage by studying in isolation. I hope Jaina can stay by your side and practice her magic in real combat."
"No problem, Archmage. I will do my utmost to protect Jaina." Arthas nodded slightly, placing his right hand over his chest in a knight's gesture of protection.
Lady Jandice, who was standing nearby, also stepped forward, pulling her daughter over. "Your Highness, this is my daughter, Illucia. May I have her stay by your side to learn? Her magical talent is outstanding, and she is already a qualified mage. Having her by your side, even just to serve you tea, would be no problem. Please forgive my selfishness, but the Kingdom of Alterac faces the constant threat of the Horde. Those barbaric orcs burn, kill, and plunder, leaving only corpses and ashes in their wake. I worry for Illucia's safety. Sheltering her will only harm her in the long run. I want her to follow you, to learn on the battlefield. Let her serve you. I apologize for the trouble." After speaking, she bowed deeply, adopting a very humble posture.
"And why should I accept?" Arthas's smile was full of playful amusement. Offering him her daughter? He smelled a conspiracy.
"Your Highness will gain the friendship of the Barov family and the friendship of the Kingdom of Alterac. I have heard of your ideals, Your Highness. Having one more ally is always a good thing, is it not?" Lady Jandice smiled faintly. She was extremely reluctant to send her daughter away, but her husband's persuasion, coupled with the various benefits, had made her decide, and she had even delivered her daughter in person.
"Then you should stay as well. I need mages, not serving maids. This campaign to aid Quel'Thalas will not be peaceful; in fact, it will be fraught with danger. I don't have time to look after your daughter. You can stay, but you must obey my orders. In a military camp, obeying one's superior is the first rule. Can you accept that? If you can, you may stay. If not, you may leave. I have not prepared lunch for you, so please make your choice." Arthas's words were grand and righteous; no one found anything wrong with them.
Emeriss, however, understood Arthas's thoughts perfectly. She knew he had definitely taken a liking to that human female mage. The prince before her was no traditional priest or knight; he had a dark and sordid side to his heart. But that didn't affect her fondness for him. The fact that she engaged in deep exchanges with him every night and allowed him to shoot inside her body spoke for itself. That meant she was willing to risk pregnancy!
Indeed, two of the three great beauties of Scholomance had appeared at once. How could Arthas, a lecherous wolf, possibly let them go? But the act had to be complete. He had to keep up appearances. His sordid thoughts could exist, but they couldn't be shown too openly. He had to use a righteous-sounding excuse to make them stay. As long as they stayed, he would have all the time in the world to slowly cook them up.
With a miraculous item like the Essence of Life in his hands, Arthas didn't think any woman could resist such a temptation. The only difference was the price he had to pay. Women? Heh, weren't they just for fucking? If someone was going to fuck them, it might as well be him!
Lady Jandice was a bit stunned. She was a duchess! Although the Kingdom of Alterac was relatively weak, it was still a kingdom, and the Barov family was as close as brothers with the king. Her status and position did not require her to grovel before Arthas; they could cooperate as equals.
Even Antonidas was taken aback. What was this young prince planning? Looking at the four dragons behind him, a trace of horror flashed through his mind. Those four dragons combined could probably destroy half of Dalaran. Was this the favor of the dragons?
A thousand thoughts raced through her mind as she constantly calculated the gains and losses. Jandice looked at her daughter, then at Jaina, and finally gritted her teeth and agreed. She had to stay, at least to give her daughter some guidance.
"I agree."
Arthas nodded and extended his hand for a handshake. "Then welcome to my team. In the future, my army will need to cross the Endless Sea to another continent. The mission I bear is heavy. I must not only protect Lordaeron, but all of humanity. We face too many threats. The orcs are being manipulated by demons from behind the scenes. We must unite to have even a sliver of a chance." He turned to look at the river in the distance. "Moreover, our own world is suffering from corruption and invasion. The crisis on our home soil must also be resolved. Otherwise, once the darkness spreads across the entire world, we will never see the light again. It is a terrifying presence that can beguile and easily corrupt the mind."
If an ordinary person had said this, not only would others not buy it, but Archmage Antonidas himself would have given him a good slap to teach him a lesson. But Arthas was different. As the Prince of Lordaeron and one favored by dragons, his words were reasonable and convincing.
"Your Highness, is what you say true? How much time do we have?" Antonidas looked as if he were facing a great enemy. He chose to believe Arthas, but it was impossible for him to simply buy into it completely.
"Time? I don't know either. We can only make thorough preparations. The world is fair. If we protect the world, the world will grant us its boons. Archmage, I still have matters to attend to, so I won't be preparing lunch. When I return in triumph, I will visit you in Dalaran with lavish gifts." Arthas nodded to Antonidas, then looked at a naga that was swimming over. Clearly, something had happened.