Duke Bolvar spoke eloquently and fluently, his theory of the Heavenly Dao of Azeroth being novel and unprecedented. King Varian listened with great interest, scratching his head and earnestly asking:
"Bolvar, you are my best friend. May I ask you, why did the Scourge come into being and why did it perish?"
Duke Bolvar pondered for a long time, feeling somewhat sorry for Varian. In fact, the Black Dragon Princess had only taught him about the Way of Heavenly Dao; using this as a premise and excuse would surely have convinced Varian of his views.
Then it's up to her to perform; even the Black Dragon Princess couldn't predict what reason Jaina would use to persuade Varian.
Bolvar knew very well that reasoning with Varian was pointless, given his nature; it would be better to use some white lies.
In such a war-torn era, how many innocent lives and how much unnecessary bloodshed are needed for a young King to mature? The Kingdom of Stormwind cannot withstand such turmoil. Bolvar's expression remained calm, but his mind raced:
"King Majesty, do you recall that when you were injured, or when a foreign object pierced your body, you often experienced purulent infections, even rotting and foul-smelling?" Bolvar gently guided the King to reflect.
"No, I'll be healed by Priest soon after I'm injured," Varian said, puzzled.
Duke Bolvar wanted to slap himself on the head; he had completely forgotten about this. He was the King, after all; how could he lack Priests by his side?
"I understand what you're saying," Varian sighed, his voice heavy with sorrow.
"I've seen soldiers whose wounds fester and stink. Without the Priest's treatment, a significant number of them wouldn't survive. It's such a pity; so many young and vibrant lives have been lost so innocently."
In this world, although there are Priests who can bring the dead back to life and Herbalism who can cure all diseases, the number of Priests is far too small, and the cost of Alchemy is too high. Most soldiers, after being wounded, simply clean and bandage their wounds and wait for them to heal on their own. Infections are very common, and only a few high-ranking and powerful individuals can enjoy the treatment of Priests.
"Yes! Those rotting wounds and disgusting pus are actually a protective mechanism of the body. The Scourge of Azeroth is so similar; once the wounds heal or the foreign objects are removed, the rotting and pus will naturally disappear."
Duke Bolvar provided a good example, allowing Varian to think for himself and accept the answer willingly. Varian, as expected, asked, "Then, are the Orcs beings that invaded Azeroth orcs?"
"Excellent!" Duke Bolvar nodded solemnly.
"The Scourge rose to power unexpectedly because of the Orcs. This is definitely a mysterious force. To this day, we still don't know where Arthas's power came from. It seems that someone is secretly orchestrating everything, helping him rise. This kind of power has never appeared in history. I have reason to suspect that the Orcs invasion triggered a backlash from the Heavenly Dao. The Heavenly Dao granted Arthas wish, resurrecting the Lordaeron people, who died unjustly at the hands of the Orcs, into the Scourge. This is the Heavenly Dao's power of revenge, symbolizing Azeroth's expulsion of the Orcs."
"The Guardians' fabricated history, claiming Arthas's rise was due to Frostmourne, a trick of the Burning Legion, is utterly absurd. If such power truly existed, the one wielding that sword should be an Eredar Demons or a Dreadlord. We all know that Frostmourne has a distinct Dwarf style; it must have been crafted by some Bronzebeard."
King Varian waved his hand impatiently, saying, "I understand all of this. There's no need to explain it to me. Bolvar, are you saying that once the Orcs are destroyed, the Scourge will inevitably vanish?"
Duke Bolvar smiled and nodded. Varian was clever enough to draw inferences from this, and he seized the opportunity to add:
"That's right, exactly. Exterminating the Orcs is in accordance with the Heavenly Dao, and even Medivh cannot stop it. Once the Orcs are destroyed, the Scourge's historical mission will be over. Even if Arthas resists and refuses to disappear, he will gradually lose his power. At that time, all it will take is for a highly respected person to raise their voice and act in accordance with the Heavenly Dao, and heroes will surely respond. They can easily defeat Arthas and become the great Savior."
Varian's eyes lit up; he seemed to see the great hero who had raised his arms and called upon the people, a great king whose name would be etched in history, and whose name was sung by all.
Everyone harbors a dream of becoming a hero, a hero revered by all. However, a shadow quickly crossed Varian's mind: the Black Dragon Princess, which cast a somber expression on his face.
Duke Bolvar, being astute as he was, understood immediately from the King's expression and calmly said:
"Black Dragons have always been a symbol of disaster. The Black Dragon siblings have both lived for over a thousand years, so why were they never seen before, only appearing now? They are also following the will of Heavenly Dao. Once the Orcs are destroyed and the disasters are over, the Black Dragons must return to their caves, or they will surely face mortal danger."
Varian was thrilled upon hearing this; it seemed that Azeroth was suffering so much because of the Orcs.
Without the Orcs, there would be no Scourge, and the Black Dragon Princess would not have usurped her power.
He deeply regretted agreeing to build the Orcs internment camp; he should have killed these beasts, otherwise so many unpredictable things would not have happened.
"What if we cooperate with the Orcs?" Varian tentatively suggested.
Duke Bolvar's face darkened, a somber look spreading across his face, and he gasped.
"Your Majesty, this is absolutely unacceptable! It is going against the will of Heaven, and the consequences will be unimaginable. As long as the Orcs are not destroyed, the Scourge will not disappear. Even if the Guardian Medivh manages to kill Arthas by chance, there will still be a new Lich King. You see, this is meaningless. Moreover, those who defy the will of Heaven rarely meet a good end; they will surely die a violent death."
"Great, great, that's wonderful!"
Varian's face lit up with excitement upon hearing this. It seemed he didn't have to do anything; he could simply wait for that day to arrive and reap the benefits without lifting a finger.
He suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up, his face resolute and serious, and said:
"My father was killed by the Orcs, and my kingdom was slaughtered by Orcs. If I cannot avenge Orcs, how can I, Varian, a man of eight feet tall, stand between heaven and earth? I, Varian Wrynn, King of Kingdom of Stormwind, hereby swear that if I do not destroy the Orcs, I will be pulverized to dust and reduced to ashes, and die without a burial place."
Bolvar slowly sipped his tea, a huge weight lifted from his heart; Kingdom of Stormwind was now safe and sound.
In the face of conflict between the Horde and the Scourge, the best course of action is to remain neutral and observe the situation.
Becoming a pawn or ally of the Orcs is a terrible idea, harmful to both oneself and others. He believed in the Black Dragon Princess's theory of Heavenly Dao, which was well-founded, reasonable, and profound; Jaina should not have been able to find a way to counter it.
Varian slept soundly that night, dreaming that he became the greatest King in the history of Kingdom of Stormwind. His statue, made of gold and jade, stood hundreds of meters tall in the Valley of Heroes in Stormwind City, a magnificent and immortal masterpiece.
The next morning, Varian immediately ordered that anyone who dared to spread rumors again would be expelled and never be employed again. The servants and guards were all terrified, none of them wanting to lose this respectable and honorable job, and the rumors stopped immediately.
Unfortunately, the young King Varian had not yet learned to keep secrets. At a banquet a few days later, a drunken Varian quickly revealed his divination of the will of Heavenly Dao to the public, and it soon reached Jaina's ears.
Although Jaina is a woman, she is an Archmage, and mages tend to think rationally. Varian firmly believes in the will of Heavenly Dao, but Jaina is not so easily swayed.
She was considering her next move; she had one last trump card, one that Varian couldn't refuse.