"Go on, tell me. What message did Azshara want you to deliver?" While Sophia happily played on the other side, Savis stood in Azar's office.
"Praise your wisdom. Nothing escapes your discerning eye." Savis bowed and replied respectfully.
"Enough flattery. I was the one you defeated, remember? You—and your new mistress!" Azar gritted his teeth as he said "your new mistress."
"The queen says it's time to reveal our true strength." He seemed not to hear Azar's taunt and continued speaking earnestly.
"She can't wait any longer?"
"The queen believes the time is right. According to our scouts, some major upheaval seems to have taken place among the Zandalari. Their control over the trolls has fallen to an all-time low. The Gurubashi, Amani, and Akarai are practically independent."
"Who does she want to attack first?"
"The Zandalari!"
"No. Go back and tell her not to underestimate any ancient race. A thousand years ago, the Zandalari were already able to unite all the troll tribes. Even if their rule was loose, that alone speaks volumes about their abilities. Their rulers are a group of wise men and scholars. They had already achieved a high level of civilization before we obtained the power of the Well of Eternity. Most importantly, they have a powerful ally! Right now, they're simply doing everything they can to help that ally resist a powerful enemy. If we attack them, the war will escalate once they recover. When that happens, victory may not go to us!"
"Do you mean we should give up? You know her temper. That's impossible!"
"Who gave you permission to speak to me like that? Azshara?"
"Please, calm down. I didn't mean to offend you." As soon as Savis finished speaking, he threw himself to the ground. That was right—he had been standing, but the moment Azar grew angry, he had been so frightened that he dropped to his knees. Facing his former master, he still couldn't suppress the fear deep in his bones.
"I know the Zandalari situation better than you do. Now isn't the right time to attack. We must not only refrain from attacking them, but also send envoys to offer peace and friendship. Only then can we hope to gain understanding when we attack the other three targets. Our main attack will be against the Gurubashi, while we harass the Amani. That's your assignment. I'll deal with the Akarai."
"Yes. I'll make sure your words are delivered in full." After saying that, he got up and left.
"Come out, Sophia." Azar's tone shifted from stern to gentle, as if he were a different person.
Sophia emerged through a small door nearby, looking sheepish, like a child caught sneaking a snack.
"You're not going to be angry with me, are you?" Seeing that her father didn't seem too upset, the princess immediately put on a cute act. Seriously, who had she learned that from?
"If you want to listen in the future, do it openly. These are things you need to learn. Remember, you're the future queen! From this moment on, you need to be aware of that!"
"Yes, Father." Sophia's expression immediately turned serious, too. She had been pampered since childhood, but she knew how to behave around her father, even though they'd only just met. Royal parents certainly knew how to make an impression. Now it was up to our old pal Azar to raise her into an outstanding leader.
"You'll sit beside me and listen during the meeting later. Bring your ears, not your mouth."
"I'll do my best, Father." Sophia slipped into her role quickly.
The Council Hall was full. Everyone chatted in low voices as they waited for His Highness the Prince to arrive. When they saw the princess enter with him, none of them showed the slightest surprise, as if it were only natural.
"Is everyone here? Let's begin. Sophia, you'll take the minutes starting today."
"Of course, Father." Sophia's bearing in such a formal setting was commendable.
"Azshara wants to attack the Zandalari."
"The Zandalari? Has she gone mad? Even putting aside their thousand years of civilization, their ally, the Mogu, is a tough opponent." Maiev had the shortest temper.
"That's not necessarily true. They probably don't have as much information as we do. The border with the Zandalari has been peaceful for far too long. It's perfectly reasonable for them to reach that conclusion." Daphne analyzed the situation calmly.
"I've already refused. Just look at the trolls who came from the south—their straight backs, their bearing, their tone and manner of speech. Do they seem like a primitive race? And look at their rulers: they're all wise men and scholars. I'd wager that when it comes to understanding this world, we're miles behind them! Sophia, remember this: short-sightedness is always a ruler's greatest enemy."
"Should we make any preparations? After all, she may not listen to you." An elf with a snow-white beard spoke up.
"What concerns me more is why they chose this moment to inform us. There are certain issues everyone would rather not face, and Azshara is too wise to overlook them." That was the voice of No. 3.
"Gandalf, go on." Azar's spirits lifted. This was an angle he had overlooked.
"Yes, Your Highness. I was wondering why this message arrived together with the princess."
"Hmph. She's telling me, 'I've done what you asked. Now I'm making a request of my own, and you have to do it, too.' Using her daughter! She'll never change!"
"Your Highness, why do you lose half your wits whenever Her Majesty the Queen comes up?" Who was bold enough to say that? Oh, it was Maiev. "Even I figured it out."
Everyone stared at her in surprise. Had the sun risen in the west?
"Why are you all looking at me like that? I really did figure it out."
"Then tell us," said Daphne, who was also a woman and close enough to urge her on.
"From a woman's perspective, she's just throwing a little tantrum! She only wants her cousin to make his position clear."
Everyone was completely baffled. Could it really be interpreted that way?
"Go on."
"No matter what you say to Savis, he'll report it all back to her. The choice is hers, but what you say matters a great deal. So refusing her was the right choice. Don't underestimate our own people; they may know as much as we do. That's why I say it's a little trap, meant to test you. It's just a woman's little scheme!"
"She even considered little details like provoking me." Azar had calmed down completely. His mind raced as he reviewed the whole matter and pieced everything together. After a moment, he slowly spoke.
"If you can't plan for the whole, you can't plan for any part of it. Our realm is vast, and those of us in high positions must consider the fate of our entire race. Every right decision we make, and every wrong one, will deeply affect the lives of many people. So we must be careful—careful, and then more careful. It never hurts to think things through a little more."
"Let her win this time. Issue the orders!" Everyone stood up, their expressions solemn.
"Mobilize three Warrior Legions, one Mage Legion, one Priest Legion, one thousand Sentinels, and ten Reserve Legions. Form the First Expeditionary Force, under Daphne's command. Begin combined-arms drills immediately. Minister of Municipal Affairs, prepare the necessary supplies."
"Yes!"
"Yes."
"Daphne, stay behind. The rest of you are dismissed. Falco, you too."
After everyone else had left, the group went to Azar's study.
"Falco, arrange guards for Sophia. Starting today, you'll stay with her."
"Yes. I'll arrange it right away." Falco knew the next part had nothing to do with him, so he turned and left without hesitation.
"Daphne, tell me what you think."
"I believe the plan most beneficial to us is to completely clear everything west of Feralas and create a secure rear area for ourselves. My plan is to have no plan: send the whole army out and sweep away every enemy!"
"That's exactly what worries me. You overestimate our strength. There are many intelligent races in this world that we don't know about. We must never rush into war. It's easy to make too many enemies that way, which would hurt our entire race."
"Please guide me, Your Highness."
"What I like most about you is your confidence and humility. The first phase is in the south! We'll bypass the Crater and head here—to Silithus. The mission is to exterminate the bugs!"
"Weren't we supposed to strike at the trolls?"
"Striking at the trolls is the political mission. Killing bugs is our real objective. I expect the Mogu to fall sooner or later. A brutal regime can't last forever! The Zandalari will eventually realize their ally is a hopeless case. So the Akarai, who betrayed them, are sure to face their fiercest attack."
"What's your basis for that prediction? Without reliable information, I can't support this plan."
"Merchants!"
"Merchants? What useful information could they give us?"
"No, no, no. Daphne, you've got it wrong. Merchants are actually the most sensitive group in this world. As an outstanding military strategist, you must learn to analyze your opponents' situation from merchants' behavior. Looking at the records of our trade with the Zandalari over the past thirty years, I noticed that they need less food."
"What does that tell us?"
"It tells us a great deal!"
Azar smiled meaningfully. He'd get to be a mentor again.
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