"This means their agricultural production is recovering! Under what circumstances would agriculture recover? Shouldn't everyone be joining the army because the fighting is so intense?"
"..." Daphne caught on to what he meant and began to take the discussion seriously.
"More people are returning to farming. That means there are fewer auxiliary troops, and the fighting is spreading over a smaller area."
"Demand for all kinds of medicine is rising! Trolls don't tend to care for their wounded during battle. It's only after the fighting, if the soldiers have survived, that they need medicine. So now merchants are stockpiling it!" Daphne quickly flipped through the statistical reports on Azar's desk, speaking with growing excitement.
"That's not all. Demand for building materials is also up. They're preparing to build fortifications," Azar added.
"So what we need now is to offer them some help! That makes this a political matter. Do you still have any questions?"
"Just one more. Why the Insectoids instead of Ashenvale?"
"Daphne, look at the map and see what surrounds us. To the east is Zin-Azshari, with a small stretch of Desolace beyond it. To the north lies almost all of Desolace. The sea is to the west. Where do you think we should attack?"
"So I chose to head north from the northwest!"
"That's the right direction, but the timing is wrong! And your route would take you past that lake. Can you guarantee the Green Dragons will be friendly toward us?" Azar paused after speaking, giving her time to think while taking a sip of water himself.
"So you've decided to clear the threats to the south first, then head north into Desolace and wipe out the Centaur and Quillboar! After that, we'll push west from Desolace and take all of Ashenvale!"
"The route is basically right, but there are too many unknowns. We need more information, and that means time. Timing is crucial."
"The Insectoids have barely been seen since the War of the Ancients, especially near the borders."
"Can you be sure the insects have no means of resisting? Even if they don't, we still need to establish a safe zone to our south, so let's start there. We need a secure southern frontier. We have to plan for the future. To be honest, I'm not optimistic about the future of our Elf people. If we don't work hard ourselves, no one will be able to help us. Our people will become second-rate. This is a world ruled by the strong, and there will always be races on the rise. How we remain prosperous through the long currents of history is something we, as leaders, must consider. Go make preparations. Whatever else you do, first get the forces under your command organized. Once all the units have assembled, hold several drills to improve coordination between the different branches. As the general in command, you also have another task: work out a reasonable balance of forces. You won't figure it out in one go. You'll have to learn and refine it through battle, testing it again and again. You have a lot of work ahead of you."
Daphne left. She had gained a great deal today and needed time to digest it all.
"Come here, child," Azar said gently to Sophia. She obediently came to her father's side. Azar took her hand and said warmly, "I've been busy for so long that I haven't had a proper chance to sit down and talk with my own daughter."
"I know you're busy. Mother is like that too. She meets with one minister, then another. She hardly ever gets to rest." The princess looked a little forlorn.
"What do you like to do in your spare time?"
"I like going to the Temple of the Moon. The priestesses there are very kind to me and have taught me so much. I've learned all sorts of healing spells, too. When Mother gets tired, I help her relax. Father, you should try it as well." As soon as she mentioned something she was good at, Sophia brightened. She raised a hand and cast a healing spell.
"Does it feel good? High Priest Chrysana taught me that spell. She says I have a real talent for it. She even said that if I didn't need to study under you, she'd recruit me into the Temple of the Moon so I could inherit her legacy and become High Priest."
"That won't do. My daughter is destined to become queen. How could you become a priestess instead?"
"You think so too? Mother taught me the same thing, but I don't really want to. If you insist, I'll study for a while. If I learn enough, can I go to the Temple of the Moon?"
Azar felt just like a parent in China, convinced that the path he had planned for his child was the best one, never realizing that children always had their own dreams. But as a teacher in his previous life, he also understood that children developed different interests at every age. If circumstances allowed, there was no reason they couldn't become skilled in more than one thing. They had endless lives and plenty of time to enjoy them. All they needed was to stay focused and make sure their interests were genuine. After gathering his thoughts, he spoke earnestly to his daughter. "My dear child, as your father, I hope you'll grow up according to the plans I've made for you. But as a father, I want even more for my child to be happy. If something makes you unhappy, tell me. I won't be angry. I just want you to grow up happy and live a safe, peaceful life."
"Thank you, Father. I know I was destined to become queen from the moment I was born. I've also heard some things about you and Mother, but I don't mind. Especially after hearing what you said, I'm even more certain that you both love me. Mother also said she didn't want me to carry too much pressure, which is why she agreed to send me here. She said you would respect my opinion. I thought about it a lot on the way here. What if my father turned out to be domineering? Should I go back to Mother? But I didn't want to go back, either. I don't even know why."
"Don't worry about all that. At your age, you should be happy and enjoy the good life you have." Faced with such a thoughtful, sensible child, Azar felt a sweetness fill his heart. Had I saved the galaxy in my previous life?
"All right, Father, you don't need to worry about me. I'm very clever, and I think I'll soon become an excellent successor. I'll work hard, so I can have more time to communicate with Elune. Just like the words on the wall say: 'Ten thousand years is too long; seize the day.' Let me represent the Night Elves on a diplomatic mission to the Zandalari. I can prove to you how quickly I learn. I'm going to rest now. You should get some rest soon, too."
Sophia went to bed. Azar sat alone in his study, not saying a word. It seemed he really didn't have what it took to be a screenwriter. None of his scripts ever went the way he planned, especially when it came to his family. It had been the same with Azshara, and now it was happening with Sophia. Sometimes he wondered if his thinking was flawed. Perhaps things would turn out better if he just let them unfold naturally.
Before you continue