The Scheming Sylvanas

"Ah!" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked in surprise. "You're not planning to tell your family?"

"If we're going to put on an act, it has to look real. I'll tell them after you've actually taken Shalandis Isle and I've stepped in to reach an agreement with Falthrien Academy on the Arcane Addiction experiment!" Sylvanas said.

"Wouldn't that put me in even more danger?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk cried. "No, no! We have to come up with another plan."

"For example, I could propose to your sister. She turns me down, but I keep pestering her until your whole family gets angry," Yu Lin Bloodhawk added.

"Do you think everyone else is an idiot, or are you the idiot?" Sylvanas asked disdainfully. "What sort of person do you think my sister is? Would she use her position to settle a personal grudge? Besides, even if you pestered her, how exactly would you do it? How many years would that take? By then, my sister would have run off with Turalyon, and you wouldn't have gotten anywhere near Shalandis Isle. You'd still be sitting there like a fool, waiting for my family to get angry!"

"Don't you have any other ideas?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk cried. "Think of something else!"

"I do, but I won't use them. We're using this one," Sylvanas said firmly. "It'll get results fastest. I've wanted to get that annoying girl out of the house for ages."

"That's between you sisters. Don't drag me into it," Yu Lin Bloodhawk said. "Not one of you three is easy to deal with. I doubt there's anyone you wouldn't dare kill. I'm not doing it. I'd rather give up Shalandis Isle than get killed by your sister."

"Coward!" Sylvanas said scornfully.

"Say what you like," Yu Lin Bloodhawk replied. "I'd like to stay alive and enjoy a few more years of meals!"

"Fine! Then we'll think of something else," Sylvanas said, her eyes darting about.

"That's what you should have done in the first place." Yu Lin Bloodhawk breathed a sigh of relief.

"How about we go see my sister first? She's the Windrunner Legion Commander now. Who knows? The moment she sees you, she might be so dazzled that she falls hopelessly in love at first sight and throws herself into your arms," Sylvanas said with a smile.

...Yu Lin Bloodhawk looked utterly bewildered.

Wasn't that what he'd just said about Sylvanas? How had she picked it up so quickly and turned it around on him?

He gave an awkward smile. "Your sister isn't that boy-crazy. And I'm no Turalyon."

"How do you know she isn't boy-crazy? If she weren't, why would she like that Turalyon?" Sylvanas asked.

Yu Lin Bloodhawk didn't answer. He didn't dare.

You're the one saying that about your sister, not me.

"Huh? Why aren't you saying anything?" Sylvanas asked.

"Didn't you forbid me from talking about your sister?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked.

"Did I? I forgot," Sylvanas said. "But if you'd dared say anything about her just now, I'd definitely have made you wish you were dead. I can talk about her, but nobody else can."

A chill ran through Yu Lin Bloodhawk. Weren't you setting a trap and waiting for me to jump in? Things really are different now. I can't afford to die. Of these three bosses, this one's the hardest to deal with. Better not provoke any of them. Before their mindsets change drastically, there's nothing wrong with cozying up to a rich woman. Once I've built up some resources, the one destined to elope might have eloped, the one destined to become the Undead queen might have become queen, and the one destined to lead the Argent Dawn might have taken charge. I can just admire them when I have some free time.

"Let's go!" Sylvanas said, rising to her feet.

"Where?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk asked.

"To see that great beauty you mentioned-my sister," Sylvanas said.

"You're serious!" Yu Lin Bloodhawk jumped in fright.

"What do you mean, serious?" Sylvanas said. "We'll meet her first and work out what to do later."

"Don't get me killed! I can't afford to cross you three sisters!" Yu Lin Bloodhawk said anxiously.

"With that little courage, you still want to mess with my sister?" Sylvanas asked disdainfully.

"I was just running my mouth. Surely you didn't take it seriously? Do you think just anyone can afford to cross you three sisters?" Yu Lin Bloodhawk rolled his eyes. "I'm good at fighting wild monsters, but when it comes to you three big bosses, I know my limits."

"Then why do you want to stop my sister from going to Outland?" Sylvanas asked. "Have you got some ulterior motive involving her again?"

Why did you add 'again'? I've never had any designs on her, all right? Yu Lin Bloodhawk felt terribly wronged.

Come on, could you use your head? Outland is no paradise. It's a wreck, and it's dangerous. Why go there? And take a whole bunch of elites along, too? Don't they have anything better to do? If the humans want to fight, let them. What's it got to do with us? It's a waste of lives and resources! If they're so eager, why not stay and fight Zul'Aman? Why ignore the Trolls right on our doorstep and follow the humans to Outland to fight their battles instead? Why don't we ever see the humans coming to help us?

Forming an expeditionary force is fine, but couldn't the allied expedition wipe out the Trolls in Zul'Aman for us before heading to Outland? Why put out someone else's fire while our own backyard is still burning, then foolishly follow them off to kill and burn? We'd make enemies without gaining anything, and suffer for it ourselves. Only those fools in Silvermoon City would do something like that.

I can't make sense of it no matter how hard I try. What goes on in their heads? I only told you because I couldn't stand watching it happen. And if nothing else works out, couldn't I at least help that unlucky Koltira Deathweaver along the way?

Though a thousand words swirled through his mind, he absolutely wouldn't say them now. Who knew what the queen was thinking?

Seeing Yu Lin Bloodhawk remain silent, Sylvanas smiled. "Look how frightened you are. My troops belong to the Windrunner Burning Legion, while yours are a company of the Golden Mist Burning Legion attached to the Windrunner Burning Legion. You were originally supposed to support the attack on the Trolls in Zeb'Sora, but now that the mission has been canceled, we have to go back and report to the legion commander. They're stationed in An'owyn Valley, facing off against the Trolls in Zeb'Nowa. Besides, the barracks here in Tranquillien are only temporary. We can't occupy them forever."

"Oh. I'll go gather the troops, then." Yu Lin Bloodhawk relaxed. This sounded like normal procedure.

Sylvanas shook her head in amusement without saying anything.

The troops set out once more. After several days of rest, they were in excellent spirits and advanced toward An'owyn Valley at a steady, unhurried pace.

This time, Yu Lin Bloodhawk finally saw one of the legendary lynxes. It wasn't enormous, but it was a size larger than the leopards he'd seen on Earth. As it lay on the fallen leaves in the forest, its grayish-brown coat provided excellent camouflage. Sylvanas said it was an adult Ghostclaw Lynx.

At that moment, Yu Lin Bloodhawk sorely missed the Hunter class's Beast Taming skill. Unfortunately, even after searching through all his memories, he could only establish that this ranger named Yu Lin Bloodhawk knew two skills: Arcane Shot and Concussive Shot,

along with a few tricks for laying magical traps, such as Freezing Trap. Everything else was fairly ordinary. So, without feeling embarrassed about asking his superior, he began questioning Sylvanas about rangers.

Sylvanas explained patiently, but finally asked in exasperation, "Have you ever read the Ranger Training Manual?"

Yu Lin Bloodhawk shook his head.

"Surely you've at least read the Ranger Recruit Training Manual?" Sylvanas asked again.

Yu Lin Bloodhawk shook his head again.

Sylvanas pressed a hand to her forehead and sighed. "Heavens! How could the High Elves produce such an idiotic officer? Thank goodness that mission was canceled. Otherwise, I truly can't imagine what sort of tragedy would have occurred!"

With no other choice, Sylvanas began explaining everything one by one to this fellow who kept surpassing her expectations of how stupid anyone could be. She rather regretted letting her adjutant Lor'themar leave so soon.

After three days of marching, Yu Lin Bloodhawk finally understood the broad outlines. There were still things he didn't quite grasp, and he wanted to ask more questions, but they had reached An'owyn.

Driven nearly mad by this idiot, Sylvanas breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of An'owyn Valley, as though she had finally been freed. "I know what you want to ask, but there's no need now. Once we reach the legion's camp, I'll get you a Ranger Training Manual and a Ranger Recruit Training Manual. All the answers are in them. For now, let's report to my sister."

Before long, both their units had entered the Windrunner Burning Legion's camp in An'owyn Valley. The two hurriedly settled their troops, then headed together toward the legion commander's tent. The guards all seemed to know Sylvanas, and no one stopped her from taking Yu Lin Bloodhawk inside.