High Priest Fengdelor finished his prayers and returned to the little courtyard where he lived alone.
"Yo."
"Can't you do something about that habit of showing up uninvited?" Fengdelor shook his head and laughed when he saw who it was.
Belovar sat comfortably in a wicker chair while a pretty young high elf girl beside him filled his cup with peacebloom tea.
"You're getting fussier by the day, old man."
"How greatly you honor this old man by gracing my humble home with your presence, Lord Speaker."
Belovar took the teapot from the girl and poured himself another cup.
"You, honestly..."
The two old friends of many years sat drinking tea and bantering in the little courtyard amid drifting blossoms.
"That precious grandson of yours has caused quite a stir. How come I've heard the boy switched to divination? And that he can even treat infertility?"
Belovar's face, beaming with delight a moment earlier, instantly darkened.
"That boy... a disgrace to scholarship, an utter disgrace. He's brought shame on the entire Sarona family."
"Making an outstanding contribution to the growth of the Quel'dorei population isn't bad at all. That benefits both the nation and its people."
"Enough, you shameless old thing. Liadrin is still here." Belovar glanced at the elven girl standing beside them, shaking with laughter, and struggled to save face.
Setting down an exquisite invitation decorated with elegant patterns, Belovar beat an awkward retreat.
"Whispering Pond, seven days from now. Make sure you come." His voice slowly faded with the violet glow of his teleportation spell.
"Hahaha!"
"Heeheehee!"
The courtyard brimmed with merriment.
The same awkward scene kept repeating. After leaving Fengdelor's courtyard, Belovar immediately visited his other old friends' homes, then called on Salorian Dawnseeker and the heads of the great families one by one.
"The last time I was this embarrassed was the last time. That little beast has utterly disgraced me." Sitting in his mage tower, Belovar wiped the sweat seeping from his forehead, his face contorted.
Kaynell Sunfire: So it's my fault?
"Where has that lazy, stupid idiot Redor gone?"
Somewhat drained after summoning three enormous water elementals, the high-ranking mage Anselon roared at the apprentice beside him, who was directing an enchanted broom to clean.
"Sorry, Master. I haven't seen Meredor in a long time..."
The apprentice Lalrei answered his increasingly short-tempered master with trepidation.
"Put down that damned broom. It works by itself, idiot! Take this. If you see that fool, bring him to me. Give him a taste of suffering first."
Anselon tossed the small oak wand to his apprentice, then hurriedly directed the water elementals, which were about to dissipate, to continue working.
The three water elementals, each like a small giant, began purifying the slightly murky lake water.
"Aurelia, tell those rangers I don't want a single mana spring lynx or dragonhawk within ten li. What? No dragonhawk hatchlings either!"
"Jeromy! You filthy third-rate bard! Look what you've done! This is the aged Moonlight Wine Lord Al specifically ordered. No, you've ruined it. You've ruined everything!"
Like a busy little bee, Anselon bustled tirelessly around his estate, all for the lecture "Grand Archmage Al" would give seven days later.
Al gazed at the "grand spectacle" before him with a complicated expression.
Whispering Pond, once a vast expanse of rippling blue, had become crystal clear. The sludge on the lakebed had been dredged out and replaced with translucent mana residue, while the fish and shrimp had been replaced with mana swimmers {a variant of mana wyrms, essentially mana wyrms that lived in water}. These magical creatures occasionally burst with dazzling arcane light, illuminating the entire lake in a riot of colors.
A two-meter-high platform stood on the shore. Several hundred seats near the "podium" were reserved exclusively for important guests, while over a thousand little folding stools were packed into the outer area.
Al clicked his tongue at the seemingly endless "general seating" and fell into thought.
Anselon, this commoner instructor, had long since abandoned his usual reserve and arrogance. He rubbed his hands obsequiously, studying Al's expression for fear the "Grand Archmage" might find anything unsatisfactory.
"Isn't this... a little too extravagant?"
Al asked hesitantly as he looked at the aged Moonlight Wine and dreamfoil incense set on every VIP table.
"Not at all, not at all. I was afraid my humble abode might diminish your standing. Your alchemy workshop has already settled the bill. A mere ten thousand gold coins."
Al: ...
Time flew. Five days later.
It was barely light, an hour when even the most diligent farmers would normally still be in bed, yet the outer area of Whispering Pond was already packed.
"Darling, did you bring a notebook?"
"Of course. Today is the big day when Mr. Al shares his secrets. I'm going to write down every word. I'm sure we'll have a child within the next hundred years."
The elven couple embraced, oblivious to everyone around them. They had come for his reputation as the "child-bestowing Guanyin."
"Can listening to Grand Archmage Al's lecture really help you advance to a junior mage?"
"Believe in Brother Al! Never fail a class!"
"Ah! It's Salorian Dawnseeker! Is that the sacred sword Quel'Delar on his back? He's so handsome! I'm dead!"
"Look over there. Lireesa Windrunner, head of the Windrunner family. Doesn't she already have three daughters and a son? How could she be infertile...?"
Lireesa Windrunner: Your mother, you little shit.
"It's Lord Speaker Belovar..."
Amid the crowd's noisy cheers, the important guests took their seats one after another. Before long, every seat was occupied, leaving some minor nobles who had failed to secure a place with no choice but to stand off to the side.
Seeing that almost everyone had arrived, Al dispensed with ceremony and emerged from backstage. Just as he was about to begin, he sensed magical fluctuations in the air.
Anasterian wore the Sun King's crown and held the golden staff of the Quel'dorei. A golden-red one-handed blade hung at his waist, radiating scorching heat at every moment.
The thousands of elven commoners in the estate cried out in unison. The dignitaries in the VIP seats also rose in surprise, bowing to welcome the Sun King.
"Everyone, please be at ease. Today, I come not as Anasterian the Sun King, but as Anasterian the scholar." The Sun King raised one hand, his commanding voice carrying throughout the estate, and the scene immediately grew somewhat uncontrollable.
"Praise the sun!"
"For the glory of the Quel'dorei!"
"Anubeloredela'na!"
Thousands of people waved their hands fervently to welcome their king.
Al placed one hand over his chest. Watching the almost frenzied crowd below the stage, he silently reflected: No matter how many flaws this people has, whether arrogance or obstinacy, their passion, their kindness, and their goodness must not be buried.
Remembering the blood elves' beautiful quality in the game from his previous life-the world kisses me with pain, yet I answer with song-and remembering this people's indomitable resilience in the face of disaster, their determination to rise, and their tireless pursuit of truth, Al reaffirmed his conviction: We should not have to bear this tragic future.
"Ahem."
Belovar's cough snapped Al out of his thoughts. At the sight of the angry Speaker, he shuddered, then looked toward the elven king. Anasterian merely winked at him and unceremoniously sat in Belovar's seat.
Belovar casually grabbed an elf, tossed him aside, and took his seat.
"How dare you, you brazen scoundrel! I am provisional councilor Dar'Khan Drathir!"
"Not anymore."
His anger still unspent, Belovar turned to look at the thoroughly indignant "provisional councilor."
Dar'Khan: I'm done for...
Warcraft fanfiction has always been a niche within a niche, and I have no idea how this book will perform. It'll probably flop. Even without recommendations or results, as long as it can go premium, I'll grit my teeth and finish it, so don't worry about me becoming a eunuch. I've discussed it with my editor: 4,000 characters a day, 2,000 per chapter. It's not that I don't want to update more, but that's how the system works. Once it goes premium or gets recommendations, I'll release extra chapters and mass updates. Right now, the book is just starting out, and this is my first time writing, too. I hope you good readers can leave your opinions after reading so I have something to refer to. What isn't written well? Is the pacing too slow, or is it something else? That way, I can improve as well.
My heartfelt thanks once again.