"Valeera, stop hiding."
Arthas walked out of the room. The stealth that deceived light and vision for others was as good as nothing in his eyes; he could clearly see Valeera's position.
However, upon hearing the voice of her "superior," Arthas, Valeera not only didn't obediently reveal herself but instead shivered, turned, and tried to slip away.
Arthas had no intention of letting Valeera escape. Such matters were best handled with the culprit caught red-handed. If she ran, given her personality, it wasn't impossible for her to deny everything.
So Arthas decisively made his move, but he didn't use Shadow Realm magic to control Valeera. Instead, he pushed his palm forward, and a wave of Holy Light slowly rippled out.
Valeera saw the unfavorable situation and sped up, wanting to quickly escape, but that Holy Light wave, though seemingly slow, caught up to her in the blink of an eye.
The Rogue looked left and right, stepping on air, completely merging into the Shadow Realm. The next second, she reappeared on a nearby rooftop.
Arthas smiled slightly. The level Valeera displayed had already made him very satisfied, but it was time to end this "farce."
Paladins generally had no good way to deal with Rogues who were determined to escape, because due to their armor type and ability characteristics, it was difficult for them to catch up to someone who had greased their feet.
Not to mention, it was a petty thief like Valeera, who often engaged in illicit activities before being recruited and was proficient in the art of escape.
She was fully confident that she could escape Arthas's capture. As for what happened afterward, she'd just deny everything, anyway, she hadn't done anything bad, so Arthas couldn't do anything to her.
But Valeera hadn't been happy for two seconds when over a dozen Holy Light chains sealed off the space she was in, and the energy tremors forced Valeera to reveal herself.
Seeing Arthas smiling at her, Valeera sighed, her pointed ears drooping slightly. She could only helplessly lower her head and jump down from the rooftop.
"Greetings, Prince."
Valeera, having been caught, very honestly bowed to Arthas. Arthas also had no intention of making things difficult for Valeera, saying, "No need for formalities, Miss Sagunar."
Valeera pursed her lips, looking somewhat indignantly at Edwin, who was holding Vanessa nearby.
She didn't even need to think; it must have been Vanessa's scoundrel father who ran to the Prince to complain, which was why she was caught today.
"Miss Sagunar, please forgive my suspicion. As a father, Vanessa is the person I cherish most. I was just afraid she might encounter some danger." Edwin also appeared very amiable and did not criticize Valeera's actions.
"Just call me Valeera," Valeera took off her red hood, revealing the exquisite face and soft long hair of a High Elf. "Since you say you are a father, you should spend more time with Vanessa, instead of being solely preoccupied with work."
Edwin was stunned after hearing this. He hadn't intended to do anything to Valeera, because Valeera had indeed done nothing wrong and had even taught Vanessa some self-preservation skills.
Moreover, it seemed that Valeera had only taught Vanessa these abilities and had not dragged Vanessa into the darkness of their profession.
However, Valeera's sudden remark made Edwin feel as if he was the one who had made a mistake.
Edwin looked at Arthas somewhat awkwardly. Because his superior was there, he still didn't dare to be as outspoken as Valeera, and could only cough twice to cover his embarrassment.
Arthas noticed Edwin's predicament and spoke up to help the Master Mason out of it.
"Valeera, Edwin is Vanessa's father, that's right, but he has another identity. Hundreds of thousands of workers under him are counting on him. He is not only responsible for his own family but also has to consider those thousands of families."
"If you like Vanessa, you don't have to come sneaking around like this. Wouldn't it be better to come through the front door openly? I think Edwin and Vanessa wouldn't refuse you either."
Edwin immediately said, "Of course, Vanessa likes you very much too. You are welcome to visit often, and Vanessa will be very happy."
Vanessa stared at her father with bright, sparkling eyes and happily said, "Is that true, Daddy?! You're really the best!"
Seeing the harmonious Vancleef father and daughter, Valeera bit her lip, "I'm very sorry, Prince, for making you come all this way for such a matter. I just…"
Valeera couldn't finish her sentence. Edwin looked at Arthas, puzzled. He didn't understand why Valeera was acting this way.
But Arthas understood very well. It seemed that Valeera's reason for coming to see Vanessa was also related to her own experiences.
He thought that most likely, this Miss Elf Rogue, while strolling through the city, had inadvertently discovered Vanessa playing alone, and an inner impulse had driven her to do such a thing.
To avoid disturbing the happy time of the Vancleef father and daughter, Arthas led Valeera to the other side of the garden, "Valeera, why aren't you willing to return to the Sagunar family? If you wish…"
"Prince, once some things happen, it's unlikely to be remedied." Valeera's sapphire blue eyes held a hint of sadness, "Sagunar is my family, yes, but my destiny has changed. The Secret Intelligence Agency and Lordaeron are my home now."
Valeera's parents died in an accident. Their family was attacked by Trolls while passing through northern Lordaeron into Quel'Thalas.
That's right, it was a Troll attack.
Under Arthas's rule, there were large numbers of outposts and troops stationed at the border between Eastweald and Quel'Thalas, and coupled with the local economic prosperity, there were very few bandits and mountain brigands.
And Arthas also didn't expect that even if the Bronze Dragon hadn't interfered, the convergence of history would exceed his imagination.
The world Arthas was in seemed to have accelerated significantly. Many events he was familiar with and the ages of some people had changed, but Valeera's family still suffered a Troll attack after entering Quel'Thalas territory.
Although Lordaeron's territory was full of troops and watchtowers, and Trolls dared not cause trouble, the Elves were far less numerous than humans. Even with the Bandinoriel Barrier, not all problems could be solved.
The Trolls killed Valeera's parents, and young Valeera escaped, but Valeera, having lost her parents, also got lost deep in the mountains.
She fumbled through the mountains for several days, originally intending to return to Quel'Thalas, but by mistake, she ended up back in Lordaeron's territory.
Young Valeera was thirsty and hungry. Her survival instincts and some skills she learned as a child led her to become a "petty thief." However, she generally only stole food and valuables for her own sustenance, until one day, this self-taught Rogue ran into members of the Secret Intelligence Agency.
Undoubtedly, she was caught red-handed. According to Lordaeron's law, she should have been sent to jail for a period of time, but the problem was that she was a High Elf. If not handled properly, it would inevitably cause some bad rumors.
The members of the Secret Intelligence Agency brought her back to Lordaeron and reported to Arthas, who was also very surprised when he found out.
He wasn't clear about Valeera's specific background, only knowing a general outline, but one thing he was very certain of was that Valeera was indeed a very young Elf.
Yes, even among humans, her age would be considered a child.
When Arthas first met Valeera, she was only eleven years old. Arthas had originally intended to contact Kael'thas to send this Elf girl home, but Valeera was incredibly stubborn at the time and refused to return to Quel'Thalas no matter what.
It wasn't until much later that Arthas understood that because Valeera's parents had tragically died at the hands of the Trolls, and Quel'Thalas had always ignored the matter, she developed a great sense of resistance towards her fellow Elves.
Arthas knew that the Elves were short-handed, and some non-critical areas simply didn't have the extra strength to set up outposts, which led to the Trolls slipping into Banthinoriel and causing the tragedy of Valeera's family.
But young Valeera didn't care. From that time on, she began to show resentment and disgust towards her compatriots. Arthas considered it for a moment and decided to keep Valeera in the Secret Intelligence Agency.
Arthas thought that perhaps when Valeera grew a little older, this hatred and emotion might fade, and she might be willing to return to Quel'Thalas.
However, unexpectedly, over time, Valeera's sense of belonging to Lordaeron grew even stronger. She preferred to stay alone in Lordaeron rather than return to Quel'Thalas.
And Nathanos, who was very close to the High Elves and displayed similar personality and demeanor to them, naturally was not liked by Valeera.
Her youthful nature, combined with her past, led her to empathize with Vanessa, who was playing alone, while she was out strolling.
This High Elf girl saw her past self in the lonely Vanessa, except Vanessa was much luckier than her; her parents weren't killed, they were just busy with their own affairs and had no time to accompany her.
Moreover, she discovered that Vanessa also had the same excellent talent as her. Unable to resist Vanessa's pleading, Valeera taught her a few tricks, but she didn't expect this to become the trigger for her discovery.
"So you plan to visit often from now on?" Arthas asked.
"Vanessa's father holds an important position, which is no secret. Just as you said, he is not only responsible for his own family but also for other families. This is a daunting responsibility."
Valeera sighed softly at this point, "However, I probably won't be coming for a while. I've discovered some things that might be related to the Trolls who killed my parents back then. I must go to the Hinterlands."
"The Hinterlands?" Arthas was somewhat surprised. He had thought that the Trolls who attacked Valeera's family were from Zul'Mashar. "Are you sure? That's a long way from Quel'Thalas."
"I'm sure—the Revantusk Trolls in the Hinterlands are very similar to the Troll scum who killed my parents in my memory, and some of the tracks I've collected also point to them."
Upon mentioning Trolls, all emotion in Valeera's eyes vanished, leaving only coldness and indifference.
"You need help, Valeera. The Revantusk Trolls may have settled in the Hinterlands even longer than the history of Silvermoon City. That's a very dangerous area."
Arthas was also very cautious about this. The Hinterlands area looked ordinary, but the dangers hidden there were probably much more perilous than what appeared on the surface.
Trolls and the animal spirits they worshipped were only one aspect; more terrifying things were buried in the mountains and rivers of the Hinterlands.
"This is my own business, Prince. The Secret Intelligence Agency still needs to pursue Syndicate fugitives. I can't divert their attention at this time—I can take care of myself, just like a few years ago."
"No, it's different, Valeera. This isn't official business, but help as a friend and family. You also said that you consider Lordaeron and the Secret Intelligence Agency your home, so we are your family and friends." Arthas said solemnly.
Although he couldn't send a large army into the Hinterlands, as that might mean war with the Trolls there, selecting an elite squad to help Valeera complete her revenge was no big deal.
Valeera initially wanted to refuse Arthas's kindness, but after he displayed an unquestionable authority, Valeera could only silently thank Arthas for his assistance.
Meanwhile, Vanessa and her father's playtime had also ended. The little girl skipped over, grabbed Valeera's hand, and chuckled, "Sister Valeera, I told my daddy that you can come play with me anytime from now on!"
Looking at the girl who was only a few years younger than herself, Valeera unconsciously smiled and gently stroked her little head, "Of course, little girl, but I'll be leaving Lordaeron for a few days. I'll bring you a gift then."
Seeing Valeera and Vanessa in such harmony, Arthas shrugged helplessly. Valeera was going to seek revenge on Trolls, what kind of gift would she bring Vanessa? A Troll's head?
Then Edwin would probably fight Valeera to the death.
Speaking of which, Arthas called Edwin over and asked, "How is the restoration progress of Alterac recently?"
"It's gradually getting back on track. We should see a brand new city of Alterac by next spring."
Edwin answered truthfully. After the main roads of Alterac were cleared, Andorhal and Lordaeron could ensure a continuous supply of materials and workers to Alterac, and the construction progress was very fast, much faster than Stormwind.
If not for Arthas's rather complex requirements, it might have been completed before this year's Winter Veil Festival.