"Oh? Are you talking about the crisis on the other continent?" Liam asked curiously. His words made the other princes and Great Lords prick up their ears. Another crisis? Wouldn't that be a perfect time to hoard supplies and make a fortune?
"Aside from everything else, let's talk about the Orcs that appeared recently. The Dark Portal hasn't been closed yet. Just because the Orcs failed doesn't mean the Demons won't launch a direct assault; this is a hidden danger. Second, the Insectoids in the south have already begun excavating tunnels beneath the Endless Sea. If they succeed, we will be under direct attack. Don't think this is a distant threat—given time, they could complete such a feat in less than ten years. Insectoids never sleep, they reproduce incredibly fast, and they are difficult to kill. Once they spread, I fear the human kingdoms will be unable to withstand them."
"A long time ago, when this land was still ruled by the Troll Empire, even the Trolls—a race with extraordinary regenerative abilities—nearly faced extinction, losing ninety percent of their population just to crush the Insectoids. How many people does the Alliance have in total now? I'm not being an alarmist; it's just that these matters have always been beyond our interference. Now, it is time to fulfill the duties of a Guardian. If we want to protect our home, we must annihilate all crises in their infancy." Arthas smiled meaningfully. "Risk and profit always coexist. I never make a losing deal."
Well, after all that buildup and the frightening words, it was all just a preamble for what came next. It wasn't that no one was willing to sacrifice themselves, but such people were rare. Even the most noble person has selfish motives; that is the nature of humanity.
"And what would we stand to gain?" Liam felt somewhat moved. Looking at Arthas's rise to power, aside from his status as the Prince of Lordaeron, the help Lordaeron provided him wasn't so much vast as it was necessary. To not utilize the advantages of being a prince would be purely nonsensical. It was undeniable that Arthas was indeed brilliant; his unconventional recruitment of other races had yielded unexpectedly good results. The maritime advantage of the Naga was simply staggering. Organized groups of Naga were the nightmare of any fleet.
"The shells of those Insectoids are excellent forging materials. Every part of them is a treasure; even their venom has great utility. Aside from that, I can't say more." Arthas gave a mysterious smile and stopped at the most crucial point, refusing to elaborate. He couldn't make any guarantees. Should he mention immortality? No, these things had to be wrapped in mystery to pique their curiosity. If everything was spelled out, it would be boring. It was like a woman wearing a bikini; the most alluring part was the teasing glimpses. Once everything was stripped bare, it became mundane and lost its passion.
Everyone knew Arthas had reaped many benefits through the Dragon Legion, but no one knew exactly what they were or how much he had earned. There were rumors of beauty supplements—one only needed to look at Queen Lianne's radiant face to see it; that was not the complexion a middle-aged woman should have. There were also the mysterious skills of resurrection, which everyone spoke of with hushed reverence.
"Citizens of Lordaeron, I have an announcement to make. My son, your Prince, Arthas, is now engaged to Jaina, the Princess of Kul Tiras. They will be wed upon reaching adulthood. Furthermore, this year's taxes will be reduced to fifty percent! Rejoice! Cheer for your Prince!" Terenas finally announced the bombshell news: the Prince's engagement, coupled with a tax cut!
Lordaeron was going through difficult times, so it would no longer collect such high taxes. Terenas was very clear on this point: only by keeping the commoners on his side could the royal power continue to endure.
Admiral Daelin also let out a sigh of relief. His daughter had been following Arthas for so long that if an announcement hadn't been made, he would have felt he couldn't show his old face in public.
When the news broke, despite prior rumors, countless noble young women still felt as though their hearts had shattered. Their Prince Charming, the man of their dreams, was actually engaged to a young girl!
Many male nobles also gritted their teeth. Even Kael'thas, who had come to attend the ceremony, felt his mouth twitch slightly. He had a great deal of affection for Jaina, but in the end, she had fallen into Arthas's arms. This fellow's luck was enough to make anyone envious; he seemed to have claimed every good thing for himself!
During the military parade, Jaina participated in the Expeditionary Force's review as a Mage. Given her status, it would have been better for her to be on the stage, but Jaina preferred her identity as a Battle Mage. Thus, she appeared in the magic corps alongside Lady Jandice, a way of expressing that she was no mere "trophy."
"Congratulations, Arthas." Liam was the first to express his goodwill. To him, managing Gilneas well was the most important thing; everything else was secondary. Being able to establish a connection and cooperate with Arthas was more important than anything. Moreover, looking at Arthas, he didn't seem interested in annexing other kingdoms. If he wanted to, he could have done so using the Dragons during the Orc war. Since he hadn't, there was no need to remain suspicious.
"Thank you. Come, let's go have a drink!" Arthas was in a great mood. Now he was officially Jaina's fiancé. Even if he were to take things further and get her pregnant, Kul Tiras would just have to bite their tongues and accept it, since they were officially engaged.
The grand celebration had begun. Below, the commoners were singing and dancing, accompanied by performing troupes. The nobles gathered for a feast in the royal city, with servants busily moving about, bringing fresh food and wine to the tables.
Arthas went down personally to greet Jaina. They were the protagonists tonight; how could they miss it?
Brigitte's eyes flickered. She couldn't marry Arthas, but once he became King, she might still have a chance. Besides, if she couldn't be the Queen, being a consort was an option. She would never give up. Rather than marrying some useless person, she would rather be the woman behind a powerful man!
Marlene patted her niece's shoulder and shook her head slightly. "You will have your chance. Don't lose heart."
"I've never lost heart." Brigitte broke into a smile. As long as she didn't obsess over the marriage itself, she didn't mind.
There were many young women with the same thoughts as Brigitte. If they couldn't be together openly, then what about a secret affair? Not just the young girls—even many mature women were feeling restless. The benefits of forming a good relationship with Arthas were simply too great to refuse!