CHAPTER 723: THANK YOU

In the past ten years, Jaina had not experienced the kind of profound upheavals that forge a true leader. She hadn’t yet faced the storms of the Dark Portal War, which would have truly tested her mettle. At best, her efforts had been confined to "small business." Historically, she had at least participated in the investigation of the plague with Arthas before the Scourge outbreak and endured the massacre in Stratholme, experiences that had utterly matured her.

Though she now held the title of Dalaran Senator, bestowed by Duke, she was still a rookie, unbaptized by war. It was impossible for her not to feel nervous. However, the task of establishing a cross-continental bridgehead for the Alliance—a feat even elite pioneers might struggle with—was suddenly being assigned to a novice like her. She herself couldn’t believe there wasn’t an element of favoritism involved.

She did have plans to expand Theramore, but that was predicated on Medivh’s prophecy coming true and the entire Lordaeron continent collapsing. Medivh’s prediction was now half-right: the Scourge was indeed powerful, but with Duke turning the tide, the situation hadn’t deteriorated to utter hopelessness. At present, the Alliance and the Scourge were evenly matched.

If the situation had collapsed, no one would blame her for taking refugees away; after all, she would have saved a large group of people. But if the situation didn’t collapse, and she took a large number of refugees away from the Eastern Kingdoms without authorization while the Alliance was organizing a southward migration, that would undoubtedly be seen as a betrayal of the Alliance! Her father, Daelin, would never forgive her.

But for Duke to send her there as the leader of the Alliance? That was an entirely different matter. Not only would it be legitimate, but it would also mean having strong support. Theramore was a truly remote and distant place. If she managed it well, she would be a queen in the truest sense. She could escape the shackles of Kul Tiras in one fell swoop, and if she were a little more ruthless, once firmly established, even Duke might not be able to control her. This prospect, after her long-simmering restlessness, filled her with an excitement she could barely suppress.

"Well, Jaina, are you willing to do this job?"

Duke’s question took Jaina a full three seconds to process. She agreed almost hastily: "Yes! Yes—of course I do—" The last word was almost a shout.

Duke smiled. Internally, he laughed uncontrollably.

Theramore was a massive pit. When the relationship between the Alliance and the Horde was good, Theramore could still scrape by. But if relations soured, who had ever seen a lion willingly live next to a tiger’s den? Now that the night elves, a xenophobic and isolationist race, were still chanting "Long Live the Forest," someone had to assert humanity’s presence. Since someone had to be sent anyway, why not Jaina, the "experienced technician"? After all, Duke had the trauma of nearly being killed by orcs in his childhood, so he wasn’t afraid she would genuinely cooperate with Thrall. Moreover, since Duke dared to propose it, he certainly had a backup plan...

At this moment, if Jaina were a man, this scene would be a classic depiction of loyalty between monarch and subject, a gentleman willing to die for his friend. All Duke would need was a slight gesture, and Jaina would have bowed in deference.

Okay, the above might be a bit too classical.

But Jaina was so happy she almost fainted.

"You... you really support me in proving myself? Aren’t you afraid I’ll mess it up? I haven’t proven myself in any field yet. I only know a little magic." Jaina covered her chest, which was heaving. Hmm, quite pleasing to the eyes, Duke thought.

Duke, ever the true gentleman, activated the system AI’s video recording function while maintaining an unwavering gaze into Jaina’s eyes.

Duke smiled faintly: "Isn’t this good for you, for me, for the refugees, and for the Alliance? You want to start a new venture. I don’t want a political marriage I dislike. Refugees need a sanctuary. The Alliance needs a pioneer to monitor the Horde. Since it benefits everyone, I can’t think of any reason to refuse."

What Duke said made perfect sense, and as intelligent as Jaina was, she couldn’t find a single point to criticize.

"But my father..."

"I will take care of His Majesty Daelin’s side," Duke agreed immediately. Political marriage was merely a part of political exchange. As long as the bargaining chips were sufficient, there would be no major issue. Moreover, times were different now. As long as Duke refused to acknowledge this engagement, could Daelin ignore the dual pressure from Lordaeron and Quel’Thalas and force Duke to marry Jaina?

"As for manpower and materials..."

"You won’t be left wanting. Duke has always been fair and square in the Alliance. When have you ever seen me resort to dirty tricks? The success of this development will depend entirely on your strength, determination, and luck, and will have absolutely nothing to do with logistics."

At this moment, Duke secretly activated the aura of moral integrity, a trait passed down by Alonsus Faol.

Ah! The great sage Du has appeared! Bah! Bah! Bah!

Regardless, Jaina was so moved she almost burst into tears. She pursed her red lips at first, then moved them for a while, and finally revealed a smile that truly came from the heart, the first since she had become an adult. It was clearly night, but it felt like dawn. It was clearly midsummer, but it felt like early spring.

An exceptionally beautiful woman, when she sheds all scheming, calculation, and pretense, her genuine smile is so breathtaking that Duke felt as if he might suffocate from overwhelming excitement. A smile from such bright eyes was enough to captivate a city. In that moment, her beauty was eternal.

"Thank you, Duke."

Duke lowered his head a little awkwardly. "You’re welcome! If this counts for anything... just think of it as an opportunity you gained in exchange for the ’Mrs. Edmund’ golden signboard."

Indeed, Duke’s status in the Alliance was so significant that any other noble girl would readily become his wife, even if her life was half as short as his. Jaina, however, was different. She truly inherited the will and legacy of the sea hero Daelin Proudmoore, and from the beginning, she was not the kind of woman content to be a mere housewife. The heroic blood flowing in her veins drove her to take risks and make a difference.

Give the canary a cage. Give the seagulls an ocean. Give the dragon a piece of the sky.

This was Duke’s way, and it was the best way.

Feeling Duke’s extraordinary courage, Jaina’s heart, which she thought had been dead for a long time, actually showed signs of softening. Unconsciously, a blush crept onto her cheeks.

Jaina couldn’t help but tease: "It seems that giving up my status as your wife is a big loss for me."

Duke smiled coolly: "Oh, really? Whether you make a profit or a loss, only your own feelings are the most real. I never take the judgment of outsiders seriously."

"But, what if I fail in my expansion? My father will definitely not want me, and my second brother will not welcome me back to Kul Tiras. If then even my followers don’t believe in me, won’t I be miserable?"