Chapter 166: The Lordaeron Summit

In the autumn of the sixth year after the opening of the Dark Portal—a season that should have belonged to the harvest, where farmers' wheat turned a golden hue, and the heavy grains promised yet another bountiful year—residents would normally spend their leisure time picnicking in the meadows or drinking and chatting in taverns. All the citizens of Lordaeron regarded Terenas as a fine king; he was amiable and benevolent, and the taxes of the Kingdom of Lordaeron were among the lightest of all the human kingdoms, sparing the people from being crushed by unbearable burdens.

Yet, these were merely the memories of life in Lordaeron from the past. Now, following a continent-spanning war, the allied nations were left with desolate fields and displaced populations. In the regions ravaged by the fires of war, total crop failure was an inevitable consequence. The nation's debts mounted steadily, and across the entire northern Eastern Kingdoms, the lands through which the Orcs had passed yielded virtually nothing.

At the invitation of King Terenas of Lordaeron, Patrick attended the Alliance summit held in the wake of the Second War. Naturally, the Kingdom of Quel'Thalas would not dispatch a representative to attend what was essentially a high-officer gathering of the Arathi empire; in Anastarian's eyes, having High Lord Patrick Capalloren attend as the representative of the High Elves was precisely fitting. When all was said and done, aristocratic politics and class consciousness remained deeply entrenched.

Patrick arrived directly at the capital city of Lordaeron through the teleportation portal within the Sunstrider Spire. This was the sole portal connecting Quel'Thalas to the outside world, for the entirety of Silvermoon City had long been shielded by the Ban'dinoriel, completely severing any possibility of external connection. The establishment of the magical teleportation array with the Kingdom of Lordaeron had only occurred a few centuries prior, driven by Lordaeron's rapid development and the close trade relations between Quel'Thalas and Lordaeron, where massive commercial exchanges had further reinforced their political ties.

"It is High Lord Patrick Capalloren!" Upon seeing the group emerge from the teleportation array, a human attendant immediately shouted out to notify those around him.

This hard-won victory of the Alliance was unprecedented in both the vast expanse of the regions touched by the flames of war and the sheer magnitude of the populace directly affected. Moreover, a traitor had emerged from within the Lordaeron Alliance itself—none other than Aiden Perenolde. This particular circumstance left Terenas in a complex state of mind, feeling both elated and regretful.

The regret stemmed from the fact that, due to Aiden Perenolde's betrayal, the Orcs had been allowed to pass unhindered through the strategic mountain passes of the Kingdom of Alterac to strike at the heart of the Lordaeron Alliance's headquarters. The Orcs' rampage of burning, killing, and looting along the way had resulted in the deaths of numerous human civilians at their blades, and the crucial grain-producing province of Durnholde had been devastated.

Combined with a series of clandestine subversive actions orchestrated by Aiden Perenolde, these deeds were despised by all the nations of the Alliance, to the extent that the common folk of Alterac themselves felt ashamed to acknowledge that they were subjects of Aiden Perenolde.

The elation arose from Terenas's realization that Aiden Perenolde's betrayal represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for him. If handled skillfully, the borders of the Kingdom of Lordaeron could be expanded all the way to the borders of the Hinterlands.

Therefore, when the capital of Lordaeron was attacked, Terenas instantly deduced that something had gone wrong within the Kingdom of Alterac. Upon receiving the news, Lothar, Thoras Trollbane, Daelin, and the others immediately expressed grave concern regarding Perenolde, speculating that Aiden Perenolde might have already been attacked and killed, leaving the Kingdom of Alterac to fall entirely into the hands of the Orcs.

Although Lothar, Daelin, and the others remained somewhat skeptical at the time that Aiden Perenolde would betray the Alliance, given his resistant attitude during the initial formation of the Alliance, the various monarchs maintained a state of suspended belief.

Ultimately, it was Thoras who launched a rapid, long-distance raid into Alterac to resolve the Perenolde crisis definitively, successfully persuading General Hathor, the commander-in-chief of the Alterac forces. Terenas merely dispatched a small squad to place Aiden Perenolde under house arrest within the royal palace, avoiding any overt military action against the Kingdom of Alterac itself.

After all, regardless of the circumstances, Aiden Perenolde was the legitimate king of Alterac. If Hathor, as the commander-in-chief of the Alterac military, took action against him, it would be treason; whereas if Thoras or Terenas took action against him, it would be naked aggression. Weighing the pros and cons, Terenas opted merely for house arrest, refraining from taking more drastic physical steps.

Would any emperor or monarch let such a pristine opportunity slip away? The answer was a definitive no. Which emperor would ever complain about having too many subjects or an ever-expanding territory, and which sovereign would object to the jewels adorning their crown shining even more brilliantly?

"What a pity for those generals who remained utterly loyal to Alterac," Terenas sighed to himself upon his throne, expressing his heartache for Hathor and his men.

Upon returning to the imperial palace of the Kingdom of Lordaeron, the interior seemed untouched by the ravages of war, retaining its dazzling, gold-plated splendor, though the faint scent of smoke occasionally drifted in from the outside.

"High Lord Patrick Capalloren, welcome once again." The aged King Terenas paid his respects to Patrick. Ever since the trade agreement was struck with Patrick, Elven crafts had enjoyed roaring sales throughout Lordaeron, while the handicrafts and material resources produced by humans were massively purchased by Patrick's City of the Sun. Having tasted the dividends of taxation, Terenas was naturally overjoyed. Furthermore, with the backing of the Elves, even a century into the future after his own passing, his heir Arthas would have no need to worry about an unstable throne.

"I hear that under your wise leadership, the Lordaeron Alliance has secured a magnificent victory," Patrick replied, engaging in the usual diplomatic flattery.

Terenas merely smiled. "This is not solely my achievement. It was through the concerted efforts of all the brave champions of the Lordaeron Alliance that we managed to defeat those invaders."

Patrick could readily perceive that Terenas was immensely pleased. Despite uttering such grandiose platitudes, as a supreme ruler, he naturally felt entitled to claim a substantial share of the glory for himself.

...

Lordaeron Dynasty, Conference Room.

"Since everyone has arrived, let us begin today's meeting." Terenas naturally assumed the role of the undisputed leader for this assembly.

Upon looking toward the seat that symbolized Alterac, Patrick noticed that the figure seated there was not a crowned monarch, but rather a nobleman.

Terenas brought up the core issue of the meeting without preamble: "First of all, we need to establish one crucial fact. During the Orcish invasion, the betrayal of the King of Alterac inflicted severe losses upon us. Fortunately, King Hathor and King Thoras launched a joint surprise attack, intercepting and annihilating those Orcs within the mountain passes of Alterac, making a monumental contribution to our victory."

"Furthermore, the Barov family displayed profound righteousness by surrendering those traitors of Alterac. Therefore, at this Lordaeron summit, the Barov family and General Hathor attend together as the representatives of Alterac."

As soon as Terenas finished speaking, an immediate reaction ensued. Patrick cast his gaze toward a young human seated in the position reserved for the Kingdom of Stormwind: "For Alterac to turn traitor against the Alliance is a betrayal of the entire human race. To think they would side with those bloodthirsty butchers—it is simply beyond belief."

"Prince Varian, please restrain your agitation. His Majesty Terenas will surely provide everyone with a satisfactory explanation."