Chapter 669: Blood-Red Valentine's Day (Part 1)

What exactly is Valentine's Day?

Girls around the ages of thirteen or fourteen are at the prime of their dreamy adolescence.

Prince Arthas was indeed commendable, but that was just it. Compared to a certain Duke, who had not yet officially stepped onto the Alliance stage and was already laden with legends, even sanctified by the common folk as Saint* Duke...

Alright, although there was only a four-year age difference between the two, being overwhelmingly surpassed by a hundred streets was the inevitable destiny for Arthas.

This era's princesses had a lamentable lot.

For kings with princesses, choosing a consort was a common dilemma.

Too high was unreachable, too low was scorned by peers, and equals were not so easily found, often associated with thoughts of usurping the throne.

In the past millennium, seventy percent of princesses ended up having to marry domestically. The remaining thirty percent either lived lonely lives or eloped with horsemen or knights and then were humanely eradicated by the king.

Only about one percent actually managed to marry successfully.

Jaina once worried whether her magical talents would have to be forsaken because a queen adept in magic was often too easily associated with witches.

Duke was ideal, a magnificent **mage of the radiant moon himself, Duke would not bind her on her path of magic. Moreover, Duke's exaggerated land holdings and status as an uncrowned king made Jaina feel that she was not marrying beneath herself.

Although she didn't understand why she was to go to him as an apprentice, after seeing her father's demeanor of marrying off his daughter, and after being treated with enough courtesy by Llane in Stormwind, she had many, many speculations about Duke, quite a few of which were unrealistic.

What could she do when the two conniving kings reached a consensus, and Duke was resolutely resisting?

All sorts of wonderful misunderstandings thus arose.

From the results, Jaina was tricked.

After arriving at Karazhan, she was left hanging for two weeks. Fortunately, she wasn't confined, and during those two weeks, she had her best friend, Ilusia, accompanying her.

The two became close friends in Dalaran, their similar statuses naturally brought them together. Although surprised that Ilusia had taken a big detour to serve under Duke as a countess, the revival of her friend's family still delighted Jaina.

"When can I meet Duke... the teacher?"

"The Grand Duke is very busy. The entire kingdom's reconstruction rests on his shoulders. It can't be helped, most nobles with management skills perished in that shipwreck. And the task of supplying the Cursed Lands' army also falls on the Grand Duke," Ilusia lied patiently.

Indeed. Ilusia could not explain Duke's almost innate rejection of Jaina.

Before Jaina arrived, Duke had commanded, "Ah! I don't want to marry Jaina. Ilusia, you're friends with Jaina, right? Help me keep her hanging for two weeks. As long as she doesn't leave my domain, you can take her wherever you want."

And when Duke said this, he was holding her waist, whispering in her ear. It was like she was being asked to betray her best friend, yet Duke's declaration of not wanting to marry Jaina made her heart warm.

Whether it was her rational duty to be loyal to the Grand Duke as a vassal or the emotions between them almost breaching the final barrier, both drove her... to help Duke trick Jaina.

Knowing that Duke was actually deep in Karazhan's library teaching Ronin, Ilusia stubbornly pretended not to know and took Jaina and a group of attendants on a tour of the Eastern Elwynn Forest.

And after witnessing Duke's series of miraculous policies that helped the citizens through the winter, Jaina's fondness for Duke genuinely increased.

"He's not only a powerful mage, an extraordinary commander but also a great statesman!" The young princess didn't hide her admiration for Duke.

Ilusia held her forehead and sighed inwardly, "I did as you commanded, what happens next is not my concern."

On the evening of February 13th, when Kadgar, the mage of heroic spirits, came to notify Jaina, she was both delighted and a bit apprehensive.

She had a premonition that this newly born 'Valentine's Day' was probably prepared for her. But Kadgar emphasized repeatedly that tomorrow's first lesson would be a practical magic class, which puzzled Jaina greatly.

"Isn't tomorrow the 'Valentine's Day' newly established by the Kingdom of Stormwind?" Jaina tried to get more information from Kadgar.

Kadgar shrugged, "So what if it is? I'm only responsible for informing you."

"Then... Mr. Kadgar, do you have any advice for me?" The clever Jaina, although she didn't know how to bribe a ghost, still tried her best.

"Well, all I can tell you is that Master Marcus has never been an academic mage." With that, Kadgar bowed and disappeared after leaving the room.

Jaina was distressed.

She had no idea what to prepare for tomorrow, but a [Jordan Staff] was a must. This mid-tier staff, with a large spirit crystal magic stone as its head and four small crystals revolving around it, was the best she could wield as an earth mage.

What perplexed her was which robe to wear.

Jaina almost subconsciously picked up the [Robe of Insight], and the moment she did, her pretty face turned red.

Trying it on, Jaina struck an S-shaped, seductive pose in front of the mirror, then immediately defeated herself: "Too shameful!"

It resembled a dress, but the upper part was only a breastplate rimmed with gold thread, a golden decorative band covered her navel and extended to the waistline.

Beyond that, the upper body had no further covering.

Her slender waist and smooth back were completely exposed.

The lower part seemed more proper, but a closer look revealed slits along both sides of the thighs, fully exposing the legs along the line, and with just a bit too much movement while walking, one might risk an indecent exposure.

After changing no less than ten robes, on February 14th, Jaina appeared before Duke wearing a pure white, sapphire-studded [Mooncloth Robe].

The robe looked very solemn and elegant, but the exposed shoulders, paired with the dazzling golden hair scattered over the white mooncloth fabric, still showcased the unique beauty of a young girl.

Fortunately, she changed; otherwise, if she really came out in the [Robe of Insight], Duke might actually practice what 'three years' blood profit, no loss on delay' meant.

In the splendid Karazhan library, the moment Jaina saw Duke, her heart skipped a beat.

It was out of fright because she saw the curved sword her father had given Duke at his waist.

"Very good, today's first lesson, I hope you understand that being a princess means nothing."