Chapter 649: Karazhan Opera House

Dwarves are straightforward beings, speaking their minds unless it pertains to secrets.

Why else would the firearm known as the "Dwarven Fishing Rod" be so renowned?

Muradin, with his candid demeanor, pushed Gavinrad into an awkward spotlight. After a brief moment of collective bafflement, everyone, except for Tirion, burst into suppressed laughter, nearly injuring themselves in the process.

Gavinrad, too, was a victim of his own loose tongue. No sooner had he outlined his criteria for a suitable partner than a boss, fitting his description perfectly, appeared. Truly, he was a master of self-inflicted misfortune.

Gavinrad almost wished he could erase his own existence.

To make matters worse, Duke, with a straight face, continued to nudge the beleaguered paladin further into the fire: "In preparation for the imminent demon invasion, we must unite all sacred powers. Gavinrad, Tirion, the task of communicating with her falls to you."

"Yes!" Tirion stood tall and firm.

"Yes..." Gavinrad responded, his spirit seemingly departing his body.

The giantess, Jaina, seemed oblivious to Duke's mischief, instead excitedly kneeling down, engaging in enthusiastic conversation with the two paladins.

Nonchalantly, Duke left them with a remark: "I wish you happiness," before promptly making his exit.

This was a small step for Gavinrad, sacrificing his personal dignity, and a large step towards the great cause of the Light.

Ah, may the Light continue to delude you!

If, in the future, Azeroth sees publications like "On Cross-Species Love Under the Banner of the Path of Light" or "The Untold Story of the First-Generation Paladin and the Maiden of Light," Duke insists he has absolutely nothing to do with it.

Leaving the hall, the group, no longer able to contain themselves, erupted into hearty laughter.

"Ha ha ha! I'm dying of laughter! I want to ask, if Gavinrad and that Jaina have a child, how tall will the child be?" Muradin was the first to fire a shot.

Rhonin, innocently, responded: "Generally, cross-species might find it difficult to have offspring. But there are exceptions. For instance, Miss Jesse Farewell of the Stormwind Kingdom fleet seems to have dwarf blood. Elves and humans can produce half-elves. Humans and giantesses might also be possible..."

Rhonin was genuinely naive, but to the ears of the bystanders, it sounded like he was earnestly mocking Gavinrad!

Upon hearing the term 'half-elf,' for some unknown reason, the Windrunner sisters all blushed slightly. Of course, for the male members present, ahem, excluding Archbishop Benedictus, their discussion naturally gravitated towards the indecorous topic of how humans and stone giantesses might produce offspring.

With two paladins less, the vanguard of the team was somewhat weakened.

But it didn't matter.

After dealing with the succubi disguised as maids along the way, Khadgar and the Spirit Army returned. Khadgar, with over a hundred somewhat translucent spirit warriors, battled with the ghostly guests and servants lingering near the ballroom and on the way to the opera house.

Duke breathed a slight sigh of relief.

In truth, he was somewhat uncertain about clearing Karazhan. This was the real Azeroth, not a game where strength and weakness were simply determined by levels. Those around him were undoubtedly heroes, and except for Rhonin, who was still a Sky Mage, none were weak.

On the other hand, their bodies couldn't possibly be as robust and durable as in the game. Perhaps in the game, every boss labeled as a leader could withstand the siege of hundreds of top players.

Unfortunately, this was reality. After witnessing Anduin and Orgrimmar easily severely injuring each other in a duel, Duke understood -- they might possess extraordinary reflexes and strength, and could use mystical powers beyond the mortal realm, but at their core, they were still fragile beings.

Priests in this world didn't have any resurrection spells; the only one who could resurrect into a fully living being was Duke himself.

He sighed, and before he knew it, Duke and his party had arrived at Karazhan's opera house.

"Wow! It's so beautiful! Can we watch operas here after cleaning it up?" Vereesa excitedly shook Duke's arm.

Duke smiled: "Of course. After dealing with the demon invasion, you sisters can arrange it however you like here."

The path was clear of ghosts, and what presented itself to the adventurers seemed to be just a slightly dilapidated grand opera house.

The scale of the opera house felt like it could compete with the Sydney Opera House from Duke's previous world, albeit a mini version.

The horseshoe-shaped hall, with the middle section designated for common spectators, and three levels of VIP seats on three sides of the hall, adorned with expensive drapes and still-luxurious tables and utensils, easily conjured images of King Llane and Anduin, accompanied by a large group of Stormwind's upper-class nobility, enjoying operas in their heyday.

This was an era scarce in entertainment.

Apart from low-ranking jesters or minstrels performing in the markets, the biggest entertainment for the nobility was the opera.

The Windrunner sisters were rangers, true, but do you think Alleria's elegance and exquisite harp skills came naturally? They were the result of strict etiquette training and long-term musical training.

Suddenly, a melodious and uplifting organ melody echoed around them.

Following the direction of the music, Duke and his companions discovered that Sylvanas had, at some point, seated herself at the massive organ situated to the left front of the stage. Her delicate fingers gracefully danced across the keys, producing enchanting notes.

In a trance, they envisioned lush green forests, smelled the fragrant flowers mixed with the scent of earth, and heard the chirping of birds echoing through the trees.

Everyone was mesmerized.

Unbeknownst to them, the piece had concluded. Not only Duke and his companions, but even the spirit warriors offered Sylvanas a warm applause for her organ performance.

Sylvanas sighed: "Duke, you really have many treasures here. This national treasure-level organ, there are only two in all of Quel'Thalas."

Duke shrugged: "If you like it, you can come here and play it every day in the future, I won't stop you."

Sylvanas gave Duke a complex look: "Hmph!"

Duke was a bit puzzled and turned to ask Alleria: "Did I upset her?"

Alleria covered her mouth and giggled quietly: "I'm not telling you my sister's secret."

"Look -- Duke, can I go on stage?" Vereesa excitedly pointed at the massive stage, tightly concealed by red curtains, her hand shaking non-stop.