Chapter 467: An Upright Duke

What does it feel like to mentor someone who, in history, was half a step away from becoming a godlike mage?

It feels fantastic!

Absolutely fantastic!

It's like going back in time to teach Edison how to invent, how to think about life, and to advise him to patent his inventions. It's filled with an unscrupulous sense of accomplishment.

If Rhonin were a woman, it would be as terrible as trying to convince a little girl who believes in Santa Claus to go watch seasoned drivers drift on Mount Akina.

Fortunately, Rhonin is male.

Thus, Duke's rescue team was formed, carrying the will and hope of the entire Alliance.

This description is not an exaggeration because Taranis's frontal assault is putting a lot of pressure on the Alliance. The initial plan was to assemble a large army for a counterattack, starting with the retake of Arathi Highlands, but the movement of over two hundred thousand troops was stopped dead by an ancient dragon at Thoradin's Wall.

If it were not for the fierce fighting spirit of the Wildhammer Gryphon Riders, Taranis might have charged straight into the camps behind Thoradin's Wall and scorched the ground with dragon's breath.

Sky dominator, that's how dominant it is.

Duke, Gavinrad, Vereesa, Rhonin, and a forcibly joined Marian Firewing. This low-profile five-person team gathered quite a lot of big guns.

A vice marshal of the Alliance, an original paladin, a ranger general, a future archmage, and a member of the Silvermoon Council.

"Why are you here?" Duke asked the charming high elf mage Marian.

"For the future of the Alliance! It's such a pity for a promising young Alliance official like you, Duke, to die under some terrible curse. It's also damaging to the relationship between Quel'Thalas and the Alliance. The Sun King and the council unanimously agree that only you are the best bridge for us to communicate with the Alliance."

As she said this, Marian's eyes twinkled, continuing, "Moreover, isn't rescuing the beautiful queen from the filthy hands of the orcs a perfect template for a legendary story? Is it wrong for me to eagerly want to be part of a legendary story?"

Marian spoke righteously and confidently.

"But you don't have to sacrifice a Silvermoon councilor, do you?"

"So, should we sacrifice a vice marshal of the Alliance instead?" She was so reasonable that Duke couldn't find a loophole to argue.

"We are now going deep into enemy territory, and no one will serve you." Duke, who had heard about the dissolute life of high elf mages, especially Silvermoon councilors, gave a preemptive warning.

"I volunteered to join. Even if I die in the wetlands, it's my personal business. There are plenty of guys in Silvermoon waiting for my death. Don't worry, I can take care of myself, and I won't give them what they wish for."

Duke could only accept it. He hoped Marian wouldn't be a burden.

Duke didn't doubt Marian's strength, but he was unsure about her style!

And so, the five-person team set off.

Because the entire Arathi Highlands and the wetlands across the sea were all front lines, flying directly to Grim Batol on gryphons was a joke. After research by various Alliance leaders and strategists, it was decided to first ride gryphons to the Alliance fleet opposite Baradin Bay. Then, under the cover of night, they would land on the west coast of the Wetlands in a small boat.

The plan was full of hope, but reality was stark.

Duke was surprised that a team consisting of his own people and those from all over could have conflicts.

Duke found that whenever Marian was present, Vereesa would definitely sit next to him. This started when they rode the gryphons, with Vereesa insisting on sharing a gryphon with him, resulting in Marian sharing one with Gavinrad.

It was the same on the boat.

Yes, like a bird mother protecting her chick, Vereesa spread her wings, stared at the enemy, and was extremely vigilant.

"Vereesa, we are all teammates on this mission…"

"No, Duke, you don't understand. This kind of woman is the type that devours people without spitting out bones. I need to watch over you for my sister." Vereesa said this in front of Marian, giving her a challenging look.

"…"

Marian didn't care: "This is the misunderstanding of the Windrunner towards the Silvermoon Council."

"No, Duke, Marian is one of the seven sisters of the Silvermoon Salon, a notorious social butterfly. If I knew beforehand that she would be a team member, I would have strongly opposed."

"It seems you have deep prejudice against me. In our salon, we discuss high art, including poetry and music…"

"Liar! Keep lying!"

"Moreover, even if there was a status between you and your sister, so what? We high elves don't pay much attention to such rituals. It's normal for one man to have many wives, or one woman to have many husbands. Only one can inherit the status and honor of the elders. So, even if it's you—Vereesa, you can steal your sister's man!"

"You have no shame!" Vereesa was furious.

Especially when Vereesa turned his head and saw Rhonin a bit starry-eyed, only then did he feel embarrassed and blushingly retracted his gaze.

Gavinrad… this noble playboy-turned-paladin didn't hide his admiration for Marian, expressed in the form of whistling.

Originally, Vereesa was a bit desperate for Duke's restraint.

However, both ladies were taken aback. Duke was very calm. He looked at Marian's peaks, calm and peaceful, neither excited nor embarrassed, just as if admiring a decent work of art.

"Duke, why…" Vereesa was stunned.

Duke blinked: "This is a very normal outfit."

Yeah! You think a veteran driver like me, who has 10TB of adult videos, would get a nosebleed from this level of exposure? You underestimate people too much!

At this level, even elementary school kids wouldn't get excited, right?

Well, the upright face is to hide the filth in the heart.

That's right! That's how it is!

Fortunately, Medivh's integrity was still largely intact, so Duke now looked like a saint.

Vereesa was a bit surprised.

To avoid alerting the Horde, the ship was to land at night. A speedboat carried the five-person team to the coast in the dark, somewhere near future Menethil Harbor. Then a team of sailors helped them and their horses ashore.

Once they got off the boat and set foot on the coast of Kaz Modan, the team would enter an environment filled with orcs on the ground and dragons flying in the sky.

So, while they were still on the boat, they had a bit of a squabble, but once they got off the boat, everyone became quiet.