Jaina was holding a travel map in her hand. On the back of the map, there was an advertisement for a North County manor that was recently on sale. Rao, a well-informed archmage, saw the sales price of the manor.
I couldn't help but sigh.
"Even the best mage tower in Dalaran is priced at this price... But there is endless knowledge stored in the mage tower in Dalaran, and what is there? There are only a few left here.
Money bastards."
Arthas looked at his aggrieved wife with a strange expression. He reached out and took Jaina's wrist. He asked softly:
"Are you saying that knowledge is cheap? Or are you simply disgusted with this place where rich people gather together?"
Jaina, who was sitting in the carriage, snorted and didn't answer, as if she didn't bother to answer the question. Arthas shrugged and put the key in his wife's hand. He smiled and said to Jaina:
"Don't forget, you are also the one who owns a house in the most expensive valley in Azeroth... Moreover, the house my father gave us is still in the center of North County, and its price is higher than the one you have.
A marginal house is at least ten times more expensive. Living there, you will be like a dragon living in a treasure house full of gold nuggets and gems, my queen."
Jaina felt the coldness of the key in her hand. She seemed to have figured something out, and her eyes with a trace of resentment calmed down. She leaned on Alsace's shoulder and whispered to her husband:
"Let's sell it. The current price of this house is almost enough to cover one-tenth of the Kingdom of Lordaeron's tax last year... We don't need such luxury, not to mention that this house is placed here.
In the center of federal rule, we will never come and stay more than once in our lifetime."
Arthas smiled and touched Jaina's hair. He shook his head and whispered to his wife:
"No! I refuse... This is a gift from the Menethil family to Miss Jaina Proudmoore. Do you remember our first date? I promised you that when we get married, I will give
You have a castle... But I broke my promise because Lordaeron moved to Kalimdor, but it doesn't matter. This manor in North County is the castle I gave you. You see, it is much more expensive than an ordinary castle.
.”
"What's more, my country is not so pitiful that it requires the queen to sell her castle in order to continue to develop... This is what you deserve, my Anna."
The sweet words between the two made the atmosphere in the carriage sweeter. This kind of friendly attitude lasted until the coachman of the old Sardine family stopped the carriage at the door of "Anna Manor".
As the black car door opened, a luxurious red carpet spread to the side of the carriage. With Alsace's support, Jaina stepped out of the carriage. When she saw the rich manor in front of her, she was so surprised.
The knowledgeable archmage couldn't help but let out a sigh of relief.
What appeared in front of them was a building that was completely different from the architectural style of Azeroth. It was like a small villa built by nobles in the countryside, but without the fancy decorations. This building occupied
The manor, which is as big as a palace, is surrounded by black railings and walls covered with vines. The square manor is covered with green grass, and there is an automatically running fountain in the colorful garden. The fountain was decorated by stonemasons.
They were made into graceful postures like angels.
The perfectly repaired lawns and flowers decorate the grassland around the manor. In the center of the manor, stands a black and white building. This two-story building is extremely simple in shape, but full of details.
The arched front door and windows are decorated with the best glass, and there are two chimneys on both sides. White gauze hangs inside the windows, and the carefully taken care of the stone
The aisles are filled with a quiet and mysterious atmosphere.
If the castles of the nobles of the Human Empire are gorgeous and imposing ladies, then the small villa in front of you is more like a queen sitting quietly in a rocking chair reading at dusk. Although low-key and calm, anyone can
No one can ignore her hidden inner majesty. It does not need any other embellishments to set it off. This manor standing here, in the heart of the North County Valley, already represents the meaning of its existence.
And this kind of cultural charm that does not belong to this world gives this building a breathtaking curiosity... just like a door leading to another world-famous one.
"Oh my god, it's so beautiful..."
Jaina held her husband's wrist, and the two of them stepped forward, and Alsace used the key to open the door with the iron railing. The moment they pushed open the door and stepped into the manor, the Archmage took a deep breath.
After taking a breath, she looked around and said softly:
"I have always imagined where I would like to live in the future... Now I know, Alsace, right here, living here with you and our children..."
"Such a taste..."
Alsace stretched out his hand, hugged his wife's slender waist, and whispered:
"Such a design is worthy of such an expensive price. To be honest, I think the palace in Lordaeron seems to be somewhat overshadowed."
"But that's where a king should stay, a cold and lonely castle that symbolizes royal power."
Jaina chuckled and took Alsace's hand, walking towards the manor named after her, she whispered:
"This warm and expensive nest is just a resting place in our lives... My sailor, you like the harbor, but in the end you should go to the sea."
———————————————
"Lucille!"
"Gianna!"
In the afternoon of that day, the owner of Anna's Manor entertained the manor's first guest here, who was also her childhood good friend, the only daughter of the Waycrest family from the Drustvar region of Kul Tiras.
Miss Lucille Waycrest.
The place where this lady lives is not far away. In fact, Lucille's manor is on the other side of Anna's Manor, in the core area of the North County Valley. This also represents the terrifying financial resources behind Miss Lucille.
, as well as her and her husband’s important positions in the federal economic system.
However, Miss Lucille's movements were somewhat inconvenient. She walked into Anna Manor with the support of her husband with a big belly. Probably because of her pregnancy, this previously beautiful aristocratic lady also became
She became sloppy, and after hearing the invitation from her childhood friend, she came to see Gianna without even combing her hair.
The Archmage gave her good friend a hug warmly, and then thoughtfully performed a levitation technique on her, so that the poor expectant mother no longer had to endure the torture of a big belly and gravity.
"We haven't seen each other for 10 years, right?"
Leaning on the comfortable sofa, Lucille looked at Gianna's still perfect waist with some envy. The mother-to-be looked at her big belly again and couldn't help feeling a little sad, but when Gianna personally brought her fruit juice
After that, the two girls chatted together again. Alsace and Alexander, who were left alone, were a little helpless, but the men also had their own topics to talk about.
Alsace happened to be somewhat interested in the federation's economic system. It was rare that he met a big businessman who lived in seclusion. Naturally, he couldn't let it go. Alexander, who knew Alsace's identity, was also interested in finding a strong enough partner in the empire.
So the two hit it off immediately, and while the ladies were chatting, the men were also at the pool outside the manor, starting to talk about topics that the ladies were not interested in at all.
"Well, 10 years, almost. After I went to Dalaran to study, you, a heartless little girl, didn't even know how to write me a letter!"
Jaina reached out and tugged on Lucille's ears, causing the latter to repeatedly slap her hands. The two of them seemed to have returned to the time when they played together in the palace of Boralus.
After Gianna complained, Lucille patted her belly helplessly and said to her friend:
"You can't blame me, Anna. At that time, the Waycrest family was in great difficulty. My father was showing signs of serious illness. My mother put all her energy on him. I, who was still very young at the time, could only hold up the shaky ground by myself.
Fortunately, I met Alexander, he is a very smart young man, and he will give me a lot of ideas."
When talking about this slightly serious topic, Jaina stopped smiling. She looked at her childhood friend, she was silent for a moment, and asked in a low voice:
"I heard about the terrible things that happened to the Waycrest family. You must be frightened, my poor Lucille."
As he spoke, the Archmage reached out and stroked his good friend's hair, but the latter replied somewhat heartlessly:
"Actually, it's not as scary as the rumors. There were indeed some problems with Alexander and I's wedding, but then I came to the Federation with him. The number of times I've gone back to Drustvar in the past few years has been very few...compared to
In the dark and humid mountainous area, both the environment and the attitude of the people here in the Federation are much better. Alexander and I both like this place very much."
"But...but your parents..."
Jaina asked with some difficulty: "I heard that Uncle and Aunt Waycrest both died in..."
"ah?"
Lucille's face showed the standard blank posture of expectant mothers. She took a few seconds to think about it, and then realized what Gianna was talking about. Her fat face full of maternal light showed a look of confusion.
With a hint of relief, she said to Gianna:
"No."
"Um?"
The Archmage looked at Lucille doubtfully, who played with Jaina's smooth blond hair and whispered:
"I don't know how the rumors came out in the empire, but my parents are not dead, Anna. They were transformed into vampires by the high lord. For a period of time, they have been arranging the handover procedures in Drustvar and the Wither Sect.
, after the incident in Kul Tiras ended, they stayed at home. Considering that my father was already terminally ill at that time, becoming a vampire was not that difficult to accept."
"In fact, the two of them are now planning a trip to the eastern continent, just in time to return when my child is born, so that they can enjoy the fun of raising a child."
Miss Lucille scratched her hair helplessly:
"My parents have been asking me and Alexander to have another child to inherit the huge industry that the Waycrest family has earned in the Federation. I'm almost bored to death now."
"The vampire..."
Jaina narrowed her eyes. As a magician, she had a certain understanding of creatures like Sarain, which had appeared in large numbers in recent years. She knew that humans would call themselves vampires after being transformed by Sarain, and the Empire would not do so.
They are called "vampires" to hide their malicious intentions. Compared with pure undead, vampires are more like an existence between the living and the dead.
"Well, the vampire race is also one of the official races recognized by the federal civilization."
Jaina let out a sigh of relief and looked at her friend:
"So is it because of this reason that you and Alexander became federal citizens? I thought it was the nobles in Kul Tiras who forced you to give up your claim to Drustvar... I also plan to help you
Those who take advantage of injustice.”
"Haha, I knew you were the best to me, Anna."
Lucille laughed, stretched out her hand clumsily, held Gianna in her arms, and kissed her hard on the face. After a rough fight, Lucille leaned on the sofa, and she looked
Looking at her good friend, she whispered:
"I also heard the news that you and Alsace are getting married. You can finally be together, but Anna... I don't know if I should say these words, but occasionally, I also think about these issues.
...You and I, we are both children born into a noble family. Once in my world, I felt that the existence of nobles was natural, but now, when I am familiar with and adapted to the life of the Federation, I
Discover..."
"Our existence actually doesn't have much meaning. It is precisely because I understand this that I decided to give up the Waycrest family's control over Drustvar. I don't want my child to be involved as soon as he is born.
Get into the grudges of the past."
"There are no nobles here in the Federation, but they are still developing very well. My husband Alexander, a businessman from a commoner background is destined not to do much in the environment of the Empire, but in the Federation, he lives like a fish in water.
, and Alexander’s Chamber of Commerce also has some business in the empire. I occasionally hear managers complain that after the empire moved to Kalimdor, the behavior of the nobles has become worse and worse.”
Lucille held Jaina's hand, and she worriedly said to Jaina:
"You are the queen now, but Arthas is too young. We are all familiar with the thoughts of the nobles. His throne is not stable. Once, I mean, if something bad happens, you will definitely
Become their target to attack Alsace, so please, Anna, please protect yourself."
"Don't worry about me, silly girl."
Jaina reached out and touched Lucille's fat face, and she comforted softly:
"I am the Archmage. I have enough power to protect myself...and those nobles with malicious intentions. Don't worry..."
