CHAPTER 35: THE PECULIAR ATTITUDE OF THE SECOND LADY

The Peculiar Attitude of the Second Lady

As a member of the ranger force dedicated to safeguarding the security of Quel'Thalas, Charleman had a duty to thwart any dangerous endeavors that posed a threat to civilian safety.

"Hey, you two! If you don't want to end up in prison, drop those perilous ideas immediately!"

In three quick strides, Charleman reached the side of the two potential troublemakers, all the while signaling the rangers to inform the security forces at Sun Sail Harbor.

After all, this was their territory, and if Charleman acted too aggressively, it would undoubtedly constitute an overstep of his authority.

The gnome and goblin both raised their heads with displeasure, looking at Charleman, who had interrupted their quarrel.

"We were just exchanging experiences in engineering; it's not a dangerous idea at all!"

The bald gnome was the first to retort, although, given his diminutive stature, a vigorous jump might barely reach Charleman's waist.

As for the goblin... well, in Charleman's eyes, all these greenskins looked alike, and changing their clothes would hardly help in distinguishing one from the other.

"Time is money! You've disrupted our pleasant exchange of engineering knowledge, and I demand compensation in gold!"

"I don't care whether you're exchanging knowledge, learning, or getting intimate; the bottom line is, you're not allowed to discuss bomb placements on High Elf territory!"

Uninterested in dealing with these two troublemakers, Charleman handed them over to the harbor's security personnel, who had arrived with the rangers.

The leader of the harbor guards, a high elf with short brown hair and dressed in a crimson military uniform, immediately gestured to his subordinates to apprehend the two individuals. He then approached Charleman and offered a polite bow.

"Esteemed ranger, I thank you for your report. We were inspecting the ship's cargo, and these two individuals, who required special attention, somehow found their way here."

Seeing the gnomes and goblins being led away, Charleman let out a soft laugh and returned the gesture. "You're welcome. We are the ranger force preparing to journey to Silvermoon City, and safeguarding the stability of Quel'Thalas is our duty."

After a brief exchange, Charleman finally learned the specifics of the situation.

The leader of Sun Sail Harbor's security was named Sarsven Dawnchime, a member of the Dawnfront family, a collateral branch of the loyalist Sunstrider family.

The gnome and goblin, on the other hand, hailed from two different merchant caravans. The gnome had arrived with a Dwarven trade caravan from Ironforge, while the goblin came from the southernmost Stranglethorn Vale. Both of these individuals had a history of making explosive devices on their respective ships, which made their fellow crew members view them as potential threats, and they were kept under close scrutiny.

When the ships docked, Sarsven was inspecting the safety of their cargo, and these two rascals, taking advantage of their physique, had stealthily disembarked when no one was looking.

After their chance meeting at the harbor and a brief exchange, the two explosive enthusiasts eagerly started discussing their experiences. However, their excitement led to such a loud conversation that Charleman overheard it.

Observing the two troublemakers being led away, Charleman bid farewell to Sarsven Dawnchime and fell into contemplation.

The engineering in Azeroth could indeed produce certain kinds of explosives, albeit not extremely potent ones. Nevertheless, they qualified as explosives.

Charleman began to consider whether it was a good idea to approach the gnomes or goblins and provide them with some ideas from Earth to expedite the development of gunpowder.

However, after careful consideration, he temporarily abandoned the idea.

'Leaving aside the issue of limited raw materials, I'm still relatively unknown and insignificant. Moreover, the gnomes and goblins I might encounter are likely to be ordinary folks. Gnomes may be fine, but the goblins... didn't they assist the orcs during the invasion?'

Goblins, a race without scruples, were willing to work for anyone as long as they were paid, regardless of whether the task was to destroy the world or the goblin's own kin.

If Charleman were to create high-performance explosives and inadvertently provided them to the orcish horde, it would be like shooting himself in the foot.

'I'll consider contacting the gnome leadership when I have the chance.'

The once pleasant visit to Sun Sail Harbor had to be cut short due to this unexpected incident.

As the commotion caused by Sarsven and his guards attracted attention, the nearby merchants and elven civilians took notice of Charleman and his ranger companions.

Combined with the recent rumors they had heard, the inquisitive elves approached them, eagerly inquiring about the details of the Troll War.

Seeing the situation becoming uncomfortable, Charleman hurriedly signaled Sylvanas to join him. Together with a reluctant group of rangers, they made a swift exit.

Speaking of Sylvanas... the Second Lady Windrunner, despite accompanying them on this journey, continued her usual evasive behavior towards Charleman.

Occasionally, Charleman caught her glancing back at him, only to see a complex expression that she couldn't hide in time.

'What's the matter? Is it necessary to dwell on that past mistake?'

With this thought in mind, Charleman lightly traced the long scar on his face.

It had been a considerable amount of time since the injury had occurred, and the dark, scabbed remnants had long fallen off. All that remained was a slightly faded mark.

Although it still looked somewhat fierce, Charleman was grateful that it hadn't harmed his eyesight in any way. He had gradually forgotten about the incident himself.

In private, Lor'themar even said that the scar was quite handsome and added a touch of masculinity. This made Charleman suspect that his brother had developed a touch of chuunibyou syndrome.

Although he found the attitude of this renowned former High Elf queen quite perplexing, she was, after all, one of Alleria Windrunner's important sisters. As they continued on their journey to Silvermoon City, Charleman decided to invest some thought and care into looking after her, following the guidance of their mentor, Ranger-General Lireesa.

Recently, the Second Daughter's behavior seemed increasingly peculiar, and as the one who had raised her from childhood, Lireesa could not overlook it.

Nevertheless, with Charleman having to handle various matters within the group, interact with local officials, and even engage in small talk with nobles along the way, the Ranger-General had little time to address his daughter's minor concerns. Thus, he entrusted her to Charleman, his reliable disciple.

However, the more Charleman cared, the more peculiar Sylvanas's attitude became, making him unsure of how to interact with her lately.

'Well, I should have brought Vereesa along to accompany her sister. The current awkward atmosphere is becoming unbearable...'

Fortunately, even in the midst of such an awkward journey, there would eventually be a day of arrival. Not long after leaving Sunbreeze Village and continuing their northward journey, the ranger force led by Lireesa finally reached the majestic gates of Silvermoon City.