The sun stayed on the horizon; dusk was approaching. Lireesa walked back with Alleria, her feet shuffling around as she thought more.
Alleria looked at her mother from time to time, couldn't bear to interrupt but felt bored at the same time. The day scene and nightlife in the Silvermoon were too contrasting. Each had its own merit.
Alleria followed Lireesa when she visited numerous lands and houses. While the family who recently met her mother enthusiastically accompanied them as they surveyed each location.
To be frank, she never knew her mother had obsessive characteristics; the smallest imperfection directly caused her dissatisfaction to the point Lireesa didn't think about it further.
Alleria praised the duo of husband and wife who were very patient in guiding her mother. Fortunately, the time was well spent, Lireesa found her favorite location and immediately bought it.
The land was large and at a faraway distance from the palace. Numerous prestigious buildings stood tall. The owner was definitely a wealthy one and if not for an emergency financial crisis of the family, the owner wouldn't sell.
Lireesa met her luck and Alleria applauded genuinely at her mother's fortune. The two sides negotiated a fair price, back and forth. Everyone was satisfied, including Sanguinar's family of three. The owner gave them something like a commission fee which Alleria didn't understand.
Throughout the stroll, Alleria cradled their young daughter in her arm and her cuteness melted her heart. So, this was the feeling of loving a child. How adorable. Her focus was never on these transactions of land deeds; the adults' world should be far away from her.
She reminisced about the sensation and feelings of holding a little life in her arms as she fell in love with the feeling more until both mother and daughter arrived back at the hotel and Sangruinar family bid farewell. Lireesa promised she would be seeing them again soon and subtly told them there would be another future business opportunities, hinting at something in the paper she had given prior.
After the two groups went their way, Lireesa and Alleria looked at each other before entering the hotel.
According to Lireesa, tomorrow should be the day her sisters would reach Silvermoon. It wouldn't be long before her loneliness would disappear. Staying with her mother was okay, but Lireesa was always on the move with goals. Only at night before sleep, the two could really talk to each other in-depth.
Alleria's heart raced when she knew she would play together with her sisters. Before she might not really bother with this family bond but after surviving the first combat, Alleria realized how much should she cherish the relationship.
Now that Alleria and Lireesa were inside the hotel; the normal routine went on. Bath and dinner. Lireesa remembered her future archmage of Windrunner should be coming soon.
In fact, Lireesa's level and her proficiency in magic had already qualified her to call herself a magister or Great sorceress or Archmage, whatever the names existed. She had no idea how the natives of Azeroth differentiated these vocabularies.
No matter what she liked the term Ranger-General to anything. At least it sounded more powerful—General rank with several subordinates.
After a soothing bath, Lireesa smothered her hair as she watched herself in the mirror. Elegant and very strong. She felt it herself. Her daughter was now in the bathtub, probably enjoying herself.
What was left of today's task was to meet Kilnar. Lireesa now had more than 80 percent chance of recruiting her.
She believed no one could resist secrets in her Arcane book, including the Legends, since there were numerous forgotten techniques, which many powerhouses fancied.
Of course, she had locked these pages until she allowed or Kilnar achieved a specific level. Soon a knock came from outside.
"Who's it?"
"My Lady, someone requested your audience downstairs." The hotel staff came to inform her as she had asked yesterday.
"Eh. Okay tell them to wait for a while; I'm coming downstair."
Lireesa quickly fixed her hair and wore a simple yet elegant gown. Watching herself in the mirror several times until she was satisfied, Lireesa prepared to go out.
"Alleria, I'll be downstair meeting guests. Come down after you finish." Lireesa shouted at Alleria inside a bathroom.
"Yes, Mom. How about dinner?"
"We'll eat in the hotel after you're downstair." She walked to the door and open it wide; she answered her daughter before leaving.
"Okay, Mom." Alleria sang an elven tune and the door snapped close.
When Lireesa descended the stair, she found Kilnar in the corner, surrounded by a few elves, conversing and exchanging laughter. One thing was certain, the group was excited. Apart from Kilnar, there were another 8 women and 2 men.
Lireesa's eyes narrowed. Why did Kilnar bring her friends here? Obviously, Lireesa knew her own question and a smile appeared in her expression. Kilnar's action already answered her subtle recruitment.
Even bringing her friends along, was slightly unexpected for Lireesa. As for the male elves, Lireesa frowned. It was not that she didn't like males or something like that but putting them into the ranks of her female subordinates somehow destroyed the beautiful image.
Among many beautiful women, suddenly a handful of men popped up. Anyway, it destroyed her eyes. Well, to control herself from becoming a misandrist, she would give the two a chance.
Windrunners according to tradition always recruited women fighters and Lireesa had no reason to change this rule, especially the rule she favored so much. For the men, she already thought of other use.
As Lireesa approached the group, Kilnar immediately noticed her due to her style of dressing and temperament. Her mouth beamed with a smile and she waved her hands at Lireesa, who also returned the smile.
Everyone in her group had their eyes all on Lireesa as she gestured toward a more secluded place where there were fewer people strolling around and seats available. Lireesa received formal greetings from them and sat down on the couch.
After everyone had taken a seat, Kilnar confessed her action. "Lady Lireesa, I know my behavior appears a little presumptuous, but I gather my like-minded mage friends who had the same goal, to join House of Windrunner even though I haven't received any gift that you had mentioned. But it doesn't matter because we trust your reputation."
As she had predicted, these elf friends of Kilnar wanted to join her house. Perhaps she might even need to recheck her appeal to the public since she could attract a pretty proportion of mages on the first try. Maybe many mages might come later on as they realized Lireesa also recruited their professions.
"Well, Dear Kilnar, I never expect your public relation to be this high. I'm happy that talented mages here want to join me but what makes you think I'll be accepting you?" Lireesa's face didn't display any emotion but her address at Kilnar caused others to sigh out in relief. At least, Lireesa wasn't angry at their initiative.
"Haha, Lady Lireesa. Can't help it when I confess, I plan to join Windrunner House. My girlfriends all hopped on. As to your question, milady, after deep reflection, I figure I should just join yours. Anyway, the path for most mages without background is to find support. Among them, House Windrunner is the best, except that there is no news they're recruiting" Kilnar said cheekily. Lireesa understood and her guess seemed correct. If she announced in the public, flocks of magisters might come to her but her appeal wasn't comparable with the royal family.
Lireesa shook her head, amused. "Alright, it doesn't matter. I welcome anybody to join me. Since you all came here, it means one thing. You want to join me. Correct?"
Everyone nodded. Kilnar added her words: "Me and 8 women here are willing to join your grace. And the two men are lovers of those girls. We knew Windrunner only accepts female gender; so, I don't know how you might place these two guys."
Lireesa was relieved the men weren't originally planning to join her. But since their girlfriend would become part of her family in the future, they tagged along. What's this? Buy one get one free?
It was unsuitable for the male presence in her manor. One thing was she thought they were an eyesore. Another point—Lireesa had huge worries for them and their psychology. In a large number of female men, she wasn't sure if these two guys could adapt with many strong women and stand their banter.
Seeing their weak structure, Lireesa had a complaint. Maybe they might run away after being teased by hordes of flirtatious femme fatales. Lireesa chuckled inwardly.
Her expression raised Kilnar's concern as she asked. "Milady, what happens?"
"Nothing! Really. Just having some weird images in my mind." Lireesa admitted, making Kilnar's mouth twitch. Everyone around was more than several centuries old and they already guessed what was inside Lireesa's mind based on her speech.
Why were you so blunt milady? And your eyes at the two males, milady should stop. Didn't you see, they were starting to have regret? Kilnar thought.
The two guys wanted to get out of this but their girlfriend warned them with their eyes—don't you dare. Lireesa ignored their behaviors and took out a book about magic guidance. She gave it to Kilnar, whose hands tremblingly received the heavy gift.
Kilnar swore she would never leave Windrunner from now on before she read the books. She respected Lireesa when the matriarch of Windrunner didn't even bargain for her allegiance; the generosity to unveil secrets without demanding anything from her was really unrepaidable.
All the girls here stared at Kilnar enviously but she didn't turn the page right away as she worried the secrets might be leaked.
"Don't worry. I cover the area around us with a magical spell. No one can see the truth of what's happening inside the dome. You can look confidently and the rest of you too." Lireesa was generous. She already captured the thirst for knowledge inside the eyes of these children. Without other persuasions, they would be hers soon.
Yes, to Lireesa's age, they were children or teens. Everyone piled their head around Kilnar as she went through page after page. While they were concentrating on the book, Lireesa went out of a magic circle for a while and ordered some meals.
Today she was treating them to dinner and looked toward the stairs if Alleria was coming down. There she was, descending step-by-step. Lireesa whispered into her ears from a distance.
Alleria joined her and sat close beside her; no one here noticed an additional visitor had arrived. To be honest, Lireesa felt she had underestimated her knowledge power too. Perhaps what she thought was simple from the 'Book of Wisdom' might not be to the outside world.
After some time as Lireesa waited patiently, Kilnar closed the book, drawing dissatisfied groans from her friends. She quickly got up and half-knelt in front of Lireesa. "Lady Lireesa. Thank you for your huge gift. I, Kilnar Goldensword, swear an oath that my loyalties shall only be with House of Windrunner and serve Windrunner my whole life no matter the circumstances. Life and death."
Lireesa supported Kilnar to get up after the ceremony. No unrelated outsider was aware thanks to Lireesa's spell. "I, Lireesa Windrunner, matriarch of Windrunner, accept your oath and abide by Quel'Thalas code as your lord. I'll protect, I'll cherish, I'll support, I'll never exploit my subordinates. Arise, Kilnar Goldensword for you are now one of our sisters."
Alleria watched with relish at the ceremony where more girls joined in after Kilnar. Now 8 mages had joined their family. Apart from Kilnar and another girl, who somehow attracted Lireesa's attention, being high-level the rest were mid and low levels.
The levels were too low for most noble houses but Lireesa was certain with the resources and knowledge she provided, they would become a formidable force in the future.
[A/N: Hello my bookreader. Sadly, my computer wasn't fixed. I was advised to buy a new one but I'm poor right now.
But don't worry the stories will continue. I'm thankful many are still supporting me. Daily power stones even without updates, the author appreciated a lot.
Yesterday, a bridge exploded nearby and the author feels the battle nearing my area. Just some sense. This kind of feeling, I can't describe unless people really experience what war is first-hand.
Don't worry, I'm very safe.
]
Bullet cracks, Shells whistled, and a huge bang, explosion, and quivering soil. Normal life here.
I'm just blurting out here. TBH, it had been going on for two years but don't know why this time might be a really serious round.
All in all, cherish everything around you my bookfriends. Sometimes the peace and rights you have in your country can change out of the blue.