Duke was visibly perplexed, a metaphorical giant question mark hanging over his head.
He was utterly baffled.
In the game, grinding reputation for any faction required players to bleed sweat and tears. Regardless of whether it was incidental, a substantial amount of time investment was mandatory.
It's truly a case of comparing despair: if Duke's comrades back on Earth knew he had won over Alexstrasza with just a box of ice cream and a roasted whole cow, he wondered if they would curse in frustration...
However, there was a prerequisite to this: Duke had personally rescued Alexstrasza from Nefarian's conspiracy and assisted the four Dragon Aspects in slaying Nefarian. This was the real unbreakable foundation of their relationship.
As for the ice cream, it was merely a small catalyst that naturally followed.
The Wyrmrest Temple, as the first extraordinary special force that Duke revered upon arriving in the world of Azeroth, held epoch-making significance for him.
In the game, reputation was more about blatant benefits, such as exchanging for better equipment. In the real world, however, reputation represented a faction's support for Duke.
Looking at the system prompt that changed his Guardian authority to 'In the Guardian War, you can specify an unlimited number of ancient red dragons to fight alongside you as needed, and the Blue Dragon, Green Dragon, and Bronze Dragon legions will definitely respond to your reasonable call,' Duke began to understand the meaning represented by the reputation [Revered].
Reputation [Revered] means that the faction is willing to go through thick and thin for you, without hesitation.
Just like after Stormwind City's reputation [Revered], Llane Wrynn even didn't mind Duke carving out a territory from the Stormwind Kingdom to establish his own country. Soldiers and citizens were willing to split with Duke. Especially after Duke explicitly stated that he just wanted to be a Grand Duke, guarding the frontier for the Stormwind Kingdom and Azeroth, Llane was even more willing to contribute money and effort, never shortchanging even half a coin if he could give a gold coin.
Now, the Wyrmrest Temple is the same. As long as the forces deemed by the Wyrmrest Temple as 'Enemies of Azeroth' will definitely attract the aid of the dragon race.
After checking other forces, Duke suddenly felt that he was not doing too badly in Azeroth.
Accumulated [Revered] were: Stormwind City, Ironforge, Stromgarde, and Wyrmrest Temple.
[Honored] were: Kul Tiras, Gnomeregan, and Aerie Peak.
Other kingdoms are basically respected, only Lordaeron and Quel'Thalas are [Cold].
Lordaeron is because Duke repeatedly slapped King Terenas Menethil in the face. As for Quel'Thalas... Duke poached their three strongest Ranger Generals, not turning against Duke is already giving face.
Duke only has one question now: Does the Scourge count as an external enemy in the eyes of the dragon race?
When Duke asked the Queen, she tilted her head, very reluctantly stopping her mouth: "Hmm, rare alien species with demonic power or fallen humans? Actually, it depends on how harmful the target is. Our defined absolute enemies, after excluding the fallen Nefarian, are only two groups, one is the demons of the Burning Legion, and the second is the most powerful subordinates of the Old Gods of Azeroth."
"Oh?"
"The rest, all have to be determined in a meeting. You know, unless it is a very urgent situation, I have the right to order an emergency meeting, otherwise waiting for those guys who often sleep or do not do serious things, it's very troublesome." Alexstrasza shrugged, the next second she found a small piece of ice cream had fallen. The Queen stretched out her tongue trying to rescue the ice cream, but accidentally let the ice cream fall into the Dragon Valley on her breastplate...
Completely lacking the restraint a human lady should have, the Queen actually just pinched the ice cream out with two fingers, put it back in her mouth, and, oh, even sucked her fingers.
Watching the semi-melted ice cream droplets slide down the Dragon Peak into the deep valley, Duke hurriedly turned his head, silently chanting: She is a dragon! She is a dragon!
Having ice cream with roasted meat and the like was just a small interlude. What made everyone happy was that without much loss on their side, they thwarted the Burning Legion's conspiracy once again.
Duke reclaimed the entire Karazhan Mage Tower, while a group of heroes obtained a large number of epic equipment.
For instance, Edwin got another epic one-handed sword [Hatred] and a pair of [Leggings of the Unseen Path].
Benedictus got [Leggings of Repentance].
Muradin got a defensive warrior's [Pauldrons of Amelioration].
On average, it turned out that everyone got two pieces of epic equipment that surpassed this time node, which is tangible for the promotion of the heroes. Even if they, who have stepped into the hero realm, cannot fully exert the mysterious power contained in these equipment, it does not hinder them from setting a direction and benchmark for effort.
The group returned to Lordaeron that night. When Muradin, the big mouth, spread the events in Karazhan, the entire city of Lordaeron experienced another earthquake, and everyone was in an uproar.
The demons are back?
So soon?
Sargeras corrupting and controlling the previous Guardian Medivh was not so long ago, and suddenly there was another conspiracy against Azeroth?
Some ostrich faction guys even wanted to deny that this was an invasion, thinking it was a false conspiracy fabricated by Duke. Unfortunately, there were not many people who went to Karazhan this time, but it covered the entire Alliance's high-level very well.
Apart from the people of the Stormwind Kingdom, there were also heroes from various fields.
Magni naturally believed his brother Muradin.
Benedictus also represented the Church of the Holy Light.
Tirion Fordring's character and his status as one of the Silver Hand were naturally recognized by the people of Lordaeron and the paladins.
For a while, Duke was once again pushed to the forefront.
Compared with assisting the four Guardian Dragons to kill Nefarian before, killing a commander of the Burning Legion seems unable to stimulate people's senses. Only the high-level Alliance knows the significance of Duke's move.
Just as King Llane was preparing to hold a celebration banquet for Duke again, a piece of news dispelled the enthusiastic atmosphere throughout the city of Lordaeron.
Uther came to the state guesthouse of the Stormwind Kingdom. After seeing Duke, Llane, and Anduin, he started with a sentence: "Archbishop Alonsus Faol is critically ill. He wishes to see the three of you, especially Lord Marcus, before he passes."
Duke and Llane were stunned, their postures rigidly fixed in their chairs.
Anduin, who had the best relationship with Alonsus, stood up immediately, his fists clenched. This man, who had experienced the pain of a fallen country and the death of Turalyon, cried openly for the first time.
Tears uncontrollably slid down his firm and masculine face.
"When did this happen? How come we didn't receive any news?"