A dignified Duke, who could freely enter and exit Stormwind Keep, was actually waiting in line at a small place like Goldshire. Especially considering the previous arrogance of Duke Bowles—who was still bedridden and unable to walk—this news spread like wildfire, reaching Stormwind City in no time.
Naturally, it also reached the ears of Countess Katrana Prestor.
While the net cafe was lively, the Countess's side was filled with heated arguments.
In a secret passage within the Cathedral of Light, she vented her intense dissatisfaction at Archbishop Benedictus. She claimed that under his watch, "traitors" like Shadowbreak had appeared. Furthermore, even Arator had joined that net cafe. She questioned whether they would just stand by and watch Rhonin and the Kirin Tor join in next, given that the Wizard's Sanctuary was already an ally of the cafe.
Benedictus remained calm and composed. He wasn't surprised by the Countess's fury; her race loved to fly into the sky and breathe fire, and even in human form, her temper remained explosive.
But anger only ever makes one lose their reason.
He said to Katrana, "Do you know why you are so agitated while the Regent doesn't care about that young man at all?"
Hearing this, Katrana instinctively wondered if Benedictus was suffering from senile dementia. "Aren't you asking the obvious? Because he repeatedly mentions black dragons, volcanoes, and now he's explicitly spoken of Twilight Dragons! How could Bolvar possibly know about these things?"
Benedictus gave a faint, cold smile. "So you're in such a hurry because you can't wait for Bolvar and everyone in Stormwind to discover the Master's plan? Do you want them to know you aren't Katrana at all?"
Stunned by his words, Katrana found herself momentarily speechless. She countered, "Then what do you propose we do? The opponent has laid his cards on the table; this can't be a coincidence. The Wizard's Sanctuary, Northshire Abbey, the Warriors' Guild, the underground warlocks, and now even the paladins have joined. If SI:7 joins as well, it will be very difficult to stifle him."
"Countess, you are too sensitive," Benedictus replied. "I still believe you should focus more on the missing individual. If he reappears in Stormwind, the crisis to the Master's cause will be greater than anything else. As for the net cafe owner—even if he knows the secret, so what? Guests don't revolt for a chef just because his food is delicious. Besides, we have people monitoring the place day and night. To me, it's just an ordinary entertainment venue with slightly clever methods."
"Solve the key issues at hand first, then we can deal with him. Perhaps that net cafe will eventually become our helper."
Katrana sneered, "Archbishop, you are old. While human lifespans are trivial to us, among humans, you've grown too old—old enough to be content with the status quo and just drift along. I will stop the Windsor matter, I will stop Mathias's search, and I will deal with that net cafe. If you are unwilling to help, then just mind your own people and stay out of my way!"
Though Benedictus remained seemingly kind, his tone became unquestionable. "I do not take orders from you, little girl. Though your lifespan far exceeds mine, it doesn't mean your wisdom exceeds that of these short-lived races. Besides, I have dealt with them much more than you have. Remember, I listen directly to the Master's will. Even if your father were here, he would have no right to command me."
As Katrana was about to retaliate, one of her private subordinates hurried in, kneeling on one leg to report.
"Mistress, a messenger from Stormwind Keep is upstairs. The Regent has summoned you back immediately!"
Katrana looked bewildered. Why did a messenger appear every time she visited the Cathedral of Light? "What is it this time?"
"It seems two Pandaren, along with a group of unidentified adventurers, have stormed the Deadmines in Moonbrook. They've engaged VanCleef's men and reportedly have the upper hand!"
"What?!" Katrana gasped.
Both the Countess and the Archbishop knew the truth—they knew of the greatest conspiracy in Stormwind aside from the King's disappearance.
The reason Katrana was so sensitive about the net cafe's contact with the Stonemasons' Guild was that she was the one who had "painstakingly" persuaded the nobles not to pay the masons. She had also sent infiltrators into the guild to incite riots. To ensure the situation ended in a total break, she had arranged for someone to cause chaos and stone Queen Tiffin to death when she went to appease the crowd.
In other words, she had single-handedly planned and pushed for the creation of the Defias Brotherhood. Since then, the Defias entrenched in southern Westfall had become a chronic problem for the Kingdom. With the influence of the Dragonfire Amulet, the mentally clouded Bolvar refused to send troops, allowing the Defias to recruit outcasts and bandits to create disturbances, weakening the Kingdom's control over its distant territories.
Now, not only were the net cafe and the Stonemasons' Guild in contact, but an actual military strike had occurred.
Katrana left without saying goodbye to the Archbishop. He said one last thing to her: "Don't come back for a while."
Both now understood completely—the Countess was being watched.
Back at the net cafe, the moon had risen, and a drizzling autumn rain had begun. Because the rain was heavy, most of the onlookers had dispersed, but Shadowbreak remained, sitting by the inn window.
Tess had given him a queue number—"Number 1." This meant regardless of who finished playing, the next seat was his.
To his frustration, none of the veteran players were willing to leave their chairs once they sat down. As 8:00 PM approached, he knew he had no hope for today. But he didn't plan on going back. Like his disciple Arator, he would sleep at the inn and be the first to enter the net cafe tomorrow to experience that magical "learning machine" and find the secret of the divine blade.
Just then, a familiar face appeared by the inn fireplace via a Hearthstone teleport.
"Barons?" Shadowbreak asked in surprise.
Barons had completed all the preparations for Wayne's new cafe. All materials were delivered to Plot 76, except for the generator ordered from Gnomish tinkers in Ironforge, which was still in transit via the Deeprun Tram. One hundred workers had gathered and were staying in temporary sheds at the site.
Barons was happy to see many old comrades from the Stonemasons' Guild "escaping" back from Westfall. He didn't know who had posted the recruitment notices or who had ordered the border guards to pardon any Defias rebels who laid down their arms. However, he had also received bad news.
This was the reason for his worried expression.
When Shadowbreak heard that a massive new cafe with dozens of stations was being built, his heart blossomed with joy. But noticing Barons' concern, he accompanied him to the net cafe.
It was exactly 8:00 PM, and business hours were over. Wayne saw off Andromath and the others before sitting down to talk with Barons.
"What's wrong, Master Architect? Worried I don't have the money?" Wayne nudged Tess, who brought 280 gold coins—the second payment—from the safe.
But Barons wasn't excited by the payment. "When I left the city, I heard a group had raided the Deadmines."
Wayne was startled. His first thought was: How did Mathias move so fast? Even if he gathered men, it shouldn't have been possible in two or three days.
Shadowbreak slapped his thigh. "That's a good thing! I suggested it to the Regent many times, but he never sent troops. Eventually, I stopped asking."
"Although it wasn't in the official report," Barons added, "friends at the Cathedral told me that VanCleef has ordered his subordinates lurking throughout Elwynn Forest to launch a series of retaliatory raids in response to Stormwind's military action."
Shadowbreak wasn't a waste like Bowles. He immediately understood Barons' worry. "VanCleef is never soft on traitors. Those workers who escaped from Westfall will surely be priority targets for his retaliation."
Barons nodded and looked toward Wayne.