"Please calm down, Hero Sunshine. Hero Iron Maiden, please withdraw your weapon."
Unable to silently observe the situation any longer, Prince Raelen stepped forward and spoke.
Sunshine glanced briefly at Prince Raelen, then nodded. He gestured for Iron Maiden to step back.
Iron Maiden withdrew her weapon, and it instantly vanished, dissipating into thin air.
She then took a step backward.
Silver Knight lowered his weapon but did not sheath it. He wasn't about to drop his guard when the three of them could attack at any moment.
Prince Raelen sighed in relief. Then he turned and narrowed his eyes at General Avandal.
"General Avandal, what is the meaning of this? Have you forgotten the Emperor's orders?" he asked, his tone and expression growing angrier by the second. In his view, the root of this conflict lay with General Avandal.
"I apologize, Your Highness," General Avandal said, bowing slightly to Prince Raelen.
If their victory was successful, Prince Raelen would be crowned Crown Prince of the Dawn Empire and eventually succeed as the next Emperor. As the Emperor's Sword, Avandal would answer to him as well. Even with the Empire on the brink of collapse, he could not forget the customs of his nation, which were deeply ingrained in him.
"It's good that you're quick to recognize your mistake," Prince Raelen asked.
"Don't you have anything more to say to Hero Iron Maiden and the others about what just transpired?"
"There's nothing to apologize for, Your Highness," General Avandal replied, his tone and expression stern. "Silver Knight has proven that he is the most dedicated among them by choosing to rush to aid us in subduing the remaining Thorn Juggernauts that had infiltrated the castle. While the others returned to their rooms to rest, waiting to get their hands on our most prized possessions, the ones we have guarded with our hearts for the security of the Empire."
Prince Raelen furrowed his brows and let out a sigh. "Did it occur to you that they must have been exhausted from the summoning, the ambush they had faced the moment they arrived here? And despite that, have you not been instructed to act in a way that does not bring harm to the Empire? Is that what you're doing right now?"
General Avandal wanted to respond, but quickly sealed his lips shut. "Please punish me for my unsightly actions, Prince Raelen," he said, dropping to his knees and bowing deeply.
"Apologize to Hero Iron Maiden and the others," Prince Raelen said firmly.
General Avandal frowned. He lifted his head to meet the Prince's unwavering gaze, which clearly would not accept refusal. He clenched his fists briefly, then relaxed them. Turning his attention to Elias and the others, he said, "I apologize for my actions just now. I acted ignorantly, and I hope you do not take them to heart."
Prince Raelen and Kaland both exhaled in relief. They were glad the situation would not escalate further, and it also helped them understand the dynamics of the summoned Heroes.
"That's much better. Since that's the case, I hope you don't mind that we have the right to select who gets the Bulwark Beetle now," Iron Maiden said, folding her arms with a sneer.
General Avandal glanced at Silver Knight before refocusing on her and giving a subtle nod.
Silver Knight clicked his tongue loudly in irritation.
"Party Leader, how would you like to take the first choice?" Iron Maiden asked, looking at Sunshine with genuine appreciation in her eyes.
She had expected him to step forward and try to settle the situation amicably, but instead, he had supported her actions without hesitation. He knew when to apply force and when to speak. He was a far more capable Party Leader than she had expected, and he even understood her.
Iron Maiden had already thought about reconnecting with him back on Earth. If they could combine their capabilities, there would be many more survivors, and handling the apocalypse would be exponentially easier.
"I'm not interested in choosing first. I'll leave the decision to you and Night Ninja," Elias replied, shaking his head.
Iron Maiden looked at Elias curiously and nodded, then shifted her attention toward Night Ninja.
"You can pick. I'm not interested. I'll check out the other beasts," Night Ninja said.
Although he had been silent all this time, he agreed with Elias and Iron Maiden's way of handling things. If they allowed someone like Silver Knight to walk over them, they might as well disband the party.
"Fine. Since none of you are interested, I'll take the Bullwark Beetle. Don't regret it. I won't trade back," Iron Maiden said, turning her attention to the chained, armored beetle. Like the others, she suspected that the gigantic ferocious beast locked in the castle was far superior to the rest.
Lyrac observed the scene with clenched fists, trembling in anger. He felt as though he had become invisible to everyone present. Still, he restrained himself. Speaking now would only draw the hostility of everyone onto him, so he remained silent until the next selection.
"The Heroes have made their choice. You all should help them place the bridles on the beasts as quickly as possible," First Prince Raelen said, gently clapping his hands together.
The soldiers and the Red Rose Knights swiftly guided Silver Knight and Iron Maiden on how to place the bridles on the two enormous beasts.
It took half an hour to properly arrange the beasts' bodies on the ground for the bridles, and another hour to secure them correctly. If it weren't for their strength and agility, which allowed them to maneuver around the beasts with ease, the process would have taken several more hours.
Soon, the task was complete. Silver Knight and Iron Maiden both climbed atop their respective beasts.
After that, they escorted the enormous beasts out of the fortified gates.
"We'll take the beasts to the other areas where the rest of the imprisoned beasts are. General Silver Knight will lead Hero Silver Knight and Wolf to one location. My brother, Prince Kaland, will lead Hero Iron Maiden, Sunshine, and Night Ninja to the others," Prince Raelen said.
"We'll be waiting for you all at the battlefront. Please stay safe."