The exchange lasted for a few seconds, before General Illion dismounted and approached Princess Ming. His stature and aura towered over the girl's own, which made people remember that the princess was merely an eighteen-year-old girl! Compared to a famed general, approaching his fifties, who had led countless campaigns across the years, it was hard to call them equal. But Princess Ming did not back down and remained standing straight. General Illion's intimidation did little against her.
"What does the Imperial Princesses want from me?" Illion asked arrogantly. He knew that with Elizabeth firmly in their hands, there was little he could do to force the situation. They had the initiative!
"We are willing to return the heir back to you," Ming started.
Heir? The second that word appeared, Illion's expression finally changed. He was unable to restrain his surprise! He quickly connected the dots and realized why she was seen with such high importance by the Royal Family and why she was kidnapped in Port Silic, sacrificing so many Imperial Sentinels for her! If she was the heir of the kingdom, then everything made sense! Forget Imperial Sentinels, General Illion would not hesitate in sacrificing one or two thousand soldiers to secure her! An heir apparent was one step away from being monarch, the ruler of an entire civilization! But in less than a fraction of a second, he removed any emotion from his face. However, it did not go unnoticed by Ming.
She continued, "We would like you to a temporary truce between the Xingyuu Empire and the Alzar Kingdom."
"May I ask why?" the general wondered.
"The reasons are slightly too complicated to go into… so I cannot explain them to you right now," Ming hesitated. Revealing the inner feuds of the Imperial Council to the Alzar Kingdom might prove more harmful than beneficial. "Instead, I would like to offer a warning. Lord Korogin, the Master of Strategy, is in danger."
When Ming talked about the heir, it was quiet so not many heard her, but when she mentioned Lord Korogin, everyone heard. Immediately, a heated uproar rippled throughout the soldiers and knights. Her words could easily be interpreted as a threat! Few were willing to here such dripple from the princess and were willing to charge forth. Chang and Tai were extremely nervous seeing this. All it took was one particularly rowdy individual for a fight to break out. By then, it would be too late to regret anything. Lorenzo and the captains calmed everyone down, restoring order.
General Illion's eyes flickered with an ominous glint. "Thank you for your warning. I'll make sure to take it into consideration. As for your truce, we can discuss at length, as long as the heir is properly returned to us."
Ming gave a wry smile. She knew this as well. Nothing could progress until Elizabeth returned to the Alzar Kingdom but doing so would force her to lose her trump card! Without Elizabeth, she was like a snake without fangs. Her side would be completely at the mercy of General Illion! Therefore, she could not let that happen. Unfortunately, while holding the initiative forced Illion to the table, it also earned the fury of the Alzar Kingdom. The more she used the heir as a bargaining chip, the more the kingdom would scheme against her. Against an army of nearly a hundred thousand, what could she do? More importantly, the Imperial Council wanted to capture her as well… She could not afford to make more enemies!
Xiuying, who was silent the entire time, finally moved. Her actions were scrutinized by the Alzar's side, while Ming was puzzled. They had talked the night before that negotiations would be handled purely by Ming. There was no need for Xiuying to do anything. But soon, Ming came to an abrupt epiphany as Xiuying reached for Elizabeth's shackles. Ming broke out in a cold sweat and nearly rushed to stop her sister. But she could not! Showing weakness would invite General Illion to capitalize. She was forced to stand her ground and act as if everything was under her control.
However, how could such a hiccup not go unnoticed by General Illion? Princess Ming might be a navigator of politics, but she was young. Who was General Illion? The Third-In-Command of the Quinvoren Army! His natural eye of observation far surpassed anything that Ming possessed. He understood what was happening with a glance and decided to watch for now. As he expected, Xiuying released Elizabeth and was about to hand her over! Such a scene dumbfounded everyone. They had to wonder if Xiuying had gone mad…
"Sister, what are you planning?" Ming had to whisper. "She's our bargaining chip. If we lose her, we might all be captured or killed! She's the only insurance we have!"
Hearing this, Xiuying frowned. "Ming, think about what might happen if we continue treating Elizabeth as an item to be traded around. Even if our negotiations succeed, how will she think about us and the Xingyuu Empire in the future? This will only breed animosity… We need to show the Alzar Kingdom our honest sincerity in trying to make amends."
Ming did not refute her words and watched as Elizabeth and her friends were handed over! All at once, the situation changed because of one girl. Elizabeth and her friends breathed a heavy sigh of relief. They were finally safe again, without the threat of death. Shirley cried tears of joy, while Freon was amazed. Lorenzo could not restrain himself and rushed over to Benedict's side. After confirming that no harm had been done to his brother, the two rejoiced. Elizabeth casted a complex gaze in Xiuying's direction as General Illion personally approached her and knelt respectfully.
"Your Highness, has the Xingyuu Empire done anything to harm you? We are prepared to serve under your command."
Elizabeth did not know how to reply. Seeing this, an ominous premonition filled Ming's heart. General Illion said nothing more and stood up. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a small Alzar patrol flying on gliders, waving a signal flag. He noted that color in his mind and sneered. He raised his hand and their surroundings changed! Hundreds of soldiers encapsulated them on all sides, preventing any thought of escape! Little did Ming know, Illion was not about to let off a huge prize like the Imperial Princesses. He gave orders that if the meeting location was not where the princesses would be, the supporting five hundred troops would tail General Illion and keep a constant watch out for enemies. Should the opportunity present itself, he would act!
His methods were truly ruthless and cunning. Ming's illusion of strength was nothing against true military prowess! Even she could not prevent her façade from crumbling. Of course, this was why she needed Elizabeth as a deterrent. The Alzar Kingdom could not go overboard. But she lost this card immediately. While she was worrying about securing a way out, Illion was scheming to capture her! Realizing the dilemma that they found themselves in, Ming revealed a bitter smile. She had underestimated Illion's plans. Even if they banded together, it would only be a meaningless struggle. The Imperial Princesses surrendered as soldiers came up to restrain them. Meanwhile, Elizabeth watched with uncertainty… In a twist of fate, the Imperial Princesses were captured!