Returning to the imperial capital after a more than a month of absence, Iscario only sighed in his heart.

It was clear that the New Year had just passed, and there had been good news from the front not long ago, but the imperial capital was much more depressed than when Iscario left. It was difficult to see the pride of the people of the imperial capital on the faces of the citizens who came to greet the triumphant on both sides of the road, on the contrary, the repeated turmoil of the past few months had exhausted the energy and confidence of most people, and only that insincere expression was placed on their numb faces.

Sighing, Iscario rode his horse and hurried across the main road.

The three thousand Fog Fort troops guarding him followed closely.

Alphonse, the commander of this army, drove his horse to Iscario's side, half a horse behind, and said to Iscario in a low voice: "Your Highness, the army is not allowed to accompany you in front, I will take a dozen people to follow you into the palace, but please be careful, I am afraid that I will not be able to protect you." ”

"I see. Iscario nodded, no fear on his face.

Because of his victories on the front lines and the prestige he had established throughout Wanggi, many in the army admired him, such as Alphonse Elvis, the commander of the Fog Castle.

Harold III ordered the governor of Fog Castle, who was directly under his orders, to send someone to "escort" Iscario back to the imperial capital, of course, as a direct minister of the emperor, the governor of Fog Castle quite understood what the emperor meant, and the so-called escort was actually an escort. However, he couldn't find a commander who didn't like Iscario at all, so he had to send Alphonse, a civilian, to carry out the mission.

But now it seems that even this choice did not suit the emperor's wishes.

Before arriving at the palace, Iscario and the guards of the Fog Fort army dismounted en masse, and then the second prince walked into the palace gate with Alphonse and a dozen soldiers.

As soon as he entered the palace, Iscario felt a very different atmosphere than before he left.

The palace was full of cold mountain troops, and these mountain people from the eastern mountains watched the prince walk by with cold eyes.

These people obviously don't know how to revere the royal family, if it were any other time, they would definitely be despised as hillbillies, but at the moment, the murderous aura of these people has suppressed the imperial capital nobles.

Ignoring the gaze of the Cold Mountain soldiers, Iscario hurried through the intricate corridors and corridors of the palace.

Familiar with the palace, he soon made his way to his father's bedchamber, where he stopped and took a deep breath before stepping inside.

Alphonse guarded him tightly, and at the same time couldn't help but clench the saber at his waist.

"Okay, relax. Iscario noticed Alphonse's vigilance, and in turn reassured Alphonse, "If you want to see the emperor, you can't wear a sword." It's going to be fine, just relax. ”

Alphonse stiffened his face and nodded reluctantly. He let go of his hand, but he didn't let his guard down.

Walking into the emperor's bedchamber, it didn't take long for him to see many familiar faces.

In addition to the nobles of the Imperial Capital who he was already familiar with, there was also Ian Profmo, the Grand Magus of the Council of Sky Mages, the Chief Cardinal of the Church, and his elder brother, the First Prince Alcott.

The men were all smiling, and very cordially came up to shake Iscario's hand, congratulate him on his victory, and did not hesitate to wave their praises as if it were a warm welcome.

Iscalio coped with them with perfect etiquette as he looked at the master in the deepest part of the dormitory.

As the owner of this dormitory, Emperor Harold III was lying on a sickbed at this moment. Originally, it was a very strange thing to receive the prince who had returned from the battlefield in the dormitory, and if it weren't for the emperor's physical condition that couldn't support him to leave this hospital bed, things probably wouldn't have been done so absurdly.

Iscario looked around, at the smiles on the faces of the people around him, and then at his father, who was lying on the bed and looking at him with a slanted face, and there was no good look on his face, and he felt even more ridiculous. He was about to burst out laughing, but his usual royal manners made him hold back the smile, and he just walked towards the emperor with a warm smile that was always the same.

"Father. Iscario shook Harold III's hand, "I'm back, are you feeling better?"

Harold III stared at Iscario without speaking.

After learning the news of the victory at the front, Harold III's physical condition deteriorated, as if the news did not lift his mood, but rather had a side effect.

The Emperor raised his other hand and waved it softly in the air, and Iscario looked in the direction of the Emperor's beckoning, immediately meeting a pair of eyes.

Arnold Svan Fegraf, Duke of Cold Mountain, was walking slowly.

He came to Iscario's front and bowed slightly, seemingly respectful, but everyone knew the arrogance in his heart now.

"Your Highness, congratulations on your return. Your Majesty has ordered that a banquet to celebrate your achievements will be held, but it is a pity that Your Majesty's body is overwhelmed and cannot be attended in person. ”

"I don't deserve any celebration banquet, the victory was achieved by the soldiers who fought desperately on the front line, and I have no credit. Iscario shook his head and looked at his father with a sincere look in his eyes, "I just hope that my father will get better soon." ”

The Emperor's eyes were staring at Iscario, and the look was very uncomfortable, but Iscario didn't seem to feel it at all.

"You don't have to excuse yourself, you deserve it. Besides......" Arnold turned his head and searched for a figure in the crowd, "Your Majesty still has orders. ”

Arnold's eyes quickly caught Alcott, and although he was reluctant, the watchful Prince Alcott had no choice but to obediently step forward and lay with his brother beside his father's bedside.

"Alcott ......" Harold III said with great difficulty, his eyes looked at Alcott, although he frowned, as if he was about to eat Alcott, but his eyes were far softer than looking at Iscario, "You have disappointed me too much...... The position of ruling is still held by Iscario. ”

"Yes, Father. Sorry to disappoint your expectations. Alcott said that there was a sense of relief in his tone about stepping down from his position as acting consul.

Iscario apparently heard this, and he glanced at Iscario, then lowered his gaze silently.

"Now the emperor is in chao......s," the emperor's gaze only stayed on Alcott for a short moment, "I have already made Figlaf take responsibility and impose martial law on the entire emperor." Now that you're back, join him in managing the imperial capital. I've read the battle report of Kuknas City before. ”

The emperor stopped to take a breath in the middle of his words, his chest rose and fell so badly that it seemed that just speaking consumed a lot of his strength.

The people around him all looked worriedly, the emperor's health had not been so bad some time ago.

"You have done a good job, and I believe that with this victory, the people of the White Land will not dare to underestimate us anymore. The next thing is to leave it to Felix, he is the Minister of War of the Empire and a marshal, and it is only fitting that the affairs of the front line are entrusted to him. And prepare to make peace with the people of the White Land. ”

Hearing the peace, the surrounding crowd couldn't help but be a little commotion, this battle has been fought so far, the imperial capital has invested countless troops and materials, and also lost the Tiamat territory, and the people of Baidi also agreed that it was a nest to move, where it was so easy to negotiate peace. What's more, if peace is really negotiated in this way, Wang Ji, who has lost Tiamat's Lingping Domain, will be equivalent to opening the door to the people of Baidi, and the iron cavalry in the north may go south at any time, and Wang Ji will be shrouded in the shadow of the iron hooves of the snow field.

But Iscario was not surprised. "So, what's our bottom line?"

Harold III raised his eyes, his gaze searching the crowd.

Alcot couldn't help but follow his father's line of sight and also look at the crowd.

The nobles looked at each other, wondering who the emperor was looking for.

After a few moments, the Emperor withdrew his gaze, beckoned, and motioned for Alcott to put his ear to him. "Scripps isn't there, is he?"

Alcott was stunned, he looked at his brother, and whispered in his father's ear, "Scripps has gone to the front, have you forgotten?"

"Oh-oh......" Harold III made a muffled, staccato sound in his throat, as if he had phlegm in his throat, "I forgot...... Then, with the Safra River as the boundary, the occupation of Tiamat by the White Didis could be recognized, but they must be required to promise not to go south again, and not to invade the Mirror Lake Territory again. ”

Alcott looked at his brother Iscario with some embarrassment, even a fool like him did not think that the people of White would agree to such conditions.

"Now that they control a part of the northern part of the Mirror Lake Territory, I'm afraid they won't give up so easily. Iscario's expression was calm, not surprised, nor embarrassed.

"That's why we have to negotiate!" Harold III snorted, as if he was unhappy because of his son's confrontation, "In short, they can't be allowed to take away the territory of the Empire!"

Iscario stopped talking, apparently Harold III was only thinking about keeping Wang Ji now, and he didn't care about the Tiamat Territory, or even the Mirror Lake Territory.

"I see. Iscario nodded, then looked at Arnold.

When looking at Arnold, Iscario couldn't help but wonder in his mind if this line was drawn by this person for the emperor.

"The dinner is ready. Arnold smiled slightly, "Your Majesty looks tired, let's go to the banquet hall first." ”

Iscario looked at his father, nodded, got up and followed Arnold away.

And when Alcott wanted to leave, he saw his father staring at Iscario's back, and that look was not the father's love for his son, but like looking at the enemy.

Alcot couldn't help but feel a chill on the back of his neck, shivered, and hurriedly walked away.

After leaving the Emperor's bedchamber, the atmosphere became more lighthearted, and the nobles crowded around Iscario, sending him praise and praise, so that even Alphonse, who was guarding him, was squeezed out of the crowd and could not get close to Iscario.

After all, these people are all big nobles from the top gate lords of the imperial capital, and although they wag their tails and beg for joy at Iscario, they will not pretend to people like Alphonse, and they will feel offensive even if they are touched.

Depressed, Alphonse could only be as careful as he could be.

Because the emperor could not preside over it himself, Arnold served as the host of the banquet. According to common sense, it should be Alcott who should do this, but as the actual controller of the palace and the imperial capital, Arnold has the qualifications and ability to make everyone obey his demands.

Iscario, as the protagonist of the banquet, was naturally the first to appear, and then attracted everyone's attention, while Arnold, as the host of the banquet, appeared last.

Perhaps by deliberate arrangement, when Arnold appeared in front of everyone, everyone was surprised but not surprised to see that Michelia, as his female companion, took Arnold's arm and walked towards Prince Iscario together.

Iscario still had his smile on his face.

"I have heard before that Tamska and Fegraf have plans to continue their marriage in this generation, and it seems to be true. Iscario took Michelia's hand and kissed her lightly on her middle finger, "It's a pity that the current situation is not very appropriate." ”

"You may be misunderstood," Arnold explained to Iscario with a smile on his face that was pandering to the occasion, "but in this atmosphere, I may not be able to explain much to you. There is one other main thing for today, which I want to tell you about right away. ”

"What?"

Under the gaze of the crowd, Arnold leaned into Iscario's ear and whispered:

"I know who the traitor who colluded with the people of the White Land is. ”