After investigating all the servants at the Emperor's side, Hollow began to investigate the Imperial Chancellors who had met with Electrochem IV. According to the existing investigation results, these servants were personally selected by His Majesty the Emperor, and after careful investigation and confirmation, these people were all from the Oguna Empire, and more than eighty percent of them were born and raised in Glynco. Unless they were bought, they could not have had anything to do with the change in Electrium IV's body.

The financial status of these servants, as well as the situation of their families, were also examined, and there was no evidence that these people had ever been bought. So before setting out to sign the peace treaty, Hollow decided to look suspiciously at the ministers who had approached Electrem IV.

Since Hollow didn't know what kind of changes had taken place in the Emperor's body, he was sure that this body was no longer the body that had grown up in front of Hollow. It was different, but wasn't it true, as Goliath had said, that Electrom IV was no longer alive?

What Horlow fears most is that the Emperor of the Oguna Empire has now become a puppet of some ambitious people, whether this body is magically turned or someone else's, Horlow cannot ignore this hidden worry. However, since the illness of Electrean IV, the most powerful man in the continent has never issued a single order, and from the perspective of the general public, the prime minister Hollow, who is in charge of the affairs of the Oguna Empire, is the most powerful man in the continent.

In Hollow's investigation notebook, there was a large blank space, which was originally used to record what unusual manifestations of Electrochrom IV, but after nearly half a month of investigation, there was nothing unusual except for the strange pupils I saw last time, and the rotten flesh maggots I had seen. If there is one thing that is most unusual, it is when Horlow sees the rotten Electrosomem IV for the first time, and the other party does not explain it at all. By the time Hollow went to meet Electrochem IV for the second time, he had already recovered to his original state, which made Hollow think in his heart that it was just his hallucination, a hallucination of panic caused by Duke Pobo being poisoned.

"It's definitely not a hallucination, what I saw that time and the second time was real," Hollow was almost deceived by his psychological suggestion again, he immediately shook his head and whispered to himself, "I must investigate the truth, why did His Majesty become like this, and what is the purpose of the mastermind behind the scenes." ”

With this question in mind, Hollow began to write down all the people who had entered the palace to meet Electrem IV during these two years. These people were confirmed by the palace guards and servants, and whoever entered the emperor's chambers was recorded, and the person who met Electroxomnime IV the most was none other than Hollow himself, who had entered it five times.

Saresa twice, Bloomer once, Camp once, Giovanni once, Daron once, Bernardo once... Hollow could not find anyone who had entered the palace three times. Most of these people were important Imperial ministers, and only a few Imperial nobles had ever visited Grimmko and met with Electroxholm IV, as if those nobles in other fiefdoms had little interest in His Majesty.

Hollow knew that there could be no problem with Bloomer and Kemp, as they had come with him to meet the Emperor. Giovanni, as the interim presiding judge, now has more seniority, and he has even more seniority to succumb to Daron and become the second presiding judge, and there are not many doubts about him. Dalon, who had officially ended Giovanni's transition a few months earlier, and became the chief inquisitor of the Oguna Empire, could also be excluded, as he had only come to meet Electrem IV at the time of his official inauguration.

His Majesty the Emperor, whom Saresa and her father, Duke Bernardo, met with, and with Horlo's knowledge of the Wasteland Python, no one was more loyal to the Empire than her, and she could never be behind it.

In the end, Hollow did not find a very suspicious object, and the emperor, who has been living in seclusion and rarely leaves the palace, is like a bird in a cage, "protected" by an iron cage. If there is one object of suspicion among these people, it is a group audience a year and a half ago.

The meeting was arranged by one of the presiding judges, who was also present at the time, including Giovanni, now the second presiding judge. The participants were all privileged mercenaries loyal to the Oguna Empire, a total of eight regimental commanders. There are three mercenary groups that belong to the first-class privileged mercenaries, and the other five mercenary groups belong to the second-level privileged mercenaries, and they all have very much power in the empire's territory, so they are also becoming more and more lazy, going back and forth between the lord's banquets, and gradually forgetting their duties.

The reason why Hollow would have regarded this group meeting as a suspicious object was because several of the servants at the time clearly remembered that one of the mercenary leaders had been emitting a foul stench all the time. Hollow remembered the stench he had smelled when he saw Electroxholm IV rotting and maggots crawling. Goliath also mentioned the foul smell when she appeared in the cemetery, and I wonder if there is any connection between these coincidences.

Hollow began to take a fresh look at the inquisitors who controlled the Imperial Gendarmes, the harshest of officials, far less powerful than the regular army, but growing in strength. In particular, Darron, nicknamed the "Judge of God", is growing in power, and his recent high-profile seems to really regard himself as a god in religion.

However, even if the Imperial Prime Minister wanted to conduct a detailed investigation of these men who ruled over the common people, he would have to return safely from the West before he could do so.

After a long twenty-two days of trekking, Hollow finally reached the city of Golden Feet in early December, bypassing the snow-capped Split Mountains. There, the Marquis Baldwin gave a grand welcome ceremony, accompanied by a large number of flattering words and boxes of gold and silver jewelry.

The renewed peace agreement was to be signed in the city of Yiwang, and the Eastern Oguna Empire sent the prime minister Hollo, who rarely left the capital of Grinko, while the Western Oguna Empire sent the regent Shumo. The two sides can be said to be full of sincerity, especially the West Oguna Empire, after all, the Righteous King City is within the territory of the East Oguna Empire, and Xiu Mo is taking a risk this time.

Hollow himself did not prepare any traps, because domestic affairs had already given him enough headaches, and he did not want to cause any more trouble for the empire. Marquis Baldwin, who acted as a matchmaker, also said that the meeting would definitely go smoothly, and he assured that the signing of the peace treaty was definitely a win-win choice, and his statement made Hollow 100% sure that the Marquis of Golden Hoof City was not trustworthy, he was just a self-preservationist who saw the wind and steered the rudder.

"Master Xiumo has arrived. Wearing a heavy cloak and tall and tall figure, Xiumo stepped into the council chamber, and behind him there were some famous generals of the Oguna Empire, but now these people have become enemies.

Hollow stood up with his arm on the arm of his chair, "Lord Xiumo, fortunately." ”

Xiumo stretched out his leather-gloved hand, "Lord Hollo, we haven't seen each other for too long, but your appearance hasn't changed at all. ”

"You too. ”

Horlo, who was not much older than Xiumo, looked particularly old, both in shape and appearance, he looked like a sick old man of seventy years old, not a politician in his fifties. However, appearance is not the decisive factor in political negotiations, but the strength behind it.

Hollow and Xiumo didn't talk much about anything else, and as soon as they sat down, they spread out the matter of extending the peace treaty, which also embarrassed the Marquis Baldwin, who had wanted to lighten the mood.

Dialogue is what Hollow does best, whether it is to his subordinates or envoys to other countries, this important minister of the empire, who often works late into the night, has made it clear that it is necessary to continue the peace treaty, but it is also necessary for the Theoguna Empire to pay more sincerity. Hollow demanded that the Theoguna Empire send hostages to Glynco, and that the Minor Emperor Manfret admit that his father, Electrosomem IV, was still alive.

Such a request is not too much, after all, Electro Somme IV is indeed alive and well in the eyes of the people of the empire, and the emperor who appeared in the public eye for the last time is still speaking loudly to the people. However, the regent of the Theoguna Empire did not hesitate and rejected Hollow's request outright.

"The matter of hostages can be considered, but it must be premised on the fact that both sides send hostages," when Xiu Mo spoke, Leland, the captain of the guard behind him, would keep staring at Hollow's neck, so that Hollow did not dare to swallow his saliva easily, "But Your Majesty Manfret, he is already the king of a country, and what he said will never be taken back." ”

"Do you want to blind your own eyes, Your Majesty, he is still healthy..."

"Is that your majesty, and is Electrium IV standing before us, has he been inspected and confirmed by us?"

Stanley, Xiumo's staff officer, immediately answered: "In the past two years, the emperor who lives in Glynco has not even dealt with a single government affairs and has not issued a single decree, and such an emperor can also be called the king of a country? ”

Unable to bear the repeated humiliation of Electre IV by Xiumo and Stanley, Hollow wanted to leave the table, but the Imperial Chancellor, known for his patience, suppressed his anger and continued to negotiate other details.

Eventually, those in power agreed to sign a two-year peace agreement, which would automatically be extended for one year to a maximum of three years, provided that there was no military friction between the two sides for a year. The two countries have also opened up free trade and established basic diplomatic ties. In a way, the Eastern Oguna Empire had already acquiesced to the existence of another Oguna Empire. Hollow knew very well that even if he didn't admit it, the facts couldn't be changed.

Peace comes at a price, and Hollow knows this truth, he knows what the current Oguna Empire needs most, who the biggest enemy is, and only he can make a choice for His Majesty the Emperor.

"Lord Hollow. As Hollow left the table, Golia's voice suddenly came from the side of the aisle.

"Goliath... What are you doing here? You're not the person you should be today. ”

Golia, dressed in a robe with her hood over her head, ignored the other party's question.

"You should find out the truth, right? about the body sitting in the Emperor's bedchamber. ”

“...”

"When you find out who is behind it, remember to share this important information with me, as a reward for my reminder to you. ”

"Goliath, what else do you know?!"

"I also know that we have a common enemy. ”