Hadrian's envoy to the Sililian Empire, Pomiles, looked at the buildings of Tiamat's palace with great interest, especially those that had been destroyed in the battle. As a minister, it was not the first time he had come to Tiamat Palace, but today he was particularly interested in the scenery here, as if it was the first time he had seen it.

"It's the brightest beauty in the world—" he admired, with a look of joy on his face.

His deputy, Hadrian's counsellor to the Silier Empire, Herlopert, gave Pomeles a puzzled look. "Why do you say that?"

"Look," Pomeles said, pointing to the ruined palaces, with an undisguised smile on his lips, "isn't it true that the court that the Silieurs are most proud of is now in tatters and slums? However, the center of civilization in this world is still Hadrian, and in our Iskondin, anyone who is self-righteous will be punished, whether it is the Cylior or the desert barbarians. ”

At the end, Minister Pomeles pursed his lips tightly, and his face sank.

"Now is the time for them to be punished, and the world will immediately recognize who is the true propagator of civilization and who is the indoctrination of this world. The decline of the Cylieudian people was inevitable, and Silesia was only the beginning. And those desert barbarians won't be complacent for long, and when they both decline, it's time for us Hadrian to reign again in this world. ”

Listening to Pomeles' words, Herlopert couldn't help but nod his head, his eyes full of approval.

Because their conversation was in Hadrian's language, the Munster soldiers who escorted them into the palace of Tiamat could not understand what the two Hadrians were saying. Because the royal guards were either killed in battle or imprisoned, the only troops defending Tiamat Palace now were the troops of the Western Provinces, and these soldiers did not have such a high level of education.

"Do you know anything about that Count Jericho?" said Pomeles, as he walked down the corridor with his head held high, and whispered to Herlopert, "I heard that it was a very unexpected fellow, and very uncultured?"

"Actually," Herlopert bowed his head, his eyes scanning the soldiers around him, "he is the grandson of the Count Winston no Jericht, and he is a very good upbringer, and he himself is very learned, which is said to be recognized in the academic circles of Deweide. ”

Pomeles glanced at his lieutenant and replied nonchalantly, "Oh, yes, there are learned fellows among the barbarians?"

Listening to Pomeles' tone, Herlopert immediately understood the minister's attitude towards those who were now in actual power in Dewei, and it was evident that this attitude was not good at all.

Soon, they arrived at the meeting room in the Tiamat Palace, which was originally extremely luxurious, and after several battles and destruction, there were fewer and fewer rooms that could hold the countertop, so Swain had no intention of preparing a complicated ceremony, and directly met the two Hadrian's guests in the meeting room.

At the sight of Swain, Minister Pomeles immediately put on a bright smile, as if his contempt for Swain just now was completely absent.

"Haqadadu. He bent slightly, stretched out his hand, and greeted him in Hadrian.

Sven's face was calm, and he looked at Minister Pomeles with his usual expression.

"I accept your greetings, Minister Pomeles. Swain didn't mean to stand up and shake hands, but pointed to the couch across from him and motioned for Pomeles to sit down.

Being treated like this, Pomeles' face couldn't help but be a little unbearable, and he restrained his smile and sat down opposite Swain expressionlessly.

"I have heard that Your Majesty the Emperor has been injured and unable to govern because of the rebellion of his rebellious ministers, and I would like to extend my sincerest greetings on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor of my country. He said in a very formulaic tone, and since he said so, Swain replied in his tone.

"I accept the greetings of His Majesty the Emperor of your country. Sven nodded, there was still no expression on his face, compared to his indifference, Pomeles, who was pretending to be posturing, couldn't maintain that expression at first - it took willpower to look at Swain.

"If I may," Pomeles shifted his gaze away slightly, continued, "may I meet His Majesty Alexander later and personally convey the greetings of His Majesty the Emperor?"

The servants in Tiamat's palace brought black tea, and Swain took it, stirred it with a spoon, and did not answer immediately.

"Would you like to meet His Majesty Alexander?" Swain took a sip of black tea, but there was still silence in his eyes, "Why?"

"Didn't I just say that?" said Pomeles, shrugging his shoulders, "in order to personally convey the greetings of His Majesty the Emperor of our country." ”

"I'm asking—" Swain put the teacup on the table in front of him, and the indifference in his eyes made Pomeles tremble, "Why?"

Pomeles pursed his lips tightly, not answering immediately.

"I don't understand what you mean. ”

"Good. Swain nodded, "That's what I mean." ”

Pomeles was stunned, still not understanding what Sven meant.

He glanced at Herlopert, who was standing behind him, and looked at each other with a clear hint of inquiry in his eyes.

"I want ......," said Herloppert, who bent down and whispered in Hadrian's ear to Pomeles, "he wants you to tell you what you really mean, and not to listen to diplomatic rhetoric." ”

"Then why is he so complicated?" Pomiles glanced at Swain and said quickly to Herloppert.

"Probably......," Herlopert licked his lips, "is he deliberately sarcastic because he is unhappy with your diplomatic rhetoric?"

The corners of Pomeles' eyes twitched, but he tried to restrain himself from showing his emotions on his face.

While Pomeles and Herloppert were talking in Hadrian, Sven waited calmly and did not bother.

Pomeles took a breath and said to Sven, "Count Jericho, since that's the case, I'll just say it." I would like to receive an answer from you as to whether your decision on the succession to the throne of Silesia will be reversed by the injury of His Majesty Alexander. ”

"The question of the succession to the Silesian throne?" Swain leaned back on the couch and squinted at the other, "I'm sorry, I didn't handle this before, can you elaborate on that?"

Pomeles lowered his eyes, a slight smug look in his eyes.

"Oh, yes, didn't the previous cabinet minister in charge of this tell you?"

"Yes, they didn't tell me. Swain's expression was still very calm, "It's like I didn't tell them about His Majesty Alexander." ”

The look on Pomeles' face froze for a moment.

"You want to know too, right?"

"No, ......" Pomeles subconsciously denied, but after saying it, he immediately felt that something was wrong.

However, Swain did not give him a chance to correct his words.

"I don't really care about your purpose, it doesn't matter to me what Hadrian is, just as you don't care what happens in our country. I don't mind you going to see His Majesty Alexander, on the contrary, I have a strong interest in another matter. ”

"What?" Pomeles looked up, looking at Swain cautiously.

"About what you just said about Silesia. Swain picked up the tea again, "I want to know more." ”

Pomeles stared at Swain, as if trying to see something in Swain's face.

"When you say that, can I understand it...... Are you going to take this over yourself?"

"It is the responsibility of the Cabinet to make decisions, and my task is to advise the Lord. ”

"I'm afraid that's not the case, right?" Pomeles twisted the corners of his mouth, and his smile became a little more striking, "I heard that you have a very close relationship with the Regent of Katarina, so I guess Her Royal Highness will trust your advice in particular, right?"

Sven looked at each other without any change in his eyes.

"You would love to have me decide the question of Silesia?"

"Oh, no, I didn't say that, it's just ......," Pomeles also picked up the black tea on the table and took a sip, "It's just a hypothesis." ”

"Then I'll take your hypothesis and imagine it. Sven's fingers flicked lightly under the armrest, and the drumming between his fingers seemed to hit Pomeles' heartbeat.

"If I take over this matter and let me lead the Silesian issue, then out of the need to stabilize Germany, it is necessary to maintain good diplomatic relations with the Hadrian Empire, after all, at the moment, Her Royal Highness the Regent of Caterina cannot control the entire empire, if you can't stabilize the internal situation, and make enemies with foreign countries, then this rule will quickly collapse, do you think?"

Pomeles just sipped his tea, shielded his face with his cup, and didn't respond to Swain.

"And you, presumably, can also obtain the same honor and status that the Marquis of Metternich obtained in the Hadrian Empire, and even become the Marquis of Metternich of the Hadrian Empire. ”

"It's good for each other, don't you think?" said Pomeles, putting down his teacup and smiling at Swain.

"It's good for each other?" Swain looked at each other indifferently, "I don't think so. ”

Pomeles' smile immediately retracted, and he stared at Swain solemnly.

"What is in our interest in ceding Silesia, exchanging future crises for immediate stability, a deal that only the most stupid politicians would do. Profit-seekers who only care about the present and have no regard for tomorrow will naturally welcome this kind of trade, but to me this empire is truly mine, and why should I harm my own interests?"

The corners of Pomeles' mouth slowly pulled down, from the upturned smile at the beginning to a completely angry face, and he glared at Swain, trying to use his anger to press Swain to show his expression.

So, your answer is no. ”

"The desert people are nothing more than a bunch of brutes, as you said at the door. Swain pointed outside, and his words surprised Pomiles, he didn't expect that what he had just said outside would be heard by Swain, and Swain could understand Hadrian.

"What if they conquer the Badajoz Peninsula? It will take much time for them to completely transform that land into their own, for seventy percent of the population of that land is pagan and potential enemies against their rule, in other words, the Mahdia Empire, which now seems to be menacing, is practically impossible to pose a threat to my empire in a short time, and it will be easy for them to recover from their present fatigue before the war between Siliel and Mahdia begins. ”

Pomeles' face grew more and more ugly, but he continued to listen to Sven's words.

"However, you Hadrian can get the Kingdom of Silesia without spending any of your strength in this deal, and sit back and watch two powerful opponents engage in a life-and-death contest, waiting for them to lose both. Isn't that a little too much for you?"

Pomeles looked away.

"So, you choose to fight us Hadrian now? Isn't it even more unwise, if you don't even have stability today, how can you seek tomorrow?"

"So, you Hadrians' thinking is just a thing of the past. Swain stood up and walked towards the door, "The future can only be in your own hands, and accepting the future granted by others is equivalent to accepting your doomed death." I will not leave the future of this empire to you people, because I am her master. ”

Sven stopped and turned to look at Pomeles.

"You would expect me to use the means you want to talk to you about diplomacy, which is a mistake. ”

Staring at those emotionless eyes, Pomiles and Herlopert inexplicably felt a chill down their backs.

"How can you expect someone who desires to break the order to obey it?"