"… We've already found traces, but there were people interfering when we were searching for them. I'll definitely be able to find them with just a little more time." The leader of the secret guards lowered his head and knelt in the hall.
The Emperor asked in an aged voice, "Did they escape on their own, or were they captured?"
"Your Majesty, I have yet to find out. If they escaped on their own, the timing is too uniform. Moreover, I discovered that there were several forces among them during the investigation. However, if they were kidnapped, the methods are not at all similar. It doesn't seem like the same group of people did it."
The Emperor bent over and looked up at him. It had only been a year, but he seemed to have aged ten years, as though all his energy had been sucked out. He was silent for a while before asking, "How many days do you need?"
"Three days."
