People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

"I'd like to know your opinion on Ernst Shivaesh and Ensiodis Shivaesh."

Viscount Walton nodded. “Enciodes Shivaish is an outstanding young man. My first meeting with him dates back several years, when I had just been granted your title and become the master of Seckshire. At the banquet where I established my authority, he and his guards offered me a win-win solution. In return, I gave him a trading license and tax breaks in Seckshire, and that was the beginning of our connection.”

"If Your Excellency the Duke wishes to win him over, it is not difficult. Enciodis is passionate about his career and the future of Sherag. You can promise him independent rule over Sherag and guarantee it the same independence and security that Siesta has for Colombia. By providing his company with certain benefits, he will be at your disposal."

"As for Ernst Shivaesh."

Viscount Walton was silent for a moment, as if he was hesitating about something.

Duke Caesar nodded with his eyes half-closed: "Speak frankly. Since I've already invited you here, you don't need to worry that I'll criticize your remarks."

“Absolutely not,” Viscount Walton firmly denied. “I was merely considering it.”

“Ernst Shivaish is an extraordinary man. Your Grace, do you recall the evacuation of Lontinim?”

The Duke of Caesar nodded:

"Of course, you also helped me capture the nobleman who leaked my plans to the Duke of Wellington. That traitor has been brought to justice. I didn't inform you to witness the execution so as not to affect your mood."

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Viscount Walton's forehead, and a chill ran through him.

He was a soldier who had been to the battlefield and witnessed hell, so for the Duke of Custer to say something like "affecting his mood," Viscount Walton dared not think about what kind of punishment that nobleman had suffered.

It seems that the Duke of Caesar was indeed extremely angry about the unexpected turn of events during the operation.

He will certainly not rest in peace.

Swallowing hard, Viscount Walton continued, "Intelligence indicates that Duke Wellington is in contact with the Sarkaz in Londinium. They hope to cooperate with the Sarkaz, with the Sarkaz providing manpower and Duke Wellington providing weapons, to launch a KB attack on the cities under your jurisdiction."

"Heh, let them come." Duke Castle sneered, then asked, "Who is the source of your intelligence?"

“The Sarkaz of Londinium, Theresis’s messenger,” said Viscount Walton.

The Duke of Caesar fell silent. After a long while, she shook her head: "I underestimated the Sarkaz."

"What does this have to do with Ernst?"

"Your Grace, do you think Duke Wellington's plan was a spur-of-the-moment decision?" Walton asked, bowing his head.

As if struck by lightning, the Duke of Caesar raised his eyebrows sharply, his lips parted slightly and remained open for a long time.

Yes, she had been wondering about it for a while.

Why would Ernst Shivaesh, a Sherag, suddenly speak out for the trapped people in Londinium? Why would he suddenly start advocating for some inexplicable humanitarianism?

Why did he choose to give that speech in the Duchy of Wellington, instead of in Sherag, the Duchy of Caster, or somewhere closer to Lentinium where he could feel their suffering?

Why did the Duke of Wellington immediately send a mission to Sherag and establish diplomatic relations?

There are probably many things between the Duke of Wellington and Ernst Siwaish that she doesn't know.

“But why would Ernst refuse?” Duke Kester murmured. “The same reward could be easily obtained by the deaths of some Sheragans, yet he chose a plan that might offend me and all the other grand dukes. Why?”

“I don’t know,” said Viscount Walton, even though he knew perfectly well that the Duke of Caesar was actually answering his own question.

So why isn't he?

“I haven’t figured this out yet, but judging from everything he’s done, Ernst Shivaesh has an extraordinary level of concern for Kjerag, especially the Kjerag people. That might be his weakness.”

Viscount Walton volunteered:

“If Your Excellency the Duke is willing, I can test him on your behalf.”

Chapter 164 Walton: Let Me Test Your Strength

Victoria, Duchy of Caest, Duke of Caest's House.

Ernst's first thought upon getting out of the car was: Impressive!

Rather than a ducal residence, this building is more like a magnificent modern palace. The entire building is decorated in the gold and white colors favored by the Victorians. It is three stories high, with the exterior walls made of high-end marble and glass curtain walls. Each floor showcases the exquisite architectural craftsmanship of the Victorians and the personal aesthetic taste of the Duke of Custer.

Of course, the most eye-catching feature is the villa's main entrance, which boasts a magnificent design with towering colonnades on both sides and an entrance hall decorated with exquisite carvings or inlaid with metal ornaments.

In ordinary private residences, even those with foyer, it's rare to find one decorated in such a way that it might even overshadow the main residence. But the Duke of Caesar clearly paid special attention to this aspect, with the entire foyer's architecture emphasizing its luxury and grandeur. Ernst could even assert that the cost of this foyer alone, along with the numerous artworks within, would have been enough to build him a three-story office building, improving the working environment of the Sherrag government for many years to come.

The entrance hall was built for one purpose only: to receive guests.

“Even the most magnificent building only has meaning if there are people who can appreciate it. The reason I spent a lot of money to build this hall and collect artworks from all over the world to display in it, besides my personal preferences, is that I want everyone who steps into this hall and becomes my guest to feel my respect for them and to clearly understand that they are pillars of society whom I recognize.”

"The most exquisite thing in this hall is not the treasures of Gaul, nor the relics of Sargon, but the people themselves who are in it."

Duke Kester extended his hand to Ensiaudis and Ernst in turn:

"Welcome to both of you. Enciodes, you are as dashing and energetic as ever, just like when we last met."

She looked at Ernst, sized up the boy from head to toe, then smiled and nodded:

"It's not easy to see you, Ernst Shivaesh. So, am I as evil as my reckless colleagues claim?"

Evil people don't wear their evil on their faces.

Ernst mentally scoffed. He knew perfectly well who the Duke of Caesar was referring to with those words: a reckless colleague. Who else could be so prone to criticizing the Duke of Caesar in front of Ernst?

The Duke of Windermere, huh.

However, the Duke of Castle was at least polite. Recalling his time in Sherag, hearing Daphne repeatedly call him "that damned old woman!" and "the daughter of the beach!", one could imagine how Lady Anferis usually insulted the Duke of Castle on her own territory.

I wonder if the concept of witchcraft and stabbing voodoo dolls exists on foreign servers, otherwise Ernst might think that Duke Windermere's acupuncture skills are quite good.

Of course, all complaints aside, Ernst, knowing the principle of not hitting a smiling face, responded with a smile:

"Your Excellency Duke Kester, you are too kind. I am indeed preoccupied with state affairs and the reconstruction of Tukarim is not yet complete. Inviting you to visit at this time would be inappropriate for the hospitality of Sherag, so I had no choice but to decline. It is truly an honor that Your Excellency has generously invited me to the dinner party without holding a grudge."

As Ernst spoke, he slightly turned to the side, and without being told, Jian brought up the gift he had prepared beforehand and handed it to the maidservant beside the Duke of Caesar:

"A small courtesy is not respectful."

The Duke of Caesar gazed at Ernst for a moment, then nodded with a light laugh: "Prime Minister Ernst is too kind. This banquet is a family affair, unrelated to official business, so there is no need for too much formality."

She glanced sideways at the gift-giver, Jian, who was standing next to Ernst, dressed in traditional Sherag attire, and asked curiously:

“I do know the Black Knight Lady of Kazimierz, but this is a new face. Aren’t you going to introduce her?”

“Yar, the head lady-in-waiting of the Shalagarmanju Court and the deputy of the Saintess of Kalan, Enya Shivaish was unable to attend your banquet due to unforeseen circumstances, so she has been sent to represent my sister this time.”

Ernst explained. The Duke of Caesar nodded, not seeming too concerned.

Strictly speaking, the only person she truly wanted to invite was Ernst Shivaish; inviting the entire Shivaish family was merely a pretext. As long as Ernst was present, she didn't care whether the other Shivaish members were there or not.

"In that case, please follow the maids to your rooms to rest for now. The banquet will officially begin tomorrow evening, so you two will have plenty of time to walk around and explore this ducal mansion."

The Duke of Caesar brought three glasses of wine, handing one to Ernst and one to Ensioudis, then raised his glass first, as if to make a statement.

"I will not interfere with any of your actions during this period. But I would like to remind you that those who are able to attend this banquet are all pillars of Victoria that I approve of. They come from various territories, the military, and even foreign countries. If they can seize this opportunity, it may be of great benefit to Sherag."

"cheers?"

Ernst and Enciodis exchanged a glance and clinked glasses in response:

"cheers!"

...........

Rooms in the Duke of Caesar's Palace.

Regardless of the Duke of Caesar's final words, Ensioudis couldn't let this opportunity before the banquet slip by. For Kalan Trade to grow and thrive, more trade routes, wider commodity circulation, and more preferential policies were all things he had to strive for.

So whether it was a trap or a golden opportunity, Enciodes left his room not long after parting ways with Ernst.

Since the Duke of Castells had promised not to interfere with any of their actions, it meant that he was authorized to bribe the servants in the manor, investigate the identities of the guests in the rooms, and even "disturb" the guests who were resting in the rooms—as long as Ensiodes considered them profitable.

Ernst, of course, didn't object to this approach. Not everyone is born in Rome, and opportunities don't just fall into your lap. Most of the time, you have to fight for them, especially in a country like Sherag or a company like Carlan Trading. Let alone Rome, even becoming a mule or horse would be a remarkable achievement for Ernst.

Of course, a large part of the reason why only Ensiodes did these things was because Ernst's status was not suitable for him to do such things personally.

Therefore, Ernst could only offer Ensioudis all support except assistance.

My battlefield isn't here, you go ahead, I'll go first.

Unfortunately, it seemed that fate wasn't going to give Ernst a proper rest. He had just lain down on the soft bed when there was a knock on the bedroom door.

Ernst pursed his lips, sighed softly, got out of bed, straightened his slightly disheveled clothes, went to the door, and opened it.

The visitor outside the door had gray hair and looked quite old, but he was still very upright. He was dressed in standard Victorian aristocratic attire, and several conspicuous Imperial Service Medals were pinned to his chest.

A military nobleman.

"Your Excellency Ernst, it's a pleasure to meet you."

The man extended his hand, about to introduce himself to Ernst, when Ernst grasped his hand and replied warmly:

“Nice to meet you, Viscount Walton. Ensiodis often mentions you to me. Please forgive me for arriving so soon and not having had a chance to pay my respects first.”

Viscount Walton raised an eyebrow.

Ernst recognized him, which was somewhat unexpected, but also to my surprise.

Even without the element of surprise, Viscount Walton's probing remained unaffected:

"Your Excellency Ernst flatters me. Enciodes is an outstanding partner, and the prosperity of Seker County has benefited greatly from the trade with Kalan. Now that Enciodes's brother has suddenly become the new master of Sherag, I naturally have to pay him a visit."

As he spoke, he gave Ernst a slightly mocking smile:

"After all, not long ago, I thought that the future of Sherag would be in the hands of that young man I knew."

Come, Ernst, let me test your depths.

Chapter 165 I'm posting Victoria's Secret, you rate it.

Oh? This person doesn't seem to have good intentions.

Viscount Walton's words could no longer be described as simply impolite. Bringing up another rival in front of a current prime minister—Ernst and Enciodis being brothers—and given Ernst's apparent indifference to such provocations, would otherwise have been interpreted as a dangerous political signal, provoking the anger of some impatient individuals.

But Ernst's composure was impeccable. From the moment he entered the system, anger was something that had become foreign to him.

Faced with this almost blatant provocation, Ernst simply smiled calmly:

“My brother is also an outstanding leader, but he focuses more on the business of the Kalan trade, which is why he recommended me for this position. If Your Excellency wishes to discuss business with my brother, you may wait a moment in the room, and he will find you.”

Ernst's words were neither humble nor arrogant.

First, he readily acknowledged Enciodes's abilities, rejected Viscount Walton's overt and covert provocations, and then made a statement: "I was able to sit in this position thanks in no small part to Enciodes's recommendation and help. The conflict between us brothers is not as big as you imagine. You are overthinking things by trying to incite and escalate the conflict with the topic of 'seizing the throne.'"

Then I retaliated in kind. I am the Prime Minister of Shelag, and I don't have much time to waste on you. If you're not here to see me, then you can wait in your room. Anyway, my brother has already gone out to act as a door-to-door salesman. You'll be able to wait for him eventually.

Ernst's words also carried a deeper, more subtle irony—you've come to my door like a salesman trying to solicit customers, what are you pretending for? Just say what you have to say, or I'm closing down.

Of course, this implication was very subtle, a self-amusing joke that Ernst casually added, and he didn't expect Walton to get it.

Rather, it's not so good that he got it, because his words somewhat implied that he was also insulting his own brother.

Walton naturally picked up on the first implication in Ernst's words. Although being pointed out so bluntly was somewhat awkward, as a seasoned veteran of aristocratic social circles, Walton merely offered an awkward smile and forcibly turned the tide on this somewhat strained topic:

"Oh no, Prime Minister Ernst, of course I've come to see you. To be honest, I'm also one of your fans."

“Fans?” Ernst raised an eyebrow, already guessing what was going on, and shook his head. “You mean that speech? I’m not being overly modest; I’ve said the same thing to my friends.”

"The root of humanitarianism lies in our conscience, in our love of life, respect for life, and protection of life. So, if people possess conscience and virtue, then I am merely stating what everyone understands, like pointing to a river and saying there is water in it—it doesn't count as merit. But if people lack these things, my speech is nothing more than empty rhetoric, unable to stir any waves, let alone save those people suffering in dire straits."

Ernst smiled and looked at Walton, saying in a tone that was neither quite a question nor a rhetorical one:

"It is clear that the esteemed Duke of Caesar is a man of conscience and virtue, is it not?"

Looking at Ernst's forced smile, Viscount Walton felt a chill run down his spine for the first time. He nodded.

"of course!"

He had no other choice. That was the only answer he could give. He couldn't even show the slightest hesitation or make a move to change the subject, because the people involved in this conversation weren't just Ernst and him, but also the Duke of Kester.

She may seem absent, but she's always there. She says she "doesn't care" and "allows you to do whatever you want," but try messing with her!

Grey top hat warning: Old sister is watching you!

But what truly put pressure on Viscount Walton was not the topic being steered toward the Duke of Caesar, but the person who led that topic.

Ernst kept vying with him for control of the conversation, and Walton was even a little outmaneuvered for a while.

This is not common.

Viscount Walton was a seasoned socialite; his skills, while perhaps not among the absolute best, were certainly far beyond those of a novice or political outsider.