People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

"Mr. Ernst, Mr. Enciodes, the ball will begin in half an hour. Please arrive on time."

"A ball?" Ensiodis and Ernst exchanged a glance.

Like afternoon tea, the pre-dinner dance is generally not mandatory for guests. However, most people will still choose to show their faces, as it's a good opportunity to expand their network.

However, Ensioudis hadn't expected that the Duke of Castells would actually send someone to invite him.

He opened the door, and standing there was none other than his old acquaintance, Viscount Walton.

Enciodes was in a good mood and was about to greet his old friend and exchange a few pleasantries when Viscount Walton gave him a polite smile, then stepped to the left, his gaze passing directly past him to Ernst in the room, and solemnly said:

"Mr. Ernst, please make sure you attend. You are a distinguished guest personally invited by the Duke of Caesar."

“Me?” Ernst was taken aback.

The smile on Enciodes's face, who was standing at the door, froze without him realizing it.

Ernst's expression of surprise seemed genuine; he probably truly didn't know he'd been specifically invited. This meant the Duke of Caesar hadn't consulted him beforehand, and whether this trip would be a blessing or a curse remained to be seen.

But the memory of all the effort he'd put in—bribing and fawning, knocking on every nobleman's door to discuss cooperation, and the occasional encounter with the sarcastic remarks of those rude fellows—was bitter. It also brought to mind the reluctance he felt standing before the Duke of Caesar's lounge, looking on in despair.

Why, why can't I suddenly laugh anymore?

PS: I'll wait until I finish reading the new plot for the next chapter. I've datamined it, and there's no backstabbing. Kjerag did indeed cooperate with Rhine Labs, building a missile silo on the mountain—are they planning to send Cyrus to rescue the Overlord? However, I thought the Doctor would appear this time, and he did, though only briefly. YJ understands cameras.

Chapter 167 Wow, I love dancing!

Diplomatic work is done at two tables: a negotiating table and a banquet table.

From the moment she stepped into the Duke of Caesar's mansion, Ernst never expected to leave unnoticed. And the Duke of Caesar certainly did not disappoint Ernst's "expectations."

"Now let us welcome the protagonist of this ball, my dear junior from Kjerag, Mr. Ernst Shivaish."

With one hand linked with Ernst's arm and the other holding a glass of red wine high, the Duke of Castells slowly descended the steps, announcing in a voice that was not loud, but loud enough for anyone present to hear.

This has really stirred up a hornet's nest.

It's important to understand that everyone who could enter this hall and attend this ball was a friend and confidant of the Duke of Caster. Ernst, as an outsider, was already quite conspicuous among them, enough to arouse much speculation. Now, with the Duke of Caster's announcement, the effect was comparable to Tiger raising his hands in a crowd to announce that he was a stragglers!

The effect was incredibly eye-catching.

Duke Gustave, however, acted as if nothing had happened, giving Ernst a meaningful smile before reaching out and pushing the convulsing Ernst down the steps.

Ernst staggered down the steps, and the nobles who had gathered behind him certainly wouldn't let the Duke of Caesar's chosen "protagonist" fall to the ground in such a sorry state. They all reached out to help the unsteady Ernst.

The scene was reminiscent of the world-famous painting "The Creation of Adam".

Before Ernst could utter a sigh that Marner would savor, the next second, a cacophony of greetings filled his ears.

"Prime Minister Ernst, it's a pleasure to meet you. I am Leipzig Marn, and this is my daughter, Isabella. May I invite you..."

“Mr. Ernst, I am Grina Mordley. Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?”

“Mrs. Mordley, perhaps you should take care of your child first? Hello, I am Catherine Farkin. Duke Farkin is my father. May I have a dance with you?”

"Miss Falkin, didn't you bring your male partner? It's customary to dance the first dance with your partner, isn't it? Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Ernst, I'm Indice Normandy. My father, the Duke of Normandy, often praises your eloquent speeches. I wonder if your dancing is as excellent as your speaking skills?"

Looking at the outstretched hand in front of him, Ernst wanted to give Miss Index Normandy a very straightforward answer.

Yay! I love dancing!

Is it alright to perform the ritual dance of Sherag? I can ask Ya'er to hum a few tunes for me.

Ernst was already covered in sweat.

Please spare me. People say a dance with three people is hard to perform, but you have almost thirty people here, and each of them is someone important. It's obvious that I can't afford to offend them.

Ernst now realized just how rare it was in Victoria to find a nobleman's son as lovely, lively, playful, and unpretentious as Daphne Windermere.

The women standing before him each came from distinguished families, but unlike Daphne, who had been pampered by the Duke of Windermere since childhood, they were true political animals. They had mastered all the social skills, legal and illegal, broadcast and unbroadcast, enabling them to seize opportunities in any social setting.

If Ernst shows even a hint of interest, they wouldn't mind taking the initiative to extend an invitation like, "Sir, the room is this way."

Ernst wasn't arrogant enough to presume to say he felt sorry for them, that they lived under and acted according to these rules, and that the ones who should be blamed were the very people who set those rules.

It's a pity for those who love "Cinderella literature." To think they could find a touch of "pure love" at a ball that is essentially filled with the exchange of interests and political negotiations is wishful thinking.

Fortunately, Ernst's predicament did not last long. After watching Ernst suffer with pleasure and then watching the nobles he had worked so hard to bargain with cling to Ernst one by one, Enciodis still stepped in to save his brother with mixed feelings.

"Alright, alright, Mr. Ernst, nice to meet you. I am Enciodes. Would you do me the honor of having a chat with me?"

Ernst held back the words of refusal that were about to slip out, gave Enciodis a grateful look, and nodded, taking the opportunity to say:

“Great… I mean, of course, Mr. Enciodes, I would be happy to discuss with you the future of trade in Kalan and my cooperation.”

Ernst, and Kalan trade, cooperation?

Even the most dull-witted nobles could clearly understand the three words Ernst uttered. Seeing that Ernst's side was difficult to break through, some of them immediately turned their guns and surged towards the somewhat familiar-looking Ensioudis.

“Mr. Enciodes, it’s nice to meet you. I am Hugh Norfolk, and I am in charge of the Earldom of Huron by the Duke’s favor. You look somewhat familiar.”

Taking advantage of Ernst's escape, a noblewoman immediately stepped forward to fill Ernst's empty seat, smiling and extending her hand to Ensiodes.

Enciodes's eyebrows twitched, and his professional smile momentarily became somewhat forced.

How could I not recognize you? Just two hours ago, I knocked on your door and spoke with you for at least five minutes, trying to reach a simple agreement with you regarding the trade permit issue for Carlan Trade in Huron County.

You really have a bad memory!

Taking a deep breath, Ensiodis's gaze suddenly sharpened.

Heh, things are different now... no, different from two hours ago! Two hours ago, you ignored me; now, I'll make you regret it!

Cheese Leopard raised his head arrogantly, his smile carrying a hint of cold indifference. His gaze swept over the woman before him, and his voice sounded somewhat harsh:

“I think this is what they mean by instant connection, Ms. Hughie.”

Hughie Norfolk's eyes lit up, and he pressed his advantage, inviting, "In that case, how about we dance together?"

“Thank you for the invitation, madam. It is my pleasure.” Enciodes reached out his hand, about to touch Hughie’s, but then turned back. “However, I’m sorry, I already have a dance partner.”

"The first dance should be with your partner; that's basic etiquette, isn't it?"

Enciodes turned to the side and bowed gracefully, extending an invitation:

"So, mace, shall we jump one?"

"I won't." Jian glanced coldly at Ensiodis.

Ensiodis's lips twitched, and his gaze towards the mace held a hint of gritted teeth:

"I can!"

..........

"You got what you deserved, now you've finally gotten what you deserved!"

Having finally escaped the crowd and reached the second-floor corridor, Ernst quickly ran to Al's side.

For some reason, Ya'er seemed to possess an aura that kept strangers at bay. Rather than saying that the nobles present did not invite her, "Ernst's companion," to dance, it would be more accurate to say that they simply ignored her presence.

Perhaps this is some kind of magical Originium Arts? It's the kind of magical domain that Ernst had seen in various novels before, the kind of domain possessed by the top guards around the Pope (Saintess), capable of silently shielding the senses of those around them, or creating a "keep away" zone!

This is so convenient! Mom, I want to learn this!

Of course, calling for his mother wouldn't help, not even Bayera Gand. Ernst hadn't even touched a magical spellcasting unit yet, and had no idea, nor could he guess, what his Originium Arts would be. Let alone learning other spells.

Ya'er also noticed Ernst, who had escaped to her side. She straightened up from her "human behavior observation" while leaning against the railing, looked at Ernst, and gave him a loving smile.

"Any girls you fancy?"

"Don't joke with me." Ernst was exasperated. "My relationship with them is purely based on self-interest, devoid of any emotion."

"Don't most people say the opposite? Pure love without any self-interest? Enya... that's what the saint reads in those books."

"What have you and your sister been reading all this time?" Ernst complained, quickly pinpointing the culprit. "Wait, how could Manju Academy have such strange books? Who gave them to you?"

“Miss Heartlea.” Ya’er made no attempt to hide anything.

Ernst rolled his eyes: "I should have guessed."

In the entire Sherag region, who else could enjoy reading, be able to read, and have the time to read those kinds of books?

Although Miss Platinum's dream of becoming a competitive knight was shattered, her girlish dream was clearly not. It's just that she doesn't usually appear in government office buildings, otherwise Ernst has no doubt that Hinterlea would pester her for the Triple Crown winner's autograph.

After all, the mace is really cool.

“No joke.” Ya’er tilted her head at Ernst. “Those girls are all quite pretty. Although I can tell they’re wearing a lot of...makeup? from outsiders, they’re actually quite good-looking without makeup. Aren’t you even a little bit tempted?”

"If you're tempted, you can't just kidnap them and make them your wives, can you?" Ernst scoffed.

Unexpectedly, Ya'er seemed to have really started thinking about it: "Actually, it's not impossible."

"Forget it, I'm really not fortunate enough to be with these noble daughters. Marriage means being bound by interests, and I can't even take care of myself, let alone take care of other people's interests."

You are lying.

A gentle light shone in Ya'er's eyes.

You say you can't consider other people's interests, but you've always been considering other people's interests, haven't you? Actos, Latatos, Enya, Ensiodis, and those outsiders, your employees, the envoys with ulterior motives, the Windermere family's cat...

Even "Yelagand" is included.

Ya'er could hardly imagine how much effort, how much brainpower, and how many methods a person would need to find a balance among so many people, to turn this dead end into a winning game, and to make all the sacrificed pieces work.

Let alone the Duke of Custer appreciating your talent, even I have been amazed by your methods and moved by your dedication more than once.

So, if you have any requests, please feel free to speak them. Whether you confide in your maidservant, Elder Yar, or pray to Jeragund, whatever you need my help with...

Jeragand will always protect you, Ernst Shivaish.

Ya'er smiled and waved her tail. A gentle breeze blew by, and the nobles who were about to go upstairs to look for Ernst lost sight of him in the blink of an eye.

Clearly, Ernst needed a resting environment at this moment, and she was not stingy in creating one for him.

"If you're tired, why don't you close your eyes and rest for a while? I'll help you stop those people."

"Yar spoke up. Ernst gave him a grateful look, nodded gently, and leaned against the railing, closing his eyes.

This is a moment of respite for Ernst Siwaish.

However, the time for relaxation is always short.

After a brief three to five minutes, Ernst reopened his eyes, let out a long sigh, thanked Ya'er, and invited her:

"Would you like to go down and dance? It's customary to dance the first dance with your partner at a noble ball."

“I’m not very good at it,” Ya’er admitted frankly. “I do know a little bit of the ritual dance of Sherag.”

Ernst laughed and shook his head, saying, "It's alright, I will."

"If that's your wish,"

Ya'er shrugged, stepped forward, and mimicked the dancers downstairs, extending her hand and gently placing it on Ernst's.

"please."

"please."

Chapter 168 Duke of Kester: You call yourself the Holy Son?

Victoria, Duchy of Caster, dinner party.

The grand banquet hall contained dozens of round tables, all of which were occupied by Victorian nobles and wealthy families. This was the Duke of Caesar's influence.

Just the maids and guards coming and going—a rough count showed over a hundred people. According to Jian's assessment, these maids and guards had extremely stable stances and steady steps; even when serving tea or water, the tea wouldn't wobble in the slightest. If not all of them were top-tier masters, they were at least exceptionally skilled. This was the Duke of Caesar's power.

Despite the combined influence of various factions, very few people actually managed to sit at the same table as the Duke of Caster. Even the "Viscount Walton," who had come to test him the previous night, did not receive this "honor" and could only sit at another table slightly closer to the Duke of Caster.

"Obviously, this is putting pressure on us. Don't be nervous, just take it in stride."

Amidst the clinking of glasses, Enciodes lowered his voice and reminded Ernst beside him, as well as Ya'er, who was a little further away.

As he spoke, he straightened the napkin around his neck, a relieved smile appearing on his tense face, and boasted without looking away.

"Don't worry about me. I've attended quite a few aristocratic banquets in Victoria. This is nothing to me!"

The man, who was skillfully slicing a piece of meat from the Eastern Kingdom's selected pack animals, didn't even look up. He just glanced sideways and rolled his eyes at him.

Ensiodis, who are you talking to?