People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

When I won my first championship at 18, I had already dined with the Grand Knight and several leaders of the Business Federation. What about you?

A mere aristocratic banquet, a pretentious charade, wouldn't give her the same adrenaline rush as facing an avalanche head-on in Sherag.

As for the others you reminded.

Jian glanced briefly at Ernst and Ya'er, then relaxed and continued slicing his pack animal meat steak.

Ernst and Ya'er had nothing to worry about, and they didn't need her protection, so it was an easy job for Jian.

Contrary to Ensiodes's concerns, Ya'er, experiencing this scene for the first time, appeared remarkably calm. This time, she didn't seem to activate the "No Trespassing" spell that had amazed Ernst. Instead, she gracefully and smilingly accepted the toasts from each of the nobles at the table.

This was certainly not Ernst's request; it was purely Jar's own idea. The reason was simple: these Victorians, though somewhat psychologically problematic and mischievous, certainly had a way with words.

They were all very pleasant to talk to, and the food was delicious. Ya'er also wanted to experience what Ernst's daily "diplomatic work" was like. So she simply let go of her inhibitions and allowed these Victorian mortals to "offer him fine wine and food".

Yeragand welcomes all, I'm going to eat and drink to my heart's content!

It is worth mentioning that perhaps even Ya'er herself did not expect that her impulsive decision at the Duke of Caesar's dinner party would become a legend in the Duchy of Caesar and even in the entire Victorian aristocratic circle for a long time to come.

From this day forward, whenever Victorian nobles mentioned Scherrag, they would ask each other, "Have you heard of the 'Lady of the Loaf' from Scherrag?"

"You mean Lady Ya'er, the head lady-in-waiting of Lord Ernst Shivaish?"

"Yes, yes, it's said that she drank herself into vomiting at the Duke of Cactus's banquet! That's an incredible capacity for alcohol!"

"The Sherag people can drink a total of eight dou (a unit of volume), but Lady Ya'er alone has consumed one shi (another unit of volume), while the rest of the people owe two dou!"

Ernst, of course, had no idea that the great god Jeragund was about to leave his legend in Victoria, after all, he was one of the last people in the Duke of Caesar's mansion to be drunk by the truly "massive" amount of alcohol.

He didn't even notice the subtle, unspoken concern in "Miss Golden Lion's" heart. He was currently raising his glass and casually clinking it against that of the Duke of Caesar, who was also raising his glass to his side.

The clinking of glasses during the conversation that Ensiodes took the opportunity to speak was mostly due to Al's drinking, with the remaining one-tenth being Ernst's way of dealing with Duke Kester.

With a crisp clinking of glasses, the two men took a small sip of the Gallic Champagne, which was said to be "Corsican tribute wine," and then put their glasses down simultaneously.

According to common practice in the martial arts world, once the toasting and drinking ceremony is over, it's time to get down to business.

The Duke of Caster was the first to strike, and in a highly uncooperative manner, he initiated the attack:

"Prime Minister Ernst's dancing last night was really not very good."

Ernst instinctively wanted to use his level 5 Malphite to Flash Q minions to reach level 6 and join the team fight, but then realized the enemy team had initiated the fight. He immediately used Cleanse to remove Duke Kess's taunt and lowered the temperature.

"I apologize to the Duke of Caesar. This is my first time attending a Victorian noble ball, and I apologize for any oversights."

“No, no, no,” Duke Castle smiled and shook his head. “The traditional Sherag dance you and Lady Al danced last night was very…local. If you hadn’t been so unique in promoting your country’s dance on Victorian soil, I wouldn’t have had the chance to feast my eyes on it like this.”

Although I know you have a hidden meaning in your words, you have a really nice way of speaking.

However, thank you for the invitation. I didn't dance the ritual dance last night; I danced the tango.

The smile on his lips was somewhat stiff; Ernst certainly couldn't say those words openly and honestly.

Fortunately, the Duke of Caesar was merely using the topic as an excuse; she wasn't referring to dance, so Ernst didn't have to discuss dance, an area he was unfamiliar with.

"Your Grace is too kind. We are, after all, guests, and in our haste, we were unable to perform the authentic Shelag dance for Your Grace. Once Tukarim is rebuilt, I will certainly invite Your Grace, along with your colleagues, the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Windermere, to visit Shelag and experience the true charm of the snow country."

The Duke of Caesar paused in his slicing of the steak, put down his knife and fork, and looked at Ernst. Although he maintained a polite smile, a hint of coldness flashed in his eyes:

"Prime Minister Ernst, are you unaware that I have some disagreements with the Duke of Windermere?"

This statement can almost be considered a direct approach. Clearly, after the initial back-and-forth, the Duke of Caesar chose to immediately change course, attempting to disrupt Ernst's train of thought.

But Ernst simply shook his head calmly, looking completely bewildered.

"I'm sorry, Your Grace, I really didn't know about this."

"Oh?" The Duke of Caesar raised an eyebrow and continued his attack, "The Prime Minister has been spending a lot of time in Victoria lately, how could he not know about this?"

Ernst then looked thoughtful, but still firmly shook his head:

"If Your Grace is referring to the rumors circulating about your private discord with Duke Windermere, I have indeed heard them, but how can such foolish talk be taken seriously!"

Ernst raised his voice a few octaves, looking indignant.

"Everyone knows that the reason Victoria is so peaceful and prosperous today is because the Grand Dukes are so close and work together. It is hateful that the people who yearn for war the most on this land, apart from the army, are those idle reporters and media who believe everything they hear and are always thinking about making a big news story."

“You and Duke Windermere are both pillars of Victoria, great nobles whom all sides rely on. If there were a conflict between you, wouldn’t Victoria have been in chaos long ago? But I have clearly heard that the Duke has great love and is willing to lend a helping hand to those who are in distress. It is clear that Victoria is still safe and sound. I am naturally completely unaware of the discord that the Duke mentioned.”

Upon hearing this, the Duke of Caesar found himself at a loss for words.

There's no other reason than that, although everyone clearly knows Ernst is lying through his teeth, everyone here can refute his words, but she alone cannot speak up.

What? They have presented evidence, including the Duke of Caesar and all the Grand Dukes' unanimous declaration that "Victoria is safe and sound," to prove that she and the Duke of Windermere are best friends who would go to great lengths for each other. Can she still deny it?

Denying this would have serious consequences. First, the lie of Victoria's peace and prosperity would be exposed, causing her and the Grand Dukes to lose face. Second, if she were to tear down this facade of tranquility herself, it would essentially be a signal to go to war.

No matter how ruthless Prime Minister Cao was, he fought under the banner of Emperor Xian of Han. Whether it was Liu Bei, Sun Quan, or any warlord who controlled a region, no matter how rampant they were, they were all nominally loyal to the concept of "Great Han." It was just that they each had their own interpretation of which Great Han they were loyal to.

Whoever dares to tear off this mask, just look how miserable the skeleton king in the tomb died after becoming emperor.

As taught in junior high school history textbooks, the tripartite division of the Three Kingdoms was basically formed after the Battle of Red Cliffs. However, the true end of the Han Dynasty and the official start of the Three Kingdoms period did not occur until Cao Pi ascended the throne after the change of the imperial decree.

The same principle applies to Victoria. Even after the dukes had their entire fleet of high-speed warships at the gates of Londinium, none dared to be the first to announce a bombardment of the city. The reason was simple: the nail that sticks out gets hammered down; whoever declared their ambition first would be the first to perish!

In the end, it was thanks to the Sarkaz's help that the royal banner atop Londinium was replaced, the airships were deployed, and the Shard was built, which marked the official start of the war.

But that's something that happens many years later on another timeline. At least for now, the Duke of Caster would never and dare not become that "Skeleton King".

After silently observing Ernst's sincere expression for a moment, the Duke of Kester smiled wryly, tapped the table lightly, and a maid who had been waiting nearby immediately pushed over a food cart.

The first wave is over, time for a break, and we'll prepare for the second course.

The lid was lifted by the gloved, rather attractive maid, Felin, revealing a fragrant roasted feathered beast laid out before all the gluttons.

"I hunted this feathered beast myself in the hunting grounds, and there's an interesting story behind it."

Duke Caster looked at the plate of roasted feathered beast in front of him and said...

“It was winter that year, and I was idly strolling in the hunting grounds when I saw it fall from the sky. At that time, it was just a fledgling with immature wings. I felt sorry for it, so I told my servants who wanted to hunt it away to stop, gave it food, treated it with medicine, and allowed it to live in my forest and hunt my prey.”

"It's funny, but yesterday I went to the hunting grounds intending to hunt a batch of feathered beasts to add to today's banquet, but I didn't expect to be pecked by them."

"It has been breeding for too long under my indulgence. Half of the feathered beasts in the forest are related to it and have a stake in the matter. Perhaps it feels that the weather is cold and there are many ferocious beasts in the forest, which it can rely on, so I can't do anything to it. It has actually developed the idea of ​​rebelling against me."

The Duke of Caesar gave a cold laugh.

"It doesn't want to think that it's just a feather, while I am a human. The gap between us is enormous. When danger comes, how many of its so-called reliances can truly help it?"

"So, this is how it ends."

Putting on the gloves handed to him by a maid, the Duke of Caesar reached out and tore a leg from the feathered beast, placing it on his plate as he looked at Ernst:

"I've always heard that Prime Minister Ernst has exceptional abilities, and seeing him today confirms it. However, I've also heard that Prime Minister Ernst seems to hold more than just the title of Prime Minister in the country?"

The Duke of Caesar's gaze sharpened; the second wave of attack had officially begun.

"You seem to be called the [Chosen One of Jeragund]?"

For some reason, before Ernst could even nod, Duke Kester saw that Ya'er, who was wiping her mouth, had already finished the "clean plate operation" at an astonishing speed and was nodding frantically.

Chapter 169 Has Yeragand arrived? Tathagata.

Feathered beasts in the forest?

Ernst hadn't expected that the Duke of Kester was so skilled at crafting these "fables."

While it's said to be a satire of the feathered beast, even a fool could tell who the locust tree you're indirectly referring to is.

Winter, snowy landscape. This refers to Shelag.

The sudden appearance of the winged beast refers to SilverAsh's true form, Tenzin... ah no, it refers to Ensiodis and his entourage, who suddenly used the name of your relative to attend Viscount Walton's banquet.

To lend a helping hand and allow it to survive. This naturally refers to the fact that the Carlan Trade eventually obtained a trade license and tax breaks from the Viscount of Walton, and subsequently expanded its business within the Duchy of Caesar.

As for the subsequent blizzard and beasts, they naturally refer to the two third-party dukes that Ernst just mentioned.

The Duke of Caesar was almost an open threat.

Checks and balances, using minimal force to achieve maximum effect, achieving great results with little effort—ultimately, one must possess a certain level of capability. Otherwise, like the roasted feathered beast that has already been devoured by Ya'er, no matter how fearless you are, if I harden my heart and wipe you out in one fell swoop, how confident are Duke Windermere and Duke Wellington in reacting immediately?

It's hard to say about Wellington. Given the Duke of Windermere's personality, Ernst can at least expect her to come and help him collect his body, and there's a high probability that she and the Duke of Caesar will have a real fight.

But what does that have to do with him? He's already sent it; can he really expect the Duke of Windermere to perform some kind of resurrection for him?

Therefore, Sherag needed at least the efficiency of a government that could announce its surrender within three hours, and the military strength to withstand the Victorians for at least two months.

The former ensures that when the goal of war is conquest, Ernst can emulate Denmark. The latter ensures that when the goal of war is national subjugation and annihilation, Ernst can resist longer than France, until he drags the invaders into a quagmire of war!

Of course, these are the worst-case scenarios. Everything Ernst has done so far has been to prevent Scherrag from reaching that point.

The Duke of Caesar's next question was truly baffling.

You ask me if I am the Holy Son?

I did indeed do this part-time job. Although I rarely participate in religious activities and only go to Manjushri Temple to pray once or twice a month, I still received the monthly offerings from Manjushri Temple without fail.

Being able to earn two salaries is really great.

and many more......

Ernst frowned, glancing at Duke Kessel, who was calmly savoring the thigh of the "rebellious feathered beast," and suddenly realized something.

From Prime Minister Sherag's perspective, Sherag does not currently possess very strong defensive capabilities. The story of the Feathered Beast can be seen as a statement of fact and a threat. However, if we consider it from the perspective of the Holy Son...

Sherag has a trump card that could shake a country.

Byd, so you were testing this all along?

Ernst was speechless. I've been on guard against everything, and you're asking me about something I don't need to worry about at all?

He nodded decisively: "The Duke is right. Monyragund is pleased that I do indeed still hold the position of Holy Son of Sherag."

"Mmm! Ernst pleases me... Jeragand likes him!"

Ya'er suddenly chimed in, which eased the tension between the two somewhat.

The Duke of Caesar turned his head, a hint of curiosity in his eyes.

Ever since she brought up the topic of Jeragund, Ernst's companion, the head lady-in-waiting of Manjusaka, has been very excited.

She kept nodding, drinking and eating all the while, without any regard for table manners, nor did she try to hide the fact that she was eavesdropping on their conversation, or even her affectionate gaze towards Ernst.

She was like an anomaly, completely out of place with the Victorian nobles present, and even with Enciodes and the mace who silently pretended to be deaf.

Well, she was quite simple and honest; in the Duke of Caesar's eyes, she seemed like a kind and honest person.

At this moment, she took the initiative to speak, and the Duke of Caesar also became interested:

"What makes you say that, Ms. Ya'er? According to Prime Minister Ernst's introduction, you are the head lady-in-waiting of the Kjerag Manju Academy, right? For many years before that, shouldn't you have been serving that 'Saintess'?"

She tapped the table lightly with her finger, revealing a gossipy expression that was hard to tell if she was genuinely trying to hide, and said in a provocative tone:

"Now that a holy son has suddenly appeared and stolen Jeragand's affection for the saintess, shouldn't you be angry and feel indignant on behalf of the saintess?"

The Duke of Caesar left half a sentence unsaid, but the meaning had already been conveyed.

That means "Ernst's maid (secretary) is not you yet".

As the head maid of Manju Academy, she was the second most important person serving the Holy Maiden. After the Grand Elder's downfall, it was only natural that the power of Manju Academy should have transitioned to Enya's hands. And in this process, Enya's status should have risen accordingly.

But the appearance of Ernst, this holy son, disrupted everything. Now, the domestic and foreign affairs of Sherag are almost entirely controlled by the Sherag government represented by Ernst Shivaesh and the Kalan trade represented by Ensioudis Shivaesh, leaving Manjusaka Institute completely out of the picture. Logically and emotionally, Ya'er, who had just brushed past power, should have some objections.

Perhaps as a devout Sherag, she dared not question Jeragund's arrangements. But to say that she extended her affection to Ernst as well would be somewhat illogical.

If we can win her over and place her in Sherag's camp, next to Ernst, she would be a very good pawn.

Duke Caesar thought to himself.

But Ya'er's answer was completely unexpected. In fact, it was the complete opposite of what she expected.

The head maid showed not the slightest hint of hidden dissatisfaction or disgust; instead, she flashed a radiant smile.

"It's alright, Yeragand is a benevolent god. Yeragand loves them both!"

Duke of Caesar: "..."

Ernst: "......."

Ensiodis: "........."

Mace: ".......Pfft."