People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

In this eerie silence, the usually stern Black Knight was the first to burst into laughter, contrary to her usual demeanor.

Perhaps it was her Letanian sense of humor that came into play at this moment, allowing her to grasp a joke that others wouldn't. Regardless, her laughter did indeed ease the tense atmosphere between Ernst and the Duke of Kester.

Duke Castells' years of cultivating his composure were now somewhat broken. There was no way around it; who could have imagined that Ya'er would use the most "Sherlock-like thinking" to crack Duke Castells' most "Victorian trick"?

Having failed to sow discord, the Duke of Cassel did not continue to engage with this fanatical believer who had never tasted the sweetness of power. Instead, he turned to Ernst and returned to the original topic:

"Prime Minister Ernst, I've always been curious. In the legends of Kjerag, Jeragund has always protected Kjerag, but what does this great deity actually look like? Have you ever seen His true face? Or spoken with Him?"

Have!

"No."

The first sound was Ya'er calling out in her heart. The second sound was Ernst's answer in reality.

Ernst never saw what Jeragand looked like, but he did communicate with her, and more than once.

But he had to answer no.

It wasn't just to hide Jeragand's trump card, but also for Jeragand's sake.

The existence of gods is a fact that the people of Kjerag firmly believe in. Even Ensiodis, whose faith is the least steadfast, had to admit, after witnessing the miracles of the Trial of the Holy Stone and the gentle breeze that brought Kent Windermere back, that Jeragand was indeed real and was watching over the land of Kjerag.

But for the other nations of Terra, does Yeragand truly exist? Does it truly protect Seragh? If Seragh were to suffer, would it intervene?

These are all unknowns.

The Duke of Caesar clearly understood this as well. So, under the guise of the winged beast allegory, he wanted to give Ernst a psychological suggestion: if you, Scherrag, have any hidden trump cards, then reveal them quickly, otherwise, you can't scare me off with just the power of the Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Windermere.

If Ernst hadn't kept his composure at this point and revealed Jeragund's existence, then the situation would have become...

—If Victoria were to invade Sherag, they would prepare for war based on the premise of "the existence of Yeragand" and mobilize as many advanced combat forces as possible.

The behemoth is powerful, but not invincible. Victoria is currently the ruler of Terra, and although she is rotting and oozing pus, Ernst still has to show her some respect.

What if? What if they actually pulled something out? Ernst, a casual gamer, couldn't figure out whether the seemingly arrogant Duke of Kester was hiding a trump card or a death knell.

It's like nuclear weapons. Ernst told her they do. So they'd prepare countermeasures against nuclear weapons before they attacked, whether it was missile defense systems or preemptively destroying nuclear missile silos—in short, they'd take countermeasures.

Only when there are various indications that Yelagand may exist, but Ernst officials have consistently denied it, can a kind of "guess if I have nuclear weapons" deterrent effect be achieved.

I said I didn't have it, but I see it. It's up to you to judge. If you don't believe me, you can try it.

Not only that, you also have to decide for yourself the number of troops and high-end combat capabilities you deploy. If you deploy too few or too few, and I have nuclear weapons, you'll lose and your mission will be a waste. You'll also face retaliation. If you deploy too many or too many, and I don't have nuclear weapons, the gains from this large-scale attack won't even cover the expenses...

The Viktorians are not Ursusians. Think about how King Aslan died? He still won the war against the Four Emperors and gained control of Terra!

It was a waste of resources and manpower, going against the wishes of most nobles by conscripting a large number of soldiers and even spending a fortune to invite the patriarch to serve, only to have the cannons kill a mosquito. A drastic drop in prestige was the least of their worries; a one-time invitation to the gallows would be the more realistic outcome.

When the cards are hidden, no one knows whether it's a royal flush or a random hand.

It's better to let others gamble than to gamble yourself.

stable!

The Duke of Caesar's expression was not good. Ernst's failure to fall for the trap was somewhat unexpected.

She gave Ernst an even higher evaluation.

However, she clearly did not intend to give up on this issue so easily, since it did indeed relate to her attitude towards Sherag.

So, she persisted and asked:

"But I've heard that Prime Minister Ernst was able to escape an unjust religious trial because of Jeragand's vindication. Does this mean that Jeragand did indeed favor Sherag?"

“Yeragand is definitely favoring Sherag!” Ya’er, who was standing to the side, couldn’t stand it anymore.

She couldn't understand the riddles that Kester and Ernst were playing. Why was Kester so fixated on whether he liked the Sherags, and why was Ernst constantly lying?

What's there to be afraid of? With just these humans and this territory, what will be left if I start a ten-year blizzard before I take my next nap?

If you won't tell me, I'll tell you myself.

Ya'er's voice was very loud.

But nobody paid any attention to her.

Ernst had no time to discuss his inner thoughts and plans with the Lady-in-Waiting of Manjusaka. And the Duke of Caesar…

When Ya'er said, "Everyone loves Jeragand," she had already assumed that the most genuine Sherag person present was there to liven things up.

"Really?"

she asked.

“Yes and no,” Ernst replied.

"Did they really offer protection, or did they really not?" Duke Caesar's eye twitched.

"Yes." Ernst nodded.

"So, was there no protection, or was there protection?" Kester's eyelids twitched wildly.

“No.” Ernst shook his head.

"Prime Minister Ernst's Victorian language is getting better and better."

"Thanks to my foreign minister."

"So Jeragand?"

"Unfamiliar."

Duke Caesar took a deep breath, tore off another piece of feathered beast meat, and put it in his mouth.

"hiss--"

She suddenly winced in pain, quickly opened her mouth, and reached in to pull out the bone fragments stuck between her teeth.

I've been hunting birds all day, but I never expected to get pecked on the beak by one today!

She took the handkerchief offered to her and wiped her fingers. The Duke of Caesar didn't notice that Ya'er, ignored by him, was pouting slightly in annoyance.

Chapter 170 Jeragand: Kester won't get a good night's sleep tonight!

The Duchy of Caest, the Duke of Caest's Palace, at night.

The final twilight had sunk into the earth, marking the official end of the Duke of Caesar's banquet.

Perhaps because she had not achieved any of her goals, the Duke of Kester became anxious. In the end, she neither brought up the matter of recruiting Ernst nor offered Ernst or Ensioudis any favors.

But Ernst and Ensioudis have already gained enough from this trip.

He reached trade agreements with over a dozen Victorian nobles from the Castells faction, gaining the Duke of Castells's superficial respect. Most importantly, he temporarily thwarted the Duke of Castells's desire to continue his attacks on Sherag.

Just as Ernst had anticipated, if she wanted to continue her actions, she would have to consider whether the Duchy of Kestel had the capability to confront the potential behemoth that might exist in Sherag.

"So it was that wicked woman who forced you to say you weren't familiar with me?"

Inside the room, in front of Ensiodis, Ernst held the Jeragand Stone in his hands, listening to the questions posed within, his face showing some embarrassment.

"Great God Yeragand, let me explain, this is for tactical reasons..."

Ernst tried to explain, but before he could finish, Jeragand, who seemed to be getting a little annoyed, retorted:

"What tactical considerations would require my Son to yield to the wishes of the Victorians and deny his own faith?"

“If you just say the word, I can bury this entire ducal mansion in the snow tomorrow… no, tonight.”

Ernst's lips twitched, and he quickly advised, "There's no need for that, there's no need for that."

He knew, of course, that Yeragand was just saying it in anger, but the impact of those words was still quite significant. Ernst wasn't sure what the behemoth was up to either; if this loving mother of Sherag really thought the Duchy of Kester was a bit too urbanized and decided to unleash a blizzard, that would be a huge problem.

Apart from the Victorian nobles whose territories were relatively close and who had important matters to attend to, who left the Duchy of Castle overnight, about three-quarters of the other nobles chose to stay overnight at the Duke of Castle's mansion. With this blizzard blowing and the mansion being buried, at least a third of the Victorian nobles would be wiped out tomorrow.

This was almost a devastating blow to a country that relied primarily on aristocratic local autonomy for governance.

Ernst didn't even need to think about the potential catastrophe that would result from the sudden and complete demise of the Grand Duke's faction, which controlled half the country, along with its vassals.

War, civil war, national turmoil, and widespread suffering. Domestic power shifts rapidly, while foreign powers seize the opportunity to intervene. What follows is endless chaos. This turmoil will not cease until a full generation has perished in the entire Duchy of Caesar!

Ernst could not allow this to happen.

Beyond the simple morality of "the people suffer when the dynasty prospers, and the people suffer when the dynasty falls," as Ernst once said, if Victoria were to fall, it would not be a good thing for Scherrag.

However, it is clear that Jeragand's discontent within the Divine Stone needs to be addressed.

At this point, after we had been dumbfounded for a long time, Enciodes, who seemed to thrive on chaos, finally spoke:

“Your Majesty, I also do not recommend that you inflict such divine punishment on Duke Kester. However, I believe that your majesty is not to be challenged, and you may well punish Duke Kester in a small way.”

He held up one finger as an example:

"For example, every time he attends an event, he makes it rain or snow for her. Every night when she goes to sleep, he throws hailstones out of her window. If she wants to go out, he blows strong winds for her."

"Since she displeased the great god Yeragand by using her words, a little punishment would be more appropriate for her."

Moreover, if you, sir, were to send a blizzard that blew all those nobles away, wouldn't all those orders I painstakingly negotiated tonight be rendered worthless?

Ensiodis didn't say these words aloud. But inside the divine stone, Yeragand was already deep in thought.

Yes, Ernst and Ensioudis have the same point. The Duke of Castells certainly doesn't need to drag the entire ducal household down with him because of the trouble he caused.

There were good people in this ducal mansion, at least Yeragand quite liked their chef's roasted feathered beasts and fine wine.

Although Ernstkopp said that those were all authentic Gallic dishes.

The light from the divine stone gradually faded, and the heat in Ernst's palms subsided, indicating that Yeragand had removed his gaze from the "communicator." Ernst and Ensiodis exchanged a glance and simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief.

"What was with that expression you just made?" Ernst teased. "Never seen our great god Yeragand before?"

Ensiodis felt a tingling sensation on his scalp and a throbbing pain in his temples. He didn't know how to answer Ernst's question.

If you ask me if I've ever seen the great god Yeragand, then I certainly have. On the day of the Holy Stone Judgment, when those two words floated down from the sky, how many people in Kjerag hadn't witnessed that?

But to be honest, I really didn't expect you and Yeragand to get along so well.

You think you can make contact with a broken stone? Of all the souvenirs I sell every year, there are at least 800, if not a thousand, of those. They're more exquisitely made than yours. They're even painted and waxed. They're round and full, and they don't cut your hand when you hold them. How come I've never seen it work?

Furthermore, since you're so familiar with Jeragand, doesn't that mean my plan is...?

You can't really call on Yelagand to campaign for you in every election, can you?

Ensiodis grinned, looking at Ernst with a somewhat obsequious expression, as if he were facing a formidable challenge:

"Ernst, do you have any more stones like these that can communicate with Jeragund?"

“Divine Stones? I have many.” Ernst nodded. “I’ve given one to each of my employees.”

The staff naturally did not include special envoys like Ahmoni and Defin, and Ernst, after much deliberation, did not give a position to someone like Lavshini, who was like a small stove.

Who knows when she'll switch places with Abrahana? Ernst senses danger from that woman, and she's very close to the Duke of Wellington. Giving her the Divine Stone would be somewhat inappropriate.

I could give one of those souvenirs from Ensiodes.

Enshiodes was somewhat taken aback by these words. "You're giving every employee a divine stone that can directly communicate with Jeragand?"

What kind of government is that? It's the Vatican! They can summon a god at the drop of a hat.

Clicking his tongue in dismay at Ernst's wasteful behavior, Enciodis asked for it:

"Can I have one?"

"No." Ernst refused with exceptional decisiveness.

Ensiodis snapped, "Why? I'm your brother! Blood is thicker than water!"

"Heh." Ernst rolled his eyes at him. "Tell Enya this, and if she agrees, I'll give it to you."

Ensiodis fell silent.

If he were to actually say that to Enya, Saint Bell would definitely give him a natural shock to the head!

Ensiodes glared at Ernst helplessly for a moment, then pouted, turned around, and walked towards the bathroom.

"You're already planning to wash up?" Ernst chuckled.

Ensiodis remained silent.

Damn it, I can't beat them, I can't steal anything, someone's deliberately messing with me, what am I supposed to do if I don't take a shower?

Take a shower! Go to sleep! In my dream, I'll beat Ernst to a pulp!