People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

"how about you?"

Ernst pursed his lips.

"The Grand Elder is too conservative. He treats humans like infants, praying for God's meticulous care, but he doesn't care whether God also gets tired."

“Enya has a gentle personality, and her ideas are just like her. If it were a hundred years earlier, such ideas could have ensured that Sherag would have grown up in an orderly manner. But the times have changed and no one can wait for anyone. Sherag is already too far behind. If what she says is true, it is too late.”

“Enciodes saw what Enya did not see, but ignored what the Grand Elder had seen. He tied the urgency of the situation to Kjerag’s future, and then gambled Kjerag’s future entirely on himself, hoping to use a drastic measure to wake Kjerag up, make him obey his orders, or to kill him completely. But he overlooked one point.”

"Which point?" Yeragand's voice returned to its initial loving, feminine tone.

Ernst said sincerely, "You are also a part of Sherag."

In times of chaos, harsh measures are necessary. Enciodis's idea was not wrong. If Kjerag could not be quickly integrated and the nation's resources devoted to construction and development, Kjerag would eventually face annexation in the face of the ever-growing Victoria, Colombia, and Casimir.

He believed that to achieve these goals—namely, to break the traditional three-race conference model, subdue the remaining two major families, lift the ideological constraints and reactionary oppression of the Manju Institute, and unite the hearts and minds of the people of Sherag—there was only one possible measure.

That is force.

But is this really the only one?

Upon closer examination, however, this is not the case. Whether it is the Three Races Conference, the Three Families, or the hearts and minds of the Manjusin and Sherag, their fundamental purpose rests on one god—Yeragand.

If Jeragand can be persuaded, the forces that were originally enemies can become allies.

As Ernst once famously said: "Politics is about making as few enemies as possible and as many friends as possible."

Ensiodis naturally regarded Jeragand, the fundamental source of the enemy's power, as the most powerful foe, and thus took it upon himself to overthrow divine authority and Manjuin. However, he overlooked the fact that Jeragand, as a god, did not actually have the desire to rule the secular world; he and Manjuin, who used divine authority to bully others, were actually two separate entities.

This is also the essential difference between the Sherag Manjushri Institute and the European Church.

Sherag truly has a God, and this God has thoughts! He is someone who can be won over!

Ernst's answer seemed to instantly touch the softest part of Jeragand's heart.

As the creator of Kherag, thousands of years ago, He carved out the land of Kherag amidst the vast snow-capped mountains, guiding the Kherag ancestors, who suffered from war and famine, to settle here. He also sheltered the entire Kherag, protecting it from natural disasters for thousands of years, making it a unique paradise on Earth. Why?

Because God loves the world.

In modern times, there always seems to be people who like to attribute some unnecessary motivations to this word, such as for incense offerings, for faith, for sacrifices, or for some ill-intentioned but ultimately self-serving reasons.

But Jeragand loved the Sherag people, simply because she loved them.

He would summon a blizzard to destroy the palace because of his hatred for the tyrant who enslaved Shelag, and he would also shed tears because of his pity for the suffering people of Shelag.

He will care about the future of Shelag as a whole, always observing and protecting this small snow country even when he is tired. He will also care about each individual, providing help and care to Enya when she fainted during her climb.

He would ponder Sherag's fate, worrying whether it was his own existence that caused Sherag to remain an infant, unwilling to stand. He would also long for his children, hoping they would remember him, care for him, and not abandon him.

Therefore, when the Grand Elder firmly believed that Kjerag needed no change, He neither objected nor performed any miracles on the sacred stone. This was out of love, because He firmly believed that He could continue to protect Kjerag.

However, He did not stop Enthyodes's plan to summon the Snow Spirit to climb the mountain, because He was also prepared to leave peacefully if the child truly stepped out of the swaddling clothes and no longer needed Him.

However, the love she gave was not reciprocated, and she was excluded as a bad person, which inevitably made Yeragand feel somewhat lonely.

If it were a human, Jeragand would at least curse Ensiodis as "heartless!"

Now, Ernst has spoken her mind.

Although it was somewhat immoral to insult his brother, Yeragand decided to forgive him and even praise him.

In mortal terms, this should be called "divine favor"!

...........

Realizing that a firefight was taking place down the mountain, the chaotic crowd began to surge down the mountain in waves, trying to escape this no longer safe and dangerous place.

Ensiodis silently twirled his staff, inside which was a spellcasting core he had commissioned from Columbia, ensuring he could unleash his Originium Arts when needed.

[True Silver Slash].

That's what Matterhorn called the spell.

It can unleash a chilling wind, like the flash of a blade, that can slice through the skin and flesh of an enemy.

He was prepared that if the situation down the mountain continued to deteriorate, he would take action himself, first by launching a surprise attack to capture Actos and Latatos, and then proceed slowly to deal with them.

But just then, a fierce wind suddenly swept through the mountains.

The gale-force winds swept from the Matterhorn, the highest peak in Kjerag, past the Maiden Peak, and then towards Mount Kalan, whipping up snowflakes and dust that swirled in the sky, as if a god were painting on the canvas of the heavens.

The Sherag people falling down the mountain were swept back to the inner side of the mountain path by the gale. The Sherag people who tried to rush down the mountain felt a reassuring warmth as the gale brushed their cheeks. The weapons in the hands of the Snow Demon troops and Black Steel mercenaries entangled down the mountain froze instantly, the triggers could not be pulled, the bowstrings could not be drawn, and even the blades were covered by thick but smooth ice that could not cause any damage.

On the Holy Stone Square, Actos and Latatos stared in astonishment at the crowd being soothed and pushed back to their original positions by the "gentle gale," their faces showing disbelief.

Only Saint Enya seemed to sense something, and suddenly turned around, took out the prayer bell from her bosom, and raised it above her head.

"Jingle Bell--"

She did not shake the sacred bell. But the bell rang out on its own, producing a clear and melodious sound that flowed like a spring across the entire mountain, washing away the negative emotions in everyone's hearts.

If anyone still doesn't know what happened at this moment, then he has failed as a Sherag.

"The great god Jeragand has appeared!"

It's unclear who shouted first, but the crowd on the hilltop, which had been descending into chaos, suddenly fell silent. The devout believers looked at the saintess, at the sacred stone, and at the sacred bell that flew into the air, emitting a melodious ringing sound.

The bell seemed to be the last missing piece in Jeragand's possession.

Accompanied by the heavenly music originating from nature, the clouds in the sky and the snow on the snow-capped mountains, outlined by the bright sunlight, formed the two words "divine oracle" on the canvas of the sky.

[Innocent].

The audience was silent.

Chapter Twenty-One: New Ideas for Making Money

"Was it here that the Great Saint Ernst served Jeragund? I heard they're hiring here, I'll apply!"

"Uh, I'm sorry, it's true that Prime Minister Ernst works here, but we've already filled all our positions. You can keep an eye on the notice board on our wall; we'll post any job openings there as soon as they become available."

Having finally managed to get rid of the last agitated Sherag man, Lola rubbed her face, which had become stiff from faking her smile, let out a long sigh, and turned to walk into Ernst's office.

Ernst, who was sitting in a chair talking with the famous "Bridge Cliff," looked up at Lola and smiled wryly:

"nailed it?"

Lola nodded, a smile almost reflexively spreading across her face again: "Yes, the one hundred and third."

Cliff clicked his tongue in amazement and joked, "103 people? If my Blacksteel had that many people applying for the job, what would I have to worry about in achieving great things?"

Ernst glanced at him and corrected him, "It's 103 people today."

A week has passed since the Holy Stone Trial ended, but the influence of the miracle that took place on the Holy Mountain shows no signs of fading. On the contrary, as Ernst's deeds continue to spread throughout the entire Sherag, they are triggering increasingly violent chain reactions.

Because of Yeragand's sacredness, no one would question His judgment, and the two who were locked in a fierce confrontation on the Holy Stone Square were instantly decided after the miracle was performed.

He supported Ernst, interpreted the Jeragund Oracle to prove the innocent Kharan saint Enya Shivaish's abilities as a saint, and gained high prestige among the people for his actions against the sinful elder.

The Grand Elder, standing atop the Holy Mountain, dared to distort the oracle of Jeragund and attempt to kill Ernst, the chosen one who had caused the miracle. This act drew fierce criticism from the entire Sherag.

People compared his actions to the tyrant in the myth of the Holy Stone, and regarded his instigation of the people to attack Ernst and his slander of Enya as an act of destruction and provocation against the entire Seraphim and Jeragund.

His fate was predictable.

The day after the trial of the Holy Stones ended, the Grand Elder committed suicide in shame before the Jeragand Stone at Manjushri Palace.

His body was not given a sacred sky burial as he had wished, but was hastily buried somewhere within the Manjusin estate. His name and portrait were also blackened and removed from the Manjusin's archives and corridors, and everything he once owned was deliberately distanced from him after his departure.

This is nothing short of a great irony.

To be honest, while the Grand Elder's suicide pleased him greatly, it was also somewhat unexpected.

It's somewhat unfair, really. If the Grand Elder had known about Ernst's little relationship with Jeragand before his death, he might not have been so radical and certain during the Holy Stone Trial.

However, the death of Scherrag's biggest conservative leader, and in such a disgraceful and irreversible manner, must be a good thing for Ernst.

Thus, Ernst, with a heavy heart, participated in the Grand Elder's hasty funeral as Prime Minister Scherrag.

The main purpose was to mourn the passing of a prominent figure in the Sherag religious community and, incidentally, to confirm whether he was truly dead.

Let me say one more thing to him: Your death is greater than all the contributions you made in your life.

The key point is to destroy someone's spirit. (The message is displayed in the chat.)

Besides the death of the Grand Elder, the Holy Stone Trial also brought Ernst a huge amount of political capital—he could now openly declare his new identity as the "Son of Kalan".

This is a truly fitting title, because apart from him, in all the centuries of history, no one else in Sherag has ever been able to command Jeragand to perform such a miracle solely for him.

As an aside, Ernst himself had always wanted to change the title of this holy son to something like Patriarch or Saint, but he never succeeded.

"Thanks to this new title, my little office building is almost becoming the second Manju Academy, the earthly divine kingdom."

Ernst said with a touch of pride,

“103 people is just today’s number. Yesterday it was even more exaggerated, with more than 200 people. Lola’s voice was almost hoarse from talking so much before she could explain to the group of believers that we do not perform sacrifices or chant scriptures here, and we do not engage in any business such as making people rich or giving children.”

With that, Ernst sighed:

"Honestly, I'm still worrying about this myself."

"Bridge Cliff" raised an eyebrow and glanced at Lola beside him. The mountain Ursus girl's gaze never left Ernst, her fair face flushed slightly. As if noticing Cliff's gaze, she turned her head slightly and smiled shyly.

Unaware of Lola's subtle movements from behind, Ernst looked at Cliff with anticipation: "Well, Mr. Cliff, how about investing with me?"

Ernst didn't care about the prime minister's prestige. Blacksteel International was a giant enterprise with its own independent super-large land-based warships. It was the undisputed leader in the entire international mercenary industry and had plenty of money.

For a lowly prime minister like him to beg for food online is no different than making up jokes in a QQ group to invite rich guys to Crazy Thursday v50.

I want money, what do I care about my reputation?

Seemingly startled by Ernst's actions, Cliff's usually taut old face couldn't help but reveal a genuine smile, and he gently shook his head:

"What would I want to do with you? Sherag doesn't even qualify me to set up a mercenary outpost. I have seen a few promising mercenary talents here, but alas, they're all already taken."

“That’s a bit hurtful of you, Mr. Cliff.”

Ernst joked, feigning displeasure.

But he also understood. Just as Magnus Bank could not truly own the land of Shelag, Blacksteel International, which also had intricate ties with the Colombian military, could not possibly establish a mercenary base in Shelag.

This is a threat and provocation to the other two countries.

As for Cliff's mention of hiring people, Ernst thought for a moment and figured that Cliff was probably referring to the people at the Kalan Trading Company.

Ernst was well aware that his brother had many capable people around him.

After all, who knows, we might even be able to poach some of their talent and turn them into our own people in the future!

"However, although I cannot give you a sum of money, Prime Minister Ernst, I can give you a small piece of advice."

Ernst immediately sat up straight, adopting an attitude of listening attentively.

Cliff said earnestly, "Whether it's exploiting the land or doing the high-risk, high-reward business of a mercenary like me, the money you earn is ultimately small."

Do you know what makes the most money in Colombia?

Ernst hesitated for a moment, then tentatively replied, "Uh... robbing a bank?"

Cliff paused, then laughed and shook his head: "Don't let Luther hear you say that."

He paused, then said seriously, "In scientific research, those technology companies in Tremont make the most money! Even if a research project produces something strange that we can't use at all, once you get the patent, it can bring in tens or even hundreds of millions of dollars!"

Ernst nodded knowingly, but then asked in a somewhat speechless tone:

“You’re right, but Mr. Cliff, you know what’s going on with Sherag. We’re doing scientific research? You might as well hope we can unearth ancient ruins through archaeology.”

“Hey! Who told you guys to do scientific research?” Cliff said. “Research companies are giants; they get the meat, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get the soup.”

"Shelag is a place of outstanding people and unique natural environment, with a landscape that resembles an endless ice field and the highest mountain in this land. 'Extreme' has always been a favorite word for researchers. If you can persuade the locals to open these areas to the outside world, then getting a share of the benefits is not a big problem."

Cliff then handed over his personal business card, saying, "If you're interested, you can call my private number. I can help you get in touch."

Chapter Twenty-Two: College Students Get Rid of Their Own Habits Every Year

Bridge Jack Reeves would not do anything that benefits others at the expense of himself.

Ernst knew that the tech giant in Tremont must have had his own considerations for recommending him. These considerations might include using the opportunity to cultivate a relationship with some important figure, wanting to acquire cutting-edge weaponry as soon as possible, or simply wanting a 30/70 split to maximize his profits.

But whatever his purpose, Ernst had to give the offer serious consideration, because it was tempting enough.

In the future, this may indeed become a path for the development of Shelag.