People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

"In any case, we've taken the first step! Now, let's go back to our office building!"

"Ernst said with great interest. Just as he was about to leave, he noticed a slight embarrassment on Hinterlea's face."

"Boss, we can't go back for now."

"Huh? Why?"

"The office building has been demolished."

Ernst was taken aback: "So where have you been working all this time?"

Hinterlea pursed her lips, somewhat embarrassed: "This... well, Mr. Ensiodis has already approved it..."

"You're trading in Kalan?" Ernst frowned. "That won't do. How can we have our offices in Kalan? We're the government, they're a company. Besides, that guy will definitely use this as an excuse to ask me for tax cuts!"

“Uh, actually no.” Hinterlea shook her head, interrupting Ernst.

Ernst was a bit confused: "Where is it?"

Hinterlea blushed and said somewhat shyly, "Boss was also very cute when he was a child."

"Huh?" Ernst took a small step back upon hearing this, then suddenly realized, "My house?"

Chapter 206 Let's build a great statue in Jeragand!

Shelag, headquarters of the Kalan Trade Center.

"Brother, are you my brother?"

"I think I am."

"So you just agreed to let Hinterlea and the others work in our house, and even gave them a key to my room? One for each of them?"

“Ahem…” Ensiodis glanced sideways, avoiding Ernst’s gaze, and emphasized righteously, “Before your brother, I was the head of the Shivaish family.”

Look at how grand and righteous you are, I almost believed you.

Ernst glared fiercely at Ensiodes. Did he not know that Ensiodes had done this on purpose?

To be honest, there wasn't anything particularly important in Shivaesh's ancestral home, and Ernst's room was quite respectable, without any of the legendary unhealthy reading materials left over from his teenage years—given Sherag's state at the time, even if he wanted to buy them, he wouldn't have anywhere to do so, right? So, whether it was Hinterlea or Miss Joyce, even if they went to the ancestral home, it was just a change of office location, and it wouldn't cause Ernst any loss.

But without a doubt, Ensioudis had grasped this point and knew that Ernst would not suffer any losses other than being "red-faced," which is why he dared to do this.

These are definitely brothers.

"Furthermore, besides temporarily using the residence as an office, is there any other suitable place?"

Ensiodis said,

"Do you really want your subordinates to work at the Manzhu branch? Forget whether they'd be willing, their fellow villagers would probably object, wouldn't they?"

With the approval of the Virgin of the Manjushri and the promotion of Ernst, the tourism industry in Sherag has flourished during this period. Tourists mainly come from Victoria and Colombia. The people in these two places, especially the Colombians, are mostly unbelievers, although not every one of them is as rebellious as the beach umbrella representative.

During this period, there have been numerous instances of people publicly discussing and defaming the god Jeragund. It's not that most Colombian tourists visiting Shelag lack manners, but sometimes, perhaps they themselves don't even realize that some of their words are considered disrespectful by the locals.

During Ernst's absence, Hinterlea, as the head of reception, received a mountain of complaints from various territories of Sherag. If it weren't for Miss Kuranta's ability to withstand pressure reaching its peak under Kazimierz's "great lack of virtue," she probably would have had to take leave due to a work injury.

It is conceivable that the Manju Institute, as an institution "upholding the Jeragund faith," must be under considerable pressure.

Relocating the government to temporarily operate within the premises of Manjushri Monastery is absolutely unacceptable, as it would undoubtedly exacerbate and intensify existing conflicts. Ernst could easily imagine that when villagers came to the Sherag government to complain, they might utter a few curses, receive a few words of comfort from Hinterlea, and then leave. Even if he were upset and wanted to vent at Manjushri Monastery, the distance between the two places was considerable. Most of the time, by the time he reached the monastery, his anger would have subsided, and by the time he arrived, he would likely have muttered a few words under the statue of Jeragund and that would be it.

But if the Manju Academy and the government were combined, a fellow countryman could get both things done in one trip. He could yell at the Colombians in Hinterland and not be satisfied, but then turn around and start crying in front of the Jeragund statue. Just thinking about that scene gives Ernst a headache.

Ernst rolled his eyes at Ensiodis and laughed:

"Then I should thank you for considering all this for me?"

“That’s not necessary.” Enciodes waved his hand, looking quite satisfied. “If you really want to thank me, then offer some preferential treatment to Karan Trade…”

"Do I need to see photos of myself as a child for work purposes?" Ernst interrupted his plan.

Ensiodis clicked his tongue:

"Well, it would be a shame not to share good things. Everyone has seen Enya's and Enshia's photos."

"So you've missed yours, haven't you?"

"As the chairman of Kalan Trading, I still need to establish some authority in front of my subordinates."

So I don't need feelings, right?

Too lazy to argue with this cheese leopard that had already gotten out of control, Ernst put down his crossed legs, straightened his expression, and said:

"Let's get down to business. Bro, you should have seen that newly built train station by now, right?"

Enciodes nodded: "Of course I saw it. The head of Rhine Labs is indeed very honest in this matter. Even though you weren't there, she didn't cut corners at all. She went through three versions of the design plan alone."

He paused, as if just remembering something, and then sought Ernst's opinion:

"Latatos came to see me yesterday. She said that when the station is officially put into use, she wants to hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony that you, the three clan leaders, and the Holy Maiden can all attend. What do you think?"

Ernst nodded without much thought: "Okay."

He didn't have any objections, but with several pairs of hands already involved, could you really find scissors that big?

Ensiodis sighed, "Latatos is a clever woman. Even now, she's still trying her best to increase the influence of the Brantau family. Unfortunately, family organizations are ultimately outdated."

Ernst did not respond to Enciodis's words, remaining noncommittal about his lament.

Is the family-based organization really outdated? It's hard to say.

Traditional feudal families may indeed be outdated, but what if Latatos's goal is to transform the Brantau family into a family business?

Ernst never forgot what he had promised Latatos—to act as my representative, to establish a foothold in the Carlan trade, to learn Enciodis's methods and modern corporate management practices, and when the time was right, to give you an opportunity to establish a new company under the name of Brantau.

What Kjerag's future needs is certainly not a monopolistic Kjerag trade, and his struggle with Enciodis over Kjerag's leadership should not become a struggle between the government and the corporation.

What Karan trade needs is a competitor, not a company constantly scheming to replace the Shelag government. The Shelag government should act as a detached arbitrator, ensuring that power remains firmly in its own hands. To say that it is completely unaffected by businesses is too idealistic for such a small country, but Ernst's bottom line is: it can be influenced, but not controlled.

Family businesses, at least in terms of internal cohesion, are generally stronger than most ordinary businesses.

Executives in ordinary companies are often poached with high salaries, but this rarely happens in family businesses because they are bound not only by loyalty to the company, but also by family ties.

Especially when the family leader enjoys immense prestige, betrayal is virtually impossible. This isn't just baseless speculation without precedent; consider the Swire Group. This multinational conglomerate, spanning Victoria and Great Yan, operates on a strict nepotism system at its top. And every Swire, even the eldest son of the Swire family who was disinherited, never entertained the thought of betraying the group's head and patriarch—Adams Swire.

Or rather, he didn't dare.

Of course, not everything is predetermined, and one should not blindly believe in the words of fate. There are exceptions within the Swire family. For example, Beatrice Swire, the heir to the group chosen by Adams, has a different plan for her life. She gave up her status as heir and her position in the group, and went to Lungmen to become a superintendent of the Royal Guard, living a rather fulfilling life.

Of course, that's all just idle talk.

Ensioudis, who had tricked Ernst in a surprise manner, was unaware that his younger brother had already begun preparing to cultivate a "rival" for his Kalan Trade.

However, even if he knew, he probably wouldn't feel resentment or fear because of it; instead, he would be even more determined to charge forward.

After all, he was SilverAsh, a powerful man who had fallen from the sky with the air of an emperor.

"You came to see me not just to show off the train station you single-handedly built, right?"

"Enciodes asked."

Ernst smiled slightly: "That's not entirely without reason. However, I think the best time to show off would be after the entire city has been rebuilt."

"As for why I've come to see you this time, the reason is simple: I want to build a sculpture for Yeragand, and I'd like to know where I would think would be a good location."

"Why?" Ensiodis narrowed his eyes, not answering Ernst's question, but instead pressing for the reason why he did it.

“Because I am very devout, and since Sherag has prospered, it is only right that I sculpt a statue of the great god Jeragund.” Ernst, meeting Ensioudis’s “you’re making this up, keep making this up” look, shrugged. “Of course, I also have my own considerations.”

"The influx of tourists and foreign cultures has brought considerable impact to Shelag, especially some unruly guests whose behavior has drawn criticism from the locals."

"But for Kerala to develop, foreign exchange generated by tourism is a major source of income and is indispensable. This applies to both your Kerala trade and my government. This means we cannot 'screen' tourists."

Ensiodis nodded thoughtfully.

It's impossible to screen tourists because the essence of tourism has never been about promoting culture, but about making money. If you don't make money, even the most culturally rich tourist attractions can't stay open.

But as Ernst said, the influx of tourists and their overly "colorful" culture and lifestyle gave the locals of Shelag a bit of a foreign shock. They had complaints, and if this continued, the accumulated conflicts would eventually lead to an accident.

Enshiodis didn't want to wake up one day to hear news like some fellow villager in Sherag had trampled a tourist to death with a pack animal.

This seems to have created a deadlock: without screening tourists, conflicts will arise; with conflicts, tourists will be in danger; if tourists are in danger, Kjerag's tourism industry will suffer a severe blow; if the tourism industry suffers a severe blow, foreign exchange will decrease, and Kjerag will be unable to develop.

"So, you want to use the construction of a sculpture to ease this conflict?"

Ernst nodded: "The government certainly can't meet everyone's needs and differentiate between tourists. But the government can compensate the public in other ways. Building a statue of Yeragand is the simplest and most cost-effective way."

The one being "slandered" is the great god Yeragand, and simply giving eggs or even money to the people is not enough. This will not quell their anger; instead, it will make the devout Sherag people think that the government is just going through the motions, that they can do whatever they want with money, and that they are disrespecting the god who has protected Sherag for thousands of years, thus making them even angrier.

Therefore, the only way to solve this problem is to start with Jeragund itself.

Building an unprecedentedly large statue would demonstrate that the Sherag government still reveres Jeragand, showing that this holy son has not forgotten his roots and remains devout, thus calming the anger in people's hearts. The statue itself could also serve as a very good tourist attraction, drawing more visitors.

Furthermore, the technique used to build the statue is modern technology, which can make the Sherag people realize that modernization is not a bad thing. With modernization and openness, they can still worship the great god Yeragand, and even create a more beautiful sculpture for the god.

Kill three birds with one stone!

Enciodes tapped his fingers on the armrest of his executive chair. After a brief moment of thought, he nodded slightly, affirming Ernst's plan: "A good plan. Even I am excited about it."

“Go ahead and do it. This will also benefit trade in Kalan. We will provide assistance in terms of funding and workers.”

"As for the location, you can take a look at the island in the middle of Silverheart Lake. If you want to build a statue that will attract the attention of the entire Sherag, that place might be a good choice."

Ernst nodded in satisfaction, stood up, extended his hand, and shook hands with Enciodes in a very ceremonial manner:

"Pleasant to work with."

"Pleasant to work with."

Actually, he had another ulterior motive that he didn't mention.

The call I heard in the Rhine Labs sounded quite familiar.

Building a statue was also a kind of experiment by Ernst.

Miss Ya'er, let me see how many faces you have?

P.S.: I'd like to recommend a book by a friend, Pigeon Wine, a good buddy of mine. We even had our illnesses coincidentally on the same day.

"My name is Qi Yuan. I am an ordinary citizen of Longmen, living in the slum area."

"I have a system called [Praise of Noble Morality]. As long as the good deeds I do touch people's hearts, I can earn corresponding public virtue. The more people I touch, the more public virtue I earn."

"Public virtue has many functions, such as obtaining items, strengthening the body, and skipping steps to directly master skills..."

"And so, I lived a simple life in Longmen, doing one good deed a day, touching more people with my good deeds, while at the same time constantly consuming public morality."

Until the Royal Guard came to their door.

"I have repeatedly emphasized that I did not corrupt the atmosphere of Terra!"

"Lin Yuxia has always called her father 'Old Deng,' and the Emperor's performances have always been taxed as animal performances. They've always been like this; it wasn't me who instigated them!"

Without saying a word, Shi Huaiya pulled out a thick book of merits (or perhaps a dictionary) and slammed it heavily on the table.

"You're a great philanthropist?"

Looking at the countless acts of kindness before him, Qi Yuan fell into deep thought.

Chapter 207 The Chronicles of Ersley – The Legend of King Arthur

Shelag, Tukarim, the ancestral home of the Shivaish family.

Although it's called the ancestral home, the old house of the Shivaesh family has actually undergone extensive renovations long ago. In Ernst's father's generation, Ernst's father, a handsome young man known throughout the surrounding area, married a niece of the Duke of Caesar, thus becoming an insignificant link in the Duke of Caesar's vast family genealogy.

Their insignificance is relative; compared to the renowned Duke Victoria Castle of Terra, the Shivaish family is naturally insignificant. But for a small place like Sherag, the changes brought about by a relative of the Duke of Castle are enormous.

If we were to trace the origins and find the true pioneers of modernization in Kjerag, it wouldn't be Ernst or Enciodis, but their parents. The first sleeper and track of Kjerag's first railway, the one officially completed shortly after Ernst took office—a road leading out of the mountains and connecting the world—were laid by their parents.

It was thanks to the reforms led by the two men in the Shivaesh family territory that Ernst was able to work in this three-story Victorian-style house instead of the old-fashioned brick and wood house that the Perroch family still lived in.

Having just returned to Sherag, Ernst had a mountain of things to deal with. Among them was the question of the Balrog's whereabouts—whether to keep him by his side temporarily or send him to the Manju Academy—Ernst hadn't yet decided.

Keeping the Balrog by his side, Ernst couldn't see what use it would have. If it was a human mini-furnace, then Miss Raphsini was clearly more pleasing to the eye than Safar, that tin can. As for sending him to work on a construction site, Ernst didn't trust his loyalty—what if he secretly tampered with a few bricks being laid? Even Yeragand wouldn't be able to detect such a small act 100%, but it could very well become a future safety hazard for the entire building!

Ernst was unsure whether to send him to the Manjusin Academy.

Ernst was indeed very familiar with Jeragund's call at Rhine Lab, and he was almost certain that it was Miss Al's voice. But he was not at all sure whether Jeragund was the same as Al.

Gods are capricious. When Ernst was communicating with Jeragand, this great god almost always used His magical reverb voice changer. He used everything from a rough male voice that was as loud as thunder to a gentle female voice that was as soft as a mother's ear, and even a battle-damaged voice that was as indistinct as the sound of wind in the mountains. Who knows if He just happened to randomly get the "Yar voice pack" that time?

The probability that the deity happened to select a voice that was very similar to one of Ernst's acquaintances is not high, but it is definitely not zero. Although Ernst's ears have four channels, they are not so amazing that they can identify a person by their voiceprint from such a short and hasty sentence.