People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

A call interrupted Shiva's reverie. The burly man in his thirties turned around and saw the relative he had sought refuge with.

His relative waved to him and asked:

"The construction site at Yinxin Lake is hiring today. Do you want to go?"

"Hiring?" Shiva was taken aback. "Don't they all have those drones? Those things are incredibly strong. They can lift a rock that several young men can't move, but four of them can lift it into the sky. With all that, do they still need people?"

"What nonsense are you talking about?" The relative seemed to have seen through Shiva's thoughts, stepped forward, and patted him on the shoulder jokingly. "A machine is still a machine. How can it completely replace a person? Your idea is very strange."

"But......."

“But what ‘but’!” the relative exclaimed. “Lady Latatos of our Brantau family said that machines can’t replace people. At most, he can help us with chores, but can he replace us in believing in the great god Jeragund? How could you be so foolish as to compete with a pack animal for favor?”

Shiva then realized what was going on.

Lady Latatos has a point. Drones are just a bunch of flying pack animals; how could they possibly help them believe in the great god Jeragund?

When it comes to building a statue of the great god Jeragund, the important thing isn't what's used, but who does it. Even if machines could help lay all the bricks and carve all the details, it wouldn't compare to the sincerity of the people of Jeragund themselves.

"I'll go, of course I'll go. I'm going to get moldy from staying cooped up at home all day. I should go out and find something to do!"

Shiva's mood improved considerably, and he was about to head out to Silver Heart Lake.

He walked along, lost in thought. Those outsiders weren't entirely without merit.

Although they are not as devout as we Sherag people, and lack a sense of reverence, and are just like a group of unruly children, their technology, their tools, and their advanced machinery do have their merits.

No wonder Prime Minister Ernst wanted to open up Shelag. Without these technologies, it's estimated that even in ten years, Shelag wouldn't be able to build a large statue of Jeragund on the island in the middle of the lake. And they've only been open for a short time, yet they've already embarked on an unprecedented undertaking.

Add to that the ongoing reconstruction of Tukarim, and the breathtakingly complete Shelag train station, which runs several times faster than the fastest pack animals and never stops...

Shiva has a feeling that such changes will become more and more common in the future of Shelag.

"Life is really getting more and more different."

To him, those outsiders, though they were not lovable, were taught by the great god Jeragund to be tolerant and kind. It didn't seem difficult to be more forgiving of these guests who had helped him so much.

The fact that Ernst was not the only one in the Sherag who thought this way shows that he had achieved his goal.

However, to Ernst's slight surprise, Siva's thoughts went even deeper.

On the island in the center of Silver Heart Lake, at the recruitment office of the [Sacred Elephant Project], standing in the throng of people from Shelag who were shouting "No pay, no pay!" to help, Xiwa thought:

"These foreigners think that building statues for the great god Jeragund is a project. And they want to use money to desecrate our piety?"

"Tsk, what a bunch of idiots who don't know anything about God or Sherag. I don't know what the Perochi family was thinking, they actually agreed to it?"

"Hmph, if our Sherag had those high-end machines, we wouldn't need them!"

"I wonder if the school run by Prime Minister Ernst teaches these things. If not, then I'll send my son abroad to... study abroad! Yes, study abroad!"

"Having completed our studies, we in Shelag now have our own drones!"

Chapter 215 Charge in! That's the real Windermere!

Sherag, a manor house in Shivaish territory.

The journey from Sherag to Rutland is incredibly long, as the two cities are geographically almost traversing the entire length of Victoria. Taking the detour would take at least a month to complete.

However, if one were to travel through Victoria, going back half a century, it might not have been too difficult. At that time, Victoria still had a legitimate government in Londinium, and the passes it issued still held some weight with the various dukes. But now, times have changed. Crossing Victoria would mean obtaining passes from the four Grand Dukes: the Duke of Castle, the Duke of Wellington, the Duke of Windermere, and the Duke of Goldwood. These four Grand Dukes essentially represented the four most powerful forces in Victoria.

The faction that usurped the throne and became emperor, led by the Duke of Caesar; the Tara independence faction, led by the Duke of Wellington; the ducal autonomy faction, led by the Duke of Windermere; and the neutral swing faction, led by the Duke of Godottin.

While these four factions aren't necessarily sworn enemies, the Duke of Castle and the Duke of Windermere are at least irreconcilable. The Duke of Wellington and the Duke of Goldington represent two completely different extremes: one is an equal, looking down on everyone and wishing he could defeat them all and then declare independence; the other is an equal, unwilling to offend anyone, always acting subservient, but when it comes to taking sides, he won't budge.

Therefore, obtaining passes to four duchies simultaneously is virtually impossible in modern Victoria.

"Hey, show me your pass."

Watching Ernst casually open the mail from the Duke of Caesar's mansion and take out a luxurious, gilded pass, Daphne pursed her lips, her feelings a little complicated.

She lowered her head, feeling a little guilty as she touched the simple pass in her bag, which contained only a single line of text and a stamp. Suddenly, she felt a strange sense of unease.

The Duke of Windermere was indeed not as wealthy as the Duke of Castle, but to be honest, a mere pass wouldn't cost much. If the Duke of Windermere wanted to, he could easily have created a version ten times more luxurious than the Duke of Castle's.

But neither she nor her mother had ever considered this possibility. So when Ernst suddenly asked for an entry permit, her mother simply got out of bed, wrote one on a piece of paper from the drawer, stamped it, and mailed it back to Daphne.

I should have asked my father's opinion. If it were him, he would have known that the hateful Duke of Cactus might resort to such petty tricks over such a trivial matter!

But now, it was too late to send a letter to his mother to remake a certificate even more beautiful than the Duke of Caesar's. Daphne could only reluctantly lower her head and admit that she had slightly lost to the Duke of Caesar in this small competition.

She took a deep breath and looked earnestly at Ernst, who was examining the Duke of Cactus's handwritten letter that had been enclosed with the main text:

"Don't let the Duke of Caesar's sweet talk brainwash you, Ernst! We, Windermere, are your true allies!"

Ernst: "?"

He paused for a moment, then looked at the contents of the letter in his hand and chuckled to himself.

The Duke of Windermere may have reservations about granting you the pass, but don't worry about their opinions. It's normal for petty warlords to misunderstand the aesthetics and political balance of the nobility. If you need help, feel free to write to me—your grandmother, Caesar.

Putting aside the bizarre attempt to ingratiate himself with "your grandmother," the Duke of Caesar clearly understood the nature of the Duke of Windermere's family, anticipating even such a small reaction.

However, she didn't hide her true intentions at all, and in this one letter alone, she sowed discord three times. First, she said that the Duke of Windermere was petty, then she said that the Duke of Windermere didn't understand politics and aesthetics and might pose a threat to her, and finally she simply said that she could provide a "backer".

Luckily, Daphne didn't come over when Ernst was reading the letter, otherwise Ernst would have had enough scraps of paper to sweep up later.

However, even if every point the Duke of Caesar made had some merit, it was still a bit too naive to think that Ernst and the Duke of Windermere would sever ties.

No matter how many times you speak, how eloquent and persuasive you are, the Duke of Caesar will never understand one thing—the real killer move is sincerity.

As the Grand Duchess of Victoria's borders and a powerful military noblewoman, Amphilis Windermere was willing to place her only heir, Daphne Windermere, by Ernst's side. She had no worries that Ernst would threaten Daphne's life, use Daphne to blackmail her, lead Daphne astray, or cause her to grow up corrupted by Ernst. She also had no concerns that Ernst would engage in any "rich woman's lustful" scheme and become the next Duke Windermere's son-in-law, Lord Kent. With just these four concerns, Duke Windermere had already won against Duke Windermere by a great deal.

When Daphne was unhappy, Ernst was even willing to go and coax her.

He reached out and tossed the Duke of Cactus's handwritten letter into the fireplace in front of Deffin, then stepped forward and gently ruffled Deffin's soft, short hair.

"It's nothing, what are you saying? The Duke of Castle is just a distant relative I don't know how far away he is, while the Duke of Windermere is a friend of mine."

A close friend is worse than a distant relative.

Daphne tilted her head back, staring into Ernst's eyes. After a long while, she finally turned her face away, her cheeks slightly flushed, and said somewhat stubbornly:

"I didn't mean that."

You didn't mean that?

Ernst remained silent, not revealing Definite's ulterior motives. Instead, he skillfully changed the subject:

"By the way, Daphne, you just said you came to see me because you had something to ask me. What is it?"

The matter of sending you the travel documents.

As Dai Feien pondered this, a bold idea suddenly came to her mind.

Instead of producing the letter from Anferis—the one with the seal that held any real value and otherwise appeared to be a travel document—she straightened her back and said:

"I'm here to give you your travel permit."

Ernst nodded, waited a moment, his smile stiffening slightly, and seeing that Daphne hadn't turned around to look, he asked somewhat awkwardly:

"Hmm? Where's the proof? Give it to me."

"Isn't it right in front of you?"

Defiance gave a mischievous smile and spun around on the spot.

"Can't you see?"

Ernst: "?"

The number of questions he's raised in recent months doesn't compare to the number of questions Defiance generated in just ten minutes today.

Seeing Ernst's stunned expression, Daphne nodded in satisfaction and explained:

“Mother... we should use titles when discussing official business, right? The Duke assigned me to accompany you to Laterano this time, why do you think that is?”

I thought it was a rare opportunity for you to go on a business trip at public expense.

Ernst thought to himself.

He wasn't joking. Because of her rather sensitive status as the daughter of the Grand Duke of Victoria, Daphne wouldn't normally be able to enter that city so easily. If anything happened to her, her mother might just send a high-speed warship flying right up to her.

But now that Defion has said this, he quickly realizes that Duke Amphilis Windermere's "trip" was actually planned.

Defiance spoke frankly:

"The Duke asked me to accompany you on this trip, not only to support you, but also because he has some other things he wants me to do."

"Is it related to the matter of Lentinium?" Ernst asked.

Defiance nodded.

Ernst knew better and kept quiet. This was a private matter, and since Daphne hadn't told him, he didn't press the issue further.

If he really needs help, Duke Windermere will have Daphne come directly to him, just like last time when the Duke and his allies launched an attack on Londinium.

He thanked her in advance, saying, "Indeed, nothing is more convincing than having you by my side, Defiance."

This statement refers both to Defien being ordered by the Duke of Windermere to support his trip to Laterano, and to Defien's statement that she is the best "passport holder for the Duke of Windermere".

Having succeeded in her scheme, Dai Feien suppressed her inner joy and nodded calmly.

This narrative trick was something she had learned over time from the conversations and teachings of Ernst, Vina, and Holheimia.

The Duke of Windermere's mission was real, the delivery of the certificate was real, the support she provided was real, and her unimpeded access to the duchy as the heir to the title of Duke of Windermere was also real.

There was nothing false in this conversation, except that Ernst was not told that "the document is in paper form".

But just because it wasn't told doesn't mean it's fake, right?

Mom, I've learned it!

If I study with Ernst for a few more years, I'll become even better than my dad!

Defiance thought proudly.

Unfortunately, perhaps because she spent relatively little time with the Duke of Windermere, she learned Ernst's methods, but she clearly did not grasp the essence of Windermere-style communication.

If the Duke of Windermere and Kent were here, the couple would surely say with exasperation, "Go ahead and do it! Your half-hearted learning is nowhere near as effective as having him teach you directly!"

"Let him teach you directly. If he refuses, slap him in the face with money. If he still refuses, tie him up... cough cough cough, take him back to the Duchy of Windermere, beat him until he kneels, and make him a tutor. If he still refuses, then do what your father did!"

"As for how your father did it, is that even a question?"

"Charge forward! That's the spirit of Windermere!"

P.S.: The Duke of Windermere is truly reckless; the more I watch, the more I feel their whole family is reckless. Kent's proposal to the Duke of Windermere was a reckless act of barging into command post to confess his love; the Duke of Windermere rescuing his daughter involved driving his flagship out of the battle group and recklessly into the heart of the battlefield. Even Daphne is a descendant of this family tradition: recklessly entering Lontinem while searching for clues about her father's death, recklessly engaging in fights with the remnants of Glasgow while helping them in the streets, and ultimately recklessly making her way out after being rescued. It's a family tradition.

Chapter 216 Daphne's Karaton Experiences

Victoria, Duchy of Godottin, City of Caraton.

After dealing with the two most difficult archdukes, the Duke of Caesar and the Duke of Windermere, the remaining Dukes of Wellington and Godotington were much easier for Ernst to handle.

"Given your uncooperative attitude, the Duke of Wellington has handed over all communication activities with Sherag to Lady Abrahana. In other words, he is only here in name now. For something as trivial as a pass, you can just ask me for it."

This is Ahmoni's version of events. As for the specifics, whether the Duke of Wellington truly relinquished power and became a hands-off manager, and what exactly Miss Abrahana's identity was that made the Duke of Wellington willing to delegate authority to her, these questions were not Ernst's concern.

He already had the certificate, and he didn't want to get too involved in these internal power struggles within the Grand Duke's inner circle. Trouble was one thing, but he also worried about accidentally falling into a trap set by the Duke of Wellington. Ernst had never forgotten that old bastard's blatant offer of "three options" to Ernst, demanding that Ernst risk the lives and future of the Sherag people to help him with his schemes.

If the Duke of Wellington could handle it, then the Duke of Godotington would have no problem at all.

Ernst wrote a letter on behalf of the Scherrag government and received a reply from the Duke of Gaudottin a few days later.

The other party's amiable tone, warm attitude, and courteous manner in the letter made Ernst feel as if he were dealing not with a renowned Duke of Victoria, but with a Victorian merchant who needed his help.

It should be Ernst who needs something from them.

The Duke of Godottin enclosed a pass with his personal seal, granting him free movement within the Duchy of Godottin and the territories of its dependent nobles. Moreover, in the letter, the Duke of Godottin even explicitly stated his desire for commercial cooperation with Ernst.

"The Kallan Trade Company of Sherag now has branches in the territories of its three colleagues: the Duke of Caster, the Duke of Windermere, and the Duke of Wellington. I have long hoped for your presence in the Duchy of Godottin, and I am truly eager to do so. Now that this opportunity has arisen, the travel documents enclosed with this letter can also serve as trade credentials in the future. I, the Duke of Godottin, await the arrival of the Kallan Trade representatives at my residence to discuss matters concerning commercial cooperation."

It's hard to imagine that this is a Grand Duke whose abilities rank among the top four in the list of Grand Dukes of Victoria.

Ernst was always extremely wary of such well-intentioned but dubious gestures, let alone the Duke of Godottin's clearly deceptive tactics. If Ernst hadn't had connections with the other three dukes, he had no doubt that this Grand Duke would have been the most difficult one to deal with.

Regardless, the issue of the pass was resolved smoothly, and Ernst's journey took him to Karaton, an important industrial town under the jurisdiction of the Duke of Godottin.

The Duke of Godottin was an extremely shrewd duke, and in some ways, he was even more sensitive to the changes of the times than the Duke of Caesar, who was now widely regarded as the most powerful.

As the famous skirmish leader Kreku once said, "If you do not leave power, power will leave you."

The turmoil and decline of Victoria's power during the Duke's era were undeniable, and independence movements never ceased. At this crossroads of the era, there was the Duke of Windermere, who forcefully suppressed all opposition forces within his territory through military means; the Duke of Wellington, who followed the trend and directly began to promote Tara culture, preparing for independence; and the Duke of Cactus, who bound everyone together by ancient blood ties and interests, maintaining traditional aristocratic rule.