People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

Daphne belatedly realized what was happening, her pupils dilating in shock. Just as she was about to get up to stop Vina from engaging in this insubordinate "poison testing" behavior, there was a knock on the door.

The previously ambiguous atmosphere, a mixture of romance and anxiety, vanished instantly. Whether from regret or a moment of calm, Vina sighed, her breathing slightly rapid, and shoveled the melon-flavored fruit tart into her mouth. Meanwhile, Daphne sat up straight, moving away from Ernst, and sat upright, observing Vina with a mixture of shock and wariness.

Only Ernst, the snow leopard who had just sensed great danger, truly breathed a sigh of relief.

Damn it, it seems we shouldn't have only recruited college graduates. There's no room for personal relationships within the system. Ernst has been single for almost fifty years, and he seems to have forgotten about that.

Although neither Vina nor Defien are college students.

I need to get some serious moral education when I get back. How could she be so provocative towards her boss! While it's far from office harassment, judging from Vina's reaction afterward, she probably acted impulsively. But if this little brat dares to do this now, won't she directly challenge my weaknesses next time?

Are you trying to test if my weakness is tough enough?

After adjusting his emotions and posture, Ernst stood up and greeted the white-bearded old man who entered through the door.

The person who pushed open the door was none other than the current Pope of Lateran, Ivangelista XI.

Fiameta was right; the old man had indeed been very busy these past few days. He was busy not for any other reason than to investigate the recent illegal intruders into Laterano and the rumors circulating in the city.

Laterano is not a true paradise. The Sarkaz fabricated this earthly heaven, yet they are never willing to generously share it. Even the Liberians of Laterano have never truly benefited from its blessings; the Sarkaz's own people only ever belong to themselves.

That statement is actually quite unreasonable. Putting aside everything else, Ivangelista XI never withheld the welfare of residents of other races in the city, and neither did he, nor any of the previous popes.

The Sarkaz, Liberians, and a small number of other races residing in Laterano generally enjoy a balanced standard of living. The only difference might be that the Sarkaz are qualified to use guns and possess the ability to empathize.

But this wasn't something Ivangelista XI could decide on his own. Lateran had tried to issue guns to other races before; in fact, the door to granting well-trained Liberians the right to use guns had always been open to Lateran.

However, even the most experienced Liboli might not be as adept at using firearms as Sakta, who had only been handling them for a few months—that was an objective fact. As for wider dissemination of firearms, even if he wanted to distribute them to others, they wouldn't be able to use them.

Furthermore, even assuming the worst, there are counterfeit guns on the market. Laterano authorized Cliff "Bridge Clip," the founder of Blacksteel International and also a Sakorta member, to manufacture counterfeit guns and distribute them to his employees. The only requirement was to control the quantity and prevent widespread use.

If this attitude can be criticized, then it is indeed a bit unreasonable.

As for empathy, let's not even talk about it.

Racial talents are like the strong physique of the Vayvans, the legendary Drak's ability to control temperature, or the fact that even the fattest feathered serpent can fly—these are things that can't be helped.

If that doesn't work, just find a legal machine and have it give you a halo too.

Unfortunately, even though these things weren't exactly blame, some people spread rumors, and some actually believed them. Feeling discriminated against, Liberi began to cause trouble, and some Sakotas, eager for drama, joined in, wanting to demand "fairness," making it incredibly difficult for King Ivangelista XI to spread rumors and scramble to refute them. The notary office and the Papal Special Task Force spent days tracing the source, searching for the person who spread the rumors.

It's strange, really. Lateran isn't very big, and Ernst mentioned that the Papal Court has a very high degree of control over it. Normally, a rumor-monger like this would be arrested within two or three days. But this time, the rumor has been circulating in Lateran for over five days, and the suspect may have even been in Lateran for over a week. Yet, the Papal Court still hasn't received any intelligence about him.

King Ivangelista XI didn't even know the name of the troublemaker, let alone what his purpose was.

If it were someone else, they would probably be too busy to care about any meetings at this point.

But even when Ivangelista XI was very busy, he did not forget about Ernst's affairs.

If the "rumors" were shaking the stability within Laterano, then the topic he was about to discuss with Ernst concerned the stability of the entire Terra region outside of Laterano.

King Ivangelist XI sat down in the main seat and asked earnestly:

"Prime Minister Ernst, have you ever thought about something?"

"For the countries of the continent, especially small countries like Shelag and Lateran, it is very necessary to promote the establishment of an institution to maintain international peace and stability?"

I have an exam tomorrow at noon, so I'm taking the day off to cram for the exam. I hope I can pass!

…………………………………………………………………………………

Chapter 220 No rush, let's stall him first

King Ivangelista XI had a serious expression, but his eyes, unlike those of an ordinary old man, were full of passion and vitality, without any of the cloudiness or weariness often associated with such an elderly person.

Ernst didn't know if this could be considered a racial talent of the Sarkaz. He'd heard that people with a good mindset don't age easily.

Joking aside, Ernst was indeed somewhat surprised that Ivangelista XI would suddenly bring up this matter so directly.

"An international organization dedicated to maintaining international peace and building a stable development environment? Isn't that the United Nations?"

Ernst muttered to himself.

As for the proposal, Ernst's assessment was that it was a very good proposal, extremely visionary. However, the fact that it was Sakorta who made the proposal was somewhat unbelievable to Ernst.

Are the Sakorta people really that visionary and have such a broad perspective?

It's important to understand that Lateran is a direct beneficiary of the current international situation on this land. Because most of the time, major powers are engaged in warfare, few countries have the resources to attack a united, reputable nation possessing advanced weaponry. This has allowed Lateran to exist as a small, independent country for so long. Furthermore, the constant conflicts between major powers, the widespread displacement and poverty among the populace, have enabled Lateran's religion to accumulate a large following and prestige, thus securing its sustenance.

To put it more realistically, Sarkaz's current transcendent status is largely due to the fact that Laterano was able to become an independent city-state, separate from the rest of the world, thanks in no small part to the leaders of the Terran nations' use of Laterano's cult for stability. It is precisely because the current world situation forces both sides to exploit each other that Laterano has achieved its current status.

As a beneficiary of the existing system, trying to change the current situation is hardly something a Pope like Ivangelist XI should say.

Ernst did not immediately respond, but instead, following standard negotiating practice, took a step back and answered questions with questions:

"Why would His Holiness the Pope have such an idea? Is it even possible for an organization to maintain peace on Earth to exist?"

Ernst feigned surprise. He wanted to test Pope Ivangelista XI and see what gave the Pope the confidence to make this suggestion.

His reason for doing so was simple: he had been asked the same question before—right in Siesta, when he proposed the idea of ​​building the Terra Community to his father, Herman, the mayor of the independent city-state of Siesta.

As Ernst had expected, Ivangelista XI did not show any unease when faced with this question.

Clearly, he had guessed Ernst would ask that question. Rather, if Ernst hadn't asked, he would have been surprised and suspicious, thinking Ernst was somewhat immature—a mature leader should think things through before acting; that's a basic quality.

He then said:

"Prime Minister Ernst, you should also know where the concept of a modern nation-state comes from in the context of Terra today?"

This is not just a statement, but also a question.

Ernst replied knowingly, “The book ‘The Origins of the Nations’ written by the Victorian historian contains a discussion of the modern nation.”

"Unlike the fragile tribal confederations of the Classic era, which could crumble and perish with a single natural disaster, the roll of a colossus, the wrath of a god, a Sarkaz, or an unknown creature (referring to the unnamed lynx that destroyed the nation), the kingdoms of Terra today are built upon the hubs of mobile cities."

"The concept of the modern nation was established with the birth of the mobile city."

This is the biggest difference between the countries of Terra and those on Earth.

If Earth's nations evolved from tribal settlements into feudal lord groups, eventually centralizing power to form modern state systems, then the formation of nations in Terra is far more peculiar.

People did not form a political entity called a nation spontaneously in pursuit of becoming stronger, but were forced to band together because of fear of natural disasters, Sarkaz, behemoths, and other external factors.

At that time, the borders of the country were the boundaries of your vision; whenever you closed your eyes, fear would turn you back into a person.

Now, the rise of mobile cities has given the nations of Terra greater adaptability. The nations are finally able to stably avoid natural disasters, fight against behemoths, and even destroy the Sarkaz.

Even if they can't win, they can still escape.

King Ivangelista XI smiled gently; clearly, he was quite satisfied with Ernst's answer.

This at least shows that Ernst's current reputation is not just empty talk or a hollow title.

He deserved this special invitation.

“That’s a very good answer.” He nodded. “Just like humans, when a direct threat to survival no longer exists, or is no longer the main threat, another threat arises. As exchanges between nations become increasingly close, frictions also begin to occur frequently.”

"Friction, I don't think I should use such a mild word to summarize history."

“Prime Minister Ernst, you may not have witnessed that war at your age, but I did. I saw the fall of Gaul with my own eyes.”

"The glorious 'world capital' was destroyed overnight, the roaring armored warships fell silent, and the invincible Gallic old guard was reduced to fire and smoke."

Just as Chinese philosophers always liked to use ancient allusions, the people of Terra always mentioned Gaul when discussing their country.

As a nation that was once closest to becoming a dominant power on Earth, and even promoted its language, Gallic, as Esperanto, the fall of Gaul is truly lamentable.

But what is lamentable and alarming is not just the fall of Gaul.

The entire civilization paid the price for this war.

This is the first war of national annihilation since modern states were built on mobile cities.

This set a very bad precedent—the leaders of the land nations finally realized, or were allowed to realize, that when natural disasters, behemoths, Sarkaz, and lynxes could not destroy their nations, the only thing that could threaten them was each other.

Corsica I, the Gallic emperor, was the last national leader to declare war under the pretext of "vassal states." In the ensuing Ursus expansion era, the Ursus emperor, forged on the battlefield of the Four Emperors War, put his battlefield experience into practice with his empire.

Every war he launched was a war of annihilation.

Ernst fell into a deep thought, while Ivangelista XI continued:

"When even the 'Gallic Emperor' and his fearless legions could not keep an empire that stood at the center of the earth alive, then we have to think about what can preserve the civilization that the Terrans have painstakingly built and accumulated under the scourge of nature."

"You ask me why I have this idea, and this is my answer."

"There's no reason why, it's just to survive."

Ernst acknowledged that Ivangelista XI was an outstanding orator and debater.

He could be sure that if Evangelista XI were facing someone other than himself, such as the Duke of Custer or the President of Colombia, his words would have been far more grandiose.

Because he was facing Ernst at that moment, he was able to accurately grasp the core demands of each small country.

"To survive" is easier said than done.

Allende's experience shows that focused development is not necessarily feasible; Benin's rise and fall shows that playing both sides is not necessarily feasible; Burundi's fate proves that even a powerful figure cannot withstand the intervention of a major power; and Iceland's history highlights the advantage of having a powerful backer.

The history of this peculiar little country is full of contradictions, and there has never been a standard answer applicable to the future.

He had to admit that if such an organization as Ivangelista XI described truly existed, capable of upholding justice, seeking righteousness, and fighting for survival for the nation, it would indeed be an incredibly promising future.

Anyone else might have already been persuaded by Ivangelist XI.

But Ernst remained lucid.

Because mere hope and expectation no longer swayed him. It wasn't that he had become so corrupted that he no longer believed in hope, but simply that he possessed self-awareness. And, he wasn't unfamiliar with the organization that Ivangelist XI had mentioned.

Ultimately, this is just a UN concept, and it's unrealistic to have too high expectations for it before it's realized.

Who knows if what you end up with is a League of Nations?

Expecting the League of Nations to do things for weak and small countries is a lesson that, as a Chinese person, I have already learned thoroughly from history books.

However, Ernst didn't waste Ivangellista XI's words. He stopped pretending to be ignorant and asked directly:

"Has this idea secured the support of several major powers?"

This is the key.

The UN General Assembly may shout a thousand times and pass a thousand resolutions and appeals, but it cannot compare to a single vote by the Security Council.

International pressure and public opinion ultimately have no real power to harm. If it does not receive support from major powers, the organization that Lateran has built may not even be as good as the League of Nations.

At least the League of Nations has the function of allowing people to withdraw, adding a bit of tension to the world.

Ivanista XI stared at Ernst, seemingly puzzled.

For some reason, although Ernst's question was reasonable and justifiable, he had a strange feeling that Ernst was not moved by his speech at all, but rather annoyed by it, which was why he spoke up.

Seeing that Ivangelist XI looked puzzled, Ernst explained:

"To be honest, Your Holiness, this is the same question I received."

“I actually had a similar idea to yours, but when I invited a friend to do so, he raised this question with me.”

“I have been trying to be able to answer his question openly and honestly, and this is the best I can do right now.”

Ernst turned his head slightly and glanced discreetly at Defien and Vina on the sofa beside him, or rather, Defien.

If he personally went to lobby, he could at least persuade a quarter of the Dukes of Windermere in Victoria to join the organization. As for the Dukes of Castle and Wellington, he wasn't entirely confident.

King Ivangelist XI naturally noticed his gaze and immediately fell into deep thought.

Ernst had essentially laid his cards on the table with him. He hadn't said it explicitly, but he certainly agreed with the idea.

Although he said that Ivangelista XI's idea was imperfect in this way and that way, Ernst actually hoped that it would come to fruition—having a place to argue might at least solve 80% of the practical problems.

Especially for small countries, before the United Nations, disagreements between two countries would simply escalate into war. But with the United Nations, at least there is an international body that acts as an arbitrator. If you don't have a special background and want to cause trouble, you really have to consider the face of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council who are acting as arbitrators.

When their own interests are not involved, major powers are quite willing to do "good deeds," since upholding justice is a risk-free endeavor that can also enhance their international reputation.

After a moment's thought, Ivangelista XI also decided to reveal some of his secrets to Ernst.

He smiled slightly, told Ernst to wait a moment, and then walked to the back of the lounge and turned on a large phonograph.

“We’ve been talking for so long and must be tired. This phonograph was a gift from the Twin Queens of Letania to the Lateran envoys at the last Queen’s celebration. It contains many of the Royal Orchestra’s classic songs. We can relax while enjoying some music.”

Ernst nodded knowingly.