People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

"I was just making a casual move back then, and I didn't really intend to test anything. Could it be that... Yeragand really cares about that statue that much?"

He clicked his tongue, somewhat incredulous.

The statue, naturally, refers to the Jeragund statue, commissioned by Ernst and funded by various parties, erected at the Silver Heart Lake using Rhine Life's modern technology. The construction plan has been finalized, and the order has been placed with Rhine Life. Although Ernst hasn't seen Nasty in his office for a long time, when Ernst inquired about her, Christensen's response was:

"She has no objection."

Nasti: "Oh yes, yes, I did it voluntarily."

As expected, after developing a passion for her work, the civil engineering colleague landed even more jobs, which also benefited Lola (Aurora) and Anmer (Qingzhi). The only consolation was that their boss, Christensen, was relatively honest; although he made his employees work overtime, he didn't neglect to pay project funds, overtime wages, bonuses, and commissions. His generosity made Ernst quite envious.

By the way, Christensen has been quite busy lately, and is working on a completely new direction.

She befriended Miss Miloch Beacon and they were working together on how to send Safar into space. Christen preferred the Originium Lifeforms' peaceful passage through the barrier, while Miss Miloch's plan greatly surprised Ernst.

The petite Miss Dulin displayed a boldness completely contrary to her cute image, advocating using Safar as a drill to deliver a powerful blow to the barrier layer.

"My drill bit is a drill bit that can pierce the sky!"

While making this declaration, she also resolutely proposed to Christen that she use Rhine Lab's resources and materials, combined with her mecha technology, to create the "Drill Mecha" that she had always dreamed of.

Kristen said the idea was very creative, and she, Wang Kristen Doyu, voted for it!

Damn rich people!

After taking a bite of Christensen's lemon, Ernst began to consider the matter of the statue.

To be honest, he had looked at the statue design when he returned to Shelag. He actually thought... it was alright?

Ernst was a typical pragmatist. Before his college entrance exam, he had visited two supposedly very powerful temples with his parents, burned incense, and prayed for blessings. He had a general idea of ​​what the golden statues of Buddha and Bodhisattvas meant to ordinary people.

The face of the Yeragand statue is actually... very Buddhist.

Well, how should I put it? Ernst wasn't lying. He only glanced at the portrait, and he felt his heart instantly calm down, his desires vanish instantly, and the small ripples of attraction he had felt from Vina and Defiance instantly subsided.

That painting truly has the power to make you feel Zen, as if you can take things lightly, and laugh at the blooming and fading of flowers. Isn't that Zen enough?

Ahem, Ernst didn't dare to be too definitive. What if the great god Yeragand really minded this thing? Then the boomerang would end up hitting him on the head.

Perhaps the Terrans have a distorted aesthetic view of bodhisattvas?

Do they like "anime/manga content"?

Ernst isn't entirely sure either, but fortunately, he's not completely without a way to be certain.

The original purpose of building the statue, besides appeasing the locals of Kjerag's opinions about tourists, promoting the benefits of modern technology, and adding a nice tourist landmark to Kjerag, was for Ernst to have another, less important, purpose: to test Al's "flexibility".

Ernst didn't really care about Al's true identity. Whether she was truly the representative or incarnation of the god Yeragand or not, it didn't affect Ernst's plans for the future.

The first citizen of Sherag will always be [Yeragand]. If her name is Ya'er, she will not enjoy those special rights. If she is [Yeragand], she will naturally no longer be able to use the identity of Ya'er.

This is an invisible boundary.

But as the saying goes, human nature is to be curious, and deciphering secrets brings the purest joy to mankind. If possible, Ernst would also like to try it out and see how many faces Ya'er has.

And this is a very good opportunity.

Using the Yeragand statue incident as a pretext, Ya'er, in her capacity as Prime Minister, will ascend the mountain to consult with the specialists at Manju-in Temple. Regardless of whether the person receiving her is Enya or one of the elders who have been sidelined, Ya'er will inevitably show up. Then, we can simply observe her reaction.

If the identity can be confirmed, then the opinion of the god Yeragand should naturally be taken into consideration, and modifications to the statue would be a proposal worth considering.

Without further ado, Ernst found Holheimer, gave him a few simple instructions, and set off for the mountain.

..........

Shelag, Karan Trade.

Enshiodis also plans to go up the mountain today.

Manju Academy wasn't exactly a good place for him. As the head of one of the three major families, he was arguably the one who visited it the least. While his stance as a reformist snow leopard was certainly a factor, certain "personal grudges" also played a significant role.

Simply put, he always encountered some kind of accident every time he went up the mountain.

Either the saint accidentally hits you on the head with a bell, or the saint accidentally spills tea and soils your coat, or the saint mocks and ignores you the whole time.

Enshiodis was also helpless. Sometimes, he really wished that Enya and Ernst could learn from each other. Personal grudges are personal grudges, and business is business. If you have any personal grievances, you can talk about them in private. When we talk about business, we should handle it professionally.

Enya didn't care at all. She held one attitude: no matter what Ensiodes said, she neither admitted nor denied it. If Ensiodes insisted on an answer, she would say, "I'll listen to our third brother."

Why don't you just say you believe the second son's judgment?

Enshiodis was quite troubled by this. She was supposed to be the older sister, yet she was so immature; it was truly...

Of course, having single-handedly created the current confrontational situation, he has no right to say such things.

This time, he did indeed have important business to attend to when he went up the mountain.

Kalan Trade recently plans to broaden its business scope, open up industry channels, explore new fields, address current pain points, and gain a deep understanding of consumer psychology. By adopting a short, efficient, and rapid approach, Kalan Trade aims to lay a solid foundation for its future diversified and multi-level development.

In layman's terms, they plan to emulate the "card-collecting culture" that's been quite popular in Longmen recently, and create some unique souvenirs. These could include animal-themed blind boxes, special character cards, glitter badges, and miniature standees for the scenic area.

It's really absurd that the souvenir shop keeps selling "divine stones (small stones)". Moreover, given the current pace of development of tourism in Shelag, it won't be long before the partners at Manju Academy are too busy just to keep up with the consecrations.

Kalan Trade should still be a conscientious business, and it should do a good job in controlling the quality of its products. It will not sell products that have not been blessed.

Ensiodis reasonably predicted that once these new products he envisioned were launched, they would be a huge hit! At that time, Karan Trade would also reap another source of income!

As for why we went up the mountain to Manzhu Temple...

The reason was simple: he planned to bite the bullet and discuss the copyright and endorsement fees with Enya. Fortunately, in the subsequent promotional arrangements, he could label these products with phrases like "Saintess's Choice," "Saintess's Carefully Selected," and "Even the Saintess herself uses them!" to increase exposure and marketability.

Although Enya most likely doesn't understand these things, she has people around her who do. Rather than being interrogated by Ernst, whom Enya brings in, and having him try to interfere, he'd better prepare from the start, making the process watertight and extinguishing Ernst's hopes!

Even between brothers, accounts should be settled clearly; there's no shame in that.

Putting on a warm coat, Enshiodis stepped out of the office, paused, turned back, and called to Jian, who was still waiting at the door during working hours instead of going out:

“Jian, come with me.”

"Need protection? Afraid your sister will hit you and give you a concussion?"

Jian laughed without hesitation. Ensiodis glared at her, his face full of black lines:

"No, I'm planning to find you an outfit. A Sherag one."

Jian frowned: "What's the use?"

“It looks quite nice.” Enciodes said, then, seemingly realizing he might be misunderstood, hurriedly added, “Ernst said that Yeragand has already recognized you as a Sherag? He wants me to get you a traditional Sherag outfit. Don’t you want it?”

Jian was slightly taken aback, a momentary look of bewilderment flashing across his face, but he quickly returned to normal, making Ensiodes doubt his own eyes.

"Young in age, but shrewd enough," she muttered, then nodded and said, "Alright. Will you reimburse me?"

“Ernstite, he reimbursed me.”

Chapter 242 My God is Just Too Cute

Shelag, Manju Academy.

As soon as Ernst arrived at Manjusok College, Enya came out to greet him and gave him a big hug.

For some reason, Ernst felt that Enya's strength had increased, and it seemed that it was not just her strength that had increased.

Sometimes, subtle changes in the body of someone you live with every day might not be too noticeable. But for Ernst and Enya, who only see each other occasionally, Ernst noticed the changes in Enya after just a quick glance.

She had grown almost a whole size bigger, in every way.

This is strange. Logically speaking, even I'm past puberty, let alone Enya, who's slightly older than me. Could it be that the Magic Saintess can transform twice?

After considering it for a while, Ernst still didn't ask about it.

Let's just assume it's because my saintly sister received some blessing from Jeragund again. It can't be because I finished all the work, leaving Manjuin with too much free time to do anything but eat and sleep, that she gained weight, right?

As for the fact that I raised my sister to be a useless person, let's not make it public. Being talked about is a minor matter; the real danger is that it could easily attract a "natural deterrent" from the bell!

"Ernst, what brings you to the Manju Academy?"

Releasing her hands, Enya smiled and pinched Ernst's cheek. Making sure her younger brother hadn't lost weight from the long journey, she nodded in satisfaction.

"Just let me know if you need anything. If it's something I can help with, I'll definitely do it!"

Sis, why are you talking like a bear?

Ernst mentally complained, but even so, he still felt a warm feeling in his heart.

If Ernst had two people in Kjerag with whom he could discuss business with with complete confidence, it certainly wouldn't be Enciodes. Old Bitden was as cunning as a hornet's nest; Ernst could easily be tricked into a trap without even realizing it. The most recent example was the fundraising for the statue. If it weren't for the timely discovery of the problem by Fat Serpent... ahem, Miss Feathered Serpent and her change of plans, Ernst's scheme might have ended up with Enciodes taking the lion's share of the profits.

These two people must be Actos and Enya.

The former, Brother Xiong, is straightforward and honest. While you might gain something from playing mind games or scheming against him, sometimes it's simpler and more effective to negotiate directly with him, present the facts, and reason with him.

The latter, Enya, simply didn't want to play mind games with Ernst. Was she unintelligent? Ernst didn't think so. Enya was never lacking in wisdom and courage. Just like during the Holy Stone Trial, she used what she, as a de facto saintess, could best utilize—her right to interpret the oracle of Jeragund—to deliver a stab in the back to the Grand Elder, buying Ernst enough time to communicate with Jeragund.

Although she didn't play a decisive role in persuading Jeragand in the end, it's undeniable that she lacked wisdom, albeit not power. Her trust in Ernst also ensured that he could rest assured that his home front would be secure while he was away on business.

Since his sister had spoken, Ernst didn't waste any time and went straight to the point:

"I came here because of the statue."

As he spoke, he subtly turned his gaze to the head maid behind Enya.

Miss Ya'er is the head maid of Manju Academy, and also the "secretary" who serves the saintess in her daily life, assists her in chanting, praying, and a series of rituals. However, Ernst has felt more than once that Ya'er is a little too close to Enya.

They were so close, like a mother afraid something might happen to her child, almost never leaving her side. Wherever you could see Enya, another Enya would inevitably spawn within ten meters. This time was no exception.

Before Ernst could even finish speaking, and before Enya could reply, Ya'er's eyes lit up, and she said impatiently:

"Right, right? Prime Minister Ernst also felt that something was off about that statue, didn't he?"

Actually, I think it's okay.

Ernst, of course, did not say this aloud.

He merely glanced at Ya'er's obviously overreaction and her unawareness, then looked at Enya beside her, whose expression was one of being used to it and who was slightly speechless and facepalming. He had already made up his mind.

Well, he felt a bit like a clown.

After spending most of the day preparing her speech and deliberating over her words countless times, she meticulously crafted each word to ensure it was used effectively, so as not to offend either Ya'er or Yeragand, while also probing their relationship. Finally, she mustered the courage to come to Manju Academy, ready to make her mark!

As it turned out, the other person didn't hide anything at all; their demeanor, actions, tone of voice, and even that expression of yearning for approval.

It's no exaggeration to say that Ya'er was practically talking to Ernst "naked".

It's like Cao Chong weighing an elephant, spending ages solving a math problem to maximize his gains, only to have his opponent, Da Bao, start by drinking before wielding his sword, shouting, "Beyond the natural barrier of the Yangtze River lies the iron wall of Jiangdong!"

Click, gone. What a waste of time.

This actually confused Ernst a bit, and for a moment he was unsure which floor Ya'er was on.

Regardless, Ya'er must be connected to the great god Yeragand, and this connection must be extraordinary. She is either a legitimate representative controlled by a behemoth or the god herself.

Moreover, judging from her attitude, our dear Jeragund is indeed very, very, very concerned about that great statue.

Ernst was at a loss for words, both amused and exasperated.

You should have said so earlier! This is such a small matter; if you had just asked, it would have been easily resolved.

Ernst smiled and nodded, saying, "Yes, Miss Ya'er and I share a similar view. I think the design of the sculpture itself is fine, and the current plan is indeed feasible; it's just that some details need to be modified."

"Details?" Enya asked, puzzled. "I know about the sculpture, but Actos said he was directly appointed by you to oversee its creation, so I didn't ask too many questions. Are there any problems with the details?"

The statue's face doesn't quite fit the aesthetic of the great god Jeragund.

Ernst thought to himself, "Of course, such words are inappropriate to say aloud. Even the great god Yeragand has his pride. Otherwise, he wouldn't have just left behind the words 'Return quickly,' and then cosplayed the Jiajing Emperor, leaving Ernst to guess what was going on with the 'clouds in the blue sky, water in the bottle' idiom."

He could only say, "It's a problem with the appearance of the great god Jeragund."

“Facial features?” Enya frowned. “Actoros provided Manjusaka with complete historical records, and the current proposed Yeragand statue’s face is presented exactly according to the records. Why is there a problem? Could there be an error in the records?”

Ernst shrugged and explained:

“Sister, the ancient texts were treasured and preserved by the Manju Academy and the Edwis family, so there are naturally no errors. However, there might be a deviation in how we stored the texts!”

"Let me give you an example: a creature with a blue face and fangs, a single horn on its head, and its body covered in bristly hairs. It is not afraid of wind, cold, or snow. It lives in groups, waiting for the right moment to strike. When it strikes, the earth shakes and mountains tremble, and nothing grows in its wake! What does this describe?"

Enya paused, pondered for a moment, and guessed, "The Snow Demon?"

This description sounds quite frightening. In Shelag, the only well-known scary legend is the Snow Demon.

But Ernst shook his head.

Enya asked curiously, "What is the answer?"