People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

He went to the "presidential office (the birdcage)" that same day to consult Mark Max, and only after receiving his "permission" did he dare to confidently reply:

"We will definitely send someone to bring exhibits to participate in the exhibition."

As for why he didn't visit in person, the main reason actually lies with Ernst.

In his letter, Ernst specifically dissuaded Vice President Wilson from his plan to visit Shelag, and also reminded him to stay in Colombia and visit major technology companies in Trimont, especially RheinLife, when the expo was held.

As for the reason, it's quite simple. Ernst summarized it in just four words in his letter: "The time has come."

What time?

It was the perfect time to give a speech.

The World's Fair is a perfect opportunity. It's perfect because, although the representatives from various countries attending the World's Fair all have their own agendas, they are ostensibly there to showcase their nation's most valuable collections. Here, Terra's nominally most advanced technology, oldest culture, and finest products will converge.

This is the perfect place to grind reputation.

Ernst had made an agreement with Vice President Wilson early on, and the two agreed to keep their promise: Ernst would build his international reputation in Shelag, while Wilson would build his domestic reputation in Tremont.

The former would help Ernst secure a better international environment, while the latter would help Wilson gain a significant advantage in the upcoming vice-presidential election. The two would work together without interfering with each other's interests.

This time it's a true win-win situation.

Wilson felt a surge of joy at the thought that his speech, which he had read countless times, memorized perfectly, and whose intonation and tone had been meticulously crafted, would finally be put to use.

Now that's great! Who can stop him now? The next Vice President of Colombia is already in his grasp!

However, if there was anything that made him feel somewhat uncertain, it was the explanation given to him by President Mark Max.

"Why did His Excellency the President specifically arrange for items to be sent over for the exhibition?"

"Just grab something from Trimont that's not very advanced but can be displayed, and that'll be fine, right?"

"People go to the World's Fair not really to see the exhibits."

Unable to understand the president's thinking, Wilson could only give up and obediently play his role as a bird.

Well, the president must have a deeper meaning behind this move. If he can't understand it, maybe he's just not sophisticated enough. Anyway, the president has never made a mistake, so let's just trust him.

He should go and memorize the script a couple more times.

Chapter 248 This is not peace, it is a twenty-year truce

Shelag, Tukarim, government office building!

After handing the last invitation to Ceylon and asking her to send it to Siesta, Ernst returned to his office.

This World's Fair is truly grand in scale. Almost every influential power in Terra has received invitations from Ernst and King Evangelista XI. From powerful Terran nations like Victoria and Great Yan, Letania and Kazimir, to smaller powers that barely qualify, such as the various chieftains of Sargon, independent city-states like Siesta, and tourist destinations like Dosoles, Ernst cannot guarantee how many will accept the invitations. However, even if only half, or even a third, of these powers agree to attend, it will be a tremendous opportunity and test for Sherag.

This will be the first time that the small snowy kingdom of Sherag has officially appeared on the Terra land!

Before making this decision, Ernst had hesitated, worried, and pondered whether the time was right, whether the current situation in Kjerag could afford the various expenses required to host the World's Fair, and whether he should wait a little longer, wait for Kjerag to develop further, wait for the international situation to stabilize, and wait for everything to reach the "perfect" state that Ernst imagined.

But after much thought, he gave up on this somewhat extravagant idea.

The political divisions in Victoria, the turmoil in the country of Ursus, the fierce rivalry between the old and new factions in Letania, and the shifting balance of power among the merchants and nobles of Kazimir—even the Great Yan, a projection of Ernst's homeland onto the land of Terra, has never ceased to be beset by internal and external troubles and is hard to escape.

It is foreseeable that the chances of Terra moving towards peace and stability in the coming years are extremely slim. The current fragile balance is less a barely maintained order and more a temporary truce.

Ironically, in the historical books about Terra that Ernst read, scholars seemed to reach a consensus on the landmark event that caused widespread upheaval on Terra and led to the reconstruction of a new international order, identifying it as the "Battle of the Four Emperors" that changed the course of war on Terra.

As Ivangelista XI stated, during the War of the Four Emperors, the weak realized for the first time that their weapons possessed the power to utterly destroy their opponents. Thus, the intensity of the war escalated further. What was originally a war for supremacy transformed into a war of annihilation; the objective of defeating the enemy and forcing them to acknowledge him as their overlord shifted to destroying the enemy, annexing their lands, and assimilating their people.

That war did indeed, to some extent, destroy the millennia-old civilization of Terra.

Since that war, the Terran continent has established an international order with the Victorian Empire as the sole superpower and land hegemon, alongside Ursus, Letania, Casimir, Colombia, and Great Yan as influential regional powers. This order gave rise to numerous wars aimed at the annihilation and annexation of certain nations, including the Ursus Conquest Era, the proxy wars between Letania and Colombia in Bolívar, and the ten Ursus-Casimir wars between Casimir and Ursus.

Ernst summarizes all of the above into an era, which he names the "Post-Four Emperors Era"—an era established by the Terra Empire, which rose to prominence and reached its peak after the Four Emperors War. It was filled with hegemony, power politics, and intrigue, but overall, it was a relatively stable era.

Unfortunately, the post-Tetrarchy era has already become a thing of the past. Its end was marked by the fact that in 1077, the ruler of the Lythanian Empire, one of the four great empires that had participated in the Battle of the Four Emperors and divided up the countless legacies left by the fall of the Gallic Empire, was killed by the Electoral Alliance's secret weapon, the "Twins," who are now known as the "Twin Queens," during a surprise attack on the capital. He fell from the top of a tower.

This once invincible ruler, the emperor of the Leitanian Empire, and one of the victors of the Four Emperors War, ultimately followed in the footsteps of his three predecessors.

Corsica I, the Gallic emperor, was defeated and died in the Battle of the Four Emperors.

Emperor of Ursus—Vladimir Ivanovich, the victor, died of illness in his palace; the cause of death is suspicious.

Emperor Victoria—Frederick III, the victor and the biggest winner, died from the rebellion of an uncontrollable noble force and was hanged.

Emperor of Letania—Herhunzoron the Witch King, the victor, died from his own "madness" and the Elector's rebellion; his horn broke, and the king fell to the ground.

Everyone has dreams, and each person's life is wonderful. We all have a bright future ahead of us!

The reason why Ernst felt the timing of the end of the "Post-Four Emperors Era" was so delicate, and the possibility of future developments in Terra was so ironic, was because, according to Ernst's limited understanding of the original timeline of Arknights, the landmark event that would mark the beginning of the next upheaval in Terra would be a riot in December 1096 in Ursus, in the city called Chernobog.

After that, the brief peace will end once again, and countless events will erupt throughout Terra, plunging the land into turmoil until a new world order is once again established amidst the flames of war.

1077-1096, that's exactly twenty years.

Ernst didn't know if this was a little historical reference played by the world-building architects of Arknights. But now that he was in the thick of it all, as a rather incompetent prophet, Ernst could simply copy that incredibly classic quote into this world word for word.

"This is not peace, it's a twenty-year truce!"

Now it is 1094, and time is running out for Kjerag.

The countdown to the turbulent era has begun. Ernst must seize every opportunity to build prestige, strengthen national power, and elevate his status. This will ensure that, while not guaranteeing its own survival, Sherag can at least maintain relative stability during this period of upheaval. Simultaneously, he must utilize these preparations to quickly establish his agenda, build order, and use the "Summit of Nations"—the Terran United Nations system—to fill the vacuum left by the collapse of the "Four Emperors' War" system, which was previously dominated by several major empires, thus ending the turmoil as quickly as possible.

It's not just about saving yourself, but also about saving many more innocent people.

"call--"

After letting out a long breath and briefly reviewing the current situation, the direction and focus of his work in the next few years, Ernst finally had time to turn his attention back to a question he had never considered before, but now had to ponder: How many Laterans are there in Terra?

This certainly doesn't mean that Terra has many paradises like Laterano, secluded Edens, but rather that Terra has many countries like Laterano, with the faint shadow of human civilization behind them.

Since returning from Laterano, the words "Hello, world!" have frequently appeared in his dreams. Due to practical considerations, he didn't rashly approach the massive "Law" machine, nor did he reveal to King Evangelista XI his secret of being able to understand parts of its contents. But while practical considerations were important, equally important was the fact that Ernst, besides being a snow leopard, was also a human.

He couldn't possibly be indifferent to that scene, which was clearly a "creator's Easter egg."

He couldn't help but wonder, if the halo that Sakota had been described by Mostima as "shackles," and the weapon that Ernst had criticized as a "gun" but which could clearly be called a "gun," was it possible that the birth and development of the entire nation was influenced by the artificial creation of "Law"? Was this the only "Easter egg" on the land of Terra?

Is the Laterano, or rather the Sarkaz, unique in that it has this Easter egg? Or is it simply because their Easter eggs are so obvious that they stand out so much?

Ernst was unsure about this question, and in fact, it was very difficult for him to verify it.

Not every national leader is like Ivangelista XI, a friendly old man who can take an outsider like Ernst to see his country's deepest secrets.

But Ernst believes that if there are more Easter eggs than just Sakorta, he will definitely find some similar content in more places!

He re-examined Sherag with a skeptical look, but found nothing. However, this did not discourage him. Sherag was indeed very small and very special. Protected by its kind mother, Toyragand, it had retained a Litang-like innocence, so any irrationality was not difficult to accept.

Ernst boldly turned his attention elsewhere.

He wanted to discard the transmigrator's mindset and perspective that "this was originally a game world, so for convenience, the worldview was set up this way," and look at the issues from the perspective of a true "Terra."

In other words, we need to examine whether there really was a civilization that existed before the existing Terran civilization and developed to a sufficiently advanced level. How much trace did this hypothetical "pre-civilization" leave on Terra, where are they, and most importantly—where are they now?

This is no easy task. Just thinking outside the box is an easy thing to say but incredibly difficult to do for someone like Ernst who is used to thinking like an Earthling or a time traveler.

"It feels like you have to use humanities thinking to understand math problems."

Just thinking about it gives me a headache.

But regardless, this is still one step closer to the truth.

Chapter 249 He Dalei's Job Search Path

Sherag, Tukarim, Spark Night School.

Hedley, or rather Mr. Hedley, has been in Shelag for almost half a month.

Thanks to Thornster's magnanimity, his life in Kjerag was relatively free. As long as he regularly went to the Kjerag government to report his daily situation to him or Miss Horhae, he was free to move about without any restrictions.

This treatment wasn't exactly great; in Ernst's previous life, it would have been equivalent to being released on parole. However, Hadley's life in Lentinium was far from being human, so now, when asked, "Are you getting used to life in Sherag?" he would calmly and peacefully reply, "I'm actually doing fine."

Of course, such a free life comes at a price. Hedley's quality of life is significantly reduced.

Yes, Hadley's quality of life in Kjerag was clearly inferior to that in Lentinium. The reason is simple: Lentinium was the capital of Victoria, the city of a thousand cities. After the port of Iberia sank into the sea in silence, and Gallicionus perished along with the state, Lentinium became a veritable "city the world longs for."

Although the Grand Dukes seemed indifferent to the city, their indifference stemmed from the belief that a single Sarkaz in Londinium was no match for the entire Duchy behind them, supported by numerous overseas enclaves. The fact that Londinium was being compared to several, or even more than ten, mobile cities within an entire territory was enough to demonstrate its significance.

As the old Union Jack Lentinium natives of Victoria once said, "That's why they say even a dog should be born in our Lentinium!"

It is clear that Lontinim is far ahead of Sherag in terms of both development level and living standards!

Some might ask, what does this have to do with Hadreh's standard of living? He's not from Lontinim.

That's a superficial way of thinking.

Who are the Sarkaz? They are a notorious roving criminal gang throughout Terra, terrifying humanoid creatures whose mere mention can stop children from crying at night, and machines that leave nothing but desolation and annihilation wherever they go.

Now that they have occupied Lentinium and are in charge of hundreds of thousands of people, are they really going to obediently follow the war principles that even the Victorians themselves do not follow, keeping civilians at a distance and strictly disciplining soldiers?

Just kidding. You could guess what they would do with a snap of their fingers. They would definitely follow the principle in the joke: not take a single needle or thread from the masses, but squeeze them clean of everything except for that one needle or thread.

Given Hadley's status as a "favorite" of Manfred in Londinium, his daily life is naturally self-evident. It doesn't even concern Hadley himself; whether he accepts the spoils or not, his position alone ensures that the spoils will naturally gravitate towards him.

This explains why King Chu favored slender waists, leading to many starving deaths in the palace.

Now, in Sherag, he naturally no longer receives that treatment. Even though he had informed Ernst beforehand and revealed his identity and plans as a double agent, Ernst did not give him a single penny of extra funding.

"Sherag has plenty of things, but plenty of spies. Whether you're a Sarkaz spy or a Victorian spy, there's no such thing as getting something for nothing. Even if the King of Heaven himself came, he'd have to work before he could eat!"

Hedley expressed his deep understanding of Ernst's confident declaration.

After all, in the short two weeks he had been in Kjerag, he had witnessed firsthand the strange sights, including but not limited to "the Duke of Victoria's daughter being rejected as a child laborer and forced to serve as a product taster," "the Wellington envoy turning into a little stove and spending all day in his office," and "the head of Rhein Life Sciences' engineering department working non-stop all day without dying from exhaustion." He had also fully realized the truth that in Kjerag, if you didn't have some skills, you couldn't even become a regular person.

Incidentally, after learning about Nasti's deeds, Hadley was inspired to write his first report to Theresis.

Surely, there is no example that better illustrates Ernst's equal attitude towards Sarkaz and ordinary people than Ernst's undiscriminate and simply efficient exploitation of a banshee's remaining value.

This is undoubtedly a very good starting point. He will write a story for Theresis that is full of twists and turns, reveals the truth in a reasonable way, and he swears on his unparalleled cultural level!

Of course, the future is the future, the present is the present. Hedley's immediate problem is getting food.

He had no relatives or friends in Kjerag and Ernst didn't help him. Most of the time, he had to eat and sleep outdoors. It was okay when the weather was warm, but if it was cold, he might have to cosplay as the Little Match Girl. His most urgent task was to find a job that included room and board!

With construction underway in Sherag, this wasn't actually a very difficult request. Hadley had many options, but after careful consideration, hitting walls, and eliminating all jobs that explicitly stated "no Sarkaz," he found only three that best suited him.

The first option is the workers on the Tukarim construction site. The advantages are high wages, minimal mental exertion, and free room and board. They get cheap meals at the site canteen every day and sleep in makeshift tin shacks at night—comfort aside, at least they have a place to stay. However, the disadvantages are also obvious. The people responsible for recruitment aren't from Kjerag, but rather employees of Rhine Life's engineering department. Their quotas are basically only for Kjerag locals and employees brought in from Rhine Life. Furthermore, unlike in Da Yan where you can simply give your name and roll up your sleeves, you have to go through a full interview process and sign a formal labor contract. This means that third-party personnel like Hedley, who have no connection to either Rhine Life or Kjerag, will find it very difficult to pass the interview stage.

The second option is a receptionist at the Shelag train station. The advantages are many: it's a permanent position with fixed working hours, a stable salary, and includes room and board—proper railway staff housing with single rooms, utilities, and even some residents of Shelag in the mountains. However, the disadvantages are also obvious: the train station isn't finished yet, so this job isn't available for the time being.

Moreover, the job of a receptionist involves a wide variety of responsibilities. Even if Hedley is confident that he can handle it, his scarred face and one-eyed appearance probably don't quite fit the tourists' expectations of a "beautiful and sweet-voiced young lady" receptionist. Similarly, he might not pass the interview.

For his final choice, he set his sights on Xinghuo Night School.

A nation's prosperity hinges on education. Education is of paramount importance to a country's development, representing the future and hope. A quality education is also one of the most crucial guarantees that the policies and goals of a short-lived regime will not cease to exist after the ruler's death.

Ernst devoted a great deal of energy to Spark Night School, personally taking the lead as principal to ensure that no force would dare to provoke the school. He also delegated the actual authority of the vice-principal to Ceylan, a high-achieving graduate of Victoria National University, and through arrangements or negotiations, invited prominent figures from Scherrag and Columbia, such as Lola, Joyce, Nastya, and Christensen, to serve as visiting professors, giving lectures and answering questions at the school once or twice a month or each semester.

It can be said that, in terms of high-end education, although Xinghuo Night School is only a night school, its teaching staff is absolutely no less than that of any ordinary university.

The problem is that the basic education that Ernst truly sought to pursue remained extremely barren.

Christensen had neither the mood nor the desire to teach one plus one equals two and junior high school physics. Lola and Nast were willing to teach how to dust, but they were very busy and could only come a handful of times. As for Joyce, being busy was one thing, but her teaching style was too mechanical and straightforward, resulting in snoring louder than her lecture in the classroom, which was another matter entirely. Considering the girl's self-esteem, Ernst did not allow this rare college student from Sherag to continue to suffer.

"So, He Dalei, I think you have a good chance."

As the vice principal, Ceylon, who had already interviewed Hadley once, offered encouragement.

"Next, as long as you pass Mr. Ernst's interview, you will be able to officially become a teacher in Sherag. Good luck!"

Chapter 250 Who isn't just living their own life?

Shelag, Tukarim, Prime Minister's Office, Government Office Building.

Ernst attached great importance to the recruitment of teachers for Xinghuo Night School, offering high salaries and even taking time out of his busy schedule to conduct on-site interviews with each candidate, just to ensure the qualifications of the night school teachers.

Unfortunately, the people of Sherag are not very enthusiastic about becoming teachers.

The villagers weren't averse to learning; on the contrary, with the opening of the snow-covered railway line, all sorts of novelties from modern society gradually flooded into Shelag, and this impoverished and backward little country began to change. People went from initial resistance to foreign things to gradually accepting new things, and then to actively embracing, utilizing, and enjoying the conveniences brought by modern society, and were eager to learn more advanced technologies. These changes, though slow, were constantly and tangibly taking place.

However, there is a big difference between taking the initiative to learn and being willing to teach. The villagers of Shelag, who can't even distinguish the different types of small stoves, obviously lack the confidence to apply for teaching positions.

Ernst could not conclude that "the Sheragans have lost their self-confidence," but it certainly caused him considerable distress. Fortunately, the friendly assistance of Ceylon, a full-time teacher, significantly reduced his stress.

Ernst did feel guilty about constantly exploiting Ceylon. What if the mayor of Siesta, Hermann, remembered this and came to ask, "How is my daughter doing in Kjerag?" Ernst would have a hard time explaining himself.