People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

"All I know is that Ernst has a special interest in Sarkaz, so he has been persistently collecting all kinds of Sarkaz. He even managed to get a Royal Fire Demon that had been extinct for who knows how long through a series of accidents. His achievements are so impressive that they can be said to shock the lynx. But I overlooked the possibility that this guy might actually be someone who likes more than just collecting Sarkaz!"

Looking at the All-Star lineup in front of her, Kal'tsit felt her heart bearing pressure that was beyond what her age should be experiencing.

One Vina, Kal'tsit could at least offer a somewhat plausible explanation—it was purely accidental. But what about this extra Draco?

Who is Kal'tsit? A living fossil of Terra! Others might not be able to tell the difference between Felin and Aslan, or between Drak and the dragon and Vyvan, but how could she not?

Laphishini is clearly a Draco!

Moreover, it wasn't the most orthodox Lontinim lineage of the Atrias family that Kal'tsit knew about, but rather the Drak of another lineage, the Drakgal royal family!

Where did Ernst get this from?

What? The Duke of Wellington's envoy? And he has nothing to do with Ernst?

Okay, fine, I'll believe you if you say so. But can you explain why another Sarkaz appeared in Sherag?

Kal'tsit's lips twitched as she watched Mostima standing in the corner, ready for a tense and exciting yet undisguised eavesdropping session.

Yes, that makes sense. Although this is an ancient secret, the Sarkaz are indeed a branch of the Sarkaz, which fits Ernst's XP.

Kal'tsit will not delve into whether Ernst knew this secret or to what extent he understood the secret of Laterano. Let's just assume that, as Ernst said, "it was the overly familiar Sakorta who forced it on him."

Okay, then can you explain why this Sakota named Mostima is a fallen angel? And what's with that thing on the back of this fallen angel?

The more she knew, the more terrified she became. Kal'tsit could easily recognize that the pressure emanating from the two staffs on Mosti's back was clearly the pressure of a [giant beast]!

Beasts, gods!

Given that Ernst claims Mostima is from Lateran and has no connection to him, the will of the behemoth that Mostima carries on his back cannot be Jeragand, can it?

In other words, Sherag now has two behemoths and a beast lord?

No way, you little brat, you even want to collect the bestiary of giant beasts?!

No way! You can't do that, you fucking idiot!

Aren't you a fan of XP? Why are you aiming for the complete collection?!

Chapter 254 Kelsey: Ernst is exactly what I wanted!

Kal'tsit is numb.

Sarkaz, fallen angel, behemoth, heir to Victoria—she could no longer guess what Ernst's next target would be.

The behemoths of Kel'Thuzad are truly remarkable. Ordinary behemoths are more sensitive to their own territory than sensitive skin; if another unfamiliar behemoth were to trespass without permission, a massive behemoth war could erupt. Kal'tsit has witnessed instances of two behemoths battling it out in ancient times, and in the heat of the moment, there have been instances where the fight had escalated to the point of life or death.

The behemoths of Sherag, on the other hand, not only do they not care that another behemoth is swaggering around in their territory, but they even tacitly allow their representatives to collect the encyclopedia entries. Where did this expert come from?

Jeragand, so strong and powerful?

But upon closer reflection, Yeragand's open-mindedness isn't necessarily a bad thing. A behemoth that can stand on humanity's side is an invaluable asset to humankind, and it's also the situation that Kal'tsit, whose duty is to be a "guardian of civilization," would be most pleased to see.

If these incredibly powerful beings were to step forward when Terran humanity faces a crisis, the chances of the Celestial Flame surviving would be much greater. From this perspective, Sherag possesses a unique and unparalleled advantage.

This is not an empty statement, but is supported by actual evidence, because in Kal'tsit's ten-thousand-year memory, there is another nation like Sherag that is favored by behemoths and beast lords.

That country is called Sami, protected by the colossal beast [Grandfather's Spirit Sami] and its lord [Anma]. The existence of [Sami's Will] and [Anma] has profoundly influenced Sami's development. To this day, that country still lacks a true central government or administrator. The Sami people still divide themselves into small groups in the form of tribes and clans, each led by their respective shaman priests—the Snow Priests—living on that barren tundra.

Their technology is underdeveloped, modern facilities are almost nonexistent, and foreign exchanges are virtually nonexistent. High-speed warships, now widely recognized as symbols of national defense strength, are utter nonsense to them. Yet, this nation, frequently bullied by the neighboring Ursus Empire, has built its own "Great Wall of Despair" atop the Desolate Mountains, at the border between the Infi Ice Plains and civilization, guarding the depths of the tundra for generations, resisting the invasion of those unspeakable forces.

Kal'tsit held these people in the highest esteem. They were the true "guardians on the edge of civilization." They were not long-lived beings, yet they still held fast to their posts by relying solely on the beliefs passed down from generation to generation. It is no exaggeration to say that they were also the true "Great Wall built with their own flesh and blood to resist the invasion of evil."

But Kal'tsit must also admit that in the fight against evil, faith alone is only the first step; power is also required. And the Sami people's power to fight evil comes from the power of the [Grandfather's Spirit - Sami Will] borrowed by their snow rituals.

The love (protection) bestowed by the beast lord Anma gave the Sami people the defense against evil spirits, while the spirit of their grandfather gave them the power to expel evil spirits. It was because this beast lord and this giant beast stood firmly by the side of the Sami people that the weak Sami people were able to hold on for thousands of years on the most dangerous front line and still not collapse and perish.

And Sherag has now taken the form of a second Sami, a pillar of civilization preservation. In fact, it has already surpassed the Sami.

Two colossal beasts and a beast lord—while such power wouldn't be enough for Kal'tsit to say to the demons and the Sea King, "If you dare to invade, I will make sure you suffer a crushing defeat!" or "Beyond the natural barrier of Sherag lies the iron wall of Terra!"—it at least gave her some peace of mind.

“Ms. Kal'tsit, your proposal is indeed worth considering.”

Ernst's voice pulled Kal'tsit's thoughts back from her vision of the future, and she realized that it was indeed too early to think about these things now.

Whether it's the demons, the Sea Heirs, or even the crisis of Originium lurking within Amiya's Black Crown, there are currently no signs of it erupting. Her priority now should be the plan she discussed with Ernst regarding establishing a Rhodes Island branch in Kjerag.

Ernst's answer undoubtedly reassured Kal'tsit. Her fear was that Ernst was overconfident, believing he could easily solve the problem of the infected, or that he might follow the example of other Terra leaders, classifying the infected as fourth-class citizens and implementing discriminatory policies against them at the government level, thus shifting the blame onto these unfortunate people.

It's good that they're willing to solve the problem. Compared to other Terran countries, Sherag has a unique advantage: at least for now, it doesn't discriminate against infected people and treats them all equally.

As we all know, social attitudes cannot be changed overnight. Even if foreign ideas are bound to affect the attitudes of the Sherag people towards the infected, it will take a long time, a period of cultural upheaval and integration. During this time, Kal'tsit has every opportunity to manipulate things.

“It’s good that Prime Minister Ernst thinks that way,” Kal’tsit said sincerely. “Rhodes Island doesn’t need much space. We will purchase houses and build offices in Sherag at market prices. We just hope that Prime Minister Ernst can provide Rhodes Island with more convenience in this regard.”

Ernst raised an eyebrow: "For example?"

"For example, the right of Rhodes Island operators to freely enter and exit Serrano, the permission for us to run small pharmaceutical businesses in Serrano, certain facilitations in government affairs, tax breaks..."

Kal'tsit listed,

"Of course, in keeping with the principle of fair trade, we will also offer something in return. Your sister, Miss Encia, will be cared for by a special medical monitoring team led by me at Rhodes Island. Our office in Kjerag is also willing to provide free medical care, physical examinations, and emergency treatment for Kjerag government personnel. If needed, Rhodes Island operators can also act as your messengers to deliver messages when necessary."

Some might wonder why people like to use "serving as a messenger" as a bargaining chip. Whether it's the Lateran Pope's promise of being a messenger from all nations or Kal'tsit's promise of being a messenger from Rhodes Island, is the position of messenger really that important?

The answer is yes.

In Terra, no position is more important than that of a messenger. It is no exaggeration to say that even a great empire like Victoria could not survive without an emperor, but it would not last three years without messengers.

Messengers are not merely messengers of information; they also serve as "messengers of natural disasters," "intelligence transmitters," "status quo representatives," and "allegations of allegiance." Moreover, in Terra, there's no such thing as "not killing envoys during wartime." Didn't you see how every single messenger sent by Gaul to the Witch King was petrified?

Ernst knew that Kal'tsit's offer was quite generous. Rhodes Island was, after all, a medical institution still in its infancy, and Ernst, after his last visit, knew that his former lover was probably still lying in Chernobog. He couldn't very well ask them for something they couldn't possibly provide, could he?

Therefore, after a moment's consideration, Ernst gave his answer:

"I can agree to the conditions you've mentioned. However, I'd like to add one more."

Kal'tsit nodded slightly: "Please speak."

Ernst crossed his arms and said meaningfully, "Rhodes Island will also be participating in this World's Fair, and I hope you can bring out exhibits that will catch my eye."

"The World's Fair?"

Kal'tsit was hearing this word for the first time. She paused for a moment, then deciphered its meaning only from its literal interpretation.

"You hosted an exposition that invited all the nations of Terra? In Sherag?"

Ernst nodded in affirmation. Kelsey was somewhat surprised, then asked again:

How many countries participated?

"This grand event is co-hosted by Sherag and Lateran. On my side, the Duke of Castle, the Duke of Wellington, and the Duke of Windermere have already agreed to participate. Since the three of them have agreed, the Duke of Godotington should probably be no problem either. In short, Victoria has decided to participate."

"The messenger sent to Colombia has not yet returned, but I can assure you that Colombia will definitely participate."

"In addition, Siesta should also participate in the independent city-states. I have also sent invitations to several chieftains of Bolivar's Dosorres and Sargon, as well as the Pasha, but that's a matter of luck."

Ernst paused, as if giving Kal'tsit some time to process the situation, picked up his teacup, took a sip, and continued,

"As for Lateran, Letania has already decided to participate. Yan Kingdom's attitude is rather ambiguous, seemingly still observing, or perhaps to maintain their image of glorious isolation."

Yan Kingdom holds a rather peculiar position on the continent of Terra. While you might say it lacks presence, it is a genuinely powerful nation, prosperous and strong. Even with just Longmen as a gateway for foreign exchange, it has risen to become one of Terra's major financial centers. In any case, it should be an undeniable force in Terra's geopolitical and international relations.

But Ernst couldn't quite grasp how powerful it truly was. Not only him, but many nations on Terra probably didn't either. Because Yan was like Cthulhu—indescribable, unspeakable, unknowable, and untouchable. The Four Emperors' War, which reshaped Terra's international order, had nothing to do with it. During Victoria's reign of terror, it remained silent. Ursus's massive expansion, conquering thousands of miles east and west, only resulted in a minor skirmish with Yan, limited to a "private struggle" between Duke Koschke and Wei Yanwu, never escalating to the official level. Upon closer inspection, Yan's last foreign war was centuries ago.

In Terra, a land ravaged by war year after year, where even if you don't provoke others, they'll come looking for trouble, Ernst couldn't help but complain: "Dude, are you surrounded by a Great Firewall? You're completely unaffected?"

Some might ask, "Sherrag isn't involved either." But Shcherrag isn't involved because even if it were, it wouldn't have a significant impact on the overall situation. But Great Yan is different. If Great Yan steps forward and flexes its muscles, who can afford not to watch its every move?

Even a closed-door policy like the Qing Dynasty was still provoked by Tsarist Russia. The Treaty of Nerchinsk led to the Torgut tribe's return to the east, which either resulted in a fight or almost led to one.

Therefore, Ernst also found it difficult to ascertain the true attitude of the Great Yan. If possible, Ernst still hoped that Ivangelista XI could make a greater effort to bring the Great Yan into this system—the more powerful a country there is, the more secure this international summit system will be.

Kal'tsit took a deep breath.

This time, she truly had no idea that Ernst and Lateran had already discussed such a thing.

Unity? If Terra had been able to unite earlier, would she have needed to worry so much?

Although one expo doesn't prove anything, it's at least a glimmer of hope, isn't it?

Moreover, being able to participate in this grand event is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Rhodes Island.

It seems I really need to use some of my own savings.

Kal'tsit thought this to herself and nodded firmly:

Rhodes Island will participate!

Chapter 255 An Evil Spirit, an Evil Spirit of the Tower of Babel!

Shelag, Tukarim, Yelagand Square.

Hedley stared at the land-based warship before him, speechless for a moment.

In the blink of an eye, almost a year has passed since the end of the Kazdel Civil War. The city that was built amidst the flames of war was reduced to ruins in another war. The dream that "the Sarkaz can also have their own homeland" has now almost become one of the three major political jokes of Terra, alongside "the Victorians also have morality" and "the Ursus people yearn for peace".

After that, Hedley wasted a long time and endured humiliation for a long time. He combed his hair into a feminine style, put on a slim suit of armor, and ran to Manfred's side. Relying on Manfred's special "attention", he barely managed to keep his family's mercenary team from being wiped out after the war.

Just when he was finally getting used to that humiliating yet miraculously warm life, Theresis threw him out of Lentinium and into this icy wasteland.

Sherag is a good place, everyone who's been here thinks so. Hadley was no exception. The peace and tranquility, the simple and unpretentious life here, perfectly matched his vision of a "home." Ines said that when she had the chance, she wanted to use the money she earned as a mercenary to find a peaceful place to open a small shop. W also loved potatoes and might even want to cultivate a field and become a farmer. To fulfill these fantasies, Sherag was undoubtedly a good place.

Even so, even if countless days and nights pass, Hadley will surely remember the afternoon when he was escorting the newly unearthed keel of the landship and was intercepted by Therese's soldiers on the way. He witnessed for the first time that the prince in white walked out from among the fighting soldiers and stopped all the fighting with just one sentence.

Even though that princess has passed away, the land-based ship she once traveled on still exists.

Hedley still remembered its name, the flagship of the Tower of Babel: "Rhodes Island".

"Uncle Hedley?"

The unfamiliar voice called out a name that Hadley had never used in Sherag. The Sarkaz mercenary's vigilance instantly spiked. Almost instinctively, he reached for his waist, drew his weapon, and was about to cleanly and efficiently kill the girl who had spoken, eliminating any culprit who might be disturbing his peaceful life.

But when he turned around, he didn't have a weapon in his hand.

The weapons were confiscated. To be precise, they were disarmed.

By a blonde Caprini.

Hadley had no idea that Sherag would have such a warrior. But the speed and precision of the strike far exceeded Hadley's expectations. The Black Knight, who had once proudly declared, "The Triple Crown is the limit the Merchants' Federation can tolerate, not my limit," held the dagger wrapped in dirty bandages, a hint of amusement in her eyes as she looked at Hadley.

"It seems that even Ernst can make mistakes. It also seems that Teacher He Dalei has a little-known past."

“I’m sorry, Ms. Jian, Uncle Hedley didn’t mean me any harm.”

Amiya said somewhat awkwardly. Even though her emotional perception told her that she had indeed been locked onto by Hedley's killing intent for a moment, Amiya wasn't angry. Instead, she helped Hedley explain...

“Uncle Hedley is my friend, and also a former employee of Rhodes Island... Dr. Kal'tsit knows him too. He's not a bad person. That was just an unconscious action.”

"Subconscious?"

Jian smiled, said nothing more, but glanced at Hedley again.

She had no experience on the battlefield, but she had seen many knights who had returned from war and were forced to participate in knightly competitions to make a living. They shared the same temperament as Hadley. In fact, Hadley's "fierce aura" was even stronger.

Is this the Sarkaz?

"You can catch up with Amiya. But if you want me to keep quiet about what happened today, come find me at the logging camp northeast of Tukarim at sunset."

A strong sense of challenge emanated from Jian's face.

"Let's have a match."

Hedley nodded somewhat helplessly. Although Jian's request was outrageous, Hedley miraculously understood what she meant. He was just a little surprised; how could there be a battle maniac in Sherag?

Fortunately, he had already encountered enough strange and unusual people, and W in his own team was a master of all sorts of things, so he wasn't surprised. He simply looked at Amiya apologetically after Jian left.

"Sorry, Amiya, I didn't recognize you at first."

As the saying goes, girls change a lot as they grow up. At first, Hedley really didn't recognize that the 12-year-old girl in front of him, who had already grown into a graceful young lady with a precocious air, was actually the little girl with bangs that covered her eyes and who always wore an ill-fitting white dress who used to stand next to Princess Theresa.

Back then, Amiya was practically invisible. If it weren't for Theresa and some evil spirit from the Tower of Babel constantly leading her around, Hadley probably wouldn't have even noticed her. Now, with the Tower of Babel collapsed, Theresa dead, and the Doctor missing, Amiya, a character completely unrelated to the Sarkaz or Kazdel, is still staying on Rhodes Island, the Kazdel government-in-exile. This has truly surprised Hadley.

But no matter what, meeting an old friend in a foreign land is a joyful thing, even if you're not very familiar with this friend.

Amiya was very enthusiastic and didn't seem to mind the slight embarrassment that Hadley didn't recognize her. She took the initiative to say:

"It's alright. The last time Uncle Hedley saw me was before Miss Theresa left, wasn't it? ... I have indeed changed a lot since then, so it's normal that you didn't recognize me. But Uncle Hedley, it's amazing to run into you in Kjerag. Ms. Jian just said that you've been chosen by Mr. Ernst. Are you living in Kjerag now?"

Hedley set aside for the moment why Amiya called him "uncle" but addressed the clearly older Princess Theresa as "Miss," and simply replied:

"I'm a teacher in Kjerag now. Amiya, why did Rhodes Island come here?"

“Well… it’s because Mr. Ernst has a contract with Rhodes Island.” Amiya didn’t go into the details of the contract, as it was a trade secret. Even if she thought it wouldn’t matter, she still had to consider Ernst’s perspective.