People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

I really want to see the humiliating expression on your face when you reluctantly but helplessly hand over that office to me after I defeat you.

"Boss, it's starting."

The horn beside him spoke up, bringing Enciodes back to his senses. As a co-organizer of the Kjerag World's Fair, he was now seated in the first row, even the Duke of Kester had to sit behind him.

He looked at the stage, at Ernst, who had somehow walked onto the stage and was now standing in front of the podium, facing the microphone surrounded by flowers. Looking at his sharp features and spirited demeanor, he smiled faintly.

Fine, let's avoid their sharp edge and be patient for now!

Let's see your performance first!

............

"Today, we gather here to mourn."

Standing on the podium, Ernst's gaze swept across the faces of people from all over Terra below. Their expressions varied, their reasons for attending this grand event varied, and their goals at this expo varied as well.

But they came nonetheless.

Among the major powers, the seat for the Yan Kingdom is still vacant, but a messenger from Yan has already arrived. The Yan delegation is also approaching Shelag. Besides Yan, only one other country is absent.

Among the middle-income countries, only Sami and Iberia are absent, as Bolívar, mired in civil war, is unable to elect a leader and delegation due to power struggles and internal conflicts.

Neither of these two countries has sent a single messenger so far, so Ernst has basically given up hope.

Meanwhile, the small kingdoms, independent city-states, and powerful entities of Terra, encouraged by Ernst and Hermann, also participated in this exposition.

The Rhodes Island delegation, the Yan Kingdom Lungmen delegation, and the Siesta delegation all fall into this category. They are either relatively prestigious international organizations or city-states with a certain degree of political autonomy granted by their respective countries. Although they are small and insignificant compared to the size of a nation, they are still an important part of the political ecosystem of Terra.

Even an arrogant man like the Duke of Caesars could not ignore their presence—after all, stirring up trouble, waging proxy wars, creating conflicts, and so on, all depended on these people.

Ernst was already very satisfied with this. With the recognition and participation of these people, the World Summit system had already gained enough influence and finally qualified to compete in the "Terra Future Order Battle Royale Tournament".

Although they are not currently participants in the World Summit, a political organization, that is Ernst's job.

Turn advantages into winning positions, and upgrade partners into strategic partners!

The lively summit began with words of "condolence," and the moment Ernst's voice swept through the hall, the noise vanished.

Ernst then said, "We mourn the end of an era."

"The theme of the World's Fair is the future, but before we turn our gaze to the distant future, we must also remember where we came from, our past."

"From slash-and-burn agriculture to Originium technology, technological advancements have brought unprecedented vitality to the development of civilization, but they have also finally allowed us to grasp the weapon that destroys civilization."

"Knives can be pointed at our fellow countrymen, or at the meat on the chopping board; crossbows can be aimed at each other's hearts, or at the feathered beasts in the sky. Cannons were created, and people naturally regarded them as cruel weapons of death, but the Sherag people used them as tools to launch fireworks and light up the night sky."

In Ernst's account, several cannons, painted with colorful ribbons and looking somewhat comical and endearing, were brought onto the stage, attracting the attention of countless people.

But Ernst offered no explanation; he simply continued reciting the script he had rehearsed countless times:

"Therefore, I hold the World's Fair. I allow the display of military weapons because military weapons are not only for slaughter, but also for national defense. I encourage the exhibition of culture because the charm of culture lies in the fact that it is our root system no matter where we go. I am happy to see all inventions and creations presented here because being presented to the public for review is a test that every scholar must undergo in order to gain recognition for their lifelong research. No one will laugh at an invention for being useless, just as we cannot predict the future of a newborn baby."

"Ladies and gentlemen, I know that empty talk will only make people laugh, I know that only concrete things can touch your hearts, I know that only by showing you the future will you mourn with me that the past is over and the future is just around the corner!"

"Therefore, gentlemen, listen and look! The future is just around the corner!"

Ernst raised his hand, and almost at the same time, several modified cannons behind him aimed at the sky and fired fireworks.

No, it's not fireworks!

Only Enciodes knew that it was a signal flare, just like the one Ernst fired into the sky on the day of the Holy Hunt ceremony—a signal flare that could turn the tide of the battle and determine the outcome!

"Boom! Boom boom!"

Fireworks burst in the sky, followed by the sound of a "dragon's roar".

"Buzzing—"

The roar of the engines and the explosive sound of the jets from the Balrog power system cutting through the sky mingled with the gasps of amazement from the envoys, the adults, the dukes, and the countless ordinary people of Sherag inside and outside the venue!

A black dot stretched across the sky from the horizon, flying towards the venue at a leisurely pace with an oppressive air!

It was a scene that would amaze anyone with a strategic vision; it was a word that had disappeared for many years but had reappeared in people's sight; it was a demonstration of a technology that was enough to change Terra!

An airship!

An airship carrying a banner that reads "Congratulations on the official opening of the Kjerag World's Fair - RheinLife!"

Kristen Wright, well done!

Chapter 271 Vina: Hello, my name is.......

what is that?

A flying machine? Kotella has never had such a huge flying machine before!

How did something of that enormous size manage to fly into the sky? Just by relying on so-called science?

And that banner...is that a new invention of Rhine Lab? Or is it that woman Christen Wright's new masterpiece?

After the Wrights died in a plane crash, their children continued their research on those technologies? And they actually made progress?

A thousand questions lingered in everyone's minds, but none of them could overshadow the profound shock they felt.

That kind of shock only comes when you truly come into contact with the "unknown territory". It is the shock that comes from the bottom of your heart when you are amazed that Ernst has actually shown the possibility of the "future" to them!

Despite having prior knowledge of the aircraft, Ensiodis was still genuinely astonished when he actually saw the giant aerial monster soaring freely in the sky.

He couldn't help but tilt his head back, stand up, and tiptoe, trying to get himself and his gaze closer to the future that symbolized "infinite possibilities."

He wasn't the only one present who did this. Rather, at that moment, he was just like the vast majority of people there, in terms of reaction, expression, and the immediate calculations that began to run through his mind.

If someone had asked him before today what the future is, he might have said that everyone has a different definition of the future, and no one can give a completely standard answer.

But after today, he will firmly tell that person that the future belongs to airships!

The future belongs to those who first master the skies!

Ensiodis swallowed hard. He felt Ernst's burning gaze, and sensed the pride, confidence, and anticipation within it.

He was waiting for himself, waiting for himself to speak, waiting for himself to admit defeat, waiting for himself to turn the first page for this future.

"Just this once, as you wish."

Ensiodis murmured in complete agreement, taking one last, reluctant look at the flying monster that had already swept overhead, casting a shadow that blotted out the sky. He then looked at Ernst and solemnly asked the question that had been weighing on the minds of countless people, a question that urgently needed an answer:

"what is that?"

Ernst's face lit up with a look of pleasure and satisfaction. He straightened his back, faced all the guests, and loudly proclaimed:

"Christine and I named it: Airship."

"It is an exhibit that perfectly embodies the purpose of the expo!"

"It is the most advanced weapon, capable of breaching any self-proclaimed impregnable wall and rendering any self-proclaimed invincible cannons and crossbows ineffective. But it is also a messenger of peace; if you love peace, you can use it for propaganda, transportation, or simply for tourism, just like I have. It is also a culture, inherited from humanity's yearning for the sky, a manifestation of an unceasing spirit of challenge and a desire for exploration. It is also undoubtedly a crystallization of technology; in the future, it and the technologies it will utilize will continue to develop, and its transformation will be endless!"

"I am showing it to you all in order to show you the future."

Ernst took a deep breath and delivered the lines he had prepared beforehand:

The humans of Terra boast that their civilization and nations have conquered every corner of this land.

When we take it for granted that we are dividing up the country's spheres of influence, using our rapidly developing technology and flourishing national power to fill our insatiable greed, leaving every inch of our soil stained with our blood.

I ask all of us to listen together.

Listen to this voice from the future. She is passing overhead, whistling sharply, speaking to everyone who still harbors ambition.

"Our future is not with each other, but with the sky and the sea. Our future lies in each other, and it belongs to unity and cooperation."

This was the beginning of the World's Fair, and I hope it will be the beginning of the future.

Our journey is to the stars and the sea!

Ernst's speech had ended, but his voice seemed to still echo in the hall, silencing the entire earth.

Ernst knew that some of them might already be thinking about the military applications of airships and hoping to use the technology on the battlefield.

Ernst also knew that some of them had already begun to take notice of Christen Wright, the inventor of the airship, and were planning to do whatever it took to bring her back to their country.

Ernst could even guess that some shameless people might have already begun preparing to destroy the technology if they couldn't get it, even if it meant its complete disappearance from the world, rather than letting it fall into the hands of their enemies.

But it doesn't matter.

These are all future developments.

It is precisely because everyone is thinking, because everyone has plans, because everyone has abandoned their original ways of thinking and begun to consider the enormous impact that a completely new thing may bring, and has included both gain and destruction in their plans, that the "future" will come into being.

Specific things cannot represent the future. The future, such an abstract concept, is woven from countless equally abstract thoughts.

Ernst was merely throwing out a starting point.

Moreover, he wasn't entirely without a backup plan.

The technology of airships is not as advanced as you distinguished guests imagine. Even a genius like Christensen has two major problems that he has not solved.

First, there is the issue of the airship's energy.

Such a massive vehicle is practically a high-speed warship in the sky. If it were to be powered solely by Originium, the amount of high-purity Originium fuel required would be terrifying! If there were no better way, the airship would have to carry a large amount of fuel every time it took off, which would greatly reduce its usability.

Ernst's airship is now able to accelerate, decelerate, and hover freely in the sky because a certain Balrog, who has been well trained by Yeragand and recently received extra care from a certain [Timeline], has indeed worked very, very hard.

Despite their lack of formal education in humanities and practically non-existent knowledge in science, the Sarkaz, who are practically Terra's physical prowess students, possess extraordinary physical abilities, sorcery, and Originium Arts. Safar, in particular, is an ancient Balrog who knows many ancient sorceries that even the current ruler of the Royal Court may not possess.

As is well known, in Terra, individual combat strength generally increases with age.

Individual effort, coupled with natural talent, was what solved the airship's energy problem.

Terra is unlikely to find a second Balrog.

The second problem, however, is even more fatal: the airship's flight environment.

No matter how thick the airship's health bar is, it can't withstand natural disasters. In fact, just like most aircraft in Ernst's memory, it is not very adaptable to severe weather. Its reliability is very worrying in weather conditions such as heavy rain, strong winds, and lightning.

This is an objective factor, and generally speaking, it cannot be changed by subjective will.

Unless you have Jeragand.

Jeragand, who readily accepted Ernst's advice and studied mechanics early on, was the unsung hero behind the perfect success of this airshow. And the extravagant act of creating an adaptation zone specifically for the airship's flight, as exemplified by Sherag, is unlikely to be found anywhere else on Terra.

Both of these problems are actually quite critical, and can be said to directly relate to the usability of airship technology.

But that's okay. We're just selling a concept, showing the best side to everyone, and arousing everyone's interest!

Fraud? How can this be considered fraud?

Ernst always said "the future is just around the corner," "this is the possibility of the future," and "I am showing you a future technology," but he never said that the technology was mature enough to be put into use immediately, right?

If you insist on asking when this technology will mature, Ernst can only tell you, "The hope for the full maturity of airships is already on the horizon!"

Fortunately, no one has asked this question yet. Everyone is still deeply shocked by the sudden appearance of the airship, and no one has thought about this aspect yet.

Therefore, Ernst can proudly announce that the plan is progressing very smoothly, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, the opening ceremony of this World's Fair will be a complete success...

"Ernst, I'm here!"

A call jolted Ernst, who had just started popping champagne, out of his reverie. He instinctively turned around and saw a familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar figure.

She was a girl with radiant blonde hair, wearing a black outer and red inner mane cloak, and underneath she wore a T-shirt with a "beast claw" pattern printed on the chest, which perfectly outlined her figure that would make some people envious.

She, who usually appears as a career woman in a suit and tie, has not worn this outfit for a long time—it was the outfit she wore when she fled Victoria, or more precisely, the disguise she wore when she was led out of the palace in Londinium by the few remaining loyal guards.

After that, she ended up on the streets, using the alias Vina Victoria, becoming a person with no identity, no status, and no friends. She could only wander around the lower city of Lentinium, barely surviving by fighting and brawling, and performing a dirty trick right under the nose of the Lentinium City Council, which thought it had "completed its mission".

Until she met the person in front of her.

"Vina?"

Ernst's heart skipped a beat. It wasn't just because Vina had suddenly changed her clothes, but also because of the old lion that was riding alongside her at that moment.

If Ernst's eyesight is not impaired, then this lion should indeed be a "lion".

Are there any animals in Arknights?

Of course! Aren't all kemonomimi (animal-eared girls) based on animals? And don't all the spirits behind everyone have their own prototypes?

But games are games, and reality is reality. Does Terra have animals?

According to Ernst's understanding, yes.

The penguin who calls himself "The Great" is the earliest and most frequently appearing "animal" in the story that Ernst knows little about.

Later, through Jeragand's channels, Ernst learned that this special creature, which appeared in "animal form," was called the "Beast Lord."