People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

"I didn't expect you to contact us so quickly."

Sitting in a private room at a café provided by Ernst, Gertrude looked somewhat reserved.

Ernst and Enciodes could both tell that the woman was actually pretending to be calm. However, the fact that she had inadvertently sat on his bottom, the fact that she didn't dare to get up or move her tail even when she was in pain, the fact that her back was very straight, and the fact that her Luper ears were standing very high on her head all revealed her true feelings at that moment.

She was very nervous, even a little apprehensive.

It's somewhat similar to my reaction when I first met the Duke of Caesar.

Ensiodis thought.

It's a bit like my reaction when I was ganked by Prismus a while ago.

Ernst thought of it.

Before they knew it, they had grown a lot.

Sherag's current status is comparable to Laterano's, and because he is more involved in worldly affairs than Laterano, his prestige is even showing a tendency to surpass it. And they are gradually becoming objects that the nobles of the great powers who once looked down on them must treat with caution.

If Ernst's previous visits abroad were merely a matter of custom and courtesy, with foreign rulers offering him a token hospitality without really taking it seriously, then now, just by sitting here, he has become a variable that no one can easily ignore!

This is why he dared to tell Ensiodes directly, "Let's start a new game!"

Times have changed, sir! I've progressed!

Ernst smiled. "It seems my call was a bit presumptuous?"

Gertrude quickly shook her head, uttering three "no"s in a row: "No, no, no, absolutely not. I am very grateful for Prime Minister Ernst's kindness in listening to someone as insignificant as me. Gertrude is deeply grateful!"

There's no need to be so humble. Are the nobles of Letania really that exaggerated?

Ernst had seen nobles before, including minor nobles from Victoria, but he had never seen anyone treat their superiors with such humility.

What he didn't know was that to those Victorian nobles, Ernst might just be "a relative of the Duke of Caesar," "a friend of the Duke of Windermere," or "a prime minister from a foreign land." Although he was a big shot, he was just a dragon crossing the river. They had no need of him, and he couldn't afford to offend them, these small fry.

But for Gertrude, Ernst's identity was only a "lifeline"!

For the only person with the power to ignore the remnants of the Witch King's faction who oppressed her, who could save her from dire straits with a single word, who even Her Majesty the Queen had to give her face, and who had a reputation for compassion and kindness, making him the most likely person to lend her a hand, no matter how humble she was, it was not excessive.

"I wonder what Lord Ernst wants me to do by summoning me here so suddenly?"

Gertrude said seriously, turning around

"I'm willing to do anything that's within my power!"

Her expression was extremely serious, and her tone was not joking at all.

She was willing to do anything to cling to Ernst, escape the control of the remnants of the Witch King's faction, and save her life.

Power, status, money, even her body—she'd sell anything Ernst wanted!

But Ernst gently shook his head, not giving the order immediately, but instead asking curiously:

"Where is Mr. Czerny, whom you mentioned in the communications? Didn't he come along?"

Yes, Gertrude came alone.

She did invite Czerny, but Czerny refused Gertrude rudely and without hesitation.

He didn't know any Lord Ernst, nor did he want to. Completely absorbed in his music, he paid no attention to the political changes on Terra. The international summit, though grand in scale, had nothing to do with music, at least for now.

Czerny didn't want to have anything to do with this nobleman who had appeared out of nowhere, and Gertrude couldn't persuade him otherwise.

She was a noblewoman, after all; she couldn't very well bring Czerny to see Ernst, could she?

Forget about whether she could carry it or not; even if she could, was she supposed to let Czerny give Ernst a sour look? She might as well do it herself!

However, hearing Ernst's question now, she felt somewhat embarrassed and could only awkwardly explain:

“Czerny is currently composing a new piece and is indeed unable to leave for the time being. I extend my sincerest apologies on his behalf. He absolutely did not mean any disrespect to you, sir. Please forgive him, Lord Ernst!”

Ernst: ""

Enciodes silently turned his head away.

He could barely suppress the urge to smile.

Ernst's lips twitched, but contrary to his usual behavior, he didn't refuse this humble offer. Instead, he coughed lightly, his expression turned serious, and his tone changed to a businesslike one.

He looked at the somewhat bewildered Gertrude and asked solemnly:

"Countess Viseheim, do you understand music?"

Do I understand music?

Gertrude paused, then instinctively shook her head.

In Lettania, who dares to openly claim to "know music well"?

This country boasts countless musical masters, and Terran classical music is, to some extent, essentially equivalent to Letanian classical music. The surrounding core nations, whether Victoria, Kazimir, or even Ursus, have all been influenced by Letanian musical styles! Letanian was also the first nation to combine music with Originium Arts, developing musical magic!

It can be said that, apart from the exceptionally unique Flame in every aspect, Letania is synonymous with "music"!

Admittedly, this definition has been challenged in recent years by a series of emerging musical styles such as Columbian rock and Casimir electronic music, but even if the challenge were ten times more intense, and even if Gertrude had ten times more courage, she would not dare to say that she understands music.

But a second before she shook her head, seeing Ernst's meaningful gaze, she abruptly stopped herself.

She doesn't understand music, but like I said before, nobody in Letania understands music.

There is no one on this land who truly "understands music." Lord Ernst surely understands this.

But he still asked the question seriously, using this enormous proposition to ask himself, a small and insignificant Count of Viseheim.

So what exactly is Lord Ernst asking?

A thought flashed through Gertrude's mind. She nodded quickly:

"Understand a little!"

Ernst smiled with satisfaction.

Very good, Gertrude's mind works quite quickly.

He asked Gertrude if she understood music; he was asking if Gertrude understood the music he wanted.

It's like when a girl asks you, "What is love?" She's not asking for the definition of "love" on Baidu, nor is it asking for biological knowledge or dopamine secretion.

What she wanted to ask was, "Do you understand my love?"

Gertrude understood.

But did she really understand what kind of music Ernst wanted?

No, of course she didn't understand. She and Ernst were not of the same race, did not come from the same place, and did not have the ability to understand each other. How could she possibly understand what Ernst wanted?

But she knew what she had to do.

All she had to do was obey orders and carry them out; Ernst would take care of the rest.

As for why Gertrude was chosen.

The reason is simple: she arrived quickly.

Opportunity favors the prepared mind. During Ernst's stay in Letania, only Gertrude had the audacity to sneak into the Elector's tower and slip a small card under the door.

This was a bold and risky act, but, just as Gertrude had thought, it was very rewarding.

She certainly made a deep impression on Ernst. So, when choosing this agent, Gertrude was the first person Ernst thought of.

And the "humility," "obedience," and "I'm willing to do anything" attitude that she presented to Ernst from the very beginning did indeed have an effect.

Ernst was not usually one for such aristocratic behavior; he would feel extremely uncomfortable if someone knelt down to speak with him. But this time, although he had some complaints in his mind, he unusually did not reject the other party's overly humble and ingratiating manner.

Because he was looking for someone obedient, intelligent, and understanding to help him start this new chapter.

Gertrude just happened to meet this condition.

She was obedient, humbled herself enough, and was willing to do anything.

She was clever; she understood Ernst's coded message and gave the correct answer.

Most importantly, she was bold.

As for loyalty or disloyalty, that doesn't matter that much anymore.

After all, once you're on this ship, do you really want to get off?

As for why Viviana wasn't chosen, it wasn't because Ernst didn't want to, but because Viviana really didn't understand music at all.

She was indeed born in Letania, but she was a native of Qazimir. Apart from her place of origin, you couldn't see any trace of Letania in her.

She was reserved, but not with aristocratic affectation; it was the reserve of a young girl. She was noble, but not in terms of social status; it was in terms of her character. She did good deeds and helped the weak, but what did that have to do with her noble status? When she did these things, did she ever care about her identity as the daughter of an emperor's chosen nobleman?

Ernst does want to build a new track, but just like funeral diplomacy needs a dead person at just the right time, he can't let someone who knows nothing about music preside over such an event, can he? Wouldn't that make him a laughing stock?

Moreover, this matter involves more than just music; it's also political.

Viviana can catch up on music, but politics? Forget it. You can't learn it in a short time. This isn't a beginner's village like Sherag where the struggles are at their limit and you have to complain to Yeragand. The political struggles in Letania are deadly!

Therefore, Viviana was destined to be unsuitable.

There's no time to find someone now. If Gertrude isn't suitable, Ernst will probably have to ask the Lich for help.

Fortunately, Gertrude proved herself capable and seized the opportunity.

Then, Ernst, with a smile on his face, said:

"Then, how about you take charge of this first International Music Festival?"

Chapter 685 With these three open and open schemes, the overall situation in Letania can be settled!

"This is a big deal, isn't it? Can she handle it all by herself?"

After seeing Gertrude off, Ensiodis asked with some curiosity.

The World Summit now enjoys considerable prestige, and its scale is indeed constantly expanding. Organizations such as the World Games Organizing Committee, the World Expo Organizing Committee, and the International Human Rights Council are all slowly being improved.

The reason for the slow pace is to maintain its inherent rigor.

So, theoretically speaking, Enciodes felt that the concert of all nations was indeed a good idea, but wouldn't it take time?

Moreover, entrusting it to Gertrude alone is not because Ensiodes looks down on her, but can she handle it all by herself?

But as soon as he asked the question, Ernst gave him a strange look, as if to say, "Brother, how could you have such an idea?"

Ensiodis frowned, then realized what was going on:

"You're just trying to distract them?"

Ernst bowed slightly.

To divert attention, or rather, to shift the focus of conflict. It's like expelling a dozen or so Ursus diplomats.

Ernst had to admit that he hadn't really thought about organizing the International Concert before he came to Letania.

He didn't understand music, and he didn't know many people around him who did. If he rashly organized an international music concert in Kjerag, many objective problems would be impossible to solve.

Where do the judges come from? Who should we find? Should we have scoring and awards? If so, what are the standards? Music from different countries has its own characteristics and a huge range; how do we judge its "quality"?

This is much more difficult than organizing a sports meet; it gives one the feeling that there is no first place in literature.

Moreover, the people of Shelag aren't particularly fond of music. If the competition were to be held in Shelag, he would have to allocate special funds and adjust the construction schedule to build a large concert hall. What would happen to that building after the competition? He couldn't expect Enya and the others to sing Jeragund hymns there every few days, could he?

Zero is not a purely loss-making business.

But Letania's trip did indeed remind him.

Not every matter concerning the 【World of Nations】 brand needs to be handled by Scherrag.

The best examples are the International Bank, which was organized by Lateran, the Terra International Human Rights Council, which was recruited by the Colombian "Science Frontier," and the World Games, a big brand, which Ernst initially handed over directly to Casimir.

It was only because the first World Games in Casimir caused so much trouble that it almost led to an international political incident that Ernst had the idea of ​​doing everything himself.

Looking back now, each country has its own characteristics, so he didn't need to be so rigid. The reason why the accidents happened in the past was that neither Sherag nor the World Games had enough strength or standards, so they had to leave everything to Kazimir. The two factions within Kazimir were also very tense, which led to the chaos at the World Games.

But that's different now.

While Kjerag is a small country in terms of overall national strength and indeed cannot afford the expenses of such a large-scale event, it does not mean that other countries cannot. Furthermore, the current international summit has the capacity to deliberate, draft rules, and conduct oversight.

The contradictions in Letania seem similar to those in Casimir, both involving a struggle between two factions (the remnants of the Witch King and the Queen), but in reality, they are vastly different from those in Casimir.

The most obvious point is that the remnants of the Witch King's faction are not respectable and their strength is far inferior to the Commercial Federation. They cannot stand in the light of day; that would be tantamount to self-destruction. As for the Queen's faction, as the rulers of Letania, the "musical superpower," if Ernst were to raise this issue and present it to them, could they possibly refuse?

Of course not. Because for them, this is a good thing, a good thing with no downsides whatsoever!

It's like if one day the United Nations suddenly wanted to promote Taoist culture around the world and asked the University of Tokyo for help, would the University of Tokyo disagree?

Because this is a good thing for the country; it increases cultural influence, cultural output, cultural confidence, and national self-confidence.