People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

From the moment he witnessed the old port city of Rhea Iberia sink into the sea, and saw the Sea Heirs, the Deep Sea Cultists, and the endless, overwhelming seawater ravaging the land of Iberia, he could no longer change his mind.

He was destined to revive Iberia; he believed he had this mission.

However, even he himself overlooked this point—this revived Iberia, in any case, is not the Iberia of the past.

The port city sank into the sea, the border submerged in the water, the vanished "Fool"—even if he could replicate them all bit by bit, they would never disappear. The golden, shimmering shadow of Iberia was ultimately just a shadow; in an era where the original had vanished with the wind, it could never return.

If you don't believe me, look at the rising sun and the two moons in the sky. Can they cast the same shadow over this Iberian region?

He waved his hand:

“I don’t need anyone else. Dario is still young. While I’m still able to do it, I’ll take the blame.”

"I hope that in the next hundred years, I can still be called a hero. I hope that future Iberians will remember their past."

He looked up, let out a long sigh, and looked exhausted.

Ernst stood up and extended his hand to him. The old man paused slightly, then smiled and grasped the hand in return.

Both of them exerted themselves very hard.

Heroes are always respected, no matter where they are.

Moreover, he also had a message for Carmen at this moment.

“Your heart and actions are as clear as a mirror, and all your deeds are righteous.”

Ernst rarely used the word "justice"; he preferred the word "order."

But in Iberia, he didn't mind, and felt that the term should be used to describe Saint Carmen y Iberia.

Because in Iberia, there is no gray between black and white. On the verge of civilization's demise, all those who sacrificed themselves for survival are the embodiment of civilization's justice.

Chapter 722 Ernst: This is a scheme to use one tiger to devour another!

Iberia, Perdoni, guest room at the court headquarters.

Lifespan is the ruler's greatest enemy.

When the Church of England was reorganized into the Court of Judgment, Carmen was not the only Archbishop of the Church of England who took the title of saint and changed his surname to Iberia. However, Carmen is the only one who has survived to this day by using the secret of longevity and is still active on the front lines in Iberia, handling politics, military affairs, diplomacy, religion, and other fields.

He thus became the undisputed number one figure in Iberia, not an emperor, but more powerful than one, and an absolute centralized emperor!

He was persuaded, and Ernst's series of arrangements in Iberia, although causing a great uproar in the courtroom, were ultimately approved thanks to Carmen's strong opposition.

However, it is worth mentioning Dario's attitude in this matter, as he is gradually becoming the "number two" figure in Iberia and seems to be a successor.

During the final court hearing on the matter, he was a staunch supporter of Carmen's decision. This did not surprise Ernst, since Ernst had always felt that the most suitable representative of Iberia was none other than Carmen's disciple.

However, to Enster's surprise, and also to Carmen's surprise, Dario, while agreeing with Carmen's general decision, modified the details of the plan that Carmen and Ernst had discussed.

One of the most obvious changes is the removal of the World Summit's anti-terrorism base in Iberia.

Carmen wanted to build the base next to the capital, Perdoni. The intention was clear: to monitor the base's every move at all times.

Iberia is now impoverished and weak, but the one thing that cannot be said to be neglected is its military preparedness.

To defend against the threats from the Sea Heirs and the Deep Sea Church, Iberia, despite its poverty, maintained a large standing army and even continued to attempt to restore the warships left over from the Golden Age.

While they are no longer capable of restoring the colossal golden ships like the Stutifaela (The Fool), they are still able to repair some smaller warships using blueprints from the Golden Age salvaged from various locations. Today, this fleet has even begun to take shape.

Including the Punishment Army directly under the Court of Justice, and the remnants of the Defense Army that survived the Iberian Golden Age by staying inland and avoiding the direct impact of the Great Tranquility, Iberia's current military strength is actually not that weak.

Their problem is simply that they are severely corrupt internally, have been infiltrated by the Deep Sea Church to the point of being like a sieve, are difficult to mobilize, and are simply unable to launch large-scale operations due to limited war funds.

It's fair to say that, excluding unconventional combat units like the Jeragand, they could take on ten Sherags.

Where are these troops stationed now?

They definitely can't go to the open ocean anymore; that's the territory of the Sea Kings. After the Eye of Iberia—the lighthouse built by the Agor islanders using deep-sea technology—went out of service, the Iberians completely lost the possibility of setting foot in the deep sea. Otherwise, they wouldn't still be unable to find the flagship of the Golden Fleet, the Fool, which has been missing for so long.

Coastal areas are also problematic. The Iberian coastline has practically become the territory of the Deep Sea Church, its infiltration so severe it's appalling. The Iberian Inquisition's influence is extremely limited; when the Grand Inquisitor inspects the coastline, only one or two people can be sent at a time, and they can't be stationed there long-term. Sending troops might be manageable in the short term, but over time, that army might even change its flag!

So, without fear of being laughed at, most of this fleet, the Punishment Army, is actually holed up in the inland sea, near the capital of Perdoni.

In other words, Carmen's intention to build this "military base" near Perdoni was, in fact, blatantly intended to use the surrounding Iberian forces to deter the base.

You can fight terrorism, and we welcome your fight against the Deep Sea Cultists and the Sea Heirs, but Iberia will always have a knife to your back. If you have any disloyal intentions, be prepared to be stabbed in the back!

He had a good idea, and Ernst didn't seem inclined to argue about it.

After all, even Duke Windermere wouldn't believe it if he told anyone, his initial intention in building this base was truly to protect the safety of the Iberians and to guard against the epochal crisis of the [Sea Heirs]. A secondary purpose was to demonstrate the authority of the World Summit and to establish its military presence in the region.

Since we had to choose a somewhat misunderstood method, we can't blame others for having such misunderstandings.

As long as they don't actually stab you in the back.

Besides, the people stationed here aren't from Shelag, so it's not really his concern. If someone really wanted to stab someone in the back, someone else would naturally take action against Iberia before he could make his move.

But Dario proposed another idea.

"If you're going to build an anti-terrorism base in Iberia, why not just build it on the coast?"

His words nearly ignited a discussion among those present.

After all, everyone felt that building such an anti-terrorism base in a place they couldn't monitor was like sending monkeys to guard a peach orchard. It was either entrapment or utterly insane and incredibly reckless.

Even Carmen looked at her apprentice with some confusion and displeasure.

However, he did not immediately refute it, but instead gave Dario a chance to explain.

After all, he was his own apprentice, and Carmen wouldn't easily doubt his loyalty to Iberia.

"Mr. Ernst, what exactly did Dario say that made Iberia agree to the World Summit building a base on the coastline?"

Inside the room, Talulah asked incredulously.

She had only learned of the latest decision made by Iberia a few minutes earlier, and rushed to Ernst's room, interrupting Ernst and Skadi's meeting.

Although neither of them said anything—Ernst didn't know if Skadi was extremely shrewd and could really pretend, or if she was just quiet and a bit simple-minded. Anyway, whatever Ernst asked, she answered honestly, but the frequency of the three words "I don't know" reached an astonishing 80%.

Fortunately, he wasn't completely clueless. Ernst did learn a little bit about "Agor," though it was very little and outdated. But he had at least some information.

At that moment, Talulah suddenly barged in, but Ernst didn't stand on ceremony. When he brought Talulah here, he was already prepared to face all sorts of questions from her.

As for this issue, even if he doesn't explain it now, he reckon he'll have to explain it to Vina and the World Summit when he gets back to Sherag.

"He wanted to use someone else's strength against them."

Ernst replied,

"Talulah, if one day Duke Castle wants to target you, and you don't want to submit, but your strength is far inferior to Duke Castle's, what is the best course of action?"

Talulah frowned slightly, and without much thought, replied:

"Ask Duke Windermere for help!"

Ernst was taken aback, the words he was about to say stuck in his throat, and he subconsciously asked in return:

"how do you know?"

"Isn't that exactly what the teacher did back then?" Perhaps caught up in teaching mode, Talulah unconsciously changed her form of address. She patted her ample chest, displaying a rather masculine and boastful air, "I'm a big fan of yours! I found out all about your exploits back in Sherag!"

Ernst: ""

Well, Talulah is really eager to learn.

However, if Talulah already knows, doesn't that mean everyone in the world now knows that if you want to deal with Duke Castle, you can ask Duke Windermere for help?

I'm sorry, Duke of Caesar, I hope your hair doesn't turn white so quickly.

Ernst prayed silently for a moment, then coughed lightly and nodded:

"Yes, that's exactly it."

"The Iberian Tribunal currently has very limited influence over the coastal areas. The Deep Sea Church is lurking in almost every corner of those abandoned coastal cities that have not yet been submerged. Do you think the Tribunal, with its current manpower and weaponry, is capable of wiping out every single city?"

Talulah thought for a moment, then shook her head: "No."

Let alone every city, even with the court in its current state, it can't handle even ten cities!

This is no joke. Talulah knows this best. Although she didn't do a very good job as the leader of the Reunion Movement, she did manage to confront the Ursus Scouts head-on.

Ursus was in a bad situation, but it was a hundred times better than Iberia. But could the Ursus emperor, the local dukes, or the warlords really wipe out the guerrillas on the snowfields?

Facts have proven everything!

The environment on the snowfields is far harsher than that on the coast. The snowfields are truly sparsely populated and covered in snow all year round. Often, not even a blade of grass can be seen, and resources are extremely scarce. However, on the Iberian coast, in those ruined cities, some supplies can still be scavenged.

Moreover, the Deepsea Cultists are completely uninhibited; they can eat Terrorfish directly. It can be said that the most troublesome resource problem for Talulah is not a problem at all for the Deepsea Church!

In this situation, how can the court purge the Deepsea Cultists from coastal cities?

Ernst then asked, "What if we add the World Summit?"

Talulah hesitated for a moment, then nodded somewhat tentatively.

"It's possible, but not so."

Adding the World Summit might be feasible.

But that's on the premise that the World Summit will actually contribute.

Of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council on Terra, apart from Letania which is slightly weaker, the rest are all genuine major powers, both in terms of potential and theoretical strength. If they lend a hand, the annihilation of the Deep Sea Church is only a matter of time.

What can guarantee that they will help with the affairs of Iberia?

After all, things are always so bad in Iberia!

Ernst didn't ask any more questions. Instead, he crossed his legs, stared at Talulah, and smiled slightly.

Talulah was slightly taken aback, then exclaimed with a hint of surprise:

"You yourself?"

Ernst shrugged, feigning a helpless purse of his lips, and spread his hands.

Without a target, the Terran nations certainly wouldn't want to waste their time and effort on the mess in Iberia.

But now, that target has been found.

Is the reason that Ernst was assassinated sufficient?

For a nation, this reason is certainly insufficient, but the Duke of Windermere, the Duke of Cassel, and Colombia all exemplify a principle: a nation is one that won't act without a clear benefit, possessing an absolute sense of rationality in not taking action without self-interest. But the rulers of a nation are a different story!

Neither Windermere nor Kester mentioned it. The Deep Sea Church could go and talk to His Excellency the President about this matter, about "what does the assassination of Ernst have to do with Columbia, and why did you take action for no reason." Go ahead and talk to him, and he won't say a word!

Of course, Ernst also knew that this was just a motivation. Motivation can drive people to do this, but to keep people doing it, what is needed is profit.

Therefore, Ernst was also prepared for the benefits.

Iberia's resources, free training grounds, and even the opportunity to reach the sea.

Ernst VII didn't think the six kingdoms of Terra had forgotten how Old Iberia had risen to power. The technology of the deep sea, though now touted by Iberia as the culprit behind the Great Tranquility, also evoked envy in many how prosperous and abundant the land was before that Tranquility arrived.

Life is but a fleeting dream, a mere illusion! Even knowing the ending might be utterly annihilated, countless players still choose to sign up for the God of War!

Moreover, Ernst also learned some things about Agor from Skadi. The Great Tranquility and its relationship with Agor were not exactly harmonious, but they were not something the Agorans deliberately created.

Skadi doesn't know much; she's very secretive. This deep-sea nation has a lot to say!

"That's exactly what Dario was planning."

"The fight against bandits—no, the fight against terrorism—is a cause for all of Terra, and Iberia naturally has to participate. As the force that directly provides the site and is closest to the counter-terrorism targets, they can do far more than other countries."

"The simplest and most understandable question is: who owns these cities that have been cleared of terrorism? Can the World Summit directly govern those abandoned coastal cities?"

Ernst waved his hand.

Talulah understood as well.

Of course not! Those abandoned coastal cities are so far from Sherag. Even if the nations of Terra wanted the World Summit to directly govern them, the World Summit wouldn't have the power to do so.

If they want to divide it up themselves, that makes no sense. Everyone knows the terror of the Great Silent Period; who knows if Iberia will suffer a second disaster? Victoria, Colombia, Ursus—they're all shrewd people. They've spent a fortune repairing and managing these places, making them look presentable, but they haven't gained any good reputation. Then the Great Silent Period—or even a minor one—comes, and they're all finished!

Who would want to be that innocent victim?

Ultimately, these can only be returned to Iberia. At the summit of nations, the Terran countries can at most demand some more compensation from Iberia.

But that's all Iberia can offer: money, resources, or blueprints for old warships and the Agorian technology they left behind. They won't give much, but they can definitely restore the territory.

However, this is the ideal situation.

"Dario's move is also very risky. Neither the World Summit nor the nations of Terra are easy to deal with. He's using one enemy to devour another because he sees that we could never cooperate with the Deep Sea Church. That's why he's so confident and bold."

Ernst said calmly.

In truth, the nations of Terra cannot possibly suffer a loss under any circumstances. Even if they cannot demand compensation from present-day Iberia, they can demand it from future Iberia.