People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

He's a complete idiot, good for nothing but causing trouble. When he gets back, I'll have someone drag him out and throw him, his wife and kids, into the illegal mines! What's with all this talk of brotherhood? What's with all this fuss about helping the infected get justice?

Marquis Boris gritted his teeth, his face unusually furious.

He was genuinely angry, but not because he had been falsely accused, but because he had been betrayed by his subordinates. As for the facts, what wrong could he have done? He was acting in accordance with the law!

He looked directly at Ernst and the guards blocking his way, and hurriedly explained:

“Mr. Ernst, and this gentleman, don’t listen to his nonsense. I have no idea who he is!”

"He might have an older brother who's in the military or police, maybe that's true, but I don't know anything about it!"

"I did order the expulsion of an infected person, and the other military and police officers around me saw it at the time, but it was legal and just a legitimate exercise of my authority!"

"This ignorant infected dares to attack you and even dares to slander the nobles and distort the truth. I will definitely give you a satisfactory answer. Please forgive me for the fright you suffered today."

He lowered his head and bowed deeply to Ernst.

Ernst remained silent for a long time, his gaze fixed on the inner guard.

The guards did not make a move.

Ernst didn't fully understand Ursus law, but judging from the defender's reaction, he was telling the truth.

Ernst almost laughed out of anger.

This law is terrible; the person who drafted it is really lacking in integrity.

The nations of Terra are all corrupt in their own unique ways, and they've even come up with some interesting variations!

Victoria was corrupt due to the lack of centralized power, the division of the dukes, their separate factions, and severe internal strife. Letania was corrupt due to a dual monarchy, conservatism, and rigid class divisions. Iberia was corrupt due to frequent and rare foreign invasions, while Agor was corrupt due to arrogance and a deep-rooted network of internal traitors.

Ursus, on the other hand, is always coming up with new and interesting ideas.

Unfortunately, the late emperor's wisdom was considered politically correct in Ursus. Even Ernst couldn't openly say that the people who drafted such laws were mostly mentally ill!

He gave the guard a deep look, then looked away with some annoyance, remaining silent without responding directly. Only when Boris felt his lower back ache and trembled did Ernst slowly speak:

“I didn’t say you were guilty. I was just asking him why he attacked. Why is Marquis Boris so nervous?”

Marquis Boris raised his head with a sigh of relief.

He knew that some things couldn't be hidden. There were many witnesses to the infected person stopping him with the military and police. It was simply unrealistic to conceal this.

But he can choose not to tell the whole truth.

As the lord of a city, having survived the Fourth Army's massacre of the sarcophagus, and having ruled Chernobog until today, rapidly rising to become the lord of a major border city, he is indeed capable.

The information he provided would likely lead to the same conclusions even if Ernst and the Emperor's Blade, whom he dared not call by name, were to investigate it themselves.

After all, even the eyewitnesses couldn't possibly know exactly what he was thinking, and he did indeed exercise his authority to expel an infected person and an incompetent military police officer who had put the city lord in danger.

What, aren't they eating? Ernst and the guards came and went quickly; it's unclear who's in charge of their livelihood. How dare you speculate on the facts?

Feeling a little more at ease, Boris quickly said:

"I'm so sorry, so sorry. I'm truly terrified that Mr. Ernst has been so frightened!"

"Alright, Natalia, why don't you take Ernst to the hotel to rest first? I'll take care of things here, okay?"

Ernst wanted to refuse.

He's not in a good mood right now, and he has some questions he needs to ask the guards alone. It's not appropriate to have other people around.

Besides, with so much happening just now, the child must be terrified, right?

However, to Ernst's surprise, Natalia took the initiative to come over.

She took Ernst's hand, gave him a pleading look, and then glanced at the Marquis Boris.

Ernst realized something and nodded.

"Then let's do this for now."

Ursus Empire, 30km from the mobile city of Chernobog, in the wilderness.

Central Army Group Headquarters.

"Your Majesty, our department has located the traitor Baikal and his men."

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Guards in the city have sent the latest news. Someone has attempted to assassinate Prime Minister Ernst; they've taken the bait!"

"Your Majesty, the Imperial Guard says that Prime Minister Ernst does not seem particularly happy, apparently because of the legal issues concerning infected people in Ursus."

Inside the high-speed warship, Fyodor, seated on his throne, sighed and patted the armrest of the throne:

"I understand. You may leave now."

After the attendant left, he opened the drawer of his desk and took out the report that he had written a long time ago but had never had the chance to take out.

The report's title is very short:

On the issue of the personality cult of the late emperor and its consequences.

Chapter 924 Stone Coffin

“I saw it, Lord Ernst, I really saw it.”

"That infected person, I saw him kill that military police officer with a knife, I didn't dare to call the police... 5... I was scared, I ran away, wasn't I a coward?"

"If I had called the police and had him arrested back then, would this have been avoided today?"

Ernst paused for a moment, looking at Natalia, whose face was full of fear and regret, and who was even trembling slightly. He hesitated for a moment, but still did not pull his arm away from hers.

He had already pieced together the gist of what Natalia was saying.

The infected person wasn't lying; he did have an older brother who was in the military or police force, and he did ask his brother for help. In the end, due to some reasons, the two brothers did kill each other, with the younger brother killing the older brother.

But this proves nothing.

Infected individuals killing military and police personnel is a crime.

The military and police colluding with infected individuals to bring them before nobles is also a crime.

Not to mention that Natalia had no direct evidence to prove that it was Marquis Boris's coercion that led to the brothers killing each other, even if she did, it would be nothing more than a "so what" problem for Marquis Boris.

Ironically, according to Ursus law, the infected person would face charges such as being infected, murdering his brother, assassinating a foreign leader, and defaming the mayor of Chernobog, among others.

Aside from the first three crimes he actually committed, the conditions for establishing the last crime have a distinctly Soviet feel to them.

How did he slander the mayor of Chernobog?

He recounted what the mayor of Chernobog had done.

Moreover, overturning this case will be extremely difficult. After all, one side consists of an infected person with no human rights whatsoever, while the other side comprises a high-ranking nobleman and mayor. Even if underhanded tactics are used to release the background of this incident, it's unlikely to cause a public uproar. After all, while the general public may not say it aloud, they are still quite sensitive to labels and stereotypes.

The phrase "Hedgehog Discount Agent: Yilingling Qilujiu) Yisi Sulfur Infected Person" is irrelevant after what happened, because this is Ursus, the country with the harshest treatment of the infected in this land.

Ernst did not reprimand Natalia. He personally escorted her to the hotel and booked a room for her using his own status, allowing her to rest comfortably for a while.

"You've done a great job."

Ernst could tell that what she had witnessed that day, and what had happened to her today, would likely leave a significant psychological scar on the girl. Although she seemed more mature than Kal'tsit, she was still just a 15-year-old girl.

Even if Ernst wanted to raise questions, he wouldn't address them with her.

Before leaving the room, Natalia grabbed Ernst one last time.

She felt an extraordinary sense of fear.

Whether it was the Marquis Boris, who could change his expression without batting an eye, or the infected person recounting a tremendous injustice, or even everything that had happened today, it had all far exceeded her imagination.

She grabbed Ernst and left with him, acting on instinct, but also out of kindness.

"Lord Ernst, have I been of any help?"

Ernst stopped and turned to look at her.

The girl's eyes held a hint of hesitation. Her thoughts clashed with the mainstream values ​​of Ursus, which made her feel conflicted.

But she still insisted on asking:

"If that infected person is truly innocent, will my testimony be in their favor?"

Can he be exonerated?

Most likely not.

Ernst could have answered that way.

Because this is very likely to be true.

Forget about clearing his name; whether the infected person, who was taken away by Marquis Boris, can guarantee he won't "commit suicide out of guilt" tonight is a question.

Ursus also lacks courts for those infected.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the most likely outcome of this infected person causing such a stir is not increased attention, but rather a reckoning. His family, and the family of his military/police brother, will likely face a difficult future.

But Ernst didn't say that.

He nodded to Natalia:

"I will try my best."

This is not comfort.

Ernst wasn't magnanimous enough to defend his own reputation for a guy who "couldn't beat the bad guys, so he took his anger out on the good guys."

But he needs to make this guarantee.

After all, standing before him was a child, a nobleman of Ursus, the future of Ursus.

Marquis Boris and Grand Duke Baikal are like grasshoppers in autumn, their days numbered. But Natalia has a long life ahead of her.

She is also a noblewoman, and she may become a powerful figure in Ursus in the future. If Ernst speaks up now and tells her "no," then in the future, another noblewoman in Ursus may appear who believes that "evil deeds will be protected by heaven."

Ernst did not want this child to lose faith in the most basic principles of fairness and justice at the age of 15 or 16.

Natalia released her grip, her eyes shining, and bowed deeply to Ernst.

Ernst nodded, turned and left the room.

The bodyguards were already waiting for him in the corridor. As soon as Ernst stepped out, before he could ask anything, one of the bodyguards spoke up:

“The surveillance agents sent by Marquis Boris have been eliminated.”

The Imperial Guards are human too, and their ability to read people is actually quite good; it's just that they don't need to use it against ordinary people.

Ordinary people have to read their expressions and act accordingly. What, you can't see them because they're wearing masks?

It's good that you can't see them. Most Ursus people wouldn't survive if they saw the Inner Guard.

But Ernst was no ordinary man.

As someone whom His Majesty the Emperor had repeatedly ordered to be protected, the Imperial Guards held him in considerable respect. Moreover, the miraculous ability to purify the [Kingdom] that he had just displayed further awe and reverence for him.

Sure enough, to become the leader of a force, one must always have a few hidden trump cards up their sleeve!

Ernst nodded:

"What did His Majesty the Emperor say?"

"Your Majesty, please do not be angry."

The guard spoke up.

"The evidence against Marquis Boris, Grand Duke Baikal, and others has already been collected. You only need to create an opportunity for them to appear in public, thus providing us with the conditions for their arrest."

The emperor's plan to take action against Baikal and Boris was certainly not something that could be done overnight.

He wasn't useless; he wouldn't need Ernst, a foreign leader, to help him collect evidence of the two men's crimes. That would make Ursus's intelligence agency and internal security look like they were just sitting around doing nothing.

Having evidence is one thing, but catching someone red-handed is another.

To make the cases of Boris and Baikal airtight, the two must be caught red-handed; otherwise, it will not be easy to convict them based solely on past evidence.

Bringing up old grievances would cause panic among other army groups and mobile city warlords.

After all, every single one of these people has walked the red line of Ursus law as if it were a red carpet. If you want to trace the crimes of the past few years today, will you be tracing them back to the crimes of the Great Conquest era tomorrow?

Then they can bring up the late emperor. They shed blood for Ursus and made contributions for the late emperor. The late emperor was magnanimous and did not punish them. Why is the newly appointed emperor so intolerant and wants to exterminate these veterans of two dynasties?

They must have been misled by treacherous people!

Qingjun side!

That would be a huge problem; Ursus would be in chaos.

Only by catching them in the act can we make the other army commanders understand that "Grand Prince Baikal is stupid and Marquis Boris is incompetent," that they didn't even know to turn off the lights when doing dirty work! They got themselves dirty and were discovered, so they deserved to be caught!