People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

He had initially intended to defend himself, insisting he was not such a despicable person. But at this moment, he lacked the courage to even open his mouth and greet the two people in the video, let alone argue.

It was Tatiana on the other side, her eyes sparkling, who broke the silence that held a thousand unspoken words.

"Actorus? Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you, Tatiana! I can hear you!"

Actos suddenly snapped out of his daze, forgetting all about etiquette, and hurriedly got up, trying to get closer to the screen.

But before he could move, Rosalyn suddenly stopped him:

"Don't come any closer! If you get any closer, I'll have Uncle Ernst turn off the communications right away!"

"uncle?"

Off-screen voices could be heard, revealing Ernst's slightly injured voice and the laughter of the Rainbow Squad.

But Actos wasn't in the mood for making any more sarcastic remarks, because although he didn't recognize the person who spoke at that moment, he could guess from the way she addressed Tatiana that this was their daughter.

“Rosalind, I am Actos, Actos Perroch, I am yours.”

"I know, but don't expect me to call you that!"

Rosalyn interrupted, her words utterly ruthless.

“My mother said I spent a year in Shelag, but I have absolutely no recollection of it. So, you are a complete stranger to me.”

“Our teacher said that Dad is the protector of the family and should protect the children. But you weren’t there when I got into fights at school, you weren’t there when Mom was at work, and you weren’t there when those damn thugs knocked on the door. We only managed to get things sorted out thanks to the help of our neighbor, the military police!”

"Don't rush to apologize. You've already done what you should apologize for, so there's no need to say sorry again!"

"If it weren't for wanting to fulfill Mom's wish, I wouldn't even have made this call to you!"

Rosalind's words came like a machine gun, each strike a combo of Garen and Fiora's Q, silencing, breaking defenses, and dealing true damage. Aktos was completely overwhelmed, even stuttering as he spoke, his face a far cry from the pathetic look he had at the door earlier.

"I...I know, I was wrong, I...I'm not apologizing, I'm just apologizing, no, no, Rosalyn, I...I will definitely make it up to you, I..."

He missed his secretary, Jeston, terribly at that moment. If he had Jeston's eloquence, or if Jeston were here, he certainly wouldn't be so embarrassed and ashamed that he couldn't say a word at this moment!

Oh yes, yes, Ernst is here too. Ernst is a very nice kid, he'll definitely be able to help me.

Ernst, save my teeth!

"Ernst, Ernst, please say something for me!"

Ernst coughed twice.

That's why they say even an upright official finds it hard to settle family disputes.

From both a moral and logical standpoint, Actos's actions were unethical, and he himself knew it. How could Ernst possibly help?

You say you were forced into it back then, but where in the world are there so many people forced into it?

In the small territory of Shelag, there were three major families. The Perroch family of Actos controlled the most fertile plains and lakes, and also had the largest population. As the heir, was Actos really so "powerless"?

not necessarily.

If he wanted to cause trouble, and could threaten to "not be the heir" again, his father might not actually back down. Furthermore, the religious influence of the Sherag might not dare to truly fall out with the Perroch family, one of the three great families, over a marriage issue.

Don't believe me? Then Ernst's parents would be a good match, right? If we're talking about who's more sensitive, Ernst's father married someone much more sensitive. That person was from the Duke of Caesar's family lineage. Although the lineage wasn't very prestigious, and they were from a collateral branch, they were still considered "relatives of the Han imperial family"!

The Shivaesh family did indeed marry him, but the Grand Elder and others who opposed contact with the outside world didn't utter a single word.

But Actos did not do that at the time.

He only pleaded for mercy, and then his father locked him up, and then Tatiana and her daughter were forcibly taken away.

Rather than being powerless, this was more like giving each other a way out.

Tatiana and her daughter simply became the "stepping stones" that formed the steps.

Moreover, even assuming we concede that Ernst didn't have a detailed understanding of the past, and given the circumstances at the time, he couldn't make hasty judgments, so he avoided the topic. He then asked, did Actos make any effort afterward?

The old patriarch retired more than a decade ago, handing over the Perroch family to Actos. In the more than ten years since then, what has Actos been doing?

He was listening to the elder.

Even though the accident involving the Shivaesh family back then had been concluded as a train derailment, Aktos didn't intend to bring back Tatiana and her daughter who had been sent away. You could say they couldn't be found, that's fine. After all, in his previous life, the methods for finding people were much more advanced than in Terra. They could link up household registrations in multiple locations and use the internet to find relatives. There were still relatives who hadn't been found for decades even though they lived only a few kilometers apart. In Terra, a place where regional barriers are particularly severe due to the mobile city system, it's normal that they can't be found.

But if you listen to the Grand Elder, that's really a bit abstract!

Moreover, this wasn't the first time Actos had made a mistake.

During the harvest festival celebrations that year, Valerie, the "general" of the Perroch family, poisoned Enya, who was presiding over the ceremony. If it weren't for the timely intervention of the great god Yeragand, Enya might have been in danger.

The trigger for that incident was that after Aktos took over as head of the family, he listened to the slander of the Grand Elder and unknowingly poisoned her father!

This incident had such a terrible impact back then that revealing it would be too detrimental to Ernst's first harvest festival ceremony after he came to power. In addition, Ernst had not yet completed the dismantling of the old feudal system in Sherag and the weakening of religious influence. Therefore, after Ernst learned about it later, he chose to suppress it, secretly compensate Valerie, and give the Grand Elder a final verdict of being left to rot in the wilderness.

He did not punish Actos at the time.

But this incident served as another wake-up call for him.

Such absurd things had happened countless times in the past in Sherag. He had been so busy mediating in various parts of Terra that he had almost forgotten about the internal problems within Sherag itself.

"We need to thoroughly investigate what happened back then and then settle accounts again."

Actos wasn't inherently bad, but his overly straightforward nature and important position made him vulnerable to manipulation, turning him into an accomplice to evil. But what's done is done. Rosalind was right: what's the point of regretting something you've already done wrong?

If Ernst hadn't come to Chernobog, or to be more extreme, if the original storyline had continued, with Chernobog suffering from the Reunion Movement's riots and natural disasters at the end of 1096, what would have become of Rosalind and Tatiana?

Even if we don't convict someone of a crime that hasn't happened, we're only talking about things that happened in the past.

Can Tatiana's lost years be made up for? Can Rosalyn's lack of paternal love during her upbringing be compensated for? Can the difficulties they have encountered over the years be made up for?

Life isn't a time off. It's not like you've lived a life of hardship and then you get to enjoy all the riches and luxuries in the last few days as compensation, and that's considered "fair"!

Moreover, people already deeply resent the practice of taking time off in lieu of leave!

Therefore, Ernst was already prepared when he made the decision to ask the great god Jeragund to contact Actus on the spot.

He didn't come here as a lobbyist.

He's here to be the referee.

“Actor, I can’t help you with this. It’s not up to me to decide what Ms. Tatiana and Miss Rosalyn will do—to accept your compensation or to sever all ties.”

"I made my purpose for this communication very clear when I asked the great god Yeragand to summon you and your father."

Actos was slightly taken aback, then realized what Ernst meant.

The great god Jeragund made it very clear.

Come and repent for your sins!

Then accept the punishment!

Actos pursed his slightly chapped lips, then lowered his head.

Behind him, the old monk's face was full of astonishment.

He seemed to have never expected that this punishment would actually be real.

He naturally recognized Tatiana and Rosalind. Unlike Actos, she understood what had happened as soon as she saw them.

He was even relieved by this.

Since it's a "family conflict," the great god Yeragand probably won't take it seriously, and Ernst will likely protect the older generation of the Sherag.

Moreover, to be honest, he didn't really consider that incident back then to be a big deal.

After all, from his perspective, he asked himself if many people would make the same decision.

This is for the benefit of the family, and it has always been so.

If all else fails, a sincere apology from him will suffice.

But Ernst's voice suddenly pulled him back to reality.

Are you thinking that you didn't do anything wrong?

As if reading his mind, Ernst suddenly asked,

"Do you think that this has always been the case, and that I'm making a mountain out of a molehill?"

"Are you trying to say that this was just a small act of power abuse by the Perochi family back then? Besides, your intentions were good, and Tatiana and her daughter survived, didn't they? If that's the case, why not just reconcile instead of bringing up the past?"

Ernst smiled:

"Just because it's always been this way, does that mean it's right?"

“Old Perroche, a monk’s life of seclusion is not a way to cleanse one’s sins. This matter, including the actions of the three major families in the past, as long as they occurred within the last twenty years and there is solid evidence, I will review them all again when I return to Sherag.”

"Every matter will eventually be judged by public opinion, and your case is no exception."

Ernst could also let him experience a little bit of the whims of power at this moment. After all, given the extent to which the three major families have been dismantled and the power he currently wields, even if the Perroch family wanted to cause trouble, they wouldn't be able to stir up any waves.

But he didn't do that, because he wanted to use this incident as an opportunity. Starting from this point, Ernst would consult the legal codes of the various countries of Terra and the legal codes of his previous life, and invite legal scholars from the various countries of Terra to revise the laws of Sherag. It's only now that this matter has been addressed, but it's not too late to mend the fence after the sheep have escaped.

The Perroch family is the one among the three major families that has retained the strongest original clan characteristics. The purpose of their initial actions was to intimidate and establish their authority.

Otherwise, if something were to happen to him, it would truly be a disastrous consequence for Sherag.

Having money and making everyone wealthy can solve 99% of social problems, but there will always be 1% that money can't solve. These 1% require further efforts in building social civilization, spiritual civilization, and the rule of law.

Having said all that, Ernst exited the screen.

Off-screen, he nodded to the somewhat astonished Tatiana and Rosalind, as well as the Rainbow Team and the others.

Rosalind was stunned. She had been prepared to ask the great god Yeragand to give Actos a couple of punches, but now she found herself unable to say it.

This was also one of Ernst's goals.

He did indeed use Tatiana's matter as a pretext to make a fuss.

However, he certainly didn't treat Actus unfairly.

After all, they are elderly people.

If the great god Yeragand were to directly intervene and strike Actos a couple of times—if the blows are too light, it would seem weak and insincere; if they're too heavy, the behemoth would be in for a world-shaking attack! Even Theresis would give you a thumbs up! She'd call you the real stat monster!

Moreover, if they really fight, then Rosalind, Tatiana, and Actos will truly have their feud settled, with no ties remaining except for their bloodline.

What does that song say?

We should owe each other something, we should remain connected even after the relationship is severed.

He personally decided on how to deal with Actos and old Perroche, which at least gave Tatiana a way out.

If Tatiana still harbored thoughts of reconciling with Aktos, then Ernst's subsequent suggestion to have the two of them act as "witnesses" in Kjerag would be a logical step, resolving their past grievances and giving them a chance to meet. This would prevent Tatiana from being forced into silence by her daughter.

If she didn't want to, this could be a final farewell. Ernst being in Sherag would also make it easier for him to offer her some material compensation.

Get it in one fell swoop!

Ernst was somewhat impressed with himself. No wonder he used to stand at the reception desk so often! He came up with such a solution in such a short time based on his experience. His skills were still sharp!

Suppressing his smugness, Ernst looked solemnly at the mother and daughter:

"Ms. Tatiana, Ms. Rosalyn, are you satisfied with how I handled things just now?"

Tatiana nodded.

She was actually quite surprised!

The trial of the old head of the Perroch family, who had become a monk at the Manjusin Monastery, was unprecedented. Tatiana had spent more than a year in Shelag and was familiar with its rules and regulations. She never imagined that Ernst would go to such lengths for her!

Making mistakes should be punished; this should be a very simple principle. Unfortunately, on this land, it is a very luxurious thing!

Ernst was willing to set this precedent for her, so how could she possibly be dissatisfied?

Even Rosalyn nodded.

She attended Peterheim School in Chernobog, which, while not a top-tier private school, was still a respectable secondary school, and she herself was a bit of an intellectual.

This approach, while not as effective as a physical beating to vent her anger, aligns well with her upbringing, and she can certainly accept it.

Ernst then naturally replied:

"Ms. Natatiana and Miss Rosalyn, I wonder if you would be willing to testify as witnesses in this case in Shelag?"

Tatiana was slightly taken aback, but being as clever as she was, she immediately understood Ernst's idea.

She wanted to agree immediately, but when the words were on the tip of her tongue, she looked down at Rosalyn again.

Rosalyn blinked, a hint of anticipation in her eyes: "Can we go to Shelag? Will Uncle Ernst guarantee it? International travel is very expensive!"

Ernst smiled and nodded: "If you call me brother, I'll cover everything for you. Not only will I cover your travel expenses, but I'll also cover your food, drinks, and entertainment in Shelag."