People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

Ernst was, after all, a saint, the Prime Minister. Although people didn't understand why he rarely stayed in the country to worship the god Jeragund, no one dared to question his lack of piety. Moreover, even the most foolish person should realize that the reforms in Sherag were inextricably linked to Ernst.

As long as Ernst returns, even if he does nothing in the following period, he will almost certainly be re-elected.

But the problem is that Ernst wants the whole thing to be big.

Ernst had indeed dismantled the feudal power of the six families and the religious power of the Manjusin Academy in practice, but as Ernst said when he wrote "The History of Erzgebirge"—you can kill a person, burn a book, destroy a country, and exterminate a people, but an idea is very, very difficult to kill.

Sherag has changed a lot, but the change has been short-lived. People's minds aren't brainwashed overnight; change requires a long process, and in Sherag, that process has clearly not been long enough.

People may not be able to accept the sudden appearance of a law, and the need to use this law to constrain or even severely punish things they used to take for granted.

In particular, among those who are punished, there may be some "highly respected" people, or even family patriarchs.

Legislation and reform have always been a double-edged sword. If done well, authority can be more solidified; if done poorly, authority can collapse directly, and the death of the leader and the end of the regime are not impossible.

Even though Ernst's identity provided him with endless options and made him almost invincible, Horhaia had to admit that it was a risk.

Moreover, this will bring some instability to Shelag.

After thinking for a moment, she decisively offered a suggestion:

"We can persuade the boss to postpone the compilation. It's not urgent."

Vina nodded:

“We can find a reason. Let’s say that we are searching for and hiring legal professionals and people with legislative experience from various countries in Terra to come to Shelag to prepare for Shelag’s legislation, how about that?”

This was something that needed to be done, but Vina, always considerate, would prepare a way out for Ernst.

However, Holhaya was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and then, as if she had thought of something, her eyes turned dangerous.

She had certainly thought of this, and she planned to tell Ernst in person when she met him.

But Vina spoke first.

I should have been the one to say it.

Little lion, you're growing up so fast! (Swelling/Repost: Yi Lingling "Qi☆? Liu≈^Jiu.Yi San Tumor - We have to be careful!")

Holhaya turned her head, flicked her tongue, and left the office.

The next day, Ernst, who was on Rhodes Island, received a "special communication" from Horheimer.

Yes, special communications.

Horhaya knew the importance of speed in warfare. After all, some special things don't count if you think of them in your head first, nor if you secretly say them out loud. You only count if you say them out loud so that the person who is supposed to hear them hears them clearly and the meaning is conveyed clearly!

Vina, you are still too young. In this respect, how could you possibly compete with the feathered serpent, whose memory spans hundreds of years?

After listening to the other party's explanation, Ernst pondered for a moment, then nodded obediently:

"In that case, let's do as you say."

Are you kidding me? He's not stupid. Since his subordinates have already explained the risks, why would he insist on charging forward against them?

This matter cannot be rushed. Moreover, can a code hastily compiled be more comprehensive than one compiled after careful preparation?

If he actually did that, then he would be lacking in intelligence and irresponsible towards his subordinates and the future of the entire Sherag.

As for the election...

Just as Horhaya said in the communication, if he does nothing, there are only three possible outcomes.

Win big, win big, and win even more!

My dear brother, just you wait, I'll work for another three years!

Chapter 994 Talulah's Little Lesson in Governing Londinium

Victoria, Londinium, West Cathedral of the Holy Kings.

Talulah rubbed her head, frowning at the blank sheet of paper with only a dozen or so words in front of her. She picked up the pen, almost pulling her hair out, but still couldn't write more than a few words.

Alina, carrying tea and snacks into the room, peeked out and saw that the speech she was supposed to give at tomorrow's city council meeting only contained a short sentence.

This is the birthplace of countless myths, legends, and modern miracles.

A look of helpless resignation crossed her face. She placed the pastries and coffee on the coffee table, walked over, and gently massaged Talulah's shoulder.

"Alright, Talulah, take a break. Don't be too hard on yourself. You've done enough these past few days."

Talulah seemed to have just realized someone had entered. She flinched at the sound of the voice, and when she turned around and saw Alina, she couldn't help but give a wry smile.

"Alina, you scared me!"

She put down her pen, walked to the coffee table, sat opposite Alina, and took a sip of her steaming coffee.

Victoria's premium drip coffee has a rich and aromatic flavor, making it an essential choice for home, travel, and showing off.

Victorians generally enjoy drinking black tea, but Talulah didn't have that preference. She used to drink plain water, but after spending some time in Sherag, she and Ernst developed the habit of waking up early with a cup of coffee to stay awake.

After taking over Lentinium, she dared not relax for a moment, often working through the night, and coffee became her good friend to keep her going.

Her pale lips regained their color from the warmth of the breath, and her face gained more vitality. She slowly exhaled a breath of warm air and gently shook her head at Alina:

"It's not good enough."

“The situation in Lentinium is much more complicated than I imagined, Alina.”

"When the war just ended, the mess I was handed over to me was a famine that could break out at any moment, widespread extreme hatred towards the Sarkaz, a shortage of medicine and a surge in infected people, remnants of the Military Council roaming the city, as well as spies, mercenaries, and bandits hoping to take advantage of the chaos and profit from it."

“If it weren’t for Mr. Ernst sending Miss Vina to assist me, and Mr. Levy sending a lot of special medicines that are not available on the market, I might not have even passed the first hurdle—maintaining order.”

Talulah sighed.

Her words contained not a trace of exaggeration or falsehood; they were all genuine feelings. 3 stars?

Talulah believed that Londinium, which she had taken over, would be a fertile ground where she could unleash her talents and realize her ambitions. The people had just endured the persecution of the Sarkaz and the exploitation of the Grand Dukes. As long as she stood up, raised her arm, and led them, she could create a brand new, ideal future and sweep away the filth of the past!

With the sheer size of Londinium and its self-sufficiency as a super-mobile city, they could easily conduct the world's largest social experiment and establish a "heaven on earth"!

That was indeed the case at first. She recruited the city's garrison, gathered refugees, gained support, and eventually became the ruler of Lontinim. She went very smoothly along the way and encountered almost no decent resistance!

This smooth sailing was incredible and a pleasant surprise compared to the constant setbacks she encountered on the snowfield! It even gave her the illusion that "maybe it wasn't that I was incapable before, but that the snowfield wasn't the right stage for me, and that my stage is actually here."

But an illusion is an illusion.

Later, she realized that the reason she had been able to get to this position so smoothly was not because she was so talented, but because Ernst had put in a lot of effort from behind, pushing her to get the job.

The opposition within Lentinium had been dismantled by the Sarkaz, and the remaining power vacuum remained unfilled after the collapse of the Military Council, thus benefiting her.

The political pressure she truly needed to face from the outside world was all stopped by Ernst. Neither Kester nor Windermere, those infamous dukes, had ever really dealt with her, and she had no idea what their methods were.

However, these problems only gradually surfaced after she officially took office. (Part 7!)

Because Ernst couldn't protect her forever.

Sherag was the cradle where she first seriously learned political knowledge and skills, but she couldn't stay in the cradle forever, and she didn't learn very well at first.

By the time she truly realized it, various hellish challenges were already upon her.

Talulah's approach to the challenge with such preparation and attitude is like a student who only crams for the exam a few days before it starts. It would be a miracle if she could even pass. How could you expect her to become famous overnight?

So, as Talulah put it, she didn't do a "good enough" job.

This is something Ernst has always been worried about.

He knew Talulah's level, so he hesitated for a long time when it came to making the final decision on whether to promote Talulah to the position.

Talulah has a legitimate claim, a determination to get things done, and some experience.

But politics is not child's play. The life and death of a city's people cannot depend on whether you "want to do a good job," but on whether you "can do a good job"!

There's an old saying that goes, "If you don't have the skills, don't take on the job!"

However, considering that the other Grand Dukes didn't treat the people of Londinium as human beings, and even had plans to "dismantle Londinium" to boost their KDA, Ernst had to choose the lesser of two evils between "not good enough" and "bad," and chose Talulah. In the very end, he did his best to send Vina to Londinium, helping Talulah through the most difficult period after taking over, preventing the new regime from collapsing within three months.

Today, Lentinium is indeed stable, and time is slowly healing the wounds the city once suffered. (The remaining text appears to be unrelated and possibly machine-generated gibberish.)

Yesterday, Talulah also chaired the Victorian Empire Conference, discussing a series of issues concerning the future development of Victoria, and formally made her first dealings with the Grand Dukes who truly held power in the country.

But it was precisely this face-to-face confrontation that brought her vigilance to its highest level once again.

"Alina, I am not as good as Lafshini, far inferior to Lafshini!"

Talulah said through gritted teeth.

She felt it was normal that she was not as good as Miss Vina. Vina was Ernst's apprentice, who had been taught by him the longest and had the most opportunities to gain experience. She was better than her, and Talulah had no reason to find it unacceptable.

She could understand that she was not as good as the Grand Dukes. After all, the Grand Dukes were all shrewd and experienced people who had received formal higher education and had grown up in an environment where they could practice and experiment. If they were still worse than her, then it could only mean that they were still as saintly as ever.

But she cannot be inferior to Rafishini!

Like her, Lavshine rose to power after the war with the help of others. The other woman hadn't even received direct assistance from Mr. Ernst!

Ernst didn't send a Vina to the Tara region!

In a way, he was even showing favoritism!

But at yesterday's Imperial Conference, Raphsini successfully persuaded the Duke of Ashworth to sign a trade contract with the Tara Autonomous Community.

It's important to understand that while the Victorians ostensibly granted autonomy to the Tara region in exchange for a share of the Duke of Wellington's estate, their exploitation and oppression of the Tara region never ceased in private.

After all, the labor costs for many industries in Victoria are completely different depending on whether they use Tara people or Victorian workers.

After Irafsini came to power and sent Wilrington's old men to eliminate several of the Grand Duke's "white gloves" in the Taraju region, relations between the two sides remained tense.

Some grand dukes even used "personal reasons" as an excuse to close the trading posts with the Tara region and to decouple the tracks of the moving cities from those of several cities in the Tara region.

To put it bluntly, this is a blockade and isolation.

But Lavshini was completely unaffected and even gained some advantages for herself at the meeting.

Talulah is a very competitive person.

She didn't understand how Lavshini had managed it. Was it just because she spent more time in that office than she did?

Did Mr. Ernst secretly give her special treatment?

She wanted to go and ask Rafishini, but she couldn't bring herself to do it.

Perhaps sensing Talulah's hidden thoughts, Alina took her hand and gently comforted her:

"It's alright, Talulah, don't be too nervous."

“Miss Lafshini’s base is more stable than yours, and she has more resources at her disposal. It’s not surprising that she can do better than you.”

Alina said frankly.

She knew that Talulah wasn't intolerant of criticism or praise; she was just prone to overthinking. If you kept praising or criticizing her, it would only make her more and more fixated on her own thoughts, and she might even lose sight of who she was.

Alina had already suffered because of Talulah's personality when they were in the tundra.

Therefore, it's better to just be honest and say it directly.

"Although the Tara region is larger than Londinium, it has been largely integrated by the Duke of Wellington and Lafsini's sister Abrahina. It is large but not chaotic. Therefore, as long as Lafsini generally follows the previous policy and gradually shifts her focus, there will be no major trouble."

She blinked and joked:

"Furthermore, Talulah, as far as I know, Miss Lafshine has been with Mr. Ernst for much longer than you have!"

"When it comes to attitude towards learning, others are much more serious than you, aren't they?"

Talulah opened her mouth, unable to refute.

This is because it is indeed true.

Talulah wasn't sure if Lavshini had a good attitude towards studying, but whenever she saw her, she would see her quietly reading or staying by Ernst's side.

And what about her?

Before going to Iberia, she didn't even take "studying" seriously.

Others might not have a strong attitude, but she knows her own attitude perfectly well—there's absolutely none!

"Moreover, there is still a chance to remedy the situation."

Alina said earnestly.

"The World's Fair is about to begin, isn't it?"

"According to the Convention on Autonomy of Londinium and the Convention on Autonomy of Tara, you and Miss Lavshini can both send representatives to Lateran to attend this conference, right?"

"The theme of 'War and Peace' is quite relevant to our current situation, isn't it?"

Talulah nodded knowingly:

"So can I go by myself?"