People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

In fact, the travel guide was undoubtedly lying quietly in Hinterlea's suitcase at that moment.

But how to say it.

She took a very bold approach when reading the travel guide; she skipped the "Siesta Travel Overview" section and went straight to the "Popular Spots Guide".

That's not surprising. Isn't that what many tourists do when they travel? Even when they go to the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum, they don't think about paying homage to the tomb of the ancient Chinese emperor from 2225 years ago. Instead, they try to sneak past the security guards to find a terracotta warrior in the pit to take a photo, and then quickly move on to the next place.

It's euphemistically called "Special Forces Tourism".

Ernst said that these people are amazing. They have a sense of ownership that is rarely seen in everyday life. Their choice of travel destinations is never about "wanting to experience something there" or even "going there to relax." Instead, it's about "I come, I see, I check off my list!"

Of course, Ernst didn't mean to mock Hinterlea. After all, her disappointed expression showed that she had high expectations for Siesta, far beyond just "coming once."

So he offered a very heartwarming word of comfort:

"It's okay, we can come again next time we have time."

Hinterlea immediately looked up at Ernst with anticipation: "Really?"

Ernst nodded affirmatively and said, "Of course, and it won't just be the two of us. I'll bring everyone along for the team building activity, and I guarantee it will be a lively and fun event!"

Hinterlea opened her mouth, but couldn't utter a word for a long time. Finally, her lips trembled as she formed a smile that almost formed an angle with her eyebrows, and she replied:

"walk slowly"

After getting off the bus, Ernst hadn't walked far when he spotted two pink figures in front of Obsidian Square.

Without further ado, Ernst immediately stepped forward, extended his hand, and greeted him:

"Mayor Hermann, it's an honor to meet you."

Hermann also stepped forward and shook Ernst's outstretched hand:

"Prime Minister Ernst, you flatter me. You are undoubtedly a distinguished guest of Siesta. This is not just flattery or polite talk. My daughter was able to be rescued thanks to your help."

He turned slightly to the side, revealing Ceylon's figure beside him.

The girl, who shared the same hair color as her father, wore a Victorian-style evening gown. Her long hair was neatly styled into a bun, paired with a floral-adorned ladies' hat, highlighting her elegant demeanor.

Facing Ernst's gaze, she smiled, lifted the sides of her skirt, and slightly bowed, performing a flawless Victorian curtsy.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Prime Minister."

Instead of using terms like "Your Excellency" or "Sir," he deliberately addressed her as "Mr." to create a closer connection. The young woman unexpectedly thanked him.

"Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to meet you in Siesta."

"Where are these words?"

Ernst was about to exchange a few polite words when Ceylon firmly shook his head:

“No, Mr. Prime Minister. You may not know, but I just returned to Siesta from Londinium a day ago.”

Did you just return from Londinium a day ago?

Ernst suddenly understood what Ceylon meant. Hermann's nod further confirmed Ernst's guess:

"My daughter, Ceylon, is a student at Victoria National University. During the time she was trapped, I tried countless methods to rescue her and contacted many friends in Victoria, but all to no avail..."

Hermann shook his head helplessly and let out a sigh.

Clearly, the results were not entirely satisfactory. Otherwise, Ceylon wouldn't have only returned to Siesta yesterday.

Herman continued, “So, as a father, I must also express my gratitude to His Excellency the Prime Minister. Your appeal had a wide-ranging impact internationally and attracted the attention of dukes like the Duke of Caesar, who still have justice in their hearts and care about the people. As a result, my daughter was able to be rescued. My family was able to be rescued.”

Ernst pursed his lips and reached out to help Hermann, who was about to bow.

"No need to thank me, it's what I should do. What truly saved the young lady was the conscience of the Terrans; I was merely the one who stood up and appealed."

“If the people of Terra have lost their conscience and morality, then my appeal is useless. If the people of Terra have a sufficiently high level of conscience and morality, then there is no need for my appeal.”

"What we need to do is to increase the weight of this conscience and morality in people's hearts. This is also what I hope to reach a consensus with Mayor Hermann."

Herman stared in astonishment at the boy in front of him, who looked about the same age as his daughter.

How do you so skillfully transform a personal, paternal gratitude into a collaboration between Sherag and Siesta?

How many times have you done this?!

There was no derogatory intent in it; Hermann was simply amazed. Was Sherag some kind of hidden paradise? He had been surprised that a boy of this age had become prime minister. When he gave his speeches, he had even suspected behind-the-scenes manipulation and guidance, but upon meeting him in person, he realized—

You are this one (gives a thumbs up).

While he admired Ernst's intelligence, dealing with a smart person was certainly time-saving and effortless. Hermann was pleased to see that Ernst was a "know-it-all." Otherwise, if he had played the "saving his daughter" card, and the other party hadn't realized their mistake and made some unreasonable demands, Hermann would have been in real trouble.

It is foolish to let personal feelings influence national politics. While virtually no one can completely isolate themselves from the influence of emotions, they can only be relatively isolated.

Otherwise, he would be a "philosopher-king".

“You make a good point.” Hermann, having regained his composure, had officially entered the mode of a mayor. He nodded to Ernst and stepped aside to make way for his car. “Gentlemen, it’s cold outside. Why don’t you come to my humble abode first? I have prepared a welcome feast for you.”

"I believe that Siesta will not let you down."

Chapter 132 Sherag Impersonates Sami

Sometimes, Ernst had to admit that some people, some places, and some developments were truly blessed by God.

Countries like those in the Middle East, where the roof of the world is covered by a veil, would likely still be living tribal lives similar to those of African immigrants if it weren't for the discovery of oil. But because this "liquid gold" is slowly flowing through their countries, these nations have not only achieved a very wealthy tribal lifestyle, allowing them to suppress all domestic opposition by spending money, but also to gain a significant international standing through their spending.

Ironically, very few people dare to offend them. If you really anger those princes and nobles, they'll risk their lives to fight you to the death. The global financial crisis brought about by the oil crisis is still fresh in our minds.

Siesta, in a sense, while not as oil-producing as those countries, is a typical example of a country truly blessed by nature.

"Although Siesta has always promoted itself as a 'seaside city,' the Krasd Inland Sea that we are adjacent to is not actually an ocean, but a very large lake formed after the ocean seeped into the earth."

Hermann Dorkos exclaimed,

"But in a way, not being directly adjacent to the sea is not a bad thing."

"Why?" Ernst asked curiously.

He knew very little about the sea in Terra, only about the azure barrier surrounding the land that he had learned about during his basic education.

But there was one thing that had always puzzled him.

Terra's technological development is incredibly fast. Although its tech tree may seem somewhat distorted, it's certainly not so bad that it can't even build a single ocean-going ship.

This question becomes even more difficult to explain, especially after Ernst became fully aware of the existence of high-speed warships. The existence of this technology clearly proves that the Terrans weren't incapable of building weapons capable of ultra-long-range cruising, right? So why hasn't any nation truly turned its attention to the oceans and naval power?

“Because the ocean is dangerous.” Hermann Dorkos’s expression turned serious instantly, seemingly very sensitive to this topic. “It’s normal that Prime Minister Ernst doesn’t know. After all, you probably weren’t even born when that happened.”

"Just as you said, the sea is vast, mysterious, and captivating. But the Iberians proved to us with their lives that the sea is not worth exploring."

"The Iberians?" Ernst realized what Hermann meant by "that matter".

【The Great Tranquility】. Terra's history books specifically use this term to describe the momentous event that changed the entire landscape of the land.

The once-powerful Iberian Empire collapsed in a single day; the invincible Armada, capable of traversing half the land to conquer Letania, sank; Asturias, the first world capital and golden port, sank into the sea; and the entire southern coastline of the land underwent massive changes as a result.

A massive catastrophe struck Iberia in an instant, taking away 80 percent of its population, almost all the achievements of its golden age, and countless people's dreams for the future, leaving behind only devastation and a prophecy that was almost a nightmare.

"The disaster came from the ocean."

To this day, no one has truly found the cause of that catastrophe. Only the Iberians who were fortunate enough to survive rose from the ruins and formed the Iberian Tribunal. They pointed the finger at the Agers, who also came from the sea, believing that they had brought about the disaster.

Ironically, the man who was featured on a full page in the history book Ernst read—the chief architect of the Iberian Royal Fleet, the chief engineer of the Golden Age, Breogan—was an Agor.

Unfortunately, hatred is always more memorable than gratitude.

"Therefore, since then, no country has been willing to focus its efforts on exploring the ocean. Even those countries that are near the sea have only one attitude toward the ocean: defense."

Hermann Dorkos spread his hands,

"But as Your Excellency the Prime Minister said, although the nation, for its own interests, will no longer risk national extinction to restart the exploration of the ocean, people's desire to explore has never been restrained in any way. Thus, Siesta came into being."

Hermann's meaning is quite clear.

People are afraid of the ocean, but they are also curious about it.

That Siesta impersonated the ocean.

Trendy music, a rare water park, and the seemingly endless Krasdead Inland Sea – where all the beautiful imaginations of the ocean can be fulfilled.

As for what the real ocean looks like....

Siesta rarely receives tourists from Iberia. Iberians also rarely visit Siesta.

Because they had actually seen the ocean.

"This is all the advice I can give you regarding the development of Sherag."

He concluded. Ernst nodded gratefully, then pursed his lips thoughtfully.

Hermann wouldn't tell everyone this; it was practically a secret about Siesta's rise. If he didn't admire the young man before him and want to express his gratitude to Ernst, he could have easily used those high-sounding platitudes to appease Ernst.

"It's because you didn't work hard enough," anyone can say that. But how many of those who say that have actually succeeded through hard work?

Hermann was very generous, practically revealing everything. Ernst also gained a lot from this conversation.

Siesta, situated near the Krasdead Sea, can masquerade as a seaside city, attracting attention and positive reviews by creating an image of a "seaside city in tourists' imaginations." This allows it to grow stronger and better, ultimately revitalizing itself as an independent city-state. This is its unique advantage.

What about Sherag? What are Sherag's strengths?

Surrounded by mountains and isolated from the world, this is certainly not an advantage. Most people who want to live in seclusion don't really want to live in seclusion; they just want to remind people of their importance so that they can be persuaded to come out of seclusion. But Christen's existence gave him some inspiration.

On this land, there are still quite a few people interested in the barrier layer. And the Matterhorn, which is closest to the barrier layer, is undoubtedly a sacred place for these "stargazing enthusiasts," much like Akihabara in the eyes of anime fans.

However, relying solely on the favor of scientists cannot drive national development. Silicon Valley, known as the city of technology, developed not because of the amount of science and technology it produced, but because of the number of companies that could produce science and technology.

Clearly, Kherlag doesn't yet possess the conditions to attract large companies to establish branches there. Attracting investment can only be considered after the completion of New Tukarim.

Could Shelag learn from Siesta and generate tourism traffic by posing as places that people are curious about but can't see in person for various reasons (such as danger, long distance, or even lack of money)?

Are there any places in Terra similar to Sherag?

"Infi Icefield".

The word flashed through his mind and then he blurted it out.

Mayor Hermann's face showed a hint of amusement at the young man's potential.

Ernst grasped the concept quickly, which surprised him somewhat. Is this what young people are like these days?

Although it wasn't a particularly profound principle, Hermann claimed that it took him decades of life experience to gradually understand and apply it to life. With just a slight reminder to Ernst, he immediately grasped the key point.

He nodded: "Yes, the Infi Icefield. The far northern border of Terra, a place that, like the ocean, can arouse the curiosity of countless people."

“But there are Sami people right next to the Infi Icefield, right? Aren’t their locational advantages much stronger than Kjerag’s?” Ernst frowned.

But Herman gently shook his head: "What is there to worry about?"

"After Siesta rose to prominence, it wasn't without imitators and competitors. But why were there so few who succeeded? Only Dosoles succeeded on a path that seemed similar to ours?"

He straightened his back with considerable confidence: "Those who learn from me will live, those who imitate me will die."

"Don't be afraid of competition, because it's essential and inevitable. As the first to try something new, you already have a significant advantage, because in this competition, they are the ones who need to differentiate themselves from you!"

In order for pursuers to gain market recognition and the right to survive, they must differentiate themselves from pioneers. Pioneers, on the other hand, may lose countless times in various aspects, but as long as they are willing to learn, unafraid of competition, and unafraid of change, they can openly absorb (copy) the strengths of all their competitors to improve themselves.

Because he was the pioneer.

Don't be fooled by Ernst's current ambitions: to question Sami, to understand Sami, to become Sami, and to surpass Sami.

If Kjerag truly succeeds, then in the future, this phrase will become: Sami questions Kjerag, understands Kjerag, becomes Kjerag, and surpasses Kjerag!

“I understand. Thank you for your help, Mayor Hermann.”

Ernst expressed his heartfelt gratitude.

Hermann stood up, poured a glass of champagne for Ernst and himself, and handed him the glass: "Cheers?"

Ernst took the glass, but just before clinking it with Hermann's, he pulled his hand back.

Seeing Hermann's slightly puzzled expression, Ernst smiled and explained:

"We can open the champagne later."

“Mayor Hermann, I also have a preliminary idea about the future of Sherag and Siesta that I would like to discuss with you.”

“Oh?” Hermann Dorkos raised an eyebrow. “Prime Minister Ernst, please speak freely.”

Ernst cut to the chase: "Mayor Hermann, don't you think that Siesta, as an independent city-state, is somewhat out of place in today's international political landscape dominated by hegemony and power politics?"