People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

Then Jeragandr issued an oracle, which is another ambiguous account. Jeragandr, as a deity, isn't some 24/7 online customer service representative. What if He happens to be unavailable during the Judgment of the Holy Stones? Then who would issue the oracle?

Naturally, it is the Manju-in Temple that has the authority to "interpret the will of the gods and speak on their behalf".

Even if Manjuin didn't forge the oracle, Yeragand's lack of response could be interpreted as "God is too angry to speak," or "Is it necessary for me to be bothered by this?" The final interpretation and judgment would naturally be left to Manjuin.

Besides these, there are many other possibilities. After all, the Manju Academy is essentially a state power organ disguised as a religious institution, and everything it does is inherently sacred. At that time, even the slightest disturbance, such as a snow mountain beast landing on the sacred stone and then flying away, could be interpreted as an unfavorable outcome for Ernst.

Since everyone is superstitious and no one can disprove it, naturally no one will question it.

"That's why the first thing I did after receiving this money was to invest in education."

Ernst sighed.

"I know this time the odds are against me, but I have no other choice."

In fact, Ernst had anticipated that the worst outcome would be an assassination attempt by the Sherag people on the very day the loan and mortgage scandal was exposed. He was already fortunate to have the opportunity for a trial, even if it was the least fair and just one.

"You bastard... No wonder Yucatan said that liking Ernst, being intelligent, and supporting the Holy Stone Trial are three conditions that cannot coexist in one person!"

Hugh Ruth turned her head away, cursing with a mixture of anger and helplessness.

"Actually, there are other ways... Ernst, come to Tukarim tonight, and I can arrange for you to leave Shelag with a caravan and go to Colombia!"

“I’m not going,” Ernst flatly rejected the suggestion. “Once I escape to Columbia, I’ll never come back. Don’t you understand?”

“But it’s better than death, right?” Hugh Ruth was still a little stubborn, but Ernst reached out and covered her mouth.

"Why can't you say something positive?" Ernst said helplessly. "For example, I could actually believe that the great god Jeragund might appear to me."

"You make it sound so easy!" Hurlus yanked her hand away, exasperated. "Who do you think you are? Even the Holy Maiden hasn't seen Lord Yeragand in so long. Why would the great god Yeragand appear for you alone?"

Ernst pursed his lips: "That's not necessarily true."

"What do you mean 'not necessarily'?" Hugh Ruth really couldn't understand where Ernst's confidence came from.

But Ernst shrugged, offering no explanation, and patted Hugh Ruth on the head with a smile: "Not necessarily."

Whether Enya has seen Yeragand, and whether Yeragand will appear to him, is anyone's guess.

At least in Ernst's memory, that god was a wonderful god with the title "This is the woman who can become my mother".

The branch won't break on the chameleon's arm, it's time for my first wave of side jumps!

Chapter Sixteen: Sherag Needs a Mighty Man to Fall From the Sky

Shelag, Mount Kalan, Sacred Stone Square.

Legend has it that in ancient times, Jeragund created Sherag to guide people towards virtue and goodness, and then fell into a deep sleep. When He awoke again, He found that Sherag had undergone a complete transformation.

A tyrant ruled Sherag at that time. He did not believe in Jeragand, but instead promoted his own heretical cult. He imposed heavy taxes on his people and exploited them greatly. He built a palace as tall as a mountain. As a result, the entire Sherag people suffered, and countless devout Jeragand followers died.

Jeragund was enraged and sent down a month-long blizzard that buried the tyrant and his palace alive. When the tyrant was overthrown and He was once again receiving the worship of His followers, He was overcome with grief upon seeing that only a tenth of them remained, and He could not help but shed tears.

This tear transformed into a sacred stone, which fell upon the palace buried by the blizzard. To commemorate the miracle of Yeragand, the mountain that the tyrant's palace had transformed into was designated a sacred mountain, and the square where the sacred stone stood became a holy site for Sherag, where grand holy hunting ceremonies are held every year, and incense burns ever brightly.

Of course, the authenticity of the legend has always been a question. The only certainty is that the Manju Institute was established after the miracle occurred, because they added a tidbit to the myth: the great Jeragund did not want a tyrant to appear in Shelag again, so he sent devout and kind believers to establish the Manju Institute to manage the affairs of Shelag.

Ernst could only say that the Manjusaka Institute was always adept at fabricating stories. Their skill in creating something out of nothing was like the Catholic Church claiming that God commanded the Pope to establish the Papal States to govern earthly affairs. But the truth is clear to everyone. Even if God truly existed, he at most sent his son to earth to be crucified once; as for the Pope and the Papal States, that was the work of St. Peter, and had absolutely nothing to do with God.

Of course, if you're referring to the God that Jesus' brother, Hong Tianwang, then Ernst didn't say that.

Thanks to the storytelling ability of the Manju Institute, Ernst's ascent to the Holy Mountain was equally arduous.

At six o'clock in the morning, Ernst, who had spent the night in his office, emerged from his low bungalow at the chosen time and set off towards the sacred mountain of Kalan.

The first city they passed through was Tukarim. As the only gateway city to the outside world for Shelag, the people here had already come into contact with information from the outside world to some extent. They also believed in Jeragand, but the fervor of their faith had not been as great as before. When they saw Ernst walking alone on the road, they just leaned out of the windows of the houses on both sides and looked at him with incomprehension and pity, as if they were looking at a poor man who was about to die.

More than concerned about Ernst's fate, they were indifferent spectators. Having enjoyed the benefits of the modernization promoted by Enciodes, they consciously aligned themselves with the Shivaesh family. No one uttered a word of mockery, but even fewer were willing to stand up and say a word.

Indifference and apathy are common ailments among city dwellers, and they are beginning to succumb to this incurable disease.

Ernst walked silently along this stretch of road, knowing that this was only the beginning.

Heading northeast along Tukarim, you'll find the undeveloped area that Ernst has already mortgaged to Magnus Bank.

This once sparsely populated area is now packed with people, and even though it is still early and the weather is cold, it cannot quell the anger in their hearts.

Upon Ernst's arrival, the crowd erupted in cheers. Leading the group was Guro of the Perroch family, who held a wooden plaque and roared:

"Traitor! Ernst, you traitor! Don't even think about selling the land of Shelag!"

His roar was like opening the floodgates of a reservoir; in an instant, entire swathes of people began to roar in anger.

"This is the land bestowed upon us by the great god Jeragund, how dare you sell it!"

"How could the Shivaesh family produce such a disgrace as you!"

"Ensiodis and the Holy Maiden will be ashamed of you!"

"*Extremely offensive and vulgar Sherag*"

This was the first time Ernst truly understood the meaning of the phrase "like a thorn in one's back".

Even after he had passed through an area, the people from that area would still chase after him, catching up to him and continuing to unleash their fury. Every now and then, things like stones, sand, or even firewood sticks from their homes would fly out from the crowd and be thrown at Ernst.

If Magnus Bank hadn't been prepared and brought in a lot of security personnel from Colombia in advance to keep the crowd at the scene, Ernst might have been caught up by some brute and given a good beating.

Ernst didn't see Luther Magnus on the road until he was almost out of the area around Tukarim.

The Colombian banker looked at the disheveled Ernst and sighed with a hint of disappointment:

"I told you to listen to me long ago. These unruly people, what do they know about development, pioneering, or the future?"

He patted the replica gun at his waist, as if stating a truth:

"No matter how much you try to reason with them, they won't listen. The only thing they can understand is this."

But Ernst shook his head:

“This is something I expected, Mr. Luther.”

"The people haven't actually done anything wrong. From their perspective, they are simply protecting this land."

Luther clicked his tongue:

"In such a foolish way?"

Ernst nodded. "Yes. And, Mr. Luther, you should thank them for their stupidity. If they were Colombians, their complaint would be on the Vice President's desk by now, and I would be facing resignation immediately. The Sheragans didn't know that, so our contract can continue to be fulfilled."

Luther Magnus paused, looking at the stubbornly smiling boy in front of him with utter surprise, before finally shaking his head helplessly:

"To be honest, it would be so much better if you were Colombian. You would have achieved just as much as I have there."

Ernst pursed his lips, raised his head, looked at the snow-covered sacred mountain in the distance, and slowly said:

"If a brilliant young man hadn't appeared in Colombia back then, deciding to lead Colombia in rebellion against Victoria's rule, would we have that land of opportunity and dreams today?"

The Colombian heroes who suddenly appeared were unaware of this, but they still chose to do it. Among them were Colombian natives, Vitória rebels, and even volunteers from Lateran, Letania, Gaul, and all over the world.

They succeeded, and that's why Colombia is where it is today.

But what about Sherag?

The future of the Sheraq people is equally bleak. Surrounded by the three powerful nations of Colombia, Vitória, and Casimir, their start is not much better than that of the Colombians.

People may not realize it now, but in ten or twenty years, when they do, the land-based naval guns of the great powers may already be at the foot of the holy mountain.

This country also needs a superhuman hero.

This hunky guy could be Enciodes, Enya, or of course, Ernst!

If no one else is willing to take the lead, then he will. At least it's better than gambling his fate on this altered timeline, where Ensiodis will still initiate the snow mountain incident!

After passing the silent Luther Magnus, Ernst continued toward the holy mountain.

Behind him, Luther Magnus was accompanied by an older Sakta, wearing a black trench coat and a cowboy hat with holes.

“Mr. Cliff,” Luther Magnus nodded to the man beside him, “It’s kind of you to come all this way in person.”

"Bridge Cliff" Cliff shook his head, but his gaze was fixed on Ernst's retreating figure:

"Is he the protected target you mentioned?"

Luther nodded: "A land that has never been hit by a natural disaster and has unique snow mountain scenery is an invaluable vacation spot for any important person. The deal that Prime Minister Ernst and I signed is enough to make me a fortune, and hiring a team of Blacksteel mercenaries for him is just a reasonable investment."

"Usually when I receive your commission, it's to have my people overthrow a regime. It's rare for you to send your people to protect a certain regime."

Cliff stated a terrible fact with a stern expression, but then, a faint smile appeared on his face:

"However, I think I understand why you did that now."

He raised his head, looking towards the snow-capped mountain Ernst had walked towards, and said with satisfaction:

"I'm getting old, but seeing such beautiful scenery and nice young men makes this trip worthwhile."

"Once your resort is built, reserve a house for me."

Chapter Seventeen: The Judgment of the Sacred Stones!

The elder felt he had reached the pinnacle of his life.

It's not about physical peak, but mental peak.

As an old man who had stood at the pinnacle of power for decades, the Grand Elder, during his years of ruling Manjusin, believed he had long since become indifferent to the ups and downs of life. Normally, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would have continued in this way until he died of old age on the Manjusin throne.

But as everyone knows, on Terra, if you think nothing is going to happen, then something is likely to happen.

First, the Shivaish family, which had been expelled from Shelag years earlier, returned to the Three Clans Council through the introduction of the Blantau family. Then, Ensiodis Shivaish engaged in "trade" in his own territory, making a fortune under the name of the Holy Mountain Karan, and there was a growing trend of expansion.

Now, he has taken the lead in creating some kind of incongruous "Sherragh government and national assembly" and is trying to take away executive power from him.

What is this? This is rebellion!

Although the agreement of the other two clans at the Three Clans Conference prevented the Grand Elder from finding a suitable opportunity to retaliate, it did not mean that he was willing to back down.

He was nonchalant and indifferent to the facts, all because he stood atop the mountain of power. Anyone who tried to discredit him would be beheaded!

And now, this is the opportunity.

Kill the chicken to scare the monkey!

"Ernst Shivaish, do you plead guilty?"

On the Holy Stone Square, the Grand Elder spoke in a loud voice.

The early hour and the snow-covered ground did not dampen people's enthusiasm. The square was packed with onlookers. Actos Perroch, Latatos Brantau, and Ensiodes Shivaesh sat on specially prepared seats below the Holy Stone platform, while the Kalan Saint Enya Shivaesh sat behind the Holy Stone, watching Ernst and the Grand Elder standing on either side of it.

The Perroch family militia surrounded the entire area, maintaining order. In this sacred place and on this sacred occasion, the people of Sherag temporarily suppressed their anger, quietly awaiting the judgment of the great god Jeragund on Ernst's actions.

Standing on the other side of the sacred stone, facing the elder who was leaning on his wooden staff and about to condemn him, Ernst firmly shook his head:

"I am not guilty."

The First Elder frowned and shouted:

"Without the permission of the Three Races Council and the Manju Academy, you sold the land of Shelag and desecrated the blessing bestowed upon the Shelag people by the great god Yeragand. Isn't this a heinous crime?!"

But Ernst was not intimidated by this sudden accusation; instead, he calmly countered with a question:

"First, I need to clarify this long-standing misunderstanding."

“I did not sell the land in Shelag to Magnus Bank of Colombia. I took out a loan with a term of 10 years and an amount of 6 million Colombian gold notes. These details are recorded in Shelag’s financial statements for this year and have been posted on a blackboard outside my office. It’s just that nobody looks at them and nobody cares.”

"The abandoned land northeast of Tukarim was only mortgaged to Magnus Bank of Colombia as collateral for a loan. As long as I pay the corresponding interest and repay the principal to Magnus Bank of Colombia within the repayment period, this land will still belong to Shelag. Therefore, the claim that I sold the land in Shelag is a complete rumor, and I will hold Guro accountable for spreading this rumor."

Ernst paused, glancing at Guro standing in the crowd below the stage.

All eyes turned to Guluo. Clearly, most of the Sherag people, just as Ernst had said, hadn't paid any attention to the core of this farce. They had only heard Guluo's rumors and incitement and turned their anger towards Ernst.

Most of them were unaware of the meaning of the loan and naturally sought confirmation from Guluo, who had spread the rumor. And what about Guluo?

As a hot-tempered Ursus man living in the Perroch household, he clearly didn't know either.

He glanced awkwardly at the crowd staring at him, his face flushed, gritted his teeth, and shouted at the top of his lungs:

"What loan? What collateral? You're just using these words to fool us! Now you say it's a loan, not a land sale, but a few days later you say it's a loan, not a land sale. Where are we supposed to go to complain? You're just taking advantage of the fact that we don't understand!"

His words brought the crowd back to their senses, and they all chimed in: "Yeah, what Ernst said sounds so true, but we don't understand anything. He's using all these incomprehensible terms to explain that he's right. Isn't that just bullying us?"

This left Ernst somewhat helpless.

The Holy Stone Trial was, after all, a trial, not a classroom. He neither had the ability nor the time to explain to the Sherag people, step by step, what loan relationships were and what financing and investment were. These things should be learned in the classroom and understood in the process of modernization.