People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

He looked at Horhaya, who shook her head in confusion.

Muirsey raised his chin smugly and, in front of Ernst and Horhys, took out a stone from his pocket.

The two people present were very familiar with this stone; one of them even had an identical one on him.

"The Jeragand Stone? You've met... the great goddess Jeragand?"

Ernst pursed his lips and stopped talking.

That was close; we almost exposed our own god's identity.

When Ya'er was dealing with Safar's flames at the Dome Research Station, she released the same ice shield that she used when dealing with Theresis in the Rhine Lab's Balrog Laboratory. Combined with all the previous signs, Ernst was now certain that this perfectly elegant and graceful handmaiden was almost certainly an incarnation or agent of Yeragand.

Ninety-eight percent of the time it was due to human exhaustion, and the remaining amount was to give face to the great god Jeragund.

What if Sherag really is a hidden master? The position of head maid is somewhat similar to that of the sweeping monk.

Furthermore, after Ya'er showed off that little trick, she immediately panicked and explained to Ernst that it was "Yelagonde appearing to him," and Ernst couldn't bear to expose her lie.

I should play along and pretend I didn't see it.

Muirsey's expression also highlighted his smugness.

Meeting Horhaya's somewhat envious gaze, she proudly announced:

“That’s right, I was personally recruited by the great god Yeragand—”

"The First Scholar of the Manju Academy!"

After speaking, Muirsay was surrounded by a dazzling golden light, resembling the god Lü Meng.

Ernst broke down instantly, unable to hold back.

Oh, you were listening all along!

PS:

Chapter 335 The Mysterious Organization of Mount Sumeru: The Mastermind Behind Terra!

Lateran, the Holy Mountain Order.

As a newly emerging small religious organization in Lateran, the Holy Mountain Order did not initially receive much attention.

The Sakorta people are always impulsive, and the Papal Palace receives hundreds of formal applications every day for the establishment of organizations. Most of these are dessert research societies and new dessert invention societies, where three to five people can often form a group and then submit a report to the Papal Palace requesting funding for their activities.

That's right. In Lateran, even such a bizarre organization will receive funding from the Papal Court as long as it passes the review.

There's no way around it; they're wealthy. Pope Ivangelist XI is a prime example of someone who's incredibly rich. If he were to shout, "Who still has dreams?", even a beggar in Lateran could receive a subsidy from him. Not to mention a research institute dedicated to inventing new desserts.

Unfortunately, in the past, such organizational vetting was not so strict, which allowed people to exploit loopholes.

Some Sakortas had wild ideas, thinking they had found a loophole in the rules. Since His Holiness the Pope was willing to fund an organization like the Pastry Research Society, why couldn't they just ask His Holiness the Pope for money in the name of the Pastry Research Society, then eat their way through every pastry shop in Lateran, and finally gloriously declare their new pastry a failure?

This attempt to profit without any investment caught the Papal Court off guard, resulting in a significant financial loss. Ultimately, because so many Sakotas exploited this loophole, they bought up all the pastries King Evangelist XI wanted, incurring the Pope's wrath. He ordered a thorough review of all pastry societies, significantly refining the review standards, and entrusted the matter to the notary office—the infamous Federico Giallo.

It's clear he was very angry.

After a while, the situation of the Dessert Research Society exploiting loopholes did indeed gradually subside. However, in contrast, other organizations, such as the "Gun and Weapon Research Society," the "Research Society on What Loopholes Can Be Exploited in the Law," and the "Research Society on Whether Sakota Can Convert to the Iberian State Religion"—and these are indeed the names—emerged like mushrooms after rain.

Compared to them, the Holy Mountain Order, or the Holy Mountain Hermitage, although it had a suspicious air about it, actually looked quite respectable in the eyes of the Papal Court's censors.

After all, it's only suspicious, while the others are practically treasonous.

However, the clerk who had approved the grant and was moved to give a substantial amount of funding did not expect that the Presbyterian Order of Mount Saint would expand in such a short period of time.

In just a few months since its founding, this little-known organization has grown into a medium-sized organization with hundreds of members.

In response, Oren, an extremely rare Sakorta racist who had just returned to Laterano from the Duchy of Godottin for a report, couldn't help but comment:

"Seriously, Violet, when did the Sarkaz of Laterano start liking hermitage?"

Violet also felt something was off. She held the file about the Holy Mountain Hermitage in her hand, carefully examining the information on the registrants and the organization's philosophy and purpose:

"This was applied for by Li Boli."

"Li Boli?"

"Patia Fiameta's successor."

Oren nodded.

He recognized Fiamet, not only because she belonged to the famous Laterano squad from back then, and because the even more famous member of that squad, "Silent Remian," was ambushed and seriously injured, remaining in a coma to this day. It was also because of Fiamet's background; she was one of the life goals of a Sakorta like Oren.

Her grandfather—though not a blood relative, but closer than a family member—was a glorious Papal Gunner. He served as a guard at this World's Fair and was granted the right to accompany His Holiness the Pope on his visit to Kjerag.

"Thinking about it this way, it doesn't seem like there's any problem."

Oren nodded in relief.

The Sakorta monastery in Laterano is not normal.

It's perfectly normal for the Liberi monastery in Lateran to be registered as a hermit!

After all, the Liberi have always been a minority and conservatives in Lateran. They don't have the same boundless imagination as the Sarkaz, nor the ability to use firearms. It's understandable that some of them would suddenly become fascinated with hermitage.

"Shall we put this matter aside for now?" Oren asked, seeking his opinion.

He certainly couldn't make the decision on this. Only Valerie, who belonged to the Seventh Bureau and had the authority to conduct searches, could make the final decision.

Violet waved her hand:

"His Holiness the Pope has sent a messenger with news that Prime Minister Ernst of Shelag will be making an urgent secret visit to us in the next few days. Let's prepare things here first."

"As for the Presbyterian Order of Mount Saint, I've heard that most of its members aren't Sarkaz, but rather people from Laterano like the Liberi and Felin. Although they are numerous, they are a rabble and won't cause any immediate damage. Let's put them aside for now."

.........

The Church of Requiem, the Presbyterian Church on Mount Requiem.

"Brothers, sisters, my friends, all strangers who share the same goal and are of the same mind, our organization is called the Presbyterian Order of the Holy Mountain."

"Perhaps some of you know me, some have joined, and some know me."

“That’s right, just as you guessed, this organization used to have another name: the Pathfinders.”

On the missionary platform in the church, a man with short, gray-blue hair slowly recounted the history of the organization. The dull and boring story of starting from scratch became magnificent in his narration. He was wanted countless times, exiled, killed and saved countless times, and survived every desperate situation. Finally, he returned to Laterano once again!

Yes, he, Hu Hansan... cough cough, Andorn, is back! Like a resilient cockroach from the south, even though the process was full of twists and turns, he still managed to reach his goal in the end.

This time, however, he is quite different from before.

Having personally visited the Iberian coastline, the slums of Victoria, and the frontiers of Colombia, Andorn has come to understand what the truly diverse "majority" is and has found the true path to achieving his goals.

God said that all life is equal.

He had already seen the true form of the Law, and it was clearly unrealistic to place his hopes on a giant machine and expect it to save other races as it had saved the Sarkaz.

If we can't rely on gods, then what about emperors? And what about the rulers of various countries with all sorts of titles?

They can't be relied on either.

The Iberian courts condemned any thought that deviated from the established norms as heresy, replacing critical criticism with bullets. The Dukes of Victoria never concern themselves with anything that conflicted with their own interests; even the most human among them treated "caring for the common people" merely as an occasional act of kindness, not a matter of course. As for Colombia…

There is no mercy on the frontier. Its great rulers, the President of Colombia and his Vice President, are nothing more than opportunists. Once the blood and sacrifices have filled the empty shell of a city, completing this "sacrifice" in the modern sense, they will appear and rightfully take away everything that should belong to the people.

How logical it all seemed, as if everything was just supposed to be this way!

Absurd, ridiculous!

Andorn knew that gods and emperors were unreliable; they could only rely on themselves. And to build that earthly paradise where everyone was equal and happy, they could only rely on their own hands!

He eventually returned to Lateran because he still had supporters there and his valuable "base of support."

"I changed the name of the Pathfinders to the Presbyterian Order for three reasons."

"Firstly, to commemorate a friend, partner, and mentor who inspired me during a time of confusion. He disliked personality cults and refused any such titles, so I use the Holy Mountain to represent him, to prove to him that I will, along with his share of helplessness, carry out our will!"

"Secondly, seclusion. Our ideas are not tolerated in the current Terra. The power of kings and generals is too great. I do not want any brothers or sisters who share my ideals to act rashly and lose their lives because of these ideals."

"Sacrifice is worthy of respect and remembrance, but pointless sacrifice only causes greater casualties. I hope that everyone in the Presbyterian Order will uphold our philosophy—forbearance! The world is constantly changing, and only when the situation changes can we truly have an opportunity to act! This change doesn't necessarily have to happen in Lateran; it can happen in any region that is similarly oppressed and exploited. Therefore, we should remain hidden in plain sight, expanding our influence without publicizing our purpose. Our organization should be a solid support for anyone who aspires to resist oppressors! It should be a supporter, a manipulator, and a helper!"

"The third and most important point is."

Andorn glanced at everyone present:

"The monastic order, as an ancient organizational category of Lateran religion, emphasizes purity, sincerity, and dedication."

"Therefore, I hope you all understand that we are not some kind of fun organization, nor are we here for promotions and wealth. Joining us will not get you delicious candy, and you will even need to share the candy with others."

"If you cannot accept our philosophy, you may choose to withdraw right now."

Andorn smiled, trying not to put any pressure on those present, ensuring they could make their own honest choices.

"I'll give you all ten minutes to consider."

After speaking, he slowly stepped back and came to the back of the altar in the Church of Requiem.

Patia was already waiting for him there.

"That was a fantastic speech, and I'm sure we're about to gain even more supporters!"

"Having many supporters isn't necessarily a good thing. Compared to weak fence-sitters, we need people with truly firm wills."

Andorn emphasized,

"The most important thing for a team like ours is to maintain its purity."

Patia nodded solemnly.

Andorn then asked:

"Any news from the Papal Court?"

Patia shook her head:

"The garrison hasn't received any news recently. The Pope has not yet returned, and everything is up to the cardinals to decide."

She paused slightly halfway through her sentence, then changed the subject.

"But it's not like there's absolutely no news."

"Boss, your friend's 'Star-Picking Project' was successful, but the results were not announced immediately. He kept it a secret."

"Have he been hiding it?" Andorn pursed his lips, but had a different thought. "He might just be unable to announce it for the time being."

Although he and Ernst could not become comrades-in-arms due to their different positions and circumstances, Andorn prided himself on understanding Ernst's style of doing things quite well. He was always meticulous in his work, and the purpose of the World's Fair was to enhance Kjerag's international prestige. As for the success of the Star-Picking Project, which best demonstrated Kjerag's "energy," whatever it may be, Ernst had no reason to hide it.

Even if there is something that truly needs to be concealed, only part of it should be concealed, while the other part should be made public. Otherwise, this experiment will fail to achieve its intended "political significance."

Therefore, rather than deliberately concealing it, he felt that Ernst had most likely encountered some problem.

Unfortunately, science, especially the exploration of the sky, is probably not something he can help with.

Patia nodded, neither confirming nor denying, and went straight to the second matter:

"In addition, the Lateran garrison was recently notified to allow a group of Ursus people to enter the country. They are said to be minor nobles from the Ursus tundra who have been plundered by infected guerrillas and have been caught up in the political struggle following the death of Duke Ursus Kosieche, so they have no choice but to seek refuge abroad."

"They came to Lateran with a large sum of money. According to our members in the Papal Court, the Papal Court granted them political asylum on the condition that they donate the money."

In the past, Andorn would have certainly criticized Laterano for taking advantage of the chaos.

But now he also understands very well that Lateran's wealth did not fall from the sky. His compatriots were able to enjoy their current lives in this city only because of the money provided by these people.

Not only them, but also him and the Presbyterian Church of Mount Eden, needed money. Without money and without economic support, any struggle would be impossible and would only be a laughing matter.

However, he prefers the idea that "a gentleman loves wealth, but acquires it in a proper way," and that the state, as a "moral vacuum machine," can accept any kind of wealth as long as it is reasonable, regardless of whether it is justifiable.

So, upon hearing this news, he simply pursed his lips, sighed softly, and didn't say much about this behavior. Instead, he focused his attention on another key point:

"Patia, how much do you know about the infected guerrillas on the Ursus tundra?"

Patia clearly hadn't expected Andorn to ask that question so suddenly. She blinked, and after a long pause, she awkwardly managed to squeeze out two words:

"Feel sorry."

Andorn gently shook his head: "It's alright."

"If possible, please help me gather some information about them. Just like we did with the previous research on the [real Bolivarians] and the [remnants of the Witch King's faction]."

There are actually quite a few organizations on this land that are dissatisfied with the existing order.

Andorn collects them in order to select one or two businesses that are worth helping.