People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

[Chronology] After hearing this, I was somewhat confused:

"I didn't think you were a giant beast, did you?"

Gao Wen was on the verge of tears—yes, Lion Head, on the verge of tears, picked up the wall clock that [Chronology] had newly possessed after shedding its skin:

"I thought that after all this time, you would have considered me family. I never imagined there would still be such a barrier between us! It's truly heartbreaking!"

[Timeline] He was still too lazy after all. Facing Gawain, he couldn't be bothered with idle chatter. He silently moved his body away from Gawain's "enthusiastic hands," indicating:

"If you say yes, then so be it."

He picked up the conversation and explained to [Sami],

"You should remember that scientist; she was an elf. Yeragand even asked us about her."

Speaking of elves, [Sammy] immediately remembered them. She folded the letter slightly, a nod in acknowledgment.

“I remember I promised her that if she wanted, she could come and live in the Sami elven community. She didn’t agree then. I never expected that she would be taken in by Yeragand in the end.”

The minute and second hands of the [time sequence] indicator point to 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock respectively, providing a very hardcore simulation of the gesture of spreading one's hands.

"There's nothing we can do about it. Yeragand is still young and easily moved by emotions. Besides, He has never released any fragments of rules or given birth to any life forms like elves, so it's normal for Him to be curious about that water spirit."

"However, is learning really useful for behemoths?"

This is the issue that [Time Sequence] is most concerned about.

With Yeragand constantly scrolling through his books, if He weren't a behemoth, even the Chronology would have to question whether He were a college student preparing for graduate school or civil service exams.

The question is, is all that knowledge really useful to the behemoth?

Throughout history, there has never been any story of a giant beast learning human knowledge, mastering some law, and thus achieving a qualitative leap in strength.

After all, humanity's understanding of the concept of "rules" itself is quite limited. They cannot comprehend time, space, or even the very earth beneath their feet. How can the various books they have written possibly help the behemoths that, in theory, are born with a complete grasp of the meaning and concept of "rules"?

Faced with His question, [Sami] remained silent for a long time.

After a long silence, He gave a response that was astonishing even in terms of its temporal sequence.

"I do not know."

"Theoretically speaking, learning human knowledge should be of very limited help to the giant beasts themselves. After all, how much do humans actually know?"

"But... if we put aside the aspect of learning knowledge and focus solely on learning itself, I can't really explain it."

"Because one of the rules I know is [protection]."

The rule, or rather the concept, of "Guardianship" was not something that "Sami" had from the beginning.

To put it more abstractly, it was a rule He suddenly comprehended after shouldering the heavy responsibility of guarding the northern icefield defenses of Terra and protecting the civilization behind Him, through contemplation of the universe. It's somewhat similar to the concept of "sudden enlightenment" in cultivation novels.

In more practical terms, He didn't know how He obtained it; He just kept guarding it, and one day he woke up and it was there.

However, if we take His own experience as a reference, Jeragund might not learn anything from studying. But the act of "studying" itself might trigger some unknown consequences.

Who knows, maybe one day He will also have an epiphany and transform into a god of learning?

From now on, Terra test takers might have to shout "Gangmen above, may you pass every exam!" when praying before the exam.

Chapter 367 Strange Tales of the Seraphim Rules

Sherag, Tukarim, Ernst's office.

Ernst is making arrangements for his trip.

“While I’m away, I’ll leave the government matters to Vina.”

"If there's anything Vina doesn't understand, she can put it aside for now, write to me, or wait for me to come back and handle it."

"If things are really urgent, you can ask my brother Enciodes for advice, but please note that when you meet with my brother, you must also invite my sister."

While Enya's skill level may not match Enshiodes', she possesses a genuine anti-Enshiodes radar. She might not be able to pinpoint the pitfalls in Enshiodes' suggestions, but she can certainly sense whether a pitfall has been dug.

Vina nodded knowingly. At the same time, Horhaia also spoke up:

"Of course, you can also choose to ask me."

"It's not that urgent."

Ernst advised against it.

He discouraged Vina from seeking advice from Horhyahia. Horhyahia's suggestions were sometimes truly unethical.

To exaggerate a bit, she's like Jia Xu; her strategies and suggestions—were they useful? Absolutely, they were, and quite effective. But they were all somewhat unethical.

This was no joke. Ernst remembered clearly that before the World's Fair, he was chatting with Horhaeya when he casually asked if there was any way to keep the Sarkaz of Londinium quiet and prevent them from causing trouble at this crucial time of the fair, thus affecting Ernst's careful preparations.

Holhaya did offer a suggestion: "It's very simple, boss. Just leak the news about the airship in advance, and then announce whoever can eliminate it will get the airship. Soon, people will start to get restless."

This plan was, of course, a joke between the two. Ernst developed airships to prevent wars, so naturally he wouldn't use them to start another war. He just wanted Sarkaz to stop causing trouble, not to physically shut him up completely.

But putting aside these practical considerations, was Horhaya's seemingly frivolous and unethical scheme actually effective?

The answer is helpful.

Given the Sarkaz's infamous reputation, it wouldn't be surprising if they were surrounded at any time. Now, with a legitimate reason to retake the capital and the enormous profits from airships, it's uncertain whether figures like the Duke of Castle and the Duke of Wellington will continue to remain neutral.

If they all attacked together, Ernst didn't think Sarkaz's few hundred mercenaries could withstand them.

Horhaia had made similarly immoral suggestions more than once, ranging from turning the World Summit into a war mobilization meeting to spreading rumors that Ensiodes had suffered a heartbreak in his early years, thus turning him into the terror Nantong to damage his reputation. Whenever Ernst thought of these suggestions that he had rejected, he felt a sense of moral satisfaction.

There's a sense of accomplishment in successfully preventing the Terra cesspool from becoming even more filthy!

Therefore, Ernst solemnly warned:

“If the situation is so urgent that we need to ask Holhaya for her opinion, then I suggest that you have at least three people present to witness it.”

"If two people disagree, then don't take this advice."

Vina nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite. Horhaia, however, rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Why didn't she find her that scary? Ernst was explaining something as if he were explaining the rules of some kind of supernatural tale.

[Sherragh Government Rules]

[1: Just as there cannot be two suns in the sky, the Sherrag government has only one head, namely Prime Minister Ernst Siwassh.]

[2: If you need to enter the government premises, you need to make an appointment. If it is urgent, you can explain your identity and purpose to the receptionist. She will then take you to see Prime Minister Ernst. Please make sure she is indeed taking you to Ernst, and not someone else.]

[3: Ernst occasionally travels for work, and during these trips, he will randomly take a government employee with him. Please note that the person taken away is not in Kjerag. Under no circumstances will they appear in Kjerag. If they do appear, avoid them; it might be a prank by Muirsayth, or it might be someone greater.]

[4: During Ernst's business trip, the reception mentioned in Rule 2 will take you to find a temporary representative, appointed by Prime Minister Ernst. Please note that this representative cannot be Enciodis. If you find Enciodis sitting in the office, please leave immediately; you have gone to the wrong place. This is not a government office building, but Kalan Trade.]

[5: If you find that the receptionist is not there, she may have gone off duty, or she may have just been chosen to be taken away by Ernst. In this case, the emergency situation mentioned in Rule 2 will not exist. Nothing is urgent, and even if it were urgent enough, it is not urgent now. You have to wait in line.]

[6: Avoid seeking advice from Holheimer unless absolutely necessary. Her advice is often helpful, but you may not be able to afford the cost of adopting it.]

[7: When you encounter phenomena in Kjerag that seem inexplicable—such as ever-changing cloud shapes, inexplicably distorted light on some people, or even hail-like clouds above some people's heads despite a sunny day—these are normal occurrences in Kjerag. If you notice them, don't worry about them. If you want better luck, you can put your hands together, follow the instructions in the Kjerag Tourist Guide, perform a bow, and say "Gangmen." The great being will bless you.]

As long as you follow the above rules, the Shelag government will be happy to help you with any problems you encounter during your trip. We wish you a pleasant journey.

What if you have a strong rebellious streak and don't intend to follow the rules?

That's ridiculous! Sherag is perfectly safe, okay? This is just for fun!

Holhaya pursed her lips and silently memorized the idea.

Next time, I'll revise it, change the name of the Sherag government to something else, and post it on the intercity network. Who knows, I might get some more views?

Unfortunately, Lavshini took over her secretarial job of serving tea and water, and her advisory work wasn't as frequent anymore, so she was indeed quite free.

The only way I can make a living is by reading books, browsing online forums, pretending to be an insider, arguing with annoying, rule-breaking tourists on anonymous forums, and posting gossip and other tidbits about the Shelag government.

Don't laugh, she's not the only one doing this. Holhaya found an account on the anonymous forum that had been posting even earlier than her, and that frequently leaked interesting anecdotes about the Shelag government. Moreover, this account belonged to a fanfiction writer who often used pseudonyms and wrote bizarre stories.

After investigating, Holhaya was quite certain that the person was Miss Liboli Joyce, who kept a low profile in the finance department.

What? How can you be so sure?

This isn't difficult at all; after all, very few people can write something so strange with such a straightforward, factual style. And it includes content from everyone except Joyce herself.

It's like telling political jokes without mentioning anything about yourself—it has a kind of understated charm.

Of course, after the investigation, Holhaia didn't actually go to Joyce to verify it; instead, she just showed her the strange book and said:

“Miss Joyce, you wouldn’t want Prime Minister Ernst to see something like this, would you?” and other such classic lines.

reason?

You can't exactly say that she herself found it quite enjoyable, can you?

Even if she were to say something like that, it would probably be when she goes to urge the author to update the chapters, right?

Holhaya's lips curled into a breathtaking smile, but she quickly composed herself.

Oh, putting aside these trivial matters, her initial goal hasn't changed.

Even now, she still occasionally visits the Manju Temple to offer incense to the great goddess Yeragand. Through tireless efforts, she has made remarkable progress in this area! The great goddess Yeragand has already bestowed upon her a divine stone. It seems that she is not far from understanding the secrets of her race's four-hundred-year history!

"What are you grinning about? Did you hear what I just said?"

Ernst, unaware of what his secretary was thinking, frowned slightly and called out to bring Holhaya back to reality.

Holhaya was stunned for a moment, then, coming back to her senses, she immediately nodded, already used to multitasking:

"of course."

"When the BOSS goes to Kazimierz this time, besides taking Mr. Jeston, he will also be taking Miss Hintria with him, won't he?"

Ernst nodded:

“That’s right. Hinterlaya hasn’t been back to Kazimierz in a long time either. Now that we have the opportunity, we should naturally take her back to visit.”

He turned his head and looked at Hinterlea.

"The feeling of standing on the field and sitting in the stands must be completely different, right?"

Hinterlea's lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end she closed them again, forming a smile:

"Indeed, I'm also really looking forward to watching a knightly tournament across Terra with the boss."

Of course, what she really looked forward to was the result after shortening the sentence.

The feeling of being with the boss.

Who cares if the shrinking is right or wrong, that's how Cintraya wants to shrink it!

Vina stays behind, Horhaya stays behind, Jeston's appearance in the game is not a concern, and the only person accompanying the boss on the trip is me, Hinterlea!

Open your eyes and look. Who's in charge now?

Overwhelmed with joy, Cintraya was also filled with mixed emotions.

Back then, at eighteen, I stood on the knightly arena like a lackey! And now?

She's also someone who can sit in the VIP section, pontificate, and write passionately—a true power player!

Hinterlea didn't possess Vina's special status or innate sense of responsibility, nor did she have Horhaia's ambition to restore her people's glory or her rich experience and strategic thinking. She considered herself just an ordinary person with both obvious strengths and weaknesses.

But she knows who treats her well, who treats her badly, who changed her life, and who made her who she is today.

Perhaps, from the moment she first met Ernst in that dark alley, she never intended to leave this "son of Scherrag."

Watching a snow leopard bare its teeth is quite a treat!

Ernst nodded as he looked at Hinterlea's expectant face.

With his work arrangements largely complete, it had been a long time since he had set foot on land outside of Shelag once again.

Let's go, Kazimierz!

Chapter 368 Marna's Weakness

Kazimir, the Grand Knight Commander of Kavaleria.

A city of commerce, a land of knights. Some praise it as a land of dreams, others denounce it as Terra's biggest money pit, and still others despairingly describe it as a towering structure, hierarchical and orderly, yet stagnant and devoid of any hope.

Whether it's a promising model city for Terra's future or a suffocatingly decadent and debauched wasteland, it doesn't matter to Marna.

He doesn't care.

There are many things in Marner didn't care about in her life.