People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

The only problem is the reputation issue.

If Fremont were to win the World Economic Conference, his prestige would be immense. All of Letania would idolize and praise this magical master who had achieved great things on foreign lands. Even now, with Fremont only in the semifinals, the Twin Queens have received petitions from their subjects more than once, mostly requesting that Fremont be knighted, but she has remained silent about them.

If one's reputation is too high, it's not suitable to leave. Otherwise, it would be even more detrimental to propaganda and stability. It would give Letania and its people a bad reputation for "not tolerating meritorious individuals."

Therefore, the trade rule she set for Flamon was this: if the Lich King's Court wanted to leave, then you couldn't win the championship. If you won the championship, then the Lich King's Court absolutely could not leave!

Fremont's victory appears to be solely a matter of his personal reputation, unrelated to the Lich King's court. However, the Lich King's continued presence in Letania also has its advantages. Trades must be reciprocal; it's unreasonable to expect the Lich King to not win but instead boost Letania's reputation, and then let his entire family go while he wins. Wouldn't that be a huge loss for me?

Fremont accepted the terms.

So, he wants to lose either way. The only difference is who he loses to.

Now it seems that losing to Jeston is not bad, as it also allows Ernst to do that kid a favor. When that brat Emengard goes to Sherag, he might be able to study the Balrog for a couple more days without being disturbed.

I'm a genius!

Seemingly noticing Fremont's constantly shifting, ultimately satisfied expression, Jesston finally whispered a reminder:

“Um, Mr. Fremont.”

"Ok?"

"Is your butt okay?"

Fremont paused, then suddenly realized what he meant.

Good heavens, you insidious Li Boli, where did you just stab?

This body is no good, let's sculpt a new one as soon as possible!

Chapter 439 The final winner is Kazimir

Regarding the many people's questioning of the suspicious circumstances surrounding Fremont's defeat, Fremont himself stated that their guesses were correct.

Winning would be easy. Fremont could see Jeston's strength at his normal level. Although he didn't know how Jeston's amazing three-stage transformation was, dealing with Jeston in his initial form wouldn't be difficult for Fremont.

Similarly, losing isn't difficult; the challenge lies in making the loss seem more authentic.

Jeston on the other side also had backbone. He seemed to have seen through my plan, and he fought me the whole time using only his initial form. He didn't use any of the power that he had shown in the last match against Chongyue, which even Fremont was wary of!

Fremont was exasperated by this behavior. You're representing an entire nation, don't you want to win? How can this World Games have such an oddball?

Oh, so my back also represents Letania. Oh, never mind then.

Fremont stated that no one can rival the Lich King's court in their unwillingness to win and their willingness to stop before it's too late.

Therefore, during this match, the audience, including Ernst, had no choice but to watch it once:

The spell was interrupted! The Lich Fireball hit itself!

The iron spikes have a hidden meaning! A surprise attack at the crucial moment!

The lich couldn't penetrate the tortoise shell, but the iron hammer could pierce the spell shield. Lifelines glowed; in the final battle, one was dazed, exhausted, and gasping for breath during the clash of swords!

Fremont provided commentary as he fought. When his spells went out of control, he would exclaim in surprise, cursing or marveling at how Jeston could disrupt his casting rhythm. When his attacks landed precisely on Jeston's dwindling defensive shell, he would shout that Jeston had predicted the landing point of his spells, causing every iron shield to accurately block his attacks.

To be honest, this series of plays, coupled with Mob's commentary on the commentary stage, was actually... kind of exciting?

Those who truly understand Originium Arts might sense something amiss, but even they would struggle to find flaws in the work of a master like Fremont. As for someone like Ernst, who knows absolutely nothing about Originium Arts...

"Has Jeston evolved?"

Ernst rubbed his chin, looking at Jeston, who was getting stronger and stronger on the field, with a look of surprise.

He was evenly matched with the Lich Lord, and no other auras seemed to be assisting him. Ernst even specifically asked the great god Yeragand, but He himself didn't intervene. There was only one possibility left—Jesston had truly fought this battle single-handedly!

No, man.

You're not Jeston anymore, you've evolved into Zetton!

When will another Hyper Zetton evolve? So, the extinction order hanging outside Terra was launched by you?

When will you ask me, "Ernst, do you really like Terra that much?"

Ernst was baffled. He instinctively felt that something was wrong with the situation on stage, but neither Hinterlea, the fighter, nor Viviana, the Originium Arts practitioner, who wore a full-face mask that said "I am mysterious," reacted. Ernst had no choice but to suppress his curiosity.

Never mind how much of this match was manipulated, or whether Fremont, the Lord of the Lich King's Court, was influenced by his pride, at least Jeston has improved, and improved a lot, which is a good thing.

Ernst even thought that the next time Saria came to Sherag, they could arrange for Jeston to spar with her. Who knows, she might even manage to break through Jeston's limits then.

As for whether they win or lose this match, Ernst didn't care.

Ernst had told Jeston to try not to win the championship, but it was still the semi-finals. The runner-up and fourth place were not to win the championship. If Jeston could do well, it would be good to get the runner-up.

As for competing for the championship...

Fremont will go easy on them, but Uncle Manna Nearl, representing Kazimierz (symbolizing Victoria), and Dario, representing Iberia (symbolizing Ursus), will not.

They probably... probably won't release water, right?

Ernst suddenly became a little unsure.

If Dario wins the next match, Ernst believes that given the Grand Inquisitor's "upright and incorruptible" character, there's absolutely no possibility of him throwing the game. Besides, he's not very familiar with Dario, although they chatted a few times at the World's Fair, Ernst's impression of him is probably not as deep as that of his young apprentice, Eleanor.

But what if Marna wins...?

It seems very likely that Uncle will pull one last dirty trick on Kazimierz...

Thinking of this, Ernst couldn't help but feel a little helpless.

Ironically, a group of people participated in a sporting event with far-reaching consequences, driven by various reasons. Some aimed to protect their families, some aimed to expand their influence, some hoped to give it their all at the end of their careers, but then became wary of their reputations, and some harbored lofty ideals, only to be unfortunately defeated by cheaters in the first round.

Everyone's goals were different and complex, yet they could all be expressed through their respective fighting styles at a sports meet. The interests they represented also differed, but these differences could be discerned through victory and defeat after victory.

As the competition reaches its final stage, the ultimate victor is no longer of concern. Everyone has already gotten what they wanted through these rounds of competition—compromise, deals, coercion—and their political interests have long been satisfied.

So much so that when Fremont was retreating to defend, he "inadvertently" stepped on a spiked "landmine" that Jeston had laid in advance on the field. In an instant, he was bound to the spot by the surging spikes and could not move. Everyone in the field cheered.

This also includes Ernst.

Jeston won, and he deserves our applause.

The match achieved the result that both sides wanted, and he should be happy about it.

The purpose of the Knights' Games is to provide the audience with a good audio-visual experience and emotional value, that is, to make the audience happy. The audience present was excited because of Jeston's victory, and Ernst was also happy. It's just that the reason for their happiness was slightly different. Why can't they cheer and applaud?

At the same time, standing on the suspended VIP box at the top of the Pegasus Arena, Russell took a sip of his cocktail.

With this, the Kasimir Games were drawing to a close. Two more matches were needed to determine the final winner.

She walked over, picked up Maria, who was clinging to the glass window of the stands, happily cheering along with the crowd below, and returned to her seat. Looking at Marna, who was fidgeting beside her, she placed little Maria in her uncle's arms and then asked:

"Marna, who do you think will be the final winner?"

Marna looked at Maria and said firmly, "Me."

"Do not."

Russell shook his head.

"The ultimate winner will be Kazimir."

"Thanks to the momentum generated by the World Games, Casimir has now surpassed Letania in both international prestige and economic vitality. We have won."

Five chairs, so many countries—besides Victoria, the previous hegemon, Yan, the most populous ancient nation, and Ursus, the three remaining countries, Colombia, Casimir, and Letania, are all vying for the last two chairs to legitimize the summit.

It's impossible for two peaches to kill three warriors, because no one would be willing to yield.

Russell understood from the beginning that the Games of Nations had three layers of meaning. First, it provided Casimir with a backup plan by using the name of the World's Nations; even if he lost the competition, he would still have a world-class IP that could quickly enhance his influence. Second, it helped the Supervisory Council consolidate power and replace the Commercial Federation in controlling the discourse on knights and knightly competitions. Third, it helped Casimir win this musical chairs competition.

Now that the first objective has been achieved, the second objective is progressing slowly, and only the third objective... until this moment, Russell finally has some confidence.

Marner frowned, about to remind Russell that Maria was still there and that he shouldn't spread her irritating political ideas around, as it would corrupt the children.

But a sudden knock on the door interrupted Marna's words.

The sound of a guard from the Supervisory Council announcing something came from outside the door:

"Grand Knight Commander, Prime Minister Sherag is looking for you."

"He said there was a problem with closing the opening ceremony, and he wanted to discuss it with you."

Chapter 440 Ernst: I can't get along with you old-timers!

"When we act, we must ensure we move forward. We cannot go backward. Now, some people ask those passionate about the civil rights movement, 'When will you be satisfied?'"

"We will never be satisfied as long as the poor continue to suffer unspeakable brutality at the hands of the police."

“We will never be satisfied as long as the weary bodies of the Tara people of Victoria cannot find lodging at the messenger stations along the wasteland roads or in the inns of the city.”

“We will never be satisfied as long as the basic activity range of the Winter Spirits of Letania is merely to shift from small, impoverished areas inhabited by ethnic minorities to large, impoverished areas.”

"As long as there is still a Sarkaz soldier in the Ursus Empire who cannot enjoy normal treatment after retirement, and as long as there is an infected person in Colombia who feels that his vote is useless, we will never be satisfied."

"No! We are not satisfied now, nor will we ever be satisfied, unless justice and fairness come rolling in like the waves of the ocean!"

Ernst put down his speech, looked at the Grand Knight Commander of the Casimir Supervisory Council who was standing there dumbfounded, and put away his previous impassioned and indignant expression, revealing an inquiring smile:

"What do you think, Your Excellency the Grand Knight?"

"Prime Minister Ernst..."

Russell remained silent for a long time. After a while, she wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and answered with a hint of realization.

"Prime Minister Ernst, this speech is truly...sweat-inducing."

"Colombia, Ursus, Letania, Victoria—I doubt any country would really like this speech, would they?"

Russell was telling the truth.

Just now, when he heard Ernst want to discuss the arrangements for the closing ceremony with him, Russell was somewhat expectant.

Ernst's talent for public speaking is undeniable. Several of his speeches that have survived in Terra are considered masterpieces worthy of inclusion in Terra history and civil rights textbooks. Russell has no doubt that Ernst had a dedicated team working tirelessly to write these classic pieces for him, but even so, Ernst's control of emotions, pacing, and self-image were astonishing.

If possible, she would even be willing to pay a hefty sum to have Ernst give another speech at the closing ceremony of the World Games, or to provide a revised version of the speech, just like the one he gave at the opening ceremony.

But she knew that it all depended on Ernst's wishes. If Ernst disagreed, no amount of money could buy her a single word from him.

Many writers possess this kind of integrity; not everyone is a reporter for a wine magazine. Ernst must have had it too.

So when she confirmed that Ernst’s sudden visit did indeed bring a speech, and that the speech was indeed intended to be read at the closing ceremony of the World Games, she was genuinely surprised, even somewhat flattered!

After all, the last person to receive a speech from Ernst was Colombia's current Vice President Wilson.

His current approval rating in domestic polls and his approval rating among major technology groups is as high as 66%, which is an astonishing figure!

Some might think, "Isn't this number just over half? Aren't the remaining 34% opposed?" That would be wrong.

A negative review doesn't necessarily mean a bad review. Most of the time, the public is indifferent to politics. Although Colombia has opened a door for ordinary people to participate in politics through its electoral and voting systems, how many people actually focus on their voting rights every day?

Most people still have to make a living, and sometimes, you can "buy a ticket" by giving them a little something extra.

Even under these circumstances, 66 percent of people still support his re-election. Of the remaining 34 percent, even if we calculate based on the lowest percentage, at least half are politically apathetic and go with the flow.

Therefore, Wilson's true supporters number at least 80%.

Such numbers are terrifying. If Wilson hadn't had President Mark Max, whose approval rating was close to 100%, no one would question that he could have gone even further and become the "Caesar of Colombia."

And yet, who would have thought that not long ago, Wilson would have needed to worry about losing his election to his opponent?

The benefits he reaped are obvious to all. Didn't Bertrand Russell also long for the same gifts?

But what she didn't expect was that Ernst did bring the gift, but whether or not she dared to accept it became her problem.

After all, the content of this speech was somewhat... too aggressive.

Ernst had certainly anticipated Russell's concerns.

However, he was somewhat disappointed; Russell had been far too cowardly.

In order to gain Russell's approval, Ernst deliberately avoided several issues when revising his classic "I Have a Dream" speech.

First, he changed the single group of Black people in the original text to the various oppressed, exploited, and discriminated groups on Terra today.

The Tara people of Victoria, the Winterlings of Letania, and Sarkaz officers and soldiers of the Ursus Empire who, decades ago, were granted normal retirement benefits through legislation. Infected individuals were drawn to Colombia by its laws, enacted to attract more immigrants, which granted them the right to vote upon becoming Colombian citizens.

Besides these, there are many, many more, such as the Agor people of Iberia, the Kazimierz infected represented by the Blood Knight Dicaibolis that inspired Ernst's idea, the nameless and faceless "black households" in the Lungmen slums who even have to be stripped of their infected status, and the "three governments" that Bolivar attacks on each other.

These groups were not included, either because Ernst felt that similar groups already existed to represent them, or because Kazimir's own feelings were taken into consideration.

Even so, Russell still seemed hesitant.

He was good at planning but lacked decisiveness; he was hesitant to act on great matters but reckless for small gains. Ernst's speech was indeed highly aggressive, but ultimately, it addressed an existing problem. Whether you bring it up or not, it was there. Maintaining a tacit understanding with everyone, remaining silent and unchanged, is perfectly normal and what most Terra leaders have always done. But if you make some changes, personify it, and then expose it, then you've placed yourself on the moral high ground.