People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

Kidding.

Ernst greeted him, and Mudrock nodded somewhat shyly. Nasti then smoothed things over and introduced them:

"This is Mudrock, from Kazdel. She's currently my assistant, helping me with some simple construction work."

For example, instead of stacking bricks, you can directly sculpt a wall. This helps Nasti save time when using spells, and walls made of mudstone are more sturdy and resistant to grass.

As for why she wasn't allowed to do something more delicate...

The reasons are obvious to everyone. It's not the right time yet.

Ernst nodded, not casting any more glances at the Sarkaz young woman who seemed to have some awe of him, lest she give him any reason to overthink things.

Many Sarkaz experience this when they first arrive in Kjerag. Ernst heard from the great god Yeragand that when He Dalei first started working at Kjerag Spark Vocational School, he only dared to sleep sitting up on the sofa in the middle of the night, and he had to keep one eye open, just to prevent non-existent Sarkaz haters in Kjerag from launching a night attack on him, a Sarkaz who had become a teacher.

Ernst, however, was not surprised by this situation; it was normal for Terrans to generally lack a sense of security.

He was more curious about how Hadley could sleep with one eye open, since he only had one eye left.

This question remains an unsolved mystery to this day.

He looked at Nasti, pointed to the blackboard, and said:

"You know why I called you here today: Sherag supports your Air Kazdel [Enpinian] project. But I have some different opinions about some details of the project."

"Nasti, Kazdelnia, will it just be one city?"

Nastya was a little confused and didn't immediately understand Ernst's meaning. But fortunately, Ernst quickly replied:

"Would you like it to become a country? A Sarkaz country?"

"this......"

Nasti hesitated for a moment, then gently shook her head.

"That must be difficult, right?"

To say I don't want to would be a lie.

The Sarkaz kingdom is called Kazdel, and she named this aerial city Kazdelnia, then said she had no such idea—that's just fooling idiots.

But she knew it was very difficult, extremely difficult! That's why she buryed her head in the sand and called the city Ulani Fort and Enpinian, names that didn't carry any racial connotations.

She was even prepared to compromise. Kazdelnia would not just be Kazdelnia of Sarkaz. In order to ensure that this aerial city could remain in the sky for a long time and not be seen as a threat by other countries, she was prepared to announce its opening to the outside world on the same day it was completed.

Other races can also ascend Kazdelnia to pay homage to this monument in Terran human history, even if it was built by a Sarkaz they despise...

No, it's precisely because it was built by a Sarkaz they looked down on!

But Ernst shook his head and refuted Nastie's words with unwavering confidence and certainty:

"It's not difficult."

“Nasti, difficulties vary from person to person. For me, it’s much simpler to make Kazdelnia more than just a city, but the capital of the Sarkaz nation, the real Kazdel, than to make the city fly into the sky.”

"The... the capital?"

Nasti's brain seemed to have been hit by a heavy hammer, and even the elegant and concise language skills that the banshee was so proud of now seemed pale and powerless.

“I intend to establish a kingdom in Sarkaz. The road ahead will be fraught with difficulties, but I have already taken the first step. The Duke of Caest of Victoria and the Overseer of Kazimir have pledged their support for this matter.”

Actually, the Business Federation should also be included, but they don't count... at least not yet as an independent government, nor do they have the right to participate in the voting at the World Summit, so Ernst naturally didn't include them.

Nasti was completely stunned, mechanically repeating the key words from Ernst's words:

"Build...build a nation?"

"A promise...?"

"This is the first time I've heard someone repeat the first part of a word, but reduplicated words are still disgusting."

Ernst was joking.

Nasti's reaction was somewhat beyond his expectations, but upon closer reflection, it was actually quite reasonable.

When faced with injustice, the weak always hope that someone will step forward to uphold justice. The Sarkaz suffered for a thousand years; didn't they ever hope that someone would lend a helping hand?

The answer is of course no.

They wanted to, but could only dream about it. Because of various reasons, including the royal court's need for cheap mercenaries, the demands of war, and the need for the land-states to divert domestic conflicts, the land-states had consistently ignored the Sarkaz's attempts to extend their reach, and even showed a tendency to cut them off.

Even so, look at Colombia.

They simply announced that the infected and the Sarkaz had the same right to live a normal life in Colombia, and how many infected and Sarkaz people struggling in darkness and suffering flocked to it, regarding it as paradise?

Even when Columbia later drove them to the frontier, these people didn't complain at all. They all understood that no matter how bad the frontier was, it couldn't be worse than a stinking ditch or a slum. In the end, they were going to die anyway. Staying in Victoria and Ursus meant certain death in the slums, but coming to Columbia meant that while the frontier was a matter of life and death, there was still a chance of survival.

Is a lifetime too short?

Most people can only live one lifetime.

Now, someone says he wants to help them build a country, that he has already received the support of some well-known big shots, and that this is not difficult for him!

And this person is someone who has brought them countless surprises.

Reason told Nasti that she should first question, maintain the rationality of a scientist, and inquire about the price that Sarkaz would have to pay behind this "gift".

But Nasti's emotions tell her that, as a Sarkaz, the woman in front of her, Felin, is the "lifetime" she has been searching for.

"Nasti?"

Ernst waved his hand in front of Nastie's face, and Nastie's somewhat dazed eyes regained their liveliness. She quickly said:

"Mr. Ernst, are you saying... is it true?"

"I have no reason to lie to you about this."

Ernst nodded.

"But I must also tell you frankly, this matter undoubtedly comes at a price."

"The condition for Kazdelnia to be established for this land is that the hatred between the Sarkaz and the land's nations must be severed."

"The hatred among the nations of the world can be severed by the World Summit as a mediator. There are no permanent enemies or friends, only permanent interests. My job is to coordinate the interests of all nations and get them to recognize the existence of Kazdelnia as legitimate and justified."

"But the work on the Sarkaz side is something that needs to be handled by the Sarkaz."

"Theresis, who occupies Londinium; Quesatushta, the White Horned Demon King hidden in history; and all the war factions in the current Sarkaz ruling system—the Royal Court system."

Ernst paused, for it wasn't easy for someone who came from a peaceful era to utter that word.

But now, he has to admit that he is also aware of this.

"They must be eliminated!"

Nasti paused for a moment, but then nodded.

She knew that this request was reasonable.

To be honest, none of the people Ernst mentioned seemed to be people she could handle.

Ernst waved his hand, signaling Nast to take her time.

He already had some ideas on how to deal with Quesatushta, but lacked experience and an opportunity to try them out. Furthermore, Levi, the key figure in the experiment, hadn't yet arrived in Sherag. As for how to deal with Theresis...

That depends on the progress of the Duke of Victoria's allied forces.

Who knows, he might not even need to think of a solution; the Duke's coalition might just sweep them all away.

Believe first!

After agreeing on this point, Ernst and Nastie naturally had to discuss some specific issues.

Nast briefly recounted her initial plan before coming, and Nast listened with a startled feeling.

What surprised me most was not Ernst's outrageous demands, but that he was genuinely considering, and had even come up with, a theoretically feasible solution!

The only thing that made Nast hesitate was Ernst's request.

He wants to obtain the "key" to Kazdelnia.

The "key" to a mobile city is essentially control authority. While there are usually multiple copies of this, theoretically only the ruler residing in the core city and their close associates can possess it.

In the original timeline, the Reunion Movement sought the [Key] to Chernobog's core city from Misha, the sister of Shattered Bones. Frostnova's presence in the ruined city was also in search of the [Key]. The crucial item delivered by W during the final battle against the immortal Black Serpent, which decisively stopped Chernobog's descent into Lungmen, was precisely the [Key].

Without the [Key], even if Talulah the Black Serpent is defeated, Amiya and Chen will be unable to stop the Chernobog core city, which has already been programmed with its trajectory and begun automatic navigation. Talulah's plot will still succeed, and Rhodes Island's efforts will all be in vain.

And this was the key item that Ernst wanted.

This is the security guarantee for Sherag.

“The skies over Terra are not safe, Nasti, you know that too.”

"The reason our airship prototype was able to operate smoothly is because the great god Yeragand created a [safe zone] in the sky. As for the upcoming plans, Nasti, both of us are very pressed for time."

"The international situation is constantly changing, and so is the attitude of the land's nations towards the Sarkaz. To be frank, in the near future, a conflict will erupt between the Grand Dukes and Theresis in Londinium, Victoria. Regardless of how that conflict ends, do you think the Dukes' attitudes will change as a result?"

"We'll hardly get another chance like this."

Ernst said seriously.

Nasty understood what he meant.

Whether it's the World Summit reviewing the draft plan for Saakaz's nation-building or the takeoff of her aerial city, things should be done quickly rather than slowly.

It must be reviewed, passed, implemented, and the nation established swiftly!

Ideally, this plan would be approved before the Duke besieges Londinium, allowing the flying city to rise and the Sarkaz to establish their nation. This would also effectively divide the Sarkaz within Londinium and undermine their morale.

But this ideal is impossible to achieve.

The city of Nastia hasn't even started construction yet, and the platform for the World Summit in Ernstia has only just been set up.

Therefore, they had no choice but to settle for second best and, after the conflict in Lentinium, quickly rally their supporters to push through the nation-building plan and make it a fait accompli!

This is a challenge for Ernst.

The same applies to Nastya.

No matter how meticulously the construction schedule is calculated, Nasti cannot build a perfect aerial city. After all, the energy problem hasn't even been solved yet!

Even if the energy problem is solved, how can we adapt to the complex Originium environment in the skies above Terra? How can we ensure that Sky City won't "crash" due to a natural disaster, and that it won't pay homage to Christensen's parents?

These require lengthy and complex experiments, data collection, adaptation design, and contingency planning!

But clearly, she doesn't have that time.

So Ernst showed her a clear path—to build in Sherag.

In the skies above Sherag, there is a safe zone created by Yeragand, where she can disregard all the aforementioned environmental adaptation issues and focus on only one thing—how to make the city fly.

The difficulty has been greatly reduced.

But the problem also followed.

Above Kshatriya hung a Kazdelnia, which was constantly being repaired and renovated in Kshatriya's new city on the ground—Urani Fortress. This clearly consumed the labor force of Jeragund and violated Kshatriya's sovereignty.

For Sherag, this is unsafe; to put it bluntly, it's like letting a wolf into the house. The Sarkaz have an even worse reputation than wolves.

Even if the Sherag people have no concept of this, Ernst has to consider it.

Therefore, Ernst proposed a method—permutation.

Sherag provided Kazdelnia with a safe zone for the god Jeragand, ground-level sites for the renovation and reconstruction of cities, and Ernst's nation-building plan.

Kazdelnia offers the exchange of Sarkaz talent and technology, the influence of the Sky City, and a second [Control Key].

If we all live our lives well, then everyone will benefit; it's a win-win situation.

But if the Sarkaz want to cause trouble, unless you can instantly destroy the entire Kerrigan, all they need to do is shut down the [Key] and the entire Kazdelnia will crash.

The goddess Yeragand doesn't even need to fight the powerful Sarkaz; she only needs to find a way to intercept the debris falling from this aerial fortress and prevent it from affecting the ground of Kjerag. And if all else fails, there's always the Timeline; it's not difficult.

The Sarkaz will lose their only legitimate home, the home of all their fellow Sarkaz who couldn't be moved in time, and will never again gain any recognition from this land, thus beginning the true "Terra Five Constants Dungeon" and achieving the achievement "All Enemies Under Heaven".

At that time, internal divisions within the Sarkaz will be inevitable.

After all, not all Sarkaz are like the Great Western King, killing and slaughtering. People live their lives as they please, and you come and destroy everyone's homes, killing all their relatives and friends. What, you think your blade is so sharp? My blade isn't?

This is the price.

Of course, it's possible that there are idiots among the Sarkaz, and even so, he'd still want to drag the entire Terra into chaos.

This is why Ernst listed "eliminating the Sarkaz war faction leaders" as a necessary requirement before the establishment of the state.

Some people's very existence is a destabilizing factor. Ernst was not fond of fighting, but rather of resolving conflicts, but reasoning is for those who are worthy to hear it, and clearly, some people are not worthy.

Nastya did not respond to the proposal immediately.