episode_0030

He responds with an expression of interest in my words.

“What is it?”

Recently, I learned from meeting professors at the Imperial Academy that the biggest problem in the Empire is taxes.

“According to Imperial law, each region’s tax collection rate and rights are held by the nobles ruling that region.”

“Indeed, isn’t it a long-standing right of the nobles?”

Packaged as the rights of the nobles, but this is just a right that obstructs the Empire’s path.

Currently, taxes in the Empire are set differently in each region.

Ranging from as low as 10% to as high as 60%.

There is even an absurd system where merchants passing through the city gates have to pay 10% of their goods as taxes.

So, while flour may be abundant in Ezeb, it is relatively expensive to trade in the neighboring Francesco Duchy.

Previously, it was thought to be high due to distribution costs, but…

It was shocking to learn that it was because 10% was continuously being skimmed off at each gate or city gate.

Of course, the local lords who collect taxes in this way give 10% to the royal family, but this absurd tax system is considered one of the main culprits disrupting the Empire’s market.

Of course, there are likely many other issues, but we have to unravel them one by one.

But telling this directly to the nobleman, Johannes, who is an aristocrat, would not be accepted, so I decided to resort to a trick.

“First, Your Highness and I must bring many nobles to submission in the future.”

As if understanding my words, Johannes gestures for me to continue.

“If we attack them, they will squeeze the Empire’s people recklessly and resist by raising taxes as much as possible.”

Johannes, lost in thought, rests his chin on his palm and speaks solemnly.

“So, what do you suggest? Are we going to tell our competitors not to collect taxes?”

Shaking my head in response to his words, I speak.

“No. Such a bill will never pass in the Imperial Council.”

The grand nobles already have vast territories, so their tax rates are relatively low. However, nobles below the rank of Marquis have higher tax rates due to their smaller lands.

This is necessary for proper management of their territories and to live extravagantly as they please.

“So, how about setting a tax cap and passing a law that allows tolls to be collected only once?”

“A tax cap?”

I briefly explain to Johannes.

“Yes, currently nobles collect taxes under various pretexts such as window tax, marriage tax, and others. We propose a law that combines all of these and limits the tax to no more than 30% of the taxpayer’s income.”

Johannes ponders my words slowly.

“Then, we are aware that our income will decrease, right?”

“But that means the smaller nobles, not the grand nobles, will see their territories shaken. We can take advantage of that.”

In reality, even if the tax cap is set at around 30%, it is estimated that quite a few territories will go bankrupt.

Well, they will try to block this bill one way or another.

I have a plan as well.

The votes in the Imperial Council are weighted, with higher ranks holding more votes.

Kingdoms and Grand Duchies have the most votes, followed by independent Duchies, Marquisates, and Viscounties in that order.

“Hmm…, will that really work? I still can’t vote for Epirus and Ezeb.”

When I calculated the numbers a while ago, I felt like I was slightly behind.

But I don’t think it’s a lost cause.

“And do you think other nobles will easily approve of the bill we submit?”

I nod in response to his question and share my thoughts.

“First of all, the nobles will think like us, it’s about the small nobles uniting to resist the high nobles. It’s to weaken their power and take advantage of it, even if they don’t think that way, they will support us if we create such public opinion against the high nobles.”

Even if we manage to suppress most of the high nobles, we can’t be sure of a definite victory.

Even if I and Yoannes, along with other high nobles, throw our support, I think there will be a slight difference in calculations. However…

“But the Free Cities will also throw their support. They rely on trade and commerce, so they naturally dislike tolls.”

In the end, even if they dislike me, this bill is one that they will welcome with open arms.

Might as well involve the Free Cities in my faction now.

In conclusion, if we combine the votes of me, Yoannes, the high nobles, and the Free Cities, the small nobles won’t be able to withstand it.

-Tok… Tok…

Yoannes, who seems to be pondering my words for a long time, taps the table with his finger, lost in thought.

He must be a cautious person, so it’s understandable that he’s deliberating.

“Hmm… I’ll think about this a bit more and inform you in a letter. Right now, I want to focus on seizing Epirus and Ezip, you know. Ah!”

As he says that, Yoannes seems to have remembered something and continues speaking.

“I told the Imperial faction that you will hand over Epirus and Ezip in a year. I said it was delayed to appease the Emperor’s wrath.”

-Chuckle.

“Of course, that’s how it should be.”

I smile brightly and nod my head, and Yoannes nods his head and gets up from his seat.

“I’ll go in now. You should go in early too.”

Upon hearing this, the men sitting near us also get up and follow Yoannes.

“Haah… I’m tired.”

Could it be because I haven’t slept much? Today, I feel unusually tired.

“But is this the right thing to do?”

The reason we are having this secret meeting is for Yoannes to seize Epirus and Ezip without being restrained by other noble factions.

Inside the Imperial faction, I pretended to agree to hand over Epirus and Ezip next year, while he is using a clever trick to seize the two kingdoms from now on.

But I don’t intend to use this. If I sow discord within the Imperial faction, I can drive Yoannes out.

It will be difficult to reclaim Epirus and Ezip from the Imperial faction. So for now, I decided to go along with what Yoannes wants.

That way, I can fully reclaim Epirus and Ezip later.

While Yoannes seizes Epirus and Ezip and swallows up the Imperial faction, we will not sit idly by.

Lost in such complex thoughts, peaceful everyday scenes catch my eye.

But… seeing people enjoying themselves like this makes me feel good.

It feels like what I’m doing right now is the right thing.

“Will I come out often in the future?”

With that thought in mind, I also return to the palace.

***

-Kiik!

“You’re here?”

As I open the door to my study, a woman sitting on the sofa sipping tea comes into view.

“Teodora?”

“You’re late, where did you go today?”

I ask as I take off my coat.

“I had some business to attend to.”

I sit opposite her, gently closing my eyes and sipping tea.

“Right, you were curious about how Ifa is doing, weren’t you?”

The fact that she is in my study at this late hour means only one thing.

She must be curious about why Ifa is still alive during such a crucial time.

And as if confirming my thoughts, she nods her head.

“Yes, you definitely told me that Ifa was dead…”

I wave my hand dismissively at her words.

“No, I never said she was dead, I just showed her hair to you.”

She, with a puzzled expression on her face, says to me.

“Isn’t that the case?”

-I snickered.

“No, it’s different. I never had any intention of killing Ifa in the first place.”

Theodora, making a face as if she doesn’t understand, says.

“Then… why…?”

“Do you remember the day you asked me to release Ifa?”

She touches her chin with her finger as if remembering.

“You made me write a contract transferring authority to you, right?”

“Yeah, that’s right. If you had kept refusing to write it, what do you think I would have done?”

She frowns at my words.

“Then what about Mother and Joy…?”

Theodora seems unable to continue speaking.

“No, I couldn’t do that. Because it would turn both the Imperial Faction, with whom I had just formed an alliance, and the people of the empire against me.”

“Th-then?”

Ignoring her trembling voice, I continue.

“In the end, my threat was just a bluff. It was Ifa’s hair for that purpose, and I happened to hear that Ifa was going to pass on my information to someone else.”

She seems to be angry at my words. She closes her eyes gently and seems lost in thought.

And then, she opens her red eyes clearly and says.

“So that’s what it was…, then why didn’t you kill Ifa? You would have wanted to kill her because she would have been on my side, right?”

I am astonished by her words.

“Do you see me as a murderer? Actually, I like Ifa.”

Looking at her loyal and upright character, I wish there were more people like her.

Even though she doesn’t like me, there is no need to kill a loyal servant like her.

But Theodora, seeming to doubt my words, asks.

“You like her?”

“Yeah. She’s deeply loyal, willing to do dangerous things for her master. I just hope I have a servant like her.”

After hearing all my words, she thinks deeply about something. I say to her.

“So, is your curiosity satisfied now?”

She nods slightly at my words.

“Yes, then I’ll take my leave.”

As she gets up to leave, I look at her shoulders.

“Yeah, go rest first. I might come in late.”

I reassure her that I have no intention of going to our room.

But.

-Shiver…

She doesn’t seem to think so, as she slightly shivers her shoulders.

-Creak…

Watching Theodora leave without answering, I think to myself.

Does she not want to go to the room?

Well, it’s understandable. It’s no longer fun to spend the night alone with a man you dislike. It’s actually a very normal reaction.

With those thoughts out of my mind, I sit down and start working.

-Swish.

I spread out the reports and documents that had piled up on my desk.

The tax reform will be beneficial to Johannes as well.

“Phew. Shall I start working now?”

There’s so much to do after being busy for so long.

I also need to train the Imperial Faction.

The war materials that were originally stockpiled for the Imperial Faction.

“Hmm… Shall I summon the entire Imperial Faction for a meeting?”

The nobles who were originally part of the Imperial Faction but left after Baloran’s rampage have approached me as if nothing had happened since I formed an alliance with Johannes.

They probably mean to ask for mercy…

But I need their territories.

So I can’t spare them.

I open the desk and search for the document.

Found it.

-Swish.

I look at the list of war materials stockpiled for the war with the Imperial Faction.

“It’s enough.”

There probably aren’t many who have stockpiled war materials to this extent, thinking that the defected Imperial Faction would fall.

With Agripa, the Grand Army, and the remaining Imperial Faction’s army, it should be easy to suppress them.

And then…

As I look at the war preparation documents, a scene I saw in the cafe earlier comes to mind.

-Snicker.

“There’s no such thing as a monster.”

He thought he had saved the smiles of the imperial citizens by preventing the war earlier.

Now, he is trying to start a war without any justification.

Feeling a deep self-loathing within himself.

But I will only do what needs to be done.

Putting aside such emotional thoughts, I turn the page to the next chapter.

-Swish.