episode_0104

-Squeak, boom.

Debian leaves early in the morning.

I mutter as I watch the honeymoon door close.

“Bad guy… trash…”

How much did you expect last night?

I wore underwear I would never wear, embarrassed my mother, and borrowed a unicorn horn.

But Debian broke it with a single cigarette.

[Now… let’s just smoke this for a moment and then finish.]

“What are you doing? Perverted bastard…”

With what mindset did I prepare?

How did you get the courage to do it?

How can you smoke in front of him?

“Ha, maybe I should have just… been patient?”

Because it was my first time… I was nervous and probably smoked to relieve my tension, but I quickly shook my head.

An unpleasant cigarette smell that irritates your nose.

Because that’s enough to remind me of Valorant.

“No… Why is it not blooming and then suddenly blooming?”

Of course, it also happened at a good time.

I wondered if he had been stressed out lately, but he seemed to be as usual.

I don’t think that’s the case…

I think back to that Debian that I almost fell over.

It’s a shame… It’s a shame…

“Well, there is still a next time.”

This won’t be the last time. Because it starts now.

With that in mind, I head to the bathroom.

A bathtub full of warm water.

Soon, I take off my underwear and lie down in the bathtub.

Yesterday I really thought I was going to do it.

Recently, I learned a lot by perusing a book with an impressive red leather cover.

I hope he’s satisfied with my first night with him…

“Chet. Without even knowing my own heart…”

-Splash!, Splash!

It only hits water.

Still, if you think positively, his eyes shook violently last night.

I haven’t known him for a long time, but this is the first time I’ve seen him try to shake things up like that.

So there is a chance.

With that in mind, I wash my body.

***

-smart!

[His Royal Highness, Count Savinelli has arrived.]

“Ask them to come in.”

As soon as he said that, the door opened and Savinelli came in and said hello.

“Your Majesty the Archduke, have you found it?”

“Yes. you’re right. Count Savinelli I am sorry for asking you to come like this.”

Savinelli says, waving his hand as if he disagreed with what I said.

“No. Your Majesty, it would be an honor to call you.”

Now, let’s take a look at your abilities.

“Thank you for saying that.”

“So what brought you here?”

With that said, I get to the point.

“No different. We plan to hand over the tax reform bill to Congress soon.”

Savinelli says, nodding at my words.

“Yes, I’ve already heard about that. Have you recruited a neutral faction?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Everyone said they would review it first. But they were worried that if the bill was passed, a civil war would break out.”

Savinelli touches his chin and gets lost in thought at my words.

“Hmm… It’s a civil war…”

“I don’t think a civil war will break out. I would like to hear the opinions of the Count, who is reputed to be wise.”

“Who said that? I still have a long way to go.”

I shake my head and say that.

“Is it possible that I don’t know about His Majesty Ioannes’s pouch?”

“I was just expressing my weak thoughts. Such excessive praise is burdensome.”

I nod my head at those words.

“But the lawmakers’ thoughts make some sense.”

I also nod my head at those words.

“Currently, all small and medium-sized nobles in the empire have an unreasonable tax system. I heard that some nobles took out reckless loans and handed over the right to collect taxes to the Chamber of Commerce.”

In fact, there are nobles who receive large loans from merchants by handing over their right to collect taxes.

Then, at a certain time… usually after the harvest, the merchant robs everything like a grasshopper to the fiefdom that has the right to collect taxes.

Everything from metal farming tools, wheat grains, and kitchen utensils…

If you rob the merchant like that, the residents will either have to borrow money from the lord to farm or starve to death.

In a way, is the life of a local citizen different from the fancy aristocratic society I belong to?

In this case, even the citizens of the empire who lived normally working their own land became serfs.

All assets are taken away. In order to survive, I have no choice but to borrow money from my lord.

Moreover, such a miserable place does not generate much tax revenue.

Even if taxes are raised by just 1%, wealthy fiefdoms will receive more gold coins than hundreds of less economically viable fiefdoms.

There is no concept of economic growth rate or GDP here, but it is obvious that such a miserable place will have a negative economic growth rate.

This is exactly what hinders the development of the empire.

“Even nobles are not all in a good situation. I’m sure many nobles will protest.”

“Still, wouldn’t the situation be different if the great nobles took our side?”

Savinelli shakes his head at my words.

“You don’t know that. I heard that the Kingdom of Boheme is collecting taxes stubbornly, and that the Kingdom of Erne is running out of money due to excessive mining development. It would take a lot of money to steadily develop the territory, but not everyone will think that way.”

I nod my head at those words.

“That makes sense. However, it is questionable whether that will lead to raising an army and starting a civil war.”

Savinelli responds firmly to my words.

“I think it’s half and half. When I saw the draft of the last tax reform. There were quite a few phrases that the great nobles could not easily accept.”

“Is that so?”

“First of all, it states that all taxes within the empire can only be collected up to 25%, and if more is collected, a refund must be issued. Is that correct?”

I nod my head at those words.

“Yes, that’s right.”

Savinelli shakes his head at my words and says:

“That is wrong. The great nobles dislike being restricted one by one. Putting a yoke on them is bound to be bad for them.”

I agree with that too.

A great noble with many rights and obligations has a very strong sense of pride.

Just like Valorant and Ioanes.

“And one more thing, His Majesty the Archduke seems to have offered them a carrot to expand their power, but they will not see much benefit.”

I ask because I am puzzled by that statement.

“Why is that like that?”

“A noble noble might use this as an opportunity to start a war. That’s stupid. If you want to wage war, you have to get approval from the Council, and even if you get approval from the Council, you’ll worry about other great nobles getting involved. They would rather maintain the status quo.”

“Hmm…”

After hearing it clearly, I feel that the merits of great nobles are poor.

“Then what should I do?”

Savinelli responds with a grin on my face.

“Then, how about doing this? First of all, the great nobles are excluded from this bill.”

Excluding the great nobles…

The tax rate itself isn’t seriously high there. It’s okay, though.

“And it grants the great nobles the upper limit on the right to collect taxes from the territories within the great nobles.”

“Aha, you are encouraging small and medium-sized nobles to join the great nobles on their own. But there must be antipathy, right?”

He says that there is nothing to worry about what I say.

“There is nothing to worry about. Compared to the great nobles, who can wage long-term wars for years anyway, small and medium-sized nobles only have the ability to wage war for six months at most. In addition, the lords who are the biggest victims of this bill will not even have troops to fight a war due to their meager finances.”

Well… that kind of territory’s troops, most of them would be old and weak.

“So you are blatantly sending a signal to the great nobles. This bill will benefit you.”

When I hear those words, I get lost in thought.

That’s definitely wise.

Savinelli now pretended to give me advice and dispelled the poison.

first.

If we were to allow great nobles to freely set the upper tax rate for their fiefdoms.

Little nobles will go to great nobles.

It’s only natural that they can’t pay their debts at the 25% estate tax rate.

So… where and who will they head to?

Did I make this bill? Or Ioannes, famous as the leader of the imperial faction?

Among the current great nobles, when viewed as individual nations. The strongest nation would be the Kingdom of Nicaea.

Moreover, he was known to be kind to the lords under him.

Instead of coming towards me, they will all go that way.

In other words… it’s a plausible policy, but ultimately it’s a ploy for Ioanes.

“Hmm, you are definitely wise.”

Savinelli responds with a gentle smile.

“Haha… I don’t know what to do when you say that after hearing my pointless opinion.”

He talks as if he is such a good person and hides his dark plans.

Honestly, I want it.

No, it’s the same with Alexander and Savinelli… Ioanes has a lot of good fortune.

If I had to choose someone I could trust and entrust with big things, it would be none other than Agrippa.

There are already two people over there who are both loyal and talented.

If we look at talented people other than Agrippa, they are Lucius, Müller, and Maximilian.

Among these, Lucius does not have anything as special as Sabinelli or Alexander. And Maximilian is an engineer, so he is of no help in such a complicated political world.

Other than that… Speaking of Müller, he clearly has outstanding abilities.

But experience is still poor.

I had to tumble and tumble in the political arena to survive, but compared to him, Mueller should be seen as a kid who has potential but knows nothing.

With that in mind, when I look at Savinelli, I crave it.

There are probably more talented people in the Kingdom of Nicaea, right?

In fact, the Kingdom of Nicaea, unlike the Grand Duchy, places importance on learning.

It is prominent in philosophy, mathematics, science, and especially mechanical engineering.

I feel it while looking at them.

It is said that there would be a mountain of slaves in the Kingdom of Nicaea…

Just imagining the situation makes my heart pound.

And then, trying hard to hide those feelings, I open my mouth.

“Thanks to the Count, my worries were easily resolved.”