107 – Episode 106
-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?
She wore underwear she would never wear, embarrassed her mother, and borrowed a unicorn horn.
But Debian broke it with a cigarette.
[Okay… Let’s just smoke this for a moment and then finish.]
“What are you even 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 you should have just… Just been patient?”
Since it was my first time… I guess he smoked to relieve tension because he was nervous, but he quickly shook his head.
An unpleasant cigarette smell that irritates the nose.
Because that’s enough to remind me of Valorant.
“No… Why is it not blooming and then suddenly blooming?”
Of course, it happened at a good time.
I wondered if he had been stressed out recently, but he seemed to be as usual.
I don’t think that’s the case…
I think about that Debian that I almost fell over.
It’s a shame… It’s a shame…
“Well, there is still a next time.”
This is not the last time. Because it starts now.
With that thought in mind, I head to the bathroom.
A bathtub full of warm water.
Immediately take off your underwear and lie down in the bathtub.
Yesterday I really thought I was going to do it.
Recently, I learned a lot by reading a book with an impressive red leather cover.
I hope he is satisfied with my first night with him…
“Sheesh. “I don’t even know my own heart…”
-Splash!, Splash!
It only hits water.
Still, if you think positively, his eyes shook violently last night.
I’ve 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.
Wash your body with that thought in mind.
***
-Knock knock!
[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 greeted him.
“Your Highness, have you found it?”
“Yes. You’re right. Count Savinelli, I am sorry for asking you to come like this.”
Sabineli says, waving his hand as if he disagreed with what I said.
“No. “Your Majesty, it would be an honor to invite you.”
Now, let’s take a look at your abilities.
“I am just grateful that you said that.”
“So what brought you here?”
With those words, I get to the point.
“It’s no different. “I plan to hand over the tax reform bill to Congress soon.”
Savinelli says, nodding his head at my words.
“Yes, I have already heard about that. Have you recruited a neutral faction?”
I nod my head at those words.
“First of all, everyone said they would review it. “But they were worried that if the bill was passed, there would be a civil war.”
At my words, Sabinelli touches his chin and falls into thought.
“Hmm… it’s a civil war…”
“I don’t think there will be a civil war. “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 those words.
“Is there any way that I wouldn’t know about His Majesty Ioannes’s secret?”
“I was just expressing my weak thoughts. “Such excessive praise is burdensome.”
I nod my head at those words.
From Noble mtl dot com
“But the lawmakers’ thoughts also make some sense.”
I also nod my head at those words.
“Currently, all the 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, grains of wheat, 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 some ways, the life of a local citizen is different from the splendid aristocratic society I belong to.
In this case, the people of the empire who normally lived on their own land become serfs.
All assets are taken away. In order to survive, I have no choice but to borrow money from my lord.
In addition, such a miserable place does not generate much tax revenue.
If taxes are raised by just 1%, wealthy fiefdoms will receive more gold coins than those paid by 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 what hinders the development of the empire.
“Even nobles are not all in good circumstances. “I’m sure many nobles will protest.”
“But wouldn’t the situation be different if the great nobles sided with us?”
Sabinelli 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 a civil war by raising an army.”
Sabinelli answers my words firmly.
“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 provided. Is that correct?”
I nod my head at those words.
“Yes, that’s right.”
Sabinelli shakes his head and says at my words.
“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 also agree with that.
Great nobles with many rights and obligations have very strong 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 won’t see much benefit.”
I am puzzled by that statement, so I ask.
“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 need approval from the Council, and even if you do get approval from the Council, you’ll be worried that other great nobles will intervene. “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?”
Sabinelli grins and responds to my words.
“Then, how about doing this? First of all, the great nobles are excluded from this bill.”
Excluding the great nobles…
The tax rate itself is not 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 the small and medium-sized nobles to join the great nobles on their own. But there will be animosity, right?”
He says 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… Most of the troops from that territory are elderly and weak.
“So you are openly sending a signal to the great nobles. “This bill will benefit you.”
I get lost in thought after hearing those words.
You are certainly wise.
Sabinelli now pretended to give me advice and dispelled the poison.
First.
If you allow great nobles to freely set the upper tax rate for their territory.
Little nobles will visit the big nobles.
It’s only natural that they can’t pay their debts at the 25% estate tax rate.
Then… Where and who will they head to?
Am I the one who created this bill? Or Ioannes, famous as the leader of the imperial faction?
When viewed as an individual nation among the current great nobles. The strongest nation would be the Kingdom of Nicaea.
In addition, he was rumored to be kind to the lords under him.
They won’t come my way, they’ll 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.”
Sabinelli responds with a gentle smile.
“hahahaha… 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… 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 feel jealous.
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, and science, 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…
My heart is pounding in a situation that makes me tremble just by imagining it.
And then, trying hard to hide those feelings, he opens his mouth.
“Thanks to the Count, my worries were easily resolved.”