The Cigar Gambit
"Why?" I asked, looking at Theodora, who had paused her movements.
"Just a moment," I said, pulling a cigar from my breast pocket.
This was my salvation. Knowing the original novel, I knew exactly how much Theodora despised smoking. Especially... cigars. Valorang had loved cigars, and she had utterly loathed the smell of them on him, finding it absolutely repulsive.
"Hmm?"
Seeing the puzzled look on her face, I forced my racing heart to calm down and clipped the tip of the cigar.
*Snip*
"You... smoke?" Theodora asked, her elegant brow furrowing deeply.
I replied, "I didn't used to. But Savinelli gave me this cigar as a gift, and I thought I'd have a smoke to calm my nerves."
With those words, I placed the cigar between my lips, praying this gamble would pay off. She didn't just dislike smoking; loathed was a much more accurate description.
I conjured a small spark of magic to light the tip.
*Inhale...*
A rich, savory aroma. It had been a long time since I tasted such a deep, full-bodied blend.
*Exhale...*
I blew out the smoke swirling in my mouth and let my mind wander. Come to think of it, I had quit smoking quite a long time ago. I had given it up for my health, but now I was realizing I had to take it up again.
And the reason? To survive.
To think I was picking up a life-shortening habit just to stay alive. What a beautifully ironic situation.
Theodora grimaced fiercely, pinching her nose shut as she shrieked.
"You! Do you really want to smoke in this kind of atmosphere?! If you're going to smoke, do it outside!"
She shoved me backward, relentlessly pushing me toward the terrace. I quickly put on an act.
"W-wait, just let me finish this one, and then we can get back to it."
I tried my best to look pitiful, but she paid no heed to my pleading expression and shoved my shoulders.
"No! Get back to what?! You completely mannerless brute!"
I protested, feigning indignation. "Hey, what did I even do wrong?"
*Shove, shove!*
"Who gave you permission to smoke in the bridal suite?! Get out this instant!"
With a final, firm push against my shoulders...
*Creak!*
"Go out there and smoke to your heart's content!"
*Slam!*
I was locked out.
"Haa..."
I took another drag of the cigar in my hand. How long had I been smoking? My head was starting to throb.
"Is it because it's been so long? I feel a bit dizzy."
Still, I had survived. That was what mattered.
Deciding I had smoked enough, I stubbed out the glowing tip to extinguish it and reached to open the window.
*Click, click!*
"Huh?"
The window was locked. I knocked on the firmly shut glass.
"Theodora! Why did you lock the window?"
"Hmph, I don't care! Stay out there, smoke your lungs out, and drop dead!"
After a long, exhausting bickering match through the glass, I finally managed to get some sleep. On the sofa, no less.
The next morning.
Early in the day, I summoned the key figures of the Neutral Faction to my office. To push through the tax reforms, securing their cooperation was an essential step. Only then would the bill stand a chance of passing the Imperial Parliament.
"So, what is it you wanted to see us about, Grand Duke?" asked Representative Pompeius.
"To call us here when we are so busy... this is quite an inconvenience," grumbled Monke, the representative of the city of Biren.
"Hoho, to think the shameless Grand Duke himself would summon me?" and finally, Speaker Charles, who made no secret of his disdain for me.
These were the three Neutral Faction leaders I had called.
"I have a bill that needs to pass Parliament, and I believe I will require your assistance."
At my words, Pompeius and Charles scowled.
"You could easily collude with your precious Emperor's Faction to ram it through. Why bother calling us, the outcasts?" Pompeius spat.
I offered a sheepish smile. "Well, given the nature of the matter, I expect a massive backlash from the Emperor's Faction."
In truth, the Emperor's Faction was a broad coalition of high, middle, and low nobility. Even with Yohanes at the helm, it would be difficult to secure a majority unless he exercised the voting rights of Epirus and Egypt.
"What kind of bizarre scheme are you cooking up this time?" Charles asked, his voice dripping with suspicion.
I smiled faintly. "First, take a look at this. I believe it is a bill that everyone in this room will highly appreciate."
I placed three copies of the proposal on the table. Pompeius immediately stood up from his chair.
"Good grief. I'd rather go home and play with my grandchild than waste my time listening to the Grand Duke."
I let out a soft sigh. "Playing with your grandchild is certainly important, Representative, but please, spare a moment for the development of the Empire."
Pompeius snorted in derision. "I have no intention of wasting my precious time like this. If you'll excuse me."
As he turned to leave, Representative Monke caught his arm.
"Haha, now that you've come all this way, failing to perform your duties as a representative is quite unlike you, Representative Pompeius."
Pompeius turned on him, his face flushed with anger. "Is discussing state affairs with a mangy dog considered a representative's duty?!"
Monke replied with a sly, knowing grin, "Don't you know it is our duty to negotiate even with the devil himself if it is for the sake of the Empire's citizens and our constituents?"
A mangy dog. The devil.
I assumed those lovely titles were meant for me.
Muttering a curse, Pompeius sat back down. "Damn it. If this bill is a load of nonsense, I'll make sure you regret wasting my precious time."
With that, he picked up the document.
I knew my reputation was in the gutter—labeled a tyrant, a corrupt minister, a treacherous sycophant, and every other negative term imaginable—but mangy dog felt a bit uncalled for.
While I was nursing my slightly bruised ego, Monke spoke up, his eyes glued to the paper.
"Are you... actually attempting a tax reform?"
"Yes. I believe it is time to rein in the nobility who are actively hindering the Empire's progress."
A heavy silence descended upon the room. Realizing they were all too absorbed in the document to speak, I stood up and walked over to my cigar box.
*Snip*
I clipped the end of a cigar, placed it in my mouth, and lit it.
*Exhale...*
Ah, a fine blend.
As I quietly enjoyed the aroma of the cigar alongside my coffee, time ticked away. Finally...
"Grand Duke... do you truly intend to pass this bill through Parliament?" Pompeius asked, his voice laced with disbelief.
"Yes, that is my intention."
"Do you realize... that if handled poorly, this could trigger a full-scale civil war?"
I nodded calmly. "I am well aware."
If the high nobility revolted against this bill, a civil war would indeed erupt immediately. Yohanes had agreed to assist me in passing the bill this time, but the rest of the Emperor's Faction would undoubtedly foam at the mouth in opposition.
"Then... why are you embarking on such a reckless endeavor?" Charles asked, his expression filled with bewilderment.
"The reason is simple. The current taxes are far too exorbitant, so I intend to place a cap on them."
While the free cities levied relatively reasonable taxes, most nobles imposed absurd duties under ridiculous pretexts. The ones suffering the most from this exploitation were the imperial citizens living under their rule.
Those with some wealth or the ability to read would flee to the free cities, but the vast majority, lacking such means, spent their entire lives bound to their lord's territory. Lacking the ability to seek a better life, and burdened by families, they had no choice but to resign themselves to their fate.
Of course, that was merely the official justification. My true motive was the promotion of commerce.
One of the reasons prices across the Empire were so abnormally high was the difficulty of distribution, but more than that... it was the absurd reality of having 10% of one's goods seized as tax every single time a merchant passed a gate, a castle, or a city.
"Your intentions are noble, but this is far too dangerous," Charles countered. "It is not out of ignorance that we have left the tax system untouched. We did so because a single misstep would inevitably plunge the Empire into civil war."
I shrugged. "A civil war will not happen. I guarantee it."
When the bill was put to a vote in Parliament, I would secretly leak the news that Yohanes had annexed Epirus and Egypt.
At that point, the Emperor's Faction would be forced to make a choice: either focus on blocking the tax reform, or watch idly as Yohanes swallowed the faction whole.
Faced with those options... well, unless they were complete fools, they would wage war against Yohanes instead of me.
"How... can you be so certain of that?" Charles pressed.
I answered with a calm smile. "Because I would not attempt to pass this bill without a foolproof method to prevent a civil war."
There was a reason I hadn't immediately submitted the bill to Parliament even after it was drafted. While part of it was to meticulously review every detail, the more critical factor was timing.
I had no way of knowing whether the high nobility would accept it. My calculations suggested they might, but there was always a chance they would reject it and choose war instead.
Thus, I had prepared a safety net. I was simply waiting for the perfect moment to present the bill.
If a civil war broke out shortly after Yohanes took Epirus and Egypt, he would collapse effortlessly. By pitting Yohanes against the rest of the Emperor's Faction, I would let them exhaust each other's strength.
And once both sides were thoroughly weakened, I could simply swallow them both.
*Clap, clap!*
"Excellent! Yes! A real man must do what needs to be done," Representative Monke exclaimed, clapping his hands. "The current tax system is indeed highly unfair to both the free cities and the citizens of the Empire. This old man is deeply moved by the Grand Duke's resolve to correct this injustice."
"Representative Monke, surely you realize this is not a matter to be taken so lightly?" Pompeius grumbled, exasperated.
"But wasn't it something that had to be done eventually?" Monke countered. "I, too, will lend what little strength I have to ensure this bill passes Parliament."
"I appreciate your support," I replied, offering my gratitude.
Monke smiled warmly. "I have realized today that the Grand Duke is quite different from the rumors circulating about him."
Clearly displeased with the turn of events, Pompeius stood up, clutching his copy of the bill.
"I will review this more thoroughly first. Only then will I decide whether to rally my colleagues to support it."
Watching Pompeius walk out the door, I smiled inwardly.
This is a promising start.