A Poisoned Counsel
Creak, thud.
Deviang left early in the morning. Watching the door of their bridal chamber click shut, Theodora muttered to herself.
"You jerk... You absolute trash..."
How much had she anticipated last night? She had put on lingerie she would normally never dream of wearing, swallowed her pride to ask her mother, and even borrowed the Unicorn's Horn. Yet Deviang had ruined it all with a single cigarette.
"W-wait... Let me just smoke this, and then we can keep going."
"Keep going? You pervert..."
Do you have any idea how much preparation I put into this? How much courage it took? How could he just light up a cigarette right in front of me?
"Sigh... Maybe I should have just endured it?"
Since it was his first time... he was probably nervous and smoked to calm his nerves. But she quickly shook her head. The pungent, unpleasant smell of tobacco—it was more than enough to evoke memories of Valorang.
"No, but seriously... why did he suddenly start smoking when he never does?"
And of all times, right when the mood was perfect. She wondered if he had been under a lot of stress lately, but he had seemed completely normal. No, it couldn't be that... Recalling how close Deviang had been to giving in, she sighed. What a waste... Such a shame...
"Well, there's always next time."
This wasn't the end. It was only the beginning. With that thought, she headed to the bathroom. The tub was filled to the brim with warm water. She slipped out of her lingerie and sank into the bath.
She had truly believed it would happen last night. She had even spent the last few days thoroughly studying a book with an eye-catching red leather cover, learning all sorts of things in the hope that he would be satisfied on their first night together...
"Tch. He has no idea how I feel..."
Splash, splash! She took her frustration out on the water.
Still, looking on the bright side, his eyes had wavered violently last night. Though she hadn't known him for very long, she had never seen him look so shaken. So, there's still a chance. Clinging to that thought, she began to wash herself.
Knock, knock!
"Your Grace, Count Savinelli has arrived."
"Send him in."
The door opened, and Savinelli stepped inside, offering a polite bow.
"Did you summon me, Your Grace?"
"Yes, Count Savinelli. I apologize for calling you on such short notice."
Savinelli waved his hand dismissively.
"Not at all, Your Grace. It is an honor to be summoned."
Now, let's see what you're capable of.
"I am simply grateful you feel that way."
"May I ask what business you wished to discuss?"
I got straight to the point.
"It is about the tax reform bill. I plan to submit it to Parliament soon."
Savinelli nodded.
"Yes, I have heard. Have you secured the support of the neutral faction?"
I nodded.
"For now, they have agreed to review it. However, they expressed concern that passing the bill might trigger a civil war."
Savinelli stroked his chin, falling into thought.
"Hmm... A civil war..."
"I do not believe it will come to that. However, I would like to hear your esteemed opinion, Count. Your wisdom is highly praised."
"Who would say such a thing? I still have much to learn."
I shook my head.
"How could I fail to recognize the brilliant mind behind King Yoanes?"
"I merely offer my humble thoughts. Such high praise is quite a burden."
I nodded.
"Still, the MPs' concerns do carry some weight."
I nodded in agreement.
"Currently, the minor nobles of the Empire all operate under highly irrational tax systems. I have heard that some have even taken out reckless loans and handed over their tax collection rights to merchant guilds."
Indeed, some nobles handed over their tax collection rights to merchant guilds in exchange for massive loans. When the time came—usually right after the harvest—the guilds would descend upon the fief like locusts, stripping it of everything: metal farming tools, wheat, and even kitchen utensils.
Once the guilds plundered the land, the peasants had to either borrow money from their lord to farm again or starve to death. It was a stark contrast to the glamorous aristocratic society I belonged to. In these cases, even self-sufficient imperial citizens who once tilled their own land were reduced to serfs. Stripped of all assets, they had no choice but to borrow from their lords just to survive.
Furthermore, these miserable fiefs yielded barely any tax revenue. A wealthy territory raising its taxes by a mere one percent would bring in far more gold than hundreds of these economically stagnant lands combined. While modern concepts like economic growth rates or GDP did not exist here, it was obvious that these wretched places were in a state of constant economic decline. This was precisely the kind of rot that hindered the Empire's development.
"Even if they are nobles, not all of them are well-off. Many will undoubtedly resist."
"True, but if the great nobles stand on our side, wouldn't the situation change?"
Savinelli shook his head.
"That remains to be seen. The Kingdom of Bohemi, for instance, is notoriously ruthless in its tax collection. And I hear the Kingdom of Ern is short on funds due to reckless mining developments. Developing a fief properly requires vast sums of money, and not everyone will share your vision."
I nodded.
"A valid point. But I highly doubt they would raise armies and start a civil war over this."
Savinelli spoke firmly.
"I believe the chances are fifty-fifty. When I reviewed the draft of the tax reform bill, there were several clauses that the great nobles would find difficult to accept."
"Is that so?"
"First, the clause stating that the maximum tax ceiling across the Empire is capped at twenty-five percent, and any excess collected must be refunded. Is that correct?"
I nodded.
"Yes, that is correct."
Savinelli shook his head.
"That is a mistake. The great nobles despise being restricted in any way. Placing a yoke on them will only breed resentment."
I had to agree. Great nobles, burdened with vast authority and duties, possessed immense pride. Much like Valorang and Yoanes.
"And second, while it seems Your Grace offered them a carrot by allowing them to expand their influence, they won't find it particularly appealing."
Intrigued, I asked, "Why is that?"
"An ambitious great noble might use this as an excuse to wage war, but that would be foolish. To wage war, they need parliamentary approval. Even if they get it, they would worry about other great nobles intervening. They would much prefer to maintain the status quo."
"Hmm..."
Hearing his explanation, I realized the incentive for the great nobles was indeed weak.
"Then what do you suggest we do?"
Savinelli smiled.
"How about this? First, we exempt the great nobles from this bill entirely."
Exempting the great nobles... Their tax rates weren't outrageously high anyway, so that could work.
"And then, we grant the great nobles the authority to set the tax ceiling for the minor fiefs within their sphere of influence."
"Ah, so you are suggesting we induce the minor nobles to willingly align themselves under the great nobles. But won't there be backlash?"
He spoke as if there was nothing to worry about.
"There is no need to worry. Unlike the great nobles, who can sustain a war for years, the minor nobles only have the resources to fight for six months at most. Furthermore, the lords who stand to lose the most from this bill won't even have the funds to raise an army."
Indeed... most of their troops would be the elderly and the frail anyway.
"So, we send a clear signal to the great nobles: This bill will benefit you."
I fell into thought. He is indeed brilliant.
Savinelli was pretending to advise me, but he had actually slipped in a poison pill.
First, if great nobles could set the tax ceilings for their subordinate fiefs, the minor nobles would flock to them. It was only natural, as they couldn't pay off their debts with a twenty-five percent tax rate. But who would they turn to? Me, the creator of the bill? Or Yoanes, the renowned leader of the Emperor's Faction?
Among the current great nobles, the Kingdom of Nicaea was considered the strongest individual state. On top of that, Yoanes was famous for his benevolence toward his subordinate lords. They wouldn't come to me; they would all flock to him. In other words, it was a plausible policy, but ultimately a scheme designed to benefit Yoanes.
"Hmm, you are indeed wise, Count."
Savinelli offered a subtle smile.
"Haha... I am humbled that you would speak so highly of my trivial opinion."
He acted like such a good man while hiding his insidious plot. Honestly, I coveted him. First Alexander, and now Savinelli... Yoanes was truly blessed with talented people. If I had to name someone I could trust with major affairs, it would only be Agrippa. But Yoanes already had two highly loyal and exceptionally capable men.
Looking at my other talents besides Agrippa, I had Lucius, Müller, and Maximilian. Among them, Lucius lacked the extraordinary spark of Savinelli or Alexander. Maximilian was a magic engineer, useless in complex political maneuvering. As for Müller, he was undoubtedly talented, but he lacked experience. I had to roll in the mud of politics to survive, whereas Müller was still a greenhorn with potential but no real experience.
Looking at Savinelli, I felt a deep sense of greed. There must be even more talent in the Kingdom of Nicaea. Unlike the Grand Duchy, Nicaea highly valued academia—philosophy, mathematics, science, and especially mechanical engineering. Looking at them, I couldn't help but feel that Nicaea must have mountains of administrative slaves piled up... My heart fluttered at the mere imagination of such a glorious prospect. Forcing down my excitement, I spoke.
"Thanks to you, Count, my worries have been easily resolved."