Children of the Holy Emperor - Chapter 417



Only Noblemtl

417. Lee Seong-jin’s Exploration Journal (6)

Horsepower tax.

The origins of this time-honored tax date back to the era of the Five Great Emperors.

For a while after the Holy Empire of Delcross was founded, there was no other country on the continent with a strong centralized government. In other words, it was a time when the power of local lords reached the sky.

The lords of that time were truly omnipotent beings next to the Lord. To them, the concept of a ‘social contract’ was nothing more than the nonsense of philosophers who did not know the ways of the world.

Everything in the estate belongs to the lord, and all power is in the lord’s hands. Therefore, checking what they have and imposing strange taxes on it was as natural a task as a merchant keeping books and counting money.

The lords devised various methods to squeeze out taxes in order to increase their wealth. Fishing taxes, hunting taxes, reservoir taxes, and rainfall inflow taxes were representative examples. If you want to hunt and farm on your own land, it is only natural that you should pay a reasonable fee for doing so.

Some lords also came up with the innovative idea of ​​imposing more taxes on those who had more, and so they began to impose taxes on what they considered ‘luxury’ items.

These include the ‘stove tax’ in the North, where taxes were levied based on the number of stoves, and the ‘window tax’ in the South, where taxes were levied based on the number of windows.

But even to such lords, merchants were very ambiguous beings. Not only were they not residents of the territory, but the goods they sold were not their own. So there was no particular justification or standard for imposing taxes.

-Shouldn’t I collect money anyway since they profit from my land?

So at first, the lords collected a ‘carriage tax’, which was a tax per carriage. The idea was that it would be fair to collect more from those who sold a lot of goods.

But soon after the levy of the carriage tax spread across the continent, the profit-seeking merchants began to do something outrageous. They began building ever-larger carriages in an attempt to reduce the appropriate taxes!

-These terrible things… … .

So the next thing that was implemented was the ‘carriage weight tax’. The principle was simple. Why not impose a tax based on the amount of goods loaded?

The problem was that not only were the measurements not unified for each territory, but it was also quite a tedious task to take out each item and measure its weight.

-My lord! We have a woeful shortage of tax collectors!

-The merchants demand compensation in front of the city gate, saying that their goods were damaged while being weighed!

Then, the lords began to calculate the floor area of ​​the carriage and collect the ‘carriage area tax’. Although it was a hassle for the collectors to carry a measuring tape around with them, it was a lot easier than the hard labor of measuring weight.

But just as the ‘carriage area tax’ was being properly established, the merchants once again caused trouble. Those ignorant fools who did not know the rules now created deformed carriages with high pavements and minimized floor area.

There is no sign of an increase in the number of cars, and the carriages with unstable turning radius frequently cause accidents where they roll over.

At this point, even the lords gave up. They didn’t care about consistency, they just decided to walk wherever they pleased.

-The cart is too high. This time, you will pay the ‘weight tax’.

-Yes? But, Mr. Collector, wasn’t the ‘area tax’ applied until recently?

-What kind of complaining are you talking about when you’re full? Don’t you know that the neighboring territory imposes both carriage tax and weight tax? I appreciate our lord’s deep generosity in thinking of the merchants.

For hundreds of years, taxes were levied in such a chaotic, double, or even triple manner. The one who showed strong opposition to this complicated tax system was Granius, who was traveling the entire continent at the time and writing [Exploring the Strange Continent].

He used to travel mainly along the routes from estate to estate, but he was always caught up in these taxes and eventually exploded.

-You idiots! Whether the load is big or heavy, or the number of carriages increases, isn’t it all pulled by horses anyway? Then it’s easy to just collect taxes according to the number of horses needed!

-That, that simple method… …?!

Thus, the tax that gradually began to be unified during the reigns of the five great emperors was the ‘horsepower tax’.

Because it could accurately reflect not only the amount of cargo carried, but also the amount of vegetation consumed on the territory by the horses moving back and forth, it was greatly valued by the lords of the time and has continued to this day.

And now, there was someone who was reminding them of the original intentions of that venerable magic tax. It was none other than Marquis Bertheus Daciano, who was insisting that they make as much money as they want.

-Your business will surely generate more than double the profits of the existing upper class. So of course you should pay double the magic tax. If you don’t do this, there will be no more talks with the North.

Also, there was someone here who fundamentally questioned the justification for the deep-rooted magic tax. It was Prince Mores, who maintained the attitude of ‘I will not give even a single penny to anyone who covets my money.’

“The problem was that I was trying to pay the ridiculous magic tax in the first place. I tried to use tricks to get away with it easily, and that’s how this problem ended up happening.”

At Mores’ grumbling, Branch Manager Schmidt, as well as Owen and Martha, who were listening to their conversation, exchanged curious glances.

Why is paying the magic tax properly a trick?

“After all, things should be done according to the rules.”

“… Then it goes down. What does that mean according to the standard?”

As the branch manager asked cautiously, one corner of Mores’ mouth rose playfully.

“It means that I will no longer be played around by those who abandon the Lord for personal gain. Who dares to impose taxes on the servants of the Lord, on the land of the Lord, and on those who perform the Lord’s work?”

“… … .”

“So, even if it is a bit troublesome, I will strictly punish their mistakes and lead them to the right path of faith. That is the right way.”

Schmidt opened his mouth, momentarily at a loss for words.

Well, that may be the correct view from the Orthodox Church’s point of view. That may be the case, but… … .

“But your Majesty. A noble’s estate is his land that he manages. So, whether it’s a toll or a magic fee, it’s only natural that he pays the price appropriate to his rights… … .”

“If you do, branch manager. What about the bandits who settle in the mountains without owners and manage the roads?”

“…Huh? A bandit, huh?”

“Yes. If they were to properly maintain the passage and charge you for it, would you readily pay them?”

… No, isn’t that really far-fetched?

For a moment, everyone in the office thought the same thing, but Mores’ attitude was nothing short of confident.

“Know this well, Branch Manager Schmidt. Since the fall of Ortona, the lords who ruled there are no longer formal diplomatic targets for our Ministry of Foreign Affairs. From the Empire’s perspective, they are no different from bandits who have arbitrarily occupied ownerless lands and people. They have no credibility and no trust.”

“that-”

“The same goes for the magic tax. The reason we readily paid that money was not because they had a legitimate right. It was simply to prevent the land that had suffered from civil war for a long time from being trampled by force again.”

widely.

After saying that, Mores closed the file and looked down at the branch manager with arrogance.

“So, let us once again politely convey our position to Marquis Diano. He must never forget that every single grain of soil and blade of grass on that land belongs to the Lord. He must stop stealing from the Lord’s people who come and go there.”

This wasn’t a polite remark at all. It was like picking a fight.

“Do you understand? From now on, there will be no more ‘magic tax’ on our top expenses.”

“… … .”

“Why are you looking like that? Be happy, Branch Manager. Hasn’t the budget for the Northern Reconstruction Project been drastically reduced?”

I can’t stop it.

Finally, Branch Manager Schmidt bowed his head in despair. He was now certain that the large-scale business plan covering the entire northern region would end in failure.

“I understand, Your Majesty. Then I will send the answer to the five lords as soon as possible.”

But when Mores heard that, he suddenly tilted his head and replied.

“Huh? Why send all five of them? We just have to fight one.”

“…yes?”

“I only said Daciano, didn’t I? One example is enough.”

For a moment, a cold silence fell over the office.

example.

Even the oblivious Owen could not have been unaware of the implications of Prince Mores’ remarks.

“Don’t worry, Branch Manager Schmidt. I won’t make a big deal out of it. I’ll just hit one guy.”

Owen suddenly felt a chill as he added those words as if they were nothing.

* * *

From then on, Mores’ work progressed at a rapid pace.

After quickly discussing the inspections so far and even the plans for the future, he asked Branch Manager Schmidt for a new residence where he could secure some private space. It seemed that he was going to postpone his business trip for a while and stay in Regina for a while.

‘What else do you plan on doing here?’

Although such a question rose to the top of Schmidt’s throat, he could not bring himself to ask the prince about it.

Mores, who had gotten up from his seat, finally asked Owen the question he had been waiting for.

“Yeah, Owen. Have you read the plan yet?”

“Huh? Of course.”

Owen added, glancing at Marsain.

“I think the copper mine side looks good? So I’m thinking of investing a bit there… … .”

“Hmm, yeah. That’s good too.”

Mores answered obediently, but judging by the way he furrowed his brow, it seemed like he wasn’t very happy with the answer.

“But why don’t you just invest in the grain business instead? There are no results yet, but now that the horsepower tax has been completely eliminated, the sales profit will be fully returned as profit.”

‘No, if you were going to decide anyway, why did you ask me to read it?’

Of course, I really had no intention of nitpicking like that.

Sssssss.

Owen signed quietly. Somehow he felt a sense of crisis that it would be better for him not to reach out to Mores at this point.

‘Something is different than usual. This guy Mores, he’s somehow unusually scary.’

It was late in the afternoon, and all the schedules had finally come to an end. As he left the office for the last time, Mores looked back at the branch manager with a strange look.

“Oh, and Branch Manager Schmidt?”

“Yes, your Majesty?”

“If you don’t mind, I’d like to take this plate.”

“… … .”

How can one dare to refuse such a safety?

* * *

When Mores announced that he would be staying in Regina for a few more days, the group’s reactions varied.

“That’s great! Sir Claudia was always dragging me around to different restaurants, so I didn’t get to see much. I thought I was going to burst in the stomach.”

“Don’t say such weak words, Sir Kurt. There are still many places to go. But aren’t you going with me?”

At Sir Claudia’s innocent question, Mores gently pulled Owen’s clothes towards her.

“You can go with Owen, Sir Claudia. This is probably his first time with Regina, too. Please show him around.”

“… … .”

Was it because of his mood? For a moment, Owen had a strong feeling that Mores was trying to distance himself from him.

“That’s good. I was thinking that I would need to meet with the exorcists at the church for a few more days to properly gather the information you requested.”

When Sir Robert answered like that, it seemed like the general schedule of the group had been decided. Sir Carmen just blinked and seemed completely absent-minded.

“Okay. Then I’ll be at Branch Manager Schmidt’s villa for a few days starting today. I have a lot of business to discuss with him.”

It is a decision that defies common sense to separate most of the escort personnel and send them somewhere else.

It certainly seemed that Owen wasn’t the only one who found this odd.

“Then, Your Majesty. Can’t we just follow Your Majesty’s side?”

It was when Sir Claudia asked that question.

For a moment, Owen witnessed Marsain and Captain Bruno exchanging meaningful glances.

‘…what?’

Because it was such a fleeting moment, I didn’t even have time to wonder, and it was Marsain, not Mores, who answered the question.

“Don’t worry, I will be by your side. I just need some private time, so you can relax here for the time being.”

Owen felt something strange here too.

This guy is not the type of person to do this. Why would he release the resident knights from their duties and take on the responsibility of protecting Mores alone?

“But, Your Majesty, I have something to report. Something has been strange for a while now. There keeps hearing a knocking sound coming from our carriage… … .”

“Really? Then you should stay at the inn, Edith. Don’t follow me, but just keep an eye on the carriage as you go. Got it?”

“no……?”

So Mores parted ways with his group and left the inn with Sir Marsain.

‘Oh, I’m worried! There’s something fishy about that guy Mores!’

That night, Owen couldn’t sleep easily because he felt uneasy. Then, suddenly, a small text window popped up in front of his eyes.

[Sudden Quest? History is made at night! new!]