People in Terra, governing a bizarre little country

Ernst pointed at Ensioudis and said,

"How about the Shivaish family voluntarily contributing fifty percent of this mixed tax, and the Blantau and Perroch families sharing the remaining fifty percent?"

“I accept,” Actos Perroche said immediately.

“Yes, it’s a bit unfair, but I agree.” Ensiodis frowned slightly, but still nodded.

Latatos wanted to say something more, but after being glared at fiercely by Actos, she shut her mouth and dejectedly agreed:

"I accept."

Ernst nodded in satisfaction.

This is the opening of the window. If this plan had been presented at the beginning, Latatos and Actos certainly wouldn't have accepted it. But once Ensiodis introduced a series of taxes, such as land tax, food tax, and luxury tax, they found the plan less abhorrent and unacceptable.

On the contrary, they should thank themselves.

After the meeting, Enciodes found Ernst, who was preparing to head out for a free meal, and asked:

"You know what to do?"

“I know, I know. I’ll return your money in full, and I’ll take the money from the other two families,” Ernst replied. “But you can’t possibly think that our Shivaish family and your Kalan trade are exempt from taxes, can you?”

Ensiodis was taken aback: "What do you mean?"

Ernst patted his chest, and Cheese Leopard revealed an innocent and pure smile:

“They are them, but we are all civilized people who have studied foreign tax systems. Kalan trade must also be conducted legally, right? When the time comes, there will be commercial taxes, customs duties, consumption taxes, mining taxes... Don't worry about manpower shortages, I will personally come to urge them.”

"Can I choose to pay the mixed tax?" Ensiodis asked with a dark expression.

Ernst smiled without saying a word.

This is revenge for my little stove that's still crying at the bottom of the cliff, brother!

..............

Evening. Tukarim, Karan Trade Headquarters, Chairman's Office.

Nosis Edwis, who had been reinstated, looked at Enciodis, who had returned to his office a step later than him, and asked:

"How about it?"

“You’ve lost,” Ensiodis said. “This time it’s three months.”

Nohis looked incredulous:

"What are you talking about? I bet you'd win! Didn't you agree that you'd return all your money?"

Ensiodis rubbed his temples, looking helpless.

"Yes, so he won't take my money. He will tax the trade between Shivaish and Kalan according to the normal tax procedures."

"You agreed to give it to him? You didn't resist?" Nosis asked incredulously.

Enciodes glanced at him, said nothing more, and simply called out, "Mathjon, Weiss, take Mr. Nohis out. He's on vacation again, the unpaid kind."

"Enciodes, are you deliberately trying to trick me with your *ancient Sherag curse*?"

Watching Nosis, who was being dragged out of the chairman's office while cursing and swearing, Enciodis turned his office chair around and looked up at the desolate night sky of Sherag, filled with countless stars.

Why would he deliberately sabotage Noxis? He's not the kind of person who would readily admit defeat.

It was just a side effect.

Ultimately, his competition with Ernst was a competition "within the rules." Ernst obtained the right to tax through normal procedures, and since he did not object to this at the Three Races Conference, he naturally would not go back on his word afterward. Nor would he harbor any thoughts of "armed resistance" against Ernst, who was taxing him through normal procedures and rules.

That wouldn't be healthy competition, but rather internal strife.

He sighed softly.

This time, I lost because I slightly underestimated my younger brother's wickedness and shamelessness.

Next time, I'll find a way to get my money back!

Fifty-eighth move by Dai Feien: My rebellious phase has begun! (3500)

Shelag, Tukarim, Shelag Government Office (Congratulations! It's finally going to be renovated!)

After seeing off Nasti, the civil engineer who had come to discuss how to renovate the government office building, Ernst finally had some free time to have a good chat with the girl who had stayed in Kjerag.

Defiance Windermere, daughter of the Duke of Victoria Windermere, would likely have been the first in line to the title had the Duke and Mr. Kent not followed the idea of ​​having a second child in another world.

Although the little girl looks quite young and still has a childlike appearance, in some ways she is already a real big shot, even bigger than Ernst.

The Duchy of Windermere is a large duchy that administers several counties and has more than ten high-speed warships on the surface. Throughout Victoria's long history, successive Dukes of Windermere have been responsible for guarding Victoria's northeastern border. Ernst used this analogy to describe their military prowess.

The Colombian War of Independence was fought so hard, and their enemy was only a Grand Duke of Victoria, whose strength was clearly inferior to that of Windermere.

Therefore, Ernst always felt a strange sense of incongruity when he looked at Definite sitting quietly on the fur sofa.

What a stark contrast between an innocent and carefree child and a duke's heir who can turn the world upside down with a flick of his wrist.

"Mr. Ernst, do you perhaps have a fondness for children?"

Defien's sudden teasing pulled Ernst back from his reverie. Somewhat embarrassed, Ernst averted his gaze from Defien and asked:

"How can you contaminate people's innocence out of thin air?"

"Really?" Defien looked suspicious. "My parents decided to leave me here, and I listened to them, but I haven't been idle these past few days. I've inquired about several people in your government."

As she spoke, she pursed her lips, looking incredulous at the result.

"It's hard to imagine that unless you have some special hobby, you would form such a government and then leave it there completely unattended."

She wasn't just saying that lightly. She had genuinely visited several of Ernst's government ministers over the past few days, and the results were surprisingly alarming.

Aside from Ms. Holheimer, who was all talk and no action but always a conservative, whom she couldn't understand, everyone—from the Minister of Works, Lola, the Minister of Finance, Joyce, to the receptionist, Hinterlea—held feelings of gratitude and admiration for Ernst to varying degrees.

According to the intelligence methods her mother taught her, Ernst could easily manipulate these older sisters into a state of complete disorientation if he wanted, even making them reveal every detail of what they would wear the next day. Defion even felt she could sleep with them!

Although this was the first time Defiance had used the intelligence skills her mother had taught her in actual combat, she firmly believed that her mother's words were never wrong.

As for Ms. Holheimia, well... is she really just a private secretary?

Every time Dai Feien tried to test her, she felt like her every little thought was seen through, even when she just saw her.

In my father's words, this is called a difference in skill level. Unless you go all in and attack head-on, you'll never be able to figure out her true strength.

Yes, this is knowledge her father taught her. He said that's how he barged into Windermere's command post and confessed his love to her.

As for these individuals, is there someone who has been overlooked?

Yes, Defien herself was also puzzled by this matter. Her mother had cultivated her skills as an intelligence agent from a young age, but her father had repeatedly warned her before leaving that she must never get involved with that "Vina Victoria." If possible, it was best not to even communicate with her, and never even meet her.

This is truly bizarre. Why?

Defiance completely failed to understand Kent's good intentions, and clearly, Kent also overlooked the restless heart of a teenage girl going through her rebellious phase.

Why are you so wary of me contacting Miss Vina? Does she perhaps have some secret?

What a coincidence, Dad! Have you forgotten what intelligence agents do?

Isn't it just about finding out secrets?

Watch as I secretly uncover all of Vina's secrets, and when you come back to pick me up, I'll give you a big surprise!

Having made up his mind, this is why, even though the sky outside is unusually clear and the cold wind is gradually subsiding, Daphne is still sitting obediently, or even quietly, in Ernst's office!

“Mr. Ernst, you wouldn’t want me to tell anyone about your interest in children, would you?”

Ernst couldn't help but take another look at the little devil, Felin, who was swinging his black-stockinged little feet on the sofa with an evil cat-like smile.

Where did you learn about Eastern culture without a teacher?

Also, do you know that, generally speaking, the conditions for launching this kind of threat are that you have to be a blond guy or my boss who pays my salary?

Do you think I'd be afraid of a little girl like you?

“Miss Definite, let’s talk this over. Spreading rumors about me like this is a legal offense in Sherag.”

Ernst was genuinely afraid.

Although Defenn wasn't his boss, she did indeed pay Ernst a salary. And it was in Victorian pounds, in amounts totaling tens of millions.

If you say this without paying me, you're a little devil. If you say this after I pay you, even if you're an old devil or a ghost like Empress Dowager Cixi, I'll still tolerate it, even if there's a knife above my heart!

Moreover, he was genuinely afraid that this young girl, Dai Feien, would spread rumors around without keeping her mouth shut.

Sherag now has only one Law, and that Law is the oracle of Jeragand. The oracle of Jeragand says that Ernst is the Son of God, so rounding up, Ernst is Jeragand's own son, the Son of the Law.

It's fine for Definite to say this in front of Ernst, but if outsiders hear it, those fellow villagers won't stand for it.

They could really tie up Defien and throw her in front of Ernst, letting Defien experience what it's like to be a little devil who has been severely humiliated and judged by a righteous adult.

If he breaks it, Windermere won't let him off the hook. Then the little stove will be gone for good.

Daphne was unaware that she had just escaped a disaster because of Ernst's infatuation with the small stove. She blamed her father for not telling her, before leaving, that his knowledgeable daughter Ernst's sexual orientation was "sexy." She maintained her smug posture, even narrowing her eyes, and slowly said:

"Alright. But we have a deal: you have to let me shut up, but there are conditions."

Ernst nodded. "It's alright, I'll ask your father to increase the amount on your terms."

She crossed her arms and asked, "I'm actually quite curious, Mr. Ernst, what kind of people are in your staff?"

Ernst paused, surprised that Daphne would be interested in this. Feeling there was no need to hide it, he answered straightforwardly:

“Hinterlea used to be a racing knight, Joyce is a college graduate who studied computer science and is currently teaching herself accounting. Lola is the only college PhD and the only college student from a commoner background in Sherag. Holhaia said she used to work for some charitable foundation, but changed jobs because she was harassed and subjected to sarcastic and workplace violence by her boss.”

"As for Vina."

Ernst paused at this point, because Vina's identity was indeed somewhat difficult to ascertain.

You could say she's a hoodlum, but hoodlums obviously don't have that kind of high quality and knowledge. But if you say she's the illegitimate daughter or young wife of some nobleman, that's just speculation without any basis. If you spread that nonsense, it won't be good for Vina's reputation, and Defion probably won't accept such nonsense either.

After some deliberation, Ernst replied:

"She was from Lentinium, and her ancestors might have had some background, but not so much now. She was homeless in Lentinium at the time, and she came to apply after seeing the job posting."

"The fallen nobles of Londinium."

Defiance nodded. She already had some guesses in her mind.

Although she was born long after Frederick III, the last king of Victoria, had been hanged, and she did not witness the spectacular sight of the acrobatic lion's head being dried, this important historical event is something that every Grand Duke's child knows.

After the king's death, the royalist nobles were swiftly purged by the parliamentarians and the grand dukes behind them. Even the "noble Dukes of Cumberland" family was wiped out, their fortunes almost completely divided up. Not to mention the smaller, weaker royalist nobles who were left in the mess.

Miss Vina's family must be one of them.

No wonder Dad doesn't let me have any contact with her.

Victoria's nobility remains extremely wary of the remnants of the royalists, and as the daughter of the Duke of Windermere, if she were found to have connections with a royalist nobleman, it would have a significant negative impact on her and her family's reputation.

However, this is a rational consideration from the perspective of the duke's daughter.

From a purely emotional perspective, after learning (what she perceived as) Vina's background, she actually developed some affection for this older sister who was so poor that she had to wander the streets of Lontinim, and even so pitiful that she had to find employment in Sherag but did not join any of the Grand Dukes' entourage to become their vassal.

That's very principled, isn't it?

Defiance had seen many nobles around her mother who had only lost a little of their property, or who simply thought they were inferior to others, and immediately came to Windermere to beg for protection and help.

Compared to their bloated and fat selves, who wept bitterly in their warm rooms, pleading for their mothers' mercy, Miss Vina's self-reliant appearance, working in the cold in her cramped office without even a stove, stood out even more.

Even if I can't help her openly, I should be able to befriend her privately and offer her some help quietly, right?

Defiance thought that when her father came to pick her up next spring, she would discuss with her parents whether they should help Miss Vina's family and make her a vassal of Windermere.

Having a noblewoman like Vina as a vassal is much better than having those drunken guys surrounding Mom and Dad!

Without hesitation, Defien touched the postcards she had kept from her trip with her father, which she had treasured, and walked out of Ernst's office toward the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which was on the same floor, or more precisely, in a separate room.

My dad's experience tells me that when you feel there's a skill gap between you and your opponent, the best way to break the deadlock and find an opportunity is to "go for it!"

“Miss Vina, I am Defiance.”

"I just found out there's a Victorian in Ernst's government too. How about we become friends?"

P.S.: After finishing the new main storyline, I was dumbfounded. The Blood Demon fought the Demon King to the edge of the universe, obliterating the Great Dao and getting himself trapped in a spacetime turbulence. The Doctor was even more of a heavyweight, jumping off a warship to save my rabbit, thinking he was done for, but then he threw a pebble and got his arm broken, which made me laugh.

Of course, besides the mercenary trio being very enjoyable to watch, the traitor seemed to be the happiest person!

P.S.: My friend PY has a new book, which seems to be about porridge and peaches.