The First Magic World War

Chapter 336: 321, Tax Investigation Case (Another 11,000-word update today, working so hard, asking for monthly votes)

The Military Enforcement Department of the Central Government Office would not halt an investigation simply because the dispatched Knighthood was completely annihilated; instead, they’d send out a second Knighthood and resume the investigation—along with an inquiry into the details of the previous team’s destruction.

Forewarned by Earl Brittany, Charles had prepared himself.

A fortnight later, he welcomed the second investigation!

This time, the enforcement officer leading the Knighthood was indeed “fair in handling affairs,” and after a round of investigation, found no evidence that Charles had been “harboring” wounded soldiers from the Army of the Black Phoenix. He wrote a truthful report and submitted it to his superiors.@@novelbin@@

After this enforcement Knighthood left, Charles thought the matter should be behind him and had just breathed a sigh of relief,

when, unexpectedly, a third enforcement Knighthood arrived.

This time they were actually here to investigate the tax issues of the South Seraph Region.

That was indeed troublesome.

Especially since the person leading the team was none other than—Alans Cook!

This twenty-sixth rank, fourth-class General Affairs Director of the Central Government Office’s Logistics Department, just one rank lower than Charles, had been temporarily transferred to the Enforcement Department, with a perfectly valid reason—he was an expert in taxation.

Alans Cook didn’t go directly to Charles; he toured the South Seraph Region first and quickly gathered a large amount of firsthand evidence. This evidence indicated that Charles had never collected taxes!

And he directly handed this investigative report to Earl Brittany.

Charles hadn’t expected that this matter was not yet over!?

Yannick O’Reilly’s methods were too crude after all.

This was the legitimate tactic of a high noble—not pushing someone to rebel but making life as difficult as possible.

Charles had no choice but to go to Earl Brittany to explain the tax issues to Alans Cook.

Within his own dark luxury, Charles met with this “love rival.”

Poor soul, he had never done anything to Miss Sophia Garanord; he had almost completely forgotten about the Strasbourg Rose.

Well, in Earl Brittany’s presence, he certainly had to forget about all other ladies.

This was basic courtesy.

Alans Cook was a handsome man with a refined demeanor. Charles had not expected this fellow to have such a dark heart but still look so decent.

Alans Cook took out a notebook and spoke indifferently, “Mister Charles Mecklen, you have not collected taxes in the South Seraph Region, and the evidence is conclusive. However, I would still like to hear your views,” he said.

He bowed slightly to Earl Brittany as a salute and added, “This is also the Earl’s wish.”

Charles thought, “Nonsense! Why would Earl Brittany care about such trivial matters?”

Suppressing his anger, he said, “South Serif is not my fief; I have no duty nor right to collect taxes there.”

Alans Cook smiled faintly and said, “But you are the bailiff for Arcadia Port, Sedona City, Solvan City, Camel Town, and Interlaken City in the South Seraph Region! In the absence of the land-owning nobles, it is your duty to collect taxes on behalf of those nobles and also on behalf of the Empire.”

“The other areas are indeed not within your jurisdiction or duties, but what about the taxation of these five cities?”

“Moreover, according to the records, you seem to have been absent from the South Seraph Region for some time. Please explain this as well.”

Earl Brittany’s face bore only a smile, without the slightest intention to interrupt. Charles didn’t know what the Old Earl was thinking, so he patiently explained, “The South Seraph Region has been ravaged by war, leading to a sharp decline in the population, which has made it impossible to collect taxes. In many cities, I couldn’t even find residents to tax; there are empty houses everywhere, and no one knows whether they have fled somewhere or died in the war.”

Being a former mathematics teacher who had personally handled and overseen the relocation of residents from the South Seraph Region to other cities, Charles immediately cited the population numbers of five cities, saying, “Sedona City now has fewer than a thousand inhabitants, Interlaken City has only three residents. How do you expect me to collect taxes?”

Alans Cook unrelentingly said, “These cities have experienced war, but Arcadia Port was not affected by the war. This port city has at least sixty thousand inhabitants, yet they have not paid a dime in taxes.”

Charles thought, “I’m familiar with bookkeeping!”

At that moment, he rattled off a bunch of figures, “Indeed, Arcadia Port was unaffected by the war, economy intact, but in South Serif, we’ve had at least three major campaigns, one of them led by Duke Joseph, from which at least materials worth tens of thousands of Aegeus were requisitioned from Arcadia Port.”

“The first Brittany offensive also requisitioned massive resources from Arcadia Port!”

“Just these two campaigns alone triggered over three hundred battles, the death and injury toll of Fars soldiers exceeded sixty thousand, causing the civilian population of the South Seraph Region to decline by a staggering forty-five percent, with property losses incalculable and unable to be effectively accounted for. The materials requisitioned from Arcadia Port are countless, and these in essence are temporary taxes. According to the national statutes, Arcadia Port should be exempt from taxes for at least fifteen years following the battles.”

“As for the second Brittany offensive…”

The first Brittany offensive was named after Kreel Brittany!

This campaign was named after Earl Brittany and thus called the second Brittany offensive.

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