Chapter 117: Deliberate Manipulation

Normally, a territory’s monthly revenue ranged from about fifty to eighty thousand gold. For a territory engaged in active trade by land or sea, the number could reach up to two hundred thousand.

Yet, the report from Kanas Territory now recorded revenue approaching one million gold.

Naturally, the accompanying tax report reflected a similar surge.

[300,000 G]

It wasn’t a messy or random figure—it was a clean, exact amount.

The tax alone exceeded the total revenue of most commercial territories.

Duke Alito’s hands trembled as he verified the report.

“This makes no sense! How could Kanas Territory…!”

It was a land once called no different from a wasteland.

For hundreds of years, no one had succeeded in rebuilding it.

That was precisely why they had sent the third prince, Raion, there—but the result was far beyond anyone’s expectations.

“It’s a lie! This has to be forged! Administrator! Are you out there? Administrator!”

Startled by the duke’s urgent tone, an administrator hurried inside.

It was Polan, one of Duke Alito’s administrative aides.

“You called for me, Your Grace?”

“Have all the figures listed in this report been verified and collected?”

At that, Polan stepped forward to check which report the duke was referring to.

He immediately recognized the contents.

“You’re referring to the tax report, correct? It was submitted today, so it hasn’t yet been verified. We were waiting for your approval before proceeding.”

That was the usual procedure.

The figures couldn’t be checked until the chancellor, Duke Alito himself, granted authorization.

Even though he knew that well, Alito’s agitation had momentarily clouded his judgment.

“Ah… right.”

“Have you finished reviewing the reports, Your Grace?”

The report from Kanas Territory was the very last one.

Pushing his chair back, Duke Alito stood up.

“I have. I’ll accompany you myself!”

“Personally, Your Grace?”

Until now, the verification process had always been carried out solely by his administrators.

Polan’s eyes widened slightly at the unusual decision.

“Lead the way, quickly!”

“Y-Yes, understood.”

Duke Alito, accompanied by Polan, headed toward the temporary treasury where the kingdom’s collected taxes were stored.

When they arrived, knights were standing guard at the entrance.

Though called temporary, it was heavily fortified, as vast sums of gold were stored within.

“Your Grace…? What brings you here personally…?”

It was natural for the knights to be surprised—only administrators typically came down here.

“The formalities are done. Open the door!”

“Y-Yes, at once!”

Clank! Clank! Thud…!

With the turning of several locks, the thick iron doors began to open.

Inside, countless leather sacks filled with gold and silver coins were piled high like mountains.

Each sack was marked with the name of its respective territory and the crest of the noble who ruled it.

“Where is the sack from Kanas Territory!?”

“I’ll find it right away!”

Polan stepped forward and began checking the inscriptions on the sacks one by one.

There were so many that it took a while.

Eventually, crawling further inside, he found one.

“Found it!”

“How much is in there!?”

“T-The thing is…”

Polan emerged, struggling to lift a large, heavy sack.

Thud—! Clink! Clink!

As it hit the ground, a deep, metallic clatter filled the air.

Growing impatient, Duke Alito untied the sack himself.

When it opened, a dazzling pile of gold coins shimmered before his eyes.

“What in the world…”

“There are three sacks from Kanas Territory in total, Your Grace. Judging by the size and weight, I estimate roughly one hundred thousand gold per sack.”

Polan had spent years as an administrator.

He could estimate the amount of money in a sack simply by its heft and size.

But to Duke Alito, the exact figure no longer mattered.

The very fact that the sacks actually contained gold was shocking enough.

And if Polan’s estimation was correct, then the report’s figures were genuine.

“How could this possibly…”

It was Kanas Territory, of all places.

Three hundred thousand gold in tax revenue had been collected from there.

This accomplishment surpassed the years-long efforts and progress achieved by Ashuran and Valet in their own lands several times over.

Knowing better than anyone what that meant, Duke Alito’s expression stiffened.

“Kanas Territory collecting this much tax… truly remarkable. Your Grace…”

Administrator Polan kept rambling on until he finally sensed something off in the air.

He immediately shut his mouth, but Duke Alito’s expression remained rigid.

“M-My apologies.”

He didn’t even know what he had done wrong.

He was simply excited in his position as an administrator and tax collector.

Of course, Duke Alito couldn’t just execute Polan for irritating him.

He couldn’t afford to abandon the composed and calm image he had always maintained.

“That’s enough. Verify all the funds stored here.”

“Y-Yes, Your Grace.”

“I have urgent business elsewhere. I’ll be leaving now.”

Duke Alito left the treasury at once.

His steps led him directly to the Queen’s quarters.

As usual, Queen Elina, who was busy adorning herself, was startled by the sudden visit.

“What brings you here, Your Grace?”

“Something unusual has happened.”

“Please, speak calmly.”

Elina dismissed the maids from the room and sat down gracefully.

Duke Alito took a glass of water from the side table, drank, and spoke.

“The tax that came from Kanas this time amounts to three hundred thousand gold.”

“…Pardon?”

It was an amount so absurd that she thought she had misheard.

But both his tone and the number etched themselves into her mind.

“Three hundred thousand gold—from Kanas?”

“Yes. It surpasses the combined amount Ashuran and Valet have sent to date.”

Even the wealthiest commercial territories rarely made more than two hundred thousand gold in total revenue. Their taxes only amounted to a few tens of thousands.

Understanding that, Elina couldn’t hide her shock.

“How could Kanas send such an enormous sum as tax? If that’s the tax, then the total revenue would be…”

By normal calculation, it would exceed three million gold.

But Duke Alito didn’t see it that way.

“They’ve definitely generated some form of profit—but they must have used tricks.”

“Tricks?”

“Kanas was exempt from taxes due to its regional limitations. Yet, they sent a tax payment anyway. What does that tell you?”

“That they intentionally sent more than other territories?”

“Whatever they earned, they must have scraped their coffers clean!”

Duke Alito never imagined Kanas Territory would respond this way.

Of course, it was still speculation.

But to him, it was the only plausible explanation.

“If we consider the profit, then the goods said to be produced in Kanas must actually exist.”

“Most likely. Of all places, it had to be there!”

Even now, on a corner table, there were the Chers and Jagir goods sold by a merchant named Fordman—items that had caught everyone’s attention in the capital.

Queen Elina herself had ordered her attendants to purchase them because they were fashionable.

“If my father’s words are right, the prince must have taken an extreme gamble.”

“A gamble indeed. But this incident won’t pass lightly in the Great Hall meeting.”

Compared to the other princes, the tax offered by Kanas was several times greater.

And it had come from a territory exempt from taxation.

Naturally, it drew attention.

The ministers’ focus would shift, and opinions about the line of succession could once again divide.

For Duke Alito, who had spent years carefully winning their favor, this was a major headache.

“Then what shall we do? Shouldn’t we try to conceal the tax report from Kanas?”

“The administrator already confirmed it. Besides, a copy of the report will be submitted separately to His Majesty.”

The chancellor’s office handled verification and management.

Naturally, the king also received his own copy, so it couldn’t be hidden by just one side.

“This situation is turning into a disaster!”

“We’ll have to find a way. If we can’t resolve it quietly… we may have to take drastic measures.”

“By force?”

“Our forces are ready. If we can’t choose the same path, one must be removed…”

“You’re thinking of sending someone to Kanas again? But that already failed once.”

Even the Dagger of Darkness’s movements had proven useless.

Of course, they didn’t believe those assassins had been killed by Raion himself.

They assumed they’d perished to monsters, unable to cross the Clamen Mountains.

“There isn’t much time left until the trial ends. That means there’s only one target we can focus on.”

“You mean to target His Highness directly?”

“It’s not certain yet. I’ll decide after seeing how the Great Hall meeting unfolds. For now, just confirm our military strength.”

“Will that be safe?”

Even Queen Elina, who had always acted ruthlessly, hesitated at this plan.

If things went wrong, her sons might ascend the throne under the taint of treason.

“We’ll make it safe. After all, the ministers and nobles are our allies, aren’t they?”

He could still pressure things through the loyal faction he had gathered.

But the sheer amount of tax sent from Kanas could shake even that alliance.

Duke Alito intended to plan a more definite countermeasure.

“Our plans keep falling apart.”

“Even so, His Majesty hasn’t found the Swordmaster who appeared in Praizen, has he?”

He was referring to the man Duke Alito once sought to recruit into his service.

When King Laskan learned about that man, Duke Alito had been alarmed.

If another Swordmaster were to join the King’s side under these circumstances, their defeat would be inevitable.

“It’s fortunate he vanished so suddenly. Though, it would’ve been better if we’d managed to win him over instead.”

“I agree. But there hasn’t been a single trace since his disappearance…”

Even Dejir Malon, who had last reported contact with the Swordmaster, vanished along with him.

Neither of their tracks could be found, which only made the situation more frustrating.

“In any case, we’ll proceed with preparations.”

After finishing the discussion, Duke Alito left the Queen’s chambers.

Left alone, Queen Elina bit her nails in anxious frustration.

“The kingdom belongs to my children… I won’t let anyone take it from them.”

Her sharp voice echoed coldly across the silent room.

Elina’s face contorted, more menacing than ever before.

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