Chapter 135:  Mad Dog (2)

Tabor Tade.

The prosecutor of the Nord Court, known as the Mad Dog.

To the nobility, he was like a disaster that bit into any family with even a hint of trouble.

Especially since Tabor had come from a commoner background, his path to promotion was completely blocked.

A prosecutor cast out from factional politics had nothing left in the world to fear.

“……”

And yet, even for him, a chance finally presented itself.

The eldest son of the Grand Duke of the North—someone he had never met before in his life—had offered to treat his sick daughter.

He had promised to dispatch the family’s personal physician directly.

However, it was not a proposition he welcomed.

There was nothing particularly wrong with the Grand Duke’s house itself.

Perhaps they were good at covering their tracks—there had been no official record of tax evasion, nor had they ever been caught committing any illegal acts.

But the eldest son was different.

Together with the second son, Edward, he reeked of something foul.

Tax evasion was the least of it—unclear sources of funding had been reported more than once.

And yet they had remained untouched, all thanks to the massive name of the Grand Duke’s house.

Even so, Eric’s offer of the family physician was sweet beyond words.

No matter how upright a man might be, anyone would waver when their family was in danger.

He was just about to put that rotten piece of meat into his mouth.

After all, the physician Eric had offered from the Grand Duke’s house was second only to the Imperial physician—a true master in the field of medicine.

For Tabor—who had bitten at this and that and ended up as good as blacklisted among the nobility—the Grand Duke’s physician was virtually his last lifeline.

“Yeah… it was a place I’d have to investigate someday anyway.”

A man dressed in a black suit muttered under his breath.

Deep dark circles shadowed his eyes, hardened by a firm and unyielding gaze.

“Might as well take care of everything in one go.”

Tabor justified it to himself—this was a chance to deal with both the suspiciously fast-growing foundation and his younger sibling’s health.

With that, he carried his heavy steps across the hotel’s red carpet.

“I’ll serve you sincerely. I’m Erian.”

A strange hotel on the verge of shutting down for months, yet still praised as five-star quality.

“I’d like to meet the director.”

His glacially cold voice slammed into the staff who had gathered.

They had served countless guests in their lifetime, but instinctively knew—the man before them was no ordinary person.

“A-ah, yes… I’ll let them know right away.”

“Would you be willing to wait in the lounge bar until then…?”

As if the frightening middle-aged man named Tom Reed who had visited recently wasn’t enough—

This one exuded a completely different kind of terror.

“Alright.”

Crimson eyes, hollow and empty, like the angel of death from a holy scripture.

He radiated an eerie aura—the kind that suggested he had the power to decide someone’s fate.

“Then, this way…”

While one staff member rushed toward the elevator to summon the president of the Erian Foundation—

The others guided Tabor to the lounge bar.

However, even during that time, Tabor’s red eyes were already fixed on the many artworks decorating the hotel lobby.

As if, should he find anything suspicious, he would instantly process it in his head and tear into it.

―――――.

He was led to a table tucked into a corner of the bar.

And the moment he sat down in silence…

“Hmm?”

A woman caught the Nord prosecutor’s eye.

It was none other than Anna Emmelique, a junior he had cherished.

“Anna…?”

“Oh, Senior Tabor…?”

The meeting of the previous Mad Dog and the junior fated to inherit his nickname in the future.

However, in this life at least, Anna’s expression had softened somewhat as she greeted him politely.

“What a coincidence to meet you here. Are you here to stay at the hotel?”

“No, I came for work. But you—never thought I’d see you at a place like this.”

A prosecutor on business.

That, in truth, was a chilling statement.

It meant he had come in person to gather information about his target.

But there was something even more chilling than that.

It was the fact that she—someone who, like him, came from a commoner background and whose financial circumstances he knew all too well—was staying at such a luxurious hotel.

In other words, there was now reason to suspect she had already received the same kind of shady offer he had—and become a nobleman’s dog.

In truth, Tabor had always treasured Anna because, though she was also a commoner, she was exceptionally capable.

“Yes, actually, I’ve been living here for a while now.”

The moment his suspicions turned to certainty.

Tabor let out a long sigh.

“The hotel owner’s the one who gave you the room, isn’t he?”

“Yes, he’s really a good person.”

Anna closed the novel she had been reading with a soft thump.

Then, as if it were the most natural thing, she moved to sit at her senior’s table.

She was probably the only person who could act this familiar with the Mad Dog of Nord.

“A good person…?”

“I know what you’re thinking, senior. But nothing strange has happened.”

Her usually messy hair was neatly brushed and full-bodied now.

If she had looked like an Eastern shaggy dog in the past, now she resembled a fluffy little Pomeranian.

“I’ve been living here for months, supported without a single request in return.”

And her round glasses and sparkling eyes…

They certainly didn’t resemble the corrupt expression of someone who had abandoned their convictions as a legal professional.

“Do you hear yourself? You expect me to believe some rich guy’s been sponsoring you for no reason?”

“I’m not the only one. My classmates and juniors are staying here too. I’m even planning to open an office soon.”

Tabor folded his arms, his face twisted in disbelief.

Not only Anna, but many young bar exam candidates had been helped?

“Mr. Roger, the owner of this place, is leading the revival of Old Luton.”

At that, his junior began explaining it herself.

“To change the city’s plummeting image, he supported future legal professionals to open offices here. Using every last penny from his own pocket.”

“That’s nonsense. It’s all just a ploy so he can cash in on your gratitude later.”

The senior, who had seen everything the world had to offer, let out a faint laugh and shook his head.

“I thought the same thing at first. So I looked into the foundation’s finances and business structure on my own.”

Anna gently closed her eyes, as if to show she understood how Tabor felt.

But when she opened them again, her gaze revealed the firm conviction of a young legal professional.

“But there was nothing suspicious at all in the funding structure or the source of the money.”

“Are you serious…?”

Anna may not have been quite on his level, but she was still a junior with a sharp investigative mind and follow-through.

And for her to claim that nothing was amiss…

“In fact, the city revitalization projects he’s carried out until now have made him money.”

Her tone when speaking of the hotel’s owner was one of genuine respect.

“He bought up a lot of problematic lots and buildings around here and raised the value of the city himself. Then he sold them off, used the profit to acquire factories, and even developed training programs for entertainers.”

And Tabor knew this already.

Not just famous singers and dancers—but he’d even established educational programs in partnership with the Imperial Academy.

And to think that a man from a commoner background, just like himself, had achieved all of this.

“He’s a more meticulous man than you’d expect, senior. If you meet him, you’ll understand what I mean.”

“……”

Tabor didn’t argue back, even for a second.

Because he respected her.

“Roger has something different from the other nobles.”

“And what exactly is that?”

“It might sound strange, but…”

To the current Mad Dog’s question, the fluffy little Pomeranian answered.

“When the Grand Duke of the North or the Grand Duke of the West were young… I feel like they might’ve been like him.”

As if she were watching the youth of two of the Empire’s giants.

Hearing that, Tabor sensed that this man would not be easy to deal with.

“I see.”

“Perfect timing. Now you’ll understand what I meant once you meet him.”

Anna glanced briefly toward the man entering the lounge bar and stepped aside.

I returned her gaze with a slight nod, dressed neatly in a formal suit.

“Senior, don’t judge him by appearances. He naturally has a bit of a fox-like face.”

“……”

Anna gave a small laugh and headed toward the opposite table.

But Tabor didn’t react to her playful jab.

He simply stood up and stared straight at me with his sharp, narrow eyes.

“Good day to you, Prosecutor Tabor.”

“So, you know who I am, Director Roger.”

The Mad Dog of Nord lowered the hand that had started to reach for his business card.

With a relaxed smile, I continued the greeting.

“Yes. One of the staff recognized you. Said they saw you in the newspaper.”

“I’ve seen you often in the papers as well. You look better in person.”

He maintained the cool expression befitting a prosecutor.

Since he seemed to already know who I was, I went straight to the point.

“The hotel’s quite nice. Just a few months ago, it looked like it was about to shut down.”

“I’ve put in a fair bit of effort. Still, it’s decent enough now, don’t you think?”

I politely gestured to a chair, inviting him to sit.

He accepted, for now, and took a seat.

“I’ve heard a bit from my junior. Sounds like you’ve been doing a lot for the city.”

As soon as he sat down, he lit the fuse.

He was gauging how I’d respond to such a sensitive question.

But—

“It’s not so much for the city as it is for myself. The land I invested in has to go up in value for me to make money.”

The prosecutor furrowed his brows slightly at my bold honesty.

“Well, I got lucky. The seeds I sowed ended up bearing fruit, so life’s a bit better now.”

“I see. Then I trust you’ll pay your taxes just as honestly this year.”

There it was.

The thing that troubles the wealthy the most—

Taxes.

Since I wasn’t a noble, I was subject to even heavier taxes than most of the upper class.

One of the reasons I was chasing the fifth rank of nobility so desperately was to offset this burden.

Merchants were seen as people who only spent their earnings on themselves.

Nobles, at least, had the image of contributing to Imperial society.

Because of that difference in perception, rich commoners like me had to surrender nearly 40% of our total income in taxes—an absurd world.

Meanwhile, nobles only needed to pay around 15%.

Tabor knew this well, which was why he’d gone straight for the sorest spot.

“Haha… Unfortunately, my net profit is relatively low compared to my revenue.”

Of course, anticipating this, I had already converted most of my gold into physical assets or other investments.

That way, my taxable estimated wealth would appear much lower.

“Director Roger, I understand that you’ve earned your money through fair means.”

Based on his own investigation and Anna’s testimony, he seemed willing to acknowledge that much.

However, since he had taken on a request, he was determined to sink his teeth into something—anything—to wound me.

No doubt the client wanted proof that he had drawn blood.

“Still, not paying taxes on the money you earned is also a ‘violation,’ isn’t it?”

“I’m starting to wonder whether you’re with the court or the national tax office, Prosecutor.”

I smiled slightly as I stirred the teaspoon in my coffee.

“In today’s world, tax optimization is considered part of a CEO’s competence. If we go by your standards, every noble house in the Empire should be in prison.”

“I’m merely trying to prevent a future where you might have to appear in court.”

A man as expressionless as his plain black suit.

Just like the Black Knights his family once commanded back when he was Chief Secretary.

Men like him didn’t easily back down once they had made up their minds.

“Is it the Grand Duke of the North?”

“That’s for you to imagine.”

Tabor seemed to think I was starting to reveal my true intentions, and his expression turned even more guarded.

But—

Soon, a twitch flickered under his eye.

After Eric, now I—someone he was meeting for the first time—was…

“I hear you’re trying to treat a sick child. Your daughter, who has tuberculosis.”

Because I knew the Mad Dog’s only weakness.

Even the name of the disease.

“Is spying on people and digging into their lives the new trend in Nord?”

Tabor’s expression twisted into something fearsome.

But I remained completely calm, as if it didn’t matter in the least.

“Well, if the Grand Duke’s house knows, how could I not?”

Five years from now—

Even after receiving treatment from the Grand Duke’s family physician, his daughter would die from complications caused by a weakened immune system.

“Seems I must look easy to you, Director. To say something like that so casually.”

“You misunderstand. How could I possibly take a lofty prosecutor like yourself lightly?”

I gave a slight smile with my sharp eyes.

Then, pushing the sugar jar toward his teacup, I said:

“What I mean is, since I understand the burden you’re carrying, I’d like to offer a better deal.”

“…What?”

The prosecutor asked, his thick brows furrowing even deeper.

In response, I calmly took out a tissue, and skillfully jotted down a contact number with my fountain pen.

“I’ll reach out soon. For now, go back today—and come visit again another time.”

“And what exactly will change if I come again?”

To his question, I replied with a leisurely smile.

“Everything about your life will change.”

「――――――.」

Tabor left the hotel, replaying my cryptic words over and over in his mind.

I waited in silence until he had fully disappeared from the hotel entrance.

After that, I headed to the front desk…

And took out a crystal orb directly linked to the Imperial medical chamber.

To show that bratty Black Lion who truly held the upper hand when it came to playing dirty.

“Yes, it’s about time for things to start moving.”

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