Chapter 18

Tok~ tok~ tok~ tok~

'Damn…' I sighed in my heart while tapping my ink pen on my study desk.

I am currently sitting on my chair in the office room of the mansion. Joseph was standing beside me while looking through some documents in his hands. My desk was filled with various papers, documents about current affairs, tax-related issues, etc.

On the other side of the desk were two middle-aged men, one with a big belly, and the other one sickly skinny with a moustache, checking out some documents alongside us. They are wearing extremely fancy clothes like that of a noble. But they are not any sort of noble.

The skinny man was wearing a pair of big rounded glasses, occasionally stroking them with his index finger to keep them from falling down his nose. He was giving the vibe of some intelligent teacher or professor who you would see lecturing in a physics class at university. But if someone had keen eyes, they could see an odd look in his eyes, probing his actual character to be doubtful.

Whereas the rounded-belly one gave the vibe of an incompetent officer, with little to no knowledge about his duty. A glint of greed flashed from his eyes.

I am wearing some an official noble-like clothes. Again not too fancy. After returning from the stroll a few days back, I realised that the situation in the territory was much direr than I initially thought.

Spending more than two and a half weeks in this body, I occasionally did look at documents and paperwork. But I mainly focused on stabilising the situation inside the mansion.

According to what I have heard from my gym instructor, there was no mention of the situation in the Gavril territory in the game. Well, Aldrich was basically a no-name character, who didn't even appear in the game. His only role was Angeline's husband and nothing more.

Later, I tried to figure out why Joseph or the others didn't tell me anything about the situation outside the territory. But I couldn't reach a conclusion. So I decided to dismiss the thought for the moment, and look at all the reports and documents about the current condition of the territory.

Joseph's face lit up when I asked him to bring the tax collectors of the territory to me.

Seeing his eyes sparkling with some sort of expectations, I understood there must be a reason as to why he didn't tell me anything about the territory.

Back to present.

I looked at the document in my hand. It was about the ongoing tax collection this year.

Among the total tax collected, only forty percent was recorded to be delivered to the territory's treasury. There was no record of the remaining sixty percent. And most importantly, the excess of the treasury is limited to only these two men and me.

Taking my eyes off the paper, I addressed the men in front of me.

"Mr. Fabius, may I know where are the reports of the remaining sixty percent of taxes collected this year?"

The skinny man with glasses looked at me and stroked his glasses slightly, positioning them comfortably between his brows.

"Lord, you don't have to worry about that. The tax money is being used for the greater good of the territory." said Fabius with a straight face.

'Hmm?' I raised one of my eyebrows.

"Greater good? Can you explain what it is?" I inquired.

But before he could answer, the fat man beside him laughed out and spoke up.

*Hahaha* "You don't have to worry about that Lord. As we said earlier, your loyal servants will take care of all your work. You just stay put in your luxurious room and enjoy eating all the good food we deliver."

Hearing him speak, many question marks showed up in my mind.

'What does he mean by luxury....!!!' As I was contemplating what he said, I suddenly remembered something.

'So that's how it is!' I exclaimed in my mind. 'Now that I think about it, it was truly strange that there were so many luxurious things in my room. Whereas, looking at the mansion, it just appears normal. Only my room is filled with these wealthy goods.'

I looked at them. 'So these guys were the reason behind it huh.....'

"Yes, lord I cannot fathom why you, who is a great novel, would do exercise like this daily. The lord should live in luxury and eat delicious food, not minding these activities meant for lower people. Look at you my lord, how skinny you have become these days. You should eat more and take a rest. I will send my servants with some delicious food to you later. The previous lord and madam would be so sad seeing your condition." said Fabius, with a hint of fake worry in his tone.

'Heh~ sweet words' I snickered.

*clatter~

I looked at the source of sound and saw Joseph's figure trembling, with his eyes looking down at the ground. His old fists were tightly shut.

"From the way they are talking, it is clear that they have a big hand behind the condition of Aldrich and the current condition of the barony."

They are old advisors of Aldrich's father. They have their own mansions on the territory. Last year after the unfortunate death of his father and mother, they became the main heads of governing the territory.

Though I am not hundred percent certain, they are most likely the apparent cause of all the troubles happening in the territory.

Maybe they are the ones who coaxed Alrich for increasing the taxes. And Aldrich being the idiotic bastard, it was easy for them to control him.

The fat man, Paul spoke up,

*Hahaha* "Lord, you don't have to meddle with these things. We will take care of everything." He looked at me, giving a mischievous snicker, and continued. "All you have to think is about the young lady of Adrodart's family. She is already in the way and will arrive here within two weeks time. We have to prepare for your grand wedding with the beautiful lady." *Hahaha*.

He said it in a very lecherous manner, that would bring disgust to anybody who is listening to him.

'Oh-ho! So they are the ones who led Aldirch's engagement with Angeline.' I exclaimed in my mind. 'No wonder….. Like, who in their right mind would like to marry the infamous villainess who was banished from her country? It was them who made Aldrich marry Angeline in the game.'

'But.....why though??'

'Anyway, I don't like the way this fatty said her name. This guy must have some indecent thoughts about her.' I scowled inwardly.

'!!!' 'Why did I scowl?? Whatever, forget it.' I dismissed the thoughts coming to my mind.'

I addressed the two men again, "I am highly grateful that you guys care about me so much." I smiled at them. "But I would like to have all the reports about the tax and the documents about the territory's treasury. I haven't checked the treasury and can only rely on you two to gain the information."

Hearing me their faces became slightly dark.

Fabius spoke up. "Lord….Do you not trust us?" His tone was deep as if trying to intimate me.

I just smiled at them and said. "No, no, that is not the case." Saying so I turned serious. A subtle chilly aura excluded my body and ice started forming where I was sitting.

Fabius and Paul visibly shivered. Looking at me with wide eyes, as if they had seen a ghost.

"L-lordd…Th-this i-i-ice!!?" Paul spoke up, sweat drenching his forehead.

"Oh! Don't worry about that. It's just that I have awakened my elements a few days ago." I said. "You just tell me...As your lord, am I the one who you serve?"

The aura became more intense.

Fabius gulped,*gulp* and said, "Ye-yes, my lord!!"

"So, should you as the servants, who gave you the right to talk back to me??"

They shivered and said, "N-no my lord! We apologise. W-we will get all the reports which you need."

Hearing them, I smiled again and dismissed the aura.

Upon the disappearance of the aura, they breathed out loud. *Fuuhh*

"So you may take your leave for now and bring back all the documents tomorrow." Saying so I dismissed them.

But before they leave I said. "And most importantly, you are relieved from your duty for the time being."

"W-WHAT!?" Hearing me they were shocked and exclaimed.

"What? Do you have a problem?" I narrowed my eyes on them.

"N-no my lord, t-then we will take our leave." Saying so they practically fled.

Seeing them leave, I sighed and relaxed my stiff body.

*Sigh~

I looked at Joseph who was standing beside me, with his eyes and mouth wide open. Seemingly in trance.

"What's the matter, Joseph?"

Hearing me, he broke out from his trance and chuckled lightly.

"Nothing young lord, it's just that…..you reminded me so much of your father right now."

'What?" Hearing him I started to chuckle too.

Soon both of our chuckles filled the room.