Chapter 7

"Andrew," I called as he entered my room.

"Yes, Master Lucas?" he replied.

"Andrew, I require your assistance.I need you to provide me with a comprehensive list of my father's territorial issues and has Gustav decided to train me."

"Sir Gustav has agreed to teach you but he hasn't told me when your training will start. I will notify you as soon as Sir Gustav gives me a date and time. On the matter of the territorial issues, I will get you a comprehensive list within a week." Andrew replied while bowing

"Thank you Andrew you are dismissed"

After Andrew left the room, I sat down at my desk and took a deep breath.

'Might as well keep up my mana training'

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After waiting for a week, Andrew finally brought me the list of territorial issues. As I scanned through it, I noticed a problem that caught my attention.

For the past decade, crime had been on the rise in my father's territory. Although most of the crimes were minor, such as stealing, it was still a significant issue. Merchants had been putting constant pressure on my father to increase the punishment for these crimes, but he was worried about creating resentment among the people.

I believed that I had a solution that could help resolve this issue. My plan was simple - make the merchants invest in helping the peasants. The key was tax write-offs.

By proposing a plan that would solve a longstanding problem in our territory, I could position myself as a capable figure in my father's eyes and hopefully gain some influence over his decisions.

"Andrew," I called out to him as he entered the room.

"Yes, Master Lucas?" he replied, his tone indicating his readiness to serve.

"I need you to inform my father that I would like to meet with him," I said, making sure to keep my tone respectful.

"Of course, my lord. When would you like to meet with him?" Andrew asked, bowing his head slightly.

"As soon as possible," I replied.

"Very well, my lord. I will inform the count at once and let you know his response," Andrew said while bowing and exiting the room.

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"Master Lucas, the count is now available to see you," Andrew announced as he entered the room.

Regaining my focus I looked at Andrew "Great let's start heading towards his office."

As I entered my father's office I notice him looking up at me with a tired smile.

"Good evening, Lucas did something happen?" Father replied with tired eyes and a hoarse voice.

"Nothing happen father I just was concerned that you may be working yourself too much. Last time I came here you had a full stack of papers and now you are beyond tired."

"Don't worry about it too much son, I can handle a bit of tiredness," My father said mid-yawn

I sighed "Father I have taken some liberty to try to help you with one of your problems. I know the merchants have been pressuring you into handing out harsher laws but you are reluctant. So I came up with a solution."

I handed him a piece of paper with the purpose of tax laws and the projected effects.

"For a population of 250,000 with 1,000 merchants and 25,000 peasants, the tax write-off proposal could be structured as follows:

Eligibility: Merchants operating within the territory of the Count are eligible for this tax write-off. Donations must be made directly to peasants, either in the form of food items or other necessary products such as clothing, tools, and seeds.

Tax Deduction: Merchants who make donations equivalent to 3% of their annual revenue will be eligible for a tax deduction of 5% of their total tax liability for the year. The exact percentage of the tax deduction will be determined by the Count's appointed officials based on the overall impact of the donations on the local peasant population.

Donation Verification: To be eligible for the tax deduction, merchants must provide proof of their donations to designated collection points or directly to the Count's appointed officials. The donated items must be evaluated and approved as necessary and useful for the peasants by the officials.

Oversight: The Count's appointed officials will oversee the implementation of this tax write-off proposal, including the collection and distribution of donated items, the verification of donations, and the determination of tax deductions. Any misuse of the tax write-off will be subject to penalties and sanctions.

Assuming that the average annual revenue per merchant is 500,000 units, the total eligible donations would be 15,000 units (3% of 500,000) per merchant or 15 million units for all 1,000 merchants. The total tax deduction available to merchants would be 750,000 units (5% of 15 million), which would be offset by a reduction in tax revenue for the Count."

After reading through my tax write-off proposal my dad looked at me full of surprise "Did you really write this?"

"Yes father" I replied with a prideful gaze

My father looked at me with a suspicious gaze and said "I do have some concerns, who is to say that merchants would want to take use of this tax write-off? Wouldn't It decrease their profits"

"I assure you father while merchants may be hesitant to make donations, the tax deduction could actually incentivize them to do so. By making donations equivalent to 3% of their annual revenue, they can receive a tax deduction of 5% of their total tax liability for the year. This could ultimately lead to a reduction in their overall tax burden, which could increase their profits."

"Still the reduction in tax revenue could become a problem?" Father replied still wearing his doubtful gaze. I knew that he was testing me just to make sure I didn't steal this idea and it was actually my own.

"On the contrary, while the tax write-off proposal may result in a reduction in tax revenue, it could ultimately lead to increased productivity and economic growth. By improving the livelihoods of the local peasant population, they may be able to contribute more to the local economy through increased agricultural output or other forms of production."

"Father," I spoke respectfully, "I truly believe that this solution would benefit both the people and the merchants."

Father paused his face a mixture of surprise and admiration. "Your intelligence never ceases to amaze me," he said, impressed

"Thank you for your praise father"

"It's quite remarkable, even at the age of four, you've already displayed a level of intelligence that can rival many adults. It seems that I could already start teaching you how to run the territory."

As I bid my father farewell, a smile crept across my face. I couldn't help but relish the fact that I had just gained a decent amount of power and influence over the territory. This was a major victory for me.

Walking away from our meeting, my heart filled with a sense of triumph and satisfaction. Today was another successful day