With both hands propped under his chin, Kain, draped in a robe that revealed his upper body, greeted Ascal warmly as soon as he saw him.

 

He resembled a village chief in demeanor.

 

The Cat tribe's masseur, worried that the Crown Prince might feel uncomfortable, diligently pressed and massaged, sweating profusely as always.

 

With a somewhat resigned attitude, Ascal laid down on the massage bed next to the Crown Prince. Soon, gentle hands began massaging his back.

 

"Is it alright for you to come here so often? Aren't you swamped with official duties?"

 

"Taking a short break doesn't cause any harm. Besides, isn't taking care of one's body also a part of official duties? Heh!"

 

The magical touch that eased the tight muscles in his back and buttocks from horseback riding also relaxed the Crown Prince's expression.

 

"Actually, I came today to ask a favor."

 

"You're mistaken. We don't have any horses. We've already sent them to a larger ranch to frolic freely."

 

“No, no, that’s not it. Well, that’s partly true.”

 

Fortunately, not many had seen Ascal during the Pegasus incident. Kain, who was on the lower floor, hadn't witnessed the Pegasus.

 

Had he seen the Pegasus then, he might've gone beyond simply being curious and perhaps even employed personal influence.

 

"Do you know Count Devar?"

 

"Yes, he's known to be rather talkative."

 

"Haha, it's not just talkative. He probably spreads half the rumors in the empire."

 

Count Devar.

 

Having met him only once at a party, the count had left a strong impression on Ascal.

 

There were people who love to interfere everywhere and spread words. Count Devar was the epitome of that type.

 

"But there are recent talks that Count Devar isn't reporting his taxes properly."

 

Kain remarked with a meaningful tone.

 

"While the empire tirelessly works day and night to provide for its citizens, if there's a despicable individual lining his own pockets, what would you do?"

 

"Well..."

 

Kain always looked melancholic, and it was easy to forget, but he was still the heir to the throne.

The Crown Prince's words had a clear intent.

 

'I’m not going to do anything directly, so could you handle Count Devar for me.'

 

Having understood, Ascal pondered.

 

Between the Crown Prince and Count Devar, whose side should he take?

 

Without a doubt, it was the Crown Prince.

 

No matter how much the Crown Prince seemed to enjoy flattery or appeared to lack substance, it was all just an act.

 

Having a favor owed would certainly come in handy someday.

 

Perhaps...

 

"If there's someone harboring such ill intent, shouldn't we force them to return their ill-gotten wealth to the national treasury?"

 

"That's precisely what I'm saying! As expected of Ascal, I knew you'd understand!"

 

But what made Count Devar so unlikable to the Crown Prince?

 

"And you know it's certainly not because of rumors that I enjoy horseback riding, get injured, and receiving massage treatments while hanging around the palace. It's all for the empire."

 

"...."

 

Ascal simply nodded halfheartedly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

"From Your Highness Serena, three more letters have arrived for you."

 

Just reading them makes one feel overwhelmed.

 

Lia read the letters from to the second princess with a neutral expression.

 

"Shall I continue?"

 

"No, that's enough."

 

"Would you like to send a reply?"

 

"Please."

 

Lia sat down and began to draft a refusal letter. To any observer, it would read as if he genuinely wanted to attend but was unfortunately swamped with official duties.

The refusal letter was impeccably crafted to avoid offending the Second Princess.

 

Except that the person who wrote it was her younger sister.

 

Ascal finished preparing for the trip while Lia was penning the letter.

 

Nobles, too, have a duty to pay taxes to the Empire.

 

However, there wasn't a single noble who paid it all honestly. Everyone skimmed a bit off the top.

 

The Empire mostly tolerated this, but if, as in this case, someone of importance was irked, things changed.

 

That was when the Empire's meticulously chosen tax collectors were dispatched to thoroughly audit a household's assets.

 

"Are you ready, Kane, Devon?"

 

"All set."

 

"We are fully prepared to assess every dish and every hair of Count Debar."

 

Head of Department 1, Kane.

 

Head of Department 3, Devon.

 

Both were recognized talents of the evaluation department in Ascal's eyes. They would meticulously uncover every hidden asset of Count Devar, even if Ascal merely took a breath.

 

 

Count Devar's territory was about a two-hour carriage ride away. It wasn't in the capital, but it was a fiefdom conveniently located, allowing for easy access to the capital whenever desired.

 

There were two types of tax collection.

 

First, there was the kind and gentle approach: notifying the noble of the visitation date in advance, leisurely dropping by, partaking of the hospitality, exchanging pleasantries, and then leaving with a token amount in the name of tax collection.

 

The second was like today's surprise visit to the territory, intended to extract taxes directly—a genuine form of collection.

 

"You've gone through a lot coming all this way. Come, don't be shy. First, have a warm cup of tea. You'll fall sick if you let yourself get cold."

 

Upon seeing Ascal's arrival, Count Devar's face hardened in an instant. However, he soon greeted them with a congenial smile and led them to the reception room.

With his quick wit, he had already grasped the unfolding situation.

 

“Thank you for the offer, but we are here on official business. Please check this warrant. It seems your servants have been trying to hide something since we arrived. Would you kindly ask them to cease?”

 

Kane responded coolly. 

 

Reliable as always.

 

Though Count Devar, like a sly snake, tried to delay and hide his most valuable possessions, Kane had anticipated this move and put a stop to it.

 

“Hmm… This is a jar engraved with the traditional design of the Subarda Kingdom. Judging by its preservation, it's estimated to be worth 5 gold. If you disagree with the evaluation, you can submit a separate document to the evaluation department.”

 

“This… This is a replica! It's not genuine!”

 

“Interesting. The marks inside the jar match the years of the Subarda Kingdom. Dismissed.”

 

Using magical tools designed for evaluation, Kane meticulously examined Count Devar's treasured possessions.

 

Devon searched various parts of the mansion, uncovering valuable items Count Devar had hidden, while Kane assessed their value through the magical tools.

 

Ascal sat imposingly, setting the atmosphere.

 

Once Kane finished inspecting, he swiftly recorded the appraised values on a document.

 

Their roles were perfectly divided.

 

“This is a Gem Frog. You've been raising such a thing?”

 

Count Devar's face turned pale.

 

“That, only that…”

 

“It's a pet frog highly valued among collectors. However, if one is to raise it for breeding purposes, they must report it to the Empire. It will be confiscated.”

 

From inside its cage, the frog croaked sadly. Its patterns shone like a jewel.

 

“The appraised value is 1 silver.”

 

“Sob... Forgive your poor master, Serros.”

 

Just as Ascal was about to jot down the value of the Gem Frog, the frog, perhaps sensing its fate, suddenly leaped.

 

“Ah!”

 

“Catch it!”

 

Fortunately, the frog’s escape was quickly thwarted.

 

 

However, due to the commotion, Ascal’s quill pen slid, accidentally adding an extra stroke, making it 4 silver instead of 1.

 

“It seems we've appraised everything of value here. We'll send the tax invoice promptly.”

 

“We'll take our leave now, Count.”

Leaving behind Count Devar, who looked as though his soul had left his body, the tax collectors coldly departed. Their job was executed flawlessly.

 

Except for one minor detail.

 

 

 

 

The talk of the town: What is the real value of the Gem Frog as appraised by the Director of the Evaluation Department, Ascal Debrue?

 

Ascal closed the newspaper. 

 

It was just a minor oversight. The Crown Prince seemed satisfied with their work, so it wasn't a concern. If anything, such a slight mistake could even help lower his overly polished reputation.

 

This might actually be a good thing.

 

 

"Wai...wait..."

 

And the next day, the value of the Gem Frog surged even more, reaching 20 silver.

 

Having memories of his previous life, Ascal had an instinctive feeling that this situation would spiral uncontrollably.