The empire’s administrative methods are quite similar to those from my previous life.
First, you send an official notice. You inform them of what you intend to do.
Then the officials appear and proceed with as little friction as possible.
Perhaps because this is a world inside a novel, it feels like a great many things have been mixed together.
But the Enforcement Bureau is different. Here, there are no official notices or anything of the sort.
When some bastard plays games with taxes to a degree that can no longer be overlooked.
The moment the Investigation Bureau decides, This has crossed the line.
The moment the Deliberation Bureau shakes its head and says, This one is out.
The Enforcement Bureau becomes the righteous phantom thief recognized by the state.
If we send an official notice, will they go, “Goodness! I’ve done wrong!”?
They’ll hurry over to the Ministry of Finance and say, “Hehe! There were circumstances!”
Then they’ll say they’ll pay the taxes right away, so please wait a little.
In truth, that alone would be enough. After all, the taxes would be paid.
But it seems the empire wants to add an offense of insolence on top of that.
How nice would it be if you paid when told to pay your taxes? You made the Administration Bureau step in?
That won’t do. On top of what you originally owed, you’re getting squeezed for more.
—Baaang!
“W-what do you think you’re doing?!”
“This is the forced execution of legitimate tax collection. Step back.”
“How dare you! This is my territory! Do you not even know the laws set by the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Justice?!”
“I said this is the forced execution of legitimate tax collection. Your territory or whatever comes after that. I won’t warn you twice. Step back. If you get in the way, I will regard it as treason and suppress you immediately.”
Before we set out, Wesley had said he couldn’t do it because it felt too burdensome.
But now? He was doing it so diligently that I could only admire him.
Following Wesley, Team One was about to face the private soldiers head-on.
Those who had marched with the Founding Emperor, and those who had at most guarded a village or two.
Veterans who had fought at least dozens of major battles, and mere private soldiers.
I guarantee that if those two sides clashed, Enforcement Bureau Team One would win even with their bare hands.
From the beginning, our side was a gathering of monsters who were seasoned in killing people.
There was no comparison even in the pressure they exuded. Our side was, quite literally, the real thing.
“Ugh….”
The private soldiers, each holding their weapons, instead faltered and stepped back.
Seeing that pathetic sight, a middle-aged man who seemed to be the family head roared in fury.
“You fools! What are you doing, not even earning your keep?!”
It’s the opposite, you idiot. If they attack the Enforcement Bureau here, it really will be treason.
Wouldn’t it be better to just be humiliated over taxes than have your whole house exterminated?
I instructed Wesley to continue with what needed to be done and approached the family head.
“Calm down, and let’s talk for a moment.”
“Who are you?! Do you think this is even remotely acceptable?!”
How long has it been since I took the seat of Enforcement Bureau Chief, and he still doesn’t know my face?
I had been slightly tense because I’d heard he had ties to the Mentus family.
But if this is the case, then from the Fifth Prince’s perspective, he’s honestly at a level where it wouldn’t matter if he disappeared.
Having one less thing to worry about, I answered with a smile.
“Chief of the Enforcement Bureau of the Imperial National Tax Service. Ethan Montebello. Family Head.”
“Montebello, you say… One of the founding contributor families?”
“Fortunately, it seems you’ve heard that much. Though you’ve never actually seen my face.”
“T-this place is very far from the imperial capital!”
“That is why I came personally, isn’t it? Since it seems the distance made it inconvenient for you to pay taxes, judging by how much was missing. I came to help. Family Head.”
Now that he knew who I was, I placed a hand on the family head’s shoulder.
My family’s contributions during the founding. My position in the bureaucratic world. I was above him in every way.
There was an age difference, yes, but age isn’t some cheat key that lets you get away with anything.
If he felt wronged, he should have lived honestly or held a higher position.
“Our Enforcement Bureau is doing quite a good job.”
“Urgh!!”
They were mercilessly stripping the warehouses and vaults, and even the family head’s office.
It’s a relief they’re wearing proper clothes. Someone might mistake them for bandits.
Ah. Are they bandits? Since the state is legally using them, maybe not?
“Why are you doing this? If you had sent an official notice before coming. If you had informed us in advance, we would have either gone to the Ministry of Finance according to the extent of the problem, or made preparations.”
“It’s a kind of insolence charge. If you simply took care of things properly in advance, there would be no waste of administrative power. But because you insisted on not paying that one tax, the Deliberation Bureau had to deliberate. The Investigation Bureau had to investigate. And now even our Enforcement Bureau had to move. If you made us waste resources, then you ought to pay a usage fee, shouldn’t you?”
At that, the family head bit his lip, seeming to debate whether he should say something.
I already know what will come out of that mouth. It’ll be that line, won’t it?
In truth, our family has ties to the Mentus family, the in-laws of His Highness the Fifth Prince….
“This will put both of us in an awkward position. Surely you don’t intend to embarrass the in-laws of His Highness the Fifth Prince?”
“Wow.”
It feels like it was the same when I raided the family that had ties to the Fourth Prince last time.
In any case, I have no idea how tangled up all these people are with each other.
No wonder it’s impossible to do proper work no matter how many administrative bureaus are created.
They say that after a few connections, someone might be an acquaintance of your superior.
Unless you’re a deranged special department like the Enforcement Bureau, you’d have to watch yourself.
“Listen, Family Head. Don’t you think I would know better than you whether I can do this or not?”
“What do you—”
“Maybe because you haven’t been in the imperial capital for quite some time, your sense has grown dull. People are supposed to see where they can stretch their legs before they lie down.”
Meanwhile, Wesley and Team One had cleaned the place out and gathered everything in front of us.
At a rough glance, it would cover the taxes he had to pay, plus the arrears.
Ah, for reference, this isn’t the end. There’s one more thing the Enforcement Bureau does.
“Ah, Family Head. While we were doing this and that, it seems you have some hidden funds as well.”
“Urk!”
“In any case, since there is undeclared money, you naturally need to pay taxes on it, don’t you? As long as you pay your taxes faithfully, no one will ask where that money came from or where it was used. So I’m asking you—please pay your taxes.”
“Then there was no point in gathering it like that in the first place, was there?!”
“Then you shouldn’t have gotten caught. All right, boys. Let’s start disappearing.”
“Yes, Chief. Family Head! Thank you for paying your taxes so well!”
It feels like we came to collect protection money or something.
It’s even more so because most of Team One happens to have such burly builds.
Once we had gotten some distance away from our destination, Wesley quietly opened his mouth.
“Um, Chief. I did what you told me to do, but is this really all right?”
“You were doing just fine earlier.”
“To be honest, couldn’t this case have been handled a little more quietly and gentlemanly? It bothers me a bit that we deliberately created an atmosphere of confrontation there and even let off a threatening aura.”
That’s what will make today’s events spread better in every direction.
I’ve already discussed it with the Fifth Prince, so it’s a deal with nothing to lose.
First, the Enforcement Bureau becomes a real department that does what it must without caring about anyone’s gaze.
The Fifth Prince gets to pick out the ones who don’t know their place and start raising their voices.
And the Fourth Prince goes, Huh? and opens his eyes to a new possibility.
“More importantly, the probability of hidden funds really was very high, wasn’t it?”
“As we searched here and there, we saw traces they hadn’t managed to erase. I think I saw some ledgers in the vault too, but I left them untouched for now.”
“We can subtly toss that to the Investigation Bureau later.”
“You mean we won’t clean them out right now?”
“If we clean them out right now, there won’t be much. Once you harvest, you’re supposed to wait until the next time.”
Of course. For the Enforcement Bureau to move, the matter has to be of a proper size.
Only then can we go and strip everything bare. The overdue taxes, plus additional fines.
When you think about it, the salaries we receive are also state funds that come from places like this.
*
“This damned….”
Laud Mentus, the Fifth Prince’s brother-in-law, was furious after receiving news.
Not long ago, they had suddenly stripped bare a family on the Fourth Prince’s side.
This time, they had even visited a family rather close to the Mentus family.
They say they picked it clean without the slightest mercy. Even a secret vault was exposed.
This crossed the line. At present, all power was concentrated on their side.
If they dared to do something like this, shouldn’t they at least have given advance notice?
If they had only informed them, they would have prepared a picture that looked good for both sides.
Handled this way, it would do no good for the Fifth Prince, who aimed for the next throne.
On top of that, it would also cause suspicions that the Mentus family had something hidden as well!
“Your Highness!”
Judging that this could not be tolerated, Laud sought out Ishmael.
As it happened, his brother-in-law was “coincidentally” visiting the Mentus family.
“What is it, Brother-in-law?”
“Look at this. That fellow Ethan has caused trouble yet again!”
“Hmm.”
After provoking the Fourth Prince and making him throw a tantrum.
After even the Fifth Prince had gone in person to warn him.
As if to show off, this time he had touched the Fifth Prince’s in-laws!
In Laud’s eyes, that was all this incident appeared to be.
“That is rather unfortunate.”
“This is not merely unfortunate. This family is a place that has handled many matters together with our Mentus family. If this place continues to be exposed, who knows what kind of ripple effect it may cause in the future!”
“And that is why I told you to organize those many matters, did I not? I believe several months have passed, and surely you still have not finished? If it is my in-laws, I would think you more than capable of doing so.”
For a moment, Laud was at a loss for words, and without realizing it, he stammered.
“W-well. Our influence expanded rapidly, and the number of people increased as well. We found ourselves needing many things.”
“Hmm.”
“It was all for Your Highness! You will soon become Crown Prince, so greater power….”
Ah. In the middle of speaking, Laud realized his mistake.
It was for your sake. Depending on the situation, those words could sound like an excuse.
That line might one day turn around and stab their side instead.
“It was for my sake.”
“Your Highness, that is.”
“Words like that are best said much later. Or not said at all. That would be best, Brother-in-law. If you put it that way, does it not make it sound as though I used you without giving you anything in return?”
Seeing Ishmael smile, Laud felt a chill run down his spine.
As far as I know. And in areas I do not know. You have already taken everything you ought to take, have you not?
Then at the very least, you should not say to my face that it was for my sake.
It felt as though his brother-in-law was warning him that way, and his head lowered on its own.
“Very well. I understand. Hearing what you say, Brother-in-law, this will not do. I shall go to the Enforcement Bureau again and give our little brother Ethan a more stinging scolding.”
If you do not want to be scolded, you had best behave from now on.
To Laud, Ishmael’s words sounded exactly like that.