Chapter 36

Does this mean that Alexei called in a tax audit?

At that moment, Baroness Londini raised her voice.

“It’s going to be a whopping three thousand grossen!”

…Three thousand grossen?

Anriche was a little surprised at the amount of money she had never expected. No, how much money have they spent so far that they have been taxed as much as Anriche did?

“We are Liliana’s relatives, and we’ve done a great job of raising Liliana, right?”

“So, can’t you stop the tax investigation somehow?”

The Londini Ducal couple began to cling to Anriche, no matter who said it first. At that, She couldn’t hide the amazed expression on her face.

‘No, was this all they wanted to tell me?’

Besides, why does she have to stop the tax audit?

“Why are you asking me for that?”

“Yes, the tax audit must have been commissioned by the Duchess…”

“Why are you so sure I commissioned the tax audit?”

At that question, Baron Londini couple stiffened on the spot. He uttered nervously, “T-then, is it the Duke himself who commissioned it…?”

On the other hand, Anriche was a little sarcastic about the reaction of those two people.

‘What is this, you’re not scared of me, but scared of the Duke?’

It was annoying, really.

Her voice became cold by itself.

“It is said that if you brush them off, you will find that everyone has some dust.”*

“….”

“….”

“So, I understand that to some extent, the circumstances that are taken into account when conducting a tax audit.”

It was true.

Just as fish cannot survive in water that is too clear, so was the tax work. If you take it too far, you will hide even more in the shadows. So, in such a situation, if you pay a fine that much as well…

‘It means you haven’t prepared the minimum required documents.’

Anriche narrowed her eyes.

“I wouldn’t go as far to keep it completely clean so that it won’t be a problem even if you’re subjected to a tax audit.”

“Well, still…!”

“But, it should be enough to turn a blind eye, so why not take things into consideration?”

In front of the two lost people, Anriche shook her head.

“But, in such a situation, if it were to the extent of being subjected to such a hefty fine.”

Saying so, she twisted the tip of her lips.

It was a clear laugh.

“Isn’t it at the level of ‘to get dust when they stand still,’ rather than ‘get dust when brushed’?”

“You’re right.”

All of a sudden, a cold voice rang out.

The three people looked back in surprise. There, Alexei was gazing at them with an expressionless face.

“Du, Duke of Valois…”

“We, uh, this is…”

The Baron Londini couple looked as though they were strangled, trying to make excuses. However, as though he didn’t want to hear that excuse, Alexei only took a step into the parlor.

Stomp.

At the sound of the shoes, the baron couple hardened their whole body.

A voice that sounded like frost was struck like a whip.

“What rudeness is this to my wife?”

‘…My wife?’

Did the Duke call her ‘my wife’ now?

Anriche doubted her ears.

A little bit back in time, the House of Lords meeting was just over. All through the retreat, Alexei’s mind was filled with only the thoughts of Anriche.

‘…She doesn’t fund the Marquisate of Saxony anymore.’

Why?

Does it mean that now she won’t hang around her mother’s house anymore? And, why all of a sudden?

Deeply troubled, Alexei entered the townhouse.

The butler politely bowed his back and greeted, “You’re back, Master?”

“Yes. Is the Madam inside?”

“Ah, that’s…”

The butler paused for a moment before opening his mouth again. “She is seeing the Baron Londini couple.”

“…The Baron Londini couple?”

Alexei narrowed his brow.

‘Why did they suddenly visit the Valois townhouse?’ Moreover, even at the time, Anriche brought Liliana in, she didn’t seem to have a good separation with Baroness Londini.

Perhaps…

“Okay, I’ll have to go.” He said, taking a step forward.

And, just as he was about to knock on the parlor door, a shrill voice rang out.

“But in such a situation, if it were to the extent of being subjected to such a hefty fine.”

It was Anriche.

Without realizing it, Alexei listened to her as she continued to speak.

“Isn’t it at the level of ‘to get dust when they stand still’ rather than ‘get dust when brushed’?”

A faint smile spread across his lips.

Click.

He opened the door.

The Baron Londini couple looked at him with a look as though they were about to faint. However, only Anriche entered Alexei’s field of vision.

The Madam opened her eyes wide like a startled rabbit… Somehow, it felt rather cute.

“You’re right.”

Alexei straightened his expression and continued speaking in a cold voice.

“What rudeness is this to my wife?”

At his bitter gaze, Baron Londini couple bit their lips together.

“In the first place, I put in the tax audit request myself.”

“Du, Du, Duke…”

“So, why don’t you argue with me?”

With that, Alexei concluded his words sternly.

“Instead of bothering my wife unnecessarily.”

A heavy silence passed.

The couple, who had just been talking to Anriche, were now speechless. That fact was terribly annoying to him. Now, they can’t utter a single word from the fear, but they easily did that just now with his wife.

Alexei’s eyes narrowed even more.

“It’s strange. You said everything in front of my wife earlier…”

A cold question stuck in the ears of the Baron Londini couple.

“…So, why can’t you say anything in front of me?”

“Du, Duke. That’s not it. We…”

“Tax matters are a matter of great concern to His Majesty the Emperor.”

‘His Majesty the Emperor.’

As soon as that word came out, the Baron Londini shrank even more. Still, the Duke spoke in a stern tone.

“I heard that, besides Liliana’s property, it seems that a large part of the subsidy paid by the state to the orphanage was stolen.”

‘…Wow, did they even steal subsidies for orphanages?’

Anriche looked at the two frozen people with a puzzled look.

Perhaps they couldn’t refute that statement, as the Baron couple were only biting their molars.

“If it were me, I would have been grateful that I could solve it with a fine.”

Alexei, who tilted his head at an angle, let out a short smirk. “Are you telling my wife should protest against the Emperor’s order?”

“No, how dare we…!”

“Hmm, then, you must not ‘dare’ protest against His Majesty the Emperor.”

His head was still tilted at an angle. It was like he was hearing a very interesting story, however, the azure blue eyes sunk as deep as a frozen lake.

“Is it worth bothering my wife, the mistress of Valois?”

“Yes…?”

“Otherwise, you wouldn’t have come to my wife so brazenly.”

It was very strange.

Alexei was clearly smiling softly, but there was a strange pressure. It was as if they’re facing a beast that would bite their neck at any moment.

‘Is he supposed to be like that…?’

Anriche unconsciously raised her hand and rubbed her chilling arm as goosebumps appeared on her arms. If Anriche, who is watching from the side, is like that, what about the Baron Londini couple, who is receiving that momentum from the front?

“Sorry, I’m sorry…”

“We…so…”

The Baron couple were trembling.

“Then, I believe that the meeting is over now.”

Alexei then pointed to the door with his chin. It meant to get out of there immediately.

“I assume I won’t have to send you off.”

The Baron Londini couple, with their faces flushed red, sneaked out the door hurriedly.

‘Oh, how things are so neatly organized.’ Looking at the scene unfold, Anriche raised her head and smiled brightly.

“Wow, thank you!”

“Yes?”

“Thanks to the Duke, we were able to get rid of those leeches early, didn’t we?”

He fixed his gaze on Anriche as if possessed—because that innocent smile she showed was so charming.

At that moment, she tilted her head.

“But, what are you doing here?”

“Ah.”

Alexei, who had been lost for a while, came to his senses only after hearing her question. Embarrassed, he coughed a couple of times for nothing.

“Well, there is something I want to ask you.”

“Yes? Please ask.”

“You cut off the money you had been applying to the Marquisate of Saxony.”

“Oh my, how did you know that?”

Anriche gazed at Alexei with her round eyes, but there was no sign of reluctance to answer his question.

“I heard from the Marquis of Saxony.”

“Aha.”

“Why did you do that?”

‘It’s not a big deal, why is he asking so seriously?’

Anriche was a little puzzled, though she answered meekly.

“I just thought about it. I’m going to take on my responsibility.”

“Responsibility?”

“Yes. I am now the mistress of Valois, and it is my duty to take care of the Valois household.”

——

Note:
* If you brush them off, you will find that everyone has some dust; meaning that no one is perfect. The English equivalent would be: ‘no one is perfect; everyone has a skeleton in their closet.’

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