My Ex-Boyfriend Gave Birth to My Child? What Does That Mean? - Chapter 62

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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My Ex-Boyfriend’s Child Was Born to Me—What Is This All About? Episode 062
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“Your Grace, Duke Voltein. Young Lady of Otreha.”
Waiting for us inside were several Account Ledgers and two people.
The ledgers themselves weren’t particularly important.
Apart from trivial arithmetic errors in small sums, they were almost never inaccurate. The items coming into and going out of the shop were tracked with such thoroughness that even minor discrepancies could be corrected immediately.
What mattered was these two people.
To meet with them, I had been mobilizing Cyril and coming to the jewelry shop in person every quarter.
I gave a slight nod to their greeting, then sat down with Leon on the sofa instead of at the desk today. Margo, who had followed us inside, quietly moved the documents from the desk to the side table, bowed her head respectfully, and left the room.
She would be standing guard at the door until our conversation ended.
“Today’s report will be particularly lengthy, so please sit and brief us.”
“Thank you.”
“As you wish.”
The man and woman, bowing briefly, settled side by side on the sofa across from us.
They were merchants I had sent to the Giz Marquis Territory and the Otreha Baron Territory respectively, now serving as my informants and originally from the Dukedom.
“Today I’d like to hear about the Giz Marquis Territory first. Have you managed to gather any useful information?”
“I’ve compiled it into a Report, but I wish to explain the particularly important matters directly.”
The woman, dressed neatly in male disguise, spoke first.
“The way they handle the market tax is quite ingenious. The basic rate is around 1.5 times that of other fiefs—difficult to challenge—but they’re processing it as triple the total by adding nominal taxes under the guise of transport fees, storage charges, and inspection costs. It’s effectively a method to drive out the merchant guilds.”
“So they have no interest in making the fief prosper.”
“That is correct.
Wary of the merchant guilds means… they’re concerned about information leaking from the fief. It’s likely the Marquis Giz never reported the additional tax increases to the Crown.”
Leon, listening to my words from beside me, spoke in a leisurely tone.
“The second one confirmed that. The Giz Marquis Territory has been paying taxes in the same amount for decades without major fluctuation. The sum isn’t much different from other fiefs with lower rates.”
“Then where is the remaining money going?”
“We’ll find out naturally once we catch him.”
No one spoke it aloud, but we all shared the same thought.
Tax evasion.
I’d suspected it the moment I heard about the high tax rate in the Giz Marquis Territory, and my suspicion was correct.
“You can’t sustain a marquessate that way for long. Are there no fugitive subjects?”
“There was an execution of a fugitive while the Argent Merchant Guild was stationed in the Giz Marquis Territory.”
The informant’s face, which was usually as expressionless as Cyril’s, twisted slightly with disgust and rage.
“It was an exceptionally cruel method of execution. If the subjects have witnessed such a sight repeatedly, I doubt there remains even a single soul bold enough to attempt escape now.”
“So the Marquis really does love executions. By custom, those who flee would be arrested and sentenced to increased labor.”
“Beyond just executions, the fief’s punishments are harsh across the board. It was not difficult to spot subjects missing hands or fingers.”
Marquis Giz truly was a fearless man.
No matter how much authority the marquess held over his territory, this was still a fief granted by the Crown to his ancestors.
If he dealt punishments so severe as to depart from custom that it seriously damaged the labor capacity of his subjects, this too became a crime.
“Why hasn’t this been caught yet?”
“Beyond driving out the merchants, I suspect there has been protection from a higher power.”
I looked at Leon. Leon gave a slight nod. He extended his index finger and wiggled it once before me.
‘The firstborn.’
So it was Prince Raul, then.
If that were the case, it made perfect sense that Prince Adrian had taken an interest in this matter.
‘This can be made use of.’
The more I pulled on the thread, the more unraveled. I began organizing my instructions in my mind.
“Good. Cease all merchant operations in the Giz Marquis Territory for now, and you—remain in the Capital for the time being. Soon I’ll bring the Marquis Giz to trial based on these materials. When that time comes, I’ll ask for your testimony.”
“It would be my honor.”
I nodded and now turned my attention to the man.
“Has there been any change in the situation of the Otreha Domain?”
“There has been no major change in business operations. The school is running normally, and the textile workshop expansion is progressing smoothly.”
“Then my only problems are my family.”
“I regret to inform you, but yes.”
I reached forward and picked up the Report from the side table.
With my wife now fled to the Capital, Schule Otreha was showing no major movements.
The fact that he hadn’t made a move even after learning the Argent Merchant Guild belonged to me suggested his heart was already swelling at the thought of soon possessing what I had so carefully cultivated.
Mother, for her part, seemed to be spending passionate days with her new lover, even tidying up relationships with her other paramours.
‘This is the most suspicious part.’
Mother doesn’t exactly vet her lovers before taking up with them.
But let me think about it differently.
If Pascal Ocker could leak information through Simon Mercier, then I could certainly do the same.
“And what about Simon Mercier?”
“He has no family. Since changing his identity, his only regular contact is with members of the Ocker Family. Beyond that, he seems to have no one—not even a lover, aside from his mistress.”
“Then it’s not blackmail holding him. He simply succumbed to money.”
“That appears to be the case.”
“In that case, we’ll try a different approach.”
The Ocker Family’s method of employing people was simple: shake them with money.
But I knew the truth. Most people in this world could not live on money alone. What they truly needed was something else.
Just as I had been in my past life.
“Approach Simon Mercier on a personal level. Praise his talents, offer him recognition and respect. Become his friend.”
I organized my thoughts, counting off on my fingers.
“Assign dedicated personnel from the Otreha Family to remain here. And open a small grocer near his tailor shop—something we can develop over time.”
“Understood. I’ll make the arrangements.”
“Even once you’re close, don’t let anything slip in formal conversations. Instead, reveal information gradually through casual remarks over drinks or meals.”
“Please go on.”
“Mention that the Otreha daughter being a mage has caused difficulties for the Argent Merchant Guild’s business. The High Priest detests mages, and since both the Duke Voltein and the Otreha daughter are mages, they face opposition from the Temple. That should work well.”
“Understood.”
“If information reaches him that Giz Marquis has been confined to the Otreha Domain or lost his title…”
I lifted the corners of my mouth slightly.
“First, express admiration for the great power and authority of the Capital Temple. And second…”
I glanced sideways at Leon, then opened my mouth slowly.
“Leak the information that the Temple has the right to judge the legitimacy of titles and succession.”
Leon’s eyebrows twitched upward.
“So you’re dragging the succession issue into the light?”
“It’s something we’ll inevitably face sooner or later. If we must, better to draw it into a situation we can control.”
“Well…”
Leon trailed off, then smiled broadly.
“I’m in favor.”
Judging by how thoroughly he seduced Mother, Simon Mercier is no fool. A carefully selected chess piece from the Ocker Family. But now, they were laboring under a fatal delusion.
The delusion that they were hidden in darkness, watching over me.
When Pascal Ocker realizes he’s been weaving the rope to hang himself, what expression will he wear?

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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