The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 10

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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【Chapter 10】

Inside the luxury restaurant that was the meeting place.

Bortang, who had arrived early, pulled at his bow tie while looking in the mirror.

The marriage proposals that had come endlessly in his youth had practically stopped once he reached his mid-forties.

All he could receive were remarriage arrangements with widows or introductions to women who had missed their marriageable age due to circumstances.

‘What? Do they think I scraped together money desperately just to meet women like that?’

Since Bortang believed that being wealthy made him superior to others, he had rejected all marriage proposals that didn’t appeal to him.

Perhaps heaven had recognized his devotion, as he was rewarded with an arranged meeting with a young woman.

Moreover, her family was the respectable House Vincenheim.

Bortang waited, moistening his throat with water.

“Are you Marquis Parniel himself?”

When his partner arrived shortly after, he looked her up and down.

A plain face without a trace of makeup, and hair roughly tied back hanging like a horse’s tail.

Anyone could see she looked like a woman who had just gotten off work.

‘Really, young people these days have no manners…’

Bortang clicked his tongue. However, he couldn’t deny that the woman was beautiful.

‘Well… once we’re married and I have her stay home, she’ll learn to take proper care of herself.’

In that brief moment, he imagined walking down the aisle with Rianel and having children, then gazed at Rianel with a leisurely smile.

“Y-yes, that’s correct. And you are?”

“I’m from the Special Tax Bureau. Rianel Vincenheim.”

It was a bleak self-introduction that matched her cold expression.

‘She’s more peculiar than I thought. They said she had personality flaws—I guess this is why.’

However, Rianel’s eccentric behavior was just beginning.

“That ring… don’t tell me it’s from the Morco Collection?”

‘As expected, being a woman, she must be interested in accessories.’

“Indeed, you have good taste. You have no idea how difficult it was for me to win this ring at auction. The winning bid was a whopping 5,000 gold!”

Bortang was about to boast extensively about how he obtained this ring, but.

“How strange. You ignored the delinquency notices we sent multiple times, and told the field officer who visited your home that you couldn’t pay taxes because you had no cash, didn’t you?”

“What are you talking about right now?”

“There seems to be a misunderstanding, so let me clarify. I didn’t come here to arrange a marriage, but to confirm evidence that you, Marquis, have deliberately evaded paying taxes.”

At the same time, Rianel pushed the documents she had prepared toward Bortang.

“Accordingly, under Article 24 of the National Tax Collection Act, the clause for immediate seizure of movable property from high-amount delinquents, I will commence on-site seizure. This document is an administrative order proving that I have been delegated the relevant authority.”

While he was flustered, Rianel removed the ring from Bortang’s hand.

“I will be seizing this valuable item.”

A red seizure sticker was attached to the ring in an instant.

The conspicuous marking visible from afar made the staff and customers murmur among themselves.

Bortang’s face turned red.

This was one of Bortang’s regular restaurants, and whenever he visited, he would slip one or two gold coins into the staff’s front pockets.

Having taken pride in being known as ‘the wealthy customer who tips well,’ he felt mortified.

‘How dare she humiliate me like this?’

“Do you think you’ll be safe after doing this to my ring—”

“I’m simply following established procedures. Oh, could you please roll up your sleeves? Those cufflinks appear to be limited edition pieces from the Adamant Kingdom.”

Bortang hastily covered his sleeves with his other hand.

“Th-these were gifts, so they’re unrelated to this matter!”

“Please state the relevant facts in the investigation room. Oh, and the handmade shoes you’re wearing also appear to be expensive, so could you please remove them for appraisal?”

“This is insane—!”

Above all, being humiliated by a woman much younger than himself was shameful.

‘What does that little thing know! These are all ways to save money…!’

Bortang stood up, trembling with rage.

However, before he could grab Rianel by the collar, he was slammed down onto the table as if crushed.

People sitting at other tables had subdued him.

“Thank you for your help.”

A young man and a woman who appeared older than him.

Both had considerable strength. Bortang couldn’t move at all.

“We’re just working for the money we’re paid, you know.”

“Just give us the compensation specified in the employment contract.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll provide hazard pay, night shift allowance, and even performance bonuses.”

She could afford to pay generously with the check the Duke had left behind earlier.

At the same time, Bortang realized who these two people were.

“You bastards, how dare mercenaries detain me? Let go of me this instant!”

“You say the strangest things. We’re mercenaries, so we act according to what we’re paid.”

The mercenaries burst into hollow laughter.

Bortang, trembling with humiliation, suddenly realized something and shouted.

“Then I’ll hire you! I’ll pay three times—no, ten times what that woman gave you—!”

Bortang pulled his arm free and barely managed to take out his wallet, but that was his fatal mistake.

“I see you have cash on hand as well. I’ll be seizing that too.”

“Argh! That, give it, I won’t let you…!”

Bortang twisted his body, but in the end had to watch as a red seizure sticker was attached to his wallet as well.

* * *

At the same time.

The Special Tax Bureau employees were plotting to sabotage Rianel’s arranged meeting.

“Of course we have to interfere!”

“Right, we can’t let our accounting machine be taken away by a political marriage.”

Having already tasted convenience, they could never go back to how things were before.

After tracking down Rianel’s meeting location, they burst into the restaurant according to their prepared signal.

Since Rianel’s partner happened to be a tax delinquent.

“I won’t waste words. You need to come with us regarding a high-amount delinquency case—”

They had planned to overwhelm him with lightning speed so he couldn’t respond.

However, the moment they saw the scene inside the restaurant, they all froze in unison.

In the middle of the luxury restaurant, caught in an eerie silence.

Rianel sat with a bored expression, tapping her foot.

“You’re here?”

Across from her lay a middle-aged man in a half-naked, disheveled state.

Anyone could see his soul had half escaped his body.

It took several minutes to recognize that this was Bortang.

What was even more surprising was…

“…Good heavens, what is all this?”

Items with seizure stickers were neatly organized in front of Rianel.

“These are items seized on-site. The Marquis owned quite a lot of expensive movable property.”

At the same time, Rianel set down a key ring.

“I’ve also secured the keys to his residence and warehouse. Let’s begin additional seizure procedures.”

“Wow…”

It was truly a jaw-dropping sight.

At the same time, they realized.

That tax delinquency was ‘fake’ madness.

While seizing a delinquent’s assets at an arranged meeting was ‘real’ madness.

‘Well, how could a fake ever beat the real thing.’

The density of madness was on a different level.

* * *

And so, the matchmaking meetings with Rianel became seats that everyone avoided.

“I heard that if you go to those meetings, people from the Special Tax Bureau show up too?”

“From what I’ve heard, it’s like a mobile tax investigation unit.”

“Honestly, who doesn’t have some dirt when you dig deep enough?”

Since all the people Vanessa had arranged matchmaking meetings with had their own flaws, they felt even more guilty. They sent rejection letters in response to Vanessa’s proposals.

-Due to urgent matters that arose that day, I regrettably cannot attend…

-Due to a sudden flare-up of a chronic illness that has left me unable to move…

It would be fortunate if they stopped at just rejecting. Some even sent letters to Vanessa asking ‘Aren’t you in cahoots with Rianel too?’

‘How dare they suggest I’m on the same side as her-!’

Vanessa crumpled the letter.

She had also thought that Rianel wouldn’t meekly accept the matchmaking arrangements.

However, what Vanessa had imagined was Rianel unilaterally ruining the meetings, becoming the subject of gossip for her rude behavior.

‘Then I would say this. I’m going to such lengths to care for Rianel, but she doesn’t appreciate anything I do.’

While also mentioning how much Rianel would despise her when she returned to the Duke’s Estate.

Since that was the extent of Rianel’s capabilities in Vanessa’s mind, she never dreamed that Rianel would turn the matchmaking meetings around to build her own achievements.

Just as she was grumbling and catching her breath.

“Miss, wait a moment! If you go in…!”

Suddenly sensing a commotion, she turned her head to find Rianel there.

The maid who had followed Rianel stood between the family’s young lady and the prospective madam, flustered and not knowing what to do.

“What? Where do you think this is that you just barge in… What’s with that look in your eyes? Are you planning to scold me or something?”

Vanessa thought Rianel had come to criticize her.

“That’s not it. I came to see you because I’d like you to arrange additional matchmaking meetings of this kind.”

Words Vanessa never expected came from Rianel’s mouth.

“What?”

“If possible, I’d prefer Count Redang or Viscount Mashu. They have the highest amounts of unpaid taxes. And Baron Kirn as well…”

Rianel had carefully selected only the cream of the crop among high-amount taxpayers.

They were also the people the Special Tax Bureau most wanted to meet.

“Get lost right now!”

Vanessa finally exploded.

‘Life really isn’t easy.’

Rianel was deeply disappointed at her failure to get easy access to high-amount tax delinquents.

* * *

‘But why did she come here anyway?’

Her anger was brief. Vanessa became curious about this situation.

There was no way Rianel, who had left the Duke’s Estate three years ago, would be here just for matchmaking meetings.

“His Grace invited me to a formal dinner.”

“What? That can’t be-“

“Today is the anniversary of the late Duchess’s death, isn’t it?”

The Duchess was someone who had embraced Rianel with love despite not being her biological child.

That’s why Rianel couldn’t turn away from the Duchess’s death anniversary, even though she turned away from the Duke.

She had been one of the few sources of warmth in Rianel’s life.

‘What does that have to do with me?’

Just as Vanessa was about to get angry.

A shadow fell over Rianel’s head.

“Additionally, we need to discuss the matter of you arranging Rianel’s marriage without getting my approval first.”

The moment their eyes met with the Duke.

“Ah, Father.”

Vanessa’s face turned pale.

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