The Former Empress Roughly Hides Her Abilities - Chapter 102

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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 102】

 

At the same time.

 

Yuna was trapped in the prayer room, listening to Mrs. Molten’s endless complaints.

 

“So… when will my child be able to recover completely?”

 

‘How would I know that?’

 

“My child loves running so much…”

 

Mrs. Molten continued speaking while rolling her jewel-encrusted fingers.

 

“Every day he just looks out the window and sighs. He asks when he’ll be able to run around like that…”

 

Yuna was getting increasingly irritated.

 

Today was the day for the noon mass.

 

The people here regarded Yuna as something like a sacred relic.

 

They believed that just holding her hand or talking to her had healing effects, and the Temple had been promoting her that way.

 

She could easily make money just by saying a few prayers and gently stroking the hands of patients in the treatment room.

 

Of course, Yuna had no healing powers, but she thought about it simply.

 

‘What does it matter.’

 

Even in the original world, many people donated money to churches praying for their family’s safety or did 108 bows at temples.

 

But did their wishes come true in proportion to their devotion?

 

No. There was no being that betrayed humans more than gods.

 

However, the reason religious people weren’t sued for receiving donations to make a living or operate religious facilities was simple.

 

If wishes weren’t granted, there was the irrefutable logic that it was because your faith was insufficient!

 

“Since you pray so earnestly, God will surely respond soon. I believe in your faithfulness.”

 

While acting as a saint, Yuna had become able to say such things.

 

So please go back to the prayer room. Go and pray to that wonderful god of yours.

 

Though she wanted to shout this, Yuna put on a capitalist smile.

 

The other party was a sucker who had recently thrown a fortune at the Temple and was likely to pay more in the future, so she had to take care of her.

 

But the annoyance was unavoidable.

 

‘Even if you paid money, aren’t you expecting too much service?’

 

Yuna felt like her spirit was gradually withering away.

 

But she had no choice. To gather funds to buy the Empress Dowager’s gift, she had unreasonably asked the woman for donations.

 

[The Temple is doing new expansion construction this time. The prayer room is where the words of believers are conveyed to God, and it’s a place where God’s ears can reach.]

 

[If you help expand that place, wouldn’t your earnest prayers reach God more clearly? God is truly omnipotent after all.]

 

This donation was something Yuna had specially induced, so she took a higher incentive than usual.

 

‘Of course. It’s money that wouldn’t have come in if not for me, right?’

 

Though she thought this confidently, she worried that the woman might demand a refund of her donation, claiming her wish wasn’t granted.

 

Since she had already spent a fortune preparing the Empress Dowager’s gift, she had no money to give back.

 

“Don’t worry. God will reward you soon.”

 

Just as she was making such excuses.

 

“Someone from the Special Tax Bureau came?”

 

Yuna brightened up.

 

‘Did they come to see me? Since I’m still the Deputy Bureau Director?’

 

Since she needed a suitable excuse to get rid of the woman, Yuna decided to seize this opportunity.

 

“First, guide the guests this way.”

 

She welcomed them with hopeful feelings, but.

 

“You are indeed the Saint herself… Well, there couldn’t be two such people in the world. Right?”

 

Til stepped forward, swallowing the words ‘because that would be a disaster.’

 

“Yes? But what brings you here? If you came because you were worried about me-,”

 

Yuna’s nonsense was cut off by Rianel.

 

“We’ve confirmed unpaid taxes related to the Saint’s failure to report income tax, so we’ve come to collect taxes according to procedure. This is the tax bill issued for this matter.”

 

Yuna, who had been dealing with Mrs. Molten and was unaware of the Temple’s commotion, froze completely.

 

* * *

 

Originally, Rianel and Asil had planned to spend today entirely enjoying their date.

 

Rianel didn’t want to work even on her day off, and Asil wanted to walk along the lake and spend quiet time with his mentor.

 

But Til and Mel spoke with grave faces.

 

[Please help us.]

 

[If it’s just us, we might let that guy slip away.]

 

They said they might lose the Foundation’s contact person, so they desperately needed help.

 

Above all, they had the ulterior motive that with Asil’s authority, they could proceed more roughly and efficiently.

 

Most importantly, the two had been running until just now and were exhausted.

 

‘I thought we’d just do a tax audit, but I didn’t expect this.’

 

She even felt self-reproach, wondering if being intoxicated by dopamine had clouded her judgment of reality.

 

Anyway, they felt humbled by each other.

 

And Yuna was also in great shock.

 

“Tax… tax evasion?”

 

Me…?

 

She had never paid taxes, received bills, or been dunned in this world.

 

Even in the original world, since she lived with her parents, she wasn’t familiar with the concept of ‘taxes’ itself.

 

Whether it was resident tax or utility bills, she had never paid them with her own hands, and it was the same in this world.

 

Most difficult matters were handled by the priests, and generally, just doing what they told her to do solved most problems.

 

Moreover.

 

“I’m a saint. The money I receive is offerings, so why are taxes incurred?”

 

“If you hold assets within the Empire and have income generated in the Empire, you have an obligation to pay income tax.”

 

Rianel’s tone was calm.

 

The reaction came unexpectedly from Mrs. Molten.

 

“Income tax?”

 

“Upon confirmation, we verified that part of the Temple’s donations were attributed to the Saint.”

 

Mrs. Molten’s lips hardened coldly.

 

“You told me it was to collect Temple repair costs. But you used it for something else?”

 

“No, this money is different-,”

 

“Anyway, you did use the donations privately! Everyone contributed this money with difficulty, each having their own circumstances.”

 

Yuna’s face turned bright red.

 

‘How dare she humiliate me in front of so many people?’

 

Yuna glared at Rianel.

 

Though Rianel wasn’t the only one present, she was the most annoying since she was the one cornering her.

 

Even at this moment, Rianel was looking down at Yuna with dignity.

 

“Using donations privately constitutes a violation of the Donation Act.”

 

Rianel calmly stated the facts.

 

Donations are money with predetermined purposes.

 

If they received it under the pretext of Temple expansion but used it for other purposes, it naturally violated the law.

 

“Also, since previously unreported income has been confirmed, we will impose additional taxes on this as well.”

 

With those words, the tax bill was presented.

 

Yuna, who had made massive expenditures recently, almost trembled on the spot.

 

‘How can I pay such a large amount?’

 

“Something’s wrong. There must be some mistake…”

 

However, the moment she saw the detailed breakdown, Yuna’s heart sank.

 

It recorded exactly when, how, and how much Yuna had taken under the name of ‘donation incentive,’ organized by date.

 

There was no room for rebuttal.

 

Yuna’s hands trembled.

 

“Did, did you come to find me today for this?”

 

To humiliate me?

 

“Of course not.”

 

Rianel answered calmly.

 

Naturally, there was still more ground for Yuna to fall.

 

“Since serious violations have been confirmed in the scholarship foundation you operate, we will cancel the foundation’s establishment permit according to procedure. Accordingly, the various tax reduction benefits that were applied to the foundation will be revoked. Corporate tax and property tax will be reassessed, so please make payment accordingly.”

 

…What?

 

‘They want me to pay even more here?’

 

Yuna’s legs gave out and she staggered.

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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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