WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Arsène
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ The Romance Fantasy’s Pushover Crown Prince Is No More ◈
Chapter 89: Collection Begins
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Inside Pavan’s Executioner Palace.
“Has Pavan still not awakened?”
“No, she has not.”
At Rumta’s answer, I looked down at Pavan, who was still lying quietly in bed.
“It’s already been a month.”
“It seems the Giant memories are still entering and leaving her.”
“I’d like to hear more.”
“Originally, my sister was destined to die. She was meant to receive all the memories of our people at once... then die in the process of distributing them back to our people.”
“But she didn’t die.”
“Yes. So I believe it is taking a long time because the memories must be distributed without destroying her body.”
Normally, her body would be shattered and the memories released all at once.
But now they had to be released while preserving her body, so it was taking longer?
‘Like water coming out of a bottle with a narrow opening?’
If you broke the bottle, all the water would pour out in an instant.
But since it could not be broken, the water had to flow out through its narrow opening.
Naturally, the latter would take far more time than the former.
On top of that, the entire history of the Giant race was being distributed from one person’s body.
I had to assume Pavan’s current state would last longer than I had expected.
“If you need Pavan’s strength, I will take her place.”
Rumta had mistaken my visit to check on Pavan for a need for strength.
“No. That isn’t why I came.”
“Then...?”
“I came because I was worried about my retainer’s condition. Isn’t that why you’ve stayed by Pavan’s side without doing anything else?”
I immediately cleared up his misunderstanding.
No matter how urgent things became, I wasn’t cruel enough to force a patient awake and send her to the battlefield.
Even if such a situation arose, I would never even consider doing that.
What kind of idiot ruler stayed beside a sick patient and said, ‘Get up and fight already!’?
“I feel the same way you do, so I hope you won’t misunderstand.”
“My apologies. I did not mean to.”
The same way I did.
Rumta mulled over those words for a moment, then nodded as if he had suddenly made up his mind.
I didn’t know exactly what he had decided, but it didn’t seem like anything bad, so I didn’t ask.
“Even if the Empire falls into danger, stay by Pavan’s side so you can protect her.”
“I will obey.”
Had he always been this polite?
‘What was he like before?’
Setting aside the past I couldn’t recall, I headed straight to the State Council Meeting room.
“Imperial Crown Prince...!”
“Skip the formalities and get to the point. How far have things progressed?”
As soon as I entered, everyone rose and tried to kneel, so I had them stand before taking my seat and listening to their reports.
“I will first report on the areas where the balance of power in the underworld has recently changed abruptly.”
“Begin.”
“I will report! The Empire has always weeded out underworld forces that grow beyond a certain point.”
The Empire’s public order came from strict control.
The strong were conscripted, while the weak were left alone as necessary evils.
Someone would inevitably fill any vacant spot in the back alleys, so the Empire placed someone it could control there instead.
When that person grew too powerful, they were cut down. If they behaved, they were left alone.
The Empire knew perfectly well that a zero percent crime rate did not exist.
It kept things under control and weeded them out at an appropriate level.
“But recently, unusual activity has been reported in the western part of the Empire.”
“Unusual activity?”
“Yes. We announced a period of focused inspections, so the Empire’s lords met their tax deadlines more strictly than ever. Yet tax payments have become overdue only in the west.”
“Looks like a rat has crawled in there.”
“You are correct. On top of that, a new drug has reportedly been spreading through the west and south recently.”
“Ha.”
The Empire strictly controlled narcotics.
Drugs that altered one’s mental state without interfering with work were permitted.
But the moment substances that ruined people through side effects began circulating, an investigation began immediately.
“It would be reasonable to assume the rat that dug itself a hole in the west has spread drugs as far as the south.”
“To determine that rat’s location more precisely, we have dispatched Knights and mages.”
I had expected a hidden male lead to act more intelligently.
Did he have something else to rely on if he was moving so openly?
‘Or maybe the way he seized the back alleys... wasn’t through intelligence, but pure force.’
Even Rumta, the hidden male lead, possessed considerable strength.
The man known as the Ruler of the Underworld might be at a similar level.
“I heard he is infamous. He has gone from country to country, spreading like a plague?”
“If we had to compare it to something, he is said to be like a swarm of locusts.”
“That’s the worst.”
“They say he is also quite skilled at escaping, so we will first spread the Knights and mages widely, then form an inescapable...”
“Wait. Let’s avoid that phrase if possible.”
While listening to Theo’s report, I hurriedly stopped Theo from saying something that sounded like the symbol of a defeat flag.
Of course, the Empire wouldn’t fail to catch him simply because that phrase was said.
Still, the phrase itself felt ominous.
“Considering his past actions, his chances of escaping are high. So we have planned to first clear out every hole he has dug.”
“Then we’ll soon have a lead.”
“Yes. However, one point concerns us. The Tax Collector Knight is also proceeding independently.”
“The Tax Collector Knight? Ah, because the taxes weren’t paid?”
“That is correct. The Tax Collector Knight acts alone and possesses extensive independent authority... I think it may be best to prohibit independent action, even now.”
The Tax Collector Knight.
I had heard the name, but I had never actually met them.
The Imperial Revenue Service was truly independent and the most powerful, with a tremendous sense of responsibility and duty.
I didn’t want to interfere and stir up trouble where none was needed.
‘Was it that saying about not touching a dust-covered machine if it’s working properly?’
If it was working well, why bother?
I had never touched the Imperial Revenue Service for that reason.
“No. Leave them for now.”
I still felt the same way.
They had always been known to do their jobs well.
Wouldn’t they handle this matter well on their own too?
That was the conclusion I had reached, which was why I said it.
“Imperial Crown Prince, the Tax Collector Knight... is good at the job, but there is something concerning.”
“For the Grand General to put it that way, may I ask what it is?”
“The Tax Collector Knight... is good in every way, but can be rather single-minded.”
“Ha ha, now I’m looking forward to it.”
The Grand General reacted to my words.
What had the Grand General experienced at the hands of the Tax Collector Knight for a superhuman said to know no defeat to wear such a tense expression?
‘Still, if the Ruler of the Underworld is a hidden male lead, he’ll receive all sorts of plot armor. I’ll probably have to step in eventually.’
Ordinary people could not defeat protagonists.
But if even the Grand General was wary of the Tax Collector Knight, perhaps this would be different.
I found myself strangely looking forward to what would happen.
+++++
“Found him.”
It had taken far too long.
Who would have thought it would take this long to confirm why taxes were not being properly collected at the edge of the Empire’s west?
Levi had thought the lord would quickly tell the truth, but perhaps the lord’s life had been threatened. The lord had sent back a response saying there was no problem.
There was no way there was no problem, so the Tax Collector Knight immediately rushed to the Empire’s west.
The sight that greeted Levi there was appalling.
Drug addicts, who would never normally be seen in the Empire, roamed about.
Those who operated in the underworld openly strutted through the streets.
‘How dare these bastards...’
The Empire had noticed and was responding quickly, of course.
But the Tax Collector Knight, Levi Möbius, could not contain his fury toward the person who had turned the Empire into this.
Who dared to defile the Great Empire?
“This must be the work of someone who does not pay taxes. Model citizens who pay their taxes would never do something like this.”
Through the lord’s and residents’ testimonies, Levi had identified Asher’s location faster than anyone else.
And that had led Levi here.
“So you were hiding here.”
The largest and most lavish inn in the back alleys.
Rumor had it that the parasite who did not pay taxes was here.
Bang!
Without hesitation, Levi kicked down the door and entered.
“Is there someone named Asher here?”
Since Asher had seized the back alleys faster than anyone else, identifying his location and identity had been very easy.
A young man with gray hair and gray eyes.
He had a distinctly delinquent appearance, with tanned skin that left a strong impression.
He had not even tried to hide it.
Perhaps he had been too busy trying to seize the back alleys quickly to bother.
Either way, that was what angered Levi most.
Not only had Asher failed to pay the Empire’s taxes, but he was operating openly without even hiding his face.
How much did he have to look down on the Empire to behave like that?
It was unforgivable.
Just thinking about it made Levi’s blood boil.
Fwoooosh.
Fueled by his anger, Levi’s hair turned into flames.
His flame-like hair grew larger, and golden fire brightly illuminated the inn.
“Ha! So the Empire finally found me? Good. I was curious about who they would send!”
Amid that bright light, gray hair made its presence known.
Asher Dominic.
There was only one reason he had operated so boldly within the Empire.
He had confidence in his strength.
He knew the Empire was powerful, but it would not invest too much to catch one man.
His plan was to keep circling around the Empire and gradually wear down its forces.
‘Golden flames? They sent someone formidable from the start.’
Asher gave a vicious smile and slowly drew his sword.
A flamberge with a wavy blade.
A tool made to tear flesh away and rip open wounds.
“I will make you the first sacrifice of my conquest of the Empire.”
At the very moment Asher did not doubt his victory...
“...I will give you one final chance. Do you have any intention of paying the taxes you have owed until now?”
With golden flames burning around him, Levi asked in a calm voice.
“And if I say I will never pay them for the rest of my life?”
Asher sneered at Levi.
Then, at that very moment.
Thud!
“Tax Collector Knight, Levi Möbius.”
A red mark attached itself to the center of Asher’s forehead.
“Confirmation that the target has no intention of paying taxes.”
A sword slid out from the scabbard at Levi’s waist.
“From this point on, forced enforcement will begin.”
A golden blade slowly revealed itself.
Collection begins.
Footnotes:
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