Chapter 41: The Messenger’s Return
After everyone had left, Arthur sat alone in the hall, gazing at the open door with a mysterious look in his eyes, deep in thought. After a long while, he exhaled heavily.
"This is really hard."
He raised his hand and scratched his forehead. Though it was only a fleeting moment, his emotions were in turmoil, and he felt a tightness in his chest. It wasn’t random, his current reality imposed immense pressure on him. His mental state was far from fine, and from time to time, he felt bouts of gloom, especially since he had killed the Baronet and his son.
After several minutes of sighing, he emptied his mind of dark thoughts and tried to stabilize his mood. Thanks to the "Logical Analysis" skill, he was able to do so with ease.
’Although it’s unpleasant, it’s something I have to live with. I’m still human, after all. But even so, I’m starting to get used to it. Killing doesn’t disturb me anymore. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad one.’
He gave a strange smile and mocked himself. He was well aware that he was changing. His previously calm and average personality had grown more firm and resolute.
Still, he didn’t dwell on it. He immediately returned to thinking of ways to develop and strengthen the barony. He had several ideas, but many obstacles stood in his way. Chief among them were the lack of advanced technology, the shortage of skilled labor, and most importantly, insufficient funding.
"Right now, the barony is entirely mine, and I’m free to do whatever I want with it. From what I know, the previous Baronet used to earn money through several means, primarily taxes. He took thirty percent of the farmers’ harvest.
And since all the lands belonged to him, the residents were required to pay a housing tax once a year. The same applied to the fishermen, woodcutters, and herb gatherers—they were also obligated to give up forty percent of what they collected. That’s good, as it reduces the castle’s expenses. But I need to implement a better taxation system.
From my perspective, the current tax system seems oppressive, but in truth, it’s very typical. Even in the modern era, people pay taxes on almost everything. If it were up to some governments, they’d probably tax oxygen too."
Arthur had been an accountant in his previous world, so he possessed extensive knowledge regarding money, trade, and financial dealings—whether small-scale personal transactions or large-scale international ones. He also understood taxation, its policies, and types, which made it easy for him to consider potential income sources.