"Good morning, Your Grace."
"Good morning, Sanders."
Matthew Devensian sat down in his chair as soon as he entered his study. He hadn't had a serious conversation with his daughter in two weeks. He appeared tired and had been avoiding his daily duties, which had resulted in his office being piled high with more documents for his review.
"This is the report for this morning."
Sanders served the Grand Duke a cup of hot coffee with two cubes of sugar, just the way he liked it. He was well-versed in his master's ways and did everything in his power to please him.
"Thank you."
Matthew took a sip from his cup and began reading the day's report given to him by his valet. As he went through the documents on his desk, his expression became solemn as he became too preoccupied with his work. He had no choice but to gradually resume his work and stop slacking off like he had for the previous few days.
"It is clear how much work Your Grace usually has."
Sanders said this as he stood a distance away from Matthew, watching how his master was too engrossed in the documents in front of him. He then pointed to the left side of the study table and said,
"The other reports are over here, and I have arranged the paperwork into four sections precisely as you want, Your Grace."
"Thank you, I'll confirm them."
"Please, do so."
"Also, His Highness the Crown Prince appears to have something he wants to tell you, so he'll stop again later."
He then turned to leave the study to give his master some time alone with his work, but before he did so, he added,
"The tax records of the different sites have also been provided, please have a look," he said. "Please contact me if there is anything else."
"Hold your horses, Sanders!"
The Grand Duke exclaimed, surprised, as he clutched the papers in his hands.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Your Grace, isn't this the task you assigned to the gentleman from the trade guild?"
Sanders stated as he examined the documents presented to him by Matthew. His master's reaction sounded serious, which made him wonder what was going on. He sorted the files as usual but did not go through them because he had always assumed that only his master had that privilege. He also admired Matthew's work and was always willing to assist him in any way he could, but this time he only checked the basic information and not the full details of either document.
"Have all of these things been confirmed?"
"I believe so."
He sprang from his seat, still clutching the documents in his hands, and said,
"Bring the person who prepared this report now!"
'What on earth is going on?'
The budget application of both proposed renaissance and agricultural grants was unclear in the report. The Devensian great duchy possessed three fiefs, and one of them had an odd application, according to the account. The rationale for the proposed grants in the fief was that there was a low harvest owing to unfavorable weather conditions and the failure of the renaissance project after the crusades. Despite the fact that adjacent fiefs did not submit petitions for identical reasons.
"I continued paying attention to advancements but didn't even notice something so basic."
'All those funds come from all those vassals' levies to keep bad things from happening. Oh, the lord of that place needs to develop a strong management structure, or I'll find someone else to handle it for him.'
"Good morning, Papa,"
"Good morning, sweet Eli,"
I entered the study and, as usual, sat on his study sofa to watch him work. I was concerned because he appeared unusual.
"Is everything all right with you? You seem a little pale,"
I had to ask him because I didn't like seeing my father act strangely. He appeared troubled, and I had to poke my nose in to find out more about his current situation. I rose from my seat and approached my father's study table, taking the papers he was silently looking at, which had caused him not to answer my previous question, and began going through them.
I grabbed his half-cup of coffee before him and went to take my seat, sipping while my eyes remained fixed on the documents. They did, however, contain some very interesting information. The professionalism with which the previous and subsequent accounts were organized astounded me.
After a few moments, the study doors opened, and Sanders entered, accompanied by a familiar face behind him. I tried to ignore them as I returned my focus to the documents still in my hand and rubbed the empty cup beside me in circular motions.
"Excuse me, Your Grace, I have brought the gentleman from the trade guild."
"Could you please come this way?"
"Greetings, Your Graces. My name is Heinley Briggs."
Heinley greeted us, and I was surprised that he never took his gaze away from me the moment he walked into the study. I assumed he had long forgotten about me, but I was mistaken. I couldn't help but catch a glimpse of him as I covered my pink face with the papers in front of me. I just hoped Baron Sanders and my father didn't notice.
My father raised his head and looked at the young man in front of him. He gave him a look I had never seen before. I had to wonder if he was possessed or not because he was acting strangely compared to his usual self. I'd always heard that he was one of the most feared men in the empire, that even the emperor respected him. When he was with me, he was always different. I suppose it's because I'm his only child.
"I was referred by the trade guild to this assignment."
"It's nice to meet you again, Lord Heinley."
As I stood up, I greeted him and placed the documents I was holding on my father's table. I had no choice but to leave because I didn't believe I was permitted to hear their conversation unless it involved me. That's what I assumed.
"You two...are you already acquainted?"
"Yes. We've met once before but it is a story for another day or time, Papa."
I turned to face my father and curtsied before walking to the door, saying,
"Well, you seem busy. I shall excuse myself."
"Many thanks for this assignment this time, Your Grace."
Heinley bowed to my father and gave me a sidelong glance as I went away. He was incredibly handsome, and I couldn't believe how such a masterpiece as himself could make someone like me go insane with only a grin. I hoped he didn't see my heated cheeks.
"Where do you think you're going, Eli? I also require your assistance with this matter. Would you mind warming that chair over there? The one with your entire presence written all over it."
My father remarked, motioning to the sofa where I normally sat and then turned to face Heinley, his fingers interlocked beneath his chin. His tone had drastically altered, and I was still unsure if he was truly my Papa. If he was, I was pleased I got to see a side of him I'd never seen before.
"I'll simply go right to the point, Lord Heinley. Could you please explain to me how you got aware of this problem?"
"Well, Your Grace, a fief of this size is unlikely to require such a large budget. Furthermore, based on our study, there are places that appear to be doing rather well. They cultivate crops on which they rely for sustenance and money, but the strange part is in the accounting records. The peasants have been paying their taxes, but the nobility continue to extort them, and it appears that the vassal lord supports this."
"I can't deny that I'm impressed. Lord Heinley, I like your ability to discover and tell us about improper use of the fief's budget."
I remarked as I smiled at him. He did have skill, and I rewarded him for it. His choice of words as he conveyed his views, as well as his confidence, made me wonder what other skills he possessed.
The present vassal lord appeared to be deficient. Corruption has always existed, and he enabled it to spread, so I believed something should be done to set an example for others.
My father handed the report to Heinley, and Sanders gave me some of the other reports on the fief that I hadn't yet seen. I was astounded since the calculations made no sense at all.
"How would you handle this issue, Eli, if you were the present lady of that fief?"
Before responding to my father, I took a glance at the pieces of paper in my hand. To be honest, a figure grabbed my attention, and as I blinked and massaged my temples, I lifted my head and addressed the men in front of me, answering,
"Theoretically, Papa, a management structure should be established to supervise all of this."
"What is the reason for your answer?"
"It is apparent that the present lord is extorting from his own vassals, and if I am incorrect, something shady must be going on in that fief, and we should investigate since they cannot be demanding enormous sums of money from us every month."
I shrugged before adding,
"Papa, you may view this figure for yourself. The majority of the taxes are going to this account here, which appears to be private, I believe, and if I were the lady of the fief, the first thing I would do is require all officials to take advanced accounting courses so that they can record their reports in detail. Aside from that, there is the issue of dealing with punitive proceedings."
I gave my father the report I was still holding onto. The three men looked at me with surprised expressions that made me doubt myself. I couldn't help but notice how the funds we had been giving out to that fief, knowing how fertile it was and how much potential it had, were being squandered by a vassal lord who kept asking for more funds every month. There was clearly something fishy going on.