The Art of a Brilliant Political Marriage - Chapter 9

Cielin tossed aside the broom she was holding and jumped toward Litte.

“Hehe, that’s Bizoo for you. He works so fast.”

“Ugh, you asked him?”

Bizoo was a highly skilled secretary who could be called her father’s right-hand man. Like Litte, he was a slender, gentle-looking man, but that was only on the surface. No one was better than him at intelligence and stealth. Moreover, he was the master who taught Litte his assassination techniques. Litte had a complex about Bizoo because he had apparently almost been killed by him many times. Cielin didn’t care about Litte’s personal feelings at all; she happily took the letter.

However, Litte’s reaction was strange. Hadn’t he met him when he received the letter? Feeling curious, she asked, and Litte scowled.

“Did Bizoo not bring the letter? Did you not receive it directly?”

“Mei brought it.”

Hearing the name of the maid who started working at the same time as Litte, Cielin understood. If Bizoo had brought the letter himself, Litte wouldn’t have returned without a scratch. They were the type to fight as a way of saying hello. Regardless, she now had what she wanted.

“Now, I have all the information.”

Cielin opened the letter, read it once, and gave a broad grin. She could now finish the document she was writing by filling in the details from the letter. Litte had already obtained the income and expenditure records for Earl Zikkeldocra’s estate. Additionally, she had copies of the account books for the mansion’s expenses. A talented assassin was very useful because he could sneak in anywhere.

Cielin used her father’s resources to look into the information she couldn’t find inside the mansion. The letter she received contained details about Cielin’s dowry and exactly how much money Earl Zikkeldocra owed her father.

“Looking at this, the spending is truly high. Antiques, clothes, jewelry, food… and to top it off, investments. How much do they need to buy before they are satisfied? I wonder why they don’t realize that wasteful spending leads to ruin. They are collecting such extreme taxes from the estate that the people are running away. Then they raise taxes again to make up for it. This is truly pathetic. There are no major industries or special products. Since there are no jobs, paying these taxes is impossible.”

“Well, the people are probably just a source of cash to them.”

Litte’s way of saying it was blunt, but he was right. Earl Zikkeldocra could never be a good lord or a good manager. Cielin had seen many nobles and wealthy people come and go at her father’s house, so she believed she had an eye for people. She knew all too well what happened to those who were not fit for their status.

“They should learn that the people have brains too. Let’s put the estate matters aside for now. For the time being, we have to stop this wasteful spending. Litte, I’m changing.”

“Will this dress be alright?”

Understanding Cielin’s intent, Litte pulled a special dress from the wardrobe and held it up. Cielin nodded deeply, looking satisfied.