"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because refusing would technically constitute tax evasion."
Seraphina frowned.
"Can Papa just not pay?"
"No."
"Can he threaten them?"
"Technically."
"Would that work?"
"Probably."
Alistair sighed.
"But then we would have to deal with the Imperial Auditors."
Seraphina's expression became thoughtful.
"What if we made the Imperial Auditors scared of coming here?"
Alistair slowly lowered his quill.
"...My Lady."
"Yes?"
"That is not how taxation works."
"Why not?"
"Because."
"That's not an explanation."
Alistair stared at her.
She stared back.
He suddenly realized something deeply unpleasant.
She was actually interested.
Not pretending or playing, but genuinely interested.
And worse is that she was looking at the numbers. Not the pretty jewelry, decorations, or the food, but the numbers. Her eyes were moving across the columns with unsettling speed.
Alistair watched her expression carefully.
"Can you read?"
Seraphina nodded.
"Yes."
"How well?"
