Page 68 of The Fifth Life of Alicia
Maybe it would even guarantee me a job.
Ultimately, if something good could come out of my misery, it would be worth it.
“Ark.” I planted my hands on my desk. “Get me all the treasury documents from the last ten years. I want to know exactly what funds are in reserve, how they’re separated in the budget, and what’s available for use. Find out how many people were evacuated from that village, where they are, and how many people are helping them so we can arrange an emergency fund to ensure the refugees are provided for, then have someone get me reports on them all. Have someone draw up a report on the temples in the areas vulnerable to monster attacks—I want to know what they’re doing to assist during these times.” I paused. “It might not do much for these villagers in this attack, but it will help others in future.”
Ark’s hazel eyes met mine, and the smallest, warmest smile crept onto his face. “As you wish, my lady. I will have Sir Hayes assist you in sorting the documents.”
I sighed. “If you must.”
“Then I will take my leave.” Ark got to his feet. “Also, my lady, we received word shortly before you called for me that the unit led by the Grand Duke is on its way back to Stein.”
I froze. “When will they arrive?”
“Three days from now.”
“Very well. You may go.” I watched as he excused himself from the room, then collapsed onto my chair after he closed the doors.
Oh, goodie.
This was a nightmare.
Chapter Sixteen
The Gift
“My lady, don’t you think you should be going to join everyone to welcome the Grand Duke back?” Bella asked, peering out of the window. “Should you not at least oversee the preparations for his return?”
“I’m busy,” I replied, running my finger down the treasury document I was looking over. “Goodness. How much of a corrupt bastard was the previous duke?”
Sir Hayes coughed from the opposite side of the desk. “Lady Alicia, please mind your language.”
“Absolutely not. I shall call a spade a spade and a bastard a bastard if I please, Sir Hayes.”
Over the past three days, I’d learnt one thing: Sir Hayes, despite his initial impression on me, was a simple man who was quite easy to please if you had any modicum of intelligence at all. Not to mention that he’d become a knight because of his deep-rooted desire to help people.
In other words, my plan to create a legal system of aid for monster attack victims had basically won the grumpy git over.
With good reason, though. Five years ago, the Talwick marquessate had suffered an attack like the one that had just happened in the mountains. Not only had the Talwick estate been damaged, but many of the people living under the Talwicks had suffered great losses.
The then-duke had rejected all Marquess Talwick’s pleas for help. His only assistance had been to send a meagre number of mediocre knights for protection.
The people who lived under the authority of the Talwicks were amongst the lucky ones. The marquessate had ultimately shouldered the burden of helping their people, resulting in a huge loss for the estate that they were still recovering from. They’d even shouldered the heightened tax rate the previous duke had forced upon the citizens of Stein barely a year later, and had the empire not taken Stein when it did, House Talwick may well have fallen.
I looked at Sir Hayes and waved the sheet of paper. “Have you seen these numbers? He was robbing the citizens blind, and it’s not like there’s expenditure to justify it. He was just stockpiling money.”
“That’s one of the reasons some of the noble houses conspired against him and helped the empire,” Sir Hayes said, tapping his fingers against the desk. “All his justifications for the high taxation never materialised, and many of the nobles who fought against the corruption grew weary. The empire was the only real means of ousting him. The conquest of Stein took eight hours from the moment the Grand Duke set foot across the border. The route was specifically planned through safe land, and by the time that bastard heard about it, it was too late for him to raise an army.”
Oh. So, he could swear, but I couldn’t.
He was a noble, too, damn it!
“Was he stockpiling for an army to invade another territory? The funds in reserve certainly suggest so.” I flipped to the next page. “This is an extortionate amount of money that’s unaccounted for.”
“That’s the summary. Compare it to the actual reports of the time, and you’ll see the true discrepancy.” He leant over the desk and tugged out another sheet. “The entire ministerial council was corrupt to their bones.”
“So, I see. Are any of the nobles on council still serving in Stein?”
“They were all swiftly disposed of.” His voice was far too bright for his words. “Their heads made for interesting decorations in the city centre.”
