Building a Modern Nation in a Fantasy World-Chapter 49: People POV on Tax System

The flickering light of a single cheap gemstone cast soft shadows across the small wooden cottage. The scent of freshly baked barley bread mixed with the faint aroma of vegetable stew as a family of four gathered around their modest dining table. Their clothes were patched but clean, their faces worn yet hopeful.

Elric, the father, sat at the head of the table, ladling portions of stew into each wooden bowl. His wife, Mira, cradled their youngest child, a three-year-old boy, while their eldest, Laina, a girl of ten, eagerly tore into a piece of bread.

"Papa, can we really eat this much every night now?" Laina asked, her eyes wide with excitement.

Elric chuckled, ruffling her hair. "Aye, my little sprout. Things are different now. We don’t have to starve ourselves just to save coins for the tax collector."

Mira smiled softly, adjusting the worn but warm shawl over her shoulders. "I never thought I’d see the day when the kingdom actually considered the struggles of families like ours. Ever since they introduced the new tax system, it feels as though we can finally breathe."

Elric nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Before, even with my low income work, the tax collector would take what little we had left, leaving us with barely enough to scrape by. But now, with the new ’progressive tax’ they call it, those who earn little like us don’t have to pay anything. The kingdom only takes from those who can truly afford it."

Mira sighed in relief. "That means more food, better clothes, and maybe—just maybe—we can start saving for Laina’s future."

Laina’s face lit up. "Does that mean I can learn letters like the merchant’s children? I saw them writing on slates in the town square the other day!"

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Elric exchanged a glance with Mira before nodding. "Aye, my dear. If things continue like this and if I work harder or get a better job, we might even afford a tutor for you one day. Or at least, we’ll have enough left over to send you to a cheap school or church so you could learn how to read and write unlike your papa."

Tears welled up in Mira’s eyes. "Who would have thought? A simple change in the law, and now we have hope."

Elric raised his bowl, a small but proud gesture. "To King Arthur. For the first time, it feels like we truly have a ruler who cares for the people like us."

Mira and Laina joined him, raising their bowls of stew in a quiet toast to the newfound hope in their lives. And as they ate, laughter and warmth filled their tiny home—a home no longer haunted by hunger and despair, but by the promise of a better future.

...

"Fuck the poor, fuck KTO," grumbled Master Roland, a wealthy merchant, as he slammed his goblet onto the oak table. The expensive red wine sloshed over the rim, staining the fine tablecloth.

His fellow merchants, gathered in the lavish hall of his estate, nodded in grim agreement. The air was thick with frustration and the scent of roasted venison, a stark contrast to the struggles of the common folk beyond the estate walls.

"This so-called ’progressive tax’ is nothing more than theft," Roland continued, his voice sharp with contempt. "Why should we, the ones who drive the economy, be punished just because we are successful? Meanwhile, those lazy peasants sit around stuffing their faces while contributing nothing!"

Another merchant, a portly man with jeweled rings on every finger, scowled. "And it gets worse. The new tariffs on foreign goods are crippling my business. Before, I could import silk, spices, and fine wines without competition from local traders. Now, with these ridiculous tariffs, the prices are nearly the same! Those lowly craftsmen and farmers can actually compete with us!"

Roland sneered. "Imagine that—having to actually work for our wealth instead of just capitalizing on cheaper foreign goods. It’s outrageous! And don’t get me started on the peasants. Before, they paid the same amount of taxes as us. Now, they contribute nothing while we shoulder all the burden."

The other merchants muttered in agreement, their frustration growing.

"King Arthur Jr is a fool if he thinks this will last," another merchant spat. "The nobility won’t stand for it. And neither will we. Something must be done before this kingdom turns into a land of beggars ruling over merchants."

Roland leaned back, fingers drumming against the table. "Then perhaps it’s time we remind the king where the true power lies. Money makes the world turn, after all. And if Arthur insists on making enemies of us, he’ll soon regret it."

The merchants exchanged knowing glances, the seeds of rebellion taking root among the wealthy elite. Outside, beyond the tall walls of the estate, the common folk continued to rejoice in their newfound hope—blissfully unaware of the storm brewing in the halls of the rich.

This was happening because, a week earlier, the first tax collection took place under the newly implemented system, stirring considerable discussion throughout the kingdom.

…

Knock. Knock. Knock.

A sharp knock echoed through the chamber.

"It’s Ben, Your Majesty," came the voice from the other side of the heavy wooden door. "I’m here to report the monthly tax collection results."

Arthur, seated at his desk, glanced up from the paper he had been studying. With a measured tone, he called out, "Enter."

The door swung open, and Ben stepped inside, his arms weighed down with a thick stack of documents. His expression was calm, but the slight furrow in his brow betrayed the weight of his report.

As he approached the desk, he carefully set the documents down and bowed respectfully. "Your Majesty," he began, straightening his posture. "I have compiled the latest tax collection figures. As expected, revenue under the new system has not only met our projections but exceed it."

Arthur leaned back in his chair, a hint of satisfaction in his expression. "Good. I was wondering when you’d bring me a report—it’s been a week since the first full month of the new system." He reached for the top document, scanning the figures before glancing up. "Is this report just for Eldoria, or does it include all regions?"