Miss Witch, It's Time to Clean Up the Entries - Chapter 22

After the first shareholders’ meeting concluded, quite a few nobles sent their servants back to get money.

Leon left the conference room with satisfaction. The two maids and Miss Witch were waiting for him at the door.

The Ice Witch Sophie still had no expression. She was still wearing the flower wreath Leon had given her on her head.

She seemed not to have noticed that these flowers had withered.

But even a withered flower wreath, worn on her head, still held a sense of desolate beauty.

In her hands, she held a transparent flowerpot containing soil and an unsprouted seed.

This was her new friend, and she hadn’t named it yet.

Anna held a document case in her hand, which contained various documents belonging to Leon.

Probably because Leon thought she was suitable to be a secretary, he always gave these things to her.

Annie, who only wanted to be a top seamstress, was very satisfied with Leon’s attire today because he was wearing the suit she had designed and sewn.

Although the pants seemed a bit tight, making Leon walk overly cautiously.

Afraid that one large step would cause a socially embarrassing scene.

“Annie, you have a great talent for design. Have you considered opening a clothing store and letting everyone wear clothes made by you? As for the money to open the store, you don’t need to worry, I can invest.”

Leon had long felt that crinoline dresses needed improvement. Those large hooped skirts could cause many disadvantages, not just being prone to falling off the high wall, but also making it difficult to escape during a fire, and requiring extra caution when getting into a carriage.

If more delicate and smaller puffy skirts were made, doing away with corsets and hoops, freeing women from their restraints, they would surely quickly become popular in Green Shade Territory.

Annie furrowed her brow, “Lord Leon, your formal wear was made by Sister, not me.”

“Alright, Anna, do you have this idea?”

Leon looked at Anna.

Anna smiled without speaking.

Annie replied, “Sister doesn’t like making clothes for too many people. Sister just wants to be a top seamstress.”

“Of course, Anna only needs to design, and let the seamstresses do the making. Anna will be a top seamstress.”

Leon said.

Annie thought for a moment and nodded slightly, “I think Sister will agree, but Sister doesn’t have any ideas for women’s clothing at the moment.”

“How about starting with improving the skirt hoops? 4 to 5-meter hoops are too small; they can’t fully display the elegance of noble ladies.”

Leon knew that with a rebellious person like Annie, he could only say the opposite of what he meant.

Annie nodded, “Sister will reduce the hoop size to within 1 meter, or even abolish them entirely.”

Anna said, “The ladies will think it’s not elegant enough.”

“That depends on who is wearing it.”

Leon looked at Miss Witch Sophie.

If Sophie were the first to wear the new style of formal wear, the noble ladies and young women in the territory who were involved in ambiguous relationships would definitely rush to imitate her. This was the celebrity effect.

Annie also found her shortcomings in making men’s clothing. She suspected it was because she didn’t understand men’s physiques well enough. If Leon would let her take measurements up close, she could definitely make well-fitting clothes.

Unfortunately, she would definitely not personally measure Leon.

Because that would expose the truth that it was she who wanted to become a top seamstress, not Anna.

“Sophie, your flower wreath needs to be replaced. Perhaps we can go to a flower shop.”

Leon pointed to the flower wreath on Sophie’s head.

Sophie shook her head, her expression stubborn.

“Um… next time, I’ll just get you an eternal flower then.”

“What is an eternal flower?”

Annie asked curiously.

Sophie and Anna also looked at Leon.

“It’s a flower that never withers, that never fades.”

Leon explained.

“Something that never withers, oh, a fake flower. The material is cloth, glass, or metal, without any beauty or vitality.”

Annie said.

Leon’s mouth twitched slightly, “It is indeed a fake flower, but it’s not that bad.”

“Lord Leon thinks highly of Miss Sophie. A flower that never withers symbolizes unwavering love.”

Anna said with a smile. Her eyes curved, as if she felt there was some indescribable emotion hidden within.

Unwavering love?

Sophie thought about it, and her cheeks gradually turned red.

She held up the unsprouted seed pot, covering her face.

“Even if I wanted to give it, it would take time. Making an eternal flower takes time.”

Leon said.

“Maybe even a lifetime.”

Annie added.

Using a lifetime to make a flower for herself?

Sophie thought about it, and her cheeks turned red again.

She held up the unsprouted seed pot a little higher.

“It doesn’t need that long. The main thing is I don’t know how to make it.”

Leon said.

Sophie put down the pot with a little disappointment.

“So, I’ve decided to send Sophie a fresh flower wreath every day.”

The faint light in Sophie’s eyes flickered again, and she held her flowerpot with satisfaction.

Not until they got into the carriage.

Leon started talking business with the Minister of Finance, Omari Hani.

“Don’t look at our Green Shade Territory having a financial deficit for 3 consecutive years. Our subjects live quite happily. Compared to the nobles and wealthy merchants, they are poor, but compared to people in other territories, they are already quite wealthy. Otherwise, how could they have parties every few days?”

Minister of Finance Omari Hani suddenly said proudly, “Our Green Shade Territory’s tax revenue is less than half of other territories’. Actually, if Lord Moria was willing to increase taxes, our financial situation would be much better.”

“So, it is possible for our subjects to deposit money.”

It seems the old geezer wasn’t completely useless. He even knew to increase the happiness index of the subjects.

Was this the fallback he left for himself? If he couldn’t repay the bank loan, increase taxes?

“Yes, that’s one of the reasons I support you opening a bank. Our subjects can deposit money, it just depends on whether they are willing. Of course, not everyone has the ability, because there are lazy people and poor people with unfortunate fates everywhere.”

Omari Hani then educated Leon on the types of taxes in the major territories,

“Tax types throughout the country are numerous, divided into four main categories.

“First, taxes levied on transportation. This includes tolls on roads, bridges, rivers, shallow areas, etc., and vehicle taxes. The most common is the toll tax, with a total of 21 types.

“Second, taxes levied on goods. These are mainly for merchants, with a total of 113 types.

“Third, market and sales taxes, license taxes. To do business in any field, a license tax must be paid…

“Fourth, there are also safety taxes and window taxes for everyone…

“The above four categories add up to over 160 types of taxes.

“But in our Green Shade Territory, we only levy 10 types of taxes. It is precisely because of this that the population of Green Shade Territory has increased from tens of thousands at the beginning to the current two million.”

Speaking of Green Shade Territory’s glorious past, the faces of the three ministers showed expressions of pride.

“Unfortunately, even so, we still owe a huge loan to the Imperial Bank. If we forcibly increase large tax items, it will also scare away the subjects.”

Karel Dennis sighed.

“Karel, hasn’t Lord Leon already solved this problem? There’s no need to sigh anymore.”

Alex Poole said.

“Omari, I think you shouldn’t focus on those commoners. How much money can they have? The branch is just for show. The inner city bank is the main focus. Noble deposits are the key to solving the problem.”

Karel Dennis said.

Omari Hani felt that Karel Dennis was right; noble deposits were the key. “That’s also true. The Imperial Bank has thresholds, and our thresholds shouldn’t be too low.”

“The branch doesn’t need to set thresholds. It is precisely because the Imperial Bank only targets large customers, whether it’s deposits or loans, they only cater to nobles, that’s why we shouldn’t do this. We should differentiate ourselves from the Imperial Bank.”

Leon interrupted the three’s conversation and said, “The branch can accept deposits from everyone. As long as they are willing to deposit, it is also a form of security for them. But most importantly, for those commoners with good credit, we can open up loan services.”

The three ministers looked at each other, “Loans to commoners?”