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“Are these the lottery tickets?”

Sallya picked up one black slip, looking at the white numerals on it, and asked curiously.

Count Evan also picked up one, examined it carefully, and then lit it with a candle.

The black slip gave birth to an orange flame, burned to the white numeral section, a purplish-blue flame flared up, and a unique acrid smell quickly spread.

Count Evan discarded the almost burnt-out lottery ticket and said, “This uses the same type of paper as bonds, but the dye is different.”

“So?”

“When the bonds first came out, I conjectured that Count Angler had mastered a more advanced paper-making craft. Now it seems, indeed he has. This shows that, be it lottery tickets or bonds, neither can be imitated.”

“Why is Count Angler issuing these lottery tickets? What is he up to?”

“What do you think he is up to?”

Sallya toyed with the lottery ticket in her hand, pondering seriously:

“I must admit, just looking at these lottery tickets, I can’t resist wondering whether they’ve won any prizes. Even though I know, even if it’s a winning ticket, the reward wouldn’t be more than a few thousand copper coins. But still, I can’t help but think about it, as if they have a kind of magical power.

If even I, a princess, can be tempted like this, imagine how much these lottery tickets must appeal to the commoners.”

“Yeah!” Count Evan pointed to the customers downstairs who were still fervently discussing the lottery tickets, lamenting, “Count Angler, despite being so young, has such an accurate grasp of human nature. It’s simply terrifying!”

With her shining big eyes fixed on Count Evan, Sallya laughed, “This is the first time I’ve heard you praise someone so highly.”

Count Evan shrugged, smiled wryly, “As a peer, Count Angler’s power and influence have long surpassed mine. How can I not resent that?

Moreover, he was born into a rather insignificant baron’s family, while I am a descendant of the Holy Knight Family. Sometimes, I even feel that I’m not worthy of the Holy Knight bloodline.”

Sallya curled her tempting red lips, “Count Angler isn’t all that impressive! His current status, it’s mostly owed to the St. Hilde Family. Didn’t he gain his power by marrying Vera St. Hilde?”

But Count Evan shook his head seriously, “No, it’s not he who owes the St. Hilde family, but the St. Hilde family who owes him!”

Seeing his fiancée is still skeptical, Count Evan sighed, “If you seriously study the course of the past two Northern disturbances, you’ll realize that without Count Angler, the current Lord of the North might have become a member of the St. Sean Family.”

Sallya still seemed unconvinced, “But even so, Count Angler spent his wisdom on the lower-class people, issuing these lottery tickets, just to earn some petty cash. It’s quite beneath the dignity of a noble.”

“No, no, no, not petty cash at all.” Count Evan shook his head vehemently, “I don’t know what the exact odds are for winning the lottery, let’s say it’s one in a thousand. But many of the prizes are small ones, like ten or a hundred copper coins. The chance for a grand prize is probably one in ten thousand.

Taking this into account, compared to the revenue from selling lottery tickets, those prizes are truly trivial.

Just look at the situation now, with the lottery tickets being sold in Ice Rock City. Let’s assume each of the three hundred thousand commoners buys one ticket per month, that’s equivalent to an income of nearly nine hundred thousand copper coins!”

“That’s not that much, it’s just nine hundred gold coins. If I remember correctly, the yearly tax revenue of the Royal Family exceeds nine million gold coins.”

Count Evan rolled his eyes, silently lamenting that his bride-to-be, being of noble birth, didn’t comprehend the hardships of the common people, comparing the lottery’s revenue with the royal tax revenue.

So, he had to patiently explain, “Don’t forget, this income of nine hundred gold coins is only for one month, and only for one city, Ice Rock City.

If the lottery tickets are gradually spread across the entire North Territory, reaching tens of millions of people, would you still consider this revenue a small amount?”

Sallya was suddenly speechless, and after a while, she suddenly realized: “Evan, do you mean this is a kind of alternative tax?”

“Smart!” Count Evan snapped and praised, “You can think of this, and finally understand a part of Count Angler’s sophisticated scheme.”

“Only a part? Does the welfare lottery also have other uses?”

“Of course it does. If you think Count Angler just wants to make money with this lottery, you are underestimating this genius.”

“What else does Count Angler want?” Sallya’s eyes flickered, asking with seriousness.

Count Evan raised his wine cup for a sip, leisurely said: “Can you think of what the original intention of this welfare lottery design is?”

Sallya recalled the tale from the tavern attendant, and uncertainly said: “Is it really for poverty relief? Isn’t this just a noble excuse that Count Angler came up with?”

“Haha, Sallya, you are underestimating Count Angler’s magnanimity and vision.”

“So, he really plans to use the lottery income to help the poor?”

“Yes.” Count Evan affirmed with a nod, then shook his head. “But his doing so is not purely out of kindness, at least not completely.”

“Then for what reason?”

Count Evan’s eyes flashed, counter-questioned: “Think again, currently which institution is responsible for poverty relief within the Glorious Empire?”

“The Church?”

“Then why do they do that?”

“Why?” Sallya looked slightly dazed, “Isn’t aiding the poor the duty of the Church?”

Count Evan smirked and asked: “So, does the Church help the poor, genuinely expecting nothing in return?”

“What are you trying to say?”

Count Evan lowered his voice, and said: “The faith of the poor is more devout than that of the rich, the elderly more devout than the young, the sick more devout than the healthy… Sallya, the impoverished society’s lower classes are actually the Church’s most loyal followers.”

Sallya’s elegant face furrowed once more, seeming to have grasped Count Evan’s meaning a bit.

Count Evan downed the rest of his wine, leisurely saying: “Redemption is a responsibility, but also an authority!

And Count Angler, he wants to seize the authority of the Church!”

Sallya was taken aback, her wide eyes gazing in disbelief at her fiancé.

Count Evan slowly placed down his wine cup and smiled, “Alright, the commoner’s wine is finished, we should go and try some noble’s wine.”

Sallya hadn’t quite recovered from her shock, and after a while said: “Are you referring to the Red Fortress?”

“Yes. Coming to Ice Rock City without paying a visit to the host would be quite rude.” Count Evan said matter-of-factly.

Sallya blinked her beautiful eyes, hesitating: “But… Count Angler isn’t at the Red Fortress now.”

“Isn’t that even better!”

Count Evan gave a casual smile, tossed a few copper coins onto the table as a tip, and then got up and walked out.

Sallya stared dazedly for a moment, then quickly followed.