The witch thought I am a Demon God

At the entrance of Kari Town, a somewhat rotund middle-aged tax inspector standing next to a few soldiers chastised, "The town mayor is wasting his time feeding you guys."

"Are you serving the Lord of All Things? Are you merciful priests?"

"Are you carrying out charity work?"

"The group of merchants who just passed by, you guys definitely undercharged them by at least a silver penny in taxes."

The tax inspector shouted neglecting his appearance, "You're assigned at the town gate because you know the prices of local produce and trades within the town, it's because you're all connected. But now you're acting like a bunch of rag dolls."

"Do you understand that if we tax well, we can establish a fortune? That extra money, it will be who's pocket it goes into."

"Stop with your charity."

"Look, another gullible one is coming, I'll demonstrate how to levy a transit tax."

The five soldiers guarding the town gate exchanged glances.

A soldier looked indignant, "But...sir, it's just a carriage, clearly carrying only passengers."

"People aren't coming to our town for business, how can you charge them a transit tax?"

A transit tax is actually a kind of business tax.

Implementing such a tax is an art.

Because if the business tax is too high, no small or medium merchants would choose to come to your town, it would be like shooting yourself in the foot.

But if the business tax collected is too low, far much lower than the nearby towns, then you're simply a fool.

It's like paying an intelligence tax to the Lord of All Things.

But generally, passing travelers do not have to pay a transit tax, because they're sure to consume something in your town, they have to eat and lodge.

They contribute to your town's economy just by being there.

Only an exceptional few and rather odd noblemen chose to tax passing travelers through their lands.

Finally, their lands turn into barren wastelands that travelers avoid like the plague.

The tax officer rolled his eyes at the soldier, "Trying to do things by the book, and you won't get anything done. Next time you spout nonsense, you'll be removed from this post and sent to guard the public latrines in the town."

The accused soldier's face went pale with fear, and he fell silent.

The tax officer, with a cold smile, addressed the other soldiers, "It's the ones with only a carriage in tow that are good for transit tax."

"How many people can fit in a carriage? I reckon at the most they can fit five."

"One of them, even, is a servile maid driving the carriage, without any fighting strength."

"The weak and powerless are the exact type I bully. We need to be a little aggressive, exploit them, if they don't comply, we can even kill them."

The soldiers' faces bore varied expressions.

In a world without surveillance cameras or telephones, killing for loot and concealing the evidence was quite straightforward.

The tax collectors and soldiers often adopted the disguise of robbers when there were fewer people around.

Maid Alysia made the carriage stop at the entrance of the town, her little son looking fearfully at the soldiers.

"Watch and learn." The tax inspector walked over to the carriage and peeked inside after pulling back the curtain, his eyes scanning the interior while his mouth started moving.

"Hmm..."

"Transporting chili peppers, hmm, I think you need to at least pay a tax of 10 silver pennies."

The soldiers at a distance, after hearing him, thought to themselves that he was really ruthless.

That amounted to robbery.

It was an outright bullying.

Inside the carriage, four people looked at each other, dumbfounded.

Black Wolf and Rayli never expected they would be robbed at a town gate someday.

On second thought, if they had come out of the carriage, they'd clearly appear as elite warriors and no one would dare meddle with them.

The Great Witch, on the other hand, was looking at the tax inspector with a 'you're courting death' gaze.

Ivita took a moment to process the situation, wondering where the chili peppers had come from in the carriage. Then he realized, someone was trying to rob them.

Rob a carriage carrying warriors, a Demon Hunter, a witch and a wizard?

?

The moment the tax inspector clearly saw the people in the carriage, his first thought was, 'ah, the carriage indeed has only four people.'

Add the maid driving the carriage to the count, and you get five people in total.

As he had guessed, he would indeed make an experienced middle-aged warrior.

This tax inspector conveniently ignored Alysia's little boy.

In his eyes, boys under seven didn't count as people and could be overlooked.

Then, the tax inspector's heart skipped a beat as he noticed something amiss.

True, there were five people.

But something was wrong with the situation.

On seeing Rayli's shortsword and callused hands, his pupils contracted.

When his eyes fell on the exaggerated two-handed sword the Black Wolf carried on his back, the sharp dagger at his waist and the characteristic leather armor of a Demon Hunter, his mouth fell open.

When he saw the Hearthstone Witch, he almost let out a scream.

A witch!

And the sparkling jewelry on Ivita, that made his identity seem anything but ordinary, sent a chill down the spine of this middle-aged soldier.

A witch and a Demon Hunter!

They were actually entering this little town with just over 2000 people!

Moreover, he actually dared to approach this dangerous carriage!

Good heavens!

Lord of All Things, please protect me, I promise to pay an intelligence tax every day from now on...

No, I will give donations to The Church every month.

The inspection officer trembled in fear, he wanted to shout for the five soldiers behind him for backup, he wanted to signal the city guards with a whistle.

His mouth opened, tongue moved, and the sound was just about to pass through his throat and get out.

Hearthstone Grand Witch: "Your Grace."

At this moment, Ivita twirled the ring on her right pinky twice, simultaneously chanting an incantation.

The square obsidian on the ring, in the process of twirling, shone with a strange hue.

The inspection officer instinctually looked down at the ring on Ivita's hand, then a flash of surprise passed through his eyes, the brown pupils were quickly infiltrated by the pitch-black color of ink, turning completely black, then his pupil color restored back to brown.

The inspection officer's pudgy face went through multiple struggles, and in the end, he finally became slightly stupefied.

The Hearthstone Grand Witch congratulated Ivita: "Your Grace, you have successfully used your first magic."

"Now the Charm Spell has taken control of his mind, he will act according to your will."

Ivita looked at the inspection officer, after using this ring, she understood that this magic item could only be used once a day.

But now, the inspection officer was indeed different, the expression of a terrible god no longer on his face. The ferocious mien on his face, due to his dazed expression, even looked a bit cute.

This guy seemed like a dog trapped by her snare, completely submissive to her.

There seemed to be some faint psychic connection between them, she could give him some very vague commands.

But at the same time, she noticed this connection was rather weak, after half a day the effects of this spell would dissipate on their own.

Simultaneously, if this guy was suddenly stimulated by an external force, he should also break free from being mind controlled.

Moreover, his dazed expression could easily be discovered by others.

But it was enough.

Anyway, as long as they could enter the city without any trouble.

Inspection officer dully said: "The inspection is complete, there is nothing wrong with the carriage, and there are no goods, the ones sitting inside are all noble gentlemen who must not be offended."

"Open the town gate, let the lords pass."

The soldiers not far away were stunned, looking at each other in disbelief, they didn't even move to open the gate for a while because the order was too odd.

Just moments ago, the inspection officer had passionately talked about displaying his art of collecting taxes.

But now, his attitude had suddenly changed.

The inspection officer turned around, climbed out of the carriage, and started yelling angrily. "Aren't you men gonna go and open the gate?"

"You dare to refuse the orders of an officer! Do you want to be restroom guards?"

The soldiers hurried to open the gate.

In the carriage, Black Wolf and Rayli were astonished by the effects of the Charm Spell.

This spell was too powerful!

An idea sprung into Ivita's mind, she needed money.

Now that she had control over this inspection officer, she should get the most out of him, squeeze out all his value.

Under Ivita's instruction, the inspection officer lifted the carriage curtain, humbly said: "My lord, this is all the money I have on me—12 shillings and 8 pennies."

"Please accept it."

Ivita warmly took the cloth bag he offered.

Just like that, the carriage slowly entered through the opened town gate, not only did they avoid paying any fee after entering the town, but they even received 12 shillings and 8 pennies from the town officer.

After the carriage left, the five soldiers stared at the inspection officer, all giving him a you've-gone-mad look.

Didn't he say he would teach them how to make underhanded money?

Why did the officer end up giving money to others?

Was he paying intelligence tax to the Lord of All Things?

One soldier suddenly thought that the officer was probably crazy, he needed to seize this once in a lifetime opportunity.

If he didn't do something while the officer was in a crazed state, he wouldn't be a human.

He said rubbing his hands: "Sir, my family is also short on money, could you also give me som money?"

"You actually gave money to a stranger, I am your confidant."

"You can't forget about me..."

The inspection officer widened his eyes as if he was seeing this soldier for the first time, he even took two steps back. "You want me to give you money? Did I hear that right?"

"You actually dare to ask me for money!"

"Are you crazy, or do my ears have a problem. Who gave you the guts to ask me for money!"

"I never gave money to strangers."

"And you... from now on, you can sweep the restrooms!"

The soldier was about to go mad, what is happening!

He was almost in tears, "No no no... Sir, there is a misunderstanding... this is a misunderstanding..."

What the soldier didn't know, was that Ivita had already undone the Charm Spell as soon as they entered the town.

Because maintaining the Charm Spell state would inevitably make others suspicious, so she simply undid it.

After the Charm Spell was undone, the inspection officer naturally regained his consciousness, no longer looking dazed.