The Transmigration Survival Guide

Book 11: Chapter 12

Irena sighed as she peered out at the black sky. Her energy drink slowly swished around as a wisp of smoke ascended. She had the tax guide open on her desk, but the guide that helped her solve countless problems couldnt resolve the one echoing in her mind.

Your first day not go well? Thats normal. Rarely does any tax officers first job go smoothly. If we could collect the taxes, thered be no need for us to go out. Lots of rookie tax officers cant handle the lying and unscrupulous scums. Some tax officers end up so mad that they get physical. Sulina patted the Irena on the shoulder.

Sulinas comfort didnt help Irena relax. If anything, it was Sulina who was part of her dilemma. Sulina told her not to mind others reasons; however, she didnt understanding the significance of the reason. Irena questioned what she needed to do to not violate her duties while still helping the pitiful girl.

We are tax officers. While knowing their reasons is not a reason for us to waive their taxes, it does allow us to make appropriate calculations to determine how much they need to pay. We are tax officers. Therefore, we must collect their taxes regardless of how pitiful they may be. We must do our duty justice. Nevertheless, we are still human. We cannot be indifferent to genuinely pitiful people. I had you understand the reason so that you wouldnt be miserable.

Truth be told, Lord Lin left us with many gems. Its on you whether or not you can dig them up. When you try to confiscate their stuff, men will look hopeless, yet angry. Youll see children in their mothers embraces, trembling and scared. Women will cling to your leg and plead, but you cant give in. You must steel your heart and take everything worth money. You must take their last shred of dignity and assets. Witnessing a family completely break down as you do that is whats most painful for a tax officer.

Sulina looked gloomy. Clearly, she had lived through those moments as a tax officer countless times.

Irena reclined in her chair and stared at the guide in front of her. The weather was warm, and she held a hot drink, yet Irena still shivered. She recalled the miserable look on the girls face one last time during the day. She wondered how shed face the despair of someone sick when she had to confiscate their assets by force. She didnt want to be someone stone cold. She couldnt handle that sort of distressing scene, either. They werent her enemies; they were her people.

What would Lord Lin do in this situation? What would he think? Hes not that cold-hearted. He would have a way of dealing with this sort of familys situation. Its my turn to think now. What should I do?

Irena grabbed a sheet of paper and the file she was working on. She wanted to recalculate how much the household shouldve paid. In reality, she didnt need to recalculate it for several tax officers had calculated it, ensuring the sum was correct.

Once she was done calculating, Irena set her pen down as despair took hold of her. She came to the same conclusion her predecessors did. Irena couldnt change the sum or come up with a way to help the pitiful family. Her job was to collect taxes, but that didnt mean she was supposed to ruin a family.

How can I fulfil my duty while still protecting the family? Tax officers arent demons. Unfortunately, protecting people isnt within my duties. Lord Lin couldnt have possibly overlooked this. How can I resolve this problem?

Irena maniacally flipped through the tax guide whilst scrubbing her head.

Sulina, pleased with Irenas misery, gently ran her finger along a line: Have you gone and asked when she fell ill?

The one sentence was an epiphany for Irena. Irena turned her attention to Sulina then back to the file. The familys reason for not paying their taxes was never recorded. The tax officers didnt know that the family couldnt pay taxes as the mother fell ill and was incapable of working. They worked under the assumption that they family was purely delaying her payments.

In the guide, it clearly explicated that those who couldnt work due to illness or lost their source of income were exempt from taxes. As a matter of fact, they could file an application for reimbursement based on their previous workplace health insurance. To word it differently, if she fell ill two quarters ago, that meant the family didnt need to pay taxes for those two quarters and were eligible for financial support.

Health insurance wasnt paid out while you were hospitalised but after you were discharged and submitted an expenditure reimbursement application. Evidently the young girl of the family was uninformed about it, thus didnt know she could submit such an application. Instead, she paid taxes she never needed to pay.

Irena jumped to her feet, but Sulina pushed her back into her seat. Irena, calm your horses. I can understand how you feel, but its not work hours. A tax officer cannot meet with the individuals they are responsible outside of work hours; how about coming to work early tomorrow? Now, Your Highness, if you are so inclined, would you like to enjoy our favourite midnight snack?