Chapter 73
Rabat Island is one of the best places for ordinary serfs to live in the Albania continent.
Other serfs either give 30% of their harvested grains (20% tax collection fee for administrators is separate), or do mandatory unpaid labor for 3 days a week as ordered by the lord.
Or they have to give 50-60% of their grains instead of mandatory labor.
In this neighborhood, there's no mandatory unpaid labor, and taxes are only 15%.
Is that why? The residents of Rabat Island had oil dripping down their faces.
"Young master, as expected of a place ruled by knights who have dedicated everything to God. It seems governance is carried out very fairly. The clothes people in the village wear are diverse, but they all have oily faces."
No, the rulers of Rabat Island are in some sense the worst of all.
They think 'all crimes' are permissible against infidels, you know?
And humans have an instinct to do anything for profit if it's not illegal or criminal.
'Even the Fugger baron family, famous for moneylending, clicks their tongue at these guys' cruelty.'
But I don't want to tell the cute Chloe about the harsh reality.
"Chloe, the Deus Knights Order that rules here doesn't collect very little tax just because they're kind."
"Is that so, Chris?"
Chris looked at me and winked lightly before continuing.
"Rabat Island is the front line of fighting infidels. Although it looks peaceful now, sometimes the Sultan of the Medina Sultanate leads thousands or tens of thousands of troops to attack."
"To take this small island?"
"I told you on the ship on the way here too. The Deus Knights Order is still continuing the war with infidels. To be precise, they're continuing piracy."
It's just that their targets for plunder are limited to 'infidels', but the Deus Knights Order are the most experienced pirates in this continent.
The knights' order uses this island as a base to rob Sultanate trading companies in nearby places like Tunic to secure various expenses.
It's obvious how much maintenance costs would be to maintain hundreds, no, thousands of knights without saying.
Robbing trading companies on the sea, going deep into coastal areas to plunder infidel villages and engage in slave trade.
Some slave merchant bastards even came to me to buy infidel beautiful girl slaves.
'Was the price 800 gold coins?'
They're guys who barely run the knights order by earning money like this.
So to infidels, they must be about 20 times more hateful than any pig in the north.
"It's scary to live in such a dangerous place, but would people want to live here if taxes were high?"
"Although serfs don't have freedom of residence, even I wouldn't want to live in such a scary place."
"That's right, so the Deus Knights Order collects extremely low taxes from residents living on this island. They have to make them choose an abundant life over the fear of being killed by infidels at any time."
Chloe nodded hearing those words.
"Being hungry is scarier than being anxious about when enemies might attack..."
Chris stroked Chloe's head as if treating a younger sister.
"Also, no matter how much the knights order's maintenance costs are covered only by plundering infidels, the knights need to drink alcohol and eat too, right? They need people to provide such things too."
"When you told me why military supplies are important, you said the same thing."
I haven't participated in war yet.
From what I heard while being a military supplier merchant, a mercenary group of over 300 people is accompanied by a group of over 300 sutlers (camp followers).
The Deus Knights Order must have taken some 'vow of chastity' too, but anyone who could keep it 100% would have entered a monastery in the mountains.
So then, how would they resolve sexual desires? It's useless to say.
'It's not for nothing that they say adult videos actually contribute to lowering sexual crime rates.'
"You must be happy, Viscount, to have such a cute and smart maid."
Perhaps because she lost all her family, Chris often says Chloe, who's closest to her, is like her younger sister even though they're not blood-related.
In reality, Chloe is 2 years older.
Chloe is exactly 20 years old.
Then she looked at me as if for me to hear and said:
"Chloe must be happy too, to serve such a kind Viscount as her master."
...... Lately, it seems like Chris is trying to get slightly, slightly closer to me, I wonder why.
"Let's stop the small talk there and hurry to the Deus Knights Order headquarters."
"Yes."
Ah, I've never been there directly, but the inside of that headquarters.
'Although they're called infidels, they're abusing people just like us to a miserable degree.'
Especially what happens to infidel women, even I feel sick...
"No, I'm sorry, but Chloe and Chris, you must be tired from the long voyage, so rest at the lodgings."
Although people living in our continent are relatively accustomed to cruelty.
There's no need to show such things to Chloe and Chris.
**
They didn't do this on the island, but at the knights' order headquarters, they greeted me with not very good treatment as soon as they saw me.
Is it because it's a small island attached near the Tuscan Empire?
A knight acting as a mere sentry deliberately dragged out the inspection a bit.
"What business does the young master of the Medici family have here?"
Originally, in any country, nobles, especially those from families of baron rank or higher, are not inspected.
Unless they're bringing several suspicious carriages in a row.
'That's considered courtesy towards nobles.'
But for them to be doing this to me, a mere knight (in terms of position, just a private soldier level), says it all.
"I came to see the Grand Master. And I'm not a person of the Medici baron family, but Fabio de Medici, head of the Medici viscount family."
When doing business, sometimes an employee of a prime contractor company mistreats the chairman of a subcontractor mid-sized company.
However, as soon as that situation ends, the social classes of the two people are very clearly revealed.
A slightly successful person among ordinary citizens, a high-ranking person in the top 0.1% of South Korea.
Therefore, what I said is a warning that I'm not just an employee of the Medici baron family but a viscount, so serve me properly.
Perhaps because I cleared up the misunderstanding, the inspecting knight's tone softened.
"Still, you need to tell us the reason for your visit so we can deliver your request for a meeting."
I showed my right hand.
The knight's gaze fixed on the silver ring on my hand.
"I came here as a proxy of His Grace Duke Visconti of the Tuscan Empire. Is this answer enough?"
Strictly speaking, this knight's order is an independent country.
However, they receive almost all food, weapons, and other necessities from the Tuscan Empire.
Although the knights here are a mix of all nationalities, they're so influenced that even their common language is Tuscan.
'Try refusing the Duke's proxy, you'll have a hard time?'
"Holy! I apologize!"
Since they only serve Deus, even their salute slogan is "holy", they're really steeped in madness.
Just having proxy qualifications should let me meet the Grand Master soon, but...
To show how friendly I want to be with them, 'gifts' need to be exchanged.
Even the Bible says gifts (bribes) make friends and get you out of trouble.
Since even Deus said offering gifts is God's will, I should follow it, right?
"You must have a hard time working in a place like this. Seeing the crest engraved on the pommel of your sword (the weight on the handle), you must have been a second or third son of some family. I'm like that too."
Then I handed this fellow 10 gold coins.
It's too much money to give to a mere sentry nobody, but if he receives such a large sum, some of it will be passed on to this knight's superior.
Then the superior will testify to higher-ups that Viscount Medici has a strong will to be friendly with us to repay the favor.
'Taking care of such small things is diplomacy and sales.'
"Thank you! I'll shake off some worries while drinking and eating with this money! Sir Bennett, inform the Grand Master right now that His Grace Duke Visconti's proxy has arrived!"
Hearing those words, the knight called Bennett ran so fast his feet couldn't be seen.
'Money really is the best. They say it even controls ghosts?'
No, with that money, you can buy dozens of barrels of alcohol, not just drinks.
Maybe because he's educated, he's instinctively hiding the fact that he received a large sum.
"By the way, is the treatment of the Medici baron family not very good?"
The sentry carefully answered to that:
"It's because it's a family that trades with infidels. Even our Grand Master says he can't view them very favorably, although there's no need to openly antagonize them."
Well, profits from spice trading go to infidels too.
"Of course, you're an exception, Viscount. Who would view badly your consideration and piety in understanding even the worries of low-ranking knights like us?"
Are these guys really a group of fanatical pirate zealots?
Why are they so humane?
And the knight called Bennett came running hurriedly, making sounds of iron armor clashing.
"The Grand Master has granted an audience!"
I immediately moved my steps towards where the Grand Master was.
The Grand Master made an expression with some hostility felt.
"What is your reason for coming here, messenger?"
Seeing that he doesn't even call me viscount, I can tell well that he really dislikes our Medici baron family.
Other people treat you almost like someone from a viscount family if you have the 'Medici baron family' label attached.
Is religious matters more important to these gentlemen than such profit relationships?
'Deliberately calling me messenger means he dislikes the Medici baron family.'
"Don't you need funds to continue the holy war? Let us help you a bit."
But with money, everything can be forgiven except for the enemy of your parents and family or the guy who had an affair with your wife.
You'll be like that too.