Chapter 88
The Medina continent and the Ifriqiya continent both believe in the same Mahrbad religion.
However, just as Islamic countries differ depending on whether they're Islamic fundamentalist or Islamic liberal, places ruled by the Alsini family here were completely different in appearance.
The Petit Duke beside me looked around as if surprised.
"From what I know, in the Mahrbad religion women aren't allowed to go outside, but it seems a bit different here. They're covering their noses and mouths with veils, but aren't they all freely walking around?"
"Even among those who believe in the same Deus religion, don't interpretations of doctrine and lifestyles differ? Moreover, when continents are different, differences naturally arise."
In Cairo, the base of the Alsini family, women could never go out alone.
They had to be accompanied by men like their husbands, older brothers, younger brothers, or fathers, and went around with their faces and bodies wrapped in cloth.
But here, they're given full freedom to go out as long as they cover their noses and mouths.
"It's very interesting."
"Thank you for viewing it that way."
"But it's a bit strange. I heard that people from the Ifriqiya continent have black skin, big eyes, and lots of curly hair..."
The Petit Duke looked around with a puzzled expression.
"Here I only see people with brown skin and sharp eyes. They look exactly like the infidel slaves in our family."
"Infidels who immigrated here due to religious issues don't try to mix with Ifriqiya's natives. Even in the Albania continent, there are many infidel sex slaves, but isn't it hard to see mixed-race infidel sex slaves?"
It's not that mixed children of sex slaves aren't born, and they're not all killed as soon as they're born.
But such people are generally quietly dealt with so they don't stand out.
'They don't kill them, but make them live out of sight by confining them to rural corners and such.'
They're probably using similar methods here too.
"Ah, I see. It's very interesting. So where is the person we're looking for?"
"The person we're going to meet now is the governor of this region."
"Governor, what position of nobility is that in our Tuscan Empire?"
"It's practically equivalent to a grand duke of this region. Seeing the guide stop in place and talk with the guards, this seems to be the governor's palace."
In China, a governor feels like the head of a somewhat large local government, but in the Medina Sultanate, they're practically warlords who control the military, administration, and judicial powers of a wide area.
Moreover, this place is quite far from the capital.
'It's practically the monarch of an independent country.'
"Your Highness the Petit Duke, Viscount. The guard is demanding a gift, how much are you thinking of giving?"
Hearing the guide's words, the Petit Duke took out gold coins, not silver coins.
And a whole 5 coins at that.
Giving such a large bribe to a mere guard might seem insane, but bribes originally take the form of what's received by low-level guys going up and up...
'Will even half a gold coin fall into the guard's hands?'
"Tell the guard that the Petit Duke of the Tuscan Empire has come personally to see the governor here, so please handle things quickly."
"Yes, understood."
As soon as he heard those words, the guide ran faster than anyone.
And we were able to meet the governor not long after.
**
The governor welcomed us with quite a friendly attitude.
"I never thought a Petit Duke of the Tuscan Empire would come to such a remote city, thank you for coming."
"It's an honor for you to say so."
"I'm not usually someone who can be met easily. But when someone who's a Petit Duke of the Empire comes, I should welcome them generously. Well, Petit Duke. Though it's a bit late, are you willing to receive our Sultanate's generous hospitality today?"
Originally, according to religious law, the 'distribution of alcohol' is prohibited in the Medina Sultanate.
Of course, it's legally prohibited so they just can't sell it openly, but it's brewed and sold in all sorts of various forms.
Just like how adult videos are regulated but high-class brothels frequently visited by high-ranking people aren't subject to regulation, high-ranking people like governors can drink alcohol freely.
'They'd probably be subject to sanctions if they show signs of intoxication at the weekly prayer service.'
Besides that, that which always accompanies alcohol will come like thread following a needle.
"It's an honor, Your Excellency."
"Even if we believe in different gods, we can become close with mutual trust. By the way, who is this young man? He doesn't seem to be the Petit Duke's son."
The age difference between me and the Petit Duke is 21 years, in this world where marriage is unusually early, it wouldn't be surprising even if we were parent and child, let alone old enough to be parent and child.
In cases where they stepped on the accelerator wrong, the age difference between mother and child is sometimes only 16 years.
"He's my teacher. Although he's much younger than me, his perspective on the world is different."
I greeted very politely according to the etiquette here.
"May God's peace be upon Your Excellency the Governor. I am Fabio de Medici, Viscount of the Tuscan Empire."
The governor opened his eyes wide hearing my greeting.
"It seems you don't particularly feel aversion to our etiquette. It's the first time I've seen someone with such an open perspective."
If I answer wrong here, I could make the Petit Duke doubt my faith.
I can't let an action taken to gain the governor's favor lead to such a bad result.
"In the Kingdom of Lyon next to our Tuscan Empire, if they're close, men embrace each other or lightly kiss each other's cheeks. If I did that in our empire, it would be seen as homosexuality, but in the Kingdom of Lyon it's as natural as breathing."
Even the Petit Duke who was looking at me with a suspicious expression nodded hearing my words.
"Hmm, it's a bit unpleasant to say this, but it feels bad just thinking about it."
Honestly, I can handle men hugging when they meet, but I really wish they wouldn't kiss cheeks.
"That's the custom of that kingdom. So even if men are lightly kissing each other in the Kingdom of Lyon, no one labels them as homosexuals. Also, when I met Your Excellency the Governor, I wished for God's blessing because I wanted our Deus, whom His Highness the Petit Duke and I believe in, to bestow blessings upon Your Excellency."
The governor laughed heartily hearing my words.
"The breadth of perspective is different, different!"
I lived in a world far more technologically, culturally, and socially advanced than this world.
Although I can't use cheats like easily replicating a 'steam engine' by tinkering with a hammer a few times like in common isekai reincarnation novels, using the abilities I have as a person.
I can see what those people can't see, and accept and use common sense they can't accept.
'Being able to see even a little farther than others is power.'
People called chaebol all succeeded through slightly broader perspectives.
"I like you. Well, Petit Duke. What business brought you all the way to this far-off Nador?"
"I came following my father's orders to see what kind of work this Viscount is doing."
The governor's gaze turned towards me.
"I want to buy Nador's gold."
"There are no gold mines in our Nador, no, in this region I govern. So what do you mean by Nador's gold?"
I came knowing that much too.
There are no gold mines, let alone placer gold, in the Nador region which is practically this governor's territory in front of me.
But it's just that gold doesn't come from the Nador region, there are gold mines scattered in regions where others who trade with this gentleman live.
"Gold doesn't come from Nador, but the Alsini family said this."
Actually, it's not content I heard from the Alsini family, but that doesn't matter.
If they question and inquire, I can just back out.
'No, then some bastard must have impersonated the Alsini family to me.'
"They said 1/3 of the Sultanate's gold comes from Nador. And they say numerous merchants in Nador constantly buy black slaves and gold from the West Ifriqiya continent."
The countries that first pioneered the Age of Exploration were Spain and Portugal.
And these two countries made a solid fortune from West African gold and slave trade.
You could say this continued until the American Civil War.
But that doesn't mean I intend to jump into the slave trade.
'The slave system is inefficient in production and inhumane.'
I can't stop other bastards from jumping in instead though.
No, the Nador governor and other merchants are probably already doing it eagerly.
Although the slave system is inefficient, selling slaves makes money.
The governor just tapped the table in front of him with his finger without saying anything while looking at me.
"Your Excellency the Governor, and I know everything."
"What do you mean?"
"Don't you need weapons and armor? Furthermore, even more guns, gunpowder, and bullets?"