Strongest Among the Heavens
Chapter 396: Imperial Bank of Umar

Chapter 396: Imperial Bank of Umar

The Islamic Imperial Bank of Umar—the bank of the Alhambra Guardians. It was well-regarded as the largest and wealthiest bank in the bazaar. Oh, sure, there were smaller Islamic banks sprinkled throughout the Nebulous Bazaar but this was the central piece of the Caliph and his first wife’s economic operations.

Pointed arches, mashrabiya windows, and atop were twin golden domes like the sun itself. A fortress of wealth and prestige. The strongest bank in the Nebulous Bazaar.

The two golden domes were sections with three floors. Left side for the uber wealthy and the right for the ordinary. Kazi was ordinary.

For now.

He hung out outside the first floor of the right dome. Through the window and with his sharp eyes, he witnessed rows of tellers standing behind counters and attending to the steady stream of people who traded points for gold coins, and vice versa. Line-ups consisted of those with ornate robes of guild leaders, others the plain garb of humble traders, but all were here for the same reason.

He had been to the bank before, though usually for smaller transactions—trading artifacts or exchanging gold for points. Today, however, was different. In Kazi Hossain’s hand was a letter sealed with the insignia of Prince Yuzin, the Finance Minister of the Imperial Sect.

But before he went...

"Hey there."

He walked up to a man that was exiting the bank. Kazi’s smile was blaring bright, completely unsuspicious and full of all things good, and he asked, "Is this the Bank of Umar?"

A tentative reply. Not out of fear but awe and a desire to be upstanding in front of this demigod. "Ah, yes it is."

Kazi looked into his eyes and the man’s eagerness to answer intensified oh-so subtly. "Just wanted to make sure. I hear rumours about it and—"

Blah, blah, blah. One conversation later and Kazi actually went inside.

Kazi made his way to one of the counters. The teller, a young man dressed in white greeted him with a polite nod. "Assalamu alaikum, sir. How may I assist you today?"

"Oh, here’s my little book first."

The little book, a pocketbook list of every transaction Kazi had done. Stamped by a teller or any authority in a bank, it was the most effective method of certification aside from a bank card. Bank cards like credit cards did not exist, after all.

The teller checked the little book and smiled. Small acts of efficiency did wonders. "Ah, a player. A question on your fees then? Taxes?"

Property tax to live in an area owned by the Eternal Emperor or the Kangxi Emperor. The income tax that came from operating in the Sun Mall or the Baishi Mall. The sales tax that was then added to products to pay for said taxes.

The world ran on taxes, on obeying the governments and people they served.

Players did not have to pay taxes. It was not a rule, only a practice. Whether it was a blacksmith or a food merchant, players were heralded as great customers that the common folk should not interfere with. In a year, they could go from ordinary to monsters.

"Nothing like that." Kazi reached into his coat and withdrew the letter from Prince Yuzin, sliding it across the counter. "I have a letter from Prince Yuzin of the Imperial Sect."

The teller’s eyebrows raised slightly, a brief flash of surprise crossing his face before he composed himself. He took the letter gingerly, examining the seal, and then frowned.

He looked at Kazi Hossain, this beautiful human with a charming smile and great manners. Who brought out his little book without hesitating.

"Excuse me, sir. I... I’ll need to call my supervisor."

’Yep. Just as I suspected."

Kazi gave him a nod of understanding and watched as the young man hurriedly disappeared through a door behind the counter. A few minutes later, an older man with graying hair and a deep furrow between his brows emerged. His trousers were black and loose and a red Turkik kaftan. A late Ottoman of higher status within the bank.

’Farouk, one of the assistant managers. He’s exactly as they described.’

"They" being the random people he chatted up who exited the bank. That random guy he approached before? That was the seventh discussion he had, not the first. It was the same spiel: Kazi pretended to ask for directions, confirm the quality of the bank, make some funny remarks, a compliment on their attire, a question regarding their jobs, and voila. He got all the information he could need.

"Sir," the Ottoman male—Farouk—said, holding the letter. "I am Farouk, the assistant head of operations for this side of the bank. It seems there’s been some... misunderstanding."

Kazi smiled, unbothered. "I’ve been here before, trading items for points. I thought I’d come the usual way."

Farouk’s frown deepened, though not with displeasure—more with concern. "This letter... from Prince Yuzin. It’s highly unusual."

Kazi inclined his head. "Indeed. Players are a special class, aren’t we? We rise quickly."

Farouk conceded to that fact. "Still, it’s rare to see such confidence placed so openly. Come with me, please. We’ll discuss your business in a more private setting."

The assistant head of operations led Kazi upstairs into a quieter corridor, where the noise of the main hall faded into the background. They passed several closed doors, each marked with names of high-ranking bank officials. At the end of the hall, Farouk opened a door to his office.

The room was furnished with dark wood and soft, patterned carpets. A small table in the center was set with tea and dates.

’I’m home,’ Kazi joked in his head.

Farouk gestured for Kazi to sit, which he did, settling into the chair as Farouk took a seat across from him. The older man placed the letter on the table between them.

"To say I was surprised by this is an understatement, sir." Farouk folded his hands. "Prince Yuzin doesn’t send letters of recommendation—especially not for banking purposes."

A knock on the door. A man in white entered, an attendant or secretary. He handed Farouk an envelope and departed. What was the envelope? It could only be one thing.

’My record with them. It’s above average for a player, I’m sure, but not enough for what I’m ultimately seeking.’

From his inventory, Kazi pulled out and placed a pouch of pure gold coins. One pure gold coin was worth thirty thousand points—versus normal gold which was three hundred points.

So before Farouk checked the envelope, he saw the pouch of pure gold coins. He nodded along. "Reward from a gate?"

"There is more to come too."

"Mm." Farouk stifled his reactions to check his record. "You tend to do some currency exchange, switching from points to gold coins."

"Haha, I’m actually glad to see it. I spent that gold on zakat. Should round up to a thousand golds by now if I’m not wrong."

"Ah." Farouk looked up from the papers and smiled. "A healthy amount of zakat, yes. I see it now." He checked the papers one last time and nodded. "Allah will commend you."

"Players don’t pay zakat?"

"No, many tend to...overspend."

"Greed, hrm? Then let’s pray neither of us succumb to it."

"Ameen." Farouk was still smiling but his eyes tepidly went down to the paper. "Regarding the letter and the requested loans, however..." Farouk almost trailed off. "I will have to talk to my people."

"I trust it will happen so take the time you need." Kazi purposely made a show of eating a date and smiled like an old friend would. "Ooh, is this Algerian?"

Farouk brightened. "My wife, it’s from her side of the family."

A wife always made talking more smooth. Kazi’s smile widened.