Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 326

326. Those Who Wait, Those Who Move (3)

The year turned to February in the 14th year of Sejong’s reign (1432, Imja year).

The Challenger, having sailed to Alexandria, had returned. Like the sister ships that preceded it, the Challenger was placed in quarantine at the facilities in Dalido. On deck, an elderly foreigner and a young man, both swaddled in thick clothing, gazed at the sea beyond the harbor.

“Disciple, are you certain you don’t regret this?”

“I do not regret it.”

“It will be a life in a place where everything is unfamiliar. It will not be easy.”

The disciple smiled at the old man’s words.

“Hahaha! I am accustomed to wandering! Please, do not worry about me!”

At the disciple’s reply, the old man looked at the young man, his face etched with apology.

“I am both sorry and grateful.”

“It is nothing. Besides, there are quite a few others besides us who are interested in Joseon.”

The old man nodded slightly at the disciple’s words.

On the deck of the Challenger, several other Westerners, dressed similarly, stood observing the Joseon landscape with a mixture of anticipation and apprehension.

* * *

In Alexandria, Mansur and Oh Ha-seok did more than just trade goods.

They traveled throughout Alexandria, seeking out nobles and merchants to locate suitable stallions and mares for breeding purposes.

The upper classes of Alexandria treated Oh Ha-seok and Mansur with respect, hoping to benefit from future trade with Joseon.

Thanks to the favor shown by these influential individuals, the trade flourished, and Mansur and Oh Ha-seok turned their attention to fulfilling Hyang’s specific request.

“You want me to find people? Are you speaking of slaves?”

“No. Please find alchemists.”

“Alchemists?”

“Yes.”

“Hmm… Let’s see what I can find.”

“While you are at it, could you also look for mathematicians…?”

“Ugh….”

They began their search for alchemists and mathematicians, leveraging their connections with Alexandria’s elite, but the results were discouraging.

“Go to Joseon? Are you mad?”

“Abandon my home for an unknown land? I have no desire to do so.”

“I receive ample support here already.”

The alchemists and scholars, when encouraged to journey to Joseon, uniformly declined.

Oh Ha-seok and Mansur found themselves at a loss.

“This is not good… This should not be happening…”

“His Highness did add ‘if possible,’ but he will still be disappointed if we return empty-handed. Why would they refuse, when the conditions are quite favorable…?”

Mansur offered his thoughts in response to Oh Ha-seok’s grumbling.

“Could it be that they already receive sufficient support from the nobles and wealthy merchants here? Perhaps the Crown Prince’s offer isn’t compelling enough to make them relocate.”

“Why are the nobles supporting them? Is it because of alchemy?”

Oh Ha-seok, who had learned about alchemists from Mansur on their journey to Alexandria, asked with a skeptical expression.

‘I have pondered it countless times, but how can one create gold with human hands? It is truly an outlandish tale!’

Mansur shook his head slightly at Oh Ha-seok’s question.

“Gold is valuable, but they are likely more interested in the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ or the ‘Elixir,’ which are essential catalysts in the creation of gold.”

“Philosopher’s Stone? Elixir? I haven’t heard of these. What are they?”

“It is said that those who master alchemy can create them upon reaching the highest level. The Philosopher’s Stone is a catalyst that can transmute lead into gold, while the Elixir is rumored to grant immortality to those who consume it.”

Oh Ha-seok retorted cynically at Mansur’s explanation.

“Immortality… There are plenty of people like Qin Shi Huang [the first emperor of China, obsessed with immortality] here as well. Has anyone actually succeeded in creating these things?”

“Only rumors exist.”

Oh Ha-seok chuckled and muttered at Mansur’s answer.

“If we are to believe rumors, Joseon has gold rolling around on the streets like pebbles…”

Mansur’s ears perked up as Oh Ha-seok spoke, recalling the rumors he had heard in Alexandria.

“Yes?”

“Ah, it is nothing. Regardless, we must find at least one person. Is there truly no solution?”

“Hmm…”

After a long pause, Mansur looked at Oh Ha-seok with reluctance.

“I believe we should meet with Italian merchants.”

“Italian? Are you referring to the merchants employed by that Medici fellow?”

“That is correct.”

“Hmm… Medici…”

Oh Ha-seok considered Mansur’s suggestion.

“He desires immortality as much as anyone, does he not?”

“That is true, but the Pope of the Vatican disapproves of alchemy. He claims it deceives people.”

“Really?”

Oh Ha-seok’s face brightened at Mansur’s words, and he immediately made a decision.

“Then let us meet with the Italian merchants!”

* * *

“I will inquire with Cosimo [Cosimo de’ Medici, a powerful Italian banker and politician].”

The Medici family’s merchant, having heard Mansur and Oh Ha-seok’s request, replied promptly and added,

“I will do my utmost to achieve the best possible outcome.”

“I ask for your assistance.”

“I will do my best.”

The merchant responded to Oh Ha-seok’s request with a promise to exert every effort.

As a merchant, he had no other choice. He was bound by the order Cosimo had given him before his return to Florence.

“Do your best to cultivate a strong relationship with Joseon!”

He had established a connection through a personal meeting at Mansur’s house, but it remained a fragile bond that could easily be broken.

Therefore, Cosimo had issued the aforementioned order to the merchant.

The request from Mansur and Oh Ha-seok was a godsend for the merchant, who had been seeking opportunities to fulfill the order he had received.

After dismissing Mansur and Oh Ha-seok, the merchant swiftly penned a letter and dispatched it to Florence.

Cosimo, upon receiving the merchant’s letter via the fastest ship in the Medici family’s fleet, immediately reached a decision.

“Find those who are willing to go to Joseon!”

The individuals who emerged from this process were now aboard the Challenger, wandering around on its deck.

* * *

Most of those who came to Joseon originated from the territories of the Eastern Roman Empire that had fallen to the Ottoman Turks.

Having fled to Italy to escape the war, they continued to face hardship.

Many nobles and merchants offered them support, but the Church remained a persistent threat.

The Vatican consistently issued verdicts of heresy, criticizing their adherence to Greek Orthodoxy rather than Catholicism, their study of alchemy steeped in mysticism, and their deeper exploration of philosophy and mathematics than faith in God.

While burnings at the stake were less frequent than during the Black Death, alchemists and scholars still had to endure the Vatican’s censure.

Therefore, when the Medici’s merchants offered them the opportunity to go to Joseon, they left Italy without hesitation.

* * *

While they were in quarantine in Dalido, a messenger carrying a report written by Oh Ha-seok raced to Hanseong [the capital of Joseon].

After reading Oh Ha-seok’s report, Sejong turned to Hyang and said,

“It says that he has found mathematicians and alchemists and brought them here as you requested. Read it.”

“Yes, Father.”

As Hyang received and read the report, Kim Jeom asked Hyang.

“Is it truly possible to create gold through alchemy?”

“As I explained previously, I have never heard of such a thing being possible.”

“But you continue to pursue it?”

“They believe that the pursuit itself is a form of training towards a higher level of understanding.”

“A higher level…”

Kim Jeom, muttering at Hyang’s words, wore a slightly disappointed expression.

The officials who saw Kim Jeom’s face muttered inwardly.

‘That man has been obsessed with money since his days in the Ministry of Taxation, and now he is ruined…’

“There are people who will cause problems.”

Hyang, after reviewing the report, spoke to Sejong with concern.

Sejong immediately responded,

“Are you referring to the monks from the West?”

“Yes.”

Hyang answered without hesitation.

The list in Oh Ha-seok’s report included some potentially troublesome individuals.

– 5 monks from the West.

Sejong nodded at Hyang’s concern.

“Monks… Indeed… We must consider the possibility that they will cause the same problems as the Buddhist monks who believe in Buddha.”

The officials’ faces grew serious at Sejong’s words.

The corruption within Buddhism had been a major factor in Joseon’s adoption of Neo-Confucianism as its national ideology.

As a result, only two Buddhist orders and 36 head temples remained under Sejong’s rule.

Now, monks who believed in the gods of the West were arriving.

‘If this were the 21st century, religious freedom would not be an issue, but this is the Joseon Dynasty. If we are not careful, the Catholic persecution that occurred in the 19th century could happen now. Why bring such a bomb…’

Hyang, grumbling inwardly at Oh Ha-seok’s actions in Dalido, addressed Sejong.

“We brought them because we need their knowledge, but we must prevent them from causing problems. Therefore, when they arrive in Hanseong, we must obtain a promise that ‘they will not proselytize.’ If they cannot make that promise, they must be sent back immediately.”

Sejong reacted negatively to Hyang’s words.

“Those who believe in God often risk their lives to spread their faith. Will they truly make such a promise? Even if they do, they could break it behind our backs.”

“If they do, they will be tarnishing the name of the God they believe in. If they do so, they must be punished with the death penalty for the crime of deceiving the world and its people. Of course, we must inform them of this in advance.”

“Good…”

Sejong nodded at Hyang’s suggestion and turned to the officials.

“What are your thoughts?”

“Wouldn’t it be better to simply send them back?”

“Sending them back would be safest, but their knowledge is valuable. I believe the Crown Prince’s plan is reasonable.”

After a debate regarding the handling of the monks, the officials ultimately agreed to Hyang’s plan.

With the matter of the monks resolved, Hyang moved on to the next item on the agenda.

“We should relocate the research institute outside the palace this time.”

“That is correct. It is certain that problems will arise if many foreigners are wandering around the palace. Where should we move it? Should we move it to Area 51? Wouldn’t that be the best place?”

Hyang shook his head when Sejong mentioned Area 51.

“That location is not suitable. There are too many classified facilities. If some of them later return to their homeland, we could suffer losses.”

“Are there not already two Western artisans in Area 51?”

Sejong retorted, referring to Raphael and Pietro, and Hyang explained the difference.

“Those artisans only possess knowledge of glassmaking. The people arriving now are scholars. They are intelligent enough to quickly understand things if they put their minds to it.”

Lee Jik stepped forward at Hyang’s explanation.

“But given the current situation, both the research institute and Area 51 are frequently visited. If Western scholars work at the research institute, they will inevitably visit Area 51 and learn about its secrets, will they not?”

“If that happens, we can restrict their access to areas directly related to their work. But if they are inside Area 51, they will naturally see everything.”

Following the exchange of opinions, the location of the research institute and the policy regarding access to Area 51 were decided.

In this way, the world’s first academic institution and the world’s first ‘tomb of international engineers’ were preparing to make their appearance.