Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 445

445. The Western Barbarians Come to Joseon (2)

With the battle concluded, Enrike asked the guide on their way to Melaka.

“Are there many pirates on the way to Melaka?”

“Many. There are many on the way to Melaka, and even more around Temasek [present-day Singapore] and on the way to Luzon [largest island in the Philippines]. In fact, it’s safe to say they swarm all the way to Joseon [ancient Korean kingdom].”

Enrike and the captain exchanged grave looks at the guide’s words.

“That many…”

As Enrike trailed off, lost in thought, the captain followed up with a question.

“I noticed the pirates suffered heavy losses earlier. Do they always attack like that?”

The guide nodded at the captain’s question.

“Pirates are as persistent as sharks. And why wouldn’t they be? The cargo on Joseon ships is incredibly valuable. A successful raid could sustain all the surviving pirates for years.”

Enrike and the captain nodded in unison. However, Enrike had another question in mind.

‘Where do the pirates get their manpower from?’

* * *

The goods from the ‘Land of Flowers’ [a common term for a prosperous, often idealized, country, here referring to Joseon] were immensely valuable. As a result, it wasn’t just pirates who sought them.

Even on the overland route from Suez to Alexandria, there were countless bandits targeting these goods, or the proceeds from their sale.

I say ‘were’ because those bandit groups were annihilated each time they attacked, and their numbers dwindled to almost nothing.

Rumor had it that the Joseon soldiers were incredibly skilled with weapons similar to arquebuses [early type of portable firearm]. Moreover, there were unbelievable tales of them using bows and arrows to kill even more bandits when they ran out of bullets, and even more unbelievable stories of Joseon soldiers shooting arrows that could fly 1,000 cubits (about 480 meters or 1575 feet) to strike down bandits.

* * *

Knowing that desert bandits had been wiped out, Enrike wondered how the pirates could sustain their relentless attacks.

Eventually, Enrike asked the guide for the reason.

“I saw earlier that the pirates suffered significant losses, but how are they able to gather so many people?”

The guide responded with a cynical expression.

“There are always those who struggle to make a living.”

Enrike and the captain nodded at the guide’s answer.

* * *

As the guide had said, there were no more pirate attacks after that one battle.

After a relatively peaceful voyage, the Joseon fleet, followed by the merchant ships and Enrike’s ships, arrived in Melaka [a historical port city in Malaysia].

The port became lively as the Joseon ships docked.

“They seem to welcome the Joseon people?”

“They spend money well. They usually stay here for three or four days, so you can prepare supplies accordingly.”

“How long does it take to get to Joseon?”

“About 20 days if the wind is favorable.”

The guide, who had been explaining, looked at the Challenger-class warship with greedy eyes.

“That ship could probably do it in fifteen days…”

Enrike and the captain’s eyes widened at the guide’s words.

“That big thing is that fast? It didn’t look like it.”

“It was going slowly on purpose because there were many ships going together. Without the baggage to drag along, it’s incredibly fast.”

“Could it be…”

“I saw it myself. That’s why I quit being a pirate and became a guide.”

Enrike’s chest suddenly felt tight at the guide’s answer.

“This is…”

The guide, seemingly oblivious to Enrike’s feelings, continued with even more astonishing words.

“I’ve only heard this as a rumor, but they say there are even faster ships than those in the Joseon mainland.”

“Huh…”

* * *

After resting and resupplying in Melaka, Enrike’s ships left Melaka with the Joseon fleet and other ships.

As they passed Temasek and Luzon and headed further northeast, the fleet grew larger and larger.

Each time ships of unfamiliar shapes approached, the guide explained their nationality to Enrike and the captain.

“Those ships are from Siam (modern-day Thailand).”

“Those ships are from Nam Viet (present-day Vietnam).”

The guide also explained what those ships mainly carried. Enrike’s eyes lit up again at the guide’s explanation.

‘The legendary land of gold! If I can monopolize it properly, the kingdom will become the best in the world! And my position will become solid! If necessary, I must succeed in monopolizing it, even if I have to mobilize the entire fleet!’

Enrike dreamed of monopolizing the trade route, even if it meant using force.

‘Those Joseon ships are a bit of a burden, but if I succeed in this voyage, I can attract investors on a large scale! Then I can increase the size of the fleet even more! Then it will be possible!’

However, Enrike’s plan of ‘monopoly based on force’ fell apart as they approached Joseon.

It was when they encountered the Haegeung-class warships that dominated the waters near Joseon.

“What kind of country is this…. Oh, Lord….”

Enrike lamented, looking up at the sky, as he saw the Haegeung-class warships, usually in pairs, darting across the sea as if flying.

And as they approached Mokpo [a port city in South Korea], Enrike completely abandoned his will to ‘use force’ when he saw the Challenger-class and Haegeung-class warships, as well as Panokseon ships [a type of Korean warship], swarming around.

It wasn’t just because there were many ships. It was because he saw the large number of cannons mounted on each of those ships.

“What kind of country is this….”

Enrike kept muttering, “What kind of country is this…,” every time he saw such a sight. Eventually, Enrike couldn’t contain his anger and shouted.

“What kind of country is it! All I see are cannons everywhere! This isn’t the ‘Land of Flowers,’ it’s the ‘Land of Cannons!'”

In the end, Enrike realized that force was not the answer and decided to do his best in negotiations.

“Only negotiation is the best way. Only negotiation….”

* * *

When the quarantine period ended, the ships that had been staying in Dalido [likely an island near Mokpo] moved one by one to the trade port of Mokpo.

First, the Challenger-class warships and large private merchant ships docked, followed by the ships of the Mansur Merchant Guild, and then the ships of other countries docked at the pier.

Because of this order, Enrike’s ships were assigned almost last.

As the ship carrying Enrike safely docked at the pier, a gangplank was laid, and an interpreter and a government official came aboard. Thanks to the Challenger-class warship having sent word in advance, an interpreter who could speak Latin was waiting, so things progressed surprisingly quickly.

“Who is the leader of this fleet?”

At the interpreter’s question, the captain introduced Enrike to the interpreter.

“This is the one. He is a prince of Portugal.”

“A prince of the Kingdom of Portugal (Princeps autem regni Portuguese)?”

“That is correct.”

“Really?”

“That is correct.”

Having confirmed it again, the interpreter immediately reported to his superior.

“He is a prince of the Western Kingdom of Portugal!”

“A prince of Portugal? Is there a country called Portugal?”

“Yes. As far as I know, there is such a country among the Western countries!”

Upon hearing the interpreter’s report, the Ministry of Finance official immediately organized the situation.

“Assign the best building among the guest houses!”

“Yes!”

“And send an urgent report via light communication device! A detailed report will be sent by the iron horse [likely referring to a train]…. Ah, the last train has already left today! First, escort him to the building!”

“Yes!”

Following the Ministry of Finance official’s orders, the officials in charge of immigration records and the interpreter moved busily.

They didn’t know yet whether he was bringing good news or not, but he was, in any case, a prince of a country. They had to treat him with proper formality.

* * *

“What kind of country….”

Enrike, who was being guided to the guest house by the interpreter and officials, muttered the words that had become a habit as he looked around. It wasn’t just Enrike. His attendants, bodyguards, and even the captains had similar expressions as they looked around.

Even though it was a foreign country far from Portugal, the scenery of Joseon was too unfamiliar.

The main street running through the center of Mokpo was neatly paved with cement (cimento) [Portuguese word for cement, used here to emphasize Enrike’s perspective]. Even the unpaved alleys were made of firmly packed dirt. And, whether paved or unpaved, there were ditches covered with lids on both sides of the road, which appeared to be sewers.

The houses around the roads were also quite a sight. Whether they were houses with cement walls and tiled roofs or houses with mud walls and thatched roofs, most of them had glass windows.

Glass windows, which were still expensive in Europe, were even in houses that looked like they couldn’t afford them.

The same was true of the restaurants located throughout the streets. Expensive glass cups and porcelain dishes were circulating on every table in the restaurants that even ordinary people could enter.

And that wasn’t all.

People were drinking Ponsu [likely a type of Korean beverage, possibly a rice wine], which European commoners could only drink on saints’ birthdays or festivals, everywhere, and crates filled with empty Ponsu bottles were piled up in front of stores that appeared to be Ponsu sales points.

And….

“Sniff sniff! What is this smell?”

There was a savory smell mixed in with an unknown foul odor—later identified as the smell of fermented sauces that Joseon people ate.

Following the trail of that smell, he turned his head and saw something being deep-fried in a large oil pot, and people were taking those fried foods in paper bags or bowls. And, in the other hands of those who held the fried food, there were bottles full of Ponsu in baskets made of straw.

Experiencing the chaos caused by harmony and disharmony, Prince Enrike and his party entered the guest house.

The interpreter, who had assigned the accommodations for Enrike and his party, spoke with a kind smile.

“Water for washing will be prepared soon. Please wait a moment.”

“I understand.”

Enrike, who answered briefly, looked around the room.

“It’s unusual.”

On one side of the room was a clean bed, and in the center was a large round desk. And, in the center of the desk, there was a lamp with a white shade.

Curious, Enrike took off the lampshade and looked inside.

“It’s empty. Do they put candles or oil in it later? Anyway….”

After examining the white glass shade and the transparent lamp tube, Enrike felt a slight greed.

“It looks good?”

* * *

It was around sunset when Prince Enrike came out after washing.

As Enrike, who had changed his clothes with the help of his attendant, was sitting on a chair looking at the darkening scenery outside, a man who appeared to be a servant of the guest house came into the room with a basket.

The servant politely bowed, took off the shade and tube of the lamp in the middle of the room, and opened the lid of the copper stand.

Enrike watched the servant’s actions with curious eyes.

The servant, who had opened the lid of the copper stand, took out a small, square, bluish-gray stone from the basket and put it inside the stand, then took out a kettle from the basket.

The servant tilted the kettle and filled the stand with water, then immediately closed the lid and waited for a moment. After a moment, the servant took out a burning wooden stick from the basket and held it to the copper tube that rose above the lid.

Instantly, a yellow flame shot out from the mouth of the copper tube, and the servant put the lamp tube and shade on with practiced movements.

Having finished all the work, the servant bowed politely again and went outside.

Prince Enrike, who was blankly looking at the lamp emitting light, turned to his attendant.

“Have you ever seen anything like that?”

“No! To make fire with water and stone, is it magic?”

Amidst the attendant’s fuss, Enrike, who was blankly looking at the lamp, muttered again.

“What kind of country is this….”