Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 446

446. The Western Barbarians Come to Joseon (3)

The next morning, the interpreter visited Prince Henrique.

“Did you sleep well?”

“I slept well.”

Upon hearing Henrique’s reply, the interpreter outlined the day’s schedule.

“First, breakfast has been prepared in the banquet hall. It may be a little different from what you’re accustomed to in your homeland, but I hope you enjoy the new flavors.”

“Thank you. By the way, I would like to request a meeting with the Joseon monarch. Is that possible?”

The interpreter nodded in response to Henrique’s question.

“A report was sent via the first Iron Horse [early form of train] this morning. An answer should arrive by this evening at the earliest, or by the evening of the day after tomorrow at the latest.”

“Iron Horse?”

Henrique racked his brain, the unfamiliar yet somewhat familiar term ‘Iron Horse’ tickling his memory. As he searched his memory, Henrique turned to the interpreter with a surprised look.

“I heard about it through rumors from the Vatican. The rumor said they only had it in the capital?”

“Railroads have been laid nationwide recently.”

“Railroads?”

“It is the path where the Iron Horse travels.”

“I see….”

Henrique nodded lightly and moved on to the next topic.

“By the way, I saw the lights last night, and they were amazing. I clearly saw only stones and water being used, is that right?”

The interpreter immediately answered Henrique’s question.

“Ah! You’re talking about the lighting stones! Those stones are called lighting stones. When they come into contact with water, they emit a gas, and when you collect that gas and ignite it, it burns very brightly. Thanks to those lighting stones, we use fewer candles.”

“That’s an amazing stone. It’s the first time I’ve seen such a stone.”

The interpreter replied with a proud expression to Henrique’s words.

“It’s not a stone mined from a mine. His Royal Highness the Crown Prince created it.”

“His Royal Highness the Crown Prince?”

“He is the first prince of Joseon and the heir to the throne.”

The interpreter’s tone and face were filled with pride when speaking about Hyang.

“Is that so? I understand. Please guide me to the banquet hall.”

“Yes.”

Although he knew the location since he had been there once the previous day, Henrique asked for guidance. It seemed like a formality, but it was a formality that had to be observed as long as he held the title of prince. This was the same in both the East and the West, so the interpreter naturally guided Henrique to the banquet hall.

Henrique quickly finished his breakfast, which included a soup full of exotic flavors – what the Joseon people called Tang [soup or stew] – and gathered his close aides and captains in his room.

“It’s only been a day since we arrived, but what do you all think?”

“It’s beyond anything I imagined.”

The gathered people nodded at the words of Pedro, Henrique’s closest aide.

They had expected it to be impressive after seeing the goods coming in through Alexandria, but the reality far exceeded their expectations.

Henrique, who was nodding at Pedro’s words, asked again.

“Did you see the lights last night?”

“Yes!”

“It was truly amazing!”

Henrique’s question raised the voices of the attendees. Lighting a fire with only water and stones was an incredible feat.

“At first, I thought it was oil. But when I tasted what was in the kettle, it was definitely water.”

Cristiano, the most curious among the aides, shared his experience, and some others who had done similar things nodded.

Henrique, who was listening to his aides’ answers, brought up the main point.

“I asked the interpreter, and he said it wasn’t a natural stone. He said that the first prince of this country made it.”

“The first prince, you mean the one from the rumors?”

Henrique nodded at Pedro’s question.

“That’s the prince from the rumors.”

Pedro shook his head at Henrique’s answer.

“Was he an alchemist, not a philosopher?”

“Could he be a magician, not an alchemist?”

“If he made that stone, wouldn’t this country have the philosopher’s stone that was only rumored?”

“Hey…. Wasn’t the philosopher’s stone just a product of fantasy?”

Henrique raised his hand as he watched his aides and captains arguing back and forth.

“Quiet.”

The aides and captains immediately shut their mouths and looked at Henrique. Henrique, having gained the attention of his subordinates, shared his thoughts.

“Let’s put aside the pie-in-the-sky talk like the ‘philosopher’s stone’ and just think about that stone. If we could acquire that stone and sell it, wouldn’t we be able to make a significant profit?”

“Ah!”

“That’s right!”

Regardless of East or West, candles were expensive. Europe, where meat was the staple food, used beef tallow to make candles, but they were still expensive. In particular, candles made from beeswax obtained by collecting honeycombs were ultra-high-priced items.

Henrique continued to speak.

“According to the interpreter, that stone replaced candles. That means we can obtain it in large quantities at a low price. If we can properly distribute that stone, we can make the Spaniards and French look foolish.”

All the aides nodded strongly at Henrique’s words. If things went as the prince said, Portugal would be able to dominate the nights of Europe. If that happened, they would be able to escape their current difficult situation.

“First of all, I have requested a meeting with the monarch here through the interpreter.”

“I will prepare the formal attire.”

“I will look for a suitable gift.”

At Henrique’s words, the aides busied themselves with tasks. Henrique, remembering those he had forgotten, spoke up.

“Wait! Where are the monks?”

“They are in their rooms.”

“Keep a close watch on them. Considering that the Vatican is still in an uproar because of the ‘First Prince’s Question’ [likely a theological debate or philosophical challenge posed by the Crown Prince], the most dangerous among us are those monks.”

“Yes!”

The aides who received Henrique’s orders moved diligently. As a result, the monks were confined to their rooms, unable to even dream of the city tour they had initially planned.

The next evening, the interpreter brought good news to Henrique.

“His Majesty’s order has been issued. A special train will be prepared for the prince and his party in two days. You can take that and go to Hanseong [Capital city of Joseon]. His Majesty the King will speak with the prince in Hanseong.”

“That is truly something to be grateful for.”

* * *

The news that ‘the Prince of Portugal has come to Joseon’ turned Hanseong upside down.

“The Prince of Portugal?”

“Yes. According to the information Mansur brought, he is the uncle of the current King of Portugal.”

Sejong stroked his beard as he listened to Lee Maeng-gyun’s answer and fell into thought. Hyang, who was sitting under the Dangjeong [a raised platform or dais], had a troubled look on his face.

‘No! Why is this guy here! What for!’

Hyang, trying to organize his thoughts due to the completely unexpected event, soon reflected on himself.

‘Did I overdo it too much? I did….’

“Crown Prince?”

At Sejong’s question, Hyang hurriedly organized his thoughts and bowed his head.

“Yes, Father.”

“What do you think is the reason why a prince of a country, and a prince from a country in the far West, not even a nearby country, came all the way to Joseon?”

“It must be because of trade. The amount of goods that Joseon directly trades through Alexandria is considerable, isn’t it?”

Kim Jeom immediately supported Hyang’s words.

“Alexandria is significant, but the amount of goods distributed around Cheonchuk [India] and the Ottoman Empire through Bengal is also substantial.”

Sejong, having heard Kim Jeom’s additional explanation, looked at Hyang and the ministers and asked.

“So, there is a high probability that Prince Henrique wants to monopolize trade?”

“That’s probably the case.”

While most of the ministers were nodding, Hyang smiled wryly and raised an objection.

“If Prince Henrique is in his right mind, he will never think like that.”

“Why?”

Hyang answered Sejong’s question simply and clearly.

“Because he came with Challenger-class battleships.”

“Hoo….”

At Hyang’s words, Sejong nodded as if he understood, and Jo Mal-saeng had a proud expression.

The battleships that had been updating their undefeated record every time they went to and from Alexandria and Chittagong were Challenger-class battleships. The report that came up this time also had a combat record attached, and of course, it said, ‘Severe pirate damage, no damage to our forces.’

“However, the country of Portugal also has an excellent navy that sails around Africa. Aren’t you overconfident in our navy?”

Hyang replied confidently to Sejong’s question.

“It’s definitely not overconfidence. When I designed the Challenger-class battleships, I designed them with situations like this in mind. The same goes for the cannons!”

“Your confidence is truly good to see.”

“You flatter me.”

Hyang bowed his head at Sejong’s compliment and muttered inwardly.

‘The steam engine and propulsion system for ships are almost complete! Come at me if you want! If I get angry, I’ll make a space battleship Turtle Ship [Korean warship] and send it! In a situation where only small wooden ships are floating around, if a 100% iron ship goes out, it’s a space battleship!’

It was Hyang who was thinking of making Kim Jeom foam at the mouth and collapse if he heard it.

The atmosphere inside Geunjeongjeon [main hall in Gyeongbokgung Palace] became more comfortable at Hyang’s confident answer, who had always been warning them to be wary of the Western barbarians.

“Anyway, since a prince from another country has come, it is polite to hold a meeting. Prime Minister.”

Hwanghee immediately answered Sejong’s call.

“Yes, I will adjust the schedule and send a special Iron Horse train.”

“Treat them with respect as they have come from afar.”

Hwanghee immediately bowed his head at Sejong’s meaningful words.

“I will pay special attention to it.”

“I ask of you. Then let’s finish the matter regarding the prince here. Let’s move on to the next agenda.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

At Sejong’s decision, the ministers diligently prepared for the next agenda.

The historians sitting on one side of Geunjeongjeon diligently recorded these events and added words.

-…Therefore, the King ordered that there be no mistakes in dealing with the Prince of Portugal, and the ministers obeyed the order.

The historian says.

The Western barbarians, whom the Crown Prince had mentioned as the most wary object since before, have finally arrived in Joseon. However, from the King to the ministers, they are wary but not afraid, so our Joseon must have become that much stronger.

By the way, I feel this every time I write foreign place names and personal names, but Jeongeum [Korean alphabet] is really good. If we only have Jeongeum, we don’t have to worry even if all the countries in the world flock to Joseon. Come at me! I’ll record it!

“Historian! Are you playing with the golden brush for a long time again! The digression is long! Be faithful to your job!”

“I am sorry, Your Majesty!”

* * *

The agenda that the ministers newly brought up was about the unclaimed land.

“Since there is a limit to the ability to invest, the first thing to decide is ‘which direction to focus the exploration on?'”

Jo Mal-saeng, the Minister of National Defense, who can be said to be the department in charge, started the meeting by saying this.

Jo Mal-saeng, who walked to the map, pointed to the blank space on the map with a baton and continued to speak.

“Should we make full use of the capabilities of the Challenger-class battleships to be put into exploration and go south along the coastline, or should we secure a bridgehead and then dig into the eastern inland? We need to decide this right now.”

As soon as Jo Mal-saeng finished speaking, Hyang opened his mouth.

“We must advance east.”

“Why?”

Hyang immediately explained the reason for Sejong’s question.

“There will be Western barbarians moving west, just like we went east. We must secure as much as possible before that.”

‘At least we have to get our hands on the resource zone called the Rust Belt!’