Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 457

As time passed, the night duty room where Sung Sam-mun and his party were staying grew crowded.

Having taken quick baths, the assembled officials soon gathered around a low table, engaging in polite conversation.

Fatigue was evident in their eyes, but few would pass up such an opportunity to exchange stories.

Gathered from various departments, it was a precious chance to hear news and perspectives from outside their own areas. By piecing together the stories from these gatherings, one could grasp the bigger picture of events, and those who could accurately understand this flow were more likely to rise in the ranks.

“I’m feeling a bit peckish… How about we order some late-night snacks?”

As Han Myeong-hoi patted his stomach and suggested the idea, Kwon Ram checked the time and shook his head.

“It’s too late for that. What a pity.”

“Oh…”

Just as Han Myeong-hoi, who had brought it up, was lamenting the missed opportunity, Lee Gae, sitting nearby, cautiously spoke up.

“I visited Area 51 earlier today and managed to acquire some salami. Would anyone care to try some?”

“Salami!”

The moment Lee Gae finished speaking, the eyes of Kwon Ram and the others lit up with interest.

“I’ve heard so much about it! It’s a delicacy made by the Western glass artisans working in Area 51, isn’t it?”

At Kwon Ram’s words, the others nodded eagerly.

Lee Gae, rummaging through the sleeves of his official robes hanging beside the bed, retrieved an object tightly wrapped in paper and placed it on the low table, answering Kwon Ram.

“To be precise, it’s a food made jointly by those Westerners and the monks at the research institute. It’s similar to *sundae* [Korean blood sausage] from the northern regions, but other than being quite salty, it has a rather pleasant flavor.”

“Is that so?”

As they listened to Lee Gae’s explanation, the officials’ mouths watered as they fixed their gaze on the paper bundle.

The knot securing the paper was untied, revealing thinly sliced salami that had been lightly grilled.

“Please, help yourselves.”

“Thank you!”

The officials each took a slice of the thinly sliced salami, and after a moment of chewing, nodded in approval.

“Indeed, it’s a delicacy.”

“Makes me want some *soju* [Korean distilled liquor].”

“*Soju* is good, but mulberry wine would also pair well with it.”

Amid the chorus of praise, Kwon Ram concluded,

“There was a reason why His Majesty praised it so highly.”

* * *

Among the foreigners who came to Joseon, Raphael and Pietro were living particularly successful lives.

‘We need skilled glass artisans.’

Mansur, at Hyang’s request, had brought the two men from the slave market in Alexandria. They went from being slaves to free men and soon became key figures in the royal glass workshop established in Area 51.

Recognized for the value of their skills, they received shares in the workshop in addition to their salaries, and soon accumulated considerable wealth.

As time passed, the two men faced a crucial decision about their future.

“The promised 10 years are almost up…”

“Indeed.”

Pietro and Raphael pondered their options with serious expressions.

‘Should we settle down in Joseon, or should we return to our homeland?’

Even if they remained in Joseon, they would lack nothing. They had built strong friendships with the Joseon glass artisans, and the dividends they received through their salaries and shares were substantial.

If they settled down and lived here, they were guaranteed a comfortable life.

Conversely, if they returned to their homeland, they would have to start over. If they opened a shop with their accumulated funds, the initial hardships would be lessened, but they would still have to contend with local protectionism.

That was the optimistic view. If things went poorly, they might be imprisoned in the deepest part of Murano Island and forced to reveal the new technologies they had learned for free.

In the end, after much deliberation, Pietro and Raphael decided to remain in Joseon. Surprisingly, it was Raphael who first voiced the decision.

“To hell with it! We don’t have any family in Venice anyway, let’s just live here as if it’s our hometown!”

Pietro nodded at Raphael’s decision. Raphael, with his great interest in the outside world and his flirtatious nature, fit the Joseon expression ‘he has wanderlust.’

“That would be best. Like you said, we don’t have any family in Venice, and we don’t have the confidence that we can succeed even if we go back.”

Having made their decision, the two men informed Hyang.

“You’ve made a truly difficult decision! Well done!”

Hyang, praising the two men, immediately informed Sejong.

Although its influence had diminished compared to the beginning, it was still good news that the glass artisans with the best skills would settle in Joseon.

Upon hearing the news, Sejong immediately summoned the two men.

“It is not easy to leave one’s homeland and settle in a strange land thousands of miles away, but to make such a difficult decision is truly commendable!”

Sejong, praising the two men with a pleased expression, continued,

“Come to think of it, I heard that you two don’t have surnames. Is that correct?”

“That is correct, Your Majesty.”

“Then may I bestow surnames upon you?”

“It would be an honor!”

As the two men greatly rejoiced and accepted, Sejong pondered for a moment before speaking.

“First, Raphael. You have always led all the work as the head of the artisans, so I will give you the surname Choi (最), meaning ‘the best.’”

“It is the greatest honor of my life!”

“And Pietro, you have always sought and pondered new things, even more outstanding things, so I will give you the surname Go (高), meaning ‘high’ or ‘exalted.’”

“Your grace is boundless!”

The two men, having received surnames from Sejong, were deeply moved and bowed their heads. They were even more touched because he had not only given them surnames but also words with meanings that suited each of them.

Hyang, watching this scene from the side, muttered inwardly,

‘If you combine the two, it’s the best?’

Afterward, the Hanyang Choi clan and the Hanyang Go clan, which would produce the world’s best talents in the glass and ceramics industries, were born.

* * *

Having decided to settle in Joseon, the two men soon started families.

And this process also highlighted the contrasting personalities of the two men.

“He’s a truly stubborn friend!”

“So inflexible!”

Raphael, who received such comments from those around him, formally sent a matchmaker to the house of the woman he had secretly admired.

Most of the Joseon people around Raphael and Pietro were artisans and lower-level officials working in Area 51 and the royal workshop, so their families also knew Raphael and Pietro well. And there were quite a few young women who had feelings for Raphael and Pietro, who had exotic appearances.

The house to which Raphael sent the matchmaker was also the house of such an artisan, and his daughter also had a liking for Raphael, so the two immediately set a date and held a wedding.

It became a grand celebration, with Hyang attending as a guest.

Conversely, Pietro found himself surrounded by the male relatives of a woman he had gotten too close to and had to make a difficult choice.

“I only held her hand!”

Seeing Pietro protesting while looking at the men holding clubs and glaring menacingly, the woman’s father pointed to a straw mat and said,

“Choose. Will you be rolled up in that mat [a euphemism for being killed], or will you hold a wedding ceremony on that mat?”

Pietro, facing a life-or-death crisis, eventually decided to marry.

* * *

The two men, having started families, recalled the food of their homeland, which they had been neglecting while living in Joseon. Or rather, from the moment they decided not to return, the memories of home became even more intense.

“Joseon food is delicious, but I sometimes crave the food of my homeland.”

“Shall we show our wives what it tastes like?”

The two men, recalling the flavors of their homeland, which they had been trying to forget, soon reached a decision.

“It’s salami, isn’t it?”

“It’s salami. The ingredients are easy to obtain here in Joseon, and there are kilns everywhere, so we can slightly repurpose them.”

The two men, talking, wiped the saliva from their mouths.

“Slurp! Slicing well-smoked salami with lots of garlic and pepper and biting into it…”

“Kyaa!”

The two men, having decided on their course of action, soon began making salami, but the work was not easy. Both of them were glass artisans, not salami makers.

As they pondered, they soon found a solution: the monks who came to Area 51 from the research institute on business.

The monks, for whom self-sufficiency was essential, knew how to make salami, and with their help, the finished product was created.

“This is a top-quality salami that is hard to find even in Florence!”

At the monks’ praise of the result, the two men immediately presented the salami to Hyang and Sejong.

“It’s truly a delicacy!”

It was Sejong’s enthusiastic review, as he was a self-proclaimed connoisseur of meat. And Sejong did not stop there.

“It is a virtue to share delicious things, so consider mass production.”

“We shall obey Your Majesty’s command.”

Hyang blocked the path of the two men who came out after receiving Sejong’s order.

“Hey, you two.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Can you also make butter or cheese?”

At Hyang’s question, the two men scratched their heads and replied,

“We can make it. We know it to some extent, and the monks know how to do it.”

“But the problem is cows. It would be much easier if we had dairy cows.”

“So you can do it if we get you dairy cows?”

“Yes.”

“I see. I’ll take care of that part, so you guys prepare the rest.”

“Yes? Yes? Y-yes?”

“Good work!”

“No, Your Highness!”

Raphael and Pietro, with bewildered expressions, called out to Hyang, but Hyang had already disappeared.

Hyang, returning to his office, was gleeful.

‘Salami is out! If we have cheese, it’s pizza! Pizza!’

Hyang, forgetting all about the existence of tomatoes, the most important element of the pizza he had eaten in the 21st century, was happy.

This is how ‘Choigo (最高) Food,’ the food processing company with the world’s oldest history, was born.

* * *

Of course, the birth of Choigo Food was still in the future, and salami was still a ‘rumored food that only those in the know’ could eat by entering Area 51.

Of course, Sejong could have it brought to his table immediately just by giving an order.

It was such a delicacy that the officials in the night duty room hurriedly ate the salami.

“Wait?”

Kwon Ram, who was diligently eating salami, suddenly put it down and looked at Lee Gae.

“Officer Lee, I’m sure you said you belong to the Ministry of Finance?”

“That’s right.”

“But why are you in Area 51? Could it be…”

As Kwon Ram made a dubious expression, Han Myeong-hoi and Shin Suk-ju’s faces turned pale, and they suddenly clutched their chests.

“Cough! I have indigestion!”

“Cough! Cough!”

As the small commotion subsided, Lee Gae spoke.

“Perhaps Officer Kwon is thinking correctly. A new device has been created in Area 51. It’s a seasonal product, but its marketability is very high.”

“To what extent?”

“The higher-ups are seriously considering whether to sell it exclusively at the royal workshop or release it to the private sector.”

“Oh…”

“Damn it…”

Everyone in the room muttered curses at Lee Gae’s answer.

Being under consideration meant that the possibility of exclusive sales was very high. If that were to happen, it meant that a large-scale budget would be required, starting from the cost of constructing a workshop to handle production, and they would have to worry about how to secure the budget.

In addition, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to which Shin Suk-ju and Han Myeong-hoi belonged, had the added burden of dealing with diplomatic documents and envoys arriving from neighboring countries, especially Ming.

“What exactly is that newly created device?”

At Kwon Ram’s question, Lee Gae replied briefly.

“It’s called a wind spinner.”

“A wind spinner?”

The object known as a fan in the 21st century had finally made its appearance.