Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 905

905. The Imperial March (8)

The Livorno naval port, upon receiving the communication from Bigu, sprang into action.

“Report indicates a large fleet, but the exact number of ships is unknown! Clear the berths! Gather all available tugboats and rowers!”

“Yes, sir!”

Following the port commander’s orders, the tugboats bustled into motion.

* * *

The Livorno naval port featured docks of various sizes, designed to accommodate ships according to their dimensions.

However, these docks were rarely used as intended.

The Empire’s warships patrolling between Livorno and Prince Enrique’s port were mostly small galleons or carracks, and merchant ships frequented the docks more often than warships.

And the merchant ships invariably lined up at the longest and widest pier in the naval port.

“It’s easier to load and unload cargo if you dock at the longest pier!”

“That’s right! The cranes and winches on this pier are the biggest!”

“Easy in and out access, too!”

* * *

Because of this, not only the tugboats on duty but also those at rest were pressed into service.

From the high watchtowers in the dockyard, signal flares and flags fluttered continuously. Watching these signals, the tugboats latched onto merchant and military ships of all sizes, dragging them around to clear the pier.

While the tugboats were frantically maneuvering, the Imperial Army band stationed at the naval port’s garrison began to march towards the pier.

The military band, in freshly laundered and crisply creased uniforms, rechecked their instruments and set off.

* * *

Just as the initial commotion began to subside, the squadron that had gone out on patrol that morning returned to port.

Pung! Peopeong! Pung!

Signal rockets shot into the sky from the lead warship, and the naval port commander and the officers and signalmen on the pier instinctively deciphered the signal.

“…Imperial Fleet… 22 ships… 22 ships? Twenty-two ships!”

Stunned by the number, the commander glanced at his subordinates.

“Are enough berths prepared?”

“Yes, sir!”

The adjutant, answering loudly, looked to the other officers beside him. At the unspoken command, the officers responded in unison.

“There are enough berths!”

However, inwardly, they all muttered the same sentiment.

‘Probably…’

Their uncertainty was understandable.

Even at the home naval port, it was rare for 22 large warships like Challenger-class warships or Assault Turtle Ships to dock at the pier simultaneously.

Most of the time, they anchored a short distance from the pier, with liaison boats ferrying crew back and forth.

The only times ships docked directly at the pier were for loading or replacing ammunition and provisions.

However, this occasion was different.

First, this fleet was arriving from Shinji across the East Sea—called the Great East Sea in the Empire and the Atlantic Ocean in Europe.

Warships crossing such a vast ocean were certain to be large.

Furthermore, they were carrying Imperial soldiers and supplies destined for Italy. Therefore, docking at the pier with its large cranes and winches was essential.

Finally, these ships had completed a long voyage and needed to dock at the pier for thorough inspections.

Therefore, the officers responsible for maintaining the naval port watched the sea with anxious expressions.

‘Please…’

‘I heard rumors they’ve increased the size a bit. I hope only moderately sized ones arrive…’

As the officers prayed, the sound of gongs and drums echoed from the watchtower on the pier.

Jing~ Dung! Doong Doong!

“They’re coming!”

At the sound of drums, gongs, and shouts from the watchtower, the commander and officers raised their telescopes and scanned the sea.

And they all sighed.

“Ah!”

“Damn it!”

“The rumors were true!”

The problem was the enormous ship dominating the view through the telescope. The vessel, slowly turning its bow towards the port, boasted four masts and nearly twenty sails, including the triangular sails at the bow and stern.

* * *

-Everything gets bigger when you go to Shinji! Whether it’s a railway or a warship….

That rumor had been circulating about Shinji for some time.

And it held a grain of truth.

The Empire’s Bukji (Northern Territory) and Northeast Forest Zone were vast, but Shinji was even more expansive.

Transporting people and goods across that vast land from east to west and south to north was no easy feat.

In the mainland and Bukji, villages were often close enough that a messenger on horseback was faster than a flashing communication network [a semaphore-like system].

However, Shinji was different. In Shinji, traveling to a neighboring village required thorough preparation and advance notification via the flashing communication network. This was because if travelers didn’t arrive as scheduled, a search party had to be dispatched.

Often, they were simply lost and stranded. But there were also cases of attacks by wild animals, or, though rare, bandit attacks. In such instances, the military was deployed.

Therefore, in Shinji, both railways and ships needed to carry large quantities of goods at once.

To transport a lot of goods and people at once, the size had to be increased, and to move that size quickly, larger and more powerful steam engines or more sails had to be installed.

Through trial and error, the size of railways and ships began to increase.

And the most dramatic change was seen in Hyang’s attitude.

When he first received the related proposal, Hyang looked up at the sky and made excuses.

“I swear I didn’t do anything this time….”

Feeling as though he could hear Sejong’s roar of ‘Get out, you bastard!’, Hyang examined the proposals and quickly changed his tune.

“It’s the demand of the times! We have to accept it!”

Hyang, switching gears without hesitation, began to fly around.

“Well, since we’ve already started, let’s go all the way!”

Thanks to this, a miniature version of the windjammer [a large sailing ship], but a super-large transport ship by current standards, was created.

“I feel proud on the one hand and regretful on the other….”

Looking at the large transport ship named ‘Black Whale (黑鯨, 검은 고래)’, Hyang muttered with mixed feelings.

He felt proud of creating a large ship that would go down in history and shock Europeans, but regretful that he had to hand over Shinji to Wan now.

“I’ve confirmed that it floats and moves well, so I should take the blueprints and return to Seoul. By the way, Seoul will be shocked when they see these blueprints….”

Due to the frustratingly slow means of communication, no information about the Black Whale’s development had reached Seoul. In truth, Hyang had deliberately concealed it, knowing the budget officials in Seoul would create a fuss if they heard about it.

Hyang paused, then smiled and continued.

“Why should I care? Are they going to scold the Emperor Emeritus?”

* * *

Starting with the super-large transport ship ‘Black Whale’, the fleet from Shinji entered the naval port of Livorno one by one.

Watching the warships and transport ships enter the naval port, the officers stared blankly.

“The smallest ship is a Challenger-class….”

“The tugboats are going to die….”

In reality, the naval port’s tugboats were struggling.

Usually, even a large merchant ship could be moved easily by two or three tugboats.

However, the incoming warships seemed to require at least six tugboats to move with difficulty.

“How are we supposed to pull and move that….”

Knowing the tugboat rowers were making tearful faces, liaison boats were lowered from the fleet’s warships and transport ships.

As the liaison boats and tugboats worked together, the warships and transport ships began to dock at the pier.

* * *

The first to dock were the Black Whale and two Assault Turtle Ships.

“They’ve also worked on the Assault Turtle Ships.”

The naval officers who saw the Assault Turtle Ships docked at the pier were excited.

“Is that the rumored ocean-going Assault Turtle Ship….”

The docked Assault Turtle Ship had a slightly longer and slimmer hull than existing models. The bow still featured the unique dragon head (龍頭), but the hull below it had been sharpened and made more pointed.

Most of the naval officers here had experience in long-distance voyages, and they had learned the shape and characteristics of hulls so well that it was ingrained in them since their days at the Naval Academy.

“I heard this might lead to a new type of warship….”

“A new type of warship?”

“There are rumors of several names being considered. ‘Seizure-of-the-Sea Ship (制海船)’ meaning dominating the sea… or ‘Cruiser (巡洋船)’ because it crosses the sea, or… it’s already too big to be called a ship (船), so there’s talk of using the name warship (艦)….”

“Hmm….”

While the officers talked, the waiting military band began to play ‘The Imperial March’.

As the Imperial March began, all the officers and sailors on the pier, starting with the commander, straightened their posture and watched the Assault Turtle Ships and the Black Whale dock.

Kuoong.

With a dull thud, the docking of the Assault Turtle Ships and the Black Whale was complete, and gangways were connected for disembarkation.

The Imperial soldiers disembarking from the ship divided into two groups. The Imperial Navy in white naval uniforms and the Imperial Army in green military uniforms stood in formation, and a middle-aged soldier with the rank of Joldosa (절도사, Provincial Commander) stepped forward.

“Welcome. I am Ahn Young-gyu, the Joldosa in charge of Livorno.”

“I am Lee Si-ae, the Joldosa in charge of commanding the Imperial Army stationed in Florence. Nice to meet you.”

Soon, the Navy Joldosa disembarked from the Assault Turtle Ship and approached.

“I am Song Il-won, the Joldosa commanding the East Sea Cruiser Fleet. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you.”

The two men who would cause a stir in the Mediterranean and on the ground in Europe had arrived in Italy.

* * *

Meanwhile, the arrival of the Imperial Fleet from Shinji in Italy shook Europe.

“From the west?”

“They came across the sea from the west!”

“And they’re large fleets we’ve never seen before? Are you mistaken about the Challenger-class?”

“What? The Challenger-class is the smallest?”

“What! There are ships without sails, too?”

The naval officials of the European powers were thrown into confusion by the Imperial Fleet’s unexpected arrival.

“Get a grip! We can’t change that they’ve already appeared! The top priority is to confirm their capabilities!”

Just as the naval officials, barely regaining their composure, tried to send spies, strange rumors began to circulate among the general public in Europe.

-They came to Italy from the Land of Flowers, dragging sea monsters!

-There was a wizard in the Land of Flowers who controlled sea monsters!

“Sea monsters?”

The rumors spread, starting with the fishermen in the Mediterranean who saw the Assault Turtle Ship spewing black smoke and crossing the sea.