Black Corporation: Joseon

Meanwhile, Pedro was looking down at the courtyard from a balcony overlooking it.

“All 3,000 muskets have arrived. No seals were broken.”

“Is that so?”

Nodding slightly at his household guard captain’s report, Pedro issued orders.

“Then as planned, send 300 to the domain for training. And send 200 to Florence. Finally, send 100 to the Duke of Viseu.”

“Understood.”

“And make sure to tell Tiago, who’s in charge of training at the domain, this message: ‘You can break all 300 if needed. However, you must bring back men who know how to handle them properly within ten days.'”

“I will deliver it without fail!”

After giving Pedro a military salute, the guard captain left his room.

Shortly after, the household guards began bustling about in the courtyard.

The muskets were carefully packed into large oak wine barrels which were then firmly sealed, and these barrels were loaded onto carts bound for Pedro’s domain. Other boxes were mixed with containers of goods purchased from Joseon and loaded onto carts heading to Henry. Meanwhile, boxes destined for Florence were loaded onto other carts.

After the distribution was complete, the remaining boxes in the courtyard were moved into the mansion.

Pedro watched this entire process from the balcony. As the last box was moved inside, he turned and muttered:

“A dog’s death befits the son of a lowly bitch…”

While uttering this curse aimed at someone, Pedro turned his head and continued speaking while looking at Florence on the wall map.

“I wonder… how many of those 200 will they break?”

***

The percussion cap muskets obtained from Joseon were exceptionally high performance.

“It’s truly amazing – the weight of an arquebus but with range and power exceeding a musket by 10 fathoms. Just a thousand-man unit with these muskets could change the tide of battle.”

Cosimo, who had visited Pedro and Henry to see the performance of Joseon’s percussion cap muskets, couldn’t contain his admiration. However, Pedro pointed out a fatal flaw.

“The problem is the price. 50 nyang in Joseon currency. That’s 500 silver ducats – definitely not cheap.”

Cosimo nodded at Pedro’s words. Considering Florence’s prices at the time, the money needed to buy a well-built townhouse could only purchase two muskets. This meant they were extremely expensive.

Henry raised an objection to Pedro’s words.

“Though the price is high, it has many advantages, starting with not using dangerous slow matches.”

“That may be true, but the price is the problem, the price. What kind of beast is war? A money-eating monster.”

As Pedro remained negative, Cosimo joined the conversation.

“Couldn’t we copy them?”

“Those Joseon fellows have played tricks with the firing mechanism, the most crucial part. We brought ten, and eight have already broken.”

“Oh my…”

Seeing Cosimo unable to hide his disappointment, Pedro made a proposal.

“Would Florence like to try?”

“Us?”

“Isn’t Florence one of the places with many skilled craftsmen?”

“Hmm…”

At Pedro’s suggestion, Cosimo stroked his beard, deep in thought.

It’s far superior to the arquebus and muskets currently used in Europe. Even if we can’t make exact copies, if we can achieve similar performance, there’s definitely market potential.

Finding the possibility of another profitable venture, Cosimo accepted Pedro’s proposal.

“Very well!”

Thus, Pedro managed to extract substantial funding from Cosimo for purchasing muskets.

“Aren’t you allocating too few for the amount I’m investing?”

To Cosimo’s complaint, Pedro explained the reason.

“War isn’t far off, and we can’t just wait forever, can we?”

“But…”

“Isn’t 200 enough to form a guard unit besides what’s needed for copying?”

Eventually, Cosimo had to accept Pedro’s proposal.

Leaving Pedro’s mansion, Cosimo consoled himself.

“It was quite an expense, but thinking of the future, it’s worth enduring.”

***

Two weeks later, Pedro approached Alfonso V.

“Your Majesty. May I speak?”

“Speak, Regent.”

“Thank you.”

After expressing gratitude to Alfonso V, Pedro began with a question.

“Your Majesty, do you remember what I said last year?”

“Last year? Hmm…”

After briefly searching his memory, Alfonso V soon looked at Pedro with a bright face.

“You mean about getting wedding gifts from Joseon?”

“Yes. They finally arrived recently. Hence, I would like to host Your Majesty.”

“Wonderful! When would be good to visit?”

Alfonso V couldn’t hide his joy at Pedro’s invitation.

“I will hold a banquet in five days.”

“Five days! Waiting until then will be both joyful and torturous!”

“You will not be disappointed.”

After assuring Alfonso V, Pedro turned to address the nobles gathered in the hall.

“I will send invitations, and I sincerely hope you will attend.”

At Pedro’s words, Alfonso, Duke of Braganza, frowned slightly and raised an objection.

“Wouldn’t it be better to just present them at the palace? Why go to such lengths…”

Pedro responded to Duke Alfonso’s complaint with a stern face.

“I wish to host His Majesty to make amends for my tardiness!”

After briefly pausing, Pedro threw out a slightly mocking question.

“Why? Is there some other problem? Hmm? Well! If you’re busy, you need not come!”

The intense rivalry between Pedro, Duke of Coimbra, and Alfonso, Duke of Braganza, was well-known to almost everyone. Even now, assassins from both sides were spilling blood in Lisbon’s night streets, either trying to assassinate the other side’s key figures or prevent such attempts.

At Pedro’s mockery, Duke Alfonso burst out:

“Just send the invitation! I must see what wonderful items you have!”

Hmpf! What nonsense, hoping I won’t come! You’d just spew nonsense to the king if I weren’t there!

Pedro responded to Duke Alfonso’s answer with a face full of cynicism.

“You’ll receive it first.”

***

Five days later, nobles’ carriages began lining up at Pedro’s mansion.

With each arriving carriage, the mansion’s slaves and servants respectfully opened the doors and bowed.

“Welcome, we’re honored by your presence.”

Finally, the carriage carrying King Alfonso V and his queen arrived, and Pedro personally came to the entrance to greet the royal couple.

“Welcome.”

“It’s truly an honor for the Regent to greet us personally.”

“The honor is mine. Please, come inside.”

After guiding Alfonso V and his queen inside, Pedro continued.

“It will be an enjoyable evening.”

With the arrival of the royal couple, the banquet began.

***

“Ooh!”

“Magnificent!”

The nobles entering the mansion’s grand banquet hall exclaimed in admiration at the brilliant chandeliers on the ceiling and glass lamps shining from pillars in all directions.

European nobles’ nights had become brighter and more splendid since Joseon began exporting crystal lighting fixtures.

And Pedro’s mansion banquet hall was filled with such brilliant splendor.

The banquet tables, with Alfonso V and his queen seated at the highest position, soon began to be laden with all manner of delicacies.

***

“Your Majesty!”

Once the atmosphere had sufficiently warmed up, Pedro stood and addressed Alfonso V.

“I would like to show you the items I mentioned.”

“I’ve been waiting!”

“Bring them in!”

At Pedro’s command, the banquet hall doors opened wide, and servants and slaves entered carrying items from Joseon.

“Ooh!”

The nobles repeatedly exclaimed in admiration as the exotic items were placed in the center of the hall.

As the last servant set down their item and withdrew, Duke Alfonso, who had been examining the items, mocked Pedro.

“They’re nice items, but is this all? You hosted His Majesty for just this?”

“Just this? Does this look like ‘just this’ to the Duke of Braganza?”

“Indeed just this! Though some seem quite excellent, this isn’t enough to warrant hosting His Majesty!”

Suddenly, the banquet hall fell dead silent. At the two dukes’ war of words, all the nobles, starting with Alfonso V and his queen, watched them with tense expressions.

Pedro, glaring at Duke Alfonso, nodded.

“Very well. Then I shall present the finest gift.”

“Oh? The finest gift, you say? Should I look forward to it?”

“Absolutely!”

After answering briefly, Pedro suddenly shouted:

“Arrest the traitor!”

***

“Arrest the traitor!”

“Arrest the traitor!”

Thud thud thud thud!

The moment Pedro’s order fell, his household guards burst out from all directions of the banquet hall, aiming muskets at the nobles. Simultaneously, soldiers who had been waiting in the galleries of the second and third floors revealed themselves and aimed their weapons.

“What is this!”

SHING! SHING!

At this sudden development, the guards stationed behind the nobles drew their swords to protect their lords.

“R-R-Regent, what is this about? What treason?”

Terrified by the sudden situation, Alfonso V questioned Pedro.

Pedro bowed his head to Alfonso V and answered.

“That wicked Duke of Braganza has been plotting rebellion for some time. Please forgive me for having to create this occasion, as he is such a cunning individual.”

At Pedro’s words, Duke Alfonso shouted angrily.

“Silence! Me, a traitor! This is a plot! A false accusation!”

Pedro immediately responded to Duke Alfonso’s protests of innocence.

“We have a witness. Bring him in!”

At Pedro’s command, the household guards dragged in a blood-covered man.

“You, you…”

Seeing the bloodied man, Duke Alfonso sensed his defeat. The man before him was his confidant who had mainly delivered his orders to other nobles.

“Speak without concealment of what you saw and heard! Then I promise you an easy death!”

At Pedro’s command, the man painfully opened his mouth.

“The Duke of Braganza said this: ‘The current king is the Regent’s puppet. For this kingdom to be properly ruled, we noble nobles must take the lead. For that, we must purge not only the Regent but the king as well…'”

“It’s slander! True, I said we nobles must take the lead! But I never spoke of purging the king!”

Duke Alfonso defended himself in a loud voice, but the outcome was already decided.

“Eek!”

Suddenly, his son Fernando drew his sword with gritted teeth and charged toward Pedro.

BANG! BANG!

Two gunshots rang out in the banquet hall, and the Duke of Braganza and his son collapsed where they stood.

Thus, the winners and losers of the original history were reversed.

Pedro, who should have been pushed out of the regency, abandoned by the king, and died after losing the civil war, had become the victor.