Chapter 906

Chapter 906: The Imperial March (9)

The first Europeans to hear the rumor were Portugal and Spain.

Portuguese and Spanish fishermen, who saw the imperial fleet passing through the Strait of Gibraltar and returning home, were frightened and rushed to the port.

The fishermen who arrived at the port ran to the cathedral, screaming in fear.

“It’s a monster! “A monster has appeared!”

“Monsters spitting black smoke have appeared!”

“The end has come!”

The fishermen arrived at the cathedral screaming loudly, grabbed the priests, and told them about what they had seen.

“Father! Monsters have appeared! “The end has come!”

“The end has come!”

“Say no!”

“Hey guys! Wake!”

The priests tried to calm down the fishermen, who were repeating the words ‘the end of the monster world’ with half-mad faces, and asked them everything that had happened.

“A sea monster? “What on earth did you see that makes you call it a sea monster?”

“It was a huge monster I had never seen before!”

“Among the ships I’ve seen, Karak was the biggest. It was so big that it looked like a small boat!”

“It’s just spitting out black smoke and fire from its mouth... That’s right! That was a dragon! “It’s a dragon!”

“It’s a dragon! The dragon I had only heard about appeared! “The end times have come!”

To calm down the fishermen who lost their senses and showed signs of anger, the priests held out glasses full of wine.

“Now... calm down... have a glass of this... and take a breather...”

“Yes, yes...” As

the fishermen calmed down their excitement by sipping wine, the brides I confirmed the facts more accurately.

“So... it was the first animal I had ever seen?”

“Yes! Yes!”

“Are you sure it’s a beast?”

“yes? maybe?”

“It’s an animal! A man-made ship can’t be that big!”

“If the ship spewed out smoke and fire like that, it would have burned up and turned into ashes in no time!”

“Hmm... right, right...”

Although they were eagerly countering the fishermen’s words, the priests’ eyes were full of doubt.

Paradoxically, the most intellectual and rational people at this time were priests and monks.

In particular, it was the group of priests and monks who had accumulated knowledge by interacting with the empire for the longest time.

The priests continued to ask questions, analyzing what the fishermen had said so far.

“So... were there just those ‘beasts’? Or were there other things as well?”

“Of course there were only animals!”

“No, no... wait... it wasn’t just animals.”

“that’s right! “There were other boats too!!”

“that’s right! that’s right! “There were some really big boats too!”

The priests’ eyes began to light up when they heard that there were other ships as well.

“okay? “Then is it true that those beasts really spewed smoke and fire from their mouths?”

“Where else would smoke and fire come from if not from the mouth?”

“that’s right! that’s right!”

In response to the fishermen’s words, the priests placed a small cross on the table and asked again.

“Answer in the name of God. Did he really spit out fire and smoke from his mouth?”

The fishermen hesitated to answer questions that followed while placing the cross in front of them.

“Well... that was....”

-Even if it were possible, it would only take one or two pieces, so is mass production possible with uniform quality? Even if it is the ‘Land of Flowers’, it is impossible.

Because of these limitations, naval officials of the great powers were convinced that it was an ironclad ship. And ironclad ships were something that the European powers were also somewhat familiar with.

To be exact, it was a copper-clad ship, not an iron-clad ship.

As the challenger-level front was developed and time passed, Hyang tried his hand at the challenger-level front once again.

The hull sides and bottom below the waterline were covered with copper plates. This was to strengthen the strength and defense of key parts and prevent barnacles from sticking to them.

After it was confirmed that the lower part of the hull of the Challenger-class ship was covered with copper plates, large European ships also began to use copper plates.

And as time passed, it was natural that a method of adding iron armor to the wooden hull was developed to increase the defense power of the battleship.

Therefore, France, England and Spain began building one or two armored battleships.

And everyone fell into the same problem.

“It’s good, but it’s too slow.”

The armor has increased its armor, but its weight has also increased significantly.

“There are limits to sails....”

“After all, we have to use steam engines....”

Since steam engines were certain to be the best alternative, the great powers were also gradually researching steamships.

And a steam ironclad ship suddenly appeared before the eyes of those great powers.

“Send spies to Italy!”

* * *

While the spies of the European powers were moving toward Italy, in Livorno, the Florentine hillbillies were looking at the imperial front lines with fascinated expressions.

“A ship that big...”

“A ship without sails...”

Giovanni was already used to the challenger-class battle line, but he couldn’t take his eyes off the dark lights and charging return ships in front of him.

Especially in front of an assault ship with no sails, I was just a wreck.

“I want to see inside!”

Lorenzo and Giovanni made a strong request, but fleet commander Song Il-won flatly refused.

“It can’t be done because it’s a military secret.”

“Aren’t we allies!”

“It’s military discipline.”

“Tsk!”

Giovanni and Lorenzo couldn’t hide their disappointment at Song Il-won’s firm response and quenched their appetite.

This was because he already knew well that the empire was surprisingly resolute in this regard.

Forcing their regrets, Giovanni and Lorenzo changed the topic.

“From now on, the entire fleet will be stationed in Livorno?”

“No, the eight ships, including the Black Mirror, will return to Shinji.”

“Why are you going back?”

“Because I was in charge of supply and escort duties.”

Lorenzo pretended to know Song Il-won’s answer.

“ah! So, the troops are coming in the next direction?”

“Army troops will come through Suez. “Those ships will be responsible for transporting artillery and other supplies.”

Lorenzo and Giovanni looked in disbelief at those words.

“More cannons are coming? “More here?”

After hearing of the arrival of the imperial fleet, Lorenzo and Giovanni immediately departed Florence with their ambassadors.

When they arrived in Livorno, they saw cannons filling the open space at the marina. And the last ship on its turn was in the midst of unloading its cannons.

Cannons Cannons Cannons...

It was the day Lorenzo saw the most cannons since he was born.

“But more cannons are coming?”

Lee Si-ae, who saw Lorenzo’s disbelieving expression, joined the conversation.

“Thanks to the Swiss mercenaries, the troop problem has been resolved, so we should prepare to fight properly. Since ancient times, in a war, no matter where the battlefield is, you have to have a lot of artillery to win. Of course, it must be a gun with guaranteed power. In that matter, our Empire is always sincere and doing its best.”