The professors initially hired blacksmiths residing in cities and nearby villages.

And here, many professors experienced their first trial and error.

At a small forge on the outskirts of Paris.

The expressions of the blacksmiths who received the professors’ request were truly peculiar. Jacques, the head blacksmith, examined the blueprint and asked the professors.

“What is this scrap of paper?”

“It’s a blueprint for a device called a steam engine.”

“So… you’re saying we need to build this strange object drawn in this picture?”

“That’s correct.”

“Are these numbers written on the side indicating the size?”

“Indeed they are.”

After hearing the professors’ explanation, Jacques let out a long sigh.

“Phew~. My lords, your jest goes too far.”

“This is no jest!”

At the professors’ words, Jacques raised his hand to indicate his forge.

“If the numbers written on the blueprint are accurate, you’re asking me to create an object larger than my entire forge inside my forge!”

“Huh?”

“What?”

At Jacques’ words, the professors looked around his forge and wore bewildered expressions. Seeing their reactions, Jacques added:

“Let me advise you – this forge, modest as it may seem, is the second largest in all of Paris and its surroundings.”

***

Those who hit their first wall soon began seeking out craftsmen capable of producing such large devices.

The first ones they approached were bell-makers.

Since even small countryside bells boasted weights of several hundred Paris livres, they thought craftsmen who could handle such heavy objects would be capable of creating the sizeable steam engines.

However, this second attempt also failed to yield good results. While they succeeded in casting the large bulk, problems arose with internal pressure resistance.

“Who can make devices that can withstand high pressure?”

After much contemplation, they soon found their answer.

“Cannon craftsmen are the solution!”

But there, another problem arose.

***

During this period, European cannon craftsmen were both artisans and mercenaries.

Cannon craftsmen would enter battlefields with their apprentices and their manufactured cannons. And their potential clients were overflowing, regardless of nation or religion.

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, Urban, a Hungarian artillery craftsman, created the Dardanelles Gun for Mehmet II of the Ottoman Empire.

Moreover, it was common for craftsmen to switch allegiances to those promising higher compensation, even in the midst of war.

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, this pattern only changed during the reign of Louis XIV.

***

Although most religious conflicts were said to be concluded, small-scale wars still erupted here and there due to religious disputes, and particularly in the Suez region, large-scale battles continued to rage.

As a result, the value of cannon craftsmen continued to skyrocket. To attract these craftsmen, whose pride had grown as high as their price, European professors had to run themselves ragged.

Finally, just as they were about to recruit retired craftsmen and those curious about steam engines, powerful competitors appeared.

These were professors who had been proceeding in a different manner.

***

Unlike those who had suffered setbacks due to excessive enthusiasm, there were professors who made steady progress while building up experience methodically.

Remembering the steam locomotive model they had seen in the partially opened exhibition hall, they created scaled-down models of their designed steam engines.

After contracting with skilled blacksmiths renowned in the vicinity, they began actually building scale models, recording the discrepancies between theory and practice, and finding solutions.

Chug-chug-chug! Puff-puff-puff!

“Finally… success!”

“We’ve done it, my lords!”

As the scale model they had created after countless trials began moving while emitting steam, the professors and blacksmiths couldn’t contain their joy as they embraced each other.

After gaining such experience and completing a well-functioning scale model, the professors and blacksmiths attempted full-size construction, only to hit another wall.

When they reversed the scaling ratio for expansion, the size became even larger than expected, and the efficiency was terribly poor.

“We could probably reduce the thickness…”

“But if we proceed by trial and error, it will consume too much time, my lords.”

While searching for the best solution, they soon thought of cannon craftsmen.

“Those who make cannons must be well-versed in pressure issues! Let’s meet with them!”

Thus began the competition to secure cannon craftsmen.

Amusingly, this competition began causing gradually deepening rifts between European universities.

***

During this period, European universities maintained quite tight networks.

The adhesive maintaining these networks was Latin and classical texts.

Regardless of nationality, students and professors who entered universities were required to use only Latin.

‘Latin was the language of the ancient Roman Empire, and we are the guardians of Rome’s legacy.’

To preserve this pride, professors and students conversed in Latin and took notes in Latin.

The same applied to classical texts. Most books and documents from the Roman Empire era used parchment. Naturally, they were expensive and extremely scarce. Therefore, professors were actively engaged in exchanges with other professors.

Due to these two factors, European universities boasted tight networks. Of course, there were strained relationships due to wars, like between France and England. However, that was specific to those two countries, and universities in England and France still maintained tight networks with universities in other regions, excluding those of their opposing nation.

This network was so tight that even if a university student transferred schools mid-way, their credits would be recognized.

However, this network began to slowly crumble.

As a side note, historians later evaluated the beginning of this rift as follows:

-It wasn’t the steam engine that caused it, but the classics printed by the Empire!

And this was mostly true.

***

Professors visiting the monks’ quarters in Seoul were greatly surprised by the books filling the bookshelf on one side.

“Aren’t these all precious classics? Where did you get them?”

“As you can see, they’re classics printed by the Empire.”

While listening to the monks’ explanation, the professors carefully examined the books again and were surprised once more.

“Such clear printing!”

“And no typographical errors!”

The professors were amazed again by the clear print quality and the near absence of typographical errors.

Two years ago, in 1448, metal movable type printing was invented by Gutenberg, but it wasn’t yet common. It was most used for printing indulgences, followed by miscellaneous books for common people.

As a result, most ancient Greek and Roman classics still existed only as handwritten manuscripts on parchment.

However, now these monks’ bookshelves were packed with clearly printed classics.

“The volume on these shelves matches that of a decent monastery library.”

“And that’s just one room…”

“Know what’s more surprising? The owner of this room is a young monk.”

“My word…”

The professors’ faces showed a mixture of envy and desire as they muttered.

“Who printed these books?”

“The Empire printed them.”

“Under whose orders?”

“It began when the current Emperor was still Crown Prince.”

The monks explained the related story to the professors.

“One of our tasks when we came to the Empire – ah! it was Joseon then – was to inspect the classics collected by Joseon. All of us monks and alchemists were mobilized to check for duplicates and copying errors. After completing the inspection and corrections, they mass-printed these verified classics.”

“Why? For what reason?”

“I heard it was to prevent researchers at research institutes from being unable to work due to lack of books. Since then, they’ve continued printing books for students studying at the Language School, Mathematics School, and Engineering School.”

The professors’ ears perked up at the monks’ answer.

“They’re still printing now? Then could we obtain some?”

After thinking briefly, the monks replied to the professors’ question.

“If you have money, you probably can?”

“Won’t they be too expensive?”

“No matter how expensive, they’ll be far cheaper than acquiring manuscripts.”

“Really? Is that so!”

Before long, many professors – to be precise, everyone who visited Seoul – expressed interest in purchasing books, and the Ministry of Finance officials began their sales pitch.

“You need books?”

“That’s right.”

“Here’s the catalog. And would you prefer the Basic Edition (박본(薄本, basic printed version on yellow paper)) or the Luxury Edition (려본(麗本, deluxe version with highest quality paper and leather binding))?”

“Basic? Luxury?”

At the professors’ confusion, the finance ministry officials pulled out two books. One was bound with thick yellow paper cover and contents printed on yellow paper, while the other had contents printed on the highest quality Korean paper, bound in well-processed leather-covered thin wooden boards with gold-leafed titles.

And this Luxury Edition stimulated the professors’ vanity.

“Luxury! I’ll take the Luxury Edition!”

“Thank you!”

Meanwhile, some professors made other requests.

“What about books not in the catalog…”

“We’re still collecting more, so you can obtain them later.”

“Is it possible to place bulk orders for the Basic Edition?”

“Yes, in units of fifty.”

“I have some books not in your catalog, perhaps…”

Before he could finish, the finance ministry official brightened and intercepted:

“Is that so! If you provide us with your book, we’ll give you one free Luxury Edition copy, and additionally share a certain percentage of profits based on future sales!”

“Really?”

The finance ministry official nodded vigorously and gestured to the professor in question while standing up.

“Yes! Would you like to discuss this separately?”

“Let’s do that.”

***

Thus, as universities could purchase printed classics in bulk at cheap prices through the Empire, cracks began to form in the network between universities.

It was due to professors’ pride.

-I just acquired this rare volume, would you like to come see it? It cost quite a bit, but for someone of my standing, it wasn’t too burdensome.

-The classic you have is poorly copied, why didn’t you spend some money to get a proper one?

While they claimed to share and exchange their rare classics, there were frequent instances of wounded pride like this.

However, as they could easily obtain classics at cheap prices through the Empire, such exchanges decreased.

-Why suffer wounded pride when we can just buy from the Empire?

The competition for craftsmen only deepened these cracks further.

As a side note, one of the items steadily entering Europe from the Empire after the professors’ visit was the catalog of classical books sold by the Empire. Despite being a paid catalog, demand remained steady.

Upon receiving this report, Kim Jeom gazed toward Geunjeong Hall while muttering.

“I thought there was something extraordinary about him since he was young, when he sold the Tripitaka Koreana printing blocks to Japanese lords…”