The arms race in Italy, involving Florence, its rivals, and the great European powers acting as their backers, triggered a chain reaction.

The first to react was England. As its most powerful enemy, France, grew its military in both size and quality, England too jumped into the arms race. Almost simultaneously with England, Portugal also entered the competition. This was because of Spain, with whom it shared a border. The two nations had clashed during Portugal’s founding, and with lingering animosity, Portugal could not afford to sit out of the arms race.

Another great power that joined the competition was the Ottoman Empire. Although the Mediterranean Sea served as a natural barrier, the advancements in shipbuilding technology had rendered this barrier obsolete. Furthermore, they had to safely protect Suez, their ‘goose that lays the golden eggs.’

‘Be friendly with Europe, but do not trust it.’

This was the diplomatic policy of Mehmed II.

The problem was the economic burden that this arms race brought. The main actors of war had shifted from knights and cavalry, swords and spears, to guns and cannons. While swords and spears could be melted down and remade when they grew old, this was difficult for guns and cannons. To be precise, they could be melted down, but manufacturing them, especially cannons, was impossible at the level of a village blacksmith. This naturally required highly skilled artisans, manufacturing facilities, ironworks, and refineries. This was a matter of money, and a great deal of it.

However, the most troublesome issue was gunpowder. Gunpowder was a one-use item. On top of that, black powder was a highly unstable substance. For this reason, it could never be stored all at once in a single warehouse. In other words, many buildings with carefully controlled humidity and temperature were needed, which also meant a lot of money.

And in this arms race, the ones who simultaneously reaped the greatest benefits and suffered the greatest losses were the gunsmiths and gunpowder makers.

***

In the history before Hyang’s intervention, the man who created the Ottoman’s famous ‘Urban’s Great Bombard’ was the Hungarian named Orban. Even after Hyang’s intervention, many gunsmiths and gunpowder makers were freelancers. They roamed from place to place, seeking out the nation that would offer them better pay, support, and benefits.

This was most clearly demonstrated by the cannon artisans. They not only built cannons but also operated them. They would take the cannons they made and join wars as mercenaries.

***

The nations participating in the arms race scouted for competent gunsmiths and gunpowder makers.

• Higher salaries.
• Spacious mansions with servants and maids.
• Provision of facilities for stable research and production.
• The bestowment of a title, albeit of the knightly class.

They offered these and many other various conditions to secure talented artisans. The artisans’ families were content with the luxury they had never before enjoyed, and the artisans themselves wore proud faces.

However, as time passed, the artisans came to realize that all the benefits provided to them were a ‘sweet poison.’ They were now bound to the nation that employed them and could not leave. If they tried to leave, thinking of the old days, they would be punished for treason. This was, of course, after being forced to disgorge every benefit they had ever received.

On top of that, they were semi-coercively made to train apprentices, sharing the techniques that only they possessed. Finally, they had to produce results that would satisfy their employers.

The most striking example was that of the artisans in France.

“We can barely make an arquebus, and now you want us to produce the standard-issue long gun!”

“You want us to make cannons out of steel? Cannons are made of bronze! If you make them out of iron, you’ll need an elephant to pull them!”

The artisans protested against the exceedingly high demands, but the French politicians, starting with Louis XI, responded with cold faces.

“The ‘Land of Flowers’ makes them, don’t they? So make them.”

“Quit, and it’s treason.”

***

As the arms race, which could almost be called a frenzy, continued, the competing nations staked their survival on securing the necessary funds.

France, the Ottoman Empire, Portugal, and Florence, which held shares in Suez, were able to lessen the burden somewhat. The dividends from Suez went entirely to the monarchs.

However, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, and England were not so fortunate.

For England, which had not yet annexed Scotland and Ireland, and where the shadow of the industrial revolution was not yet visible, the burden was substantial. Nevertheless, England steadily proceeded with its military expansion. This was because, unlike in the history before Hyang’s intervention, Edward IV, influenced by Hyang, had properly seized power, and the nobles, alarmed by France’s military expansion, were cooperative.

The Holy Roman Empire was treading an even more arduous path than England. This was due to the incompetence of Frederick III, who had ascended to the throne after his predecessor Sigismund, and the chaotic political situation within the empire. Although it bore the title of ‘Empire,’ internally it was fractured into many principalities and duchies. Furthermore, even in its home base of Austria, revolts by the nobles were frequent.

Though he faced a continuous struggle against his own incompetence and external misfortunes, Frederick III had no choice but to join the arms race.

• Now that Constantinople has fallen, I am the only one who can stop the heathens!

It was because he, at least, correctly perceived the reality of the situation.

To improve the worst-case scenario even slightly, Frederick III made desperate efforts. As soon as his brother and most powerful political rival, Albert VI, died, he immediately absorbed Albert’s domains, reducing his financial burden. And he gained the cooperation of the Austrian nobles using methods such as appeasement, threats, and assassination.

• Frederick has changed!

Such a rumor began to circulate about Frederick III’s actions, and it was half-true. His son, Maximilian I, who had just entered his twenties, was the one moving from within Frederick III’s shadow.

Compared to the arduous struggles of England and the Holy Roman Empire, Spain’s situation was slightly better. The African colonies it had secured while competing with Portugal served as an excellent source of funds, and the merchant power of Aragon, one pillar of the united kingdom, was still holding on. This was also thanks to the decent profits it had made by supplying weapons to Genoa, which had wanted to become the protagonist of the Italian Unification movement.

Even so, its situation was only slightly better, not good. For that reason, Spain set its sights on Suez.

“If only we can get our hands on Suez…”

This was also true for the latecomers, England and the Holy Roman Empire.

In the end, even just to secure a stable source of revenue, they needed a war, no, a victory.

***

As the arms race among the great powers of Europe surpassed the ten-year mark, their military forces were nearing a saturation point.

Observing this situation, European intellectuals grew worried.

“If this continues, it will soon spontaneously ignite!”

“All of Europe will be engulfed in the fires of war!”

However, no one readily advocated for ‘disarmament.’ This was because their own compatriots, the Europeans, did not want it. The shocking existence of the empire, which they had encountered as they emerged from the stagnation of the Middle Ages, had made Europeans yearn for change. And in the process of that change, countless ambitious men were bound to appear and disappear.

“The me of yesterday and the me of tomorrow will be different!”

Adventurers filled with the ambition for success and fame boarded ships without hesitation to embark on explorations or joined the army to await war.

In a situation so full of Europeans who desired chaos, shouting for ‘disarmament,’ ‘peace,’ or ‘stability’ was like an east wind in a horse’s ear.

While everyone from the kings above to the ignorant peasants in rural villages below sensed the coming storm of war, others appeared who fanned the flames of chaos even higher.

It was the advent of the doomsday preachers.

In city marketplaces and country fairs, the eschatologists would climb onto wooden boxes and raise their voices.

“Hear ye! Hear ye! The end is near! Soon the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse will appear and lead this world to its end! Open your eyes and look around you! The signs are already overflowing!”

The doomsday preachers loudly proclaimed that the time of the end had come. Their claims were as follows.

• Think of the Mongol invasion and the Black Death that followed! The first seal has already been broken, and the White Horseman has already appeared!
• Now the second seal will be broken and the Red Horseman will appear! No, the second seal has already been broken!
• Look at these powerful armies! That is the proof! We all know a great war will soon break out in Italy!
• Where are the seven hills upon which the Great Whore of the Apocalypse sits[1]? It is Rome! Rome in Italy!
• The war that breaks out in Italy is the beginning of Armageddon!

After listing the evidence that the time of the end had come, the doomsday preachers shouted to the people.

“Settle all your worldly affairs at once and follow me! I will provide you with a place of refuge!”

“Christ appeared to me in a dream not long ago and told me this secret, instructing me to prepare a place of refuge and lead the lambs! Settle your affairs and follow me!”

“Just as God commanded Noah to build an ark, He has commanded me to build a sanctuary! Follow me!”

Across Europe, doomsday preachers spoke thus, urging people to liquidate their assets and follow them.

What was interesting was when different doomsayers encountered one another.

“They are false prophets! Heretics! Those who have fallen to the devil!”

They would denounce each other as ‘false prophets, heretics, and those who have fallen to the devil’ and, along with their followers, engage in bloody clashes.

As these doomsday preachers began to run rampant, the monarchs and the Church of each country began to crack down on them. Though they faced the gallows and all manner of severe punishments if caught, the doomsday preachers continued their activities in greater secrecy.

This movement was even more pronounced in Italy, the future battlefield. Despite the soldiers and priests in charge of city security cracking down hard, there was no shortage of people openly preaching the apocalypse in the public squares.

“Good heavens… to think that pseudo-cults are roaming about right at the Vatican’s doorstep…”

At Seong Sam-mun’s words, Shin Sukju replied with a look of understanding.

“That is how anxious they must be.”

Following Shin Sukju’s comment, Yu Eung-bu also spoke.

“I hear that there are more and more people who would rather a war break out than continue to live in this anxiety.”

“How tragic… Huuuh~.”

Seong Sam-mun, sighing in sorrow, soon returned to reality.

“A war could break out as early as tomorrow. Shouldn’t we evacuate our people who are staying in Italy?”

Shin Sukju shook his head at Seong Sam-mun’s words.

“We must absolutely not be the first to make a move. All eyes in Europe are on us right now. If we evacuate our people, they will take that as the start of the war. To borrow a European expression, we would be the ones to blow the trumpet call to war. And our own preparations are not yet complete.”