“Haaah…”
Staring up at the sky, Kang Baek-du let out a long sigh and with great effort, forced out the rest of his words.
“I must have been crazy…”
The face of Kang Baek-du, who was now uttering words similar to what someone else had once said, was filled with regret.
“What was I thinking, joining hands with a madman… no…”
Suddenly stopping, Kang Baek-du glanced around and then let loose the words he truly wanted to say.
“What am I doing caught between madmen, a gracefully madman, and an even more gracefully madman… Of course, I was a madman too…”
***
The development objective of the ‘Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb’ proposed by Kang Baek-du and Leonardo da Vinci was as follows:
- In the future, the warships of enemy nations hostile to the Empire will become larger and sturdier.
- In step with this, our Empire’s warships will also become larger and sturdier.
- However, the larger a warship becomes, the more disadvantages it has. (omitted)
- Therefore, from the perspective of efficient budget management and securing firepower, the ‘Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb’ is essential.
The proposal from Kang Baek-du and da Vinci was exactly what the Ministry of Defense, especially the Navy, had been itching for. In the naval battles fought in Italy, particularly the one at Corsica, the Imperial Navy had suffered considerable losses.
“If only we had four more assault turtle ships…”
However, the assault turtle ship was a ‘money-eating monster’ in every respect, from construction to operation. Because of this, the Navy’s finance officers had this to say about it:
“The assault turtle ship is a starfish. A starfish that doesn’t eat metal, but only money.”
The smaller warships also had their problems. Being small, they could not carry large and powerful cannons. Therefore, the small warships were forced to engage in close-quarters combat and inevitably suffered the most damage. To solve this problem, the Navy and Areas 51 and 52 had come up with two improvement plans:
- Increase maneuverability by equipping them with small, high-output steam engines.
- Develop weapons that are small but have powerful firepower.
And the new power plant that combined a multi-blade turbine with a simple steam engine was the first answer.
As an aside, a major reorganization of terminology related to steam engines was carried out. Due to the reason that ‘the overlap of propeller and propulsor is causing confusion,’ the part that generated force using steam came to be called the ‘engine,’ and the entire system, including the part that created the steam and the engine, came to be called the ‘power plant.’
This way, whether it’s an internal combustion engine, nuclear fission, or nuclear fusion later on, everything can be clearly distinguished.
While an answer for the first improvement plan had been found, an answer for the second had not come easily. Many proposals had been made, but there was nothing that made them say, ‘This is it!’ It was in this situation that Kang Baek-du and da Vinci’s Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb had appeared. However, with Hyang’s intervention, a situation had arisen that made Kang Baek-du lament his fate.
But Hyang also had something to say for himself.
Who’s calling whom a madman?
***
The role Hyang took on in the development of the Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb was that of review and advisement.
In the old days, I would have jumped into the field without a second thought, but now, the sentiment ‘Am I to do this at my age?’ is more fitting…
And so, Hyang, having attached a suitable title to his name, jumped into the development site. Upon seeing the first blueprint and the scale model, he glared at Kang Baek-du, da Vinci, and the artisans.
“The proposal was clearly for a ‘Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb,’ so why are you sitting here building a ‘Suicide Incendiary Bomb’?”
I came here expecting a torpedo, so why is there a Japanese kamikaze boat from World War II sitting here?!
At Hyang’s point, Kang Baek-du stepped forward to explain the reason.
“A warship on the sea is always moving. Especially when a battle breaks out, it moves even faster and more violently, so it is easy to miss the target. Therefore, the purpose is to maximize the hit probability by having a person on board to steer.”
“Am I not correct in my understanding that the mindset our Imperial Army must uphold includes ‘fighting to the death,’ but not ‘certain death’?”
“It is not a suicide attack. When it gets close to the enemy ship, the pilot is supposed to throw himself overboard.”
“Haaah…”
Letting out a long sigh at Kang Baek-du’s words, Hyang asked again.
“You know how to ride a horse, don’t you?”
“Yes, I learned at the military academy.”
“You know how difficult a technique it is to jump off a running horse, don’t you?”
“…Yes.”
“Do you truly believe that a pilot, on a boat moving much faster than a horse at full gallop, and in a situation where enemy bullets and cannonballs are raining down, will be able to calmly throw himself into the sea?”
“…We will improve it.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it…”
A few days later, Hyang placed a hand on his forehead as he looked at the report and blueprint detailing the improvements.
“Really… now it’s an ejection seat?”
- In the first design, the pilot stood to steer the boat. However, in the improved design, the pilot sits in a chair to steer.
- Upon approaching the enemy ship, the pilot pulls a trigger cord attached to the chair.
- The moment the pilot pulls the trigger cord, the boat’s rudder is locked. Then, a gunpowder charge installed under the pilot’s seat explodes, ejecting the pilot from the boat.
- When the chair lands on the sea surface, the pilot unfastens the safety belt and escapes.
“…Eunuch!”
Hyang, who had been reviewing the proposal and blueprint without a word, called for his attendant.
***
“Why would he suddenly summon us to a shooting range? And the one in Sugang Palace, at that. Do you have any idea what’s going on?”
At da Vinci’s question, Kang Baek-du shrugged.
“I don’t know either. But I have a rather uneasy feeling.”
“You don’t think he plans to use us as targets, do you?”
“Don’t even joke about such things!”
“S-sorry.”
Although he had snapped at da Vinci to shut him up, Kang Baek-du was just as anxious. When the two men arrived at the shooting range, Hyang was waiting for them.
“Follow me.”
Leading the two men up to the firing line, Hyang loaded his shotgun with buckshot and continued speaking.
“I read your improved proposal. Ready! Using the power of gunpowder to launch the pilot into the sky… Pull!”
Thump! Thwack! Shatter!
The moment Hyang’s command was given, soldiers used a small catapult to launch a target. Hyang aimed at the target soaring through the air and pulled the trigger. The target, made of earthenware, shattered into pieces upon being hit. Having destroyed the target, Hyang turned his body and glared at da Vinci and Kang Baek-du.
“I’m sure you understand what I’m trying to say.”
“Yes.”
“Yessir!”
At Hyang’s words, Kang Baek-du and da Vinci answered immediately. He was saying that even if the pilot managed to escape safely, he would end up just like that target under enemy gunfire and artillery.
“And to add to that, how do you propose to retrieve that ejected pilot? In the middle of a battlefield where bullets and cannonballs are flying thick and fast, how?”
“…”
At Hyang’s final point, Kang Baek-du and da Vinci fell silent. Hyang, looking at them, clicked his tongue.
“Tsk tsk tsk!”
You should have at least thought that far!
“I will make a decision here and now. Abandon any thought of putting a person in the Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb! An arrow that has left the bow, a cannonball that has left the cannon, a bullet that has been fired from a gun cannot change their course mid-flight. So why are you being so needlessly greedy?”
“Compared to bullets and cannonballs, the manufacturing cost of a Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb is very high. We felt it would be a serious problem if the hit rate was low after spending so much money to make it.”
“We also believed that there is no weapon that would instill more fear in the enemy than a bomb chasing after them.”
“That is no reason to risk a person’s life. This is an order.”
“Yes.”
And so, the ‘manned guidance function’ was deleted from the Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb.
“If we do this, it will just charge straight ahead like a wild boar…”
“It can’t be helped. What the Emperor Emeritus said was not wrong…”
Da Vinci and the artisans, swallowing their disappointment, designed the bomb without the manned function.
“Hmm… now this is a bit better.”
Looking at the new blueprint, Hyang finally nodded his head. But a moment later, he took his golden brush and began to write a document.
However, a torpedo must be a torpedo.
When da Vinci, Kang Baek-du, and the artisans received Hyang’s document, they all twisted their heads in confusion.
“Huh?”
“Eh?”
“What?”
- The launched Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb will travel underwater to strike the enemy ship.
Upon receiving Hyang’s requirement, da Vinci, Kang Baek-du, and the artisans all had the same thought.
This madman!
***
Until now, the body of the Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb designed by Kang Baek-du, da Vinci, and the artisans had the shape of a traditional boat.
‘It moves on the sea = it moves on the surface of the water.’
This was the common sense of the time, which was why they had all thought, ‘He’s crazy!’ the moment they saw Hyang’s requirement. And the officials from the Ministry of Defense and the Navy who heard of this requirement went to see Woo, and Woo went to see Hyeon.
And Hyeon went to see Hyang.
“Your grandson is too foolish to understand why the Emperor Emeritus has requested such a condition. Please, look upon your grandson with favor and tell me the answer.”
At Hyeon’s request, Hyang explained the reason.
- If it travels on the surface, it is greatly affected by wind and waves. However, if it travels at a moderate depth underwater, it is less affected by wind and waves, so it can be used more effectively.
- If it travels underwater, it is difficult for the enemy to notice until it gets close, so it is very advantageous for a surprise attack.
“…That is why I requested underwater travel.”
“I see.”
Hyeon nodded at Hyang’s explanation, but his face was still full of worry.
“However, as it is an unprecedented request, I am worried whether it can truly succeed.”
“That is why they must strive to figure it out.”
And the artisans, who had heard Hyang’s answer relayed back down the chain of command, let out a long sigh.
“Huuuh…”
But da Vinci’s eyes began to gleam.
“Unprecedented… In other words, if we succeed, it means I will be the first in the world, will I not? Come on, everyone! Cheer up!”
At the sight of da Vinci encouraging his fellow artisans, Kang Baek-du shook his head alone.
“This seems like madness…”
However, the situation went from bad to worse.
Upon hearing the news that ‘da Vinci is encouraging the artisans and devoting himself to the research,’ Hyang personally visited the workshop in Area 51.
“…You are all working hard. It is thanks to your hard work that the peace of our Empire is protected.”
“You praise us too highly.”
After commending the artisans, Hyang finally turned to da Vinci.
“It is an unprecedented task, and the difficulties will be unimaginable. However, if you can succeed, the result will be tremendous. Think about it! If the underwater travel of the Self-Propelled Incendiary Bomb succeeds, couldn’t we also build a warship that travels underwater? Imagine a warship that moves beneath the waves and fires Self-Propelled Incendiary Bombs at enemy ships! Wouldn’t that be incredible!”
“Oh! Oh! Ooh! Yes! Yes, it would!”
Watching da Vinci become ecstatic at Hyang’s idea, Kang Baek-du screamed internally.
No! They’re all mad! I have to get out of here!
But he could not leave his post.
“You must help da Vinci diligently! His talent is outstanding, but he is very lacking on the military side. Especially concerning the navy, he is very lacking, so your help will be crucial.”
“I will help him with all my life and soul.”
At Hyang’s words, Kang Baek-du had no choice but to answer with the feeling of crying while eating mustard.