**Chapter 96: Proving They're Cowards (2)**
The glass artisans brought by the Ottaibi family were heading to District 51 under the watch of soldiers.
"How on earth did this happen... Why am I with you..."
Among the two artisans, the taller one glared at his companion with the most aggrieved expression in the world.
However, the shorter artisan who was the target of his complaints answered with a completely relaxed expression.
"Well, it was a bit tough on the body, but we've come to a country I've never seen before in my life, right? Maybe we can break free from our humble lot as common craftsmen in tiny Murano and really turn our lives around!"
"You bastard! Is this a good thing? A good thing?! We're not going to turn our lives around - there's a much higher probability that our lives will be completely ruined!"
"Wow, the great Raphael is cursing? Wow! That alone makes it worth coming all the way here!"
"To think that bastard is my friend... Lord... how did it come to this..."
Tall Raphael grumbled while looking up at the sky. His companion then patted his shoulder and said.
"Don't be like that. We've known each other since we were 8 years old, after all."
"Damn it!"
* * *
Raphael and his companion Pietro had become friends on the island of Murano.
Having met when they entered the famous glass artisans' guild of Murano as apprentices, the two had不知不觉 become lifelong friends.
After enduring the arduous apprenticeship period and reaching their early twenties, the two were recognized as artisans (Jornaman).
"Pietro is 23 and Raphael is 22, correct?"
"Yes, Master."
"Becoming an artisan at that age is no easy feat. It means you both have that much talent and put in the effort. Congratulations."
"Thank you, Master."
At the guild master's praise, the two bowed their heads.
"Both of you can read, can't you?"
"Yes, Master."
At their answer, the guild master held out a letter sealed with wax.
"We've decided to break the taboo of recent times and revive the tradition of the artisan's journey. This is a letter of introduction to the glass guild master in Florence. Go to Florence and gain experience."
"Understood."
"Thank you!"
At the guild master's command, Raphael answered with a calm face, while Pietro answered loudly with a beaming expression.
Watching Pietro's reaction, the guild master turned to Raphael.
"Raphael. The reason I'm sending the two of you together this time is precisely because of him. Pietro - he has good skills but he's too flighty. I'm worried he might cause some accident, or become the victim of one. Please guide him well."
At the guild master's words, Raphael asked with a slightly troubled expression.
"Does it have to be me?"
"At least that reckless one listens to you, doesn't he?"
"...I understand."
And so began their artisan's journey. When looking at the map to decide their route, Raphael simply chose a land route, but Pietro insisted on going by sea.
"Why struggle over mountains? Let's go to Genoa and take a ship! It's a bit of a detour, but we can get there faster!"
"What if we get caught by pirates?"
"Is traveling by land safe? What about bandits? Either way, it's fifty-fifty. Let's just take a ship from Genoa, and with the extra time we can do some sightseeing! They say Genoa, Pisa, and Florence have so much to see!"
"Should we?"
At Pietro's final words, Raphael was also tempted. Having been cooped up working only on the island of Murano for over 15 years, Raphael too had grown restless.
In the end, the two took a ship from Genoa. And unfortunately, they were caught by pirates and sold as slaves in Alexandria.
* * *
"Pietro, aren't you worried at all? About Alexandria, and now here too?"
"Worried? What good does worrying in advance do?"
"Haa~."
At Pietro's optimistic answer, Raphael let out a long sigh.
"Man! Even those fierce pirates treated us well when they found out we were glass artisans, didn't they? And look, they took off our handcuffs and shackles as soon as we arrived! Do you really think they'd work us like slaves?"
"That's true, but..."
"Cheer up, I said! We've come to the 'Orient' we only heard about in stories! The Orient!"
"Damn 'Travels in the Orient'..."
When Pietro mentioned the 'Orient', Raphael cursed. During their apprentice days, one of the things that helped them endure the hard labor was the 'Travels in the Orient'. The two would forget their fatigue by imagining the distant exotic lands mentioned in the book.
Raphael, who had been grumbling at the mention of 'Orient', suddenly glared at Pietro.
"You! Did you do this on purpose?"
"No! Even I wouldn't gamble on something like that!"
Pietro, who strongly denied Raphael's accusation, looked around and chattered.
"Hey! There are beauties here too! And lots of them! Hey! Hey! Raphael! Look at this road! They paved it with cementum!"
"Hmm?"
At Pietro's words, Raphael turned his eyes downward.
"This is..."
Raphael examined the road with surprised eyes. Instead of being paved with stones, an incredibly wide smooth road stretched out before them.
It was a road he could never have seen in Italy where he lived. He was certain that even the Appian Way, which he had only heard about, would not be this wide and flat.
"Have we really arrived in the Orient? Could this be Zipangu?"
Raphael looked up and surveyed various parts of Hanseong.
* * *
Arriving at District 51, the two waited for Hyang in a small room.
"I'm getting hungry..."
When Pietro, feeling hungry, opened the door, the soldier guarding it glared at them with fierce eyes.
"Hey there! I'm hungry!"
Pietro pointed to his mouth with his finger, rubbed his belly, and gestured to convey his meaning.
Seeing Pietro's gestures, the soldier said something to the soldier standing next to him and left his post.
A short while later, the soldier returned carrying a large tray covered with a cloth.
"Gratias."
Pietro took the tray the soldier held out, expressed brief thanks, and brought the tray inside.
"Smells good, doesn't it?"
Pietro sniffed at the aroma and removed the cloth covering the tray.
"Is this a fried dish? Judging by the size and shape, is it fish?"
At Raphael's assessment as he approached, smelling the food, Pietro made a pained face.
"No... I don't like fish... It brings up painful memories of Murano..."
During their apprentice days, when they were hungry, they would go to the nearby coast and fish until they were sick of eating fish.
While Pietro hesitated, Raphael picked up a piece of the fried food and took a bite.
"It's chicken! And it's delicious!"
"Chicken?"
In an instant, the two devoured the pheasant on the tray. At that moment, they completely forgot where they were and what their situation was.
It was the moment the two became addicted to pheasant.
* * *
"What did you say?"
Having finished his dealings with the Ottaibi family and returned to District 51, Hyang's eyes went wide at the absurd report.
"Is this true?"
"It is true. Between the two of them, they ate 8 pheasants."
"Well... did the Ottaibi family starve these people before bringing them?"
Hyang was dumbfounded.
Honestly, even ordinary Joseon people would eat one pheasant by themselves. Good eaters would consume two, and occasionally some would eat three. But four was unheard of.
In any case, having entered his office in District 51, Hyang called for Raphael and Pietro. He then asked Hassan, who had followed, to interpret.
"I know some Latin but can't speak it properly, so Instructor Hassan, please handle the interpretation."
"Yes, Your Highness."
"Good. Was the meal to your liking?"
Through Hassan, the two nodded with satisfied expressions at Hyang's question.
"It was an excellent meal."
"I'm glad you were satisfied. Now, let's properly discuss your status."
Hearing Hyang's words through Hassan, the two looked at him with tense expressions.
"First, I'll state that neither of you are slaves."
"Thank you!"
At Hyang's words, both of them - especially Raphael - expressed sincere gratitude.
"What the two of you will do in our Joseon is to teach and supervise glassmaking. The service period is 10 years initially. After that, we'll negotiate again. Any objections?"
"10 years initially? What about after that?"
"Either you renew the contract, or I'll let you return to your homeland."
"Will you really let us return to our homeland?"
At Raphael's question, Hassan answered immediately.
"His Highness the Crown Prince is someone who always keeps his promises. And if he had no intention of keeping his word, he wouldn't have released you as free men."
After pondering Hassan's explanation for a moment, Raphael answered first.
"Very well. In any case, we must rely on the Joseon prince's goodwill for now, so there's no choice."
"...I agree as well."
When the always-cautious Raphael made the decision first, Pietro had no choice but to follow.
"They say they'll accept the contract."
At Hassan's interpretation, Hyang moved to the next item.
"Next is perhaps the most important matter. How much were you paid?"
At Hyang's question, Pietro answered immediately.
"It was 8 ducats in silver!"
At Pietro's answer, Raphael looked at him with surprised eyes. In reality, the salary they had received was 2 ducats in silver per month.
'You crazy bastard!'
Raphael cursed Pietro internally. Raphael could understand why Pietro had said that.
This Eastern nation needed glass artisans, which was why they had brought them here.
They had been recognized as free men, and would certainly pay them a salary - thinking this was a golden opportunity, Pietro had exaggerated his claim.
'But what if the lie gets discovered! How could you think of exaggerating in this situation! You madman!'
Raphael kept making eye signals, but Pietro just smiled cheerfully as if to say it was fine.
"What level is 8 silver ducats?"
At Hyang's question, Hassan searched his memories for a moment before answering.
"It's been a long time since I left my homeland, so comparison is difficult, but according to my childhood memories, a skilled artisan's monthly salary was about 4 silver ducats."
"How long has it been since you left your homeland?"
"20 years."
"Hmm..."
'Considering inflation... Still, at their age... This is bluffing. Definitely bluffing.'
Having confirmed it was a bluff, Hyang silently observed the two. While the tall man kept rolling his eyes, visibly anxious, the short man looked back at Hyang with a bright smile.
After watching them, Hyang made his decision.
"4 nyang of silver."
At Hyang's decision, Hassan immediately translated for the two.
"4 nyang of silver. In ducats, that's 4 silver ducats."
"8 sil..."
When Pietro tried to insist on 8 silver ducats, Raphael interrupted.
"4 ducats! Fine! We'll do it for 4 ducats!"
"They say they'll accept 4 ducats."
At Hassan's words, Hyang nodded.
"Good. Then let's draw up the contract."
Once a contract written in both Chinese characters and Latin was prepared, Pietro and Raphael read it carefully.
"Is the content really the same on both sides?"
"It is."
At Hassan's answer, after a moment of hesitation, Raphael held out his hand.
"Please give me a pen."
When Hassan took out a golden pen at Raphael's request, Hyang interjected.
"Ah, there's one more condition to add. You must learn our Joseon language within 3 months. Until then, I'll pay 2 nyang of silver monthly. If you don't learn it within 3 months? Then I'll pay only 1 nyang of silver monthly until you do."
"Isn't that too harsh?"
When Raphael protested, Hyang answered directly without interpretation.
"So you expect me or Instructor Hassan to follow you around and interpret for you every day?"
"..."
At Hyang's words, Pietro spoke up instead of Raphael.
"What if we learn it faster than 3 months?"
At Pietro's question, Hyang burst into a chuckle.
"Confident, are you?"
"We won't know until we try, will we?"
"If you learn our Joseon language faster than 3 months, I'll add 1 nyang of silver per month."
As soon as Hyang finished speaking, Pietro held out a paper to Hassan.
"Please write down that condition as well!"
And so, after the signing and sealing of the revised contract was completed, Pietro and Raphael returned to their assigned rooms.
"Instructor Hassan, please look after them for the time being."
"I obey your command, Your Highness. However..."
"Is something worrying you?"
"Isn't 4 nyang of silver per month too generous? That amount would be a 9th-rank official's salary among the administrators currently serving."
At Hassan's objection, Hyang answered with an expression that said it was nothing.
"The technology they possess should be worth that much. And isn't it just a matter of extracting that much value from them?"
In that moment, Hassan felt pity for the two Italians.