《How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony》 Chapter 1 - 1: Transported "Haah, I''ve moved all the packaging materials. Is this all I have to do today?" After moving hundreds of boxes of styrofoam packaging, I wiped off my sweat and lay down on the floor. It might seem strange to mention now, but Japan is experiencing an epidemic. This isn''t about C*VID. It''s an incurable disease that has been passed down from ancient times and still hasn''t been eradicated. Surprisingly, it''s said that this epidemic only infects retired, leisurely couples in their 50s and 60s. The transmission vectors include shows like ''I Am a Farmer'' and ''Return to My Hometown''. I call it the ''farming disease.'' I don''t know why my parents, who lived their entire lives near Tokyo and never even tried weekend farming, suddenly got the idea to set up a 13,200 square meter Shine Muscat grape farm. ...Well, actually, I do know. That lady who usually pushed multi-level marketing products onto my mother probably whispered strange ideas about ''an easy way to make money while living peacefully after retirement.'' With such grand aspirations and romanticism about farming, they moved to the countryside, where ''the air is good, the water is good, peace prevails, and people are kind.'' They impulsively spent a fortune on Shine Muscat farm equipment, which was supposedly ''so popular among young people that they can''t keep up with demand.'' When I mentioned their bad backs weren''t suitable for grape farming, they confidently claimed that modern equipment makes it manageable. And exactly 1 year and 4 months later... ''Sorry, son! Guess we''re city folk after all~^.^'' ...With such a message, the farm was passed on to me. How convenient(?) that their son had just lost his job due to C*VID and was drifting. How timely(?) that my parents'' backs were breaking from the harsh farm work. It was a perfect storm of factors: the annoying swarms of mosquitoes and bugs in the countryside, the more troublesome than expected pruning and fertilizing, and so on. "Sigh, now that everyone''s jumping on the Shine Muscat bandwagon, the grape prices have hit rock bottom!" No one''s around to hear my sighs as I open a can of beer from the refrigerator. It''s been about 5 years since I suddenly gave up city life in Tokyo in my early twenties and settled in this grape farm. I must be single-handedly lowering the average age of this neighborhood by at least 5 years. Normally, being a city person through and through, I should have quit this unexpected farming business after a year or two. Unfortunately, until C*VID hit, Shine Muscat really was ''so popular among young people that they couldn''t keep up with demand.'' In other words... "The net profit is how much? Haha, HAHA! I guess I''ll be growing Shine Muscat for at least 20 years!" I made quite a profit too. For exactly three years. However, that success was too sweet for someone who had failed miserably with only 14 views on the web novel I casually tried writing after losing my job. Just like the taste of Shine Muscat grapes when the farming was going well in the beginning. "Success is... it''s a drug... a drug... Shouldn''t the government prevent people from succeeding? What are the Japanese police doing?" I''m still stuck in this business for 5 years because I can''t forget that taste. Still, after 5 years, this work has become somewhat manageable. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The neighbors who initially gave me a hard time for being a young bachelor now exchange potatoes and chickens with sympathetic looks. I''ve also become familiar with spraying pesticides, watering, pruning, and other tasks, making it much less burdensome to farm alone. Of course, during harvest season, there''s too much work for one person to handle. But it''s fine since my slightly apologetic-looking parents and their excited prospective farmer recruits come to help. "Come to think of it... harvest season is coming soon." This countryside house where I live alone will become noisy again soon. The precious leisure time I''ve barely been enjoying will disappear. Ding dong. "Ah, it''s here!" This means my hobby time will disappear too. "Are you Mr. Kin Issei? Please sign here." "Ah, yes. Yes. Thank you!" But that shouldn''t happen yet. I showed a friendly smile to the postal worker, then came inside and immediately opened the package. The contents were none other than the pre-order limited package of this year''s 4th quarter''s most anticipated open-world stealth action RPG, ''Immortal Order: Origin''! It''s the long-awaited prequel to Fansuku Software''s masterpiece series about the protagonist''s struggle against a secret society behind major historical events like the American Revolution, Civil War, and both World Wars. I heard that this edition finally reveals the hidden origins and truth of the secret society that has been carefully concealed throughout the series while dropping numerous hints. I haven''t touched the internet for two days to avoid spoilers. Swoosh. Thud. Ah, the carefully crafted packaging has that special unboxing satisfaction. ''In the 16th century, England under Queen Elizabeth dispatched settlers to Roanoke Island to establish their first permanent colony in North America. ''In our world,'' that attempt is known to have ended in terrible failure. But what might be the truth behind it...'' Wow. The localization is perfect too. From today on, I''ll bow three times toward the publisher''s direction. They even included detailed maps and descriptions of the Roanoke colony and its surroundings in an antique style. Very thorough. This is a satisfying package. Just when portal sites show despicable related searches like ''Shine Muscat tastes bad'' when you search for ''Shine Muscat'' in this grape apocalypse situation, I spent a whopping 15,840 yen. Therefore, this game cannot be boring. No, it''s impossible for it to be boring. I immediately entered the CD key from the package and swallowed my saliva. The Fansuku Software logo appears with their signature big-eared Mr. Fansuku''s face, and the majestic BGM makes my heart flutter. Then comes the black screen. When I select ''yes'' to the Japanese dubbing option, text and voice rise with flames above the selection screen. ''You are sufficiently prepared.'' Yes. I''m very prepared. ''You have earned the right to peer beyond the secrets that have accumulated, beyond hundreds of years, to glimpse the truth.'' If I spent 15,840 yen, it''s only natural that I should have the right even if I didn''t before. ''O immortal one who will transcend time, a new world now calls to you.'' ''Migrate to the New World'', ''Give up'' ...Migrate to the New World? Strange. The ''Immortal Order series'' traditionally has a ''Confront the Society'' button on the start screen as its signature. Well, it''s a prequel, so this fresh change isn''t bad. That''s what I thought as I moved the mouse. Crack. Somehow, an ominous thought crosses my mind. Somehow... somehow... Usually in web novels, doesn''t something ominous happen at times like this? Like getting sucked into the screen when I press this start button. "Ha... harvest season is coming soon and I''m having strange thoughts." Click. ... ... ... See, nothing happened after all. Feeling stupid for having such thoughts, I got up while hitting my own head. I even did some stretching, thinking maybe blood wasn''t flowing to my brain properly. When I looked back at the screen, there was only one line written on the black background. ''...You clearly agreed.'' And then the computer turned off. "..." Click. Click. "..." It wouldn''t turn back on. Chapter 2 - 2: Unwitting Pioneer I stood there staring dumbly at the darkened monitor for a long time. "Ha, is this for real? I paid 15,840 yen and the computer shuts down as soon as I turn it on? What kind of optimization is this..." Click. Oh, the power''s out too. This house, filled with my father''s dreams, hopes, and retirement money, runs on solar power. Talk about bad luck. I quickly threw on my coat and went outside. Let''s see, the circuit breaker, the circuit breaker... Ah, here it is. Click! Soon the LED bulb above my head flickered and the lights came back on. Relieved, I returned to my room, turned on the computer, and clicked on the ''Immortal Order: Origin'' icon... Again, the black screen appears with Japanese subtitles and dubbed voice. ''You are sufficiently prepared.'' ''You have earned the right to peer beyond the secrets that have accumulated, beyond hundreds of years, to glimpse the truth.'' ''O immortal one who will transcend time, a new world now calls to you.'' And now it was time for the words ''Migrate to the New World'' and ''Give up'' to appear. Come to think of it, it is strange to have a ''Give up'' button on the start screen. ''Immortal one, you have already migrated to the new world. There is no turning back.'' "..." ''This migration was your choice. Endure with will and perseverance.'' "..." ''May fortune favor your path ahead.'' "..." For some reason I don''t understand, the text has changed. Click. And the game turned off again. The Windows default desktop welcomes me back. Why? Did they make another crappy game that crashes? Have these bastards developed the bad habit of finishing the game after selling it? Do they think gamers are a joke? Do they think consumers are a joke? Click again. Click. ''Immortal one, it''s futile. Bear the consequences of your choice.'' Crashes again with that message. Click. ''Immortal one, will you become a pioneer of the new world within infinite blessings? Or will you become a slave to fate?'' Click. Crashes again. Click. Clicks again. ''Immortal one, are you unable to face reality?'' Click. Click. ''Immortal one, this is the sixth time already. Clinging to vain hope will accomplish nothing.'' Click. "..." What''s this? Did they actually set different start messages for each crash to add to the frustration? Trembling... My hands are shaking. 15,840 yen. A hefty sum equivalent to about 14.6 times the 2024 minimum wage. For some, it might be what they earn in a day or two of loading and unloading work, but for me, who inherited a debt-ridden business, it''s not a light amount at all. "Grrrrrr... My 15,840 yen, treated like this...!" Anger boils up against the Fansuku Software developers who did such a sloppy job with optimization. Hatred overflows for the marketing team who packaged and sold an unplayable game at an insane price. I''ll rip their guts out... Slap. Whew. One slap to my cheek brings me back to my senses. Get it together. What''s all this fuss about just one game? To clear my head, I went to the bathroom to wash my face and looked in the mirror. "Huh?" And I notice something strange. Whiteheads. Blackheads. Dark circles. Acne. And various other skin blemishes from working hard under the blazing sun. They''re all gone. My skin is as clear as when I first entered college. Even the facial wrinkles that were starting to form and the moles that had appeared here and there have all disappeared. It''s like my face has returned to several years ago. ...No way. I wondered if this might all be an elaborate prank... but I''d read too many web novels during my unemployment period. Reincarnation. Regression. Possession. Transported . I hurriedly felt my face and body. Since I clearly haven''t returned to being a baby, it''s not reincarnation. Looking at my reflection in the dark monitor, apart from the improved skin, I don''t seem particularly younger, so it''s not regression either. Even blinking and looking more carefully, there''s no sign of change in my face, so I haven''t possessed someone else''s body either. Therefore. Transported . "...H-hey, no way. How could something like a transported actually exist?" I deliberately whistled while putting on my hiking boots and stepped outside. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And. "Sssssssp." As I breathe in, the faint salty smell makes my mental state crumble. It''s the seaside. There''s a sea nearby. This is strange considering my farm was originally in Ueda City, Nagano Prefecture. Because Ueda is inland. ''...What about the salt damage!'' As soon as that thought hit me, I started running straight toward the grape farm. Are the Shine Muscat trees all safe? And those things I just recently expanded into! "...huff, huff, they''re... safe..." Black Sapphire. A new variety I hurriedly brought in after the tanghulu boom hit Japan. Along with other alternatives I invested in heavily as the Shine Muscat trend was declining. Though they''re only in their first year of grafting and haven''t borne fruit yet, I can already picture the grape clusters that will hang abundantly next year. These guys are my future livelihood. At least while the tanghulu trend lasts, they''re filial products that will slowly help me pay off my debts... huh? ''I don''t even know what strange place I''ve landed in, yet I''m worried about debt and new varieties first?'' ...Really, I can''t emphasize this enough ¨C you shouldn''t do businesses that bring in large sums of money at once. Your brain gets pickled in dopamine and you can''t escape from it. Anyway, even while realizing this fact, I couldn''t wipe the pleased smile off my face as I left the grape farm. Then I started walking around the approximately 13,200 square meter house and farm. Even after just a brief look, I could tell the general situation. Dense forest filled exactly everything beyond my property line. Beyond the green metal fence that separated our farm from other farms was all unknown woodland. Or more precisely, it felt like our farm had been wedged into a space that was originally filled with lush, dense forest. "..." I felt like an uninvited guest in this space. This alien feeling, as if I''d fallen into a completely separate space and time. ''Transported.'' Trying to push away this ominous feeling that was coming back, I started exploring the farm again. First, the warehouse. Creeak. Creeeak. As I open the aluminum shutter, the interior of the warehouse comes into clear view. First, the excavator (not mine) and the used Hijet van (mine) parked in that corner are safe, and similarly, the stacked pesticides, portable generator, and various materials and equipment are all in place. Then after leaving the warehouse and carefully closing the shutter door, I head toward the modest chicken coop... Cluck. Cluck. Cluck cluck. "I''m so anxious... but you guys are living the good life, huh?" The hens and roosters are happily pecking at feed together inside the wire mesh, enjoying their leisure. I got them from a neighbor and somehow got attached, so I couldn''t bring myself to eat them and kept raising them, but their numbers have increased insanely, making them my number one worry lately. Finally. Creeeeeak! The bags of potatoes and sacks of corn stored in front of the cold storage. These are also burdens I took on from neighbors who said they had too much, but for some reason, right now they give me a sense of security. ...Why do they make me feel secure? Weren''t these things I''d just stashed in front of the cold storage because I had no use for them either? ''Well, I wonder why?'' Trying hard to suppress the ominous feeling again, I return home. The tomatoes and peppers my mother grew in the garden greet me in front of the house. Thump! "Haaa... at least the farm is safe, but..." Lying on the sofa lost in thought, I could no longer maintain my mental victory. Reality only brings sighs. "...Where exactly is this place?" While looking around the farm, I kept glancing at the forest beyond, but the tree species were unfamiliar, and I couldn''t see any of the usual neighboring houses. No matter how I look at it, this isn''t Japan. Then is it safe out there? In this strange place with unexplored forest stretching out and salty winds that will surely be fatal for farming? ''...No, I still need to go check it out.'' Well, what if it''s not safe? Shouldn''t I know what dangers are out there to respond to them? What good would it do to stay cooped up here in fear just because the house is safe, not knowing what might jump out of that forest? Sighing, I changed my clothes piece by piece. I put on my work clothes, the sturdiest clothes I own, with hiking boots, and just in case, I grabbed a sickle and machete for self-defense. Ah, I almost forgot the flashlight and backpack. And as I step outside, the salty wind hits my face again. "This is... really scary." Somehow, muttering such things to myself helps reduce the tension. I awkwardly pull out the machete and make motions of swinging it around before swallowing hard and moving forward again. Come to think of it, why did I bring a machete? What, am I going to slice up a bear if one appears? What if I meet people? Am I going to kill them? Me? Someone who lived in Japan where they not only record the fingerprints of all 50 million citizens but even assign identification numbers to monitor them? Someone who lived in a country where I thought the public safety was beyond good, it was almost scary? My teeth chatter. Even as I lock the gate of the fence and activate the security system, I can''t shake off the tension. Just one more step and I''ll be in the unknown forest. I don''t even know if this is Japan or somewhere else, and I can''t be sure if whoever or whatever I encounter from now on will be friendly. From now on, the only things I can trust are my own physical strength and the machete in my hand. Crunch. I stepped forward, treading on unknown grass. Soon, the green shade blocks the hot sunlight and limits my vision ahead. Countless spreading trees sway in the wind, confusing me. The extreme tension I''d only experienced in adventure novels or games becomes reality, and it''s hard to bear. My head feels like it''s going to explode. My hand tightens on the knife handle. Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. After walking a few more steps like this, I was now completely in the forest. "Hnnnnng." First, the air is... clean. That means there''s no pollution at all. My heart grows heavier thinking about how this is air that''s hard to experience in Japan. Good Lord, to think I''d miss air full of fine dust. Moreover, the shapes of the birds flying around and squirrels scurrying about here and there were quite different from what I used to see daily in the mountain behind my neighborhood. How many minutes had I walked through the forest like this? I still hadn''t encountered any people or large animals. I''m not sure if that''s fortunate or not. I felt like I could sum up my observations so far in one word. Unknown. Basically, except for the blue sky and the sun rising in the south, nothing was familiar. Ah, well, at least being in the Northern Hemisphere is reassuring... like hell it is. Slash! Swish! Now I''m swinging around the machete I was afraid to take out earlier, cutting away branches that get in my way as I walk. Thoughts like ''What if all this is actually a hidden camera prank?'' helped drive away some of the fear in my heart. Acting childishly, pretending to be an adventurer by crouching while walking and striking poses, whistling to myself ¨C these silly actions helped relieve my terror. Anyway, after walking for quite a while, the salty sea smell persists and the forest shows no sign of ending, so my house must be quite deep inland. Oh, I can make such rational judgments now. I guess I''m getting somewhat used to this strange land... "H-h-help... me..." A human voice? And in Japanese? I felt my heart instantly relax at the words from somewhere. And at the same time, I became anxious realizing that voice sounded half-dead. "Please... help... me..." Moreover, listening to the content, someone is clearly asking for help! I quickly held my breath and strained my ears to gauge the direction the voice was coming from. Given that I could hear it without them shouting, they can''t be far away. "Someone... please... save me..." Left! I rushed forward, cutting down the trees in my way. My arms and legs got slightly scratched by thorns, but shouldn''t saving someone come first! "Where are you! Where are you!" As I got closer to where the voice came from, I shouted for the first time since entering the forest. Between the sounds of startled birds taking flight at my shout, a death-cry-like scream returns. "H-here! Over here!!" It''s right behind. I turned around, parted the thick undergrowth with both hands, and jumped over. And. "...Huh?" "P-p-person... human..." I froze for a moment. The scene illuminated by my flashlight was tragic. About thirty people. People so emaciated their eyes were sunken, either writhing on the ground without the strength to stand or completely passed out. And just one person. "H-here...! There''s someone here...!" Just one person, a young woman barely conscious, weakly waves her arm and mumbles as she turns her head toward me. "Thank heavens, I hear English...! English...! Finally, the rescue fleet has..." And she too freezes when she sees me. What I clearly heard was natural, fluent Japanese. But the young woman now making eye contact with me... is Caucasian. And she''s wearing what looks like a period costume. She''s definitely not some broadcast reenactment actor. Only then do I recall one passage in my mind. ''In the 16th century, England under Queen Elizabeth dispatched settlers to...'' The introduction text on the back of the ''Immortal Order: Origin'' package. ''...Roanoke Island to establish their first permanent colony in North America. ''In our world,'' that attempt is known to have ended in terrible failure.'' Plus. ''Immortal one, will you become a pioneer of the new world within infinite blessings? Or will you become a slave to fate?'' That enigmatic message from the game''s start. I finally understood the nature of this ''transported.'' And where this is. This is North America. Chapter 3 - 3: Providence Eleanor''s memories of her mother are hazy. Her father said she was a good person, so she just accepts that. In truth, even the feeling of missing her is faint. Ironically, her first memory of her mother is her funeral, which says enough. The image is still vivid: her mother being lowered into the coffin, gradually covered with earth, and raindrops falling on the gravestone marked with a cross. Even now, when she thinks of her mother, she remembers the gravestone more clearly than her face. And the sight of her father embracing that gravestone and crying after seeing off the mourners. "Fa... father, are you crying?" Eleanor was still young then, but looking at her father''s face turning toward her, she vaguely realized something. That she was the only one left to comfort her father. Because neither her deceased mother nor her brother, who died as a newborn, were there by his side. Her father''s face brightened slightly upon seeing young Eleanor. Eleanor smiled back at her father then. She held back her tears and acted the part of a lively 10-year-old daughter. Responsibility. That word was engraved deep in Eleanor''s heart at that moment. Even when they first set foot on the strange American soil just last year. Even when the colony fell into chaos due to lack of food. Even when her father left for England to find food right after Eleanor gave birth to her first child. ...Even when her husband died from a stray arrow. She never lost that sense of responsibility. That responsibility drew people to her. Though just 19 years old, and a woman at that, people gathered around her. As the daughter of the governor, she made her decision. "Let''s go to Croatoan Island! We''ll wait for father there! Surely, father will return, and the friendly natives there will accept us!" However, at the same time, she was just 19 years old, and a woman at that. People had already lost faith that her father would return. They left on their own for the land of the friendly Chesapeake tribe. They thought it better to entrust themselves to friendly natives than wait for her father''s relief. All that remained were a few people who had been close to her father John White, women without husbands... and her one-year-old daughter Virginia. Thus, including herself, just 34 people total. Only 34 out of 107 remained. ...No. Despite her being a woman and only 19 years old, 34 people stayed with her. Eleanor strengthened her hope in the midst of despair with this thought. So in 1588. They set sail for Croatoan Island. And in the process, they lost several more to a storm. That left just 32 people total. Only 32 people were able to set foot on Croatoan Island. They had no food. Somehow, they ended up on the coast where no natives lived. "Walk! We''ll cross through the forest to where the natives'' village is! Soon we''ll all be able to live!" She spoke with a forced smile... but honestly, there was no hope. It would take quite a long walk to reach the native village, and these sick and starving people no longer had the strength to make it there. And even if they reached there, it would still be problematic. If they were lucky, they might receive food and shelter while waiting for rescue, but what if there were communication problems? Every possibility pointed to one outcome. Death. Still, Eleanor walked at the front. She was the first to step into swamps where men hesitated, and she lit fires while holding her child, telling hopeful stories to her companions. And when they had walked about halfway across the island. Thump. "Ugh, uuugh..." "Damn it all! Mr. Hewett has twisted his ankle! Mr. Hewett, Mr. Hewett..." "I... I''m done here... everyone go on..." "Eleanor, what should we do?" The final moment had come. One of their company could no longer walk. Virginia, cradled in Eleanor''s arms, now slept all day. So quietly that she could die at any moment. One by one, they collapsed. Eleanor sensed death here. She had watched her philandering husband die before her eyes. Besides him, many companions and friends had left her side. Some died, some betrayed her. These were unbearable times for a mere 19-year-old girl. But they were times she had to endure. But... now it''s too much. "L-let''s camp here." "Eleanor...?" "Don''t worry. Tomorrow, the kind natives will... save us..." "..." "..." Everyone caught Eleanor''s lie, but they all said nothing and collapsed onto the ground. This would be their end. One by one, they closed their eyes and grew quiet. Had they all departed for the Lord''s kingdom? Yes... now I too... Surge. ...I have to leave now? "Ah, ahh... hic..." I, I''m only 19 years old. Fear, sorrow, and directionless anger that she thought had been dulled while leading the group and weathering terrible experiences welled up. No. I don''t want to die. So she clawed at her throat and spoke. "H-h-help... me..." Anyone would do... Please, please just one more chance. Lord. Please. ... ... ... And then a miracle came. "Where are you! Where are you!" Someone comes running, shouting in fluent English. ...Through her blurring vision, a person''s silhouette appears. A mysterious... and kind-looking man. Though he didn''t seem to be European... he wore strange but obviously sturdy clothing. He held a large steel sword in one hand. Its blade glinted sharply as if prepared for righteous judgment. Also, in his other hand he held a lamp... no. The man held light in his hand. It was pure white light like the sun! He illuminated her companions with it and then began to speak in a whisper. "144,000... 144,000..." (14:3) And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. No one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. Ah. Aah. "All starving... must feed them quickly..." Grab. Eleanor unconsciously grabbed the man''s wrist. And with courage from who knows where, she spoke thus. "An... angel..." "..." "Take me, or at least my child, to heaven." Desperately. "Please... to the Lord''s side..." With that, Eleanor lost consciousness. == "One, two, three, four... thirty people..." The number of people dying of starvation in front of me right now. "H-hey! Is everyone alive?" ...They are alive. They''re starved to the point where their stomachs are stuck to their backs, one is a baby, and one even seems to have injured their leg, but miraculously they''re all still breathing. "An... angel... please..." W-well, the woman who suddenly grabbed my wrist just now seems okay too. For now. Anyone can see they''re one step away from death in their current state. "Eat this and open your eyes... ah, how can I feed this to starving people...! Just let it melt for now! Okay? Don''t swallow, just let it melt!" Since all I have to eat is chocolate, I unwrap them and put one in each person''s mouth, and they all twitch at the sudden sweetness. Yes. Just put it in your mouth and let it melt. Slowly melt it and eat it. Please live. Please...! ...Arrrrgh! ''You take 15,840 yen... you take 15,840 yen and make people suffer like this, you bastards...?'' I really feel like crying. Now I understand the unusually detailed text on the back of the game package and those meaningfully mysterious opening phrases. ''O immortal one who will transcend time, a new world now calls to you.'' You damn game narrator. These days we don''t use terms like ''new world.'' Then are all the people who originally lived in the ''new world'' ''new humans,'' you bastard? Anyway, so I''ve been transported to a failed colony in America? And to the crazy Elizabethan era, 400 years ago at that! I''d rather be sent to 21st century America, even if it''s the hood where kids play with guns and fentanyl is everywhere. Send me back to modern times, I''m saying! People can''t live on grapes alone, and without great knowledge or helpers to assist, how can I survive... ...Wait. The game package. I thought while pouring the last chocolate milk into the mouth of the starving child the young woman was holding. There''s information in the lengthy catalog included with the game package. The detailed maps of Roanoke Colony and the surrounding area with explanations of resources and terrain that were ''somehow'' written in detail. The timeline of historical events from that period with similarly detailed explanations that were ''somehow'' kindly prepared. If that was for this moment... If that information is the path for my survival from now on...! I quickly grabbed my flashlight and machete and ran back toward my farm. Seeing these people stirring, they seem to have passed the immediate crisis, but I haven''t given them proper food yet. If I don''t want to let them die, they need medicine and food right now. And... no. First I need to memorize all the content in the game catalog! == "Please... wait..." She saw an angel. He disappeared swinging his great sword, just as he had arrived. And the sweet food he poured into their mouths, when they slowly melted and ate it, strength naturally welled up in their bodies. "Ugh, uugh..." "Mrs. Dare? Are you conscious?" Her closing eyes open. Her stiffening limbs move again. Eleanor realized she had walked back from death''s door. The others had similar expressions. "Oh, oh Eleanor...! I, I saw an angel! He saved us!" "I wasn''t the only one who saw him? An angel with a sword in hazy light put sweet fruit in our mouths..." "Mrs. Dare? We''re all alive! We''re alive! Ha, hahaha!" "..." Eleanor Dare still hadn''t regained her senses. Everyone had awakened from the death that had been approaching like sleep after eating the sweet fruit he gave them. At first after waking, she thought she might have had a hallucination, but it was certain since most of her companions here testified to seeing it together. He was either an angel, or at least a righteous person sent by the almighty Lord. "What could it mean that we saw an angel here? An angel who appeared in non-European form at that! Isn''t this telling us to build a new colony on this land and spread the gospel to the savages?" "We are 32 people. How can we build a colony here?" "Well, when Mrs. Dare''s father returns, won''t the scattered people gather again?" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That''s right! We''ll build a church right here, till fields, and together with people..." "W-wait a moment!" But Eleanor had to calm the people gathered here. Whether they had just met an angel or some unknown righteous person, excessive excitement was forbidden. "Nothing about our immediate situation has changed. We still have far to go to reach the native village, and one of our company is even injured." "..." "..." Yes. Someone had to tell the cold truth to people lost in hopeless optimism. Did food magically appear? No. Did the injured person miraculously heal? That too, no. Nothing had changed. "Sigh... but since the ''person'' who helped us wasn''t European, they were probably a righteous native." She took a step back to prevent religious fervor from blinding reason and maintained a reserved attitude. "So that righteous native might soon bring their tribe''s people to help us. They''ve already given us food without reason. Then we won''t need to abandon Mr. Hewett and leave." While doing so, Eleanor breathed new hope of a different form into these people to keep their spirits from falling. The leadership she gained while overcoming her father''s absence led her to make the best judgment. "Th-that''s true!" "This worked out well! It means if we wait here, hope will appear somehow!" ...Yes. She needed to cool their heads. Thinking about it again, it''s hard to believe that someone was an angel. They must be a noble from some native tribe around here... "But, they could speak English, right?" "...Pardon?" "Those mysterious clothes, and what was that mysterious lamp they held?" "..." "And above all." Talkative Margaret picked up the scattered golden wrappers and said, "I don''t think fruit with such shiny wrapping could exist in the New World. What is this? It seems like cloth, but golden on the outside and silver on the inside..." "..." ...Why is their side more logical? Come to think of it, how did they speak English? Did they learn from some passing Englishman? But we are the only ''passing English people'' in this area! And they spoke too fluently for someone who''d only studied for a few years! Ugh... my head hurts. The mysterious light of that angel she saw then still seemed to ripple in Eleanor''s eyes. ...No. No matter what, they couldn''t really be an angel. Isn''t it odd for an angel to suddenly appear in non-European form? What angel would... just like in Revelation... "...In 1587, John White''s pioneering group arrives at Roanoke Island. In 1588, after the Spanish Armada is defeated by England, John White, who couldn''t sail during the war, finally returns to Roanoke in 1590..." ...What... uh... not warning about the future... "Plus the French Queen Mother Catherine de'' Medici dies in 1589. Plague strikes London from 1592 to 1593... oh, Descartes was born in 1596? Shakespeare was from this time, right? Romeo and Juliet comes out in 1597... ah, this kind of information isn''t necessary... oh, the French Wars of Religion end in 1598. I should remember that." Rustle. "...Ah, everyone''s awake? How are you all feeling?" ...Huh. The companions tried to get up but slumped back down. The ''angel'' had returned. Chapter 4 - 4: Infinite Blessings Rattle rattle rattle. Thud. Whew... gathering food and medicine for thirty people was beyond my physical capabilities. I barely made it here pulling a cart and carrying pole. "...Ah, everyone''s awake? How are you all feeling?" "..." "..." What''s this? Why is there no response from anyone? Is it because I''m too unfamiliar? Or are they discriminating against me because I''m not white? No wonder these people''s descendants did Brexit. Evil English bastards, is this how you treat someone who saved your lives? I guess you shouldn''t take in dark-haired beasts after all. As my expression slightly hardened... this time the atmosphere suddenly becomes uncomfortably tense. "..." "..." "..." What''s really going on? The racists exchanged glances among themselves, and after sharing some hand signals and eye contact, one person stepped forward. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Probably their leader... huh? A young woman around my age. How strange. There seem to be many people older than her? Why? Is she noble? While I was looking at her in bewilderment, she suddenly bowed deeply and greeted me... "Th-th-thank..." "..." ...Was that supposed to be a greeting? "Th-th-th-thank you..." "Please, calm down." "...Yes." "Take deep breaths too." "Huup. Haah. Huup. Haah." "..." "..." "..." "...Do you have any other words to bestow upon us?" "..." Is she nervous? Well, it''s understandable to be nervous meeting an armed adult male in a strange land. Especially with two children and an injured person among their group. Plus I''m wearing clothes that look like they''re from another planet. I waved my hand to reassure the woman before me. "Please relax. I have no intention of harming any of you. I merely brought some food because you looked starving." "..." "Since it wouldn''t be good to suddenly eat your usual food when you''re starving, I brought ''these'' for now." I handed over a bundle of ready-to-eat meals and patient food in cans to the woman before me. "...Huh? Ah. Yes." I thought she might relax now, but no. People''s eyes just lost focus. "Like this, pull the ring on top to open it and you can drink the contents. Understand?" "...Ah, y-yes, I understand." "For now, use that as a meal substitute... here, I brought some light fabric that you can use to make tents." "F-fabric?" "Yes. And here are bandages and splints for the person with the injured leg..." "..." "...Well, that''s everything. Do you have any questions?" "Ah, um, that... thank..." "Then I''ll be going." "Yes..." "Ah, let me say this just in case." Shing. I drew my machete. Though I helped them out of pity, there are still thirty of them. Thirty starving, unfamiliar outsiders. Better to prepare in case they become raiders. "...''We'' would prefer if you didn''t follow ''us.'' ''We'' have our own circumstances." "..." "..." "Farewell." ...Did it work? Seeing how they all basically froze, it seems to have worked. Good. I''ve hidden that I''m alone, and shown the message that ''I also have force,'' so immediate safety is secured. Just need to help them for about three more days... "I-I am Eleanor! Eleanor Dare!" "..." Hm? A sudden self-introduction? Should I reveal my name too? "...Nice to meet you, Eleanor." No. That probably won''t be necessary. I casually acknowledged her greeting while turning around. Then I deliberately took a roundabout path home to avoid revealing the route. == Thump. ''...W-what was that conversation just now?'' It was hard to even breathe. If God were to ask about the most frightening and tense moment in my life after death, I would point to that moment just now. "He said plague will strike London! That''s just a few years from now!" "H-has there ever been a time when London didn''t have plague? He might have just guessed..." "Then what about saying the French Queen Mother will die next year?" We heard a ''prophecy.'' "Is that the issue? He said Governor White might not return until ''90!" "The angel... what exactly was he foretelling?" Instantly the surroundings become chaotic with people kneeling, making the sign of the cross, and praying. Though the area became noisy, honestly Eleanor wasn''t concerned at all about things like plague coming to London or when France''s war would end. There was only one piece of news that concerned Eleanor. Now is 1588. "In 1588, after the Spanish Armada is defeated by England, John White, who couldn''t sail during the war, finally returns to Roanoke in 1590..." Father, who was expected to return around now... won''t return for two more years? Because of war with Spain? Eleanor wanted to just cry... but... Looking back, thirty people were staring at her. She couldn''t show fear or mental collapse in this state. If she collapsed, everyone would collapse. She forced her trembling lips to rise. "I-it''s good that father is alive...! Isn''t it? He will definitely return! Plus we have this friendly person who gives us food and fabric for tents!" Those two things at least could be viewed positively. As Eleanor lifted the mood, the atmosphere of the group that was falling into panic gradually calmed, and everyone''s reason returned as they started murmuring conversations. "No matter how you look at it, he didn''t seem like an angel, did he?" "But he didn''t seem like a native from around here either..." "He spoke English better than the other natives we''ve lived with, didn''t he? Isn''t that right?" Yes. That unidentified man''s actions were too ''human-like'' to be an angel. Worrying about Eleanor''s companions, measuring his attitude, carrying and moving each piece of luggage ¨C none of it seemed like a transcendent angel. However... "Did you hear just now?" People''s voices naturally quieted. Since many in this group were poor, their attention automatically focused when they heard the voice of a ''high person.'' The lawyer ''sir'' Thomas Hewett with the twisted ankle spoke to Eleanor Dare. "He referred to himself as ''We.'' Like some king." He did. At that time, Eleanor was afraid to even speak to the being before her. "His build was different from the natives around here. He seemed about 6 feet tall but his face was pale, as if unaccustomed to hard labor." "Ah, that''s right, Mr. Hewett! I heard Mongolians and Chinese people look like that..." "Perhaps he''s some very, very noble person from the East, Mrs. Dare. Why such a person would be here alone..." "Could he be an explorer? Or maybe exiled..." "Just a moment." Someone interrupts. When Eleanor turned her head, it was the goldsmith William Brown. Having just received the drink from that maybe-eastern-prince being, his eyes were wide and his hands were trembling. "Why, what is it, Mr. Brown?" Eleanor asked Brown with an inexplicable anxiety, and he answered. "Th-this drink container. Don''t throw it away, any of them. No, gather them all in one place!" "Why so suddenly? It''s just an iron can..." "This isn''t iron? Why doesn''t iron rust even after holding liquid?" "...?" Lighter than iron. As strong as iron. Doesn''t rust. "Then what on earth is this?" "...!" Friendly native (X). Maybe eastern prince being (O). Angel (...???) Eleanor didn''t sleep at all that night. == The next day, I prepared to visit the English people again. Just need to gather weapons, medicine, bandages, and ready-to-eat meals. I put 30 cans of ready-to-eat meals from the drawer into a box, and opened the cabinet to take out painkillers and bandages for the injured... "Painkillers, painkillers... huh?" Why are the painkillers all full? I definitely gave them to the English people yesterday? ...Did I count wrong? I stuffed what I needed into my backpack anyway. Anyway, when I returned to the English people, for some reason they all had dark circles under their eyes. These people, after I went to the trouble of bringing them food and everything, what did they do all night without sleeping? When I held out a box of ready-to-eat meals, Eleanor stepped forward like yesterday, bowing her head as she received it. "Th-thank you..." "You all should stay here for now. There are some injured people, and it could be dangerous if you try to move recklessly right now." "Um... here..." "What is it, Mrs. Dare?" Eleanor held out a pouch to me with trembling hands. "...We thought about it all night, and it doesn''t seem right for us to keep these..." "..." Empty cans. "W-we can''t dispose of them anywhere, so we thought we should return them to you first..." I was surprised. Surprised at their character. "Thank you... for saving us..." ''Thanks for saving us but you clean up the trash.'' As expected of citizens of a pirate country, they must have completely worn away even a shred of conscience. "...I understand for now." I sighed while accepting the cloth-wrapped empty cans. Right. These might be useful for recycling someday. Like yesterday, I returned home taking a roundabout path while giving appropriate threats and warnings. Since I erased my footprints and cleaned up other traces properly while coming back, they shouldn''t be able to find this place. ...Is this right? "Hah, this isn''t something I should be doing." Working hard and sweating for two days to feed racist English bastards. It''s pathetic. Still, unlike them, I''m a ''civilized person'' so I can''t just let people die. Bear the yellow man''s burden, Kin Issei...! Let''s stop the nonsense. Walking toward the house entrance while looking at the farm, the grape harvest season is already approaching. I''m worried about how I''ll handle all those grapes alone, and what I''ll do with them after harvesting. ...Just full of worries. As soon as I got home, I collapsed on the bed and studied the ''Immortal Order: Origin'' catalog intently. Here''s the name Eleanor Dare... found it. "John White''s daughter, gave birth to Virginia Dare, the first English person born in the New World... Ah, so that baby she was holding was her daughter? She looks so young but already has a child?" Well, it''s the 16th century. Not strange at all. While resting my tired body like that, I glared at the promotional text on the back of the catalog that now looked suspicious. ''Series'' first full Japanese localization!'' ...Right, so that''s why I could communicate perfectly with 16th century English people. You transport someone with their whole farm and don''t give them a translation cheat? I would have changed history to prevent Fansuku Software from ever being established. ''Immortal one, will you become a pioneer of the new world within infinite blessings? Or will you become a slave to fate?'' Even completely ordinary words like ''localization'' had chilling meanings hidden in them. Could there be some profound meaning in phrases like this too? Why do they keep calling me immortal one? What are these infinite blessings? ...Ah whatever, these bastards who suddenly transported someone right before Imjin War aren''t going to kindly explain everything. After struggling to examine the catalog like that, it was already past 12 and the date had changed. My morning person lifestyle pattern was ruined from carrying luggage and working hard today. Since I couldn''t sleep anyway, I sighed and got up to wash my face first. "...Right. Let''s prepare what to distribute tomorrow." I immediately took out 30 cans of ready-to-eat meals from the drawer and put them in a bag, then opened the cabinet to take out new bandages and medicine. Since I usually keep and check emergency supplies, the amount should be sufficient... ...Huh? "What... hey, why is it full today too?" The bandages are full. The medicine bottle with painkillers is the same. It should definitely be empty from yesterday and today''s portions. Shaaaaa. Oops, I went crazy and didn''t turn off the water after washing my face... ...Huh? I''ve been transported to 16th century North America full of wilderness, but clean water keeps coming from the faucet? The bandages and medicine I definitely took out and distributed earlier have been refilled? "..." ''Infinite blessings.'' I checked the drawer again. The ready-to-eat meals hadn''t been refilled. Come to think of it, I cooked rice and side dishes yesterday too, but the rice, vegetables, and meat weren''t refilled either. ''Food doesn''t get refilled?'' It was just a rough guess, but it was probably certain. The ready-to-eat meals I distributed to people then weren''t refilled. Ah, speaking of yesterday. Yesterday the batteries died so I couldn''t bring the flashlight today. My fingertips started trembling slightly. No way. Nah, no way. I opened the drawer near the shoe rack where I usually keep batteries. ''EnerXizer ¨C Strong and Long-lasting!'' Full. "..." The next day I tried using up all the batteries. I also used up the gasoline from the warehouse by pouring it out and burning it. Besides that, I used, threw away, and wasted all kinds of resources in the house except food. I deliberately threw and broke the robot vacuum cleaner I rarely used. When midnight passed, everything was restored. "..." Universal language cheat. And probably a resource cheat too. Now I stood in front of the bathroom mirror with uncontrollable emotions. Since I was in the middle of shaving, my chin was covered in shaving cream (infinite replication). After taking a few deep breaths... I try shouting. "Status window!" ... "System! Status!" ... Silence. Would have been embarrassing if someone was nearby. Ah, why give everything but the most important thing? I sighed and picked up the razor again. After shaving off the dark stubble and checking my philtrum, I saw a small cut. "Aish, why do I always make mistakes at annoying times like this?" I quickly wiped the blood and put a band-aid on the small cut. The band-aid will be replicated again after midnight anyway. And then I went straight to sleep. ...Right. It''s funny but now I feel somewhat relieved. At least I can maintain a modern lifestyle except for internet. At least I won''t ruin the grape farming from lack of agricultural water. ... ... ...Still, they could give at least one more cheat. Even if not a status window, couldn''t they give something like mind reading or SSS-rank swordsmanship? Hmm... ah, whatever. I should be grateful for even this much. == And so Kin Issei put a band-aid on the small cut on his philtrum and fell asleep. And beneath the band-aid, quietly, so quickly that the sleeping Kin Issei wouldn''t notice the anomaly. The wound healed. It took less than a few seconds for the wound to disappear without leaving a scar. From the computer Kin Issei left on before falling asleep, a small voice could be heard. ''Immortal one, will you become a pioneer of the new world? Or will you become a slave to fate?'' ''Immortal one.'' ''...Immortal one.'' Chapter 5 - 5: Negotiation Ah, waking up feels so refreshing. Why? Because I confirmed that my modern lifestyle isn''t terminal? Because I won''t run out of pesticides when growing grapes? Because I can use everything semi-permanently - the computer, shower, dishwasher, and even the Nintendo Switch? Swoosh! "Ha, hahaha...!" That''s right. Just taking a shower alone makes me laugh and brings tears of joy to my eyes. If you ask why... it''s because I''ve been experiencing pre-modern life despair in real-time for the past few days. I still remember the sight of those English people I met yesterday. People who couldn''t wash properly, trembling in fear of death from injuries without antibiotics or basic medicine, on the verge of starvation when they opened their eyes. I thought I would become like that in a few months. To be honest, between me, a fragile modern person, and the English people who survived in 16th century savage London, who would be tougher? My situation could only be worse, not better, I thought. But not anymore. I have properly sanitized tap water. I won''t run short of drinking water, and I won''t get skin diseases from improper washing. Plus, I have unlimited electricity and oil. When I checked yesterday, the excavator works fine, and the Hijet van starts well too. In other words, I can farm with 21st-century equipment! Even if they break down, they''ll probably return to normal after midnight! Which means. I won''t starve to death. I checked the potatoes in the cold storage facility first thing in the morning. They''re all in good condition, not rotting. Then I checked the vegetable garden and chicken coop near the house. Tomatoes and peppers are growing, and Koke-kokko are steadily laying eggs. ...You guys are now my food supply source. I definitely remember reading on wiki that humans can survive on just milk and potatoes. If I can farm potatoes well and raise chickens, I can significantly reduce the risk of starvation. Moreover, with chickens and eggs, I won''t have to risk getting shot by a blind native''s arrow while recklessly hunting in this area to get protein. Thinking about this made me feel much more at ease. Since antibiotics regenerate infinitely too, I won''t die from disease, and I won''t starve to death, so the biggest threats of the pre-modern era are solved. So now I can just live peacefully farming... ''How many square meter is our farm again?'' Area of 13,200 square meter. ''Security personnel?'' 1 person. "..." No. This isn''t right. Even those 30 dying English people were threatening enough that I had to bluff and hide my location, can I live like this forever? That''s nonsense. It''s now the late 16th century. According to the information confirmed through the catalog, it''s sometime between 1588 and 1590. Looking through the historical information written in the catalog, Jamestown, famous for Pocahontas, is established nearby in 1607, and the famous Mayflower lands at Plymouth in 1620. Within 20 to 30 years at most, other white colonists will flood this place. How will they react when they see a strange Asian person owning such a farm? Will they kindly and gently respect my ownership? Those human trash who asked for recycling separation after I gave them food...? Absolutely not. ''And white people aren''t the only threat.'' It''s just propaganda to portray North American natives as bloodthirsty murderers obsessed with scalping people. At the same time, it''s also propaganda to make North American natives look like fools who were helplessly massacred by white people because they were naive and innocent. North American natives are people too. Seeds far superior to what they have. Farming tools incomparably better than theirs. Infinite clean water and all sorts of resources. These things suddenly appeared in their territory without permission? And only one person is guarding them? If it were me, I''d kill and take it. Therefore, conclusion. Everyone is a threat to me. From the threatening and strange nature to the English people and natives, everyone. Among them, the immediate danger is... ''...those 30 people.'' They haven''t shown particularly friendly behavior towards me, nor have they shown particularly hostile behavior. Let''s say they''re neutral entities. However, they''re currently the only group that recognizes my existence and could show collective behavior. ''I need to somehow reach a resolution with those people...'' According to the records, the colony failed, diplomacy with the natives failed, and supplies expected from the mainland didn''t arrive, causing them to split into two groups. One group went north. The other group came here where they could see the sea well, looking for a friendly tribe and waiting for John White who hurriedly returned to the mainland to request relief supplies. In other words, they''re in a desperate situation with insufficient supplies and no help available. And desperation... makes people capable of anything. For example, killing their benefactor who saved them and seizing their house and farm. If they lack force, they could contact the group that went north. ''...This won''t do. I need to find a ''means of communication''.'' I should first figure out how that group of English people will move. At the same time. I''ll shake them up in my own way. I grabbed a simple ''means of communication'' and organized my thoughts. First, I need to intimidate them. Not by taking actions that might seem hostile, but by showing off our force. So they won''t even think about attacking us. While doing that, it would be good to create a situation where they would take some kind of action. To check their attitude... right. England and Spain are currently at war. I should use that point. I put down the ''means of communication'' in the shoe rack for a moment, changed into the sturdiest clothes I had, and grabbed a machete too. Good. This should do it. == "Today... is he not coming?" Attorney Hewett nodded solemnly at Eleanor''s words. "On previous days, ''He'' came around noon. Perhaps something came up today." "But yesterday he definitely said he would come today..." It was already late at night. Everyone had gone to sleep since the sun set, and only Eleanor and a few others were keeping watch, guarding the surroundings. However, even those on watch duty were sitting without energy. It couldn''t be helped since they hadn''t eaten anything all day. They were afraid of irritating the friendly savages around if they went hunting, and they needed the food that ''He'' brought to move around freely. The night forest was dark and scary. Their nerves were on edge every time unknown birds and beasts rustled through the undergrowth. Eleanor felt her shoulders involuntarily shrinking. Hungry, thirsty, and above all, tired. ... ... ... As her eyes were slowly closing in the darkness and silence... Weeeeeeeeeng! "Wh-what?" "What''s happening, Mrs. Dare!" "Ju-ju-just now, there was a roaring sound from over there...!" It didn''t sound like a normal beast''s cry. It was something fast, sharp, and dangerous. Due to the recent roaring sound, the group members started waking up one by one. And each time, the roaring sound changed direction and gradually grew louder. People gathered in one place at the approach of something unknown. The men held crudely carved spears, and some uselessly fiddled with already broken matchlock guns. Eleanor felt her hands getting sweaty. What is it? What could that sound be...? Woooooooong! At that moment. "Eleanor, get out of the way!" A familiar shout came from behind Eleanor. As Eleanor quickly moved her body at that shout... Weeeeeeeeeng! ''Something'' brushed past where Eleanor had been. And the shrubs that were where it passed by were cleanly cut away. Wood and grass pieces flew everywhere, causing Eleanor to involuntarily scream. "Kyaaaaaah!" Eleanor tightly closed her eyes... then slowly opened them. "Whew. Sorry, Eleanor. I didn''t know you were behind the shrubs." A familiar face was standing in front of her. As ''He'' moved his fingers, the buzzing roar stopped and the vibrations shaking the air ceased. Eleanor saw something in ''His'' hand. A strangely shaped... ...saw? "Are you alright?" "...Y-yes." Words wouldn''t come out properly. After falling on her bottom right where she stood, she barely managed to control her trembling body and said. "U-um... h-h-hello..." Eleanor, Attorney Hewett, and all the other awakened people looked at the path created behind ''His'' back. Trees that seemed to be an armful thick had been cleanly cut down. The logs were sprawled like corpses. "Hiccup." Eleanor hiccupped without realizing it. == Um... was that too much? But it should have been effective, right? "Kyaaaaaah! Robert wet himself!" "P-p-please spare us, Angel...!" "D-don''t worry, everyone! It''s ''Him''! It''s ''Him''!" "..." The effect was excessively good. Since everyone seemed scared, I slightly lowered the chainsaw and said. "Everyone, please calm down. I''m not armed because of you." "Kyaaah! Kyaah!" Weeeeeeeeeng! "Please calm down." "..." "..." "..." Indeed, the chainsaw is an excellent means of communication. Everyone quiets down really quickly. Anyway, I should get to the point. "The reason I''m armed like this... is because of Spanish ships." Oh. No. There was something scarier to them than a weapon they didn''t even know about. Instantly, all the English people gathered here closed their mouths and turned their heads towards me. "If... if you mean Spanish ships...!" Eleanor''s face turned pale. Since it seemed like all sorts of thoughts were rushing through her head, I just nodded appropriately. "That''s right." The Anglo-Spanish War that started in 1585. A war that broke out when England supported the rebellion of Dutch Protestants under Spanish rule and sponsored pirates to plunder Spanish ships. Spain, which exploited all of Central and South America except Brazil, and England, which exploited Spanish merchants through piracy. As befitting a war between two maritime powers, battles took place all over the Atlantic. ...according to what was written in the records. Anyway, since Spain actually sent warships when they heard news of an English colony being established in this area, it''s not a completely groundless lie. "Um... d-did they land?" Eleanor asked, squeezing out her voice. I shook my head. "The Spanish?" "Yes." "As you know, isn''t this area treacherous? They seemed to have retreated to the nearby coast after losing their anchor in several approach attempts." "..." "But this is just their first attempt. They will return." What if the Spanish land here? They''ll kill everyone who speaks English. Or they might take them prisoner and burn them alive. "..." "..." Everyone''s faces gradually turned white. Just now, my statement served two functions. First, it made them afraid. Now they can''t leave this island to take substantial action. Because they don''t know when the Spanish might come. And now they''re forced to make a choice one way or another. Either flee to the safe inland or quickly make contact with the friendly natives of this island. Whichever they choose, it won''t cause me any harm. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And secondly... "J-just a moment. I am Thomas Hewett." "Speak." "Then, d-did you watch out for the Spanish?" "Yes." Made them think of me as ''one of them.'' ''Look. This Asian person knows European affairs very well. He knows your situation too.'' ''And this Asian person isn''t friendly with Spain, your enemy.'' As if reading such messages, people''s gazes at the chainsaw I held gradually softened. Because we are ''allies.'' "...Why?" Of course, I thought some would be curious about why this Asian person is wary of the Spanish. I turned my gaze to the man who asked me the question and said. "You don''t need to know that reason." "..." Sometimes appropriate mysteriousness creates authority. There''s no need for me to reveal my cards. I''m not in a position where I need to explain everything to them. I am superior to them. Realizing this fact, the man who seemed to have quite a high position here naturally lowered his head and finished speaking. I put down the convenience food on the ground and spoke casually. "Either way, you English people will have to make a decision when the time comes. Eleanor Dare, what will you do?" "..." Her face stiffened for a moment. She seemed to feel the weight in my words. As the leader of the group, as someone standing at a crossroads of life and death, she must have many worries. She parted her lips several times, then closed them again. Unable to speak carelessly, she looked around at other people''s gazes. The other English people were also now looking only at Eleanor. She bowed her head deeply and answered. "...We''ll need a meeting today." "Whatever you decide, I hope you make a wise decision. Rest well tonight." "...Thank you." "Then, goodbye." With those words, I turned around and started the chainsaw again. Everyone flinched this time too, but their reaction wasn''t as dramatic as before. == "...Mrs. Dare? Mrs. Dare?" "...Yes." "What will you do?" "..." Mr. Hewett, whose ankle was gradually healing, limped over to Eleanor. The governor''s daughter and a high-status lawyer. Since most others were from slums or just ordinary middle class, these two had somehow become the decision-makers. Tension filled the faces of people gathered around the fire. They watched the conversation between the two with bated breath. Eleanor felt pressured by the 60-some gazes fixed on her... then spoke while poking the firewood with kindling as if nothing was wrong. "The plan remains unchanged. When everyone recovers their strength here, we need to entrust ourselves to the friendly tribe of this island. And wait for the relief fleet." "Didn''t we accidentally attack this tribe''s allies last time? They might not be exactly friendly to us." "Then what should we do? Is there another way?" "...Now there is." "..." There is. Another power to rely on. A power wealthy enough to accept them, and even friendly at that. "...We don''t know anything about ''Him''." But Eleanor couldn''t know if that path was right. "Is He an angel? Maybe. An Eastern prince? Could be. But... I''m hesitant to make a choice when we don''t know the outcome." "Madam, we don''t know this land well either. Even Columbus thought this was India." "..." "But we came here. Have courage." Eleanor fell into thought at those words. Then she looked at the rest of the people. Among them were people who had suffered terrible lives in London slums like Southwark or Houndsditch. Most were unmarried women around Eleanor''s age. Father told them there was a path other than becoming prostitutes, beggars, gambling addicts, drunkards, or beaten wives. He said a new life awaited in the New World. So they came across the Atlantic, more than 3,000 miles from London. ...If they entrust themselves to the savages now, can they continue the colonization project? They are neither wealthy nor comfortable. Even with their help, they can''t establish a self-sufficient village among themselves and dream of a ''new life.'' But. ...But, if they have another path. If there''s an unknown path whose end hasn''t been revealed yet, and if there''s even a thread of hope there. "...Alright." Eleanor made her decision. == The next day too, I walked to the English people carrying convenience food. I didn''t even bring the chainsaw this time but... "Um, perhaps... could you... accept us? We''ll do anything!" Like this, another ''means of communication'' was established. Chapter 6 - 6: First Impressions "Um, excuse me... would you... possibly... accept us? We''ll do anything!" Perfect. I barely held back from cheering at that response. Finally, I had found a ''friendly force'' in this strange world. With just me alone, survival in this world would be nearly impossible. The natives who would want to eliminate the strange person who suddenly appeared on their land. And the white settlers who would want to eliminate the strange person who just took someone else''s land. I need to maintain balance between the two while pursuing my own survival. And right now. "...I cannot give you an immediate answer. Let me think about it for a moment." "Uh... what?" This is my last chance to gain an advantage over these white settlers. The English people before me are just 30 people. Since I saved them from starving to death, if they''re human, they should understand gratitude. Moreover, they approached me first, humbling themselves while their resources and weapons were in poor condition. This is the best case scenario among the situations I had imagined. Therefore. I showed hesitation at first. I couldn''t just accept eagerly as that could expose a weakness. "..." "..." The longer I remained silent, the more anxious the English people became. After several minutes of thick silence had passed. When I opened my mouth, everyone''s attention focused on me just from that. "...Very well." And when my answer came out, cheers erupted along with prayers and sobbing from all around. Eleanor too seemed unable to suppress her emotions as her hands trembled while she lowered her head and clenched her fists... then raised her head to speak. Her eyes were red. "Th-thank you..." "However." I raised a finger in front of the excited Eleanor. "Having you all come to our settlement would be burdensome." "If-if you just let us settle nearby, that would be enough! If you could share just a little food..." "Would that be sufficient? If you build a village near our settlement, we can help you establish yourselves. I can provide seeds and tools if you wish." "..." "In return, just keep one condition." "...What''s the condition? We''ll keep anything!" To Eleanor''s question, I answered while trying my best to maintain a gentle smile. "...I only wish for our friendship to continue." == ...It was unbelievable. Eleanor almost pinched her cheek. Permission to come near the settlement. Help with building a village. Support with tools and seeds. And in return... nothing. She was dumbfounded by the unbelievably generous terms. She felt like a child who had received an unexpected gift. "We-we can''t just keep receiving! If there''s anything we can give you, we will!" "Oh? What can you give me?" "Mr. Nichols here is a tailor! If you have any clothes that need mending..." "I have sufficient clothing." "Ah... then..." "It''s fine. For now, we''ll need a few days to prepare, so please wait." "...Thank... you." "Not at all. If you feel bad about it, you can help with labor occasionally." After that, a few meaningless pleasantries were exchanged, and he left. "..." "..." "..." No one could speak first as they looked at each other. The painful times they had endured flashed through everyone''s minds. Even getting to the New World had been a series of hardships. Due to the sudden whim of the navigator, they had missed the farming season, and ended up settling on Roanoke Island, full of wetlands, which wasn''t even their intended destination. Several people died when they encountered hostile tribes while trying to catch fish and crabs. In retaliation, they launched a night raid but mistakenly attacked their allies. After constantly starving, several more people drowned while coming to this Croatoan Island, and here they had nearly starved to death again. Eleanor could imagine all sorts of horrible possibilities. They could have killed each other fighting amongst themselves, or been killed in attacks by hostile tribes. If that ''helping hand'' had been even slightly delayed... that''s probably what would have happened. And now that savior promised another opportunity. He said he would help them achieve their reason for coming here, their ''new life''. "Co-could this be Satan''s temptation? Like maybe hell awaits if we follow him to his settlement..." "What kind of Satan would bring medicine and food every day to people who are dying of hunger?" "...Well, that''s true." Kindness without cost. Faced with kindness they had never experienced before, with such a huge opportunity in an unexpected situation, people spouted nonsense wondering if there was something more to it. Even while knowing there wasn''t, just because, it didn''t make sense. "Well, ''he'' said he would return tomorrow, so let''s all stop talking and sleep early! We''ll have to move again starting tomorrow!" At Eleanor''s words, people began lying down one by one. Under the tent made from cloth ''he'' gave. Sipping the mysterious drink ''he'' provided. Fiddling with the mysterious metal container ''he'' gave. They dreamed of tomorrow''s hope. They couldn''t fall asleep. There was no reason to sleep and dream. Tomorrow they would see their dreams come true while awake. "..." Eleanor felt the same way. Eleanor had been nothing until now. But now somehow... she had become a leader figure, at least among their group which consisted mostly of women and children, and was on the verge of establishing a new colony. Finding new allies they hadn''t found before, meeting new people they hadn''t met before. Eleanor looked at the beautiful engravings and mysterious letters on the metal container. Those unknown characters, sometimes square and sometimes round, looked more like mathematical symbols than letters. And Eleanor couldn''t read a single one of them. Going to an unknown world. Maybe that man was the king of a kingdom full of gold and pure silver. Maybe he was a wealthy and powerful monarch ruling over millions of subjects with thousands of servants. Maybe... as some said, he was an angel. Honestly, that didn''t seem likely, but the mercy and devotion he had shown to the English people so far was indeed angel-like. It was understandable why some would think that. Either way. Eleanor lay awake through the night, imagining the settlement they would build starting tomorrow. She drifted off to sleep imagining the mysterious eastern kingdom that would be next to it. And when she woke up the next day. When they headed there under ''his'' guidance. THUD! "Move the injured people to the farmhouse inside that fence." "Farm... what?" "The hut over there." "And... the rest of us?" "Let''s cut down and use that forest over there. I''ll help." "Oh, no! It''s fine! There are 30 of us! One more person won''t make much difference..." WHIIIIIIR! S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. THUD THUD THUD! "There is... quite a difference...?" All of Eleanor''s imagination had been wrong. ...Come to think of it, maybe he really was an angel. == It''s now early September. The ripening period for Shine Muscat grapes is ending. In other words, right before harvest. I spray foliar fertilizer (applying specialized fertilizer to leaves for quick absorption) while continuing to add nutrients, focusing on phosphorus and potassium for flavor and storage ability. To prevent the fruit from tasting watery and bland, I reduce the water amount just enough to keep the topsoil from drying out. About 60% of the usual amount should be sufficient. After working on this for a while, I suddenly had a realization. ''What''s... the point of all this?'' It''s not like I''m going to eat all the Shine Muscat grapes from this 13,200 square meter greenhouse by myself. Why am I doing this... by myself no less. "...Urrrgh." As Confucius said in The Analects Of Confucius. If you gain enlightenment in the morning, you can die content in the evening. Having gained enlightenment, I now want to die. ''...No. There might be more special benefits.'' For example, maybe if the constellation [Lord of Olympus] buys my grapes, I''ll earn [Coins] and awaken hunter abilities. Or maybe my grapes are some incredible elixir, and if you eat them and try to cultivate qi, pure internal energy will overflow from your dantian... Yeah right. Even though I accidentally bought the wrong game cartridge and fell back to my ancestor''s time 400 years ago, it can''t go that far. If that were the case, a status window should have opened by now. Therefore. My current actions preparing for the grape harvest are completely meaningless. They only contain the inertia, lingering attachment, and stubbornness from years of farming life. "...How could I... what farm I built." The fact that my workplace, which I spent my entire early twenties building, had become meaningless in an instant was apparently hard to bear. I sat down heavily in that spot but got up again when I heard footsteps approaching from afar. Hoooo... focus, I need to focus. 30 versus 1. I need to minimize conflicts and showing weaknesses. While maintaining my advantage, I need to continue a friendly alliance relationship. The behavior pattern I decided to take for that purpose is as follows: "...I told you not to come in here." "So-sorry! Someone was injured so I came to find you..." "Did you move them to the farmhouse as I said? I''ll go soon." "Th-thank you." "It''s fine." "..." "Next time... don''t come here until I call for you." "...Yes." Mysticism. Did the group captured on the Nautilus in "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" try to take Captain Nemo hostage or escape? No. They acted as obedient passengers for years. Why is that? Because they didn''t know their opponent well. Because they didn''t know what the other person could do to them, how inferior they were compared to the other person. Even until the end of the novel, the protagonist never discovers Captain Nemo''s true identity. My strategy is exactly the same. Mysticism. Mysticism. "Is this... a grape farm?" I can tell from Eleanor''s tense expression in front of me now. Seeing the grape vines lined up in rows, and the large grape clusters hanging from them, her eyes grow round. She seemed quite unfamiliar with the sight of me moving around on a wheeled chair spraying fertilizer. Trying my best to maintain a nonchalant and calm expression, I start spraying fertilizer on the leaves again slowly. "Yes. As you can see." "I''ve seen many grape farms when I went to Sussex or Kent... but I''ve never seen grapes this big." "It just turned out this way as I grew them as a hobby." That''s right. I must be some mysterious and powerful being, not a grape farmer drowning in debt. I sprayed fertilizer on the leaves with an expression as bored and indifferent as possible. Like Bob Ross doing his brush strokes, making it look so easy and fun, as if this was nothing at all. And casually said: "Would you like to try one?" "Oh, thank you." When I plucked off a few grapes, washed them, and handed them over, Eleanor whispered while examining them several times with curiosity. "They''re like jewels..." Of course they are. They were created by concentrating 20th century agricultural technology at a research institute under the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. And as soon as she put it in her mouth, her eyes grew round. It must be delicious. I saw earlier that it was over 20 Brix. Of course it''s good - it''s department store quality. "This tastes really goo... huh?" "What''s wrong?" "..." A serious look comes into Eleanor''s eyes. "There-there are no seeds!" Ah, right. I forgot. This is 400 years ago. "...Yes. Is seedless grapes so surprising?" ...Don''t panic. Keep it natural. "Of-of course it is! Then how do these grapes reproduce?" "Through cuttings, of course." "Then they can''t reproduce without human help?" "Correct." "How could something like this exist in nature..." "It can''t." "..." "I removed the seeds." By using gibberellin to promote growth. "Good heavens..." "It''s a product of my homeland." Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries'' Agriculture & Food Industry Technology Research Organization, thanks for developing this. Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, thanks for forgetting to register the variety. Nice that no royalties are needed. "Wh-where exactly is your homeland?" "..." I just gazed distantly at the sky and said: "...It''s in a place you can never reach." I am an honest person. So I only spoke the truth. == Indeed, he must be an angel. Chapter 7 - 7: Nemo "...I think he must be an angel." "..." "He laid out a map in front of me and told me about the native tribes, animals, and terrain in this area. It was far more accurate than what my father investigated over several years. How is that possible!" "..." "He even seems to be alone, yet how does he manage that huge farm, the fences, all those mysterious machines... If he''s not an angel, there''s no explanation...!" "Mrs. Dare, you''re excited. Drink this first and think about it." "Oh, thank you. ...mmm, it''s sweet." While Eleanor was savoring the flavor of the Shine Muscat with furrowed brows, Lawyer Hewett spoke up. "It''s incredibly sweet, isn''t it?" "Yes! This must be a fruit from heaven too!" "Columbus probably thought the same when he first tasted pineapple." "...Ah." "Please calm down. While this grape is indeed very sweet and fragrant and... um... delicious..." "Really delicious." "...Yes, while it is ''really'' delicious, that alone doesn''t mean its owner is an angel." "But it has no seeds!" "Well, nature is mysterious...?" Mr. Hewett seemed slightly flustered. As others around started murmuring that such delicious grapes must indeed be heavenly fruit, Mr. Hewett quickly tried to calm everyone down. "Anyway, did ''he'' ever directly say he was an angel?" "...No." "See? If we ask the barbarians around here, they probably know something about ''him.'' He couldn''t have built such an impressive farm alone, overnight." That was true. "Whether he received help building the farm or got permission, there must be some connection somewhere that will give us answers." "But when we came here last year, none of this existed. How could such a farm appear in just one year?" "...That just shows how extraordinary ''he'' is. Come to think of it, we don''t even know his name." "..." "Let''s not jump to conclusions." At the lawyer ''sir''s'' words, everyone in the tent was nodding by now. As the governor''s daughter and the lawyer seemed to have reached some conclusion, everyone focused back on eating the grapes. Slurp slurp slurp. Chomp chomp chomp. And everyone, including Eleanor, thought: ''...Even so, this must be a fruit from heaven.'' Bang. "Everyone, and Eleanor?" "Ah, yes!" "The logging is finished, please come out." Everyone had gathered in the tent while he was logging, partly because they were nervous about the roar of that thing called a ''chainsaw'', and he seemed reluctant to show the process of using it. And when they stepped outside the tent. "Well, is this enough?" "...Ah, yes, it is." Eleanor realized she still wasn''t used to this sight. Dozens of trees cut down overnight. ''He'' who had instantly completed logging work that would take 30 people all day, looked around with a relaxed face and said: "Now that we have enough lumber, we can build a village in this area." That was the signal. The settlers started gathering their tools and moving. The sound of construction echoed throughout the forest. It was the sound of the first English settlement being built on Croatoan Island. == I was slowly starting to adapt to this region''s climate. North Carolina (not yet called that) didn''t have dramatically different weather from Japan. It was just a bit warmer in autumn and winter, and instead of having a concentrated rainy season, rain fell evenly throughout the year. ...So is that bad? No, it''s actually good. Why do East Asian countries like Japan, Korea, and China put so much effort into producing premium grapes like Shine Muscat and Ruby Roman? Why do they meticulously manage their vines and fruits, removing leaves and pruning branches, unlike the more casual farming in Europe and America? Because the climate is terrible. If you can''t produce much anyway, might as well sell it expensive. Like other fruits, but especially with grapes, when there''s a lot of water, it goes straight to the fruit. If there''s too much water around, the taste becomes bland for no reason. That''s why water management is so important in grape farming. It''s also why I''m reducing the water now right before harvest. And in East Asia, the rainy season comes around July-August when the fruit is heavily bearing. Plus, the clay soil holds a lot of water. It means there''s a lot, lot of water. There''s an old saying that you can survive three years of drought but not three months of rain - that''s exactly my situation. I feel like I''m going to die whenever it rains. Once the rainy season starts, photosynthesis is blocked, so I have to adjust fertilizer accordingly. During the rainy season, if there''s too much water, the fruit splits from excess water. Then when the heat comes, they split again from the heat. The humidity brings mold and various pests and diseases as a set. All of this hits right before harvest. Should I water them to prevent leaf burn (when leaves necrotize to blackish-brown in humid climate with sudden heat), or should I reduce water if I don''t want watery grapes? What is this? Why is this grape acting like a client demanding a design that''s simple yet fancy, modern yet traditional? Why does this small hell-peninsula have so many handicap factors in the first place? Was Emperor Jimmu some crazy rabbit princess who enjoyed hard mode? ...Compared to that, this beautiful North Carolina has no rainy season. Rainfall is even throughout the year and the weather is mild. Of course, there are terrible disasters lurking like Pierce''s disease and phylloxera mites, but for now I''m relieved since my trees are resistant. Except for that... this place is a grape farmer''s paradise. Oh, America. I happily sprayed fertilizer with my heart full of American pride. Eat well. Grow well and be delivered to department stores... Ah, it''ll be 264 years until the first department store is built. Grape farming has now become just a hobby for me. I still can''t let go because of the facility investment costs poured into three 1,650-square-meter greenhouses, but someday I''ll have to abandon even this grape farming for survival. ...It brings tears to my eyes. I finally came to a grape farmer''s paradise, only for the grapes to become useless. Anyway. Except for about 10,000 bunches of grapes growing with no demand, everything is going according to plan. Several temporary huts for the English were built in just a few days. Thanks to my help with the logging. The English who were huddled together in the farmhouse and tents are slowly starting to move their belongings into their own houses. Not wanting to only rely on me, they soon started hunting and gathering food on their own. Some even tried to gift me crabs they caught in the valley. Of course, I didn''t accept. It was bothersome to cook, and it wasn''t time yet to let them repay their debt to me. Instead of accepting gifts, I offered them a few more bunches of grapes, and the English seemed so deeply moved they left with tears in their eyes. Since I still can''t fully trust them, I lock all doors when sleeping and keep a machete and chainsaw beside me... but they showed no signs of hostility toward me. I had thought they might try to kill me and plunder my property. But without me, there would be no one to maintain this farm or help them. And they seemed to understand that well. This is how the mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship between the English settlers and me began. This was the situation I most wanted after falling into this land ''alone''. As long as I have these 30 friendly English people, neither natives nor settlers would easily mess with me. But since nearly 10 of those 30 people are children, I can''t let my guard down relying only on them. To ensure my safety, I need approaches from other directions. In other words... "You''re back, Eleanor. How was it?" "The tribes of this island said they''ll accept us! They said we can settle on this island!" A diplomatic approach. Eleanor returned with positive news from the natives I had sent her to. I nodded slowly while inwardly rejoicing. The reason they came here was because of the friendly tribes in this area. Through the English, I indirectly gained the freedom to stay here too. "Manteo said that since they won''t be staying on this land permanently anyway, they don''t mind us settling here!" "That''s good." Manteo was the first Native American to become an Anglican. The son of this island''s chief who visited England himself and decided to establish relations with England. "But, he was puzzled? He asked why we chose this narrow island full of wetlands." "It might look that way. But Eleanor, don''t you need to wait for your father''s relief ship on this island''s coast?" "...Well, that''s true." "..." "..." What''s this? When I turned my head at the sudden silence and stared at her eyes, Eleanor turned her head away with a reddened face. Ah, is it rude to stare at women in this era? Even after I shifted my gaze upon belatedly realizing my rudeness, Eleanor''s silence continued. When I glanced at her, she was looking at me with somehow meaningful eyes. Her expression seemed to be trying to see through me. She appeared lost in thought. == ...This man before her. What exactly is his identity? Is he a prince from Asia? An angel? Or just a handsome and wealthy Asian man? How does he know English? How does he know European affairs so well? How can he predict when my father will return? What''s with this huge farm, complex machines, and all these facilities? Eleanor asked carefully. Why. Why did you choose this narrow island full of wetlands? How did you come to settle here, and what is your identity? But the man didn''t answer. He just stared at her intently. She already had many questions, but after meeting Manteo, her curiosity only doubled. ...Eleanor recalled her meeting with Manteo. As she approached the village, Manteo welcomed her and her group with a friendly face. When he asked if they came seeking refuge, she said no. She said they came to get permission to settle. "...Most of your group are women and children? How do you plan to settle?" "As you know, there''s that huge grape farm up ahead? We''ve taken refuge with its owner." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...What?" Manteo''s face hardened. "What grape farm? There is no such thing." "But there''s clearly a huge settlement in those woods..." "We searched those woods just about 2 weeks ago, and it was quiet then. If there was a ''huge'' settlement, we would have found it first!" "Wh-what?" Fortunately, no other companions were present. Only Manteo, his mother the chief, and Eleanor were there. "My mother doesn''t know about it either. Are you sure you really saw such a farm?" "...What are you saying? You didn''t know until now that such a farm was built? In your homeland?" Hearing Eleanor''s words, Manteo thought for a while, then picked up a grape from Eleanor''s hand. It was a grape the man had given to be presented as gifts to Manteo and the tribe members. "Such grapes... I''ve never seen in my life. Hmm... delicious. May I have another?" "As many as you''d like." "Anyway, I''ve never seen anything like this anywhere." "..." ...That''s right. Eleanor didn''t know who this man was or where he came from. She only knew that he was currently friendly. "...Um, this might sound like a silly question now." "What is it? Feel free to ask anything." "..." Eleanor unconsciously opened and closed her eyes before speaking firmly. "What is your name?" At those words, the man was silent for a moment... then opened his mouth. "Nemo." "...What?" "Call me that." "Ah, yes. Mr. Nemo." And then. "...Ah, there was something I wanted to ask but forgot." "Oh, yes?" "Do you see these grapes? What do you think?" "Um... there are very, very many?" "And?" "They''re very well ripened?" "That''s exactly it." ''Nemo'' snapped his fingers and smiled at Eleanor. "Please help with the harvest." And so Eleanor and the settlers found themselves picking grapes with scissors, not knowing why. "...How many bunches in total?" "Hahaha! It looks like a lot, but it''s not that many." "About 10,000 bunches." Chapter 8 - 8: Planting for the Future Our farm property is about 13,200 square meters. And of that, about 3,300 square meters is taken up by a 19th-century style green-roofed country house with gardens and driveway that my mother built with great care, inspired by her memories with "Anne of Green Gables." The exterior and roofing materials were wood, of course. Meaning, the exterior often falls off or gets damaged, requiring frequent repairs. And frequent repairs mean building materials like wood and bricks are always stocked in the warehouse. I decided to classify the various items I received as this farm''s resource cheats into two categories. First, various "consumables" that restore to their original quantity after midnight. For example, the almost-empty aluminum foil in the kitchen runs out before you can wrap a single egg, but after time passes, it recharges back to its original amount. Firewood, gasoline, basic medicines, and various other items fall into this category. Second, "permanent items" that repair or restore if broken or damaged after midnight. For instance, taking the chainsaw out of the storage doesn''t create a new chainsaw after midnight. However, if the chainsaw gets stuck in a tree and breaks, it''s restored pristinely in the storage after midnight. Cars, forklifts, various farming equipment, tools, and weapons fall into this category. What I was curious about was this: Which category do house repair materials fall under? The answer is "consumables." Building materials come out endlessly from the warehouse even after you take them out! Cedar boards for the roof, bricks for walls, exterior, and chimney, and even white and green paint to protect the wood - everything! "Is there a bricklayer among you?" "..." "..." "I thought not. Then let''s use these red bricks that come from here." According to Eleanor, in their previous settlement they even made fireplaces out of wood, but goodbye to such poor conditions now. So when we added bricks, cedar, and white and green paint to the lumber I cut with the chainsaw... oh... "The settlement looks so bright and cheerful!" "...Indeed." It''s become quite... close to the atmosphere of the Anne of Green Gables animation (1979 version). Mother, rejoice. Your dream has been realized here. Anyway, the settlement construction is progressing smoothly like that. Did I mention earlier that our farm property is about 13,200 square meters? Of that, our house takes up about 3,300 square meters. Add to that the cold storage, equipment warehouse, small chicken coop, and the area including a section of low hills, totaling about 4,000 square meters. So what''s in the remaining 6,000 square meters?1 Well, there''s a grape farm consisting of three 1,650-square-meter smart greenhouses. If I don''t emphasize that they''re smart greenhouses, my father''s retirement money poured into this would be sad. Anyway, two of them are used for growing Shine Muscat grapes, and the remaining one was just expanded to grow various new varieties. In other words. This year''s grape harvest is determined by two 1,650-square-meter smart greenhouses. 1,650 ¡Á 2 = 3,300 square meters. 3,300 square meters. So about 10,000 bunches of grapes come from this... right. "It''s done! Everyone take a break!" "I-is it finished?" "Ahhhhh!" "We''ll live!" 30 free laborers...! What would normally take days is somehow solved in half a day when you throw in enough manpower...! We''ve successfully harvested 10,000 bunches of grapes! Good. How to deal with those... Let''s think about that later. There''s no answer right now. Even if all 33 people here ate one bunch per day, it would take 1 year and 8 months to eat them all. Whether to dry them into raisins or whatever, it''s not something to think about now. What we need to think about now is... Food to eat right away! Thinking this, I turned my eyes toward the cold storage where the Shine Muscat grapes were piled up. Then near there... I saw potato sacks. Those dozens of potatoes will be our food from now on. No choice. We''re not going to grow rice here anyway, but our house''s rice is so cleanly polished that planting it would only produce dirt. There are other crops like tomatoes and cabbage in the vegetable garden, but not enough to be staple food. ''Come on, remember, remember what Mr. Shoji next door who grew potatoes said...!'' I took out my notebook and frantically wrote down everything that came to mind. Even seemingly trivial matters are knowledge gained through decades, no, centuries of trial and error. A single problem can multiply or reduce future potato yields several times over. "Light sprouting, then cutting with sterilized knife, curing... got it. This should be fine." Fortunately, the precious knowledge passed down from Mr. Shoji, weekend farming, and farming YouTube channels still remained in my head. Wow, thank you, Mr. Shoji. I''ll build you a statue later with a name like ''Saint of Potatoes'' or something. Getting unnecessarily excited, I hauled several dozen-kilogram potato sacks to where the English settlers were. Seeing me sweating profusely, Eleanor, who was moving lumber, got startled and helped carry the sacks. "No, why are you working so hard to bring these? Are you alright?" "...I''m fine." Thanks to that mysticism thing, I can''t even scratch when mosquito bites itch in front of these people. I wiped the sweat from my face lightly and gave Eleanor a thank you with another mysterious smile. After struggling like that to reach the edge of the settlers'' village, we collapsed with our legs giving out. "Ugh... wh-what is this? It looks like a monster." And only then checking the contents, Eleanor wrinkles her expression. Even I, thinking ''it''s not that monstrous,'' looked inside the sack and... uh... similarly frowned. The potatoes with long sprouts from neglect did look surprisingly similar to tentacle monsters, I had to admit. Still, I quickly picked up a potato with slightly fewer sprouts and held it out to Eleanor, who unconsciously flinched before leaning in closer at my gesture. "Look. It''s a potato." "Po... tato?" Huh? They don''t know yet? It''s been almost 100 years since Columbus reached America, yet they still don''t know about potatoes? "Is it... a clump of dirt? Or animal droppings? Is it firewood?" "...It''s food." "..." No. I''m not going to let that ''This... thing? We eat... it?'' expression slide. Forcing myself to shrug, I took out a boiled potato from my pocket that I''d prepared at home and took a bite. Then, trying my best to maintain a nonchalant expression, I pulled out another potato and held it out. Eleanor, who had been suspicious, put it in her mouth and her expression softened. "It tastes... decent?" "This will be our bread from now on. It''ll grow better than wheat here." "Is this food?" "Yes." Only then showing surprise at my words, Eleanor examined the dirt-covered potato with curiosity. "Then how do we eat these sprouts..." "Ah, don''t eat those. They''re poisonous." "..." "Don''t eat the leaves and stems either. Only this tuber part is edible." Though she made an even more bizarre expression hearing that, it couldn''t be helped. Better than hiding it and mass-producing poisoning victims later. Anyway, they looked unsightly, and for future farming, we needed to cut off the bad sprouts leaving only a little. I took out my MacGyver knife and quickly trimmed the long sprouts, while Eleanor watching from the side helped. "How long should we leave the sprouts?" "About 1 centimeter is enough." "...Pardon?" "Oh, ah, like... a thumbnail length? Half a thumbnail? About that?" "You mean between 2 lines and 1 barleycorn, or about 0.5 digits?" "Ah... what?" "I asked if it''s between 2 lines and 1 barleycorn, or about 0.5 digits." ...What alien language is this now. "Um, how many inches is that?" "4 lines make 1 barleycorn. And 3 barleycorns make 1 inch." "I see. Now I understand..." "And 1 digit is 3/4 inch." "..." "So 2 lines to 1 barleycorn..." "Just cut them about this much." "...Yes." Soon other settlers watching us came over one by one to help, and thanks to that, the work of cutting back the sprouts finished earlier than expected. Originally we needed a process called "light sprouting" where you expose them to indirect sunlight in bright shade to grow short sprouts, but we had to do this because the sprouts grew long without that process. ...Right. Originally I didn''t expect to get transported 400 years back and end up in this mess. Holding back a sigh that was about to burst out, I called the villagers. "Now, everyone bring the knives you''re holding. There''s something we need to do first." Simply put, potato farming is the process of cutting sprouted potatoes into pieces, burying them, and letting those sprouts grow. During that process, the tuber potato grows, and you dig it up to eat after about 100 days. However, if you just cut potatoes with a knife and plant them, the wounded potatoes can rot from various bacteria, so the knives must be sterilized with bleach water. I dipped the knives the settlers brought in bleach water diluted 500:1, then handed them back. Then I started teaching them potato farming methods one by one. "Here, cut into quarters centered on the crown part where the most sprouts have grown. Then bring them to me. But if there are smaller potatoes, you don''t need to cut them into quarters. For example, this is about 30 to 40 grams... no wait, how much is this?" "Did you say 30 drams?" "No. Grams, no, how much is a dram? Eleanor? Could you explain?" "1 ounce is 16 drams." "Ah, I see." "But sometimes 1 ounce is 8 drams, like when measuring medicines..." "..." "Anyway, 1 ounce is 16 drams, and 1 pound is 16 ounces and 7,000 drains." "..." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I closed my eyes feeling a familiar kind of terrible feeling. Ah, this is that thing. How much is 1 kin? For meat it''s 600 grams but sometimes 500 grams, for fruit it''s 375 grams, for medicine it''s 40 ry¨­ per kin and 1 ry¨­ is 4 monme and 1 monme is about 3.8 grams so 1 kin of medicine is about... ah, forgot. These days red pepper powder volume is reduced so 1 kin comes in 540g, and wild ginseng being precious medicine counts as 1 kin at 300g... That familiar terrible taste. I gently closed my eyes and thought. Ah, base-3 and base-4, it sounds horrible just hearing it. Do these British people actually have 12 fingers? Dreaming of the metric system that would appear like a superhero on a white horse someday to destroy such unit systems, I kept my mouth shut. "Anyway, yes. Cut them slightly heavier than 1 ounce per piece." "Understood." "And bring them when you''re done cutting." So we gathered the potatoes after cutting back their sprouts to "a length between 2 lines and 1 barleycorn" and cutting them into pieces of "roughly between 1 ounce and 22 drams." So can we plant these cut potatoes now? No. There are several reasons why we cut potatoes into pieces instead of planting them whole. One is to use seed potatoes efficiently. If you cut one potato into three or four pieces to plant, you can gain that much more benefit. Another is that giving shock and stress to the potato seed makes the sprouts grow a bit faster. There are various other reasons, but those are the two main ones. In other words, cutting potatoes can be much more efficient in terms of time and area. However, potatoes are vulnerable to pests and diseases. Earlier we sterilized the knives in bleach water when cutting potatoes due to concerns about virus infection, but planting them in the ground just like this? That means there''s a higher chance the potatoes will rot. Therefore, we need to go through a curing process where we leave them in a well-ventilated place for 4-5 days to let the cut surfaces heal naturally to prevent pests and diseases. After curing the potatoes in a well-ventilated shade like that, we plant them in appropriately raised ridges. "How wide should the furrows be? How many links or feet..." "Make them ''this much'' apart." "How much is that exactly..." "About ''this much.''" "Then what about the spacing between potatoes..." "Space them about ''that much'' apart." Ha, hahaha, you primitive pre-modern people. I''ve finally ''achieved enlightenment.'' So normally you just say ''this much, that much, about this much'' - that''s why the unit system was so terrible. I suffered unnecessarily. My weak self who lived in the modern world where even screws are standardized to millimeters was wrong. Anyway, usually fall potatoes are planted about 5 centimeters shallower, but that''s also because of Japan''s terrible unique rainy season, so ignoring that and planting them about 10 centimeters deep like spring potatoes is fine. Now if we just wait about 100 days to harvest, our food worries are over. Since we''re not selling them anywhere anyway, just occasionally spraying fertilizer and leaving them alone is enough. ...Well, now that''s done. With food and safety secured, I have no more worries. Though it''s sad to be suddenly separated from family and relatives and dropped 400 years in the past, if I can live a happy life here where my debts have disappeared... "Ah, but what should we do with all those grapes?" ...Ah. "...You shouldn''t have brought that up." "Pardon?" Feeling tears suddenly wanting to come out, I looked at the sky for a moment. The sky is... clear. My grape farm that I poured my entire twenties into. ...with its 10,000 bunches of Shine Muscat. Ha, what am I going to do with those? Actually it''s 5,900, but I wrote 6,000 to round it and make it easier to remember. Chapter 9 - 9: Bargain Struck WHIIIIIIR! Slice slice slice. THUD! "Everyone stay back! I can handle the logging work alone!" "No, how can we just keep receiving help? We want to help too!" I had always thought chainsaw work was very difficult, but... Screech. Creak. Sa-ga-ga-ga-gak. "...It''s fine." Seeing several adults sweating profusely while holding one saw, that impression completely disappeared. This thing cuts like a butter knife through butter. Come to think of it, I remember seeing something on the internet. They said even a modern ordinary kitchen knife would be treated like a legendary sword if taken to the past. Then how big must the gap be between that half-rusted, dulled saw and this 18-inch chainsaw I''m holding? It''s terrifying to think about doing this work with those axes and saws. Maybe this chainsaw could even cut through a knight''s armor in this era. (It can''t.) "...Chainsaws really are god-tier." ...Thank you, X Electronics. And thanks to the village head who sold me a used engine saw for exactly 10,000 yen. I''ll cleanly forget about that 100,000 yen village development fund. ...Come to think of it, I can''t forget. You bastard. Anyway, after pushing away the settlers and finishing clearing about 3,300 square meters of forest by myself, the sun was high in the sky. That concluded several days of work. I put down the chainsaw while wiping sweat from my forehead. "This must be about 3 roods of area! It''s enough for us to farm!" "...Indeed, Eleanor." Since I also use unit systems like ''1 tsubo = 3.3 square meters'', I decided to just keep my mouth shut about area measurements. "Next, will you bring out ''that'' like last time?" "...Yes." I nodded and. THUD THUD THUD THUD! Soon brought out a 10-ton forklift and dug up all the remaining tree roots! "Wooooow!" "The machine arm is so strong!" Haha, hahaha! This feeling of omnipotence is no joke! It gives me an incredible sense of superiority seeing adults watching with their mouths open and children jumping around excitedly. By the way, how do I operate a forklift over 3 tons when you need both an excavator operator''s license and construction machinery operator''s license? How did I get those when I must be in my mid-twenties at most? I didn''t! Mr. Shoji next door got them! This was originally rented by Mr. Shoji! He brought it to clear trees from the hills and forgot about it, and it got transported here with me! I knew how to operate small forklifts, so after trying a few times, it moved similarly enough. Of course, it broke a few times... and I spent several nights practicing... but well. It regenerates. Something wrong with that? Then where''s the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport to regulate me? Where''s the Japanese police to arrest me for unlicensed operation? Nothing can constrain me. I am free! This is America! THUD THUD THUD THUD! "Woooooow!" Ha, truly America. A free and bold operation befitting the land of freedom. Just like that, 3,300 square meters of forest instantly became land for plowing fields and building huts. People immediately rushed in with shovels and potato sacks to plant potatoes the way I taught them. The settlement has grown quite large now. Originally 10 people crowded into one house, but now each household can have their own house, and everyone is enthusiastic about soon establishing buildings like a church or workshop. Plus now that we''ve secured enough cultivation area for everyone to live on, food worries have lessened too. "...Though we can''t be too relieved." The settlers are people who have never seen potatoes in their lives. It would be stranger if they succeeded from the start after just one simple farming lesson. So I was planning to create a separate potato field of about 1,650 square meters using the empty land in this farm. Any questions about it requiring a lot of labor were discarded before they could even come up. Because behind me are 21st century agricultural technology and mechanical engineering. The so-called cultivator. You can think of it as a miniaturized tractor. Because it can do everything a tractor can do. VROOM VROOM VROOM! For example, like now, instantly plowing fields, building ridges, and simultaneously doing vinyl mulching (ground covering). Labor that would take hours crouching over the ground is completed in an instant. That black vinyl spread on the ground in rural areas - this is what it is. This vinyl maintains moisture to prevent the field from drying out, suppresses weeds, and prevents soil erosion. POOF! POOF! POOF! POOF! When you dig holes in the vinyl laid like this with a seeder and dig into the ground, it digs exactly between 10-15 centimeters. Just the right depth for planting potatoes. Throw the cut seed potatoes into the seeder and cover them with soil, and just like that, potato planting is done. ...This too would have taken hours or days if done with just hoes and shovels. 21st century agricultural technology, what is it? It looks simple at first glance, but underneath lie countless small advances, and it took hundreds to thousands of years just to reach there. Synthetic fertilizers, herbicides, various farming tools... ''If only I could replicate this, it would be huge.'' Of course, replication is impossible. At best, it can only make life comfortable for me and the 33 people gathered around me. But couldn''t they at least take it apart and study it later? If we exclude parts difficult to reproduce in this era like engines and make it run on animal or human power... That would be huge. Feeling like I''d thought of something amazing, I immediately noted it down. Right. Later, later when the settlement grows bigger... ''...When it grows bigger?'' What should I do when it grows bigger? In the original history, the Roanoke colony failed. And those famous Jamestown and Plymouth remain as the beginning of early American pioneering history. But in 1590, that is, in about two years, when I meet John White returning from England, things change from that moment. This place becomes the British Empire''s first North American colony. And I become its beginning. "..." Then what should I do? Can I survive? How do I explain my resources, and how can I maintain ownership of them? Then... after all that, what happens to me? "Nemo!" "...Ah, Eleanor." Let''s put aside complicated thoughts for now. The English probably don''t want to create conflicts with me either. Thankfully, this era is appropriately primitive enough that there are no scientists who would want to dissect me, nor anyone who would dig up my entire farm to uncover its true nature. Frankly speaking, whether I say I''m the last resident of sunken Atlantis or an alien from the moon, they would have no choice but to believe. What if my lies are exposed? What does it matter when it would be after I die having lived well-treated in the British Empire? ''O Immortal, will you become a pioneer of the new world in infinite blessing? Or will you become a slave to fate?'' Well, IF I actually became immortal, that would be different... ...Well, let the future me deal with that. "Eleanor, what is it?" What we need to worry about now is food for the future. Food from hunting, gathering, and small vegetable gardens won''t be enough to last until the potato harvest. We might have to eat some chickens, but considering the eggs they would lay, that would be a waste... "The savage tribes..." "''Natives.''" "Ah, sorry. The native tribes have come." "What?" "They say they''ve come with thank-you gifts for those grapes from last time? Can we let them in for now?" "..." I glanced toward the gate. Dimly visible were about a dozen people standing around carrying something. Most were unclothed, instead expressing their status and identity through complex tattoos on their bodies. Should we let them in? Showing them my resources and capabilities as they are... no. They wouldn''t understand even if they saw. "They may enter. It was their land originally after all." "Alright! I''ll let them in then!" Eleanor, who had dirt on her face, hurriedly checked her reflection in a nearby puddle and fixed her hair as if she were an official diplomatic envoy. Then she walked with exaggerated noble steps and opened the gate. I turned off the cultivator and followed after her. Knock. Knock. Knock. When she tapped the iron fence with her finger, the natives who had been looking around nervously turned their attention this way. Among them, a man dressed almost like a European stepped forward as representative. It was this man Eleanor spoke to. "...''He'' has permitted entry to his domain." "Eleanor, why are you walking so strangely, swaying back and forth? Your voice is lower than usual too..." "Ah, hahaha..." "Then where is ''he''? His name is..." "Nemo." "..." "Nice to meet you. Are you that Manteo? I heard you brought gifts - please, come inside first." "..." I paused briefly seeing Manteo''s expression strangely harden. What is it? Did I make some mistake? I just greeted him and offered a handshake. After thinking for a while, I finally realized. "...You''re very fluent in our language. Which tribe are you from?" Ah. I didn''t just speak in English. Apparently the language cheat wasn''t limited to just English. == "Then where is ''he''? His name is..." "Nemo." "..." "Nice to meet you. Are you that Manteo? I heard you brought gifts - please, come inside first." "..." Manteo was surprised twice in this short conversation. He had seen it directly. London, England''s wealth and power. For a long time of one year, no less. The English built structures as massive as mountains and made clocks that detected instants while ticking away. They created stained glass where light shattered like rainbows, and assembled ships that carried over a hundred strong men across the great sea. He saw the queen and nobles wrapped in uncomfortable clothes decorated with gold, silver, and all manner of brilliant jewels. He also saw muskets that killed not just people but fierce beasts in one breath. He saw cannons that threw huge boulders. That pure splendor, that pure power! That power came from strange people who looked completely different from him until now. People with high noses, pale faces, and sunken eyes. Yearning for that power, Manteo dressed like them. Yearning for that power, Manteo received their baptism. "Then where is ''he''? His name is..." "Nemo." But the man before him... looked more like them than those Europeans. Manteo could easily read the reverence in Eleanor''s eyes. He also saw the huge house and farm spread out behind her. All of this was built in just 1-2 weeks...? There Manteo was surprised for the first time. And second. "Nice to meet you. Are you that Manteo? I heard you brought gifts - please, come inside first." He was too "fluent" in Algonquin. So... Manteo had to ask. "...Which tribe are you from?" At those words, the man''s demeanor suddenly changed. He looked up at the sky with somehow distant eyes and spoke as if whispering. "...A place you can never reach. Far in the East, perhaps the West. Where all traces of spirits disappear. A place I can never return to." "..." "Ah... I got lost in thoughts of home for a moment. I apologize." "No, not at all." The man looked very noble in that moment speaking of his homeland. Though his clothes were strange, they looked sturdy and well-crafted, and the sword at his waist looked heavy and solid. "Eleanor, let''s bring our guests inside." "Ah, yes!" Above all, the man skillfully wielded both English and Algonquin. He also seemed very accustomed to commanding people. Either he was a very high person... "...Or a god." "What did you just say?" "Ah, nothing." As Manteo entered, the wire mesh gate smoothly closed behind him. He couldn''t even tell what that thing with the huge arm stopped in the distance was for. A weapon? While standing tensely, a fellow tribesman poked his waist from the side. Ah, he was so nervous he forgot to deliver their purpose. "Ah, ahem, we came to repay your kindness from last time." "Repayment? There''s no need." "No. Such food must surely be precious." "..." Manteo saw the man''s face slightly harden then relax. Why? Manteo didn''t know that the vast farm spread behind the man was all fields of that ''precious thing.'' "Ahem, anyway we brought welcoming gifts from our tribe to repay you. We hope this land pleases you." As Manteo said this, the tribesmen behind him put down their loads all at once. There were corn, peas, and various fruits. "Though it''s inadequate, we hope you''ll accept our sincerity..." "It''s not inadequate at all!" Suddenly the man''s voice rose. His face noticeably brightened too. "We won''t have to eat the chickens... no, never mind." "..." "But this seems a bit much in exchange for just one grape." "Actually... we have a request." Because it was quite a difficult request, Manteo hesitated for a moment. He bowed politely and asked the man before him. "Perhaps, could you give us more of those precious grapes..." "Of course!" "...What?" Again. No, this time the man''s voice rose even higher, and his face brightened even more. No way to know why... "Uh..." "Please come more often! Let''s exchange like this once a week, Manteo!" "Th-thank... you but... I haven''t said how many we''d take..." "Take as much as you want! As much as you want!" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Then... we''ll take 100 bunches. We need to share with nearby related tribes." "Of course! You can take 200 bunches, 300 bunches!" 300 bunches! Of those sweet grapes? At those words, Manteo thought he was the victor in this trade negotiation. He probably would have been greatly shocked if he knew what the other party was thinking. == Finally. Finally found a buyer for these damn 10,000 bunches of grapes. == And so, 13 weeks after starting the grape trade. While receiving 500 bunches of grapes, Manteo realizes something has gone wrong. Chapter 10 - 10: Calm Before the Storm ...A lot has happened during this time. "Five... hundred bunches of grapes?" "Yes. You must have already told the surrounding tribes you''d share more with them, right?" "Well, of course the surrounding tribes are clamoring for even one more bunch, but..." "Then take them." "..." Manteo walked out shaking his head as if something was wrong after seeing my relieved expression. Soon many natives began carrying out the 500 bunches of grapes in baskets. That too was quite a sight. Right. This was the biggest development over the past 3 months. The Shine Muscat gift economy network. During that time, many tribes tasted the Shine Muscat and couldn''t recover from the shock, like Chileans seeing automatic taxi doors for the first time. That was inevitable, as the Algonquins in this area are basically farmers but also half hunter-gatherers. This was their first experience with such a highly cultivated fruit. The surrounding tribes who experienced Shine Muscat once reached out to Manteo asking if they could have just one more bunch. Eventually, Manteo''s tribe established a large-scale gift economy network importing grapes from me in bulk and distributing them. Since Manteo''s tribe was at the center of this, Manteo and his mother''s authority rose quite a bit, they say. At this rate, Manteo''s succession as chief should happen without much difficulty. Thanks to that, our village is now accumulating all sorts of pearls, coral, animal skins, and various vegetables and fruits. The settlers now spend happy days proudly swishing their fur cloaks as if they''d never worried about food. "Hey, can we eat this grass?" "It''s poisonous! Don''t go near it!" "What about that fruit?" "That... that melon should be fine to eat." As exchanges unexpectedly increased, Manteo sent two or three people to our settlement to use as diplomats, which helped our settlers increase their knowledge of local flora and fauna. Plus one more thing. "Mr. Brown, you said you were a goldsmith?" "That''s right. I was quite successful in London. I came thinking there would be a land of gold here, but..." "My, that must have been disappointing." "Not at all. Haven''t we gained something more precious than gold? Rather, I thank the Lord." "Hahaha, that''s right. The friendship and experience gained in such a place is more valuable than gold..." "No. I mean that ''rust-proof metal''! The one you gave us then! You still have that, right?" "...What?" "...What?" Only then did I realize that the English who always piled their drink cans in front of my house weren''t racist sociopaths. Well, aluminum is more expensive than iron. But is it precious enough to be called a precious metal? A metal that seemingly never rusts. A metal terribly difficult to produce naturally. A metal stronger than iron yet lighter than iron. Ah. That night I searched until dawn for aluminum cans buried in the backyard. Pop quiz. So is aluminum foil treated as a ''consumable'' with infinite quantity in this house? Or as a ''permanent item'' with infinite durability? The answer was ''consumable.'' A metal more precious than gold comes out infinitely from my house! However. "...Is this all the yaluminum foil?" "It seems so, Mr. Brown. And it''s aluminum." "Alu..." "...minum. Aluminum." About 3g comes out per day. Damn. Should have bought more when the aluminum foil was running out. Anyway, goldsmith William Brown excitedly set up his workshop and got a taste for aluminum crafts. He grinned saying he was bound to become rich with this ''New World''s gold.'' Thanks to that, I could place a palm-sized statue of Mr. Shoji at my bedside. ...Just like that, I suddenly became rich. A wave of necessities and luxuries pouring in from all over North Carolina and Virginia. Plus aluminum, which was just slightly more expensive than iron back home, became an incredibly precious metal (to be). "Really, you are an incredibly wealthy person." "Will this... really become that precious?" "Of course. I was worried about having nothing to do as a goldsmith, but now those worries are over. Hahaha!" So they say, anyway. And one more thing. The incredibly wealthy and comfortable settlement could now turn its eyes from survival to handle another urgent matter. "We must prepare defenses before the Spanish come!" "Um... didn''t we leave muskets and gunpowder on Roanoke Island? Plus iron bars and lead ingots for making guns and bullets..." "There should be many other weapons left there too. We should go back once." "That''s right! Plus my father won''t even think we''re here! Shouldn''t we leave clearer markings?" "Hmm... you have a point. Let''s go." So the settlers organized an expedition and borrowed boats from the natives to visit their original settlement on Roanoke Island. Everyone was greatly relieved when they brought back various weapons from there. Well... of course they would be. If the Spanish attacked, everyone here would likely die. But not having the courage to say "Hehe, just kidding!" belatedly, I just smiled warmly. The settlers who had come to see me as their village chief seemed to interpret my smile positively. And so a smithy was built next to the goldsmith''s workshop, and the work of making muskets and lead bullets proceeded quickly. The endlessly expanding settlement finally slowed its growth, then began defenses by surrounding it with a large palisade of bound logs. People gradually became accustomed to a daily life of patrolling the area with muskets, watching for Spanish warships to land. By this point, I really couldn''t say anything. I felt like I''d get shot if I said it was actually a joke. Lastly... "It''s delicious, isn''t it? The Spanish say it''s terribly unpalatable." "Those people must have said that because they were full, Mr. Hewett. How could those born in such a country with good weather and vast land not be picky about food?" We harvested the potatoes. ...And sorry, but potatoes really are tasteless. While 21st century people eat sweet potatoes improved through hundreds of years of intense breeding, potatoes now are literally flavorless. Whatever the case, the potato farming was a huge success. I must have underestimated 16th century people. People of this era must have at least tended vegetable gardens. Fewer potatoes rotted underground than expected, and the yield wasn''t bad either. This time I carefully selected suitable seed potatoes without making mistakes and put them in cold storage. When it''s time to plant again, I''ll do the light sprouting work then to grow sprouts. Then next year we can harvest many more potatoes than this year. Anyway. Successfully harvesting potatoes held an especially special meaning for us. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. First, Christmas, the biggest holiday for Christians, was approaching, and besides having abundant food. We succeeded in becoming self-sufficient. "So... this colony has finally succeeded." The sight of settlement people having a festival, grilling meat and singing songs was enjoyable just to watch. I watched them with a genuinely warm expression then looked to the side. Sitting close beside me was Eleanor. "We succeeded in self-sufficiency, and we''re getting along well exchanging gifts with the natives. Everyone tends their own fields and lives happily." I noticed Eleanor''s pronunciation slipping. "...Just like my father promised those people..." She covered her face with both hands. Tears leaked between her fingers. "I-I thought everyone would die... My husband died like that... and others..." Her husband was apparently trash with a bad reputation as a philanderer. Still, death was death. "...Among them were people who wanted to become gentry, and people who escaped London not wanting to become prostitutes. So many people came here with dreams... and achieved those dreams." And then she looked at me. Her face, her eyes sparkled with tears. "Th-thank you, Nemo." "...It''s nothing. It''s thanks to everyone''s efforts." "No. If you hadn''t saved us then, probably everyone would have..." "..." I gave her time. Time to sort out her emotions alone. Only after sobbing sounds continued for a while did a trembling voice continue. "...What''s the reason?" "..." "Why did you save over 30 dangerous people like that, without any cost? Wh-why..." "..." I pondered my answer for a moment. What should I say? After thinking about what answer would make me seem like a ''mysterious helper'', I answered. "...If we must find a reason for one person to save another, isn''t that too sad?" "...What?" "Let''s say it was ''just because.''" "..." I chewed over the words I''d spoken and realized they were actually true. Just because, I saved them. There wasn''t really any special reason. Eleanor cried again hearing my words. She kept crying. "You shouldn''t cry." "...What?" "It''s almost Christmas, isn''t it?" So I threw out a joke. "You won''t get presents." Of course, it was a joke no one but me could understand. == Thud. Several boats finally reached land after crossing dangerous seas full of wetlands and whirlpools. They strode forward, stepping on long-grown grass and disgusting sunken swamps. Each of them carried wariness in their eyes, their bodies tense. "Everyone, move inland!" As the last boat touched land and their warship gently contacted the island, a fiery command fell. The soldiers began moving without further hesitation. "Governor?" "What is it, Fernando?" "Excuse me, but according to the nautical charts of this area, the colonists have already withdrawn from this small island. Perhaps we should thoroughly search the Chesapeake Bay area instead..." "Haven''t we already searched Chesapeake Bay? All sorts of strange rumors among the barbarians, talk of catching clouds... I''m already tired. Better to go to where everything started." "...Understood." Vicente Gonz¨¢lez, governor of Spanish Florida''s Santa Elena, looked around while giving orders in a solemn tone. Over a hundred soldiers were lounging around searching this barbaric land. Even after hearing rumors that the Roanoke colony had moved to Chesapeake Bay, His Majesty the King could not rest easy. The West Indies colonial government was also gripped by fear of colonies that might be used as English military bases and stopover points. Several months had already passed since Gonz¨¢lez was dispatched like that. After tedious searching in Chesapeake Bay, they finally found no trace of the colony. They must have fled to escape the Spanish fleet. So, the exploration was a failure. ''We brought a warship, we can''t end just chasing English tails. We must somehow create something to report to the colonial authorities...'' Thinking this, Vicente Gonz¨¢lez unconsciously chewed his thumbnail anxiously. Somehow, if they couldn''t achieve results from this exploration, it was obvious those damned English pirates would suck out Great Spain''s wealth like mosquitoes again. It was an infuriating possibility just to imagine... "Go-Governor! Come look at this!" "Hmm?" Rustle. Deer fled startled by human footsteps, and birds flew up from pecking at broken melon pieces. That fluttering sound broke the silence, and Vicente Gonz¨¢lez jumped over the bushes toward where the soldier''s shout came from. And... "Oh... my God." They saw traces of about 100 people having lived there. They saw the surrounding palisade, the half-collapsed and abandoned huts. On one of the logs was written: ''CROATOAN.'' Below it, more detailed content was written small but legibly: ''Settlement successful. If found, come to Croatoan Island.'' A curve drew on Vicente''s lips. Soon over a hundred armed men left Roanoke Island again. They had a new target location. They also had a new mission from God. The English heretics who betrayed His Holiness the Pope are all like beasts. Therefore, kill all two-legged beasts living there. It was quite a clean conclusion. Chapter 11 - 11: Christmas Invasion Three months was quite a long time. In an era without smartphones, TV, or internet, that period felt especially long. People didn''t know what to do with their spare time even while doing embroidery and tending vegetable gardens. With food and clothing taken care of, everyone was bored with nothing to do. And that boredom soon... led to energy being channeled in another direction. "Um... do you really need to go that far?" "Of course! We have to stop the Spanish army!" "Dedicating two or three days a week entirely to military training... whether that''s reasonable..." "Won''t we all die if the Spanish army attacks anyway? Even Nemo himself witnessed their warship!" At Eleanor''s rebuke, I had no choice but to keep my mouth shut. In that gap, Lawyer Hewett continued. "That''s right. That''s because Nemo doesn''t know well about the Spanish army''s brutality." "I do know quite well, but..." "There are various pamphlets, take a look. They detail how those Spanish exploited and massacred the natives called ''Indios''..." "..." Hey. You''ll do pretty much the same things later. Like, um, scalping, building concentration camps, spreading disease bombs... Anyway. I couldn''t say such things to the serious settlers. Besides, according to documents, there were indeed reports of Spanish fleets being sent to find our colony, so it wasn''t a needless worry. If the Spanish came, not only the settlers here but also our allies in Manteo''s tribe would all die. No matter how annoying, I couldn''t stop them. Even if seeing the Spanish warship was my little lie, I couldn''t know for sure whether the Spanish army wouldn''t really come here. "So... what you want to... prepare..." "We need wooden shields to block enemy bullets!" "We should have a plan. Like some people evacuate while others stay to fight when the Spanish come." "Plus we''re terribly short on gunpowder." Moreover. "Wooden shields? Can those really block bullets?" "Isn''t the gunpowder shortage an unavoidable problem anyway?" "What kind of specific plan do you want to make? We''ll all die as soon as hand-to-hand combat starts if strong men with steel swords come!" I wanted to give advice whenever I joined the settlers'' meetings. They were too ignorant about future items, so their discussions went in circles. "...Um, about that?" "What is it, Mr. Nemo?" I finally had to speak up. "Actually... what if gunpowder ingredients came out endlessly from nearby? We could make gunpowder..." "Of course we can make it! I''m a former English sailor!" "...You have the ingredients?" "...Yes." Of course they''re overflowing. After all, nitrogen fertilizer and gunpowder share similar main ingredients. "And you said you needed shields? You asked how to handle hand-to-hand combat?" "Yes, yes... that''s right." "Don''t worry about that either. Come with me to the warehouse." When you live in the countryside, you need to be able to do simple repairs and maintenance on your house and nearby facilities. Which means having materials to repair greenhouse walls... "...And, phew. Let''s organize. You want to deal with hand-to-hand combat?" "Yes. That''s right." "Well... wouldn''t it be enough if we could just trample and kill all enemies who come close?" "Uh, yes, well, that''s true." I took that former sailor along to the warehouse. Opening the corrugated iron door, I immediately pointed at ''that'' and said: "Let''s say I drive that and charge at the enemies." "...Yes." "Would the enemies die or not?" "...They would die." "Good." I clapped my hands and summarized all the discussions so far and. "Then... let''s organize our defense against Spanish invasion like this. From now on, we''ll train, make shields with ''that'', and charge at enemies driving ''this''." There were no particular objections. And we worked our butts off for three months. == The quiet eastern coast of Croatoan Island was surrounded by a sea so gray it seemed about to freeze. Waves rose high as if to swallow the snow clouds before collapsing on the beach. Wind carrying unbearable cold along with saltiness savagely clawed at the coastline. And there, there was a solitary hut. It was an outpost guarded by several sentries, with the original English flag taken down. Here, the residents of Croatoan Island watched for ships sent from England. They didn''t know when Eleanor''s father John White would send relief ships from across that sunrise. "...Huh?" Chauco, staring intently through the grayish-white curtain made by snow and clouds, spotted something like a dark ''dot.'' Unable to tell if it was a seabird or an illusion from the snow, he frowned and looked at the horizon again. The dot had multiplied to four. "Uh, uhhh..." Blinking again. ''Those'' were no longer dots. And symbols that Europeans had taught them were drawn on those ships. They were not friendly symbols. They were... "They''re barbarians who burn people alive if they don''t believe in their god! I definitely heard that when I was in London!" ...Chewing over what Manteo had shouted, a chill ran down Chauco''s spine. There was no time to waste. Chauco rushed immediately. Running to the village where the tribe lived, he saw Manteo and village youths practicing shooting. Chauco shouted as soon as he saw Manteo. "Sp-Spanish!" That one word. At that short word, Manteo''s relaxed smiling face turned cold. Soon tribal youths shouted to wake the villagers who were chatting leisurely. They left the village taking only the minimum belongings they could carry. Time was tight. There wasn''t much time until the enemies landed. == December 20, 1588. With only five days left until Christmas, the villagers'' movements became even busier. Though this was already their second Christmas in America since arriving here in 1587... No one thought of it that way. This was their true first Christmas here. Even those who had lost family or colleagues stopped mourning for now and picked fruits and prepared food for the festival with joyful hearts. In such an atmosphere, I couldn''t help but move too. ...I made up my mind and put up several roosters for slaughter. Hens? Of course not. They need to lay eggs and increase the population going forward. Anyway, to put it shortly. Everyone was excited. Even I, not a 16th century Puritan, got caught up in the good mood. Just liking the positive energy people emitted, I even joined when they prayed or held worship. That was the settlement now. "Snow is starting to fall, is Nemo''s house alright?" "Uh... why such a sudden question?" "No, just. I''ve never seen you bringing firewood to your house." "..." "I''m worried you might be cold, since there''s a chimney so there must be a stove..." Sorry. That''s fake, made of bricks and boards. Mother, who was a huge fan of ''Anne of Green Gables'', wailed that she couldn''t die in peace without perfectly recreating the appearance of ''Green Gables'' where Anne lived. We almost gave up central heating and went with just fireplaces for heating like in the 19th century... but I barely talked her out of it, and we just made fake chimneys and fireplaces. In other words, our house runs on hot water boiler floor heating like normal Japanese homes. And the boiler runs well on its own, just like the faucet that endlessly spouts purified water. "I''m fine." Of course, there was no need to explain such circumstances. I just nodded and smiled. "First priority is making sure you don''t run out of firewood. And if I had gathered firewood, could I have decorated all those trees?" == ''Despite being so wealthy, living frugally and giving up firewood for others!'' Eleanor was so moved she tried to remember Nemo''s words to write in her diary. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, ''Nemo'' himself had no idea about such circumstances. == Huh? Why is Eleanor''s expression like that... never mind. Anyway. The Christmas scenery familiar to me only takes shape in the 19th century. There''s no Santa Claus and Rudolph in Christmas yet. Of course, I could understand the absence of Santa Claus. It''s still the 16th century. I understand there''s no gift exchange without Santa Claus to give presents. Christmas now is just a religious holiday. But it was too bleak without even trees, so I taught them that. It did look pretty with candles and aluminum decorations on the trees. Like that, aluminum pieces made by Mr. Brown hung sparkling from countless branches, and the sight was quite spectacular. "...Now it feels more like Christmas." "Did they celebrate Christmas in Nemo''s homeland too?" "Of course. Every street was brilliantly lit with lamps, and people bought gifts for children or donated wealth for the poor on earth." "That... must have been beautiful!" "Yes, it was beautiful. ...Especially the people dressed as Santa Claus and Rudolph..." "Mr. Nemo!" Ah, damn. Who''s interrupting at this important moment when I was about to spread the existence of Santa Claus for the first time in world history? Looking back, the palisade gate was open and men with serious expressions were running toward me. "...Uh, Mr. Hewett?" The respected lawyer in this settlement. We sent him as an envoy to Manteo''s tribe since he learned native languages quickly, but why is he suddenly back? And with dozens of native warriors? "Huff, huff, looks like we''re not too late. They''ve come! They have!" "..." If they mean... surely not... ...At first it was a lie, and after reading some documents I thought it was a somewhat reasonable worry but. Why now of all times? Looking to the side, Eleanor grasped the situation faster than me. She was already running toward the settlement with a pale face. When she shouted loudly, others stopped what they were doing and immediately headed to their positions. Right. We didn''t have much to do during the past days. Food situation had become comfortable, and there was almost no worry about survival. At most, there was nothing else to do except chase away birds pecking at potatoes. And when there was nothing else to do, we didn''t just play. For months, we repeatedly practiced the same behavior patterns. Eleanor repeatedly shouted one word: "Spanish!" And at that word, everyone moved according to their training. "Manteo, how much time do we have?" "Probably about three or four hours. That''s how long it''ll take for the Spanish to land and find this place." "How far have your tribe members come?" "Right there! They''re all here!" "Evacuate everyone to the greenhouse and you and your warriors wait with guns at the entrance!" "Understood!" "Everyone gather at the entrance with shields and guns!" Then all the adult men and women of the settlement gathered with transparent shields and muskets. The evacuation of the elderly and children was already finished. Time passed chillingly like that. I immediately moved to the warehouse to start ''that'', then moved to the gate as well. Click. Click-click. Click-clack. Click. Soon metal sounds and commanding voices were heard. ''They'' soon gathered at the settlement''s entrance, the only place we hadn''t managed to surround with palisades. Soon shouts were heard. "In the name of Philip II, rightful king ruling Spain by divine blessing!" "..." "We''ll give you English heretics and your Indian allies a chance to save your lives! If you sincerely swear to serve a new sovereign..." BANG! Thud. "Get lost!" "..." "..." With Eleanor''s shout, silence fell over the island and. That was the first death of the battle. == Red-faced Vicente Gonz¨¢lez immediately shouted to his staff officers. "Damn it! England''s dogs killed the envoy! There will be no more mercy for those creatures!" Of course, they had no reason to spare the English. They would have tortured and executed everyone regardless of man, woman, child or elderly before plundering, with more than enough reasons. So Gonz¨¢lez''s anger didn''t come from having mercy rejected. It came from the process of arson, plunder, and massacre becoming somewhat longer and more troublesome. But conveying such thought processes one by one would be undignified and inefficient. So instead of paying attention to those bizarre structures inside the palisade and wire mesh, Vicente shouted one word: "Fire!" RATATATATATA! Immediately, the muskets of colonial veteran soldiers who had fought countless battles with English and massacred countless Indians spat fire. Should we have brought cannon after all...? No. The obstacles between them and us are terribly crude anyway. We don''t need cannon if we''re not conducting a siege. RATATA! RATATATA! As the Spanish army fired, the English and natives also fired their guns. However, the civilians'' volley fire was somewhat crude and rough. For a while like that, gunpowder smoke tickled the soldiers'' noses, acrid smell hurt their eyes, and visibility was blocked. Both sides fired their guns again and again, waiting for the other''s gunpowder to run out. And. Whoosh. When a clear wind swept across the battlefield where volley fire had ceased, Vicente saw an unbelievable sight. "Urgh... cough..." "Ugh..." It wasn''t surprising that about 30 of their 211 men were rolling on the ground fallen. Whether shot by a young girl, an old woman, or a strong man, a gun is a gun, and the English fired guns too. On the battlefield, death was fair like a benevolent Lord. Of course, exchanging volley fire at this distance, that many casualties was natural. Therefore, what surprised him wasn''t because of his own forces. "...They''re not dead?" It was because of the enemy. To the naked eye, only, only one or two people seemed to have fallen. It was unbelievable that this was the result achieved by sailors hardened through countless acts of piracy and rebellion suppression. However, he could never resolve this question. That the shields they held were made of the same material as the greenhouse behind the farm. That the material was polycarbonate. That the walls of a Lexan smart greenhouse that had eaten up some father''s retirement money could never be penetrated by 16th century matchlocks. He couldn''t know. Yes. Retirement money was stronger than gunpowder weapons. Vicente''s face finally turned from red to blue. Drawing his Toledo steel sword himself, he stepped forward and shouted: "Charge! Charge and tear those English barbarians to pieces!" "Uwaaaah!" The Spanish soldiers rushing forward shouted while immediately climbing the iron fence. Though everyone couldn''t comprehend what magic had just happened, anyway they would surely have the advantage in hand-to-hand combat. That''s what they thought but... "Fire!" RATATATATATA! "Urgh...!" "Arrrgh!" By this point, Vicente couldn''t understand the situation at all. ...Why? Clearly when gathering information, they couldn''t have stockpiled more gunpowder than us? How does a half-failed colony that can''t even receive supplies have so much gunpowder stored after moving here? The answer to his first question could be summarized in two lines: Ammonium nitrate fertilizer was treated as a ''consumable'' in this farm. And ammonium nitrate is the main ingredient of black powder. Of course, like the information about polycarbonate panels, Vicente had no way of knowing this answer. That was his second question. And. VROOOOOM! "Wh-what is that!" CRASH! == What else would it be. It''s a 10-ton forklift with a top speed of 37.5 kilometers per hour. Chapter 12 - 12: O Immortal The soldiers here were gathered by Spanish colonial authorities to strike at the English colony. Though not special elite troops, they were overwhelmingly superior forces compared to the civilians from London here. And their strength came from abundant combat experience. They had fought against overwhelming numbers of Indians, watched comrades die from strange poisonous plants and insects, and witnessed all sorts of bizarre beasts roaming the skies and fields. Their courage was not to be taken lightly. No, if you looked for people most accustomed to the sensation of ''strangeness'' in this world, it would be these Spanish soldiers. After all, they were the ones who left their familiar homeland and stepped into a completely new world. And when they faced that bizarre monster, they could only utter one phrase. "Dios m¨ªo..." CRASH! And another one standing dumbfounded like that died. VROOOOOM! Spain''s sons hastily climbing over the wire mesh froze at the roar of the madly charging monster. Horrible metallic sounds licked past their ears. The unpleasant petroleum smell that made their heads ache numbed their sense of smell. "Arrrgh!" "P-please spare me..." "Monster, monster...!" It, that yellow steel beast was frantically crushing their allies. It seemed to savor the sweetness of slaughter while thrashing its heavy body at impossible speeds. Rumble. Rumble. In an instant they lost their commander, the governor. In an instant several comrades at the front became meat pieces. "Ha. What... is that?" Someone''s neck breaks with a hollow laugh. The monster''s rapidly rotating arm had struck his head. The body made of bright yellow metal, strange wheels like it had belts attached, and the huge single arm threateningly hanging at its head. All of it painted with their allies'' blood. Could the Behemoth from the Bible have looked like that? Was it a product carefully crafted by Satan? Crack. A soldier standing in a daze accidentally gets his arm caught in the monster''s joint. The frightened soldier struggles desperately but the monster emotionlessly lifts its arm and... "Arrrrrgh!" Crunch. Crushes the arm. And... "Ra-raise your guns!" "Uh... uhhh?" "Fire from the front!" RATATATA! The ragtag militia showered them with another volley of fire. == I''m sorry, Mr. Shoji. "Arrrgh! The governor has been thrown!" "Ev-everyone retreat! Retreat!" "Mierda! How the hell!" Today, the forklift you lent will become a killing machine. A horse runs at about 60 kilometers per hour. Humans run at an average speed of about 20 kilometers when sprinting. And this forklift can rush up to 37.5 kilometers per hour. Of course, it would break if kept running like that... but who cares. It''ll repair itself. Earlier when I pushed through once, the man called governor went flying and the soldiers crushed under him... "Urgh! Aaaaaargh!" ...''were pulverized''. Ugh. I won''t be able to eat meat for days. I barely held back the nausea trying to rise unconsciously. Averting my eyes from the horrible sight of flesh, bone and organs mixed together, I charged toward the other soldiers ahead. "Eek! D-don''t come! You monster!" "You idiot! Just shoot! Shoot it!" BANG! RATATATA! The Spanish soldiers who climbed over the wire mesh didn''t dare touch anyone else and just fired bullets at me. It was an excellent attempt, and excellent discipline. To attempt a counterattack in this situation. Thwip. Thwip thwip. Thwip. But it failed. Why? Did you think I made this crazy plan to charge into the enemies with a forklift without any preparation? Of course I wrapped the entire cockpit in polycarbonate panels. Unless I have really bad luck, those lead bullets definitely won''t hit me... Swoosh! "..." What, what was that? Did something just graze me? Damn. The polycarbonate panel I fixed started rattling slightly from the impact earlier. A lead bullet must have flown through that gap. THWACK! "Urrrgh!" Thud thud thud! "Eeeeeek!" While freely hitting and trampling people, I glanced at my arm and saw blood flowing hot and stinging from where the bullet grazed. Damn. If I knew this would happen, I shouldn''t have made such a reckless plan. Suddenly I was running with my life on the line. These damn Spaniards, threatening me? No more guilt. I''ll hit and trample and kill them to my heart''s content... Rattle. Rattle. "...Ugh." The disgusting smell of blood closes in from all directions. While the Spanish are in confusion, our allies retreat while pouring volley fire, making more enemies fall. But we''re running low on gunpowder too. While our allies who''ve withdrawn far back stand guard with pitchforks and spears... During that time, it''s my turn. "Catch that thing! There''s a person riding it! It''s not some Behemoth or mythical monster, just a somewhat complex machine!" "D-damn it, Lord, Lord..." "Get your wits together! If we kill that rider and take that machine, we win!" Damn it. How can anyone keep their wits in this situation? When someone who seemed to be an aide officer shouted, the Spanish army that had somehow regrouped started firing their guns at me. Though the polycarbonate panels deflected most of it, the impact was huge. "Everyone draw swords and charge! It''s not that fast, you can survive if you just dodge!" "Uwaaaah!" "Destroy the heretics'' sorcery! Kill that Indian bastard riding it too!" And that much impact was enough for the Spanish army to recover their morale. They were a powerful and well-trained army to begin with. Enough to regain their senses even after their governor was hit by a suddenly appearing monster and their comrades were pulverized. I marveled at their discipline. Though I tried to raise the speed by stepping on the accelerator somehow, as the enemy commander said, there was a big limit to the speed a forklift could achieve, and attacks became difficult once they escaped their panic state. This... isn''t good...! This operation was designed based on the fear pre-modern people would have toward unfamiliar machinery. If the enemies break free of that fear, the basic premise of the operation is twisted. Though I killed many enemies, there are still annoyingly many left! Seeing our allies retreat, it seems they''re already out of gunpowder, and if I fall here, the poorly equipped militia will have to directly clash with the armor-clad Spanish army. Then there''s no chance of victory. I need to somehow corner the enemies as much as possible...! Thud. ...Huh? CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! Ha. Crazy. "Cl-climb up!" "Everyone climb up and kill the rider!" Spanish soldiers in plate armor madly rushed forward and started jumping onto my forklift. Some died getting hit, some got crushed, but none gave up. With reddened eyes they started clinging to the forklift''s exterior. "Urrrgh! Heretic devil! How dare you... Aaaaaargh!" WHIIIIIR! Wow! Almost died! Someone was trying to open the door so I barely managed to cut off his arm with the chainsaw! Hurriedly locked the door and grabbed the steering wheel again but... huh? CRACK! "Don''t aim for that sturdy glass! Break the connections!" Ha. Right. Now this is the conquistador from the textbooks. They fight damn well. CLANG! CLANG CLANG! CLANG! The Spanish clinging to the front and sides start frantically jamming steel swords between the silicone and nails used to fix the polycarbonate panels. During that time several more soldiers fell from the vehicle, some had their heads burst getting trampled by the forklift, but the remaining ones seemed not to care and concentrated on their work with reddened eyes. CLANG! CLANG! CLANG CLANG! I frantically turned the handle, curving until just before the forklift would tip over trying to shake them off. And the more I did that, the more Spanish clung to the vehicle body. Now it seemed about 10 were stuck on like bugs. I couldn''t even see anything through the windshield... Oh. Damn. CRASH! I collided straight into the wire mesh. And that wasn''t the problem. CLANG CLANG! At the same moment the forklift hit the wire mesh, some soldier''s sword tore off the polycarbonate panel and thrust through the gap. Following inertia, my body naturally lurched forward. The two events happened simultaneously by chance. The result... ... ...I saw the sword handle protruding from my chest. Red gushes out so much I wonder if there was really this much blood in a human body. Every time I stagger, the blade shakes and tears up my insides. It was terribly painful. Like... my chest center was being branded with a hot iron. Barely raising my eyes, I saw the soldier who stabbed me was already half-crushed, caught between the wire mesh and forklift. He couldn''t live long. ''O one who will be immortal across ages, now a new world calls you.'' I... uh... Damn. ''O Immortal.'' Consciousness blurs. The smell of oil hits my nose. For some reason the opening line of "Immortal Order" echoes in my ears. Right. Stop with that immortal business already. Now it''s all over... ''There is no end.'' ...Huh? ''For you, end does not exist.'' I unconsciously looked down. The blood... ''O Immortal.'' ...stops. == "..." "..." In stark contrast to the metallic sounds and shouts raging until just now, a silence heavy as lead suddenly falls over this farm. The yellow monster, that terrible death machine, finally stopped. Dozens died and were injured to finally stop that thing. Even then, dozens still survived. "Cough, cough, cough..." "Go-governor is alive!" "Governor! Are you alright?" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Don''t... touch me. Seems my ribs are broken." "..." "..." "That mo-monster...?" At Vicente''s question, the soldiers all point to one side. The sight of that ''monster'' miserably broken after hitting the wire mesh enters the governor''s eyes. Smoke rises from the monster''s side. Seeing that sight, color returns to Vicente''s face despite his joints being twisted all over. Only. "..." "..." Only the natives and English couldn''t smile. The Spanish quietly approached them. With Toledo steel covering chest and back, quality swords and shields in hand. Now it was time to enjoy slaughter and plunder as victors. Time to chase easy prey instead of being hunted. The settlers and natives slowly stepped back. Some collapsed with their legs giving out. They were desperately searching for the monster''s rider in the smoke. "P-please, angel..." But there was no angel here. Now there were only slaughterers and those to be slaughtered here. The Spanish armor and shields easily deflected the arrows shot by Manteo and the natives. Only one or two fell, but that was all. Rather, their laughter grew louder. Why shoot arrows after abandoning guns? Must be because they''re out of gunpowder. Now it''s time for pure hand-to-hand combat. Time for veteran Spanish troops armored in steel to dance with mere militia and barbarians. That''s what they thought as they walked forward drooling, when. CRASH! At the sudden boom, everyone''s gaze turns back toward that monster. The rider was walking out of the ash and smoke, gasping for breath. With a sword still stuck in his chest. "..." "..." "..." Everyone loses their minds at that sight. What superhuman willpower must it take to walk out standing so straight with a sword stuck in one''s chest. "Raaaaargh!" But the Spanish weren''t ones to just watch him. A man who just lost his comrade to him runs forward swinging his sword. The man blocked the sword with his arm as if he had no strength left, or as if he didn''t care, and. Slice. Of course the arm was cut clean off. English women screamed, and natives trembled in fear. And. And... "Who has become, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life..." As everyone couldn''t take their eyes off the man, someone among the Spanish soldiers mutters a Bible verse. "...As it is testified: ''You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.''" Hebrews chapter 7 verses 16 to 17. The man looked at his severed arm. He raised his forearm... lets everyone see. The sight of severed bone, muscle and blood vessels growing back. Chapter 13 - 13: Divine Intervention Thud. Thud. Thud. The man walks. He walks slowly with a sword pierced through his chest. He walks toward the frightened English settlers and natives. In the silence, the Spanish soldiers make way for him. No, they either follow him as if entranced or fall to their knees. A Spanish soldier who collapsed to his knees speaks. "Lo-Lord... Lord... forgive me... Fo-forgive me...!" When the man''s indifferent and detached gaze brushes past him, the soldier immediately trembles as if electrocuted and collapses. "Lord, I have sinned greatly against you. Please forgive us sinners, these ignorant sinners...!" "Forgive us our sins, as we have forgiven those who sin against us... Lead us not into temptation..." The Spanish soldiers wail and try to grab even the hem of his garment. When his recently regenerated fingers brush against his face, one man weeps like a baby. "Lord, Lord...! Please, please!" "Uwaaaaah...!" However, the man only gives them fleeting glances without adding any words. He quietly continues, step by step, toward the English. The Spanish, while trying not to interfere with his progress, desperately gather around him like children crying for their mother. But where there are believers, there are always unbelievers among them. "A-a-are you all crazy? How can some native mutt be the L-L-Lord! The Lord taking the side of the English! Mierda, that''s impossible!" A disbeliever staggers toward the man. Suddenly hearing that enraged shout, everyone''s gaze turns cold, but the one who stopped from immediately striking down the disbeliever was... "Stop." ...the man himself. "Kuaaaaaagh!" Everyone hesitates at the man''s command. In that moment, the disbeliever finally draws his sword and swings it at him. With that, the man starts up the chainsaw he was holding and immediately thrusts its blade into the disbeliever''s neck. Tutututung! Sparks fly everywhere as the chainsaw''s carbide blade grinds against the Toledo steel armor. "..." "..." "..." It was just for a moment. The disbeliever''s flesh and blood turn to mush, and he soon collapses. Thud. The man looks at the fallen corpse and slowly pulls out the sword that was pierced in his chest. After stabbing it into the ground, he looks around. "...Are you afraid of me?" Everyone flinches at the man''s words. Not just the Spanish gathered nearby, but the English and even the natives who don''t believe in Christianity. And only then do they realize. Just now, ''everyone'' in this place understood what the man said. To the Spanish, it seemed like he whispered in Spanish, to the English it seemed like he spoke calmly in English, and to the Algonquins it seemed like he spoke gently in Algonquin. "Good... heavens..." The last possibility that the miracle before their eyes could be false disappears. That''s why the surviving Spanish cling more fervently, more desperately to the one who appeared before them. "Stop... this." And at that one word, they scatter in all directions as if light driving away darkness. Even while doing so, they sob and beg him not to abandon them. After watching this scene for a while, the man first approached Eleanor. Eleanor, who was kneeling, sees his chest through his torn clothes. His chest, white and clean without a single wound. "Ah, ah... I dare ask forgiveness for my rudeness all this time..." "You have never been rude to me, Eleanor." Ah. His voice comes to me. Eleanor sobs looking at the ground, and the man wipes her tears and helps her up while saying: "Those people..." "Do-do you mean the Spanish?" "...Please help them up. Gather the wounded, wash them clean, and bring them to the barn. I will take care of the rest." "Bu-but, just now they tried to kill you..." "Eleanor, I told you." "..." "If we need to find a reason for people to save people, isn''t that too sad?" "...Ah, aah." "Please save them, Eleanor. Just as I saved you all." "I-I''ll help too!" "Me too!" While Eleanor holds the man''s hand and cries, others stand up first and move toward the Spanish. They willingly lift up the arms and shoulders of enemies they were trying to kill just moments ago. And another person approaches the man''s side while kneeling. "Mr. Hewet?" "Yes, it''s me. A sinful lawyer before you..." "Be at peace." "How, how can I be at peace now?" "..." "..." Lawyer Thomas Hewet closes his mouth and gets up while trembling all over. Then he soon walks to where the excavator was billowing smoke until just now. The man follows behind him. As he walks, Hewet carefully picks up the sword that was stuck in the ground, the sword that had pierced through the man''s heart. Then he approaches the soldier still trapped between the wire mesh and excavator and asks: "What is your name?" It was a trivial question, but the soldier wept at it. "...R¨®-R¨®mulo, from Seville..." At those words, Hewet solemnly nods and raises the sword from earlier. "...This holy sword belonged to R¨®mulo of Seville." Then he takes the scabbard from the soldier''s waist, sheathes it, and presents it to the man. "And... now it is yours." "...What are you doing?" "This place is now holy ground, and this is a holy sword. Some here may become saints, and this sacred story will be endlessly recounted." Hewet knelt again with shining eyes. "So, I will ensure that every single thing of this moment is not forgotten. Neither that sword, nor the name of he who possessed it." "..." To Hewet''s words full of emotion, the man only wiped the tears from the dying R¨®mulo''s eyes. "Don''t cry." "Si-sin..." "Sin will be judged by the Lord in heaven. Are you afraid of the Lord?" "...Ah!" "Do not be afraid." The man held R¨®mulo''s hand. "I will stay by your side." "..." "..." R¨®mulo soon closed his eyes while crying. He never opened those eyes again. But he looked very peaceful. Finally... "I, I, I didn''t know it would be like this..." Manteo walks over slowly with his head bowed and falls to his knees. The other natives who followed him also cannot dare raise their heads out of fear. "I repent...! Yes! I only received baptism but didn''t truly believe in you! I believed we lived well for generations without believing in the Great Spirit the Europeans spoke of. But..." Bang! Manteo cries while pounding the ground. "The English were all right. Please tell me. Are you truly the great god they serve? Or..." "Shh." "..." "I am not a god. Just another created being." "..." "..." "..." Only then do all those kneeling raise their heads to look at the man''s face. A man who was nothing. Like Melchizedek from Genesis, with no father and no mother, a mysterious figure whose identity no one knows. Nemo. His name will not be forgotten. His traces will not disappear. The flame of faith ignited by him will never dim nor extinguish. "...Eleanor?" "Ah... yes?" "Have all the patients been moved?" "Yes, Lord Nemo!" "Then let''s go." He who is furthest from the powers of death, the most noble on earth, who cares for enemies like family and cherishes wanderers like friends. He shall be immortal. Everyone here believed this without doubt. == ... ... ... First time I''ve killed someone in my life... Phewww. Calm down. I washed the blood off my hands thoroughly and cleaned my tattered clothes with cold water. Between the bullet holes and sword tears, it''s a mess. Will the clothes repair themselves after midnight too? I grip the sink and look in the mirror for a moment. More precisely, at my chest where my heart is. "...Really clean." The sensation of the blade piercing exactly through here is still vivid. I can''t forget that feeling of all the blood draining from my body and the burning pain where I was pierced through. The internal organs squirming and touching the blade, and that cold blade moved by and cutting through the hot blood and flesh inside... Gulp. I swallow again. "Damn... so that''s what it really means." ''O thou who shall be immortal beyond ages, now a new world calls to thee.'' ''Immortal one, wilt thou become a pioneer of the new world in infinite blessing? Or wilt thou become a slave to fate?'' The opening text flickers before my eyes again. Somehow it kept going on about immortality and seemed suspicious but... ''...I didn''t think it would literally mean this.'' It was ''immortality'' in the literal sense. Not a metaphor or implication, just straight-up immortality. I don''t die. Even if my heart is pierced, my arm is cut off, I''m shot. I just realized this fact, and even experienced my first kill. What reason would there be to kill someone in 21st century Japan? In a country where violence and murder are rare, where guns are strictly controlled. I wasn''t in my right mind earlier. With adrenaline coursing through my body, half-numb with fear and sense of reality, I wandered here and there. I said whatever came to mind and acted however I felt like... uh... What did I do again? First, well, I killed some soldier who was saying something to me. And when the soldier who stabbed me was crying with an expression of absolute agony, I comforted him a bit... right... Then I treated the Spanish. Though treatment was just simple stuff like setting bones, applying splints, putting alcohol on wounds for disinfection, and giving antibiotics. Literally just first aid. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But when I was wrapping bandages, what did that Spanish governor or whatever say? ...He cried, right? ... ... ... "Ah! The Lord''s love that embraces even enemies! How truly great! Oh, our savior...!" "I-I will convert from Catholicism immediately! I, Vicente, have finally opened my eyes like the Apostle Paul, so please accept my repentance! Ah, Lord! Lord!" ...What did I answer? "I didn''t attack you because you''re Catholic. Weren''t there even natives who don''t believe in Christianity on our side? Religion isn''t the issue." "Th-then... why..." "If I had done nothing, the powerless English and natives would have died. And please stay still. Your wound will open." So the governor''s response was... "Aaaaah! Aah! Aaaaaaaaah!" ...It wasn''t in human words. I''m honestly not sure if that was a shout of ecstasy or a groan of pain from the bandaging. Others were roughly similar. For normal patients, especially those who''ve never experienced modern medicine, you''d think they''d question these strange practices. But they just took the terribly bitter medicine while crying as if it were honey. And while Eleanor and I were taking care of the patients, even though we told others to go rest, they all stubbornly refused to listen. Everyone kept praying outside the barn and sang hymns until their throats were raw. Even when the natives, who didn''t know what was what, performed some kind of traditional ceremony, the supposed Christians watched without saying a word. This scene of racial harmony... ... Wait. So what I''ve done up until now is... 1). Coming back from death. 2). Killing an unbeliever. 3). Comforting an enemy who stabbed me. 4). Treating soldiers who attacked me. ... ... ... Come to think of it, that''s how it went. ...Uh, uhhh? I feel cold sweat pouring down my spine as if a faucet had been turned on. What will everyone think of me now? What''s going to happen to me now? What... am I? Chapter 14 - 14: Growing Settlement Now it''s the late 16th century, the 1580s, about 400 years before my time. In East Asia, it''s around when Toyotomi Hideyoshi was burning with the desire to conquer Joseon. In just 3-4 years, the Imjin War would break out and all of East Asia would be engulfed in the flames of war... but. Sigh, to intervene in the Imjin War, I''d have to cross both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. So what I should focus on right now is. 16th century Europe. The age of early capitalism and colonial empires. In Europe, the Ottoman Empire held hegemony over the eastern Mediterranean, commercial capitalism was rising in England, and colonial empires were extending their reach to America, Africa, and various parts of Asia. ...but that''s not exactly the answer I''m looking for right now either. What happened in 16th century Europe? Not long-term trends like the rise of capitalism or growth of colonial empires, but what was the massive, instantaneous flash-like event? What else but the Protestant Reformation. By the 1580s, England, German regions, and others had all become Protestant, while in France, Protestants and Catholics were still at war. The war between England and Spain also had various causes, but religious issues played a major role. Right. This was an age of religious fervor. An age when people would set fire to both the living and dead if they were of a different denomination. ...Of course, even fanaticism has its positive aspects. It was Christian priests who tried to prevent the exploitation of natives in Latin America. There were aspects of social reform too. ''...But that''s not me.'' I''m screwed. How would the religiously fervent Christians of this era see me? No, even Europeans who weren''t caught up in religious fervor would be the same. Didn''t the natives bow to me? ... ... ... This isn''t right. I can''t go on like this. First, I need to give them time to calm down. If I just don''t go outside for a while, that should work. I often did that anyway, tinkering with various things, so it won''t seem strange. Right. I hurriedly closed all the curtains in the house and shut myself in the room with boiled potatoes while thinking. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Please, everyone, calm down...! Calm down...! == "It''s been quite a while since He hasn''t come out of the mansion." "Do you think Lord Nemo will perform another miracle? You know, like last time..." "Silencio." The chattering English women close their mouths at the words of an unnamed Spanish man. It was hard to tell that they were trying to kill each other until just recently. "...Now, let''s focus. Today is a joyous day. Isn''t it the day when many men and women have walked among us of their own accord to become our brothers and sisters?" "..." "..." "..." At Mr. Hewet''s words, everyone sat down with joy evident on their faces. He was right. Many natives had promised to receive baptism and joined the gathering. Anyway, as Eleanor sat down, Vicente Gonz¨¢lez, the governor of Santa Elena sitting next to her, whispered in English: "By the way. Is this Hewet person a priest?" "Well, yes? He''s our priest for now, I suppose?" "Uh... what do you mean ''suppose''? What do you mean by that?" "Our priest passed away last year, so we just elected a minister among ourselves. Since Mr. Hewet is a Calvinist..." "...?" "For the record, I-I said no! But without a priest, what could we..." Elected... a minister? By themselves? For a moment, Vicente''s Catholic identity starts to waver. ...Is it really okay for me to be here? Am I going to be barred from heaven later? "I didn''t attack you because you''re Catholic. Weren''t there even natives who don''t believe in Christianity on our side? Religion isn''t the issue." Ahem, hmm, that can''t be. The angel guaranteed it. Vicente trembled again, remembering the words the angel had left while treating his wounds. The excitement that coursed through his body at that moment was indescribable. Since such a being protected this community, this gathering must be a holy church. He decided to think of it that way for now. After several sermons and songs, Thomas Hewet raises something that somehow seems out of place in a church. Shing. "Ah, aaah!" "Good heavens... is that ''it''? Is it really that?" However, those gathered here rise from their seats in excitement. Hewet quietly nods, plants ''it'' in the ground, and kneels. ''It'' was a sword. The sword stuck in the dirt looked unmistakably holy with its blade, handle, and crossguard forming the shape of a cross. Until a few days ago, ''this'' was just an ordinary sword. Just a sword carried by some ordinary Spanish soldier. But not anymore. "Behold. The proof of the miracle...!" Hewet shows everyone the sword with an ecstatic smile. Everyone trembles and weeps with exclamation. At this moment, there was no distinction between Catholic, Protestant, or non-Christian. "When our Lord shed His precious blood on the cross to forgive our sins, we call the spear that confirmed His true death the Holy Lance (Lancea Sancta) and revere it as sacred. And when we were dying of hunger and killing each other in the New World, He saved us, so shouldn''t this sword that testifies to His immortality also be rightfully called the Holy Sword (Gladius Sanctus)?" "That''s right!" "Ah! Lord! Watch over Your angel and the people He shepherds!" "Aaah!" "''Israel is a luxuriant vine; The more his fruit, The more altars he made; The richer his land, The better he made the sacred pillars (Hosea 10:1)!'' Everyone, ancient Israel received God''s grace but was punished for falling into luxury and pleasure, increasing altars and beautifying sacred pillars with its fruits. And again He has come with the vine, and we seek to establish a new Israel in this land. Will you repeat the mistakes of the past?" "No! Never!" "Ah, aaah!" "Then repent! The Lord has sent us His angel, so follow Him!" ...Honestly. Honestly, Vicente thought to himself, ''Is this really okay...?'' Elected... a minister? And even hold Mass... in English? Isn''t this completely, utterly denying all common sense built up over 45 years as a Catholic? But. ''...Well, this should be fine.'' Also honestly, common sense had already completely flown out the window when the ''angel'' regenerated arms, so it didn''t matter. Vicente focused again on praying earnestly. "Now, everyone rise and receive His... ahem, Holy Communion." Time for the Eucharist now. Thinking that while rising... huh? "Hup. Khup..." "What''s wrong? Do-don''t spill it!" Of course. The Eucharist is no different from the Lord''s flesh after all. Thinking this while hurriedly swallowing the ''Eucharist'' he almost spilled, Vicente asked Eleanor in confusion: "This... isn''t this made from wheat?" "No! It''s made from potatoes!" "...???" "We have to source all ingredients locally. Over there you can see the wine we use for His blood, we brewed that ourselves too." "...Are there even grapes here?" "Yes! Of course! They''re very..." "...Very?" "Um... the taste..." "..." Is it really okay to hold Mass like this? Um... it should be. Anyway, after finishing the somewhat chaotic Mass that way, Hewet''s sermon followed and the church gathering ended. Flutter. Flutter. Now it was time for Eleanor to shine. As the settlement''s representative, she had spent more time in contact with the ''angel'' than others, and the ''angel'' seemed to trust her. "He... um... told us ''if we need to find a reason for people to save people, isn''t that too sad?''" Then Hewet writes it down as is. [Seek not reason in man''s salvation of man. For that is the Lord''s sorrow.] "...That''s done." "Um... He didn''t use such an authoritative tone though?" "This is our new law." "To me too! He spoke to me too! He said He attacked me not because I was Catholic but to save the powerless! He said religion wasn''t the issue!" "The angel spake, saying ''Be not bound in seeking faith.''" Thus now, not long after ''Lord Nemo'' had withdrawn from public. A book was, being written. == "Ah, good mowning..." "Good morning, Virginia. Did you sleep well?" "Yes..." "Where''s your mother?" "She''s ovew thewe picking land for the natives to live." I glanced in the direction Virginia Dare pointed. There, Eleanor was looking at sites for the new settlement with Manteo and his mother. The soil on Croatoan Island has sand mixed in throughout. The elevation is low, it''s full of wetlands, it''s small, and even the distance to the mainland is awkward. So Manteo''s tribe also asked us if it would be difficult to reside here long-term. Even they, as natives who had lived here for a long time, couldn''t grow enough grain and had to regularly go in and out of the area, so how could we settle here? The answer was simple. 1). Grapes are naturally resistant to salt damage and grow well even by the sea. 2). Potatoes naturally grow well in sandy soil. And what''s our staple food? Ta-da, problem solved just like that. If the soil lacks nutrients, we can add fertilizer, and if water is scarce, we can get it from our farm where pure water gushes out endlessly. That''s how our 33 people were able to settle here long-term. "Pl-please... could you let us live near you? The entire tribe has received baptism for you!" "...When exactly?" "While you were in seclusion!" "..." On top of that, Manteo and other tribal youths knelt and pleaded, and now the tribe members are in the process of abandoning their previous villages and moving to this area. "About 200 more people will be living here..." This is really absurd. Anyway, we have plenty of seed potatoes and various crops, so there shouldn''t be any problem taking them in. Rather, Manteo''s tribe, who had been wandering until now, will be the first to settle on this island. And the Spanish prisoners... no, those who should now be called converts, are also building their own new village nearby. The settlement has grown several times larger in an instant. ''...If it keeps growing, what should I do?'' Usually protagonists in novels either hide such benefits or do something else, but with hundreds already knowing about my ''special privilege'', can I keep everyone quiet about it? If not, how should I live here as a strange race, a strange being... "Oh, Lord Nemo? Mom''s coming over there!" Virginia, who had just started walking a few months ago, circles around me and shouts. Thanks to that, I wake from my thoughts and pat Virginia''s head while giving her a Shine Muscat grape and walk toward Eleanor. "Eleanor?" "Ah, Lord Nemo!" "Is Manteo satisfied with the location?" "Yes! He''s even happier saying there''s enough food." Eleanor cleared her throat and answered. "Since we only have about 3,000 bunches of grapes left to trade... I guess they were a bit worried about food. From next month, they plan to come and settle gradually beyond the advance party that''s here now. Over there! There''s the settlement the natives are building!" "Haha... ha, I... see." The tribe members had already built several huts, but their shape... Um... no matter how you look at it, such native traditional houses probably didn''t exist. "...I wonder if I''m imagining that they look similar to my house?" "...No." We fell into thought while blankly staring at the clumsy replicas of ''Green Gables''. ...What is happening to this settlement? Anyway, that''s how the settlement grows. Chapter 15 - 15: Vicentes Gift "Ah!" Vicente Gonz¨¢lez, governor of Spanish Santa Elena, greeted the most refreshing and clear morning of his life with the sound of birdsong. ...Why? Why is the air here so sweet? Why does the wind blowing through the window feel so pleasant? ''...Because this is where I was spiritually reborn.'' Vicente wiped tears of emotion as he tidied his bedding. Considering his status as a prisoner and the settlement''s situation, the sleeping accommodations provided in the barn were quite luxurious. Moreover, his body was miraculously intact even after being rammed by that monster. He was fortunate. Anyway, after opening the door and taking in plenty of fresh morning air, he first jogged lightly to wake his body while looking around the farm. "Haah... good heavens..." Everything warranted exclamation. From the cleanly plowed fields, to the well-tended garden despite winter, to the mansion that wasn''t huge but had a somehow strange and mysterious atmosphere. Beautiful. There wasn''t anything that wasn''t beautiful. As he jogged several times, traces of the previous battle caught his eye here and there. For example, that wire mesh. Surely when that ''beast'' rammed him... and then rammed that wire mesh, it was torn and twisted beyond repair. And today, as if by magic, it''s restored and once again separates the farm from the outside, doesn''t it? Next, that yellow ''beast'' that was billowing smoke and completely broken... Wrooooom! "Lord Nemo! Over here!" "Waaah! It''s really big!" "..." It had returned clean and pristine without even bloodstains from the soldiers who died by ''it''. "...Ah." As he thought about this, Vicente''s face became slightly gloomy. Lawyer Hewet, who happened to be passing by, blinked and casually walked over to him. "Good morning, Governor Gonz¨¢lez? Your expression is dark. It seems you have something troubling you?" "Good morning, Mr. Hewet. You''ve read me well. I have many concerns weighing on my mind." "What''s the matter?" "Well... my subordinates..." At that, Mr. Hewet''s face also became tinged with sadness. ''Ah, he''s blaming himself for his subordinates dying because of him.'' "...Don''t blame yourself too much. The past battle was not your fault, Governor. The death of your subordinates is no one''s fault." "...Hm? Ah, of course. Why would that be my fault? Who could have known Lord Nemo would be here." "...?" "...?" Of course, ordinary people might have fallen into despair or suffered from guilt as Mr. Hewet expected. If Vicente had been such a weak person, that is. However, Vicente Gonz¨¢lez, governor of Santa Elena of the great Spanish Empire that ruled the West Indies, Philippines, and the Lowlands, was not one to suffer over such ''trivial'' matters. "Suffering on earth is momentary, eternity belongs only to the Lord. What does it matter if they died in battle or choked to death eating gazpacho (a cold soup from Andalusia) as long as they go to heaven?" "...I see." Above all, he was a devout 16th century Catholic. "...If I may ask, then why were you sad?" "Well, ahem, the thing is, first of all, our soldiers fought against Lord Nemo, who is an angel, right?" "Um... that''s right?" "Then won''t they be unable to enter heaven? Those who survived somehow got a chance to repent, but they didn''t, so how is that not sad?" "...Hmm." Now that he mentions it. Mr. Hewet thought for a moment before answering Vicente. "Don''t worry. They too can go to heaven." "...Really?" "Of course. It was a sin committed in ignorance, wasn''t it? How heavy could a sin be that was committed without knowing it was sin? If they were devout, there''s a high chance they were saved." "Aha." Vicente smiled brightly at those words. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Problem solved! "Thank you, Mr. Hewet!" "Not at all, Governor Gonz¨¢lez! Have a good day!" "Hahaha!" "Hahaha!" Vicente starts jogging again. He completely forgot about the already trivial matter of his soldiers. Mr. Hewet also gave Vicente a warm smile without feeling any particular guilt despite having played a part in killing those soldiers. What does it matter when whether they''ll be saved or not was predetermined anyway? Right. Above all, Mr. Hewet was a devout 16th century Calvinist. As these two very devout and somewhat unhinged people were about to start their pleasant day, Vicente begins to turn his thoughts with a clear mind that had washed away all worries. ''Let''s see... I need to somehow seize our ships for Lord Nemo.'' Come to think of it, the four ships he brought are still anchored on the western coast of Croatoan Island. There are quite a few sailors on standby too. If this is handled wrong, strange reports might reach the colonial authorities and put this colony in danger. Slightly tense and twitching his mustache, Vicente began to think. For the glory of the great Lord Nemo and this Croatoan colony. For his ''true faith'', "...Aha!" And finally, a good idea comes to him. == Two galleons and two small pataches (a type of small ship), a total of four ships, were quietly anchored with their anchors down on the western beach of Croatoan Island. Every time the salty ripples tapped against the sides of the warships equipped with dozens of cannons, the sailors felt unbearable boredom and anxiety. They wanted to break this silence. Even if it meant firing those cannons until they burst. Their comrades who went out scouting haven''t returned. If this island was enormously huge, they could understand. But didn''t the governor assure them that two days would be enough to search this tiny island? But now more than six days have passed... they even spent Christmas on the anchored ship. Then there was only one answer. "...They''re all dead, aren''t they?" Everyone startles at someone''s words and makes them shut up. But no one denies it. Whether they met hostile Indians or were annihilated by soldiers of a powerful English colony, they must all be dead. However, leaving without any prior orders before the governor''s return would be treason. They should at least show the courtesy of trying to track their whereabouts. "So... who wants to go?" "..." "..." Of course, no one wanted to enter this ominous island of death. As they were all watching each other and glancing nervously at the shadows of the Croatoan forest, that''s when it happened. "Uh... uhh?" "What''s wrong, Josea?" "Uhh? Th-there...! There!" At one sailor''s cry, everyone runs to the railing to look toward the island. Then very small, very... very faint human figures were gradually getting closer. Looking at their proper clothes, they weren''t Indians at first glance. And seeing how they were waving both arms and jumping up and down at the sight of the ship, they didn''t seem to be hostile either. Then...! "Th-they''re back! That''s Pedro!" "Quick, lower the rope ladder!" "What? Why are there only five of them?" "Just lower the rope ladder first!" As the long silence and boredom broke, the sailors excitedly lowered the ladder. Then they waited for the five comrades who came walking through the splashing waves to deliver some news. Thud. And when the five comrades climbed onto the galleon''s deck, everyone''s expression hardened. Covered in blood and wearing completely torn clothes, they looked more like beggars than sailors. "Wh-what happened? The rest of the men..." When someone gathered courage to ask, one of the five immediately answers. "This... damn. Th-there were no English here. No English, no colony, nothing at all!" "Then why did you end up like..." "Why do you think! Think about it!" "..." "..." One of the five survivors finally bursts into tears and the rest collapse weakly. Only one person shouts with a loud voice, and everyone focused on his story. "The-the Indians appeared and shot poison arrows then ran away. At first... it was just that. But then, one by one they started dropping, soon coughing up blood and dying. People who touched that blood ended up the same. In the end, only we survived." "Is-is it an epidemic?" "Doesn''t matter if it''s an epidemic or poison. Anyway, we need to get out of this hell quickly... urgh." "Bleeergh!" "Uwooorgh!" All five suddenly start collapsing while coughing up blood. The faces of the sailors watching them turn pale with terror. How many comrades had they seen die while traversing America saying things like ''Well, we can endure this much! It can''t be that bad!'' Minor itching, minor wounds, minor rashes soon led to death. They were experienced explorers and sailors of the Spanish Empire. They knew much better than those barbaric English what to do in times like this. "Aaaargh! Hurry, set sail!" First, abandon those who are going to die. "Hey, you bastard! How can we sail a galleon by ourselves!" "Then switch to the pataches right now!" So the remaining sailors fled from the survivors. Even as those five begged and crawled, they ignored them and didn''t look back. But they were trained Spanish soldiers, they wouldn''t leave ships that might fall into enemy hands. After gathering what manpower they had to lead the two pataches away from the coast... Boom! Boom boom! They sink one galleon. They left the other one. It was the ship their comrades were on, and... If the English captured that ship, they could taste the plague hell. Truly meticulous planning worthy of great Spanish explorers. Thus, the two pataches carrying the Spanish quietly sail away over the horizon. "...Excellent acting, gentlemen. It''s sad that only one ship remains, but well, what can I expect from men I trained." "We apologize, Governor." "No need. Well, shall we go?" Vicente Gonz¨¢lez smiled arrogantly as he looked out at that beautiful warship. While proudly stroking his mustache. "...We must bring blessed news to our new lord." == "A magnificent vessel armed with 32 cannons! We should be able to salvage several more cannons from the destroyed ship too! With this, the colony can effectively deal with any threat!" Well... that''s true. With 300 residents, one large warship, and dozens of cannons, unless Spain is determined, this isn''t a level they can easily mess with. "What do you think, Lord Nemo? Isn''t it magnificent? It''s as if fate is leading this colony to success!" ...But why are you happy about that? Weren''t you a Spanish colonial governor until a few days ago? "That''s right, Mr. Gonz¨¢lez! This is amazing!" "Haha, it''s nothing, Mrs. Dare." "You''ve truly made a great contribution to this settlement, Governor." "Not at all, Mr. Hewet. I''m just happy to be part of this glorious journey." Why are you all... accepting this without any suspicion? Did you, um, develop some kind of strange bond or something? Did the spectators of the ''Nemo''s Arm Cutting and Regeneration Show'' build some camaraderie? Manteo is shedding tears of emotion in the corner, and everyone else is clapping joyfully. ...Anyway. The meeting continued with various discussions. "How about building coastal batteries?" "...Coastal batteries." "Yes, Lord Nemo. The threats to this colony won''t end with us. Surely if it becomes known that this colony is growing, other powers will do their utmost to threaten it." Right. So you know you were a threat. "So I suggest we take some cannons from our ship and place them along the coast! If we guard the coast like that while building a fortress at the same time, no one will be able to invade this holy ground!" "Ah, hallelujah!" "...Is that so?" "Yes. While we''re at it, we should build port facilities and roads leading to the coast. We have a ship now, don''t we? There will be many uses for it." "That''s right! There are still belongings we couldn''t bring from Roanoke Island!" "Come to think of it, there were people who split off from our colony in Chesapeake Bay. We''ll need a ship to find and bring them back." "Hmm..." Before I knew it, everyone was looking at me. As if waiting for my final approval. ''...This is burdensome.'' I nodded for now and. Whirrr! Tak! Tak! Tak! Tak! Thus began the construction of the port and coastal batteries. "Here! Here! Move it this way! This way!" Unfortunately, we couldn''t use PC (Polycarbonate) panels as the main material. Although PC panels are light and can even deflect bullets, making them invincible material, they had one weakness. They''re fire-resistant but still burn. ...I guess it''s a material that should be used limitedly when building fortresses. Especially if they don''t have fire protection facilities like my house. "More mortar here!" "Should we... build the gun ports here?" In the end, we had to use a mix of red bricks and stone. PC panels were used as auxiliary materials. "How is it, Lord Nemo? This is the first coastal battery built on this island!" "Our tribe members helped too!" The sight of the red structure with transparent walls here and there was... Quite spectacular in its own way. Chapter 16 - 16: Heavenly Unit System New Year 1589. The remaining Shine Muscat grapes are passing their preservation period and losing flavor. I should try doing something else with them. Maybe make wine? ...I''m sick of pseudo-wine made from Shine Muscat. From next year, we''ll have the domestic wine variety ''Seisui'' anyway. Everyone was excited since it was their first New Year in the Croatoan colony. And I... "Cabbage, lettuce, Chinese cabbage, corn, potatoes... what else? Ah, tomatoes." Was organizing the list of ''producible food''. For livestock, we have chickens. Koke-kokko have already started a family. The number of hens is increasing so much that we might soon be able to distribute them to the villagers. But what I need to focus on now is... "...crops." Right. Since the colony''s population suddenly increased to 300, I need to somehow feed these people with agricultural products. Well, of course, there''s not much worry since most of them are natives. They were already living well in this area, so we won''t face an ending where everyone starves to death if farming fails. Just the colony''s centripetal force would decrease. To firmly settle 300 people here, I need to carefully plan out the year''s farming schedule from now. Considering I''ll need to allocate time for Shine Muscat and other grapes for six months from March, when frost ends, until September when harvest approaches, I need to distribute labor even more efficiently. "...First, we need to increase the grapes." I had forgotten until now. The fact that wine is essential for Europeans, especially Christians of this era. We can''t keep drinking Shine Muscat wine... without proper acidity forever. It''s fortunate that I at least have wine varieties. I should start preparing the groundwork now for the land I''ve already picked out to grow new wine varieties. First of all, as long as the phylloxera mite, the death of grapes, the disaster of viticulture, the archenemy of grape farmers, lives somewhere in this land, it''s nonsense to directly plant Seisui cuttings. In the end, we''ll have to plant rootstock resistant to phylloxera (the base tree for grafting) and graft onto it. So this too is a long-term project that needs time. That wraps up the grape farming matters for now. Excluding grapes, I have quite a variety of crops. This is all thanks to my mother who focused on tending her garden instead of socializing with neighbors after moving to the countryside. "Thank you, mother! I''ll bow three times toward the Japanese archipelago on Mother''s Day...!" Anyway, the crops we can grow in February and March are lettuce, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, tomatoes, potatoes, and so on. Among these, lettuce, cabbage, and Chinese cabbage are especially important. They require few resources and labor, and can even be double-cropped. There''s a reason they''re commonly grown in home gardens. "Especially... we should plant more cabbage." It would be more beneficial to grow vegetables that Europeans are more familiar with. Similarly, carefully introduce still unfamiliar tomatoes, and focus on growing already well-known beets and such. After spending time like that, when frost ends and grape farming season comes... the hard work starts again. This time we''ll be harvesting not just Shine Muscat but much more diverse varieties like Seisui and Black Sapphire. Plus with expanding the vineyard, it''ll be very busy. If the available workforce hadn''t increased to 300... it would have been hellishly difficult. "This should do it." I stretched while saving the ''Year 1589 Farming Plan.docx'' file with a few clicks. This is the real start. My first spring here is coming. ...Right. I remember things I need to sort out before farming. == Goldsmith William Brown rang the ''doorbell'' at Lord Nemo''s mansion with a joyful heart today too, to receive the New World''s gold, ''aluminum''. "Mr. Brown, could you wait a moment?" "Ah, of course, Lord Nemo. I''ll wait as long as needed." And only after waiting quite a while did Lord Nemo come out of the mansion. He came out carrying something strange and interesting all bundled up. ...Strange? Usually he only handed over aluminum cans and foil. "Mr. Brown? I have a favor to ask." "Ah, ask anything! As long as you don''t cut off the aluminum supply." "Anyway, do you remember that thing called an ''electronic scale'' you saw last time?" "Of course! Since seeing that, I''ve been praying to God every day. Asking for just one such precise scale..." "The time has come to use that scale." "...Pardon?" Saying that, Lord Nemo suddenly led Brown to the warehouse. When Lord Nemo opened the aluminum shutter, numerous mysterious machines and materials were lined up inside. "Ah... a breathtaking sight whenever I see it..." "Mr. Brown, this way please." "Yes, Lord Nemo." Thus the two headed to Brown''s workshop, carrying another large scale from there. Villagers passing by greeted them while peeking curiously at what was happening in the morning, but Brown just rushed along with his eyebrows fluttering. It was because Lord Nemo was moving urgently today. ''Just how important a matter could this be...'' Tang. "Is this right...? No, this is right. Still... since there''s no use regretting after starting, let me think one last time if this is right..." "What exactly is the matter, Lord Nemo?" William Brown was a thoroughly secular person rather than religiously devout. While most English who came to this colony left on the long journey with Puritan fervor or the purpose of trying to live their own life, William Brown''s purpose was simple. Gold. Shiny things. Therefore, while others called Lord Nemo the great angel and bowed their heads, Brown could still treat him relatively comfortably as he thought of him as the provider of aluminum. Because immediate wealth was more direct than faith. "...Mr. Brown." Gulp. However, Brown just changed that thought. Somehow... Lord Nemo''s face as he called him while setting the mood now looked holy. When firm determination appeared on his already handsome face, he somehow emanated intense charisma. "Ah... th-that..." "Today, the task Mr. Brown will take on is a truly important work for our colony." "Yes, Lord Nemo?" "Of course... it''s also work that holds very important meaning for me. I hope you''ll dedicate all your effort to it." "Ah, o-of course! If it''s important to Lord Nemo, I''ll jump into hell itself!" Saying that, Brown surprised himself. Was I such a devout person? Or was ''that scene'' from the battle with the Spanish last time so shocking and impressive? I don''t know. Anyway, as Brown strengthened his resolve and pounded his chest, Nemo smiled, nodded, and patted his shoulder. "Then I''ll tell you what you need to do." "...Yes." The words that followed were quite different from Brown''s expectations. "First, you''ll need to study." "Yes, of cour... What?" "Here, look at this scale. What''s written on it?" "...''g''?" "Read it as gram." "G-gram..." "One thousand of that is a kilogram." "Are there other units between..." "We don''t really use them. And one thousandth is a milligram." "Mi-milligram." "From now on, only this unit! I plan to enforce using only this unit system for weight." "..." "..." "Pe-perhaps." "Yes." "Is that... the Lord''s will?" "..." "..." "...Um... yes, that''s roughly right. It''s the Lord''s will." "Ah, aaah..." "Please make weights in this unit system. And similarly." Rustle. Rustle. "This container''s volume is 1 liter. Written with capital ''L''." "Aaah...! Similarly, do we only use milliliter and kiloliter?" "Well, that''s right." "..." "Please help with this. Make them as accurately as possible for distribution. The farming season is approaching." "...What does the farming season approaching have to do with..." "I want to distribute pesticides, fertilizers, and seeds to people in the most fair and accurate way. That is... um..." "...Because it''s the Lord''s will?" "...That''s roughly right. Won''t it look beautiful in heaven''s eyes if Mr. Brown''s efforts prevent unnecessary discord and drive away confusion?" "...Aaaah!" Brown slowly walked to his workbench and then... Clatterrrrr! Dumped all the weights on the floor. "...Wh-why did you do that?" "..." "..." "..." Brown showed a tear-stained smile and held Nemo''s hand. "I... just drove out the products of sin." "Um..." "Now I''ll use the Lord''s scale, made by the Lord''s hand, not man''s...!" "Ah... yes, well, using duodecimal is sinful, that''s true, but yes. Good work." "Leave it to me...!" Thus Brown began working with unprecedented fervor and. "...Is this right?" ''Lord Nemo'' fell into belated regret. He would have fainted if he knew that a scripture collecting his sayings was already being made. == The new unit system spread quickly. "Um... 5 li, liters? of pesticide please!" Swoosh! "Next person." "Se-seed potatoes... um... need about 20 libras (Spanish weight unit, about 0.35-0.58kg depending on region) more..." "Drag them out." "...Pardon? Uu-uwaagh!" "Next." "We need about 10 pounds..." "Drag these out too." "Kyaaagh!" This was because the Croatoan colony strictly enforced using liters and grams when distributing resources. They had no choice but to get used to the new unit system to survive. Those who grumbled at first about Brown''s threats immediately became docile after hearing ''Nemo''s order''. The unified units were easier to get used to and somewhat intuitive compared to units that varied by region and item. Moreover, since the community was only 300 people to begin with and weight and volume units weren''t entangled with secular authority like length units based on the king''s arm length and such, there was less resistance. Thus the ''heavenly unit system'' gradually spread regardless of whether one was Algonquin, Spanish, or English. And units that spread like this soon came to be used in other fields too... "Huff, hah, moved 20 kilograms of stone." "Hmm... then go pour it over there now." Rumbleeeee! It was at the construction site of a massive tomb. The roughly 100 Spanish who died in the last battle were originally just hastily buried with their remains gathered, but when their Spanish comrades showed signs of discomfort, this communal cemetery was made. About 100 stone tombs were piled up, and about 100 headstones were erected in front of them. Names and status were gathered as much as possible through comrades, and the rest were reburied together in unnamed graves. The dedication ceremony for the churchyard cemetery made this way. "...Do I really have to give the speech, Eleanor?" "Of course. Who else would if not you, Lord Nemo?" "How about Mr. Hewet doing it?" "That would be much worse than you doing it. The Spanish need to hear your speech to believe their comrades will go to heaven, don''t they?" "...If that''s the reason." Thus Nemo and Eleanor who were whispering together glanced at the crowd waiting for them. All 300 colonists were present. We couldn''t keep them waiting any longer. I raised my head toward them while climbing onto the simple podium. Just need to say some nice words. It would be good if dozens of Spanish could integrate somewhat with this, and even better if any seeds of conflict could be cleared here. "Ahem, all our island''s people have gathered here." "..." "..." "..." ...What should I say next? I don''t know why everyone naturally thought I would recite something like a eulogy. I was the only one who didn''t know. If I had known beforehand, I could have prepared something, but now my mind is blank. Moreover, I''m getting more nervous because they seem to think of me as some mysterious being for no reason. ...Phew, calm down. "...Whose fault was the last battle?" Just need to say some nice words. "Was it the Spanish soldiers'' fault? Or was it the fault of the Algonquins and English? Was it the fault of the English authorities who built this colony? Or was it the fault of the Spanish colonial government who decided to attack this colony?" "..." "..." "It was no one''s fault." Actually it was Spain''s fault. Why send soldiers to an already failed colony for no reason. Come to think of it, didn''t England build this to use as a pirate base? That''s their fault too. The only ones without fault here are the natives... never mind. No point bringing this up. "...That''s right. It was no one''s fault." Now that we''re all family, saying it''s someone''s fault would ruin the colony. "Someone''s sin and fault is too complex an issue to be handled by a few people whispering. Sometimes people are pushed to commit sins, but often those who pushed them had no ill intent. Say there are 5 people in front of a herd of cattle, and if you don''t change direction, 5 will die, but if you change direction, one person on the changed path will die. Between the one who didn''t change direction and let 5 die because they didn''t want to kill, and the one who changed direction and caused 1 innocent death, who is the sinner? Who broke the commandment?" "..." "..." "..." "It''s difficult. It''s a difficult question." The trolley dilemma. Everyone starts pondering as soon as the question is thrown. Right. It should seem profound. "Though people established kings and laws to regulate order between people, it''s still too crude to discern all earthly sins. When even the wisest person''s wisdom is not worth a speck of dust compared to the great Lord, how could we measure all of people''s sins?" "Ah, aaah!" ...Was it that moving? Thanking Professor Michael Sandel who taught me the trolley dilemma, I continued. "Those who lie cold here now died threatening me and this colony, but who among them was good or evil is a matter for the Lord to discern. As humans we cannot know..." "Lord Nemo!" "...What is it, Vicente Gonz¨¢lez?" "Did my soldiers go to heaven?" Did you hear me properly? I said humans cannot know? ...I was about to snap at him but Vicente''s expression was too serious so I shut my mouth and hurriedly made something up. "I can only say that if they were truly devout, they will someday head to heaven. Though they must pay for their sins." "Th-then...!" "Yes, those who were truly righteous can go to heaven after paying for their sins." "Ah... aah!" ...Well, this should do. Some nice words. I added some things you might hear at church and came down from the podium. Repent. Hallelujah. Be kind to neighbors, honor your parents, sort your recycling properly... etc. And when I came down. "...Sn-sniff. That was so moving, Lord Nemo." Eleanor... came running while crying. What... is this? I still don''t understand this era''s sensibilities. == sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...Though I am a fervent Calvinist, now that everything has been clearly revealed, I must admit." At that day''s service, Mr. Hewet began writing down Lord Nemo''s ''revelation'' in front of the congregation. ''Those who were truly righteous can go to heaven after paying for their sins.'' ¡ú There is a place to pay for sins after death. ¡ú Purgatory, or a similar place not directly mentioned in the Bible, exists! ¡ú The claim of ''Sola scriptura'' (Scripture alone) needs to be reconsidered! "This means we need to re... reconsider how far we accept the teachings of the, um, great reformers..." Mr. Hewet''s head was spinning. "Whether one keeps the law, what is good... we cannot know by human will? Then... why did we burn Protestants...?" Conversely, Vicente was also dizzy contemplating the ''angel''s'' bombshell statements. "Then... pe-perhaps... the angel''s words mean... we shouldn''t kill and die over obsession with minor doctrines?" "Ah, hallelujah!" "Ah...!" And at those words someone threw out, the faint remaining distinctions between Catholic, Lutheran, and Calvinist in the settlement melted away. That day Thomas Hewet and Vicente Gonz¨¢lez hugged each other and cried. The great angel Nemo achieved Catholic-Protestant harmony 29 years before the Thirty Years'' War. Though the person in question was currently drinking his last Cola and eating popcorn while watching ''Demon S: The Movie''... anyway, that''s what happened. Today too, the Croatoan settlement is peaceful. Chapter 17 - 17: A Year Passes I understand what it means when they say time flies like an arrow. A year passed in an instant. First, in January and February, I reorganized the materials I had downloaded from the Rural Development Administration website when I was going to farm, and planted rootstock around Croatoan Island to expand the vineyard. The rootstock I''m planting is the 101-14 variety. The 101-14 rootstock is suitable for growing grapes in sandy loam soil with lots of sand mixed in, making it appropriate for Croatoan Island''s environment. I was originally going to use the Teleki variety, but since this is the homeland of that damn phylloxera, I used a variety with stronger resistance to phylloxera. My plan was to cut the branches of this planted rootstock when it grows and graft Seisui or other varieties on top. It''s a troublesome process, but if we don''t do this... um... the grapevines could all die from phylloxera mites. Sigh, originally wine varieties could just be propagated by cuttings. Anyway. It''s a long-term plan considering it will take 2 years after planting the rootstock for the tree to fully grow and bear fruit. Anyway, after spending those first two months like that, when March and April came, I got busy with sowing. Plowing the fields... sowing seeds of lettuce, cabbage, Chinese cabbage, tomatoes, beets, etc. that I grew in the garden... planting spring potatoes... First replanting and sowing a small amount of corn for seed preservation even though it doesn''t suit this soil and will drain nutrients... Right. I remember this was the busiest time. Still, Easter was in between so I took some time off then. After that hard work ended, spring gradually passed and summer came. Though North Carolina''s summer was quite hot since the climate is generally milder than Japan''s, it was bearable. Why? Because there''s no damn monsoon season! Originally during monsoon season you have to desperately prevent soil erosion, prevent crops from rotting due to humidity, and even add organic amino acid products to grapes to promote photosynthesis... Ah. North Carolina is bri-ight. Rainfall is consistent throughout the year and summer isn''t especially, terribly humid. In other words, the effort needed for farming was reduced quite a bit, so it was pretty comfortable. Around this time my main job as a grape farmer began in earnest. Around May after the flowers fully bloom, I give Shine Muscat the first gibberellin treatment to prevent seeds from forming in the grapes and help the fruit grow better. Then during the first enlargement period, while maintaining the tree''s vigor, I give it a second gibberellin treatment. After receiving gibberellin twice like this, the Shine Muscat fruit enlarges again, and around this time I put bags on them to protect the fruit from pests and diseases. Thus spending July, August, and September''s summer and harvest season repeating what I did last year when I fell here completed the grape farming. Another wave of surplus stock passed by us, but this time we could handle the massive quantity without problems from the start by making wine and running a gift economy. The wine-making issue was very important. Not just for Christians'' Mass, but wine is an everyday drink, and the homemade Shine Muscat wine tasted... um... Like shit. So this time I took special care when growing ''Seisui''. When I grew wine grapes, Europeans also started coming one by one to look. "This grape looks different from the others? More... ordinary?" "It''s a variety called ''Clear Water''. Used for making wine." "Clear... Water?" "Ah! Just as Moses struck the rock with his staff to give clear water to the Israelites, Lord Nemo gives us clear water!" "...Pardon?" Right. These days when talking with them, context often jumps without me realizing. For example... "Wait. Clear water?" "Isn''t that when the Israelites complained to God so He gave them clear water and cursed them not to enter Canaan?" "Um...?" "We... must have done something wrong to Lord Nemo too! It''s not important that the wine tastes bad, what''s important is the heart with which Lord Nemo blessed us, but we only complained..." "The Shine Muscat wine is... ta-tasty too! I''m fine with just drinking Shine Muscat wine!" Like this. Belatedly realizing the atmosphere was getting strange, I put down the pesticide sprayer and watched Eleanor and the others. "...Pardon?" ...Are you serious? The amateur Shine Muscat wine is fine? "That''s right! We''re satisfied with just Shine Muscat wine so don''t worry! We don''t need this ''Clear Water'' grape..." "Take your hands away. If the grapes get damaged, there will be no more wine." "..." "..." I''m not fine with it. There are many people who can make tasty Shine Muscat wine. But I''m not one of them. Anyway. Of course, I couldn''t focus only on grapes while having to feed a population that increased several times. While managing and harvesting grapes, I proceed with double-cropping lettuce, cabbage, and Chinese cabbage. It was work just to set dates so the first frost wouldn''t overlap with harvest season. While all the villagers tended their gardens that way, I harvested the small amount of corn I was growing and preserved those seeds in refrigeration. While managing seed potatoes to use in fall and re-educating those who failed at spring potato farming because they weren''t familiar with it. While handling various administrative matters scattered around the village, I... um... "Uh, um, wait, don''t eat potato leaves!" "No! You threw it away because it looked like dirty dirt clumps? That''s the potato fruit!" "Sigh, let''s look at the cabbage first. Fertilizer... um... you didn''t apply any?" ...I feel like a village head. Shouldn''t the modern person teach pre-modern people farming when transported? Why am I teaching them? Why do they come to me for mediation when conflicts arise? You''re Spanish, so go to your commander Vicente. I thought 300 people wasn''t much, but with teaching farming to those 300 people, interpreting for those who couldn''t communicate, managing public facilities, even 10 bodies wouldn''t be enough. Plus since I was the only one who could handle various equipment, I was also in charge of clearing weeds with the grass cutter, taking the excavator to construction sites, and managing tough fields with the cultivator. I brought in Eleanor to share all sorts of administrative work but Eleanor collapsed and I collapsed too. After such trials and tribulations, we could spend another year. This time we had a proper Christmas, and could safely greet the first day of the new year. The number of people to share that emotion with grew from about 30 to about 300. Whether Spanish, English, or Algonquin, they all set up a feast while singing songs that somehow made sense yet didn''t, as if bonds had formed while living together for a year. Thus. 1590 dawned. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. == Vroom. Vroom. Rattle rattle rattle. "Woof, woo..." "Um, is it really okay for me to dare ride in such a place?" "Why wouldn''t it be okay, Eleanor? Don''t worry and fasten your seatbelt first." "Ah... yes!" As I drove the used Hijet around, Eleanor looked around curiously. Come to think of it, this is the first time I''ve given anyone a ride since being transported. I couldn''t even use the Hijet properly for a while. The Hijet is originally a vehicle type with terribly low safety, and with its high center of gravity, the body can sway and even tip over just from wind blowing from the side. Therefore, it was nearly impossible to drive around in 16th century Croatoan where there weren''t even roads, just swamps and forests. Wrooooom! "Vicente... worked hard." "Of course. He managed it for weeks, staying up nights." Like this, until the road was made. How did it get made? The Spanish strongly argued that since we had a ship we needed a port, and since we had a port we needed a road connecting to it. It''s a road made by grinding up cement, sand, and countless labor. Of course it''s at a horrific level even compared to abandoned unpaved roads of the 21st century, but at this level the Hijet shouldn''t worry about flipping... Bump! "Kyaaah!" "...It''ll be fine." "Re-really?" "...Probably." ...Right? Anyway, what was important was that I could now drive the Hijet outside my farm and settlement. Originally the purpose of using the Hijet was to transport small orders of grapes to the delivery company, and its large cargo capacity made it useful for carrying fertilizer bags and grapes around the farm for a while. Even though it was just a motorcycle-level vehicle, the Hijet''s existence was truly unparalleled in this era, especially in this colony without horses. Rattle rattle rattle! ...Though its vibration sensitivity is also unparalleled. I can''t tell if I''m holding a car steering wheel or a game controller. Anyway, after passing about one kilometer of such unstable unpaved road, soon the surrounding forest clears and the view opens up. Then the wide, flat sandy beach comes into view. Coastal batteries built with red brick and PC panels were positioned here and there, and beyond them were simple port facilities. There our galleon lies. The ship''s name... ''Nautilus''. ...Since I''m ''NEMO''. Its previous name was already discarded. According to Vicente, since that ship was "now spiritually reborn, it should use the name given by its new master." People are shouting various things while moving goods here and there. Soon Algonquins led by Manteo come beside the Hijet to unload the cargo. Eleanor fidgeted for a moment then turned to ask me. "Will Father really come?" "..." "As you know, today is... Virginia''s third birthday. It would be nice if Virginia could see her grandfather... if Father is still alive..." "Virginia." I cut off Eleanor''s words and said. "Will definitely be able to meet her grandfather today." "..." "So go without worry. Have a safe voyage." Instead of deliberately turning my head, I checked Eleanor''s expression through the rearview and side mirrors. Something dropped from her eyes, and Eleanor soon got out of the Hijet. "Th-thank you... all of this, everything..." Her voice was swallowed by sobs before finishing. She ran toward the Nautilus. And soon one galleon left the coast. ...Not completely left. It was scheduled to return soon. August 18, 1590. The day Eleanor''s father returns. == "There! Roanoke Island!" "Drop anchor and launch the boats! Hurry!" As two ships reached Roanoke Island''s coast, boxes containing relief supplies were lined up one by one on the shore. And a group of men looked around while wading through rough waters to land. "Mr. White, is this the right place?" "...Yes. Though the settlement should be a bit further in... roughly this is the right island." John White answered in a dejected voice to the subordinate that his sponsor Sir Raleigh had attached. ''I shouldn''t have... left Roanoke.'' All dreams start infinitely sweet. Everything went well from when Walter Raleigh, favored by the Queen, obtained rights to colonize America, until he trusted John White and appointed him as colonial governor. He gathered devout Puritans to form a pioneer group. He thought he had found capable colleagues and navigators while receiving all sorts of support from Sir Raleigh. But from when they actually started sailing, everything was a nightmare. The crazy navigator had no interest in building a colony. Rather, that bastard wanted to kill them all, seize the ship, and make a fortune plundering Spanish ships. "Simon Fernandes, that damned bastard..." It was also that bastard who arbitrarily changed the colony''s planned location from Chesapeake Bay to a backwater like Roanoke Island. His teeth still ground at that bastard''s atrocities. Was it smooth sailing after arriving at Roanoke Island? No. The promised supply shipments didn''t arrive properly, they were attacked by hostile tribes, or ruined diplomacy by accidentally attacking allied tribes, only misfortunes continued. Finally forced to board a ship to England at the settlers'' insistence to somehow get supplies... but what was the result? Naval battle with Spain. Her Majesty the Queen requisitioned almost all ships to prevent Spanish invasion and banned private voyages. Even when the Queen''s favorite Sir Raleigh begged, the Queen wouldn''t even pretend to listen. Thus a year and a half was wasted. When the big battle ended and the Queen''s sailing ban was lifted, White again tried everything to find a ship. However, no one was willing to fund a voyage to a colony that might not even still exist. There was also much risk of Spanish attack. Thus another year was wasted. Only after over two and a half years had passed could White finally depart, and now nearly three years after leaving this place, he could finally return. Virginia, who was a newborn baby when he left, would now be 3 years old. Eleanor would now be a mature 21-year-old lady who had shed her girlishness. The settlement after 3 years would now be completely rooted. Maybe they had even moved elsewhere without that villain navigator''s interference. If they were all still alive. "..." Actually he knew. Three years is a very long time. When a colony that requested relief due to food shortages was abandoned for 3 years, the result was actually obvious. Especially if they had hostile relations with surrounding barbarian tribes and even their location wasn''t very good. "Mr. White! Why are you dawdling there? We can''t waste time!" "...Ju-just, just wait a moment." "What''s the matter?" "...Nothing, nothing at all." But White tries to comfort his gloomy mood. Right. Beyond those bushes, surely his lovely daughter and granddaughter are waiting. His rascally wanderer son-in-law would be there, and other settlers would scold him asking why he took so long. Step. Then he would apologize. Sorry for being so late. Couldn''t help it due to war and royal orders. Almost no merchants would come here. Step. Step. And this John White, exhausted in body and mind, would cry in his daughter''s arms. His already too-grown granddaughter would walk over asking who that old man is. Step! Step! Step! Then he would tell her while rubbing this bearded face. That I am your grandfather, and you are my granddaughter. That I wanted to see you for a very long time. That I... and your mother, my daughter... very... "...Oh, good heavens." "Mr. White? No... how should I say this..." "..." That I wanted to see you very much. Thud. John White finally pushes through the bushes and emerges from the thicket. Then his eyes see the settlement where his lovely daughter should be waiting... No. Where his lovely daughter should have been... waiting. Thump. His legs suddenly lost strength and he collapsed. "Mr. White... is this the right place?" White couldn''t answer that question in human language. "Uu, uwaaaagh..." "..." "..." "..." "Ah, uwaaaah! Kyaaaaaaah!" There was no colony before him. Only its half-burned remains. "He-here! There''s some record! Some graffiti..." "Eng... land... who... Oh, damn. It''s Spanish." The words of Sir Raleigh''s subordinates reach his ears even though he doesn''t want to hear. All circumstances were clear. Spanish troops... those damn Catholic pig bastards...! He didn''t want to continue his thoughts but horrible images unfolded in his mind. People being butchered, his daughter screaming terribly, his granddaughter already dead, burning houses and furniture... As he shed tears, Sir Raleigh''s subordinates could say nothing more and fell silent. They realized that whatever words they added would be no comfort to a father who lost his only daughter. The merchants who came with White returned to the ship with expressions of being in a fix. Soon only White and Sir Raleigh''s subordinates remained before the ruins. Thus, after time passed with tears and silence. "Co-come back! Right now!" Suddenly a shout comes from the shore. When White turned his head at the sudden call, a sailor who ran breathlessly from the shore was shouting something. "A wa-warship... a galleon is coming! You must board immediately!" "...What?" The only English colony here... was just confirmed destroyed. They just found Spanish graffiti around here. Then the galleon approaching this area... could it be... "Damn shit! It''s the Spanish!" "Mr. White, get up right now! Hurry!" Sir Raleigh''s subordinates hurriedly lift John White and start running while supporting him. But emerging from the thicket, what they see is already two merchant ships hastily leaving the shore. "These... these crazy bastards! Abandoning passengers and running!" The ships they came on are fleeing to save themselves. Sir Raleigh''s subordinates sprint toward the inland while spewing all sorts of curses. White stared at the opposite shore with half-focused eyes. As they said, one galleon was approaching the shore in a majestic figure. As if it was already too late to chase the two fleeing merchant ships. "Aah... aaah..." Those Satan''s minions, after killing my daughter and granddaughter, now come to kill me too. White suppresses his desire to scream and runs following Sir Raleigh''s subordinates. The splashing sounds and shouting from behind pierce his spine. Must run... must run quickly. To not die... ...Huh? White''s running pace with Sir Raleigh''s subordinates slows. When the startled subordinates turn to look at him, White speaks as if muttering. "...Can we, live by running?" "..." "..." "I''ll die here. You all go." "Mr. White! Our employer Sir Raleigh..." "Go." "..." "..." Soon as the commotion grows louder, they abandon White and run as if letting whatever happens happen. White, left alone, walks toward the burned settlement. Step. Over the collapsed gate of the palisade, to the house where he stayed. Here... he believed he would gain a new life. He thought he could become a gentleman and nobleman of the New World from his humble commoner status and live luxuriously with his daughter. All those dream''s remains are scattered here, turned to burnt smell and ashes. "..." He found a rope. He also found a suitable tree outside the house. "Over there!" "The others?" "Already caught!" "Search the settlement area!" Various voices are heard as if mumbling. Ha... Sir Raleigh''s subordinates are already caught. Really unfortunate. Demons who killed my daughter, behold. Watch the miserable death of a father whose girl you caught and killed. Those who commit suicide cannot go to heaven so he too would wander hell. But that much wasn''t any worry to White. Because this world would be more hellish to live in without his daughter... Flash! Suddenly anger at the world boils up. He glared at the noose hanging in the air that he just made and shouted. "May heaven''s punishment fall on that whore who calls herself Queen of England! May Elizabeth that whore who killed my daughter by issuing a sailing ban go to hell!!" "Oh Walter Raleigh. Devil who whispered false hope to me, lustful male prostitute who pleases the queen in bed, filthy demon... may curses be upon him too!" "And finally the Spanish bastards! You''re all bound for hell!" And he brought a chair, stood on it and... Bang! Kicked it away. My throat is constricting... Can''t... breathe... "Ah, Daddy!" I hear my daughter''s voice... My daughter... is waiting for me in heaven... I''m... sorry... This unworthy father... will go to hell... Whoosh! Slash! ...Huh? Bang! The rope is cut and John White''s body falls to the ground. His consciousness blurs. His vision darkens from the edges. From far away, a man who looks Spanish shouts loudly and others run over. One person is Manteo. Ah, my friend. You too were waiting for me in God''s kingdom. Another person is lawyer Hewet. That gentleman... I didn''t know radical Calvinists could go to heaven too. And finally... um... "Daddy! Daddy!" My... daughter... He lost consciousness. And when he woke up. "...Huh?" He was on a Spanish ship. "Wh-what... how did this..." "Are you coming to? Sir Raleigh''s employees are in that cabin over there." "He-Hewet? What is all this? Why are you on a Spanish ship..." "...Ah, don''t worry." Thomas Hewet told him with a somewhat insane, dreamy expression. "You too... will soon meet ''Him''." "...Him? Who is that?" "A most... noble one, more supreme than any earthly monarch." Something was wrong. Something was seriously wrong. Chapter 18 - 18: Angel of Doom "He-Hewet, what do you mean? Why..." "Good day, Mr. Hewet?" "Ah, good day! Thanks to you we found Mr. White." "Not at all! Why make such a fuss about that? We simply did our best for our neighbor!" "..." "..." White watched with a dazed face as Hewet exchanged friendly greetings with some Spanish man. That was indeed the galleon. He was lying unconscious in a hammock under the mast, and on the mast... was painted a coat of arms he had never seen before. On a shield wrapped in grape vines was a transparent shield and... an angel holding up some strange saw-like thing? ''Why a saw instead of... a sword?'' "Anyway Mr. White, it''s so wonderful to see you again after 3 years! Who would have thought we''d meet again like..." "...Don''t tell me you''ve sided with Spain?" "Um... pardon?" "My, my daughter? Is my daughter alive?" "Don''t worry. Mrs. Dare is now serving the great one up close..." "Kyaaaaargh!" "Wh-why are you like this?" "Shut up, you bastard! How could you side with those who killed my daughter..." "Daddy!" "...?" There, Eleanor comes running from the corner of the deck. "Mr. White! You were alive!" "Ah, hahaha! We''ll pretend we didn''t hear you calling our employer a male prostitute!" "...???" Sir Raleigh''s subordinates, who he thought were captured by Spanish troops, also come running from the other side. "Mr. White! Welcome aboard the Nautilus!" "...?????" The man who seemed to be the Spanish commander also cheerfully cuts in. John White, starting to become convinced this must be heaven, pinched his own cheek and realized he wasn''t even tied up. "What... is this?" "..." "..." "..." Everyone glances at each other with troubled expressions as if finding it difficult to explain. Among them, Eleanor steps forward and speaks. "Da...ddy? I''m not sure if you can believe what I''m about to say." "Oh, my daughter! I''m already overjoyed just that you''re alive, what could you possibly say?" "...Then, you won''t think I''m a witch or anything?" "Witch? Nonsense! Come, tell me anything. Your father will listen to it all!" "..." "..." "..." "Um... Mrs. Dare?" "Yes?" "Since he probably won''t believe it, let''s start by showing him first." "Show him... Ah, you mean the ''holy ground'' and ''holy relics''?" "Yes. Didn''t ''He'' give permission for this?" "Well... that''s true. Then let''s go talk more on the island, Daddy!" "...?" John White still couldn''t understand what was going on. Soon the galleon reached a port, and White headed somewhere along a cleanly paved road. == Eleanor felt like she was becoming childish again upon seeing her father after so long. "Daddy, look!" Bang! Bang! Bang! "Good heavens...! The transparent wall deflects bullets!" "Ooooh..." == "Daddy, look!" Flash! Flash! "Im-impossible...! Tremendous light suddenly coming from hands!" "Ooooooh..." == "Daddy, look!" Munch munch munch. "Un-unbelievable...! How can grapes have no seeds!" "Oooooooh..." == "Daddy, look!" Whirrr! "Wood cuts like butter? A carriage door automatically opening and closing would make more sense!" "Ooooooooh..." Thus Eleanor showed off to her father by operating simple electronic devices, imitating Lord Nemo as he had permitted. "Ah, you see? These are all the angel''s tools! He saved us and built this colony!" "Oh, ooh... amazing." She liked seeing her father''s amazed face. She also liked smiling excitedly like a spoiled child in front of the father she hadn''t seen for 3 years. "Right? I was so surprised at first too!" "Yes. Truly remarkable. Indeed worthy of heaven''s products. ...But." White raised his finger toward the western fields while trembling with awe. As Eleanor followed his finger''s direction, she saw a familiar machine. A powerful machine that slaughtered enemies, dug up tree roots, and scooped up enormous amounts of earth. "That... that cart-like thing with arms, how does it move?" "Ah! That''s called an ''excavator''!" Eleanor boasted needlessly. "Only Lord Nemo can operate that complicated thing!" "I-I see. If it''s not too presumptuous, could I see it move? I''m very curious." At her father''s explorer-like curiosity in his words, Eleanor pondered for a moment. She didn''t want to bother Lord Nemo... but she wanted to do anything for her father whom she met again at death''s doorstep after years. "...Then, shall I go ask Lord Nemo if he can operate it?" "Yes. I''d like to meet this... Lord Nemo too." S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Eleanor walks ahead, slightly tense. She wanted to show her father how amazing Lord Nemo was, how incredible his powers were. As his daughter, she could tell. In White''s eyes that poured out amazement was a strange disbelief. Of course everyone would feel such disbelief upon suddenly hearing that an angel appeared and saved their daughter. Because he hadn''t witnessed the moment of miracle himself. He could reasonably feel that way. Just goodwill toward the benefactor who saved his daughter and granddaughter. Whether he was truly an angel was a separate matter. Thus the devout daughter and skeptical father walked straight to Nemo''s green-roofed mansion and rang the doorbell. Ding dong. But today there was no answer. "...Huh? Lord Nemo? Lord Nemo! Strange. I definitely saw him inside." "Perhaps he went out meanwhile?" "No. This door definitely..." Creeeeak. When Eleanor absently pulled the front door, it opened with a creaking sound. Of course Eleanor startled. It wasn''t polite to enter someone else''s house, especially a holy angel''s house, without permission. As she hurriedly tried to close the door again. "...to hell..." "...What?" Just now, she heard a word she thought she would never hear in this holy place. She heard the word ''hell''. Soon a terrible sound like scratching the air rings through the door crack. At that unfamiliar voice, unfamiliar sound, Eleanor''s whole body freezes in terror for a moment. Through the cold wind that blew in, the front door slowly opens. Then the father and daughter''s eyes widen at once. "Aaah... aaagh..." A terrible demon''s hymn was coming from beyond the dark hallway. And. "Da-damn..." Lord Nemo''s voice. A voice half mixed with groans, seeming out of breath. ''Co-could it be demons trying to harm Lord Nemo...?'' When that thought reached her, Eleanor clenches her fists and rushes into Nemo''s house regardless of danger. Lord Nemo is in danger! "Da-daughter!" "Daddy! Stay there!" "What father would let his daughter go alone into such a place!" As the two people entered deep into the mansion, the terrible sounds ringing from all around become clearer. "Hey Satan, payin'' my dues." "I''m on my way to the promised land, woo." Someone was spewing out words with spine-chilling content just from hearing them. And finally. "I''m on the highway to hell!" "No!" Lord Nemo''s scream rings out! Startled Eleanor finally opens the hallway door and enters the living room with John White following behind. "Kyaaah!" "Kya-ruk! Ki-ri-rik!" They saw a horrific sight there. Lord Nemo sat in a chair staring straight ahead with bloodshot eyes while holding a black object. As if possessed by something. And that terrible cursed song they just heard echoed from all around. That alone was a frightening sight enough to make one collapse, but that wasn''t the end. The real thing was still left. As Eleanor Dare and John White carefully... turned their heads following Nemo''s gaze. There was a frame there. The picture inside moved continuously. It seemed to depict scenes from someone''s point of view. Since the scenery moved whenever click, click sounds came from Lord Nemo''s hands, it wasn''t hard to tell these were the scenes Lord Nemo was seeing. In that frame Lord Nemo... Lord Nemo... Continuously cuts and kills demons risen from hell with a saw. And every time he killed demons, words like "Ha... shit, shit..." flowed from Lord Nemo''s mouth that was always gentle. Those eyes were drunk with excitement for slaughter. His curled lips sent cold sneers toward the corpses. So different from the Lord Nemo that Eleanor knew! After quite some time passed like that and demons rushed at Lord Nemo, he falls. Soon the scene in the frame goes dark and only one word appears on the frame. ''DOOM.'' The two people backed out of Nemo''s house with pale faces, unable to even scream. Lord Nemo didn''t even notice their presence, perhaps using all his energy to slaughter demons. Thus as they left the garden sweating coldly, they silently looked at each other. "Daughter..." "I-it''s nothing! Lord Nemo was... doing some other work that''s hard for us to understand!" "Yes. He was... killing demons." John White speaks with unfocused eyes looking at his daughter. "De-demons... he was killing them... He-he really was... an angel..." "..." "..." Thump! In White''s eyes were terror, awe, and tears. "Lord! Good heavens what was that sight..." "..." "Da-daughter, I must go back to see Virginia. Se-seeing that hellish sight was too terrifying..." It was enough to completely shake faith held for decades. John White whispered, still unable to recover his strength. "You too... rest." "...Yes." Eleanor stood there like a statue watching her departing father. And. "...Eleanor?" "Kya-kyaaah!" She screamed at Nemo''s voice suddenly coming from behind. == "Um... seems you were quite startled. I apologize. I''ll make my presence known next time." "Ah, n-no. It''s fi-fine..." "..." "..." What''s this. Why is the atmosphere like this. "Um... earlier Father wanted to see the excavator so we rang the doorbell but there was no answer..." "Ah, I apologize. I was briefly... um... enjoying a small hobby then." "...A small hobby?" "Yes. Though small, it''s quite challenging, like homework." Well, since I couldn''t clear the challenge objectives. "...Do you enjoy that?" "Pardon? Of course, it''s a hobby after all. Why would I do it if it wasn''t enjoyable? Though it can be tiring and painful sometimes, well, that''s how it goes." "..." "..." ...What is it really. Why are you looking at me so meaningfully. Unable to bear this awkward and unfamiliar atmosphere, I changed the subject. "So what happens now? Have you made contact with England?" Eleanor''s awkward and stiff expression finally softens a bit. "Ah, no. We met Father for now, but it seems others just ran away thinking we were Spanish troops." "Oh... I see." "Bu-but now that we''ve made contact with Father, everything will be fine! Reports about our colony will follow, and now that we have a galleon we can somehow contact the homeland... but..." "What''s wrong?" "..." Suddenly Eleanor''s face becomes serious again looking at me. Somehow I could guess why she was making a serious expression. "What... should we do?" "What do you mean?" "...How should we report about Lord Nemo to England?" "..." I closed my mouth, recalling this era''s execution methods for ''heretics'' written in game catalogs. How to report? ...Right. Thus I fell into contemplation, and Eleanor did too. However... there was one strange point. "Hm, hmm... hmm...!" For some reason Eleanor seemed more serious than me. == One and a half months. That''s how long it took for the Hopewell and Moonlight carrying John White to reach Plymouth, the port city in Devon, England. From there they rushed urgently to London to deliver news to their employer and patron. "...The colony was destroyed? And White is missing?" Queen Elizabeth''s foremost paramour and smoking enthusiast, explorer, poet, soldier, Protestant... To Sir Walter Raleigh. He slightly raised one eyebrow and spoke to the captains trembling before him. They were so afraid of standing before such a powerful figure that they couldn''t even raise their heads as they spoke. "...Thus, the Virginia Roanoke Island colony was mostly burned and full of Spanish graffiti. To anyone looking, it was clearly destroyed by the Spanish fleet..." "Not saving Mr. White was, well, an unavoidable misfortune. Since Spanish warships were patrolling right nearby..." "So, you lost your passenger to a Spanish attack, and I lost my colony. You didn''t even think to investigate whether my colony''s subjects migrated elsewhere and built a new colony, whether that colony succeeded. Like mice with their tails on fire." "..." "..." "Sigh..." "We-well since the colony is in ruins, instead of the promised tax-free trading rights, perhaps some other compensation..." "Get out." "...Yes, understood." As the captains left the library of the luxurious Durham House, soon Thomas Harriot, Raleigh''s friend and dependent, slowly walked over and offered him tobacco leaves. Raleigh nervously struck flint while holding it in his mouth, but when the tobacco wouldn''t light properly he angrily threw away the tobacco and flint and banged his head on the desk. Bang! "...Please, Thomas. Tell me you''ve brought good news." "You know well, sir. I tell good news ahead of time when I have it." "...So?" "The Steelyard bankers refused investment." "Damn it! What reason did they give?" Thomas slightly frowned at Raleigh''s curse before elegantly raising his notebook to recite the contents he had written beforehand. "First... they cited the failure of the Irish colony as their primary reason. Seems they estimate low chances of the colony turning profitable since Catholic farmers haven''t become docile." "Tell them not to talk nonsense. I can repay such losses just by leading a few privateering fleets. There must be another reason. Right, Thomas?" "...Yes." "I knew it! Well, what''s the reason?" As Raleigh raised his head, Thomas met his eyes directly and spoke. "Information about the Virginia colony has leaked. Everyone knows about John White''s failure." "Damn it..." Bang! Bang! Raleigh kept pounding the desk as he spoke. "Seems some bastard let loose a rat. Who is it? Walsingham? Or the Earl of Essex? Must be Walsingham, that son of a bitch!" "Who it is doesn''t matter. There are so many people who dislike you, aren''t there?" "..." "Anyway with ''rumors'' that Virginia, the only investment target, has failed too... they say loans are now impossible." "..." "What will you do? The gifts for Her Majesty the Queen are running low too..." "Shh, be quiet for a moment." Raleigh quietly silenced Thomas Harriot and slightly pulled out a letter from his desk drawer. It was a letter from the Queen to him. ''My beloved, are you not in want? Is your fortune sufficient to maintain your beauty and dignity?'' "Ah... my Queen." Fold. And Raleigh thinks as he folds and puts away the Queen''s letter again. ''...Seems she hasn''t found out about my affairs yet.'' Love is good, more love is better. However, the more you love, the more money flows out. Recently buying the jewel that Beth wanted made a small hole in his wallet. Moreover, the vast Irish colony of 40,000 acres had become a money-eating hippo strangling his neck. At this rate... Bankruptcy. If he goes bankrupt at this point, he''ll have to perform in the Queen''s bed again to squeeze out money. And when financial calculations enter love, many things tend to break. If that delicate emotional push and pull balance with the Queen breaks, Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, who shares the same bed, won''t leave him alone. He will whisper to the Queen: ''The vulgar Walter Raleigh doesn''t truly love Your Majesty. Withdraw your favor from him and eternally with me...'' Then having lost the Queen''s support, he will be even more financially shit, shit, shit...! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! "May I offer one opinion?" "Speak, Thomas." "Hitting the desk with your head will only increase medical bills and desk repair costs." "...Grrrr, I''m dying." If only that damn Virginia colony hadn''t failed, he wouldn''t be so financially and politically squeezed... Wait. Walter Raleigh lay limp then... swallowed. "...Say, Thomas." "What is it?" "Has the Virginia colony failed?" "Well, if the colony is burned and the residents are missing, it''s usually considered a failure." "That''s it." Raleigh lifts his head and exclaims. "Missing, you say? That means we don''t know yet whether it failed or succeeded." "That''s... an irrational judgment." "No, no. Think about it. For example, what if some of the colony''s settlers, while fleeing from threats to a safe place... met an angel? And the angel helped develop the colony!" "..." "...Just a simple example. Anyway, the important thing is no one knows yet whether the Virginia colony succeeded or not." Jump up. Raleigh spoke to Harriot, having regained his earlier dignity and authority. "So we must verify properly." "Wasn''t that... why we sent John White? And now John White is missing too." "That''s because we entrusted it to unreliable fellows. If we entrust it to an explorer who is very reliable, brave, fulfills his duties, and will carry out his employer''s demands to the end, it will be more certain." "Do you know... such an explorer?" "Me!" "..." "..." "Prepare for sailing immediately. We''ll soon cross the Atlantic." "Oh, good heavens." "It''s to appease poor John White''s soul." Thus Sir Raleigh begins to gather a fleet to save his Virginia colony. At that time, ''poor John White'' was... == "Go-good heavens! Gr-grapes, grapes can become this delicious!" Tasting his first Black Sapphire tanghulu while recovering from the recent shock. It was Lord Nemo''s gift. Chapter 19 - 19: Greenhouse Plans Thomas Hewet bid farewell to people leaving the church after finishing another fulfilling service and sermon today. Then looking around... there was still one person remaining. Sometimes people with worries would stay behind like this to seek counsel from Hewet. "Mrs. Dare, what''s wrong? Your face looks dark." Today that person just happened to be Eleanor Dare. "Um... Mr. Hewet? There''s something I wanted to ask." "What is it?" She must have mixed feelings about meeting her father after so long, both resentful and happy. Hewet presumed it would be concerns about that. "Um... do angels and demons fight each other?" "Hm?" This was unexpected. Suddenly such a theological question. "Well of course? Even in Ezekiel there are descriptions of battles between angels and demons, and many other theologians say angels and demons will continue fighting until judgment day." "Th-then, do angels invade hell to kill demons?" "...Pardon? Well, that, I don''t know." "You-you don''t know?" "Um... yes. Calvin said not to concern ourselves with the hierarchy of angels..." "..." "..." Silence. A heavy silence like ice. Mr. Hewet couldn''t understand Eleanor''s reaction. All he could do was leave saying things like "If you have more questions, please ask during the next service." As Mr. Hewet left the church muttering things like "How strange...", now only Eleanor remained in the church. Left alone, Eleanor kept replaying that scene in her mind and thinking. The terrible hellish landscape. Lord Nemo''s unfamiliar appearance looking half-ruined. Even the horrible demon''s song echoing everywhere. What I saw... what was it...? Ah, I don''t know. I don''t know at all. "Hey Satan, payin'' my dues." "I''m on my way to the promised land, woo." "I''m on the highway to hell!" She finally shook off those evil verses that had been ringing in her ears. "Highway to hell..." Somehow... it was addictive. It really did seem like a demon''s song. == Crunch. Crunch. Craaaack! "I''m on the highway to hell! Highway to hell! Don''t stop me, eh, eh, ooh!" Click. Oh, Highway to Hell. Indeed a masterpiece by AC/DC. Especially when playing violent and gory games, listening to this makes you feel so refreshed. I put away my phone and turned off the music with a much refreshed feeling. ...No matter how I think about it, playing a song titled ''Highway to Hell'' would be too much psychological shock for people of this era. Indeed, 20th century music is still too early for this era. Looking around again, there was still no one around me. Right. When playing ''these games'' and listening to ''this music'', no one should be around. Over there in the distance, John White is diligently drawing pictures in his notebook alone. They were pictures of our farm. This is the new grape farm under development. Specifically, the place with the greenhouse for growing rootstock. After Eleanor introduced her father John White and left as if fleeing, I was showing him around various parts of the farm and settlement. ''...But why did she really leave like she was fleeing?'' Eleanor suddenly became strange. She makes somewhat sad expressions looking at me, or suddenly startles terribly just from being called. Anyway. According to the game catalog, John White was originally a miniature painter by profession. Having trained in watercolors, he developed the specialty of making quick sketches and accompanied explorers, serving as a kind of camera. Using that skill, he was now quickly sketching various scenes around our colony. When the sketching seemed roughly finished, he slowly walked over to me and asked. "Um, could I know the purpose of that transparent structure over there?" "Ah... that is." How do you normally propagate grapevines? By planting leftover seeds from eaten grapes? That won''t work. You can''t preserve the traits of carefully cultivated wine and fruit varieties that way. Therefore, they normally used cutting methods for propagation. Since trees are roughly similar to planaria, if you cut off a part and plant it in the ground, it grows as a clone. But a problem arose in the 19th century. The grape grower''s disaster, the death of grapes - it''s no exaggeration to call phylloxera mites that. Phylloxera, also called grape root louse. Literally a pest that attaches to grape leaves and roots, creates galls, and sucks up all the nutrients meant for the grapevine. European grape varieties were extremely vulnerable to this phylloxera newly introduced from America. When Europeans cut and planted branches, the phylloxera attached to roots and leaves sucked up all nutrients going to the trees, killing them through malnutrition. Because of that, European grapes almost dried up then, and wine history became divided into pre-phylloxera and post-phylloxera. Anyway. Eventually after phylloxera, they started using a different method to propagate grapevines - grafting. They would propagate phylloxera-resistant grapevines by cuttings (these trees are called ''rootstock''), then graft existing grape varieties onto that rootstock to produce grapes. Of course, this is before the 19th century and globally they still use cutting methods to propagate grapes. But I''m growing grapes in North America, the homeland of that phylloxera. I alone have to use the troublesome method of planting rootstock and grafting branches onto it. Anyway the population has increased, and proportionally the number of Christians has increased too, so wine demand is exploding. Plus the gift economy network is growing day by day. "...So, we''re building this greenhouse." "Green... house you said? What''s that?" John White listening to my explanation asks back. Hmm, were ''greenhouses'' not around yet? "It''s a space kept warm inside so plants can grow regardless of season." "I-I see! This is the first time I''ve seen such a structure!" Living in the countryside basically means having some stock of items and materials needed for living. Of course we have extra PC panels that wrap our farm''s smart house. Here''s a question, are PC panels considered consumables? The answer is ''yes''. Thanks to that, it wasn''t difficult to build the greenhouse by assembling PC panels with steel frames here and there. "The difficult part was... keeping the temperature warm inside. Though North Caro... no, Virginia is mild year-round and the ground temperature rarely goes below zero... no, no, rarely gets cold enough for water to freeze, if we''re not careful the rootstock could still freeze to death." "I see. I understand." After looking around various parts of the greenhouse under construction for quite a while, White looked at the stove in the middle and asked. "Is that... the device that maintains the temperature?" "That''s right. It''s called a rocket stove. It allows efficient use of resources while minimizing production of carbon monoxide and other toxic gases." "Wa-wait, wait. Greenhouse... rocket stove... carbon... there are too many difficult words. Perhaps... are these things used in Lord Nemo''s ''homeland''?" "...Something like that." "...Ah! Indeed! Amazing! Building such facilities while fighting various great evils!" ...I don''t know why he''s so fixated on the ''homeland'' part, and I don''t understand why he gets so excited when I agree. And what ''great evils''? Spain? More precisely, I didn''t want to know. I quickly changed the subject. "Ahem, anyway soon we''ll be able to produce rootstock year-round in that greenhouse. Thanks to that, I expect the grape farm expansion will happen much faster than anticipated." "Hmm... I understand well." Thump. John White closed his notebook and spoke to me with clear eyes similar to his daughter''s. "I think I can roughly understand how this colony operates." "...Really? Isn''t that just from looking around for two days?" "It''s a village of about 300 people living scattered around. And I am a skilled explorer, aren''t I?" John White spoke while giving a few dry coughs. "You''re planting... a lot of grapes?" Ah. I involuntarily flinched as if struck somewhere. "Ah... since settlers demand a lot of wine, it couldn''t be helped." This was only half true. If that were the case, I would have planted only wine varieties in the new vineyard too. ...Ah, grapes. My parents'' romance, my desire, the culprit that put me in debt and the scent of success I can''t help but chase... The day I give up grape farming will probably be the day I die. I tried hard to keep my face from showing any wavering. Seeing this, White smiled questioningly and continued speaking. "Well, anyway the most cultivated crops in this colony are grapes and potatoes, right?" "...That''s right." "Neither keeps long, and one isn''t even long-term food. If a famine hits, this colony is finished right away. Since you can''t stock food and seeds." ...Huh? That''s right? "Moreover, this colony is economically inefficient. Simply put, does this settlement have any proper products to export to Europe?" "...Not many." "Right. Even if communication with England opens, you can''t properly trade like this. Meaning you can''t make economic profits." Stability: Low. Profitability: Low. ...Ugh. A painful report card. "Sigh... what should we do about this..." "But there''s a way to solve all these problems at once." "...Really?" "Yes!" White said with a bright smile. "Just grow wheat. There are wheat seeds in the relief supplies I brought, aren''t there?" Wheat is food that can be preserved long-term so it adds stability to the colony. Plus England is constantly short on food now so we could export there. ...Oh. "Then we should start right away." "Of course. But Croatoan Island isn''t good for growing wheat. The soil has lots of sand, the elevation is low, and it''s barren from salt. It might work for grapes but not wheat." "Then..." "Yes. We need to go to Chesapeake Bay." sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chesapeake Bay. Where White originally tried to colonize. "If we additionally colonize Chesapeake Bay and grow wheat there, most of this colony''s problems will be solved. However..." However? "Um... we''re too short on craftsmen... and livestock too." That''s true. Originally since 70% of the English who landed on Roanoke Island flew off somewhere, goldsmith William Brown is even serving as blacksmith. Plus in this era livestock were like tractors plus food plus cars plus textile factories combined. Since we only have chickens, it seems the colony would collapse right away without my help. "But... this seems like a difficult problem to solve..." White bowed his head dejectedly. "Why do you say that?" "Well... isn''t it obvious? If you need profits for investment, and need investment for profits, what can you do with a colony that doesn''t make profits right now?" "..." "If only it were a place overflowing with jewels and all sorts of luxury goods!" "..." Um... wait a minute. "John? Could you come over here for a moment?" "Ah... yes, understood. What is it?" What is it, you ask. "What would you think if this colony actually had profitability? Um... let''s suppose this island produces various jewels, animal furs, gold dust, pearls, and coral." "...Is this perhaps about your homeland too?" Of course not. My homeland is a crappy land with not a drop of oil, yellow dust in spring, monsoons in summer, typhoons in fall, and severe cold in winter. Anyway without answering, I walked ahead. I positioned the still puzzled White in front of the new warehouse. "Um... actually you know the grapes?" "You mean those seedless grapes with soft skin and incomparable fragrance? Or those strangely long black grapes with excellent harmony between crisp texture and sweetness?" "...Seems the Black Sapphire tanghulu left quite an impression. Yes, both are right." "Is there some problem with those beautiful grapes?" "No. There''s no problem at all. They''re perfect grapes." And we''re not the only ones who want those perfect grapes. "...Among the natives here, there''s a custom of exchanging gifts to show off wealth." "Ah, right. I know that too." "Then will we eat all those many grapes ourselves? Or share them?" "Share them... right?" "Yes. Then..." Creeak. "...Won''t we receive something in return?" I threw open the warehouse door. At that moment, John White''s mouth opens wide. In one corner was a display case made from cut microfiber blankets. Why make such a thing? "Those... surely not all..." "They are indeed pearls." To store pearls and coral there. And opening another door reveals all sorts of animal furs spread everywhere, and opening yet another door reveals uncut gems filling the space. "Uh... ah... uhh..." "All things Manteo traded for grapes." "..." John White collapsed sitting right there. "How about it? Can we get livestock and craftsmen with this?" "..." White nodded silently like a madman. This feels like some dark desire being fulfilled. ...Something like a desire for ostentation being satisfied. == "''Currently... November 4th, preparing for sailing and departing in just 2 weeks is a first in my life. Is this a new form of suicide attempt, or a great undertaking? I don''t know. Does Sir Walter Raleigh know?''" "Thomas! What are you doing there!" "''...Probably not.''" Thomas Harriot, mathematician, linguist, and naturalist, anxiously closed his diary. Then climbed onto the deck with unsteady steps. Looking around, his employer Walter Raleigh''s face was nowhere to be seen. As Harriot tilted his head in confusion, far away Raleigh poked his head out from the cabin and beckoned to him. When he hurriedly ran over, Raleigh was kneeling in the middle of the cabin with his hands clasped. "Um... what are you doing?" "Can''t you tell by looking? I kneel only before God and my lover." "Ah, I see." Thomas Harriot, thinking that meant Raleigh had too many people to kneel before, soon found himself unconsciously kneeling beside him at Raleigh''s glaring eyes and closed his eyes. The prayer of devout Protestant Raleigh quietly echoes in the cabin. "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us..." Up to here it seemed like a normal prayer... "...Please, if this colony fails too I''ll die too. Ah, Father! Father! Please...!" "..." It was basically a prayer in the same form as countless stock investors responsible for the Sumida River''s water temperature in the 21st century. Of course Thomas Harriot, living in a world where the 21st century was an unimaginably distant future, not knowing of the existence of the Sumida River, and joint-stock companies not even existing yet, couldn''t think such thoughts. Just... his head became quite dizzy. Though in the 21st century they would call that ''hitting the wall''. He didn''t know that fact either. Thus they begin their Atlantic crossing. Chapter 20 - 20: Expedition (1) "So many... jewels..." John White stroked a ruby crystal with his gloved hand while holding back tears. He holds the blood-red ruby under the bright LED light. The blood-red ruby scatters brilliant flashes of light everywhere. "How about it? Is this enough to attract more investment in this settlement?" Asking while knowing the answer. Some might call it manipulation, but the satisfaction is no joke. John White shook his head vigorously and said. "O-of course, Lord Nemo. This is more than enough to buy the livestock I mentioned." "Is that so? Then would purchasing dairy cows be possible?" "Of course! But it would be good to bring in horses and other useful livestock too. Like pack horses for farming..." "Yes, but it would be good to focus on dairy cows." "Hm? Ah, if that''s the case. I''ll remember it. ''Must bring in livestock focused on dairy cows...'' Yes, I''ve written it down." White put down his notebook and began focusing on admiring the jewels again, stimulating my dark satisfaction. Anyway. "Oh... good heavens. If this settlement just connects with England... tremendous wealth would pour in." Brown wiped his tears with joy. "Then with just one more thing solved, this settlement would have no problems." "Well, that''s right." Wheat. Add stability to the colony by growing food that can be preserved long-term. Plus add economic independence to the colony by exporting surplus wheat. When White''s analysis was presented to others, everyone seemed to agree. "Then as Lord Nemo says, we should provide friendship gifts to surrounding tribes while going to Chesapeake Bay." "Yes, Mr. Hewet. That''s why I plan to provide various items to Mr. White." As I took out the whiteboard, Mr. Hewet wrote with the board marker. Shakespearean era English sentences are written quickly. 1). Send various luxury goods with John White to Chesapeake Bay. 2). Buy the favor of friendly tribes there with those luxury goods and purchase ownership of surrounding land. 3). Build a new settlement and endure until it''s time to plant and harvest wheat. 4). Send harvested wheat to Croatoan, and export wheat etc. when contact with England is made. 5). Receive more investment to attract craftsmen and livestock and grow the colony. "...That''s the plan." "Ah, right! We should also check on the rest of our colony''s survivors who headed to Chesapeake Bay!" The last words were added by Eleanor. At her words, Hewet wrote ''3-1. Find missing English people'' newly on the board. Then everyone nodded in agreement... but only one person frowns. "Find survivors? Tsk. That will be difficult?" "Um... why, Mr. Gonz¨¢lez?" "It''s not really important, but didn''t we search Chesapeake Bay trying to kill you all?" "..." "..." "..." "When we looked then, Chesapeake Bay was almost empty. They might have fled inland after hearing rumors of our coming..." "Then, we should divide roles." Mr. Hewet spoke while splitting the list of the native-English expedition that John White would lead in half. "One side focuses on building the settlement and growing wheat, while the other side searches around Chesapeake Bay. How about it?" "We''ll need interpreters, so take some of our tribe people, John White." No one raised any objections. And... um... Rustle. Russstle. "..." "..." "..." Everyone turns their heads toward me again. And they stay quiet focusing as if I''m about to say something important. Why do they always... look at me with eyes expecting something amazing? "...Mr. White." "Y-yes?" "Congratulations." "..." "Go to where you originally intended to go. Go and obtain what rightfully should be yours. I pray you will be able to fulfill your duty." "..." "..." "..." There, that was appropriate well-wishing right? Now let''s wrap up and leave. "Good work everyone. A voyage awaits in a few days, so rest early today." Thus I left the meeting hall. "Sniff, sob..." "Daddy... don''t cry..." "Sniff, sob sob..." ...What is this? Did I do something wrong? == John White, age 51, December 10, 1590. Lord of Chesapeake Bay, acknowledged by the Lord''s angel. His lifelong dream just came true...! White couldn''t sleep properly that night. But even without sleep he was full of energy and his body felt refreshed. Next they selected volunteers to board the Nautilus. Though White was a governor who had already experienced bitter failure, no one distrusted him this time. Because he was the Lord-acknowledged ruler of Chesapeake...! Once the crew was filled, preparations after that went smoothly. Countless treasures came out of the ''treasure warehouse'', and more grapes were loaded onto the ship in mysterious white boxes (which the angel called ''styrofoam'') from the cold storage. Thus holding new hope, John White climbed onto the sea again. This time there was no personality-broken navigator to interfere. No patron to mock his failure, and no fear that he might have lost his entire family. Just one thing. "...Lord Nemo, protect us." Only true faith to believe and follow. Thus the ship slowly... departed for Chesapeake Bay under everyone''s farewell. The voyage didn''t take long either. After about two days, familiar scenery begins to appear beyond the Nautilus''s railing. Again stepping on the familiar sandbar of Chesapeake Bay. Planting England''s flag and Croatoan''s grape vine flag there. Around when everyone was building the first tents and huts while praying to God. "...Huh? There''s a ship coming!" "Wh-what? What ship? Spanish?" "No! It''s an English flag! Seems to be a ship coming to help us! Haha!" ...Strange. Wasn''t John White himself definitely the last to send a relief fleet? Moreover, Sir Raleigh was too squeezed to have any reason to send ships all the way here just to save one person. Then why on earth...? S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Who would send a ship here unless they were crazy...? "Everyone grab muskets first. Whatever that ship is, we should check after arming ourselves." At those words, natives and English all raise their guns. While dozens were tense, a not-too-large fast ship proudly enters Chesapeake Bay. And. "...Look, people! People!" "They''re English!" With shouts from the ship, rope ladders come down and dozens of people were walking toward White while splashing seawater. Among them was a face familiar to White. "...Huh?" "John White! I knew you were alive! I believed it, damn it! Your success! I! Never! Doubted it for a moment!" "Calm yourself, Sir Raleigh! Everyone is watching!" "Right! Is everyone watching? Does the Virginia colony still look failed? I''m asking if it looks failed!" Ah... That crazy bastard came. "John! My old friend!" "...Um, Sir Raleigh?" Walter Raleigh ran to White while reeking of sea all over his body. With the expression of someone who found 150 bitcoins they had playfully bought on a forgotten hard drive right before bankruptcy. ...Actually it made sense that he looked crazy. Walter Raleigh was pushed to the brink of a Thames bungee show. "Surely they must all be alive! If they''re just alive, with our support they can surely make this strange continent into the Lord''s land..." "...You''re scared, aren''t you?" "Very much." "Do you think everyone''s alive? What probability do you estimate?" "Less than 10 percent." It was a situation with 90% probability of bankruptcy waiting. "The weather is too bad. If we go to Chesapeake Bay like this, the mast might break!" Plus bad weather. The rough waves around here could constantly torment the ship Sir Raleigh had worked hard to prepare. If they drifted, it would be all over. "I''ll... I''ll cover all ship repair costs. I can cover it all. Okay?" "..." "Just go north once. Please... please just once..." "..." "You need to get paid too! At this rate I can''t give you a penny! Not one!" But he stubbornly overrode the captains'' opinions. They thought everything was finished watching half-mad Sir Raleigh running around the deck reciting prayers. And at this moment. "Ah, aah! Aaaah! White! I believed in you!" Walter Raleigh was happy. John White is alive. Whatever happened, over there England''s flag was flying, and over there several huts were built. Though it was too shabby to call a colony, just them being alive was enough to satisfy him. Raleigh pounded White''s shoulders almost like a half-mad person. Chapter 21 - 21: Expedition (2) "Didn''t I tell you? That you had talent as an explorer!" "..." Meanwhile. "You''re a genius!" ''You''re an idiot bastard!'' In John White''s mind, the abuse he heard from Raleigh last time naturally overlapped with his current voice. "I never doubted you would conquer Chesapeake Bay!" ''You bastard! You bastard! My money! Where''s my money, you fraud bastard!'' "I believed it, damn it!" ''Get lost!'' "..." "...White?" "..." "...There was some minor discord and misunderstanding between us. May I take this opportunity to apologize to you? And upon your magnanimity we can build a new friendship..." "..." Thump. "I''m... on the brink of bankruptcy." "...Pardon?" "I... um... I''m finished without you. Please, tell me this colony succeeded. Hm? Even if it''s just words..." "..." "..." "It succeeded." "Haah... Lord have mercy, I finally survived! Come to think of it, where did your daughter and granddaughter go? The other settlers? What''s that ship? Is that hut your house?" "This is still under construction." "What?" "Others are on a nearby island." "On another island, not Roanoke? Why?" "...Due to circumstances, it seems my daughter evacuated people there. For now we''re regrouping there and came here to spread a new colony." "Really? Is that so. Then can I go meet the people there?" At those words, White firmly shook his head. "Really?" "The residents'' resistance would be too strong. There are many closed-off natives." "I... see." "Yes, thanks to local collaborators we built quite a good settlement. So it would be difficult to let in ''outsiders'' carelessly. That place isn''t a colony... um, it''s an independent kingdom of locals." "I understand." Sir Raleigh wasn''t a fool. He roughly noticed that John White seemed to have many complaints about him. And seeing the situation here, it seemed the colonial business had barely taken its first step. However... "...Anyway, do you need anything for your business?" That stuff wasn''t important. A business he thought was on the brink of bankruptcy had revived. "I''ll give you everything I can give." Whether it actually connects to profits doesn''t matter. If just ''possibility'' is shown, the Steelyard bankers will open their wallets too, and if funds can be secured then he can survive somehow. "Need funds? I''ll give you as much as you want!" "...We don''t need funds right now. Since the natives around here don''t trade in sovereign gold coins anyway." "Then what do you want? More population? Right. You must be very short on numbers, but once news of your success spreads, people wanting to come here will flood in..." "We don''t need flood-like large population. Since the noble ''collaborator'' takes care of us." "Need a linguist? How about Thomas Harriot here?" "...What about my consent?" "We don''t need Thomas even if he doesn''t come. Since we have an English-proficient and noble collaborator." "Who? Manteo?" "No. Someone else." "Really? Anyway then, what you need is..." "200 dairy cows. Of course including breeding bulls. Plus about 100 pack horses." "..." "We also need various craftsmen and technicians. Blacksmiths, bricklayers, stonemasons, carpenters, brewers, tanners, jewelers etc., counting up we''d need dozens." "..." It''s an impossible demand. Not only would it cost a tremendous amount of money, but Croatoan''s population is just over 300. Unless each person will raise one head of livestock, that number is nonsensical. Moreover, why would craftsmen come to this far-off America? If they want a place to colonize now, there''s already nearby and safe Ireland. The very reason he had recruited devout Puritans in the first place was because no one without religious fervor would want to come to America. Therefore Sir Walter Raleigh will refuse this demand. Then based on this highly called price, gradually raise the stakes bit by bit. It was a reasonable and sensible judgment. Unless someone was truly crazy, there was no reason to take another path here. "Good," "Good. If 200 dairy cows won''t work... Pardon?" "Good! I''ll give you everything! I''ll even empty my entire fortune to bring what you ask for!" But Sir Raleigh was indeed truly crazy. "Just make this colony succeed while you''re alive! Then whether it''s 200 or 2,000 cows, I''ll even sell my soul to provide..." "It won''t work." "Why, Thomas?" "The bankers won''t invest." "..." "..." "Sigh... damn bankers." "They''ll surely demand proof that White''s colony has profitability. Or at least proof that settlement succeeded..." "...Ju-just wait a moment, Thomas." "What is it, Mr. White?" "Sir Raleigh, can you really provide 300 livestock and craftsmen?" "I stake my honor." "..." "I''ll stake my soul too." "Good. Then... um... please wait a moment." What did Lord Nemo say about how to handle contact with England? "Deal with them as non-antagonistically as possible. Minimize exposing my existence, and if there''s something you can give, give it." "Bu-but it''s all Lord Nemo''s property, how could I..." "Give unto Caesar what is Caesar''s. Not antagonizing England is also for my safety." Then...! White hurriedly ran to the Nautilus. Shortly after. Thud! Thud thud! Boom! Several chests begin piling up in front of Sir Raleigh. "Here... here it is. Proof we succeeded. Proof we have profitability!" "..." "..." Walter Raleigh unconsciously swallowed and opened those boxes and. The next moment, his legs lost strength and he collapsed right there. == "They say Mr. White made contact with England." "Really? Then..." "We did give away about half the supplies meant for friendly tribes, but it''s fine. We only used about 10% of the warehouse anyway. We can give more to Mr. White again." "..." "..." "..." "What''s important is what we got promised in return." Honestly I was surprised too. Very much so. "...They''ll send 300 horses and cattle, and craftsmen?" "Wouldn''t that just be empty words?" "That can''t be. Didn''t they say Sir Walter Raleigh also jumped for joy hearing Chesapeake''s colony succeeded?" Mr. Hewet answered Manteo''s objection. Certainly... there''s no reason to make empty promises after risking his life crossing the Atlantic. "Right. According to Mr. White, Sir Raleigh will provide support since he needs to show the colony''s success to investors." "...?" "...?" "...?" "...Why are you all suddenly like this?" ...What is this? Why do they all have question marks floating above their heads? Taking advantage of my confusion, Eleanor carefully raised her hand and spoke. "Why is Chesapeake Bay... Sir Raleigh''s colony?" "...Pardon?" "Isn''t it obviously Lord Nemo''s colony...? Even if Sir Raleigh provides support later and can claim some shares, isn''t it basically established by Lord Nemo?" Um... is that... how it works? I naturally thought this was an English colony? What are we going to do otherwise? While I was thinking that, soon Eleanor''s shout rings out. "We''ll tell the English government later too! This is the Lord''s holy land so it''s independent territory!" "Right! Can the English king collect taxes from the Lord?" "Plus I''m not English! Can''t even call it an English colony!" "...One moment." "..." "..." "..." Suddenly becomes quiet. Kids, let''s not get too ahead of ourselves. Would they... do you think they''d leave alone a land flowing with milk, honey, and aluminum with tremendous potential? Plus it''s not just England, Spain is right next door too? Would they leave this place alone? ...How to summarize those words appropriately. "The Lord... probably doesn''t want us to shed blood either." "...Ah." S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." "..." "Let''s think about this issue later for now." Only then does the assembly quiet down. I leaned back against the backrest and fell into thought. Later, later. I keep putting it off but... it''s a problem that will come someday. I know that too. And I feel it. The time to provide an answer to that problem is drawing near. == "...Did you hear?" "Hear what?" "What John White demanded from me!" "He demanded 300 livestock and craftsmen, right?" The Queen''s bed had many men. From the late former Earl of Leicester Robert Dudley to the Earl of Essex Robert Devereux... They seduced the Queen with countless love poems and gifts and bouquets and sweet words, trying to get closer to the core of wealth and power through her. Walter Raleigh was the most lowly man among them. The youngest son of a fallen gentry family, unlike other competitors who were promised magnificent mansions and titles from birth. But Walter Raleigh beat them all. To become the Queen''s most favored lover, he honed his sharp senses. "...Tell me more in detail. What craftsmen did he demand?" "Stonemasons... blacksmiths... bricklayers... huh?" "Jewelers, and brewers." Raleigh''s eyes were shining brighter than ever. "They have enough jewels that they need jewelers? They have enough grain and fruit overflowing that they separately need brewers? Ha, haha... whoever that noble local collaborator is, they must be like the emperor of some Indian empire. Seems some very wealthy man took a liking to White." White''s colony hasn''t just ''succeeded''. It''s a ''huge success''. "Now I''ll present to the Queen those things packed in that white styro-whatever box. And when I present all sorts of precious jewels and furs, how will she think of me?" If there''s giving, there''s receiving. His great lover was never stingy with rewards. "A toast to John White. To his great success." "...Cheers." Raleigh wanted to quickly tell her about the new colony. Had to go fast, faster. Even if dangerous, couldn''t miss the chance to appear dramatically before her. "Hey! Even if the ship gets damaged, increase speed! Can''t waste a single moment! Must get to London before the Christmas banquet ends!" What would she say seeing those beautiful grapes? Chapter 22 - 22: Tale of Two Christmases December 25, 1589. John White woke up and habitually changed into his outdoor clothes to head to Durham House where his patron, Sir Raleigh, lived... then took off his coat again. Walter Raleigh had probably left to attend the Christmas banquet hosted by the Queen. To cover up the failure of the expedition against Spain and maintain public opinion, an even more luxurious feast than usual would be spread. They would enjoy desserts made of sugar and gelatin plates decorated with hardened almond paste and sugar pieces, while indulging in gingerbread, all sorts of tarts and pies, and pudding made from wild boar innards. Then they would probably tilt hot wine with spices, whisper sweet nothings with his lover the Queen, watch plays together, and enjoy the night together. Perhaps Raleigh himself would be angry if he heard such talk. He might say, do you know how thin the ice is in political circles after the expedition failed? Do you know that no one knows who might fall politically? Even after defeat, this feast is just an extension of wartime propaganda pretending to be a great victory, pretending there was no damage. He might say it''s just a painful duty that must be endured as a courtier. Maybe so. Perhaps Raleigh too is going through his own hardships. But at least he will be surrounded by people. ...He won''t feel lonely. And not just Raleigh. Everyone in London will be roasting goose, dancing with songs, and sharing warm drinks together. Even beggars will spend today more abundantly than other winter days. With their families. With old friends. Because that''s what Christmas is. That''s the happiness people can enjoy on the day the Lord came to the world. With a dry face where no more sighs or tears would come, he looked around the cold room. Quiet and dusty. He hadn''t thought about cleaning or organizing this place since returning to London. Because he would return soon. He would soon... return to Roanoke Island and receive hospitality from his lovely daughter and his disliked son-in-law while tickling his granddaughter''s nose bridge. Because that was his home. Not this... miserable and wretched hut. He hated London. Hated it madly. He wanted to escape this place. He hated the people here. He cursed all the laughter, happiness and joy of this place. While everyone was happy, only he was unhappy. "...Eleanor." Are you well? Virginia? Are you well? You must be spending Christmas today too. You must be looking far east across that vast Atlantic. While... waiting for me. As the window shaking in the cold wind burst open, the frozen but lively scenery of London unfolds before his eyes. He closes the window again, disliking the carol coming from beyond. And the middle-aged man with ash-gray hair sobs alone. ...I don''t want to live anymore. I don''t want to worry in this terrible world. Christmas... is so hate... "Mr. White?" A voice calling him. Ding. The sound of a small bell ringing. As he lifted his head... warm light embraced him. A long table was placed under a wide-spread tent. All the native chiefs from around Pamlico Sound sat somewhat awkwardly on it, and their leader was Manteo, wearing a doublet and fine cloak like any Englishman. To the left of the head seat, Thomas Hewet as representative of the English settlers and Vicente Gonzales as representative of the Spanish sat side by side engaged in some theological discussion. And to the right of the head seat were two empty seats, with his daughter Eleanor Dare sitting between them, one being Manteo''s seat and the other... "Mr. White, please sit here. You''ll be cold if you keep standing by the entrance." Was his seat. White sat down in the empty seat with a dazed feeling. He felt anxious about whether this place really suited him, whether he had taken someone else''s seat. Even Eleanor''s bright laughter as she sat Virginia on her knee saying "Look, it''s grandfather... and the angel!" seemed like it would disappear like a mirage if he closed and opened his eyes. All of this seemed... like a dream... "White, my friend." "...Manteo." Manteo said as he finished leading and sat down beside him. "Why are you sitting there stupidly? The food will get cold." Startled by those words, White looked up at the table. The food spread out was diverse. Smoked elk meat, chicken fried in oil, mashed potatoes, and even the natives'' rough dishes using beans and corn. White briefly picked up a chicken leg but couldn''t dare put it in his mouth and put it back down on his plate. "Mr. White, what''s wrong?" And again that gentle voice. He turns to look at the man sitting at the head seat. Behind him sparkles a tree with aluminum decorations and candles on each branch. He feels as if it''s like a halo in holy paintings. He lifts his head and speaks. "Mr. White, you look somewhat sad. What''s wrong?" "Ah, Nemo... it''s nothing. I just dozed off and dreamed about last Christmas." When he secretly believed his daughter and granddaughter were already dead. When he believed he was alone in this world. There was such a time. That was just last year. "Mr. White? Are you alright?" "...I''m... fine. Really... really, I''m fine, Nemo." Unable to hold back his flowing tears, he finally bowed his head to Nemo and said. "Just... th-thank... thank you..." "..." "For saving my daughter... For making my dream come true..." Pat. 3-year-old Virginia rubs her crying grandfather''s back. Nemo closes his eyes for a moment at his words and recalls. His life written in the game manual. ''...In 1593, after returning from his voyage without seeing his daughter and granddaughter again, he dies lonely three years later.'' Nemo thinks that at least he was glad he could modify that last sentence. White wiped away his tears and the feast continued. The next day too, and the day after. Because it was Christmas. == "Glory to Her Majesty the Queen!" "God bless England!" "Bless it!" The Christmas feast doesn''t end just with Christmas Eve and Christmas. A week after Christmas comes New Year''s Day, and five days after New Year''s comes Epiphany (January 6th, the holiday celebrating the manifestation of Jesus). When New Year''s Day came, kings and nobles would exchange gifts and perform complex political rituals, and until Epiphany came, they would stop all work and laugh and chat merrily. And at this New Year''s feast of 1591, there was one more thing to laugh and chat about. "...Sir Walter Raleigh still isn''t showing up." "I heard he went to America? That fool is finally going bankrupt obsessed with exploration." "What delightful news! Shall we have another piece of pie each?" Raleigh''s disappearance. The empty space left by Raleigh, who had acted like a flamboyant peacock in social circles, was not small at all. The Queen showed noticeable signs of displeasure, and by her side, her other lover Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, constantly showered her with flattery. However, the Queen was slowly getting tired of the lamb''s tongue dishes and cow''s udder dishes. She was even getting sick of nights spent with the handsome Earl of Essex. The Queen knew why. "...Walt." Flinch. The Earl of Essex''s face stiffened slightly at that name, but the Queen paid no attention. Walter Raleigh had dared to throw away the Christmas feast, ignore his duties as Captain of the Royal Guard, and run off across the Atlantic. That fact made her brow furrow with annoyance and worry. "Your Majesty, your beautiful eyebrows are full of tension. If that scoundrel is causing your heart to darken, I''m worr..." "I''m fine. I''m quite fine." "Your Majesty, I..." "..." "..." Everything was annoying. That Walter Raleigh left like this during Christmastime, that the Earl of Essex kept throwing jealous whispers beside her, that Raleigh chose a dangerous path instead of asking her for financial help. She didn''t want to say more. That irritable conversation reached everyone who was listening for the Queen''s voice even among the noise. As everyone was carefully watching the Queen''s mood and slowly lowering their voices, that''s when it happened. One of the Royal Guards rushed in, bowed his head before the Queen and announced. "Sir Walter Raleigh enters the palace!" Jump! "How dare that fellow come here..." "Calm yourself, Earl of Essex." "..." "...And everyone else here should calm down too. He crossed the Atlantic to fulfill his noble duty of expanding my territory and spreading Christian faith... Though whether that succeeded is another matter." Everyone freezes at the Queen''s venomous words. Click. Click. Click. Click. Soon an explorer with magnificent whiskers strode across the middle of the court, his splendid clothes fluttering. He stood before the Queen with a slight sneer towards the Earl of Essex at her side. "Your Majesty''s loyal subject has returned from the New World." And he bows with un-Anglo-Saxon-like delicate gestures and manners. Indeed, he was worthy of being the man who captured the Queen''s heart with just his face and tongue despite having no background. "Hmm... Sir Raleigh? Did you have a good trip to the Virginia colony?" However, the Queen''s response was cool. "According to my sources, I heard your colony suffered a miserable failure from Spanish attacks, how unfortunate. Fortunately, as you are my Captain of the Royal Guard, you won''t suffer any more difficulties." ¡ú''Your colony failed so why are you wandering around? If you just stayed nearby and acted cute, I would have taken care of you properly.'' When Raleigh heard the interpretation of the Queen''s words, his expression stiffened briefly then relaxed. Such light criticism was expected. And. "Failure... you say? Your Majesty, perhaps English has changed while I was across the Atlantic?" "Hmm?" Snap. As Raleigh snapped his fingers, workers who emerged from behind him began moving a series of boxes. Click. And when Raleigh himself opened the boxes placed before the Queen, people gasped at that moment. Numerous pearls and coral reflected the chandelier''s light in all directions, sparkling. Click. Another box opens. There, beautiful furs of foxes and all sorts of beasts were piled layer upon layer. "Your Majesty! How can the word failure suit a colony that brought such precious treasures?" "...Walt!" "And there are more gifts for my beautiful Majesty." Click. The third box opens. Another gasp follows. "Is this... silver? Or platinum?" "Oh, Your Majesty." Raleigh, who had somehow slipped to the Queen''s side, whispers as he slips a ring onto her finger. "If it were such a trivial thing, would I put it on your finger like this?" A mysteriously inscribed ring with a brilliantly cut ruby set in it. "Look. This ring made with craftsmanship that no European artisan could imitate is surprisingly not a product of our colonists!" "Good heavens... You mean it''s from savages?" "With such skill to make this, they can hardly be called savages. Let''s just say we had ''local collaborators'', my Queen." "So... what is the name of this metal? So light... and beautiful..." Raleigh smiled that characteristic smile that had enchanted the Queen and many other women as he said. "It is called aluminum, Your Majesty." "..." "..." "..." "...Aluminum, aluminum. Such beautiful luster. And such lightness too." "Like orichalcum from legend. Harder than iron while more precious than gold and light as a feather. But this isn''t all." This isn''t all...? No more contemptuous and jealous gazes toward Raleigh could be found. Like audiences marveling at a magician, pure admiration and wonder filled the eyes directed at Raleigh and the last box. Walter Raleigh proudly announced before opening the box. "We were fortunate! If the season I transported ''this'' hadn''t been winter! And if my captain and navigator had been less skilled and delayed longer! I couldn''t have brought this precious gift to Your Majesty!" Everyone''s attention focuses on those words. This is coming from that luxurious man. What could the identity of the final gift be? A mysterious beast? Or another precious metal? Jewels? Or enough gold to make eyes pop? Bang! And when the last box opened. Bewilderment fills everyone''s eyes. What was there was another box. A pure white box. "This box too is an product containing the foreigners'' amazing wisdom and technology that is extremely light while safely transporting delicate contents inside. And what''s inside this..." When Raleigh opened that box again, this time everyone couldn''t hide their disappointment. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. What was inside was... Just grapes. Though they were especially plump, transparent in color, and each grape was huge... just grapes. Even the Queen of England glared as if asking if he was making a fuss over this, but Raleigh didn''t panic and held out the grapes before the Queen. "This is the fruit most precious to the savages, which my trusted explorer John White begged from an equally noble ''local collaborator'' to bring. Perhaps their local great king or emperor, I suspect." "Hmm..." Pop. "I''ve had them washed already, so you can eat them as is." Raleigh places one grape he plucked onto the Queen''s palm. The Queen glares at the grape with an unsatisfied expression before rolling it into her mouth at once. And... Crunch. "..." "..." "..." Silence falls. Bang! "Th-this mere grape! Such vulgar nature... is this all you present to Her Majesty after worrying her and returning, just this mere grape?" "Calm yourself, Earl of Essex. If you''re jealous, say you''re jealous, and if you want to eat these grapes, say you want to eat them." "Bah! What''s so special about this grape. Give it here! This... mere... gra..." Crunch. "..." "..." "..." Silence falls again. Everyone watches the Queen and Earl of Essex tensely. Wondering if perhaps the mad Raleigh had tried to poison the Queen. And... "Ah, aah... L-Lord, good heavens..." "Uuuh... uuuuuh..." As the Earl of Essex takes another grape, the Queen, as if unable to lose, takes two and rolls them in her mouth. Unable to contain their curiosity, both William Cecil, Lord High Treasurer and Secretary of State, and Francis Walsingham, Principal Secretary, approached and took a grape each to put in their mouths. And. "Ooh, oh... ooooh!" "Uaah... uaaah... th-this is..." "Other sailors who''ve tasted these grapes say... they''re like fruit grown by angels." January 6, 1591, Epiphany. The fifth monarch of the Tudor dynasty. The great Queen of England and Ireland. ''The Virgin Queen'' Elizabeth I - this was the day she first ate Shine Muscat grapes. Chapter 23 - 23: Sensation Everyone in the banquet hall froze in confusion at the current commotion. Like children tasting sugar for the first time, the Queen and her most noble subjects were frantically gathering grapes in their hands with their eyes rolling back. The sounds of swallowing and bewildered whispering grew louder from all around. The audience''s curiosity and tension increased. "...Well, I''ve presented one bunch as a gift to Her Majesty the Queen, but I have one more bunch left." Walter Raleigh was not a man to miss such an atmosphere. The banquet hall had now become the best promotional venue. Raleigh held the box of grapes and circled the hall once, capturing people''s attention. "Unfortunately, I only have two bunches at hand, so I''ll divide the remaining bunch and share one grape each..." "Oh, might I be able to taste one?" "Ah! Of course, Baron! Come forward!" Thus, a brave young nobleman slowly stepped forward to Raleigh and plucked one grape. "Transparent... it is." "Simultaneously large and firm. Yet there will be nothing disturbing when you eat it." "Pardon? What does that mean?" "Try eating it. Then you''ll know." "..." The baron swallows and takes a small bite of the grape. His eyes widen briefly then shrink. "D-delicious..." "And?" "...Huh?" The baron''s eyes scan the cross-section of the grape. Something important that should be there isn''t. And he licks the grape remnants in his mouth with his tongue, searching for that something. Again, it''s not there. "S-s-seeds... are... gone..." "What? No seeds?" "Is it bottled grapes? Or..." "No! These grapes weren''t bottled! They grew very healthily, normally." Raleigh quiets the murmuring crowd and raises the bunch of grapes high. "The wise foreigners who grow these delicious grapes have developed a method to prevent seeds from forming in grapes! Whether this variety has no seeds, or they use some special technique, I couldn''t find out, but that much is certain!" Buzz, buzz. People began to gather around Raleigh hurriedly to see the seedless grapes. They began to verify by splitting the grapes Raleigh gave them and rolling them in their mouths, but indeed, there were none. There were no seeds. "Th-this is not a product of nature! This is... this is the Lord''s...!" Thud. Someone fainted, and someone screamed. Someone shed tears at the ecstatic taste of Shine Muscat, and someone immediately took out a notebook and began writing poetry. "Look, Your Majesty! Virginia has such wise neighbors, delicious fruits, precious treasures, and various precious metals! All this is thanks to Your Majesty who gave me the right to establish a colony in America, and thanks to the Lord who made Your Majesty the monarch of England! Hallelujah!" "Hallelujah!" "Hallelujah!" The crowd, half-soaked in excitement and frenzy, was drawn into Raleigh''s words. The Earl of Essex''s grinding teeth were not heard under the cheers. Even those who normally despised Raleigh all cheered and awaited the Queen''s reaction. After the great victory at the Battle of Calais, the counterattack against Spain had failed miserably. Now that the English Armada had collapsed and the war with Spain had entered a lull, the colony, thought to have failed, had revived and brought immense treasure. All of that story seemed like a blessing from the Lord to England facing hardship. Everyone gathered here was waiting for the Queen''s reaction. Everyone''s eyes now held expectation. "Your Majesty, how does this fruit taste!" When an unlucky nobleman who hadn''t tasted it shouted, Elizabeth, who was just coming to her senses, looked at Raleigh with eyes now focused and said. "...It was a heavenly taste." "..." "Angel-grown fruit, was it? It was as if some desireless angel had plucked a handful of heavenly fruit and distributed it free to humans on earth." It was mostly correct if you substituted the angel for the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. They could taste this fruit thanks to their mercy and work negligence. Mr. Hata Tsutomu, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries at that time, must be smiling at them all from heaven. "Your Majesty," Anyway, the Queen who finished speaking stood up abruptly and asked Raleigh. "Sir?" "Yes, Your Majesty." "You said the name of this metal you gave me is aluminum. These animal furs seem to be fox. Then what is the name of this fruit?" At those words, Raleigh smiled, lifting the corners of his mouth. Smiling, he said. "Shine... Muscat." Shine Muscat. That one phrase struck England. "Ah, and one more thing. Our colonists, along with a powerful local collaborator, defeated the Spanish fleet. They are now using a captured galleon to defend the place." "...!" Raleigh''s subsequent words too. Treasure... And victory...! In an instant, all of England was filled with festive cheers. == ... ... ... Several days had passed since that shocking Epiphany feast. "Phewww..." The Queen, sitting alone in her bedroom for the first time in a while, tightly gripped and released the mysteriously white-shining ring in her hand. This sturdy, light ring absorbed her body heat and was covered in condensation. What is ''this''? Many rumors are circulating around ''this''. A cheap piece of metal whose value Walter Raleigh manipulated? White gold from the New World that no one has ever seen before? Orichalcum, which Plato sang was used by the people of Atlantis? The first rumor was undoubtedly spread by Earl of Essex Robert Devereux and his father-in-law, Secretary of State Francis Walsingham. They literally want to chew up Raleigh. But since so many people had witnessed Raleigh''s ''gifts'' and the Queen herself was greatly pleased with them, it was also the rumor believed by the fewest people. The only believers were his political opponents who wanted to prevent Raleigh from raking in money in the future. The second rumor was being spread by Raleigh himself. He was demonstrating excellent showmanship as he darted around London''s influential merchants and nobles. Those who believed this were usually people interested in money. More precisely, those interested in the money that the new colony in the New World would bring in. They would all become Raleigh''s investors and sponsors. The last rumor... was the most extravagant and romantic. Many fools were captivated by the possibility of a vast empire and new civilization across the Atlantic, stomping their feet and losing sleep. That rumor was spread directly by the Queen herself. Why? "Very... light." Because she rather liked this ''aluminum'' ring. She wanted it to become fashionable. She wanted it to become a new wealth. She wished that as Raleigh presented ''aluminum'' to her, its value would skyrocket. She wished the aluminum that might exist in that New World would overwhelm Spain''s gold and silver. She wanted it to fill the treasury depleted by the defeat in the recent naval battle, even a little. With such complicated feelings, Elizabeth Tudor, fascinated by aluminum''s mysterious light, continuously fingered the ring. And. Pop. "Oh... ooooh...!" She wanted to eat more of these grapes. To think there are more such grapes in that New World...! She bit and tore apart the firm yet soft skin encasing the grape in one bite. "Oooooh...!" And with it, she enjoyed supreme pleasure. Not just the pleasure of taste. The eternal deficit that could not be resolved even with trade (=piracy) with Spain. And the emergence of a new luxury item. ...A new luxury item on which massive taxes could be levied! She felt the excitement she had felt when she had just resolved to go to war with Spain. This is an opportunity. Beyond those transparent grapes, she sees money. She sees new revenue that will offset the enormous expenditure of the court. And she sees royal authority. She sees herself standing proudly, trampling all other nobles with the wealth of the New World. Merely 100 or so people couldn''t have discovered all those treasures. Surely a local emperor strong enough to help defeat Spain together must have assisted them. A foreign vast and wealthy empire, an empire so powerful that even Spain, which brought the Incas and Aztecs to their knees, had no choice but to respect. If she could cooperate with them and gain more wealth and power...! Elizabeth suddenly looked in the mirror. Her reflection was smiling unconsciously. It was a familiar smile. When her half-sister and terrible enemy Queen Mary took the first step toward downfall by marrying the King of Spain. When she finally died and passed on the throne. It was the smile she had shown to the mirror when she secured an intact kingdom over the blood of countless Catholics. It was the smile of an ambitious person. == "They say he brought a mysterious metal." "According to rumors, some say it''s the legendary orichalcum." "They say it''s harder than iron but much lighter, shines like silver, and doesn''t rust like gold...!" "Isn''t even its name mysterious? The name they call it..." Aluminum. "Her Majesty the Queen appeared wrapped in the fur that Sir Raleigh presented!" "Good heavens, similar fox fur prices are currently soaring in London..." "It''s too hard to keep up with demand with just the supply coming from Scotland!" Various furs. "Have you seen the jewels Raleigh brought from the New World? They say they were processed in ways never seen before!" "With all that coral and pearls... goodness, did they scoop up the seabed or something?" "Foreigners with more delicate handwork than Europeans... wouldn''t trading with such people make a fortune?" "Raleigh has struck gold, absolutely." Various jewels. All the ''spoils'' that Walter Raleigh brought were shaking all of London, no, all of England. Everyone who met Sir Raleigh begged if he couldn''t possibly share some of the goods brought from the ''Virginia colony'' with them, and even Raleigh''s oldest political opponents subtly begged him for new luxury items. A new trend was being born right now. John White''s drawings of the New World were made into prints and sold like hotcakes, and some words from Thomas Harriot''s Algonquian dictionary were called in social circles like cheerful greetings or magical spells. There were many cases of expressing tattoo patterns said to be engraved by the Croatoan and Roanoke colonists as embroidery on clothes, and above all... "Your Majesty, no matter how hard the New World savages try, they can''t surpass the taste of our Sussex grapes..." "They''ve surpassed it by far. Walt? How many of your grapes are left?" "My beloved Queen, I still have five more bunches left." Shine Muscat. That mysterious fruit which, except for the Queen and her close associates, very few had tasted, and even fewer had the opportunity to observe closely. "This fruit, grown directly by the noble ''local collaborator'' who is served by the savages, is very precious and sweet! Moreover, it makes the eater''s digestion smooth and has excellent effects on heart health too!" Raleigh added various details to the fragmentary information about the ''local collaborator'' that John White had somewhat evasively mentioned, and to the content about ''the efficacy of Shine Muscat'' that Nemo had passed on to John White. As a result, Shine Muscat became ''a divine fruit that guarantees longevity when eaten'' and ''grapes with a flavor seemingly descended from heaven that leads people to the Garden of Eden,'' becoming the center of rumors everywhere. And... "...A heavenly taste? Hmph, that''s not wrong." This one statement from Queen Elizabeth confirmed everything. Additionally, Queen Elizabeth still wore the ruby-embedded aluminum ring and brilliantly shining aluminum earrings. She wore New World fox fur on her shoulders, laid New World wolf leather on the floor, and decorated the palace everywhere with coral brought from the New World. The Queen personally promoted the colonial business. All these circumstances were fueling the trend for ''similar products''. Already England''s foxes were nearly extinct, grapes were sold out, and the prices of platinum and silver, which were somewhat similar to aluminum, had skyrocketed. However, all those similar products were far from enough to quench the thirst of the English. They were all crying out. "Sir Raleigh! Please! Send more fleets to the colony!" "Walter, sell me just one aluminum decoration, just one. I''ll exchange it for gold ten times its weight!" And Sir Raleigh... "...The loan?" "It''s approved." "Excellent!" "You know if you can''t repay this money, you''ll have to sell everything including your estate, right?" "If I don''t use this money now, I''ll probably regret it for the rest of my life?" S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He was gathering even souls. An ordinary person would focus on bringing goods accumulated in the new colony at this point. It''s normal human psychology to think about taking some profits when experiencing such a ''moon shot.'' But Sir Raleigh was different. He was a man with a beast''s heart. A man who entered the core of England''s power with nothing but the Queen''s favor, and then had an affair with that very Queen''s lady-in-waiting while praying not to get caught. A man who, if a coin he held rose tenfold, would invest funds gathered by pledging even his organs as collateral, waiting for it to rise a hundredfold. That was Sir Raleigh. That boldness was his charm, and that charm had made him, a nothing, a fallen gentry, into the Queen''s favorite. Walter Raleigh immediately began buying up all the cows throughout England. The number of cows gathered this way was about 237. Once enough livestock to set up a large ranch had gathered, Raleigh proceeded with the business without hesitation. The so-called ''Virginia Trading Company'' was established, and under that company''s name, the construction of new ships was ordered. Cargo ships capable of carrying hundreds of livestock and various loads were purchased and built several at a time. And when the cargo ships were ready, Raleigh didn''t delay any further. "Thomas! Thomas Harriot! What did I tell you? I said it would work!" "...Ah, so it does work." "Go quickly. Governor John White needs these livestock to pioneer the new colony!" He crossed the Atlantic right away. Hundreds and thousands of able-bodied men flocked to the Virginia Trading Company he left behind, applying for immigration rights. However, almost none of them were actually promised immigration. Only technicians with families were accepted; all others were disqualified. That was also a condition Raleigh had promised to White. ...And it was also what White had been ordered by Nemo. Raleigh never thought that he was being moved by that ''noble local collaborator.'' Chapter 24 - 24: Great Chief of Croatoan "F-found them!" Bang. We were in the midst of a meeting at the church, which also served as the village hall in the settlement. It was a regular meeting discussing how to farm next year, whether to accept other native tribes who wanted to come here, and so on. And the one interrupting this important meeting was... none other than Vicente Gonz¨¢lez. I was wondering why he was so late, but looking at his sweat-covered body, he seemed to have run here urgently. Seeing him, I was about to ask what he had found that made him run so urgently. But before I could ask, Vicente hastily spoke first. "I found the missing settlers!" "What did you say?" "Yes. I found the 70 missing people! Mrs. Dare! When we mobilized the English and Algonquians, it ended quickly! They all ran inland when we were looking for them." ...Well, that''s because you tried to kill them. Anyway, everyone seemed happy, so I didn''t say much. "Where are they?" "The Chesapeake tribe has them. You should go right now and bring them back!" "Ah, good!" Eleanor also got up and said. "Father was just saying the Chesapeake colony needed more people to grow wheat. If 70 more people are added, colonization will go much more smoothly!" "Good. Then let''s go get them. Vicente, can you guide us?" "...Huh? Are you going too, Nemo?" "Of course. Isn''t it a matter of our island''s population potentially increasing by 70?" "...Pardon?" For a moment, an earthquake occurs in Eleanor''s eyes. Before I could raise a question about why, Vicente shouted. "Nemo is right! Let''s go right now! The boat is ready and the weather isn''t bad, so we might arrive within today if all goes well." Phew... We''ve come a long way. Originally I had trouble controlling just 30 people and had to act all mysterious, but now we''ve reached the level of casually accepting 70 people. Let''s set aside issues like how to control them when they didn''t even fight against Spain with me. For now, since Mr. White is the governor, he should be able to handle it well. If they''re people who need to be saved anyway, it''s better to think after saving them. More than anything, our colony now has over 300 people. No matter how they move, it''s not beyond control. For now, we save the 70 people and secure the workforce needed for wheat cultivation. "Well, shall we depart now?" That''s the priority... "J-just a moment... Nemo!" "Yes, Eleanor?" Eleanor, who had been trembling for a while, finally cried out to me. "J-j-just come outside for a moment? I have something to tell you!" "You can say it here." "I-it''s something I need to tell you when we''re alone." ...What is this? A confession attack? That can''t be it. "...Alright." I made everyone wait and went outside with Eleanor. Eleanor led me to the cemetery behind the church and then asked. "Um... I have something to tell you." "Yes." Gulp. Eleanor seemed to be contemplating for a long time, rolling her eyes from side to side and reciting prayers, then... finally opened her mouth. "I know your secret." "I see. ...Pardon?" "Y-y-yes, I said I know your secret!" What? What secret? ...No way. "I... hmm." No. From experience, if I speak first in this situation, I''ll definitely be screwed. The one who speaks first always loses. If I keep my mouth shut, the other person will end it themselves. Adding words to a situation that could end just by keeping quiet invites disaster. I realized that truth on the day I heard just "Um... senior..." and answered "Sorry, I have a girlfriend," only to receive the response, "No! I was just wondering if you could give me the class notes...". So I kept my mouth firmly shut and waited. "Well, it''s no secret that you''re an angel, Nemo! What I''m trying to say isn''t that...!" My judgment was proven right once again. ...I really almost got screwed. I almost said "How did you know I''m from the future..." and gotten a "...What? What are you talking about, Nemo?" in return. Anyway. "...Yes. That''s not a secret." "Right! We''re writing down the Lord''s words you deliver every day!" I''m really screwed. I had inwardly hoped they would just think of me as some mysterious saint, but it''s not at that level. It''s a systematized faith. I tried to hide my trembling hands by casually putting them behind my back. Yes. Angel, recording an angel''s statements... That''s basically scripture, damn it. Now the truth I''ve been avoiding is revealed. The puzzles I refused to match are suddenly fitting together, and all the discomfort I felt starts getting explained. An angel. An additional supplement to the Bible (1591 edition). Cold sweat runs down my back. I barely maintain a detached attitude, but inside I''m burning up. I clench my jaw to stop my teeth from chattering and quickly wipe the sweat forming on my hands on my clothes. "Anyway, um, I was wondering if it''s okay for you, an angel, to leave your home." Eleanor, who couldn''t know what I was thinking, cried out with a serious expression. "..." "...Pardon?" Silence follows. What''s that supposed to mean now? I sort of understand(?) that I''m an angel, and I get that you''re writing a new Bible (included as a bonus chapter for Roanoke crowdfunding participants). But why does it matter if I leave my home? "Phew. So you are worried about ''that.''" Of course, my strategy remained the same this time too. Don''t unnecessarily reveal ignorance. "Y-you even know what I''m going to say... As expected of Nemo." And my strategy was effective this time as well. No. I don''t know, so just speak up quickly. "I, I know about your sacrifice...! My father knows too! What you do every night!" "Indeed, there are no eternal secrets." "You''re stopping demons from rising from hell every night!" "What the f... I mean, no." "Pardon? A-anyway, my father and I promised to keep your secret that day. We had no idea that such evil power would stretch out so vilely from a place we thought was just sacred." I roughly understood. Your situation. I was so embarrassed I wanted to die. So I was caught. Playing Doom. I felt like I should show a melancholic face at this point. So I did, and Eleanor teared up. "...It''s not, easy, is it?" "I know! I remember the curses you spat while slaughtering demons, and that evil hymn the demon''s minions were singing still echoes in my head! The lyrics were..." "Stop." I stopped her because I felt like I might burst out laughing. Somehow that evil hymn... feels like it might be ranked 200th on Rolling Stone''s 500 Greatest Albums list, 2012 edition. "...Anyway, you mean you''re worried that if I leave my post where I need to block the devil''s forces, something terrible might happen." "Y-yes, that''s right!" "You underestimate my authority too much." "...!" "Darkness can only retreat when light approaches. Satan''s authority can never suppress the Lord''s authority." "Ah, ahhh...!" "So don''t worry from now on." "...Yes!" "Tell Mr. White the same thing." "Yes!" "And... please keep the secret." "O-of course!" With those words, Eleanor went back into the church, shedding tears of emotion. I... should soon go into the church and go to Chesapeake Bay with Vicente, but... For now, I closed my eyes. Phewww... seriously. Living is too hard. Too, too hard. What do I do about this... "Nemo! We''re departing!" Phew. Let''s go to Chesapeake Bay for now. Let''s think after we get there. == "I, I''m going to have a word with you." "..." "Our friend Roger says your land and food are very, very necessary!" "Woaaaaaah!" "So your tribe members must either give us territory and grain, or prepare for war with us!" "Th-this is outrageous oppression! Our federation will not stand by!" "If you won''t stand by? What will you do?" "..." "Get out. Come back with the will to surrender... or come back with weapons!" "Woaaaaaah! Get out!" The tribe''s warriors fell into a frenzy of excitement, each pounding their spears on the ground or throwing their bows into the air. "...Y-you''ll regret this! Our federation will surely make you regret the decision the chief made today!" "Try if you can! By the way, if you don''t leave right now, I''ll skin you alive. I''ll start counting now. One, two..." "Ugh, aaargh!" The chief laughed at the Powhatan messenger who ran away hastily. Then he turned to Roger and said. "What do you think, Roger? Once our war preparations are complete, we''ll enter their territory immediately and plunder their food!" "W-will that be okay? You said the Powhatans have over a thousand warriors, right? And their population is several times larger than yours!" "It''s fine! Even if they have thousands, they''ll flee in terror at your ''guns''! And in the end, I''ve only declared war on one tribe of them!" The chief laughed and patted his shoulder. But his voice was serious. "War is inevitable anyway. We''re already tight on food for this year. For ''us'' to survive, we must raid other tribes." "..." "Your coming to this land is a blessing from the spirits. Or it could be the blessing of Jesus whom you believe in and follow. Whatever the case, we must survive. I believe you would agree with that fact." "...I understand." Roger finally realized the reality and nodded. White had left, and England''s rescue hadn''t come. When the Spanish came here, weren''t these people the ones who hid and protected them? In the end, there''s no choice but to follow their words. Then the chief finally reveals a full smile. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ha, hahaha... Finally, the day comes when I can get rid of them from my sight." The Powhatan Federation has ruled as the hegemon in this area for quite some time. How bitter it has been under their coercive demands and intimidation? But everything changed when these people from across the sea joined. Their guns drop even flying birds and make thunder-like sounds. Even the most brave and well-trained warrior dies at the gesture of a child. That''s how the reversal of power occurred. For the first time, the chief who had only been piling bitterness in his heart was given the power to resolve that bitterness! The chief''s desire for conquest and achievement burns in his heart. Now he pictures himself making them kneel and expanding the tribe''s domain far to the north. With just these ''English'' people from across the sea, he can achieve it! It''s no longer an impossible dream! Anyway, they have nowhere to go back to, right? Most of them were men, so if they marry suitable beautiful women here and live, they''ll naturally become members of the tribe and warriors. If that happens... "Huhu, huhuhuhuh..." The Powhatan Federation and the like...! "...Chief! Guests have arrived!" "Haha, why so hurried? I''ve just made an important tribal decision, so guests can wait a bit..." "It''s... people from across the sea! Saying he''s John White..." ...Huh? Instantly, Roger''s face brightens. And the chief''s face turns ashen. "J-John White!" "The governor has come! The governor has come!" "Th-thank you for everything, Chief! Now that my countrymen have come, I must go back!" Uh... uhh? "I''ll connect with the homeland later and bring you various gifts!" "Finally! After a million years, I can eat roast beef!" Uh... uhhh? "...Y-you''ll regret this! Our federation will surely make you regret the decision the chief made today!" The messenger''s words come to mind. "W-will that be okay? You said the Powhatans have over a thousand warriors, right? And their population is several times larger than yours!" Roger''s words just now also come to mind. Thousands of warriors, facing a population several times larger... uh... With ''guns.'' Now those gunmen are leaving. Should he stop them from leaving? Is that even possible? "Uhhh... uhh...?" "Chief, then goodbye..." "W-wait a moment." "..." "..." "..." The chief swallowed and said to Roger. "Let me meet this J-John White." At those words, Roger realized that he and his countrymen had gained the upper hand, and said with a grin. "...Alright." Soon after, four people entered the chief''s house. Three of them had faces Roger knew. John White, Eleanor Dare, Manteo. And the other person... ''...Who is that?'' A savage guide? While Roger tilted his head in confusion, the three sat opposite the chief. The chief spoke to the person sitting in the middle. "...Are you John White? You look more similar to our people than other people from across the sea. Quite unexpected." "I am John White. This is Nemo." "...Huh? But why are you sitting there?" "What''s wrong with where I''m sitting?" Oops. For White who wasn''t familiar with the savage culture, Roger quickly approached and said. "Governor, the seat where that savage is sitting is the chief''s seat. As our representative, you should sit in the middle." "...What?" "So, Governor..." "I''m not the representative." "What do you mean..." "And if you call ''him'' a savage one more time... I won''t stay quiet." Immediately, White''s eyes change. He wasn''t the usually indecisive and gentle-eyed man. "Not just me, God won''t stay quiet either." "...Pardon?" "Nemo...? Ne... mo? Uhhh?" While Roger was confused by White''s words, the chief muttered that unfamiliar name as if trying to recall something, then widened his eyes as if realizing something. He remembered who the person with that name was. Then correcting his arrogant posture, he carefully asked. "A-are you... the Great Chief of Croatoan Island?" == "...Pardon?" "I apologize for never visiting you. The uncivilized Powhatan Federation in the north has been confronting us, so I haven''t had the proper opportunity to visit." "..." "..." "..." "Um... Nemo? What''s wrong?" What is this. I''ve heard of a Korean plant breeder who became a chief in Nigeria after developing pest-resistant cassava, but... Why am I your Great Chief? Confused without knowing, I glanced at Eleanor, who looked at John White, who looked at Manteo. Then Manteo asks me as if bewildered. "Is there, something strange?" "No... This person just called me Great Chief?" "Yes. What''s strange about that?" "Pardon?" What''s going on. Why are you acting like this too. After a long silence and seeing my eyes full of various questions, Manteo finally clapped his hands and said. "Ah... I thought you would naturally know this. Since you''re so fluent in our language." "What are you talking about?" "A chief is the wealthiest person. Isn''t that right?" "...Usually, I guess?" "And the wealthiest person is the one who gives the most. Sharing his wealth with others, so that other people respect and recognize him as chief, right?" "Uh, uhhh...?" "In this region, who is the wealthiest and most giving person?" "..." It''s me. I recall all the pearls, coral, and furs piled up in our farm warehouse and feel cold sweat running down my back. All this time I thought I was bartering, that I was giving grapes and receiving various gifts in return. But that was, um, tribute? Huh? "Great Chief, is there something uncomfortable?" What is this? Like ''Japanese Shine Muscat spreading worldwide! Americans establish Japanese Great Chief after falling for grape taste!'' or something? Thanks to Manteo speaking all of this in English, the opposing chief only understood my words and tilted his head in confusion, knowing nothing. He probably wondered why these guys were suddenly whispering among themselves. "You mean I''m, uh, that person''s king?" "That''s right. But rather than a powerful and binding king like England''s monarch, it''s closer to someone slightly higher up. A person worthy of respect, not a ruler." "..." I roughly understand. Like a "sir" in the village who receives deep bows from elders... a "landowner since Japanese colonial times" (suspiciously wealthy during colonial rule) kind of position. I put some strength in my eyes and spoke as majestically as possible. "...I have no discomfort." "Well, that''s really fortunate." "Except for one thing." "Yes, yes? You have a discomfort, what on earth..." I quietly turned my gaze to a white man standing next to the chief. And asked him in English. "What is your name?" "Uh... pardon?" "Yes. Weren''t you a member of the Roanoke colony?" "M-my name is Roger. Roger Pratt." "Roger Pratt." I turned my head back to the chief and said. "What is your name?" "...Oitotan." "Oitotan, I want Roger Pratt to return to his countrymen. All of his colleagues too." "..." "Can you help with that?" Good. Appropriately authoritative. He seems to have eaten my grapes that somehow flowed here. Then he should pay the price for the Shine Muscat. Thinking so, I watched his expression with a smile. "Uh... th-th-that..." "..." What''s this? Suddenly Oitotan''s face turns pale. Seeing his seriously tense expression made me feel uncomfortable and anxious. "Well, that is..." "..." "P-please spare my life." "...Pardon?" "P-p-please help our tribe members keep their lives... If you just help us, I''ll do anything to repay the favor." Looking back at Manteo, he too seemed bewildered with question marks all over his face. Wondering if something was wrong, I looked at Roger... He was quietly sighing with his face buried in both hands. "Please help us! At this rate, our tribe is finished in war!" "Please... explain." "Ah, so..." ... ... ... I see. I happened to arrive at a strange timing. So I answered. "No." Sssup... Bear the burden of going all-in. Chapter 25 - 25: Unintended Migration "You must know that there''s been a drought for several years, right?" No. I didn''t know. I thought this area was naturally arid. Besides, our farm has clean, clear water flowing endlessly, so I never paid attention. But I solemnly nodded as if I had known all along. The Oitotan chief lowered his posture even more and continued explaining. "Farming was manageable enough. It wasn''t so severe that if the corn harvest failed, the pea harvest would fail too. But it was enough of a drought for wild fruits and the animals that feed on them to disappear." Native American society already had low agricultural productivity, so they hadn''t fully transitioned to an agricultural society and still combined it with hunting and gathering. With such limited surplus production, a drought would have been much more devastating. "Be-because of that, food became scarce. Although an unknown epidemic reduced the number of mouths to feed, it still wasn''t enough." Unknown... epidemic? I think I know the cause. I was about to turn toward Roger but stopped myself. "I see. You must have suffered greatly." "Huh, huhuhu...!" What''s this? Why is he crying? "Yes. It was very difficult. All tribe members worked hard to secure enough food to last until this year, but from next year... it looks bleak. We''ll have to forcibly reduce the number of mouths to feed or face disaster." "Oh my." "Moreover, we have additional dependents now... making it even harder to feed everyone." He''s talking about those 70 people. What''s this? Somehow it sounds like he''s making excuses. "That must have been difficult for you. But now we''ll take those 70 compatriots with us, so you''ll have one less burden." "...huhuhuhu!" ...Wasn''t that the answer he wanted? What''s going on here? "Anyway... we were starving, so we had no choice." "What choice did you make...?" "The Powhatan Confederation is several times stronger and wealthier than us. So..." "...So?" "We threatened them to either go to war with us or give us food." "...???" Wait... this doesn''t make sense? They''re several times stronger? Then why pick a fight? As I looked around in confusion, Roger caught my eye again. He nodded to me meaningfully. ...Oh, don''t tell me. "It was reckless of you to do that just because you had Englishmen and muskets." "Ahuhuhu...!" Hey, you crazy fool. You''re not the protagonist of some historical fantasy. Did you think something like "Future Japanese military falls into Joseon during the Imjin War!" had happened? I mean, there were the Tlaxcaltecs who succeeded in a similar way, destroying the Aztecs and happily ruling alongside the white people. But they were partly just lucky. Unfortunately, you''re not them. Honestly... I doubt you could defeat an army of thousands with just flintlock muskets from this era. Was he just thinking like a toxic crypto investor? Like, "I have nothing to lose, so let me borrow against my last rent money and living expenses to gamble on crypto"? "It, it could have worked...! To end up like this...! The spirits have abandoned me...!" ...Looking at how he still refuses to take responsibility, I guess I was right. And at a particularly malicious level at that. Anyway, now I understand why he was crying in front of me. "Well then, I hope you''ve learned your lesson. Goodbye. Your ancestors will protect you." That doesn''t mean I need to play along. "Wait, wait, please wait!" "...What is it?" "Great chief, please help us! If we continue like this, our tribe will be finished in the war!" "No." I refused firmly. Fighting the Spanish was because we were invaded, and even then, there were only about 200 of them. But this is a completely different conflict that has nothing to do with us. And... thousands of warriors? Absolutely not. This isn''t a fight I can turn around with an excavator, mowing down dozens at a time like in a Dynasty Warriors game. Even if it were a winnable fight, I wouldn''t participate because of the casualties, let alone when victory is uncertain. There''s absolutely no reason for us to accept this proposal. As I stood up, others gradually rose as well. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Eleanor, let''s leave this place quickly. It seems this place will soon become a battlefield." "Yes, Nemo. As soon as we gather our compatriots here, we''ll depart immediately!" "Ple-please... all our tribe members will die..." We''ll die too if we participate. "We, we''ve already told the Powhatan Confederation that we''re allied with the people from across the sea! If we''re destroyed, you''ll be next, Great Chief!" "Is that true, Roger?" "...Yes." "Hmm... let''s still leave. After fighting these people, won''t the Powhatans or whatever be weakened anyway?" "I agree." "No, no! If you leave like this!" We walked around the village, looking for survivors from the Roanoke colony. "Please don''t go!" They had lived here for quite some time, and since some had taken wives and had children, it took time to persuade them, but not enough to make them give up on their homeland. "Please help us! Don''t abandon the unfortunate ones¡ªI heard that Jesus person said something like that too!" But some people were surprised when I, not a European, appeared next to John White, and were even reluctant when told I was the leader of the settlement. Some firmly resisted, saying they would rather die than be separated from their new families. We left those people behind. "Amen! Amen! Actually, I also revere Jesus! Roger will testify that I always peeked during worship!" Thus, we were able to return to the Croatan settlement with 67 survivors, except for three or four who voluntarily chose to stay. "Please, if you help us, I swear by the spirits and ancestors that I will offer everything..." "...You swear by spirits when you claim to revere Jesus?" "Uh... what? Is that not allowed?" But Oitotan followed us. ...How did he even get on the ship? Anyway, and then... "Ahuhuhuhu!" "..." "..." "..." Three days. For three days I tried my best to ignore him, but Oitotan continued wailing outside the settlement. Still, his persistence is impressive. If this was an attempt at noise harassment, it failed. The first day, his nightly crying made it difficult to sleep, but now I''ve completely adapted and can sleep soundly. That said, irritating things are still irritating, and problematic things are still problematic. You''d think after starving and crying for three straight days he would leave, but people keep helping him out like feeding pigeons, so he''s managed to hang on. But now... a decision must be made. I sighed and gave a signal to the people around me. White, Eleanor, and Manteo all nodded. Roger Pratt, sensing something, cautiously spoke up. "Couldn''t we... help in some small way? If we give them guns and teach them how to shoot..." "What would make us trust that person?" "He''s not someone who would turn the gun on us." ...Really? Isn''t this the type of guy who asks his family to cosign loans and then loses their investment? Isn''t that turning the gun on his parents? No, wait. This guy has already essentially leveraged his tribe members'' lives. There''s zero room for sympathy from the start. ...But an "angel" can''t say that. I replaced it with something that sounded good and profound. "It''s not that I don''t trust people, I don''t trust guns. Guns are tools for killing, after all." "...Ah!" "Of course...!" Right. Seems like they got something from that. Honestly, I don''t even know what I just said. Anyway, after shutting down the objection, the wailing sounds drift in again. Hmm... I really couldn''t stand it anymore, so I abruptly stood up and left the church/meeting hall. As others followed me out, we saw Oitotan crying with his face to the ground. "...Listen. Don''t you think this looks shameful? How can a great elder of a tribe be crying like a child here?" "But, but, when our tribe is facing extinction, how can you say that so easily?" That''s because it''s your fault, you idiot. ...I was about to say that, but feeling Eleanor''s sparkling eyes on my back, I took a deep breath. I barely managed to swallow the curses that had risen to my throat. Alright. "Go back. What nerve do you have to ask us to fight and die for you when you''re not even asking us to share food because you''re hungry?" "Th-that, Great Chief..." "If you really want protection from me as the Great Chief! Come and settle in our territory that we''ve purchased from the surrounding tribes!" At my shout, Oitotan stared at me with wide eyes. "If you come to our territory, I''ll give you seeds and land. Just... don''t ask for ridiculous things like fighting for you. Understand?" "Ah... that..." "Drag him away." At my command, nearby villagers grabbed Oitotan by the arms and dragged him away. Still dazed, Oitotan was soon dragged to the road. "...White? Didn''t you say we lacked manpower to cultivate wheat? Will this be enough now?" "It, it should be enough. But what should we do about Chief Oitotan..." "Take him to the port and lock him in the ship''s cabin." "Is that really okay?" "He''s a stowaway to begin with, isn''t he? It doesn''t matter. Later, if he comes to genuinely request protection, accept him." Looking at the village, it seemed to have about 500 people, which should be enough for them to come on their own. Good. I''m not going to worry about it anymore. I just ignored it and went home to play games. So stressful. Ah, that crazy teamfight-obsessed idiot. I hope he''s finally learned his lesson. Please live your life properly. == "Ch-Chief! Are you alright?" "Chief! What did the people from across the sea tell you?" "..." "...Chief?" About 400 years before League of Legends was developed. The brain of Oitotan, ancestor of teamfight addicts, began to work furiously. "...I learned a lesson." "What do you mean?" If you''re going to bet your life, you must bet your soul on a sure possibility. Even if you lose four dragons, even if the inhibitor is destroyed, if you can win just one decisive teamfight, you can turn everything around...! "Have you heard rumors about the wealthiest Great Chief?" "...Yes, I have heard something." "I heard there is a mysterious person who rules over Pamlico Sound and this area. Though they don''t show themselves at the great gatherings, they''re said to share sweet grapes." "I... have met that person!" "What?" "Then...!" "The Great Chief spoke to me! They said if we want protection, we should enter their territory and live as obedient subjects!" "...!" "...!!" "Let''s go! To their territory! That''s where we''ll find our salvation!" "Ooooh!" And so, part of the Chesapeake tribe began a great migration under Chief Oitotan''s leadership. Since it was still a massive number of about 600 people, the story couldn''t help but spread to other tribes. "Why are they moving?" "They say it''s by the Great Chief''s command? If you want to live, come into their territory, they said." "...?!?!" Everyone began to stir at this bewildering news. From those fearing the Powhatan Confederation''s threats to those lacking food due to drought. Soon the procession of 100 people became 200, then 300, and quickly surpassed 500. Like dominos falling, the procession finally... reached the Chesapeake region. "Go-Governor! The immigrants have arrived!" "Oh... so Oitotan has finally come. So, how many came? We''ll distribute potatoes and wheat to each person and teach them how to use farming tools..." "It looks like about 1,000 people have come? They keep mentioning something about a Great Chief, what''s that about?" "...?!?!" White finally began to realize something had gone wrong. The first month, they taught Oitotan and his tribe members how to farm potatoes. The next month, they distributed corn seeds to the rest of the people. The month after that, they taught the newly arrived people how to help in others'' fields. ...Strange. I don''t understand why there''s no end to this. The only tribe that requested protection was... Oitotan''s. Trembling in confusion, White finally undertook a census the following month. One... two... three... ... ...The population exceeded 3,400. How did this area become a giant plantation? ...Huh, what? While the angel-acknowledged lord of Chesapeake Bay, White, was bewildered, several months flew by. "A ship, a ship is coming! A ship is here!" Finally, in September 1591. "Oh, it''s all farmland, the colony is a huge success!" Sir Raleigh... arrived. Along with hundreds of livestock. Chapter 26 - 26: Emperors Revelation White should have been experiencing the best feeling of his life right now. "My, my name is Wi, Wiquash... My family has 4 members. My tribe is..." "Go to the western farm for now. There, you''ll receive tools to build a house, land, and seeds. Oh, and don''t forget to get ''the needle.''" "Ah, understood!" Thousands of natives were flooding into his territory in Chesapeake Bay, requesting settlement. Even though they were barely communicating through Manteo''s tribespeople, it was a pleasing sight to see countless workers each taking potatoes and wheat grains to start establishing farms. "Over here! Like this, keep the plow facing downward!" "Ah... like this?" "No! Like this!" And so, thousands of gathered people were plowing fields with around 100 horses and letting some 200 dairy cows graze on grass. White never dreamed he would receive such luxurious support. Right now, White was a great lord with thousands of subjects. He should naturally have been rejoicing. If only... "...In such a short time, you''ve achieved this much success? Is this even possible? Thomas! What did they say?" "The natives say someone they call the ''Great Chief'' ordered them to migrate here. They were told to follow John White and pay taxes to him." "Is that true?" "..." "..." If his superior hadn''t been standing beside him, White might have been able to rejoice. How should I explain this? Have they already found out about ''Him''? No. Judging by the reaction, it seemed they were thinking of ''Him'' as some kind of influential local figure. "...It''s true. He has been... helping our settlement a great deal." Having quickly assessed the situation, White nodded and managed to utter a response. At those words, Raleigh''s eyes lit up again. "So this ''Great Chief,'' or rather, the ''Emperor'' of this area is your ally? Could it be... those Shine Muscat grapes from before, and the aluminum, they were from Him? Did you acquire them through trade with Him?" "..." "Good heavens...!" Raleigh smiled so widely his mouth nearly reached his ears, and he hopped around excitedly. "John White! What extraordinary feat did you accomplish to gain the help of the Emperor of this region? Receiving gifts of numerous jewels, precious metals, and sweet grapes! Did you save His life? Did your daughter marry Him? Or has He converted to Christianity...?" "Ahem." Did I save His life? Did He marry my daughter? Did He ''convert'' to Christianity? Can Christ ''convert'' to Christianity? Or can a mere human save the lives of Gabriel and Michael? All the questions were so absurd that John White couldn''t help but cough. Only after coughing for a while did he see Raleigh''s expression. He was half in ecstasy. And at the same time, he was serious. "...Tell me. What is the reason? How powerful is his empire that he can command thousands of subjects to cultivate someone else''s land? And why is the ruler of such an empire so merciful to you?" Oh, my foolish superior whose eyes have not yet been opened. He is not an emperor but a minister, and why do you ask such a thing when the empire He governs covers the entire Earth? Why do you only see His grace directed at me alone when His mercy extends to all of humanity? Can''t you see? That these thousands of people have gathered, trusting in His protection? White swallowed hard. There was so much he wanted to say. He wanted to confess in a wailing voice, and he could have talked all day about His overflowing mercy. But he did not. Because He had commanded silence. Instead, John White only said this: "He is... simply an infinitely merciful being. That''s all." "..." But some explanation was necessary. "And, He reveres God." "...What?" An explanation that would sound plausible even to those who didn''t know Nemo''s true identity, with truth and falsehood cunningly mixed. "I don''t know the exact details, but He didn''t believe in Catholicism or anything like that. There wasn''t a single missionary in His ''empire,'' yet He was already serving the Lord in the right way." "...So, you''re saying He helped a fellow Christian, is that it?" "...Yes." "Good heavens... It reminds me of those fools who went searching for Prester John in the East! My goodness... my goodness...!" Walter Raleigh''s eyes rolled, and his hands quickly drummed on the wooden table. It was as if he was piecing together logic on top of White''s words, like flicking abacus beads or fitting together broken pieces of pottery. "Su-surely, if He speaks English fluently... someone from England must have arrived here before us. He must have taught the Emperor English and Christianity! Hallelujah! It''s nothing short of a miracle! Who could it be? An unknown great missionary? Or sailors lost from an expedition a few years ago? I don''t know. It doesn''t matter either. The fact that He''s hostile to Spain and friendly to England makes it all the better!" "..." White said nothing. He silently watched as Sir Raleigh spun a plausible web of falsehoods out of ignorance. "Does He have a proper Bible? No, that can''t be. That can''t be. Knowing how to speak and knowing how to spell are separate issues, so He would struggle to read. Then we should gift Him a Bible. At the same time, if we baptize Him and officiate a coronation ceremony as a subject of the English monarch..." "Let''s not go too far, Sir Raleigh. You need to stay calm." "How can I stay calm? In a situation like this!" The eyes of Walter Raleigh, a devout Protestant, were full of hope. And a hint of skepticism was visible in the eyes of Thomas Harriot, the doubtful atheist. But they were all the same in that, being absorbed in their own thoughts, none noticed John White''s coldly hardened eyes. "Ahem, John? Perhaps you... um... could arrange a meeting with His Majesty, the Indian Emperor of this region?" "...Me?" "Yes...! You! My lord and subject and governor, you!" Raleigh, who had just barely been seated in a chair, rose again in excitement. "I''ve reported your merits in detail to Her Majesty the Queen. Did you know? Your portrait is selling like hotcakes in England? When you return later, you''ll make quite a fortune!" "...I see." "If this meeting proceeds properly, I''ll bring you a thousand gold pieces! You''ll become the true lord of this land! What do you think?" "..." "...John? Aren''t you happy?" "Not at all. I''m very happy. It''s just hard to contain my joy..." "Is that so? Don''t worry. Aren''t I someone who always keeps his word once given? You will undoubtedly enjoy wealth and glory. So, as the governor of Virginia, I need an opportunity to have an audience with the Emperor..." "I cannot decide anything." "...Is that so?" "He moves only by His own will." John White spoke more proudly and firmly than ever before. Because the authority behind him was greater than that of Walter Raleigh, and even greater than that of the English monarch whom he served. "I''ll ask Him. But don''t expect a positive response necessarily." "I understand. I just hope my desire to maintain friendly relations is conveyed. Are there any Englishmen near Him who can interpret writing? I''d like to send a letter." And so, the Nautilus departed and reached Croatan Island. Two letters were delivered into the hands of "Emperor Nemo." One was from Sir Walter Raleigh, full of elaborate and ceremonial language. Long passages filled with poetic praise for the great Emperor''s wealth, glory, and mercy. And the other was from John White. He had written just one line: ''Whatever happens, I will follow only your decision.'' == ''...Great One, Your holy decision will be the cornerstone of all churches to be established in this land. Great One, I see Your glorious future. I see a future where all Christians praise Your name and give their children Your name. Great One, I praise You. Not because You are wealthy, nor because You command many subjects, but because Your soul is brilliant and noble. Your soul will now be reborn through the holy baptism...'' Flutter. I skim through Walter Raleigh''s letter full of flowery phrases, turning page by page, then set it aside. And I lightly glance over John White''s letter, which takes much less time and effort to read. ''Whatever happens, I will follow only your decision.'' Reading Raleigh''s dazzling letter and White''s brief line alternately... I sigh. "Haaaah..." I find myself holding my head without realizing it. My head throbs, causing me to bow it. Having put down the letters, I sit silently in the quiet living room with no one around. Finally, what was bound to happen has happened. Until now, I''ve moved only according to my wishes at each moment a situation arose. I saved the English because I was reluctant to let people die. I expanded the vineyard across the entire island because I wanted to grow grapes. I distributed surplus grapes to people because I didn''t want to waste the grapes I had carefully grown. As a result, I have now become an "angel," become a "Great Chief," and now even an "Indian Emperor." ...What''s next? I am no longer the fool who blindly charged at Spanish soldiers with an excavator. I know what I am. I am an immortal. I do not die. I am the owner of a farm with infinite resources. Will I live forever? Probably so. I am a "miracle" itself. Then, in this era, in the 16th century where "miracles" are considered either acts of God or Satan''s schemes, how can I survive? For now, I might be able to deceive Walter Raleigh. If I act out the role of a somewhat scantily dressed, ridiculous "Indian Emperor" a few times, he will leave satisfied. And someday, when someone discovers the fact that this "Indian Emperor" never dies, the charade will be over. Therefore, deceiving Raleigh and hiding the secret is... a stopgap measure. Not meeting him is also avoiding the problem. Because white men will always covet this land. So there are no eternal secrets. Before the day comes when white men''s hands reach out in earnest, I must decide. For my safety, and... "Eleanor, Thomas, Manteo, Vicente, John..." For the safety of those who follow me. ''England is necessary.'' For my daily life to be maintained, this Croatan colony must be maintained. And Spain will not leave this place where Englishmen live alone. Haven''t we already fought once? Indeed, I need England as an ally. ''Raleigh is also necessary.'' And Walter Raleigh is the one who has been entrusted with the governorship of Virginia from England. If I''m not going to kill him, I must win him over. Yes. I must win him over. And now I know myself. I am an immortal and the owner of infinite resources. I already knew well how someone with such conditions... should win over and subjugate people of the 16th century. Knock. Knock. Knock. "...Is that Eleanor?" "Y-yes! May I come in?" "No. I''ll come out." Creeeak. As I open the front door, Eleanor looks up at me. She looks at me with eyes full of awe and respect, with a flushed face from excitement and nervous, trembling pupils. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Um... Father said we need more potatoes for managing the farm. I was wondering if we could send more seed potatoes..." "..." "...Is that okay?" Yes. Walter Raleigh must also look at me with such eyes. He too must be in awe of me. He too... Must think of me as an "angel." A part of the puzzle I had long postponed in my mind comes together. A key figure in English politics, the Queen''s most beloved lover, the most loved and hated man in London. I will subjugate him. And I will have him in my hand. I will survive. As an angel. Chapter 27 - 27: Prophecy (1) "Haa... haa... this installation is a pain in the ass." S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. My body felt tired, probably because I stayed up all night reading the Bible and game catalogs. Continuing to work alone immediately was draining. I sat down on a folding chair set aside in a corner of the farm and opened "Large Print Revised Japanese Bible (which I had bought for my father when his eyesight deteriorated) next to the "Immortal Order" catalog. And there, I examined one by one the appearances of angels descending or manifesting. The result was... exactly as I had observed yesterday. Angels protect people and wage spiritual warfare against demons. They serve humanity and the church as instruments of God, and when the final judgment comes, they will annihilate the evil of this world. They comfort the fugitive Hagar, announce Jesus''s conception to the Virgin Mary, fly through the heavens, defeat demons, burn 185,000 Assyrian soldiers, and appear as visions before various prophets to show the future. Among these, what can I do? Suddenly appear before a saint? I don''t know who the saints of this era are, but I doubt there are any within 1,000 kilometers of here. Flying through the sky? Obviously impossible. For reference, there are more than 200 years left until the Wright brothers are born. Teleporting and defeating demons? That''s also impossible. I can''t even guess how long until teleportation is developed. Is it even possible to develop? Burning 185,000 people? If that were possible, you wouldn''t be human anymore... ...Come to think of it, instant body regeneration probably makes me not human either, so I take back my last statement. Anyway. Among the many powers of angels, there''s only one I can imitate. Prophecy. ...Strictly speaking, theologically angels can''t prophesy, it''s all shown by God, but that''s not important. Angels do appear in events where they show visions of the future to prophets like Daniel and Zechariah, or interpret those visions. The Angel of Fatima, who appeared in the 20th century, also showed the future to witnesses. That''s important. Angels are the messengers of prophecy. And I... can make those "prophecies." With what? "Immortal Order: Origin - Game Supplements and Background Information" With this. And if I add my shallow knowledge of world history, I can foresee the future for decades, no, hundreds of years ahead. With this, I realize the "power" of an angel. But... this alone is not enough. Because on the outside, I look like an ordinary human. I can''t emit light from my body, don''t have wings, and I''m not a non-human life form like the wheel with dozens of eyes that occasionally appears in the Bible. In other words, I have the "power" of an angel but lack the "majesty." ...I look around. This is inside a greenhouse full of Shine Muscat grapes ready for harvest. Grapes also have great symbolism in the Bible, as Jesus Christ said, "I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener" (John 15:1). Above all, this is indoors. I whisper softly inside the half-finished greenhouse. "Walter... Raleigh..." Then, from speakers spread around, a voice amplified several times begins to resound. "Walter... Raleigh..." The voice spreading indoors creates a solemn atmosphere with its insane volume, overwhelming feeling of emanating from all directions, and the unique resonance of a confined space. Yes... so this is how the karaoke machine and speakers forced upon me during the village event shine. Anyway, I''ve thoroughly hidden the speakers, so there''s no worry about Raleigh finding them. Here, I will reveal the "majesty" of an angel. Of course, it remains to be seen whether the other person will be intimidated just by having a voice echo through speakers. The speakers are just seasoning; ultimately, the essence lies in the power of "prophecy." To the 16th-century person shaken by voices coming from all directions, I will whisper the future. It shouldn''t be too difficult to at least appear as a prophet. If the plan works well... Walter Raleigh will kneel before the power and majesty, and I will descend before him. As the angel of the New World. I put down the Bible. == "We''re arriving soon! Croatan is in sight!" Hearing such a shout, Walter Raleigh picks up the Bible he had left on the ship''s deck. Making the sign of the cross several times, he tries to suppress the laughter that keeps bursting forth. Wealth and glory. He has pursued wealth and glory all his life. Born into a fallen gentry family, and as the youngest son at that, he has lived a life of contempt. From the dirt ground, solely with the charm and decisiveness of his body, he entered the core of English politics. However... He is still just the Queen''s jester. Francis Drake commanded a vast fleet, accomplished all sorts of military achievements, and carved his name in history. William Cecil, as the Queen''s Secretary of State, breathed his will into national affairs. Some whisper that Her Majesty the Queen is merely his puppet. Francis Walsingham, as the Queen''s spymaster, catches whispers from all over Europe and whispers them into the Queen''s ear. With one gesture of his hand, some court''s ugly secret is uncovered, and with a nod of his eye, someone is poisoned in the darkness. But only he... only he... has lived as nothing more than the Queen''s sex toy! And yet, everyone envies and despises him, saying he enjoys power beyond his station! Disgusting Earl of Essex... unlucky Walsingham... chewing over the faces of countless noble lords who despised him, looked down on him, and regarded him as vulgar, he mutters. Wealth and honor, wealth and honor... How much painstaking effort it took until the name Walter Raleigh could have "Sir" attached to it. That effort... has come to completion. "Sir Raleigh? Isn''t something strange?" "...What''s strange, Thomas?" "No, when I explored last time, Croatan was just a small sandy island! The possibility of an Indian Emperor''s court being there is...!" "Ridiculous. He is an Emperor! He is an Emperor who moves thousands of subjects with a single gesture! A palace rising like a mirage with just one word from him is nothing!" "That may be so, but why Croatan specifically? Why appear on a remote, barren sandy island? Besides, isn''t Croatan Manteo''s homeland! Manteo has never once mentioned that there was a great emperor near his hometown..." "Shhhhh!" Walter Raleigh covers Thomas Harriot''s mouth and says: "My... friend. Think carefully. Why are you suddenly spouting such words when you''re usually so clever? We''re about to meet an Indian Emperor surrounded by countless gold and jewels." "W-White''s words don''t logically make..." "Her Majesty the Queen!" He exclaims excitedly. "Doesn''t Her Majesty the Queen go on inspection tours of her territories? Does Her Majesty on inspection always stay in crowded London and its bustling areas? She does not!" "..." "A-and, think about it! He is an Emperor but also the Lord''s lamb! A lamb! A weak human who has just encountered the Gospel and asks to obey, trembling before the existence of the great Lord!" Yes... Even those unlucky noble lords are all just equal souls in clay before the Lord. Everyone is no different before the Lord. Just as all value is lost in the instant before eternity, as all finite things'' might breaks before the infinite. Raleigh, ''Sir'' Raleigh, pictured the great Emperor in his mind. "He... must be thirsting for the Gospel. And then he met us, the people of the Gospel! Can you imagine the excitement? He came out to meet us! Waiting for us on the eastern edge of Croatan Island!" "..." "W-we just need to give this Bible to Him. And say..." Your long wait is over. Now eternal bliss awaits you. "Think about it. The glory that Cort¨¦s, that insignificant Spanish countryman, luckily gained by conquering the empire of cannibals! And what about Pizarro? He kidnapped the emperor of the Incas and used him as a hostage to get all the gold in the world! ...But aren''t we much more civilized people than those Catholic barbarians? We won''t threaten a great monarch given by God with swords and guns. We will anoint his forehead with holy oil and proclaim to the whole world that he is a legitimate king recognized by God! And all his people will follow him in conversion! Following a powerful, wealthy, and glorious Emperor! Tens of thousands, no, hundreds of thousands, perhaps millions! Our glory will remain forever. We will go to heaven, and Her Majesty the Queen will feel proud for having transferred the governance of Virginia to me, none other than me!" When that time comes... He will no longer be a toy on the virgin Queen''s bed. He will escape from that state that is like a play on words and become a great lord who evangelized the New World. Then... history will honor him. Chapter 28 - 28: Prophecy (2) "We''ve arrived. Croatan Island." "Excellent, Governor John White! I can see the Emperor''s coastal fortress over there! It''s beautifully built! I can feel the majesty of a great monarch!" "..." "Is the Emperor''s city at the end of that road?" "...Yes, it is." "Good! Thomas? You come too!" "I... I''ll wait on the ship." "...Are you serious? With eternal glory waiting?" "..." Tsk. This was the problem with skeptical atheists. Sir Raleigh shook his head and stepped onto the sandbar of Croatan. And as he walked along the road with White, peculiar huts unlike any he had seen before appeared. Clumsy but double-storied, all with walls painted white and roofs painted green, these strange huts. The natives and English people coming and going there. Seeing their smiling faces, Raleigh''s conviction only grew stronger. Before long, a green wire fence surrounding a not-so-large estate comes into view. Someone was waiting in front of that gate. "...This is His residence." "The Imperial Palace?" "In a manner of speaking... yes, it is." While someone who appeared to be a guide was walking toward them, suddenly John White turned to Walter Raleigh and said: "Sir." "What is it?" "Be careful with your words to Him. He is a far more noble and powerful being than you can imagine." "I know..." "No. You don''t." "..." What''s this? The sense of discomfort he had felt from White''s attitude before begins to rush in at once. Why is he so devoted to the Emperor of barbarians? Is he the benefactor of his daughter and granddaughter? That could be. But... Doesn''t he speak as if that Emperor is his lord? As if, not the Queen and himself, but the Emperor of this land is his true superior. As if the Emperor of this land... is far above the ''mere'' monarch of England. "..." "There, Mr. Hewett? This is Sir Raleigh. Please... guide him." "Hello, Sir Raleigh? I am Thomas Hewett." And at Thomas Hewett''s call, he shakes his head vigorously to dispel the recent sense of discomfort. It''s a needless thought. What if he makes a slip of the tongue by harboring strange thoughts, as White warned? No one can ruin this moment. This moment, the moment he gets his hands on eternal wealth and glory, must be perfect above all else. "Yes. Yes. Very good. The Emperor must trust you to have admitted you into the palace like a butler?" "...Pardon?" "Where is He? I can hardly bear my desire to gift Him the Bible!" "Ah, He''s in the garden there. First, let me open the door for you..." "I''ll open it myself!" Creeeeak! So, refusing the guidance of Hewett and White, he strode forward. The Emperor who is fluent in English. The Emperor who can move thousands with a single gesture. The Emperor who owns so many precious jewels, metals, and fruits. And the great governor of Virginia to meet him. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He didn''t care that the form of the mansion was a bit strange and unfamiliar. He didn''t question the transparent walls and ceiling covering that garden. Right now, he saw only immortal glory and infinite wealth in every landscape. Everything became evidence for his conviction, and his conviction made everything appear as evidence. In that circulation drifting somewhere between self-conviction and stubbornness, his steps... gradually slow down. He finally reached the garden where the Emperor was said to be. It had become late at night while traveling by ship. Yet he couldn''t hide his excitement at the fact that the Emperor was still waiting for him. Raleigh pushed open the transparent door and stepped inside. And as politely as possible, and as boldly, he opened his mouth. "I am in the presence of His Imperial Majesty!" And. Silence. "..." It was dark all around by now. The stars were visible through the transparent ceiling, but the moon happened to be in its dark phase. He blinked a few times... to let his eyes get used to the darkness. Then what became visible was a narrow path. And a person standing in front of it. And spread out on either side... "Grapevines?" Click! In an instant, the inside of the greenhouse is illuminated. Unaccustomed to the sting of artificial light he had never experienced before, he instinctively squinted and covered his face with both hands. And slowly... he lowered his hands. A man was standing right in front of him. ...A man who looked a bit different from what he had expected. He was taller than him, without flashy tattoos or colorful accessories. He was neither scantily clad nor overdressed, just wearing white clothes. The man looked down at Walter Raleigh for a moment, then casually took out scissors and cut a grape branch. Fresh grapes fell from the tree into a box at his feet. Watching that scene blankly, Sir Raleigh opened his mouth and whispered: "Are... Are you the Emperor?" "..." The man turned his head and gave a slight smile. He just mechanically repeated the grape harvesting process, slowly smiling. "I heard you are fluent in English... perhaps you don''t understand what I''m saying?" The ''Emperor,'' turning his head again, just showed that enigmatic smile from before and then concentrated on picking grapes. "..." "..." In this awkward silence, Walter Raleigh didn''t know what to do. Should he kneel to show respect? Or should he offer the Bible first... "Sir Walter Raleigh." ...Ah. A voice both soft and powerful echoes throughout the farm. Raleigh, without even realizing it, kneels and offers the Bible from his bosom to him. "I, I have heard that you thirst for the Lord''s teachings... Here, I''ve brought a Bible translated into English. Please..." "Shhhhh..." Thump. The man silenced Raleigh, placed his hand on the Bible, and slowly pushed it aside. "..." "..." "..." This is an unexpected situation. This is... Click. "Sir Walter Raleigh." And, the next moment. ...His voice ''echoes.'' Clearly the Emperor is standing in front of Raleigh. Yet his voice is heard from the left and then from the right. It''s heard from the front and then from behind. The ''Emperor''s'' voice powerfully strikes his entire body and passes through. And. "I already live in the light of the Lord." That was... the first sentence Sir Raleigh heard through the ''Emperor''s'' mouth. He is a child of a fallen gentry family. Nevertheless, for court life, to avoid contempt from the nobility, he learned Latin and French. He could also use Spanish and Portuguese, the languages of explorers. All were as familiar as his mother tongue. And. In all those languages... The ''Emperor''s'' voice is heard. As if listening with the heart rather than the ears. "How dare you offer me words imprisoned in letters?" ...Ah. Good heavens. He''s not proficient in English. Whether it was John White or others, they heard it that way because they were only proficient in one language as their mother tongue. This man... This person... Speaks in all human languages. Sir Raleigh, unable to control his trembling limbs, asks in infinite awe: "W-w-who are you?" Then the ''Emperor,'' or rather that overwhelming being who might not even be human, said: "I am Nemo." "Nemo sum." "Je ne suis personne." "No soy nadie." "N?o sou ningu¨¦m." ... ... ... Though I am no one. Walter Raleigh, dropping the Bible, knelt on his other knee as well. Toward ''No One.'' Chapter 29 - 29: Divine Encounter (1) "Huff, huff..." His breath quickens. Sir Walter Raleigh calms his breathing with difficulty while unbuttoning his upper garment due to the stifling feeling. He feels an overwhelming presence. A tension he has never felt before, not even when he first saw Her Majesty the Queen, flows along his spine. "Ah... aaaah...!" He recalls the imagination he had drawn until just now. He kneels to show respect to the noble yet ignorant barbarian chief. The chief utters a few words in broken English and shows curiosity about Raleigh''s clothing. Smiling, he politely brushes off the chief''s touch and then offers him the Bible. And he says, ''This is the fountain of eternal life.'' Then the chief questions, ''Fountain?'' and examines the Bible, turning it this way and that. Not knowing what a book is, he ponders how to handle this strange object. He teaches the chief step by step how to open the Bible and reads from the first verse. ''In the beginning... let there be light...'' Yes. Like that. Character by character, character by character. He teaches the blessed verses of the Gospel to one who doesn''t know the Gospel. Remembering how foolish that imagination was, his face turns red. He gasps for breath and opens his mouth. "W-w-what are you? What on earth...!" "Did I not tell you? I am one who sees the Lord''s light up close." Again. With each word, each phrase, he feels a heavy pressure. It feels as if he''s hearing his voice directly with his heart rather than his eardrums. "Compared to the Lord, I am nothing." Every syllable he articulates clearly is translated into the many languages familiar to him and nailed like stakes into his ears. This is no longer just ''speech.'' "I am Nemo." This is the descent of the Holy Spirit. Suddenly there came a sound from heaven like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. (Acts 2:2) And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them, (Acts 2:3) And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. (Acts 2:4) This is exactly what was described in the Acts of the Apostles. Trembling with fear, lifting eyes half-filled with tears, Walter Raleigh speaks. "Could you be... the Lord?" "Foolish words. How could you confuse the potter with the pot?" "Then." "Did I not tell you? I am one who hears the Lord''s words up close, sees the Lord''s light up close, and touches the Lord''s garment up close. I am Nemo." "Ne...mo." "Yes. That is what people on earth call me." "..." Only then does Raleigh feel as if something is being pieced together in his mind. Why John White showed such reverence with a cautious attitude. Why he hesitated, hiding ''His'' identity little by little. Tremble, tremble. The trembling starts from his fingertips. His whole body trembles with awe and shame. I tried to gift him the Bible. "I-if you are not Satan or the Antichrist, you must surely be an angel...!" Good heavens, to such a being he wanted to gift a Bible! Baptize him! Make him swear to be a subject of England! "Are you worried that I might be a devil? Indeed, I suppose that could be possible. The second beast of destruction performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, imitating the power of the Lord (Rev 13:12-13)." "No, no, no. I..." "Speak honestly." "..." Walter Raleigh, barely enduring the fear that envelops his body, speaks. "If you were Satan... you would vanish in the name of the Lord. If that''s not the case, I d-dare to request proof here..." "..." "Yes! I may be as foolish as St. Thomas who put his finger in the Lord''s side, or like Gideon who believed in the Lord only after seeing the dry fleece, but suspecting and guarding against evil is also a virtue that His sheep should have..." "Your words are right." ''Nemo'' nodded to him and smiled. "Well done. Although you may have broken the seventh commandment, you truly strive to serve the Lord." The seventh commandment... if it''s the seventh commandment in Exodus... ''You shall not commit adultery.'' Ah. Aaaah... Raleigh''s face turns red again. He bowed his head deeply, almost touching the floor with his face. "I, I, I, with our virgin Queen, Her Majesty, a relationship too shameful to..." "Hmm? That''s not what I meant." "Um... pardon?" "Your lover, Bess." "What? How do you know about her...?" "You wish to marry her, yet you share a bed with the Queen. This is shameful." How. The being before him makes the word ''how'' embarrassing. ...Nevertheless, Raleigh, with a thread of doubt, with fear toward hell, asks. "Isn''t that... ultimately a thing of the past? Even the devil could know such things..." "Return." "...Pardon?" "Return and see. Watch as the current Pope dies and Ippolito Aldobrandini of San Pancrazio becomes the new Pope. He will choose mercy (Clemens) as his new name." "..." A clear prophecy. Whether it is true or not, no one can know, but he spoke decisively nonetheless. That decisiveness silenced Raleigh. The death of the Pope and the accession of a new Pope. Ippolito Aldobrandini of San Pancrazio, muttering that name, Walter Raleigh managed to rise while still kneeling. Then the ''angel'' said to him. "Fear not." How could this sinful man not fear the servant of the Lord? "I did not come to punish you. The Lord has not prepared curses for you, but glory and bliss." "...!" "The Lord will use you greatly." At that moment, Walter Raleigh''s hands begin to tremble. The angel''s voice, now familiar, wraps around his ears. "Therefore... serve the only One with devotion." Glory. He has lived his life pursuing wealth and glory. Not the kind that flies away in an instant with the whims of wind and waves like a picture drawn on sand, but wealth and glory that endure forever, as if engraved on a great marble temple. He was just promised that. From an angel. ...From the Lord. "A-amen..." That was all Raleigh could utter. == S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "This... needle of life... pierce it into your body!" John White exclaims, stammering in the Algonquin language he has awkwardly learned. "Haven''t all of you lost many tribe members recently? Haven''t people been suddenly dropping dead?" Murmur, murmur. Oitotan and everyone else nod gravely. This must have been a problem experienced by all the chiefs present. Death would have come with sudden rashes on the body. No one would have known the reason for the deaths. They would have thought it was due to the anger of something not human. A few clever people would have realized that those who had contact with people from across the sea died first, but still, there was nothing they could do. "The Great Chief says if you pierce this needle into your body, you will only be sick for a few days and then live; death will retreat! Hallelujah!" More chiefs flock to White''s impassioned speech, and one by one they offer their arms. Drip. Drip. Drip. Drops of blood bloom, and a slight grimace appears on the warriors'' faces. They were familiar with tattoos, so having needles applied to their bodies wasn''t that strange to them. Watching from a distance, I said to Walter Raleigh. "Do you see?" "I see, I see. I cannot understand why the pus of cows is being injected into the arms of those barbar... no, natives, but..." "In this land, countless bloodshed and injustice will flow like rivers in the future. Millions will be slaughtered in the name of the Lord, and they will die crying out the Lord''s name in hatred." "...!" Millions of blood, tears, hatred, and deprived lives. Surprised by the weight of those words, Walter Raleigh''s shoulders tremble slightly. This was a clear truth. Chapter 30 - 30: Divine Encounter (2) Look at how the native population, which numbered millions or tens of millions, later decreased. It was the result not just of epidemics, but of systematic massacres and forced relocations. But this place has now become the land of the angel. In the angel''s land, such things cannot be allowed to happen. "However, I said I would use you greatly, and that is to glorify the Lord''s name in this land." "What does it mean to glorify the Lord''s name?" "Half of them were destined to die of smallpox. But because of the cows you sent, they will now be spared from smallpox." "..." "Also, the other half of them were destined to die by the guns and swords of those who claim to believe in the Lord. You have saved them as well. You have clearly broken many commandments. But through you, a sinner, millions have been saved. This is the mysterious principle of the Lord." "Ah, aaah... I''m a-ashamed." Walter Raleigh is someone who has strived for power all his life but gained nothing. He wasn''t a member of the Queen''s Privy Council, and he couldn''t give advice beyond flirting with the Queen. Everyone called him the Queen''s favorite, but in reality, his influence was insignificant. "How... I cannot understand why such a lowly person as myself is being used so highly." "A tool does not question why its master picks it up and uses it." I fill his self-esteem. "All people are made in His image. You may be a sinner, but how can you consider yourself lowly?" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...Lord Nemo, but." "Look." I took hold of Raleigh''s hunched shoulders and made him look beyond that hill. Thousands of people plow the fields. They plant potatoes and wheat. "This is a scene you created. How is it?" "...It''s beautiful." "They will soon hear the Gospel and enter the gates of heaven. That too is what you have accomplished. Being a sinner does not wash away all your achievements. You are a sinner, but your deeds will remain immortal." "..." I see droplets falling from Raleigh''s eyes. "Walter Raleigh." "...Yes, Lord Angel." "Return to London. Go and gather hundreds of people to bring to my embrace." "What is that for?" "It is to establish a holy church in this land." It''s for this colony to be self-sufficient. Thousands of inexperienced farmers have appeared. They have come under my control. Then is this an English colony? Or is it a kingdom of natives? If my domain remains a kingdom of natives...? ''It will eventually be exterminated.'' It''s not just England. The more powerful conquering group, the Spanish, would be eyeing this place from Florida to the south. Similarly, there is France, which will extend its ambitions toward the New World. They too will venture into North America within decades. Establishing a native kingdom alone cannot survive here. We need to build an independent community that can accept the relatively advanced culture of Europe, expand through continuous population influx, and yet remain independent. Therefore, more English people are needed here for survival. "We will gather English people and establish a colony here. Through that colony, we will make the Lord''s word spread wider and deeper." This too was not a lie. How will I spread Christianity to them? Will I constantly perform miracles, even harming myself? Even if I do, they might think it''s a strange marvel but won''t believe I''m an angel of Christianity. It''s extremely difficult for faith to take root on its own without an established religious community. Cases of voluntary conversion just from reading the Bible are rare worldwide. ...Yes. I did not lie to Raleigh. Because he believes I am an angel. Since I am an angel, each word I say to him must be true. My words must be righteous in his thinking. Faith and worship are not one-sided. The worshiper inevitably moves the worshiped. I suddenly feel the gaze of John White and Manteo turning toward me during the vaccination. I see the steadfast faith in their eyes. I see their conviction that I will protect them and save their souls. As I turn my gaze, I see such conviction gradually burning in Raleigh''s eyes as well. I raised Raleigh from his knees and said to him. "Return to England. Go and act." So when I said that. "...I will do so immediately." Raleigh boarded the ship with a determined expression. To find more fuel to spread that flame of conviction. He went to England. == "Sir Raleigh, have you heard the news? The Antichrist Pope has died!" "...Indeed." As soon as he returned to England, Raleigh felt a great stirring in his heart. The Pope had died. The Cardinal of San Pancrazio Cathedral was elected as the new Pope. His name was Ippolito Aldobrandini. His papal name was... "Clement VIII." Walter Raleigh felt a shiver throughout his body. "He will choose mercy (Clemens) as his new name." How... could everything match so perfectly? With even the slightest doubt washed away, he immediately set to work to respond to ''His'' instructions. "These ones currently have cowpox, so it would be better to take them when they recover..." "No, take them immediately." For a while, he just gathered cows. Since cowpox is a disease that cows catch easily and recover from easily, he couldn''t select only diseased dairy cows and had to be satisfied with indiscriminately gathering hundreds of them. And then... next were people. Sir Raleigh greatly expanded the Virginia Trading Company. No, the trading company, which had never once realized a profit, was already large without needing to be expanded. "H-here! Don''t you need a blacksmith? A blacksmith! A skilled blacksmith!" "I heard you''re recruiting bricklayers! If you choose me, I''ll cover the entire New World with bricks!" "Here, here, don''t you need a basket maker? Please... please take us too!" "Now, now, calm down. Those miners over there, please leave! The miner quota is already full!" "But if jewels and precious metals are overflowing, why recruit so few miners?" The first floor of the bustling Virginia Trading Company building was crowded with all sorts of middle-class and lower-class people applying for immigration. However, since only a very small portion of them were selected, disappointment and anxiety filled their eyes. The second floor was frequented by the relatively upper class and nobility. Even today, Raleigh, who had been filtering out immigrants without special skills all day, occasionally received guests to attract investment or exchange pleasantries. But. "...What brings a member of the House of Commons here?" "Well, as the reputation of your colony deepens day by day... I too would like to travel there." "..." "..." Today, there was a visitor with a somewhat different purpose. The man before him was, frankly, a thorn in Sir Raleigh''s side. He was renowned as an advisor to his political opponent, Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. The sight of him gradually exercising political influence by receiving the Queen''s favor was not particularly welcome to him. But... even so, the rule of the subtle stage of politics is that one cannot openly antagonize. "...As it happens, since you don''t grant anyone the right to sail to the Virginia colony, I would have to take your ship..." "Hmm..." "I''m curious! What kind of society will unfold in the New World! And how majestic will the appearance of that great Indian Emperor be..." "''He'' is not someone you can casually mention." "...You speak highly of a barbarian?" "Ha, could a mere barbarian possess such advanced technologies?" "That could be true as well. Anyway, I want to go too. Not to settle permanently, but just to travel and look around, you might say?" "..." "Would that be alright?" Walter Raleigh glared at the man before him for a while, stroking his chin. The man didn''t show great hostility toward Sir Raleigh. He really did seem to want to go to the New World purely out of scholarly curiosity. ...Or, as rumored, given his character of flattering those in power, he might be trying to switch allegiances. Sir Raleigh carefully nodded to the man before him and said: "...Very well. I hope it will be a satisfactory journey for you." "Hahaha! Thank you, Sir Raleigh! I will surely repay you someday!" "That doesn''t mean you should go around spreading rumors. The fare will be expensive, and the available cabins won''t be spacious. We barely have enough space to carry honest citizens who will settle permanently, so it would be troublesome if tourists flaunting their status flood in." "I understand! I''ll be sure to remember that!" The man said, deeply wearing his hat and bowing his head: "I, Francis Bacon, will certainly not forget this favor!" After sending the man off, Sir Raleigh sighed and leaned back against the backrest. That''s already the second tourist. Some strange actor came and pleaded, so he let him, and now it''s a rattler. Raleigh looks at the calendar. It''s already February 1592. Even that dreamlike moment of audience has already become a thing of 3-4 months ago. ...It had been enough time to carry out ''His'' orders. ''February 25, 1592: Departure date.'' That''s what was written on the calendar. In a few days, he will set sail again. This time with hundreds of new settlers. == "I heard that Member Bacon is leaving on a tour... is this something agreed upon with the master?" "No! He suddenly left on his own...! Haaa, that''s how fickle people are. Actually, it''s for the better. We need a witness." Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, said while nervously stroking a dagger. "We need a witness to tell how Sir Raleigh''s American colony collapsed." Chapter 31 - 31: Schemes "...Do you understand?" It began with Sir Raleigh''s statement. "This is a fruit that the barbarians consider most precious, which my trusted explorer John White brought back after pleading with the noble ''local collaborator.'' I believe it might be the great king or emperor of the region." There is a great king or emperor in America. "Our colonists, together with a powerful local collaborator, defeated the Spanish fleet. They''ve captured a galleon and are using it to defend the place." A monarch powerful enough to defeat Spain. Whenever Sir Raleigh introduced the treasures he had obtained, he inadvertently mentioned that ''local collaborator.'' He was probably repeating exactly what he had heard from his explorers. That is: All the gifts he presented to the Queen came from that powerful ''local collaborator.'' Raleigh''s collaborator commanded craftsmen who cut jewels more precisely than European artisans, possessed military power capable of defeating Spain, and controlled farms that grow delicious fruits. This makes everything clear. "Raleigh''s colony comes from his relationship with that local collaborator! If we persuade him away from Raleigh''s explorers...!" The Earl of Essex made a proposal to Walsingham, his father-in-law and someone who disliked Raleigh as much as he did. "And if the colonial enterprise goes awry?" The Queen''s spymaster Walsingham rejected it instantly. "Don''t talk nonsense. That colony is a good stopover for attacking Spanish colonies. Plus, it has vast resources." "But... if things continue like this, Walter Raleigh will...?" "Raleigh, Raleigh. Are you afraid he''ll monopolize Her Majesty the Queen''s favor? You''re younger than him, aren''t you? Use that charm." "..." "If that''s all you have to say, I''ll be going." Evidence 1: Walsingham no longer checks Raleigh. Evidence 2: Walsingham raised me as Raleigh''s counterbalance. Conclusion 1: Walsingham has abandoned me. Conclusion 2: I am politically finished. A cornered man can do anything. So the Earl of Essex began to devise a ''plan.'' A plan to destroy Sir Raleigh''s colony. == Today, we all gathered again in the church/village hall/meeting place. When I knelt on both knees and clasped my hands, everyone swallowed hard. Even Hewett''s hands, standing in front of me, were trembling. "Ah, that... haah, I''m nervous." "It''s just practice, isn''t it? You can proceed without pressure." "Then, I''ll begin. Well... Nemo, the Great Chief of the Croatan, Pamlico, Chesapeake, and other peoples, now swears allegiance under God''s blessing to Elizabeth, the lawful Queen of England, France, and Ireland, and Defender of the Faith..." "Pfft." "..." "..." "..." "Oh! No, I-I''m sorry... it''s just so absurd..." "It''s okay, Mrs. Dare. It is absurd." "What kind of situation is this..." "Since you''ve already become a Great Chief, couldn''t you think of it as a similar secular position?" "That''s not a position where you have to serve someone above you. But this, um, an angel? Becoming a subject of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth is so strange." "Ahem. Isn''t this the best solution Sir Raleigh could think of? For now, this will help protect Lord Nemo." Once the atmosphere relaxed, everyone began chattering. Hollow laughter, sighs, and all sorts of criticisms were exchanged. Of course, from their perspective, this would be absurd. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Daring to treat an angel as a ''barbarian chief'' and even placing him as a subject of Elizabeth Tudor, who is acting as the monarch of England ''under God''s blessing.'' "Mr. Hewett is right. Everyone, please calm down." "..." "..." "..." "As long as I walk the earth with a physical body, I must inevitably be a subject of some monarch. Even Jesus said to render unto Caesar what is Caesar''s, so the question of whose subject this borrowed body is does not offend the Lord." "I-I see." "If Lord Nemo says so..." But as Hewett suggested, this is more helpful for me. Anyway, unless I''m truly an angel who is not bound by earthly status, I am ultimately just a somewhat unusual person living on this land. I need a ''status.'' Especially... if I am to survive the incoming storm of colonialism and imperialism. I need to be connected to England. For the safety of myself and my people, I can endure holding this ''coronation'' as a subject of England. Honestly, I don''t even feel any sense of humiliation. Rather, those who feel humiliated are those like them who serve and follow me. I can persuade them. Anyway, if I''m not going to visit England directly... how would they know whether I''m immortal or not? Those who see my face and meet me directly will continue to be limited to dozens or hundreds, just like now. Concerns about status will only be relevant hundreds of years later when white people flood into this land in earnest, and cameras and all sorts of inventions appear. Many indigenous people have disappeared from European-recorded history. What happened to Manteo after the Roanoke Colony failed? No one knows. I could be like that too. I can hide myself, change my identity and name, and live on. I could even become my own son and inherit this position. So... until then, I focus on securing my own safety and tightening my influence and position in this American land. I must survive. If I don''t survive. If I become an enemy of the Europeans and am hunted or imprisoned, facing a fate worse than death... that''s no longer just my concern. "Yes! Let''s proceed according to the script again!" "Mr. Hewett, please." "Yes. Then, ahem... Nemo, the Great Chief of the Croatan, Pamlico, Chesapeake, and other peoples, now..." All of them, all those who believe I am an angel and follow me absolutely, would be in danger. Unlike me, they die. So, this kind of coronation is nothing. I must survive. That is my purpose and duty. == Swoosh! Sir Raleigh wakes from his light sleep at the sound of waves beating against the salt-soaked timber. He had stayed up all night organizing accounts and handling various miscellaneous tasks. Across the cabin, Thomas Harriot is engrossed in solving some algebraic problem. "Don''t you get seasick doing that on a ship?" "Not at all? Rather, it helps me focus and alleviates my discomfort." "I can''t understand it. Why is that enjoyable?" "Don''t you write poetry, Sir Raleigh? It''s similar." "My friend, that''s completely different. A completely different matter. As different as the devil and an angel..." An angel. "...What''s wrong? Did something suddenly bother you?" "No, I just remembered proposing a coronation to Lord Nemo." "You consistently use honorifics for the ''Emperor.''" "Of course. He is... um... sent by the Lord." "Hmmmm." "Enough. What''s the point of talking about this with an atheist?" Silence follows again, and Walter Raleigh, nodding off, sees the vision of that day. "I did not come to punish you. The Lord has not prepared curses for you, but glory and bliss." "The Lord will use you greatly." "Therefore... serve the only One with devotion." It''s unforgettable. That shock, that overwhelming feeling, that mysteriousness, and even that holiness. "...Who would have known the Pope''s name would really be Clemens?" "Pardon? What did you say?" "Nothing. Nothing at all." "..." "..." Angels exist. Naturally, if angels exist, then the Lord surely resides high in the heavens. If the Lord exists, then the death and resurrection He has prepared, and heaven and hell, must also exist. As his thoughts reach that point, he thinks of the friend before him. His atheist friend. "...Aren''t you afraid?" "Of what?" "No, I mean living as an atheist. If there''s nothing after death, that might be better. But if you think about eternal flames burning your soul and body..." "If there''s nothing after death, there''s nothing to worry about, and if there''s eternal hellfire, wouldn''t it be the duty of a free person to resist the tyrant who created such a thing?" "Enough. That''s a statement worth a death sentence just for me not reporting it to the authorities after hearing it." "Haha, then why did you ask in the first place?" "Well, because I..." "Yes, Sir Raleigh?" "..." Because I saw an angel. Because I saw the Holy Spirit transcending human language descending in his voice, and the Lord''s foreknowledge transcending time descending in his knowledge. "If... angels actually existed, what would you do?" "Another question of that sort?" "No, this is a distinctly different question. If angels existed, that is, imagine that angels exist and you met one directly." "Hmmm, alright. If you wish to continue this meaningless questioning, I''ll gladly follow along." Thomas Harriot closes the notebook where he was writing problem solutions and turns from his desk to face Sir Raleigh. "Alright. I''ve imagined that angels exist and I''ve met one directly. So what?" "Then what would you do? Would you change your beliefs? How would you act? Don''t you have many things you''d want to ask?" "Of course I do. If Adam and Eve were the first humans and their children were Cain, Abel, and Seth, these three sons, how did humanity continue to exist? How did Cain have descendants, and how did Seth have offspring?" "...Perhaps God created other humans. Adam and Eve could have had other children." "Then humanity is either not solely the descendants of Adam and Eve, or the product of incest. If the former is true, why does original sin continue?" "...Let''s say the latter is correct. Incest might not have been a sin originally." "Then what is sinful or not changes with time? The Lord''s commandments keep changing too?" "Um... besides asking such useless questions, is there nothing else? Surely you couldn''t remain an atheist?" Even as he spoke, Raleigh remembered Harriot''s words, intending to ask Nemo later. "Well, if I were to see an angel, I''d certainly be shocked. Very shocked indeed." "Yes. Right? Wouldn''t you also experience a conversion and return to the Lord''s word?" "I don''t think so." "...What? Why? If angels exist, so would hell, wouldn''t it? Aren''t you afraid of hell?" "What? Hahaha!" At Raleigh''s words, Harriot laughed until his sides hurt, then wiped his tears. "Even if I met a so-called ''angel,'' I would likely remain an atheist." "..." Nonsense. He''s so confident without even having met one. How could a human not kneel before such an overwhelming presence? How could a human not repent of their sins in front of it? Raleigh shook his head with a bitter smile. That was all the response he could show to his old friend. "Fine... You''re stubborn, so you''d remain an atheist. Let''s say that''s the case. But what about other people?" "Huh, other people?" "Yes. Other people would all be overwhelmed by the angel''s presence. Everyone would repent of their sins and shed tears." "Hmm... even someone like the Pope?" "Yes. Even the proud Antichrist like the Pope." A truly Protestant statement. To Raleigh''s words, this time Harriot responds with a bitter smile of his own. "My thoughts differ." "...What? What strange idea are you harboring now?" "I know clearly how people would react if they saw an angel." With cynicism, Harriot opens a bottle of liquor from his pocket and takes a sip. With his tongue slightly loosened, Harriot raises one corner of his mouth and says: "People would see that angel and condemn it as a devil. And they would definitely try to kill it. No matter what." == Scrape. Scrape. Scrape. In a cramped corner of the cabin, they sharpened knives on whetstones. The ship was constantly rocked by waves, but their hands never wavered, sharpening the blades keenly. They exchanged meaningful glances, communicating in silence, while always keeping their senses sharp and paying attention to their surroundings. It was natural given the nature of their profession. Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump! "Hey! We''ll be arriving on land soon, how much longer will it take to pack up?" The nobleman on the ship with them, Francis Bacon, probably thought of them as merely newly hired servants, but... They were assassins. Killers employed by Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex. They were going to kill the Emperor of the New World. Chapter 32 - 32: Resurrection "If people see an angel... they''ll think it''s a devil and try to kill it?" "Yes." To Harriot''s confident answer, Raleigh snorted. "Ha, what nonsense. You speak so boldly, as if you''ve actually met an angel. Even though you''ve never had such an experience." "Of course, I''ve never seen an angel. And I doubt I ever will." Thomas Harriot merely shrugged at Raleigh''s mockery. "But I''ve seen plenty of people. Christians, non-Christians, English, Spanish, French, Algonquin, and many others." "Ha! And that''s the great result of your human observation?" "Yes." "..." Raleigh shakes his head at his old friend''s assertion. "No. You... know nothing. A person cannot see a pure celestial being directly and consider it a devil. Rather, even those who think as cynically as you would change if they met an angel directly. Completely crushed by that overwhelming presence, that holiness, they couldn''t escape." "..." "They might initially doubt and consider it a devil, but after conversing a few times, they would change. Everyone would change their attitude and praise the merciful Lord who sent them an angel." "Ahem." "...Are you laughing?" "Yes, I am." Thomas Harriot''s face bears a terrible cynicism. "If people were to meet a ''real angel,'' they wouldn''t be able to bear it. Especially those with power." "Why?" "People cannot tolerate beings above them. They cannot stand beings they have no control over, that they must simply follow." The smile gradually fades from Harriot''s face. "If Jesus Christ returned to the Vatican, the Pope and cardinals would unanimously crucify him. It would be the same if Muslims saw the return of Muhammad." "..." "I am certain. Even if it were a real angel, no, especially because it is a real angel, people would turn away from the truth." A cloud briefly covers the sun. As the sunlight entering the ship''s deck disappears, shadows fall on both men''s faces. == "...But, are we really supposed to kill him?" An assassin, pretending to be a shoe polisher while sharpening a shoemaker''s knife, asks. The leader, who was dozing with arms folded in a corner of the cabin, answers. "Why do you ask?" "Aren''t we... English?" "Yes." "The Lord told us to serve Her Majesty the Queen of England from birth, so we''re English." "What are you suddenly going on about? Get to the point." "...Well, everyone''s been excitedly talking about how the new colony will flatten Spain''s nose and make it easier to strike Spanish colonies, but aren''t we ruining that?" "..." At that moment, everything around becomes quiet. All the assassins who were sharpening and wielding knives stop moving and stare at the fake shoe polisher. "I... feel a bit guilty. I hear that the Indian Emperor even saved the colonists when the colonial enterprise was failing and they were all about to go to heaven. To repay someone who saved our compatriots with a knife... it really bothers me..." "We." The leader cuts off the fake shoe polisher''s words. "We were paid." "..." "..." "..." "Did you alone not get paid?" "I-I did. I did, but..." "Did you throw your money pouch into the Thames?" "I didn''t do that..." "Then shut up and kill. Think of money as your Lord, your conscience, and your Queen." The assassins in the cramped cabin snicker at the slight blasphemy. The leader, however, still speaks without a hint of humor. "Even if the Lord himself were resurrected, if you''re paid, you must kill. That''s your job." "...That''s a bit..." "Know that if you say one more word, you''ll die before the Indian Emperor." "..." Only then does the fake shoe polisher resume sharpening his knife. He sharpens it diligently enough to slash a person''s throat. == "People see what they want to see and see things according to what benefits them. That''s my belief." "..." "You said everyone would change if they saw an angel directly? Then why did the Pharisees who saw Jesus Christ act as they did? Shouldn''t all the Jews who met Jesus have converted?" "That''s..." "But what was the result? They all flocked to Pontius Pilate and asked him to kill Jesus. And their descendants still don''t believe in Jesus." "..." "That''s what I think. If a person were to see an angel directly, and if that angel said anything even slightly offensive to them... People would try to kill the angel. I am convinced of that." "..." "..." The sound of waves echoes in the silence. The creaking sound of boards rubbing against each other as the ship moves tickles the ears. "...You''re wrong." Sir Walter Raleigh, annoyed by the silence, finally adds one more thing. "Pardon?" "I said you''re wrong." Raleigh, as an excellent poet, picked out a few beautiful words and rhetorical expressions... but then gave up. He decided to speak more roughly, more directly. "You''ve never met an angel directly, have you?" Yes. You haven''t seen one. You have never seen an angel. "What are you saying now?" "A real angel... just seeing one brings a moment where you can''t help but be convinced. Such a moment comes, I''m saying. A moment that erases all doubts in your heart and makes you absolutely certain that the being before you is truly a holy celestial being." "..." "...Do you understand?" "I don''t." "That''s why you''re an atheist." "Sir Raleigh, you speak as if you''ve directly seen an angel yourself..." Just as Harriot was responding tersely, the cabin door swings open. An excited sailor shouts to the two. "We-we''ve arrived! We''ll soon be at Chesapeake Bay!" "Finally... my goodness, we''re finally arriving." Sir Raleigh rises with a somehow solemn and heavy expression. He calls a servant waiting far down the corridor and asks. "Where is the crown?" "It''s here." "Good. The Bible?" "That''s also here." Thus, with a box containing the crown made for this day in one hand and a lavishly gold-embossed Bible in the other, Raleigh walks down the corridor. Harriot also quickly follows him. As Raleigh reaches the deck, he immediately sees people gathered like grains of sand on the beach beyond the railing. The number of nearby natives, seemingly more numerous than last time, reaches thousands, and among them are about 100 Englishmen. And among them stands Lord Nemo again. Right in front of the harbor where they are about to dock. People crowd around him particularly like clouds. Some might see him as the governor of Croatan, while others might see him as the Great Chief. And Walter Raleigh sees him as an angel. Just seeing that figure makes Raleigh swallow. Soon the ship approaches the hastily constructed harbor, and while controlling the movement of passengers, Walter Raleigh and Thomas Harriot are the first to disembark and set foot on the jetty. Still holding a box containing the crown in one hand and the Bible in the other. The most sacred, or most blasphemous, moment of his life approaches. He will directly place a crown on an angel''s head, make the angel place a hand on the Bible to swear allegiance, and make the angel confess to being a subject of the Kingdom of England. The heavy weight of that thought prevents Raleigh from properly taking steps. His hands begin to tremble. His breathing gradually quickens. His vision blurs from the edges. Yet, step by step, he moves. Because it is his duty. As he walks slowly, about 700 Englishmen who arrived on over a dozen ships have also disembarked behind him. Thousands gathered here are watching Nemo and Walter Raleigh who is heading toward him. A historic... moment. In a way, a moment he desperately wished for. Evangelizing the New World, bringing a foreign monarch to his knees, establishing an immortal achievement that will remain forever. That moment has come. Finally, Walter Raleigh stands before Nemo. Harriot stands far behind. "..." "Sir Walter Raleigh?" That voice again. "Please extend the Bible forward. Shouldn''t I make my pledge?" "..." "Sir Raleigh?" The angel urges him in all the languages he knows. As Sir Raleigh slowly extends the Bible forward, Nemo places his hand on it. Thump. "...You." "..." "You, Nemo, Great Chief of the Pamlico, Chowanoke, Croatan, Chesapeake, and other peoples... now intend to swear allegiance under God''s blessing to Elizabeth, the lawful Queen of England, France, and Ireland, and Defender of the Faith. Will you follow God''s law and spread God''s word widely?" "I will." "Will you serve the lawful monarch of England, France, and Ireland diligently?" "I will." "Will you protect your people from all evil and govern them according to just laws?" "I will." "..." "..." In silence, Raleigh opened the box. A splendid crown adorned with gold and jewels shines within the box. But it is merely a product of folly. No magnificent object made by humans could compare to the sacred radiance emanating from this person''s very existence. Knowing this, Raleigh nevertheless... Places that crown on Nemo''s head. Then all those gathered here, as if they had rehearsed, kneel in unison. As Raleigh belatedly stretches one leg back to kneel as well... "Kyaaaah!" Someone''s sudden scream. Unwittingly, Raleigh turns around at the scream. At that moment, what entered his eyes were Harriot''s shocked face and Englishmen scattering in all directions in panic. And. The shoe polisher, the cleaner, the servant come running. At first, unable to grasp the situation, he wondered what was causing this commotion. And then, a moment later, he sees the blades that sprung from their hands. Moving as if one body, they block his retreat and approach from all directions. It feels like seeing teeth approaching while being half-swallowed by a shark''s mouth. Raleigh froze instantly. There was nothing he could do. "Farewell. Don''t blame us." Numerous blades rushing toward him. ...Who? Whose doing is this? The Earl of Essex? Or Lord Walsingham? No. There are too many candidates. There are so many who mocked, despised, and hated him that he cannot specify a candidate. ...And they are too close to avoid. And if he avoids them, Lord Nemo, who has just knelt and is rising, will be hurt. "Good... heavens." That would likely be his last words. Raleigh closes his eyes and recites the Lord''s Prayer. Waiting for the daggers to hack his body. And. "Sir Raleigh." Whoosh! Suddenly something pulls his body. Hurriedly opening his eyes, he sees that he himself is still intact. Instead, he saw someone being torn apart by the shark''s teeth. The throat, chest, waist, shoulder, thigh being hacked. So, instead, the one who was stabbed was... "Kyaaaaaaah!" "Go-good heavens! The Indian Emperor has been stabbed!" Ah. The body clad in white clothes falls, covered in blood. The most noble being in this world falls. "Ah, aaah!" Thud. Words do not come properly from the fallen body. "I did not come to punish you. The Lord has not prepared curses for you, but glory and bliss." "The Lord will use you greatly." All the words He left him scatter and disappear like a mirage. It''s as if all the light in the world is torn into a thousand, ten thousand pieces. "Aaah, a, a..." Destruction. "In this land, countless bloodshed and injustice will flow like rivers in the future." "Millions will be slaughtered in the name of the Lord, and they will die crying out the Lord''s name in hatred." Was that... what it meant? Is this how it is realized? Well, aaah... Feeling miserable, Raleigh turns his eyes. Amid everyone fleeing, only the residents of Croatan remain kneeling in prayer. He was about to shout what they were doing, why they were leaving the angel alone... when feeling something strange, he turns back to the front. Then He... "Well, well...?" He... Was rising from death. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 33 - 33: Mercy Francis Bacon, an ambitious politician and brilliant philosopher, had deeply despised Aristotle''s philosophy since his college days. Aristotle sought to find logical answers based on immutable truths, but could new knowledge be discovered that way? Humans die. Socrates is human. Therefore, Socrates dies. Is the fact that Socrates dies so new and valuable? No. Universal truths are not obtained by engaging in logical wordplay on such general propositions. One must move gradually towards truth through careful experimentation and verification from individual facts. Plato died, Socrates died, and Aristotle died. By confirming these individual facts, we can move towards the truth that "all humans die." That was his belief. And at this moment, Bacon''s belief approached him as an ironic metaphor. The "servants" that Robert Devereux had assigned to him each took out a dagger from their clothes and approached the Indian Emperor. And once, they stabbed his heart. Once more, they stabbed his abdomen. Once, they slashed near his throat. Once, they pierced near his thigh. Thus, systematic individual strikes lead him to the final and universal state of death. Through thorough and careful verification and re-verification, the assassins confirm his death. Bacon''s face turns pale. From this situation, he could recall several facts. Evidence 1: His patron, Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, was very reluctant for him to come here. Because it seemed like he was trying to align himself with Walter Raleigh, a rising star. Evidence 2: His patron has a very narrow vision and hasty temperament, stopping at nothing. And in the process, he often does incredibly stupid things. Someone whose abilities cannot support his ambitions, so to speak. Evidence 3: His patron has overflowing reasons to want to ruin Walter Raleigh''s colony. Therefore, conclusion: The Earl of Essex sent assassins intending to screw over Bacon himself and Sir Raleigh. Even though having assassins accompany his close associate would naturally cast suspicion on himself. Bacon''s face turns pale. His lips tremble, and the impending doom draws in his mind. Traitor, madman who led the American colonial enterprise to ruin, Spanish spy... It''s over. With the death of the Indian Emperor, his dreamed-of brilliant political life also ends... ... ... ... Oh, my goodness. Bacon unwittingly collapsed as his legs gave way. Socrates died. Cause: Consumption of poison. Plato also died. Cause: Natural death. Aristotle also died. Cause: Stomach disease. Therefore, all humans die. This was a truth forged through thousands of years of observation and experience. And. The native emperor before his eyes did not die. The wounds that had been hacked open were being closed again, with severed blood vessels and muscles reattaching as they were originally. Lost blood is replenished, and the face that had been turning pale regains its color. He came back to life. Therefore, from this ''individual fact,'' Bacon could draw one of two conclusions. Either not all humans necessarily experience death. Or... The being before his eyes is not human. Bacon chose the latter conclusion. == Looking around. Thousands of people watch one man. Various emotions arise on each of their faces. Relief, or awe... And. Clang. The assassins who just dropped their weapons show shock and fear on their faces. As the man takes one step toward them, they take two steps back from him. It''s a funny thing. There are more than half a dozen of them, while the man is unarmed and alone. The man smiled faintly at them. "Have you forgotten that the commandment says, ''You shall not murder''?" "...Uh, aah" As he said this and again approached a step closer, this time no one could speak. "If you know your sins, will you repent? How could you not recognize the Lord''s people and commit such evil?" "De...vil..." "I cannot understand why you call me a devil. I have never harmed you, nor will I." At that moment. Everyone who heard the man''s voice froze. The natives and the English look at each other''s expressions, astonished that they all understood the man''s words. "Do not run away. You cannot escape from the Lord''s justice. Let me give you a chance to repent..." "Uh, uuuuh, uwaaaaah!" The assassins frantically stab the man with knives again. The fake servants, fake cleaners... all sorts of fakes, as if there''s no reason to hide anymore, pick up other knives and weapons they had hidden and attack the man. Only one person, the fake shoe polisher, stops in fear. Except for him, all the assassins now stop at nothing to kill the man. The being before them just performed an illusion. Therefore, he must die. Or he''s an evil devil, so he must be killed. But despite the endless stabbing, the man does not fall. At first, the spectators who didn''t understand what was happening gradually comprehend the situation and turn pale. However, more terrified than anyone else were the assassins themselves. He must die. But he does not die. He must be killed. But he does not die. Then, if he truly does not die... If he''s neither performing an illusion nor a devil. What does that make them who tried to kill such a being? "...Huh?" Someone who has reached this realization suddenly stops their futile knife attack. Others also slowly... lower their hands holding knives. Then the man speaks. "Still... you are sons of the Lord... Heaven has not fled from your hearts." At those words, their movements completely cease. The more brightly his mercy shines, the darker they feel the shadow they bear on their backs. Looking around, everyone sheds tears at his radiance, but only they bear the shadow. They feel the weight of their recent sin is heavier than a thousand gold pieces. They felt as if they would be crushed by the weight of that sin. Finally, one of the assassins slits his own throat. There was no time for the man to stop him. And that became the signal. Slash! Chop! The assassins who had been standing motionless, as if they had come to their senses one by one, stab and slash their own throats to commit suicide. It was likely to conceal their backers. And only one man dressed as a shoe polisher remains. His fingertips were trembling noticeably to the man''s eyes. Slash! But after hesitation, he too chooses the same fate as his other colleagues. He slits his thro... Clank. "Kuh, kuhuh, kuck... kuheock...!" ...No. Unfortunately for him, it seems he lacked the courage to choose death. The fake shoe polisher''s knife pierced halfway through his throat and then stopped, falling to the ground as his hand lost strength. Clang. And the fake shoe polisher''s body staggers and collapses. The man quickly rushes over to support his head from hitting the ground. The fake shoe polisher sputters, spurting blood from his throat like a fountain. He looks up at the man with trembling eyes. "Sinner, will you repent?" The man spoke to the fake shoe polisher. But the man''s words were not heard by him alone; they resonated with a certain power to everyone around. Those who were still standing quickly kneel and wail. Amid the wailing sounds echoing from all directions, the fake shoe polisher nods. "Do you wish for the pain to be eased?" Again, a nod. The man picks up the assassin''s knife from the ground and plunges it into his throat. The fake shoe polisher trembles once and then goes limp. His expression was peaceful. His soul seemed to have departed to the Lord''s side. "..." "..." "..." A strange silence resonates throughout the area. The occasional bursts of wailing and crying didn''t break the silence but made it deeper. It seemed no one could break this sacred silence. Everyone saw it. They saw a man rising from death. They saw a man who urged repentance to those who tried to kill him, and who tried to save their souls to the end, even as they tried to escape through death. All Christians present unconsciously mumble the Lord''s Prayer and hymns. Those who do not know the Lord sing their own sacred songs, showing reverence to the being before them. The man, for a long time... looks down at the fake shoe polisher''s face, then lays his body on the ground and closes his eyes. As the man stands up, a woman suddenly rises and speaks. "Th-th-that person is behind this! All those men with knives, he brought them all!" "That''s right...! I saw it too! I saw that Member of Parliament giving orders to those servants!" Murmurs arise as the crowd parts. A path forms between the man and that ''Member of Parliament'' standing on the dock. A man with a seemingly timid impression trembles, dripping cold sweat and tears. He freezes, not daring to think of escape, as the man approaches him. And, the moment the man approaches and opens his mouth... "It, it, it wasn''t me..." The Member of Parliament flails and staggers as if falling from the sky. "I, I, it wasn''t m... Please! It wasn''t me! I didn''t... know anything...!" Eyes filled with fear, the Member of Parliament collapses as his legs give way. And instinctively, he jumps off the dock. Splash! While people are perplexed by the Member of Parliament''s sudden outburst, the man suddenly starts running. Running, he dives without hesitation into the water where the Member of Parliament has sunk. And. After a few air bubbles burst out... A man walks back to the shore. He emerges dragging the Member of Parliament who had just attempted suicide. As the Member of Parliament trembles with cold and fear, the man whispers. "Fear not." "..." "The Lord''s mercy is like sunshine, supremely noble yet given freely." Only then does the Member of Parliament burst into tears. And the people kneel. Their number was 7,344. == Thomas Harriot ''hears.'' He hears the voice of a man speaking in countless languages. No, can one say they ''hear'' this? Can one say they hear with one person''s ears the sound coming from one person''s mouth? Like a chorus, sentences in many heterogeneous languages intertwine, tied firmly into one meaning and bound tightly in one harmony, penetrating his mind. "...Sir Raleigh?" Sir Raleigh was already kneeling, trembling all over, and offering prayers. Though surprise could be read on his face, neither fear nor bewilderment was visible. "A real angel... just seeing one brings a moment where you can''t help but be convinced." He had already seen it once. He had seen the ''angel.'' Thomas Harriot sees. He sees a man who bestowed mercy on his would-be killers and saved someone trying to escape through death. Just as he walked out from the seashore now, he walked steadily out from death and stood before Harriot and the crowd. He watched everyone in silence. Eyes that seemed to pierce through. Thomas Harriot had said that because humans are foolish and covered in greed, they would not recognize an angel even if they saw one. Thomas Harriot had also said that he would remain an atheist even after seeing an angel and would demand explanations while pointing out the Bible''s numerous errors. At this moment, no such explanations came to mind. He felt nothing but shame. "Such a moment comes, I''m saying." I... knew nothing. "A moment that erases all doubts in your heart and makes you absolutely certain that the being before you is truly a holy celestial being." Truly... I spoke arrogantly while knowing nothing. Each word of Sir Raleigh''s is deeply etched in his heart. He watches the ''angel'' wandering among the crowd, not even blinking or breathing. Yes. He is an angel. He is an atheist. Because he pursued truth, he did not abandon his beliefs even at the risk of the executioner''s block. He was an atheist. Because he pursued truth that was unwavering, free from deception, oppression, and fear. And he saw the truth he so desperately wanted. He saw the naked truth tearing through all the deception, violence, distortion, and oppression created by humans. It wasn''t just because a man didn''t die even when stabbed with a knife, and stabbed again. There was a greater miracle than such trivial and insignificant marvels. The man was the angel of the assassins who tried to kill him, and the angel of the Member of Parliament who tried to escape through suicide. He was an angel who revealed his nobility for all the ugly, cowardly, and base things on earth. This is the truth. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And in that truth, Harriot soon saw that there was light. "...Sir Raleigh, you were right." Sometimes there is a truth that pierces through even human folly and greed. He knelt. Thomas Harriot, who had converted, knelt before the angel. Chapter 34 - 34: Dilemma (1) ...Did I manage it? Did it work? I slowly looked around. Thousands of people are worshipping me. Whether they''re Christians or those who worship spirits and ancestors, it doesn''t matter. That was a close call. Of all things, because the special ability Fansuku Software gave me was the "Immortal" trait, I always live with anxiety. The reason appears in the Bible. ''And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. (Rev 13:12)'' ''And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men, and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast; saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live. (Rev 13:13-14)'' That''s right. Among the evil beasts in Revelation, the second beast happens to have "a deadly wound healed" and "lives after being wounded by a sword." When the end is near, he is an evil being who imitates the Lord''s power of resurrection to enchant people and drive them away from the Lord. The famous end-time theories about 666 and such are derived from passages about this "beast." So, if I''m not careful, I could suddenly be treated not as an angel but as a devil or antichrist and be imprisoned somewhere eternally. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If it weren''t for this, I would have done some self-harm show in times of danger. It would be painful, but it''s a sure way to prove my identity. Anyway, I had to stop Raleigh from dying, and using the special ability was unavoidable. So I did my best to cosplay as an angel thoroughly. "..." "..." "..." It seems... to have worked well. Ha, I thought I was going crazy with that sudden assassination attempt. For now, what I need to do here is... "...Eleanor?" "Yes, yes! Lord Nemo!" "Please instruct the settlers to remove those corpses. Even though they broke the commandment and are destined for hell by killing themselves, their bodies must be treated with respect." "Understood." Though they tried to kill me, I have to take care of them. Because I''m an angel. "Mr. Hewett? Manteo? Mr. White, Mr. Gonz¨¢lez?" "Yes, O Angel." "O Angel, do you have any tasks for us?" "Please calm the startled people and send them back to their homes." And, for now, I need to sort things out as thousands of people might fall into confusion. "Sir Raleigh?" "O-one who stands beside the Lord''s throne, I have been awaiting your command." "Please explain the situation to the newly arrived settlers and show them where to stay." Plus, I need to care for the additional settlers. Also, what else to do... Ah, right. I spoke to those who had approached me by now, those to whom I had just given instructions. "When the tasks I''ve asked of you are completed, gather at the shore near the ''farm.''" "..." "..." "..." "I think I''ll have much to say to you all there." I need to take care of them too. They''ll be my hands and feet going forward. We need to discuss my changed plans. ...They''ve changed a lot. == Originally, my plan was simple. For survival, I would surround myself with two types of barriers. One consists of the survivors from Roanoke Island and Manteo''s Croatans, those who regard me as an angel. They keep my identity a secret while protecting me and acting on my behalf. The other is the Virginia colony itself. By winning over and controlling this colony and all the natives in the area, I lay the foundation to ensure my safety regardless of what happens in Europe. To that end, I intended to hide my identity from Europe for the time being and expand my influence within. Outwardly, I would build England''s trust as a capable, ''civilized,'' and cultured native monarch. On the other hand, I would secretly expand my sphere of influence throughout America. Then at some point, I would sever connections with Europe and establish an independent force. I would either become the behind-the-scenes power of that force or quietly disappear. For this to work, a small number of people believing I''m an angel is sufficient. No, it must be a small number. The core of this strategy is to use no more than 500 ''believers'' to hide my identity and focus on ensuring my safety. As I said, there''s no You*ube, no SNS, no mass media now. Hiding my identity itself wouldn''t be that difficult. But that''s not the case now. Because thousands just became my believers. "...This needs some thought." I rested my chin on my hand while sipping Shine Muscat-flavored drink. 100 believers? That''s fine. 300? It''s pushing it, but not bad for keeping secrets. But thousands, tens of thousands? How do I control them all? It''s not like I''m keeping them confined and monitored on some small uninhabited island. The secrecy plan is now half over. With the number of believers reaching thousands, the amount of effort I need to devote to them has changed drastically. Small groups and large collectives operate on completely different principles. ...Above all. I am now the ''angel'' to thousands here. This is an era dominated by religious fervor. In England, Spain, France, and Germany, they are busy burning and tearing apart what each considers ''heretics.'' Those who now believe in me crossed to the New World during a time when conflicts between Catholicism and Protestantism were shaking all of Europe. And they encountered a new religious leader, an ''angel.'' In such an era, thousands of people have come to follow ''me.'' ''It''s no longer just... my problem.'' If I mess up here, thousands will die. Deaths I would be responsible for. Deaths I have no intention of allowing. ''They must be saved.'' If it can''t be hidden beyond a certain point, then it must be solidly organized. Now, for their sake too, I must become their leader. They are a new sect, and I am the head of that sect. Naturally, this new sect needs organization. Similarly, this new sect needs discipline. And this new sect... needs doctrine. I became lost in thought as I leafed through the Bible again and glanced at the Christian-related books my parents had left behind. It will probably take a few days for the people I called to sort things out and calm everyone down. I''ll settle it within those few days. I''ll lay the cornerstone of the new sect. ''But... what should I call the new sect?'' The Nemo Sect? ...That sounds terrible. == "Has anyone seen Lord Nemo since that day?" At Eleanor''s words, everyone shook their heads. Here, ''everyone'' refers to those who were each given duties on ''that day,'' that is, the day when He showed the miracle of immortality for the second time. Eleanor Dare, Thomas Hewett, Manteo, John White, Vicente Gonz¨¢lez. Walter Raleigh, who was assigned the most tasks, had not yet arrived as his work was not finished. Among them, someone took charge of the funerals for the wretched assassins. Someone reassured those who were trembling in fear and offering prayers. Someone arranged places for those who had left to find new homes. Three days had passed like that. Chapter 35 - 35: Dilemma (2) There had been no news from ''Nemo'' until they each finished their duties. He was probably waiting for them. While waiting for them, he would be preparing what to say to them. "What do you think He wants to tell us?" "Probably something very important. Many things will change from now on." Vicente nodded in response to Eleanor''s words. All of them, though perhaps not as much as Nemo himself, recognized that life in the New World, especially religious life, would fundamentally change in ways they couldn''t ignore. Thousands of believers had emerged. Those who saw Nemo directly assigning them tasks were constantly bombarded with questions, as if people thought of them as some kind of ''apostles'' or ''saints.'' "Is he truly an angel?" "Surely he''s not a devil, is he?" "Um, why did he come to us?" ... ... ... And only then did they realize. They too knew very little about Lord Nemo. Of course, Eleanor took pride in knowing about the angel''s ''spiritual warfare'' that unfolded every night. But that would be a secret between the angel and her. Why did he save us? Why did he appear in physical form? What is the true nature of his farm? Why did he stand before them in the form of an East Asian? They couldn''t properly answer anything. "I don''t know what he will tell us from now on, but..." Thump. Thomas Hewett presented his compiled ''Collection of Angel Quotes - 1591 Revised and Expanded Edition'' and said. "This should be related, so perhaps we should review¡ª "Everyone! Ah, now do you understand? Why I so strictly filtered and refiltered the immigrant candidates!" "..." "..." "..." They closed their mouths at the sudden noise from outside the church. "Everyone! Do you now understand what I mean! This colony of Walter Raleigh! And Walter Raleigh and all of you have been chosen by the Lord! The Lord has prepared us as His instruments to use us more greatly!" "Ah! Hallelujah!" "Wooaaahhhh!" "It pains my heart to leave all of you so enthusiastic. But wait. Even if I do not return for a long time, do not commit the atrocity of worshipping a golden calf as when Moses brought the commandments, but keep your faith!" "Wooaaahhhh!" "Raleigh! Raleigh! Raleigh!" "..." "..." "..." Slam. "Ah! Everyone''s gathered! Then shall we depart now?" "..." "..." "..." "Well, since He said He would use me greatly, they''re all excited and happy! The colonial enterprise is a great success! White?" "...It''s time, so we should depart." As John White, the eldest, nodded, everyone rose and left the church. The crowd that had been cheering for Sir Raleigh just moments ago was still gathered, offering prayers. Unlike before, they were reverent. As they moved forward amid many reciting the Lord''s Prayer, everyone felt as if heavy weights were hanging from their shoulders. No one dared to speak. Some made the sign of the cross upon seeing them, while others knelt and clasped their hands. They walked along the path that led to the shore. Finally, at some point, human presence ceased. And there, only one man stood. He was barefoot, wearing only a light, flowing white garment. Sunlight broke at the tips of his black eyebrows, and waves wet his white feet. He was looking at the sun in the sky, and the clouds drifting by, partially obscuring that sun. Was he looking toward his homeland? Eleanor suddenly thought he might fly away to heaven right then, so she stepped forward. Then, sensing her presence, the man turned around. "You''ve all come." Thud. Without being told, Eleanor naturally knelt on the sandy beach. Others followed her, kneeling and clasping their hands in worship. "...Do not worship me." And the man raised his hand and said. "Worship the Lord of all things. Those who look at creation and marvel have bright eyes but dark souls. But those who admire His will beyond creation truly have bright souls." "..." "..." "..." "I am merely one who does not die. Also, the distance between you and me is not great." "How can you say such things? Are you not the one who directly sees the Lord''s light and stands beside His throne?" The last to speak was Hewett. At those words, the angel quietly turned his head, smiled faintly, and opened his mouth. "Humanity will become like angels. The world was made for humanity, and was made for humanity''s ascension." "..." "..." "..." He raises a finger. "And." At that moment, the clouds clear and the sun flashes behind his back. "I too have come to make humanity like angels." Everyone was speechless at the light, like a halo. "Light shall overcome darkness, knowledge shall conquer ignorance, and righteousness shall overthrow evil. Many prophets have foretold this. Now light shall come to you. No." Nemo''s finger, which had been pointing to the sky, now scans each human gathered here. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Catholic, Calvinist, converted spirit worshiper, male, female, Spanish, English, Algonquin, commoner, noble, explorer, lawyer... Gathering them all, they had only one thing in common. "You shall be the light of this world." They followed Nemo here. They came here pursuing something greater, more magnificent, and more noble than themselves. Vicente asks with trembling hands. "W-what do you mean we will become light? And when you say you will make humanity like angels..." "You can save more people." "...Pardon?" "You can feed the hungry, teach the ignorant, and settle those who wander without homes. You can make more people happy and save more people. So why not do so?" At this moment. They feel something momentous is happening. "Of all the desires a person can harbor, the noblest is that which is for all people. Always be for humanity. As the Lord commanded to love people, I now tell you to be for people. This is not the abolition of the previous commandment, but its fulfillment." Closed eyes and ears open. Hearts that weren''t beating begin to tremble. "The Lord has already taken your sins upon Himself and opened the path of salvation, so why are you rolling in the mud stained with sorrow and anger? Do not divide and quarrel. Your quarrels to establish your own small authority within your small countries become the Lord''s lament. You shall now fill the empty heavens and rule the impatient earth." Now that overwhelming voice flows into their ears. The celestial voice, the celestial will, seeps into their hearts. "With light, illuminate darkness. With knowledge, defeat ignorance. With life, gather death. This is the root of the new word. And also the fruition of all old words. Be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth. And be great. For humanity, always be greater." A new commandment is opened. Chapter 36 - 36: Doctrine (1) "..." "..." "...Nemo?" "Eleanor." Eleanor Dare dared to ask. "I don''t... I don''t understand. I don''t know what it means to serve people, to serve humanity." "..." "Please tell us more for the sake of us ignorant ones. I can''t... um..." "As you ask questions." Nemo places his hand on her head. "Do not fear." "..." "The desire to know is the greatest part of your soul. Being ashamed of not knowing and desiring knowledge is the greatest mindset you can have." "...If that is so, please tell me." At these words, Nemo slowly looks around and speaks. "The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world (John 1:9), and to those who received him, he gave the right to become children of God. (John 1:12) Do you understand? The Lord shines His light on all living beings. The One who came as light becomes the light for all people and remains in their hearts forever. Since the Lord who came as light dwells in everyone''s heart, cultivate that light and be saved. Are you not all equal children of the Lord, created directly by His breath blown into dust? Follow your conscience given by the Lord." "..." "..." "..." Harriot''s hand holding the pen trembles. Everyone closes their mouths. The Lord is in everyone''s heart. Be saved through that Lord. Follow your conscience. This is not just a pleasing sermon. This is... A new doctrine. "..." "..." "..." "The Lord is truly merciful. Care for all humanity and make them in the image of angels. At the time of resurrection, you will be like the angels in heaven. (Matthew 22:30) Feed them so they do not steal from others in hunger, and give them love so they do not kill people. That is truly how to keep the commandments." Everyone fell silent at the angel''s words. His words were not merely compassionate. His words were a sharp sword. Everyone felt it. A completely different story was unfolding from what Nemo had been saying before. He who had only spoken of loving each other and repenting was now clearly discussing church doctrine. They were now... at a crossroads. This was Nemo''s will. They also believed this was the Lord''s will. No one thought this came from the "Dictionary of Christian Denominations" (1997 edition) that Nemo''s "father" had left behind. There was also a reason why Nemo chose this particular doctrine. By generalizing without clear doctrine, saying things like "follow your own conscience," he could reduce doctrinal conflicts within the sect. If doctrinal conflicts and debates arose, and if questions and answers about "what is an angel" and "how should an angel act" accumulated among the believers... These would soon become arrows and shackles aimed directly at Nemo. Thus, while preventing doctrinal conflicts, he emphasized social practice and the exploration of ignorance, creating an outlet for passion in another direction. In a direction that wouldn''t send arrows back at Nemo himself. Therefore, this doctrine was for Nemo''s own freedom and safety. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I, I... so you''re saying we should care for all humanity?" "Yes. That is the Lord''s will." This time Manteo asked. "But... I''ve heard that the Lord is very jealous. He punishes those who worship other gods." "..." "And beyond the eastern lands of Europe, I''ve heard there are many people who worship different gods or worship the same God in different ways. Which of them should we care for and which should we abandon..." "The Lord." Nemo interrupted Manteo. The sun shines brilliantly behind him. "Abandons no one." "...Ah!" "He made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth. (Acts 17:26) How can you distinguish between Catholics and Anglicans, or between English, French, and Algonquin? You shall serve only all the Lord''s people." This doctrine too served the same purpose. The less doctrinal conflict between factions within the sect, the freer Nemo becomes. "..." "..." "..." Regardless of the ulterior motives, everyone was silent after hearing such shocking words. Harriot''s hand stops, White''s lips recite the Lord''s Prayer, and Gonz¨¢lez''s hands fold neatly. Everyone was half trembling as they welcomed this wondrous moment. Original sin, justification by faith, the priesthood of all believers, and so on. From the outside, these doctrinal disputes might seem hollow. But those "trivial" arguments about how many angels can sit on the head of a pin or whether ordinary believers should drink wine during the Eucharist actually determine everything. For the church, doctrine is like a skeleton. From doctrine, the church''s structure and worldview extend. And now, that very doctrine was being revealed. People like Harriot and Raleigh could quickly imagine what kind of church would be built. An egalitarian, democratic, and free church. As such, in normal cases, it might be a church that could lose its center at any time, with believers scattering and losing power. A church where egalitarianism could become lawlessness, democracy could become disorder, and freedom could become excess. However. They had an immortal angel as their center. This church would neither fall nor disappear. "Follow your conscience given by the Lord." This light was not a powerless firefly, but would become a flame that burns the world. The Lord had once again given them a new commandment. Humanity. Devotion. They now shouldered the duty to spread throughout the world like apostles filled with the Holy Spirit to deliver this message. They were chosen for this sacred duty. For this, the angel descended to Croatoan, on the edge of the world. For this, the angel saved 30 English people and the Spanish army. For this, the angel converted Walter Raleigh and revealed miracles before many. Eleanor Dare, Thomas Harriot, Manteo, Vicente Gonz¨¢lez, John White, Walter Raleigh. Six people. Exactly half of the Lord''s twelve apostles. Walter Raleigh was in ecstasy at this realization, shedding tears when... "...Huh?" "Walter Raleigh, what''s wrong?" "No, I, that is..." Suddenly he remembers something. He starts fidgeting and sweating profusely. While everyone wonders, Walter Raleigh closes his eyes tightly and asks the angel: "This... is a trivial question. I''m truly sorry for raising such an insignificant and childish question at this moving and sacred moment, but..." "Just speak." "Um... well..." "..." "..." "..." Thomas Harriot. Why did he plant such curiosity in my heart and make it grow at such an important moment? Walter Raleigh thinks to himself, then closes his eyes tightly and exclaims: "Aren''t Adam and Eve the ancestors of mankind?" "Hmm." "And in the Bible, there are three sons of Adam and Eve: Cain, Abel, and Seth!" "That is correct." "How did they have descendants?" "..." "I mean, did they commit incest? Or were there other created humans not mentioned in the Bible? If the former is true, then humanity inevitably committed sin, making them all sinners... or rather, didn''t the Lord push humanity toward the path of sin...? If the latter is true, why do those who didn''t eat the forbidden fruit bear original sin...?" When Walter Raleigh carefully finished speaking, the angel smiled slightly. "..." "..." "..." At once, everything becomes quiet. Chapter 37 - 37: Doctrine (2) While the others glare at Raleigh, wondering why he would ask such a question now, they too have become curious and prick up their ears, focusing on the angel''s lips. ''...Why?'' ''Come to think of it, that''s right.'' ''Now that I think about it, who did Cain marry? His sister?'' ''Since Adam lived for 930 years, there could have been children not mentioned in the Bible.'' ''Was incest not a sin in the beginning?'' As the place filled with such impious curiosity, the angel''s voice soon resonates. "You are... foolish." "...Pardon?" Lord Raleigh looks up at the angel with wide eyes at the sudden remark. Though his expression didn''t change much, there was a strange disappointment in his voice. "I thought you were intelligent, yet how do you break the Lord''s holy and quiet time with such wordplay?" "...I am deeply sorry." "Nothing is more difficult than giving a meaningful answer to a meaningless question. However." The angel smiles slightly. "I have a story to tell you." "A-anything, please speak. My ears are open to you!" "Do you truly believe that the Lord created the world in just one week?" "...Pardon?" At this unexpected question, Raleigh is momentarily at a loss for words. Others too tremble as if their minds have gone blank at the angel''s words. The angel, with his own mouth, just denied Genesis 1. "But... then how about the Sabbath..." "You." Nemo''s holy voice cuts off Raleigh and rings out. "Do you know what causes day and night?" "...The sun and moon." "Correct. Then when did the Lord create the sun and moon?" "That''s when God created light, separated the sky and sea, and made plants and fruits, then on the fourth day... huh?" "How did you count the fourth day?" "...Ah." This was the teaching of Origen, a church father from the 3rd century. "The Word is infinite, but human speech and writing are finite. The Word is infinite, but the intellect and hands of those who transcribe it are finite. Holy scripture is of course a collection of the Word, but the Word is infinite and cannot be fully contained in the finite. That is why there are so many metaphors in the holy scriptures." Ah. "Look at the scriptures, revere them, but do not stray from the Word by fixating on each letter. Those who cling to the letter are those who worship the letter as an idol." "...I have sinned greatly by daring to confine the Lord''s will to text!" "It''s good that you understand. Now..." "...But I don''t quite understand how this connects to whether there were people other than Adam and Eve. This too is due to my ignorance, so please have mercy on me." "..." "..." "..." "..." Raleigh slightly raised his bowed head to look up at Nemo. For the first time, a troubled look appears on his face. Nemo maintains silence for a long time. Everyone begins to notice the sound of waves and their uncomfortable kneeling posture as time passes. Finally, Nemo spoke. "...The questions of the faithful please the Lord. How did the Lord receive Peter, Jacob, and Thomas? He is the King of all people and the King of all things. But when He came down to this earth, when He gathered people, what did He call the people? Did He call those who followed Him subjects?" "N-no." "Then what did He call them?" "...Disciples." "Your words are truly correct." Nemo''s voice was solemn, but his smile remained gentle. That smile had the dignity of a great king and the compassion of a mother. "A disciple is one who learns and questions. The Son of Man received not subjects but disciples, and is this not evidence that He wanted people to ask questions?" "Ah, aah!" "Ask. Then I will answer. Seek and seek again. Strive for knowledge and enlightenment. Ask. That is the second commandment I give to you." "...Ah! I was truly foolish..." "Therefore, I will now give you an answer." Raleigh, momentarily overwhelmed with emotion, briefly forgot what question he had asked until he finally remembered. Ah, right. He had asked how Adam and Eve''s children reproduced. Is humanity the result of incest? Or were there other humans? If the former, was incest not a sin in the beginning? If the latter, why has original sin continued? Nemo answered. "...Have you seen that moment at the beginning, or rather, the past so distant that no one can remember?" "..." "The time when it was difficult to distinguish between living and mineral things, when the distinction between all other living things was vague... The time when the father of monkeys and the father of humans were the same, have you seen it?" "Monkeys and humans are... what?" "That''s right." "Ah... what?" "It is so." S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." "..." "..." "...This universe is much older than you think. There are more things between heaven and earth than your philosophy has imagined. Rejoice in that fact. Rejoice that there is still much more to discover than what has been discovered so far. Praise the Lord who is more eternal than those billions of years." "...What? Uh, uhh, what?" "So do not fixate on the story of Adam and Eve. Just keep in mind the sin and pride they committed, and the great love the Lord bestowed." "..." "..." "..." In the face of such shocking statements, no one dared to add a word. "...Through this, you shall gain wisdom." Nemo continued speaking before the completely stunned believers. "Within the scriptures there is the word of truth, but the scripture is not the Word itself. The Word is infinite and the scripture is of man, so you must always seek. Seek and desire knowledge of the Word and His will that spans across this entire world created by the Lord! Illuminate ignorance!" "...A-amen." Eleanor absently added while imagining people crawling like monkeys among trees. Nemo nodded at her. And then. "Ah, aah...!" Vicente finally stood up abruptly and walked briskly toward the back. Everyone was surprised and puzzled, but Vicente''s steps did not stop. The man from Spain said: "Come out now. I know you''re there." "..." Crack. A man who had been hiding behind a tree trunk slowly stood up and came forward, then knelt before Nemo and the apostles. "I-I''m sorry. I-I-I couldn''t resist my curiosity and finally..." "..." "I-I am Francis Bacon. Thank you... f-for saving me. I will never forget that grace. I really wanted to see you again..." At these words, Nemo walks through the people and arrives in front of Bacon. Francis Bacon was still trembling with fear. Shaking his entire body, he repeats things like, "The Lord really does exist. Really, really...!" "It''s alright." "..." "You look like you want to ask something." "...Pardon? No, I... I am curious...!" Bacon asks while kneeling and half sobbing. "Why... why did you save me? Am I not a person responsible for your assassination?" Nemo approaches him and whispers: "...Don''t look for reasons why one person saves another." Bacon''s eyes widen. He bowed his head several times and trembled. "Th-thank you..." A man approaches Bacon who was crying as if about to collapse, and helps support him. Nemo asks the man: "Who... are you?" "Pardon? I''m just an actor. I came here for tourism and inspiration, and this gentleman suggested I come here..." "An actor? Aren''t you a playwright?" "H-how did you know that?" "Because I''ve seen your portrait before." Nemo, who seemed to recognize a familiar face, finally smiles, nods, and says: "Then, Mr. Shakespeare, please take care of Mr. Bacon." Shakespeare, who didn''t expect to hear his name from the angel, briefly flinched, then nodded in a daze. "You all are the light of humanity." "..." "..." "..." "Fulfill your duty." They prayed toward the angel. Harriot completed all the records. A new gospel has been written. Chapter 38 - 38: Normal Day It was a day in April 1592. The turbulent late 16th century! Dawn of capitalism and the bourgeoisie! Beginning of imperialism! A world on fire! The Battle of Busan, the first battle of the Japanese invasion of Korea, had just begun! About 5 months after King Henry IV of France launched a siege attack on Rouen occupied by Spanish forces! Ah, how will the day of Nemo, the angel of Roanoke Island, and the great Japanese man Kin Issei begin? Ring ring. "Delicious mixed grain rice is ready. Please stir the rice well as you eat." ...Nothing special, it starts with a slow-cooker rice. It doesn''t even need to be slow-cooked anymore. My body has become one where not a speck remains even if I gorge on white rice, meat, fried food, alcohol, and tobacco. Yet here I am eating slow-cooked rice. This sounds like Captain America taking steroids. I never thought my mother''s "17 Nutritious Grains" would be used like this. I just tried planting them experimentally, and out came barley, millet, foxtail millet, oats, sorghum, chickpeas, and so on. ...Right. Just no rice. I somehow failed at growing any type of rice, like glutinous rice or brown rice. So my daily food is slow-cooked grain rice. If not that, then boiled potatoes and bread (definitely not white bread. Tastes awful). When the rice is done, I crack organic (by force) eggs into the frying pan, make fried eggs, transfer them to a plate. Then I place potato stew, sesame leaves (organic), lettuce (organic), cabbage (organic), and all sorts of wild greens (natural) received from Manteo''s tribe on the table. Manteo definitely said those greens were delicious, but I still don''t know their Japanese names. They seem to be plants that don''t even have Japanese names. I ran out of sesame oil two years ago, so I''m just eating them boiled and then roasted with crushed sesame seeds and salt... "Hmm... the seasoning is just right." It tastes better than expected. So. Slow-cooked grain rice, potato stew, greens, fried eggs. ...Can such a daily routine even be called a life? Where have my tonkatsu, yakitori, agedashi tofu, miso soup, grilled saba, karaage, teriyaki pizza, pasta, udon, yakisoba, ebi fry, and curry rice gone? Of course, they all disappeared when "Delivery Tribe" stopped working, which didn''t have many delivery places to begin with. Why were Kyoto kaiseki or cucumber sandwiches upper-class food in the past? Come to the past yourself and you''ll understand everything. "Hehe..." The only hope in this terrible pre-modern healthy diet is one thing. "Heh... hehehe..." Homemade butter. When I mix homemade delicious butter into the slow-cooked grain rice that''s more like animal feed than human food, add salt and stir it up, it finally starts to smell somewhat like a dish. After hastily finishing my warlike meal by stuffing vegetable sides and potato stew into my butter rice, and completing the dishes, my day finally begins. Right after finishing breakfast that reminds me daily of the preciousness of butter and salt, I go without rest to check the water pipes supplying agricultural and domestic water. "Hey... the hose has come off again." Of course, the water taps are left on 24 hours. Not to prevent freezing... that''s not the reason. It''s April now, what freezing? This isn''t Japan with its crazy climate where it snows in April. Clean water is being replicated, so it would be stranger to leave it unused. The water from our house is divided into clean water and agricultural water, which goes to the water tank behind the farm, and from there to the homes and fields of the villagers. Thanks to this, there''s no water shortage on Roanoke Island. In fact, droughts are welcome. Last year when there was a drought, the grape sugar content went insanely high. I shed tears of emotion at the miracle of the American climate where a bunch reached over 25 Brix. Anyway, water management is done. Next... Rumble rumble rumble! "Huff, huff... I can''t entrust this to anyone else..." I transfer various agricultural fertilizers and chemicals into containers. Fertilizers, pesticides, and other pharmaceuticals like medical streptomycin sulfate (still not sure if it''s legal) that Mr. Tanaka from the wholesale market insisted I mix with gibberellin, are all treated as consumables that regenerate at midnight. These items will all be refilled at midnight anyway. Of course, I need to move them elsewhere and stockpile as much as possible. After moving Mr. Yamada''s experimental drugs of uncertain origin and refrigerated agricultural antibiotics to the cold storage, that job is done too. But the "consumables" in our house don''t end there. I thought the only source of aluminum in our house was aluminum foil. But that wasn''t the case. Clips. Staples. Various screws. Twist ties, wires, etc. All sorts of seemingly trivial metal consumables are infinitely copied. Although the daily output isn''t large, if collected day by day, the amount becomes quite substantial. I pour them out, separate iron and aluminum with a magnet, divide copper, stainless steel, and regular iron into different containers, and head to Brown''s forge, the goldsmith. "Mr. Brown? Could you please handle these?" "Ah, excellent! Hasoon! Wake up all the other blacksmiths! We''ve got work!" "Yes, Father!" A 21st century rose knife is stronger than a medieval sword. That is, even seemingly trivial metal consumables are products of highly advanced 21st century metallurgy. As Mr. Brown and his native adopted son Hasoon Brown strike the anvil, blacksmiths gather from all around the workshop like zombies discovering humans, taking the precious aluminum, steel, and copper. Aluminum is especially important. It means that aluminum in metal form is found only on our Roanoke Island in this era. And of course, the procession of consumables doesn''t end here. "Nemo! People have gathered here!" "I''m coming, Eleanor!" The multivitamins in our house are treated as medicine, not food and beverages... they''re also "consumables." That means even if I distribute hundreds of tablets, they''ll all be refilled tomorrow. "Take only one tablet each. Two or more can be harmful." "Hey you there! Don''t be greedy, take just one!" What started in the early days, distributing vitamins with Eleanor to prevent people from suffering from malnutrition before the potato farming began, has now become a daily routine. Well... anyway, thanks to this, none of the people here have died of starvation or disease, so I keep continuing it for now. After finishing vitamin distribution with Eleanor, I return home. Chalaralarak! I pour out all the first aid medicines from the medicine cabinet, vacuum-pack them with my mother''s vacuum sealer that she used for tsukemono storage, and bundle them up. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. This... I remember when my father was dumbfounded, asking my mother, "Are you planning to open a butcher shop?" when buying this. I still don''t understand why someone so cautious about buying a single electronic appliance would spend his retirement money to build a 13,200 square meter Shine Muscat farm. Father, Mother, please watch over me from afar as I''m fruitfully enjoying all the results of your reckless endeavors. Anyway. What do I use the vacuum sealer for... "Ms. Lawrence! Ms. Margaret Lawrence!" "Ah! Here I am! Goodness, there''s so much today?" "I''ve been too busy to come for several days. Please start by putting the headache pills in the box." "Understood! Since there are almost no patients today, I''ll start by organizing the medications!" I use it for the "hospital." Another thing I learned coming to this era. In an age where the common treatment is to feed people opium instead of painkillers, cut off limbs, and cauterize them with fire for disinfection, I''m quite a competent doctor just with basic first aid supplies and skills. When I first arrived here, I taught Ms. Lawrence, who had provided emergency treatment for Mr. Harriot''s leg, some basic first aid and how to use medications, and now we have a clinic that heals people better than most European hospitals. ...What? Just by properly using Tylenol and aspirin, I become a great healer? Just by using distilled water for treatment and sterilizing instruments in boiling water, people who would die now live? I can''t even begin to imagine how much blood and how many corpses were accumulated to create 21st century medical knowledge. I''m always grateful... "Survival Techniques! First Aid." I will always live with gratitude to the 2000s Japanese learning manga market... When I return home, it''s about 12:10 PM. Now the morning schedule that started around 5 AM is roughly finished. I turn on my phone, play music, and turn on the Nintendo Switch. The music I listen to is CCM and hymns. The games I play are Animal Crossing and Zelda. ...Why, you ask? If I started listening to heavy metal and playing Doom again, wouldn''t they think I''m not human? Anyway, after getting tired of managing an island in the real world and engaging in the strange behavior of focusing on managing a cyber island (credit: Tom Nook Inc.), it becomes 2 PM again. Since it''s 2 PM, soon... Knock! Knock! "Nemo! We have arrived!" That''s right. It''s Vicente Gonz¨¢lez''s voice. When I open the door, Vicente bows his head with a smile. "We''ve come to get the transparent shields and iron bars." Right. I need to gather PC panels for building materials and copper pipes for heating, steel square tubes. I''m squeezing out everything I can from this farm. I pass copper pipes and even aluminum clips to the blacksmiths, and carefully collect every Tylenol tablet to send to the hospital. Besides that, when Mr. Harriot kept saying he was short on paper, I took copy paper from the printer and distributed it, and when Shakespeare and Bacon said they were short on ink, I extracted fountain pen ink for them. Even with all this effort, I''m still eating slow-cooked grain rice three times a day. To maintain a 21st century lifestyle and feed the people around me, I need to put in this much effort. "Shall we go then?" "Yes, Nemo! Everyone, get ready! Connect the carts to the back of the Hijet!" The only vehicle used for transport on Roanoke Island is the Hijet. But as you know, the Hijet is a compact car, so there''s a limit to its loading capacity. Click! Click! But we found a way even here. Well... it''s a bit crude as a method. Roughly, we attach several carts to the Hijet like ox carts and pull them like a train. It''s only natural that the Hijet would break down doing this, but of course, it''s not my Hijet! It even gets automatically washed at midnight, so it''s perfectly fine even after doing this for over a year! So as Vicente and I get into the Hijet, the Spaniards who entered the materials warehouse each pack PC panels and steel square tubes into the carts attached to the back of the Hijet. And when I start the engine, the inline 3-cylinder engine begins a fierce rampage! Go, Hijet! Show your power! Putt-putt-putt... ...The Hijet starts with a sigh like a dying old man, then barely inches forward. "It''s amazing every time I see it! This cart is so powerful! To think that a cart that burns oil for power exists! It''s so incredible!" "...Is that so?" Well, even this much output is far better than the latest vehicles (horse carts) of this era. It''s true that this thing can do the work of several oxen at once. So we slowly moved along the well-paved road toward the coast. Gradually, the new vineyards and greenhouses established here and there come into view. ...All built with these materials. By moving materials like this every day, we produce enough in a few months to complete one greenhouse. When the Hijet stops at the coast, the Spaniards rush to carry the PC panels, steel square tubes, various insulation materials, and accessories to be used as building materials to the coastal battery cum warehouse. "Phew, it must be around 5 PM now. It''s evening time." "Great! Nemo, I''m thinking of having a company dinner with my subordinates now, and I wonder if you might like to join..." "Ah, I have things to do from now on. I''m afraid it will be difficult." "Pardon? The sun will set soon, what do you have to do?" "Ah... I..." I suddenly look at the distant horizon with sorrowful eyes and say: "I plan to contemplate how the kingdoms of this earth and future humanity will spend the next several centuries. Isn''t that the duty of one who possesses even a little more power and knows more knowledge?" "As expected... Nemo...!" Vicente looks up at me with somehow sparkling eyes. Don''t look at me like that... it''s burdensome... Anyway, I''m not lying. ''Europa Universalis 5'' ''Crusader Kings'' ...Since I''ve fallen into history, this isn''t addiction to games or killing time, but unavoidable "study." I''m just "studying" world history. Of course, in the games, Poland suddenly creates Germany and France gets invaded by the Aztecs... but that''s just a means to develop flexible thinking for me who has fallen into the butterfly effect of history. That''s right. I wasn''t wrong... Even though the playtime of those two games has increased by 1,000 hours each since I fell here. I, I wasn''t wrong. I... And so, before I know it, it''s 1 AM. My day ends. Chapter 39 - 39: Awakened Curiosity (1) "Francis? Francis!" Bacon draws out the oldest memory from his 31 years of life. It''s not a special memory. "Mom, why does the moon follow our carriage?" "It''s not following us. The moon is so far away that it appears not to move." "Are the sun and stars far away too?" "Of course! They''re much farther than the moon." "How far away are they?" "Huh?" "Um, how far away are they?" It''s a time everyone has experienced. When everything is unfamiliar, everything is curious. Asking questions about everything and annoying those around you. Everyone lives like that as a young child. And as they grow up, they learn one important fact. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. That adults find such questions from children annoying. And they wish that children would stop asking such questions as they grow up. So the questions stop. A person''s world closes. And people live within that world. You could call it their common sense, or their worldview. Anyway, that''s how it is. Francis Bacon too had stopped asking such questions long ago. The time when he threw "why?" questions at everything was considered just a childish past. And then... "If you knew your sins, would you repent? How do you not recognize the Lord''s family and commit sins?" "Ah, de...vil..." "I don''t understand why you call me a devil. I have never harmed you, nor will I ever harm you." Why? Why is it coming back? Is he an angel? Or a devil? "You are still... sons of the Lord... Heaven has not fled from your hearts." Why? Why is he trying to save those who tried to kill him? Has he gone mad from the pain? Or if not, perhaps...? Finally. "I, I, I''m not... Please! It wasn''t me! I didn''t... know anything...!" "Don''t be afraid. The Lord''s mercy is like sunshine, supremely noble yet given freely." Why? Why did he save me? I am responsible for his "death," for his pain. Because I brought those "servants," he faced a life-threatening situation. And he willingly threw himself to save me. Why? "...Don''t look for reasons why one person saves another." Don''t look for a reason. Because it''s natural. Because people are precious. ...It feels like being hit on the head with a hammer. A decisive answer. It''s a firm declaration as if to cut off all those questions here. Because he came down here for people, because he does everything for people, he did so. That is the reason. One cannot ask "why?" again. Why did the angel come down for people? Why does the angel act for people? Such questions would be followed by the Lord''s infinite will. He knows that. He knows it very well. ...Yet even so. "Interesting. Very interesting." "Pardon? What is?" "He''s not a person, is he? Isn''t he an angel?" Too many questions arise in his mind at once. While on the ship, he heard there was another tourist. Because the voyage was boring, Bacon met the other tourist and made him a companion for about two months. So when he went to spy on the angel, he went with him, and now he''s visiting his cabin for a chat. "Anyway, he is an angel, so why did he say ''don''t look for reasons why one person saves another'' when explaining his own actions? Isn''t that interesting? Don''t you think?" "..." "Here''s what I think. He was setting an example. Because he made himself a model for all people, if you''re a person, you should follow his actions! That''s why he must have said ''don''t look for reasons why one person saves another.'' That''s it! What do you think?" "..." "..." "...That seems plausible." "Right? I think so too. But this raises another question." With a bright smile, Bacon poured out all sorts of stories to Shakespeare. Why? Why would someone who should be a model for humanity come to this barbaric frontier land? Even the barbarians themselves aren''t many in number? If the angel had descended in the middle of a huge and important city like London, Paris, Rome, or Seville, in the center of a city with many believers? Then everyone might have believed and followed him, so why did he do that? "Because foolish humans might harm and imprison him? Maybe. Or is it a revelation to evangelize this land? That could be it too. I still haven''t found an answer to this part." Why. Why. Why. "There''s so much more I''m curious about! Why doesn''t he use powers other than resurrection? Have you seen his blood vessels and muscles reconnect? How did his heart beat meanwhile, and how did his muscles and nerves find their places? And what does it mean that the father of humans and the father of monkeys were the same?" Why. Why. Why. Why. Why. It feels like returning to the innocent age of five. No, perhaps it wasn''t childish but rather pure and wise. People often think wrongly, trapped by their experiences and words. Didn''t he also say not to worship idols trapped in the finite words of scripture? Therefore, I wonder if my younger self, without experience, barely knowing words, and without any preconceptions, was so full of questions and wisdom. Perhaps children are the beings furthest from idols? Yes. Those without prejudice are the beings furthest from idols. From idols, idols... "...Idols." Something, a thread of thought, seems to be caught. Inspiration writhes and grows in his mind. Bacon unconsciously feels the corners of his mouth rising and laughter escaping. How long has it been since he felt this way? Anyway, Shakespeare, who had been listening to Bacon''s story, seemed to be pondering something for a moment before shaking his head with a hearty laugh. "Haha... I don''t know. It seems I have no talent as a philosopher or theologian." "Is that so?" "Yes, I''m a poet, a playwright, and an actor. My curiosities and concerns lie elsewhere." "Tell me." "Um... sir?" "Call me comfortably." "Then, Mr. Bacon, how was the angel''s skin?" "Uh... what?" For a moment, Shakespeare''s pen dances and his eyes burn. "How was the angel''s skin different from ours? Did his body have a pulse? Was it warm?" "No, I was in such a hurry that I don''t remember well... but apart from having very clean skin, there didn''t seem to be any other differences?" "Is that so? Amazing! An angel incarnate, an angel like a human!" Shakespeare smiles at Bacon''s words and plays with his pen. "How was his gaze? To me, it was like stars." "Clear and distinct. He seemed to have no hesitation or anxiety." "His voice... it''s mysterious even now that I think about it." "Did you also hear his voice in multiple languages?" "Yes." "Huh... goodness. Goodness!" "Human language was shattered after the Tower of Babel, but his language still..." Scratch. Rustle. Scratch. Shakespeare shrugged his shoulders, excited like a bull in a bullfighting arena. With each dance of the quill over the paper, new verses and lines flew in. Inspiration never ceased, no matter how much he poured out. "Wasn''t his speech beautiful? ''There are more things between heaven and earth than your philosophy has imagined.'' That saying doesn''t leave me. How could it match so perfectly with the phrase I was going to write!" The reason was clear. Because the phrase he was going to write was right. Because the title of the play he was writing was ''Hamlet''. An immortal masterpiece that even Nemo would recognize. But to Shakespeare, who didn''t know the circumstances, it felt as though inspiration flew from heaven and lodged in his heart. The image of the angel who tried to save assassins, saved Bacon, and spoke in all languages did not leave his mind. Thus chatting with Bacon and writing line after line without hesitation, Shakespeare... suddenly stops writing and looks at the content. ''...But can I perform this as is?'' Can I get investment for this work, gather actors, secure a stage, and pull off a performance? With this kind of theme...? What if I''m treated as a heretic and burned at the stake? "Hmmmm..." Chapter 40 - 40: Awakened Curiosity (2) Belatedly, Shakespeare groaned between overflowing inspiration and the wall of reality. He was also reminded of hymn composition work suggested by a person named Harriot and other tasks. He seems to have found a turning point in his life on what was supposed to be just a short trip for a change of mood. He''s gained so much here that he almost wants to leave behind the foundation he''s built in London. Should I... stay here longer? Shakespeare groaned and poured out his concerns. Bacon too sighed and agonized. The two geniuses worried and spent nights in the unextinguished flames of inspiration. Talking about the experience that completely changed their lives. == The Chesapeake people, the Pamlico people, and all other tribes have similar ways of life. They cultivate gardens, hunt, pick tree fruits, and live in villages. They sometimes wage cruel wars with other tribes, and meanwhile some tribes may be exterminated or form empires, but their ways of life were generally similar. The way of life of fathers and mothers was not different from that of sons and daughters. Even going back hundreds of years, there was a way of life that was not much different. That solid world that seemed unchangeable. "Have you heard about the new great chief?" A small ripple approaching that world. "They say that great chief doesn''t show himself except to Manteo of Roanoke and a few others." "He uses those who came across the sea as his hands and feet." "Being so wealthy, has he never appeared at gatherings?" "He seems to have neither warriors nor subjects." Strange rumors. And. The strange future that came upon them. Anxiety escalates among the tribes near Chesapeake Bay that the Powhatan might invade. Among them, Oitotan is said to have suddenly brought his entire tribe to submit to the mysterious great chief. Some of them gathered at Chesapeake Bay out of anxiety, some with thoughts of consuming food for a while, some just out of curiosity. So thousands gathered, but they could disperse at any time. Because they encountered a way of life that was too unfamiliar there. Living in a confined land, using animals for farming instead of eating them, digging soil with strange tools and sowing seeds. There was nothing they could understand, and honestly, it was full of inconveniences, but they stayed on this land for now, enduring that bit of discomfort. Because they were hungry. Because they were anxious. And one more reason was added to that place. "He, that is, he can be considered a very powerful spirit." "...A spirit?" "Yes. So he doesn''t die. He is much stronger and wiser than us." "..." "..." "..." "He is the executor of a greater will. Uh, Manteo? Could you interpret please?" "He is... a servant of the Creator. Since we must follow the Creator, we must also follow his words." ...Faith. It wasn''t that they all converted at once. Not many could properly grasp the situation before them. Some didn''t understand. Many questioned why he tried to save those who killed him again instead of punishing them, or whether he was claiming to be a god himself. Originally, there would be no one to answer such questions. The Europeans couldn''t speak Algonquin, and Manteo, although baptized, didn''t have great faith. And then. "The Creator left the message to love one another! The Creator sends angels to defeat demons and protect humans, and that angel is him!" A new person appeared who could speak Algonquin and knew about Christianity well. He spoke passionately. He brought up stories about the great Creator who is greater than any spirit and who made and shaped everything in the world, including people. And he explained the story of how that Creator sent his son to die. Although everyone found it difficult to understand, no one turned away or ignored it. "Thomas? Preaching again?" "Ah... Lord Raleigh. Well, if not me, who else would do it?" "..." "..." "...You''re enthusiastic." The one explaining was Thomas Harriot, who had been an atheist. The listeners were Algonquin people who worshipped spirits and ancestors. They would mumble all sorts of strange things among themselves or share questions that would make ordinary Christians faint. Is God male or female? Is God a being with mixed male and female souls? That angel seems to be male, so is God female? All kinds of strange stories were exchanged and all kinds of sharp questions were asked. And Harriot, who was neither a priest nor a clergyman, didn''t just pass over such questions. As he answered each of the hundreds of questions thrown by hundreds of people, they participated in Harriot''s "sermons" just because they wanted to talk. Thus, a large crack formed in the familiar world of the Algonquin people. That was the beginning. Those who had grumbled that they would leave next spring, that they couldn''t continue this strange life, split potato seeds and planted them on their own. When they asked about plowing methods in broken English, European farmers taught them in broken Algonquin and with hands and feet. Tribes that were half enemies no longer fought. John White''s work decreased significantly. Stride. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So they moved toward a new world. Early agricultural people are poorer than hunter-gatherers. They are hungrier and struggle with harder labor. This is because the products obtained from undeveloped agriculture are worse than those obtained from hunting and gathering. That''s why many tribes turn back right at the threshold of the so-called ''agricultural revolution''. Not simply because they are ignorant. Because the reward for hard labor is nothing but meager food and a vertical social structure. Into their hands are placed crops that have been improved over hundreds to thousands of years. These are products that people in Eurasia and Africa created by shedding countless blood and sweat. These are given without cost, out of the mercy of the "great chief" and "powerful spirit." Their fate changes. They grasp tools that their fathers and mothers have never seen, and accomplish things that their grandfathers and grandmothers could never have imagined. They cut down forests, transplant trees, plow fields, and engrave their traces on land and nature. Something that had been crouching for hundreds of years begins to move again. Manteo and some sensitive individuals felt a resonance coming from their hearts, from the land, sky, and sea. But many didn''t know what it was and tilted their heads in confusion. It was the wind of change. It was the sensation of fate stirring. The fate of their sons and daughters, grandsons and granddaughters fleeing westward covered in blood was disappearing. The fate of being terribly slaughtered by white people, the fate of leaving their homeland walking on blood-painted paths, was twisting and turning. Of course, no one in Chesapeake Bay knew this fact. Just that prayer sounds were heard every night. Only vivid stories about the great spirit that resurrects from death were exchanged. Even after Nemo came, it didn''t seem like much had changed, but. In fact, everything had changed. Chapter 41 - 41: Practical Problems (1) "How much should these seed potatoes weigh?" "30 to 40 grams." "Grams...? What''s that?" "I don''t know either. I heard 30 grams is about 1 ounce." "Hmm... I don''t understand why they don''t use convenient ounces and drams instead of these strange units." "Watch your mouth. If you''re not careful, you might get kicked out without even getting a single potato. I heard they''re only using grams for weight from now on." "What''s that all abou¡ª" "I think I just heard talk about drams and ounces." "...Nemo?" "No, that''s not what I¡ª" "If that''s not the case, then it''s fine." Ugh, what''s this? I definitely smelled the evil hexadecimal unit system somewhere. Must have been my imagination. Anyway, that''s not what''s important right now. Let''s look at the current important situation of our community. "Cut the potato pieces this size and plant them in the ground! Dig only this deep to plant them!" "Everyone, make sure to plant them with proper spacing! These are crops that Nemo himself directly distributed to you!" The settlement of new residents was somehow progressing. They arrived around April, which was a bit late, but everyone hastily joined the farming lineup, cultivating their gardens and securing their own food supplies. "N-Nemo! C-c-can I skip tomorrow''s lesson? I only slept for 4 hours yesterday!" "Nemo! P-please just help with this potato field! Nemo...!" Um... everyone seems to be living well. Or not. At this point, the hundred or so English people on Roanoke Island were having a miserable time. They were all dragged to Chesapeake Bay for the crime of settling in America a few years earlier and the crime of having already tried growing potatoes and other crops. "Huff, huuuff... This small amount, only a few grams, but this size is appropriate for seed potatoes..." "But what is a gram?" "Just memorize it without question. I''ve already explained it eight times, and if you ask one more time, I''ll chop your head off with this sickle...!" They''re not getting proper sleep and playing the unexpected role of farming teachers. But it can''t be helped... There''s hardly anyone else who''s successfully grown potatoes. And you all are, huh? Actually quite blessed. Just look at Manteo and his tribe members over there. "Hey, you idiots! Do it properly!" "Why are you cursing?" "What if you eat that! Do you want to starve to death in winter?" "Was I... not supposed to eat it?" "You''re not supposed to eat this!" "Oh, really? That''s the seed? That thing?" "...This is driving me crazy." Currently, the native population in the Chesapeake colony is over 6,000. Manteo''s tribe members number about 200. The number of adults who can work is even fewer. While each English person from the Roanoke colony is teaching six or seven people, Manteo''s tribe members have more than 50 people each clinging to them, asking various questions. Moreover, the tribe members are teaching other natives. What does that mean...? "What...? Not hunting and eating ''animals'' but using them as ''farming tools''...?" "Digging ''soil'' before sowing ''seeds''...?" Yes. It means everything has to be taught from scratch. Because of this, Manteo had already collapsed from overwork four days ago. All the people who had been with me for over a year had to take on the role of farming teachers. Me? I can''t do it. I''m supposed to be an angel. Anyway, that doesn''t mean the learners have it easy either. Many English people had thought of this place as something of a paradise flowing with milk and honey after hearing Walter Raleigh''s indiscriminate marketing. Those who were excited about becoming rich in the New World nearly lost their minds due to the angel''s unexpected talent show and the sudden requirement to attend mandatory farming classes. And then. "Everyone should also quickly learn Algonquin!" "...Why?" "Because you also have to teach farming to the natives." "...???" Was it Thomas Harriot? That friend is doing very well. He''s promoting mutual exchange (farming classes) by teaching Algonquin to the English and English to the Algonquins. So everyone in this settlement is groaning through farming lectures and foreign language education. Phew... It''s chaotic, but there''s no choice. If settling thousands of semi-nomads and those who''ve come from thousands of kilometers away on another continent only requires this much effort, then it''s still a great success. At least no one has starved to death or shed blood. That''s how our community is running. Moderately peacefully(?), moderately busy. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So what am I doing? Nothing special. Just carrying some medicine, going around interpreting, managing various vineyards, caring for the injured, managing gardens and seeds, operating the cultivator in the potato fields, spraying pesticides, carrying building materials when building new settlements, mediating when people argue... I''ve just done everything. ...Sigh. Of course, there''s still work left to do. "G-good heavens! W-w-what is that, Nemo?" "...It''s an excavator, Mr. Bacon. It''s like a carriage without horses, but with arms attached." "Uuuuhhhh...!" "We''ll move that to Chesapeake Bay." "...How?" "That... couldn''t we make a boat?" Bacon opens his notebook like a madman and continues sketching, while Shakespeare stands with his mouth open, pausing his writing. So many people had been called to Roanoke Island to see that there wasn''t enough space to operate the excavator. Anyway. They say that the Central Plains were half jungle and half swamp before humans developed them? This place is similar. Most of it is forest and swampland, so logging and land clearing are essential to secure farmland. To cut down the trees in Chesapeake Bay and quickly clear out the roots... we need machines. Machines that can do the work of hundreds of people at once. Yes. If we make a barge and attach it to the back of the Nautilus or another ship... anyway, couldn''t we move it from Roanoke Island to Chesapeake Bay? You might wonder what we''d do if our only excavator fell into the sea. But it''s fine. I''ve experimented. Last time when the cultivator got stuck between rocks, I was so startled and sweating profusely, but after midnight, it had returned to the warehouse. It seemed that if it was considered to be in an ''inoperable'' state, it not only gets repaired but also respawns. Thank you... Fansuku Software...! Now there''s only one problem left. "We just need to build a boat that can move a 10-ton excavator!" "..." "..." "...Nemo?" "Yes." "That seems to be the biggest problem." "Vicente, your problem lies in your heart. The reason people fear something is because it has no form. Don''t be afraid of failure that hasn''t even approached yet." "...Ah!" I was speaking to Vicente, but suddenly Shakespeare''s hand speeds up next to me. As if he had received some inspiration. ...What''s this? Suddenly? "Anyway, we''ll find a way. Even if we fail, there''s nothing to lose, so don''t be too afraid." "But... if the boat gets damaged, we''ll lose a lot, won''t we?" "That won''t happen." Um... probably. "First, how about using these boxes that we use to hold grapes?" "Styrofoam won''t work." "Um... why not?" Crunch. "Aren''t the waves of Pamlico Sound very rough? It would be dangerous to make a boat with this." But we tried an experiment, and the result was... CRASH! ...It crumpled under the excavator before even reaching the sea. Ah, why didn''t we think of that? Anyway, the problem became more complicated. We need something sturdy enough to withstand the weight of the excavator, yet light, and abundant enough to quickly make a boat. There''s no way such an item would be a consumable in our house... Chapter 42 - 42: Practical Problems (2) "Here! The liquid fertilizer is all gone, so I brought an empty water container. Where should I throw this away?" "As usual, clean it thoroughly and give it as a water container to houses that don''t have¡ªno, wait." Huh? IBC (Intermediate Bulk Container) tank. Why didn''t I think of that? Is it light? If you remove the steel pallet from the bottom, it''s plastic. Is it sturdy? Of course, with a steel frame surrounding the exterior. The shape? It''s a 500-liter, appropriately large, square rectangular shape, so if we tie several together like blocks and place boards on top...? A spacious barge would be completed immediately. We immediately collected IBC tanks that were being used as water containers in each house and tied them with wire. After gathering dozens, hundreds of tied IBC tanks and placing them on the sea, they floated... despite bobbing up and down. It was a success. We immediately fixed boards on top and the excavator... on it... Thud! ...It worked. "It''s a success!" "We really floated that monster on the sea!" It worked. We completed the barge and loaded the excavator on it? This means we can now transport anything from a Hijet to the heaviest equipment by sea. Out of Roanoke, that is. "Phew... now whoever moves that will have quite a hard time? Looking at the structure, they''ll have to attach that barge to the back and drag it to Chesapeake Bay." "That''s right. It will be a very dangerous voyage." "..." "..." "...Please do your best, Vicente." "So it''s me, as expected." Of course. You''re the captain. Pay for your sins of trying to kill me three years ago, Vicente! "The excavator? Since the Lord helps, it will return even if it breaks. The barge? We have plenty of materials, so if it breaks, we can just make another one. But if the Nautilus breaks..." "...I understand. I''ll try my best." Vicente Gonz¨¢lez, 48 years old. The first human to almost die by being run over by an excavator. Can he become the first human to be submerged in the sea along with an excavator...! "Huff, huff... I, I, I survived..." "Thank you for your hard work." Fortunately, the excavator wasn''t submerged, and neither was Vicente Gonz¨¢lez. After a journey of several days, when the excavator arrived at Chesapeake Bay, people went crazy, gathering to see it. And then. CRASH! As expected, the agricultural land area in Chesapeake Bay began to increase several times over in an instant. The logging work itself doesn''t take long. Rather, it''s difficult to dig the ground, remove the tree roots, and completely clear them away. Our goal is not to obtain timber but to clear the land, so we need to completely remove even the tree stumps. When the excavator was mobilized for this work, the process accelerated several times. In an instant, tens of hectares of land were newly cleared and distributed to the Algonquins and the English. Now it''s the end of April, so it was fortunate that it barely overlapped with the growing season for some crops. Those who built houses and churches with the timber obtained from clearing the land began to settle in Chesapeake Bay, one by one leaving their cramped ship cabins. Ah, and one more thing. Unlike Roanoke, there''s no infinite clean water in Chesapeake Bay. "Ugh... ughhhh...!" "My child has severe stomach pain! He keeps having diarrhea...!" "First, give him this antipyretic! Margaret!" "I have the IV fluid here!" Because of this, some people suffered severely from stomach pains and high fevers. I placed IBC tanks left over from making the barge near each house where patients with stomach issues had appeared. "Everyone, fill these tanks with water and add a bit of this liquid. You must never touch or drink this liquid directly." "Y-y-yes, understood!" "Everyone remember! For a while, you must boil water before drinking it!" Either drink water mixed with bleach, or boil it before drinking. Just by sharing that simple fact, the mysterious disease subsided within days. People regained stability. It was a moment when villages and settlements were being created, and the colony was growing. As some of the busy tasks were completed, Walter Raleigh came to visit. "Good heavens... I never thought this would really work." He was half moved to tears. "Just until recently, I was on the verge of bankruptcy... now there are thousands of subjects in the colony... And that timber! Isn''t it amazing? Such timber can''t even be seen in England anymore!" "Is that so?" "Yes. To obtain oak trees of that size, we''d have to import them from Russia, Denmark, Sweden, and such places. Especially after more than dozens of ships were destroyed in the recent naval battle with Spain, there must be a timber shortage now." "Then couldn''t we take that back?" "Could we carry that large and heavy thing across the Atlantic? Even bringing 300 horses and cows was an enormous challenge. I risked my life for it." "Hmm..." "Sigh... if only there was a way to take that back, it would be so much easier to gain Her Majesty the Queen''s trust." Spain, huh. Right. There was Spain in America. They had already sent several warships this way, thinking that this place might be used as England''s military base. There had actually been conflicts. Ideally, England should gain a moderate upper hand in the war between the two, which would make things safer and more comfortable here... And, even if not warships, considering other exports, we''d find it convenient to have a few fast transport ships. "Um, Lord Raleigh? Couldn''t we build ships here?" "Hahaha. How could that be possible? First, we''d need timber, skilled sailors and shipwrights, and all kinds of equipment... and... supplies..." "..." Suddenly Raleigh''s eyes widened and looked at me. He too had realized it. There are the world''s most superior supplies here. "..." "..." "...Do you have any designs in mind?" "I do. Since I don''t know much about ships, would it be alright if I show you a picture first?" "Of course." "Please follow me to Roanoke." "Understood." So Raleigh and I returned to the settlement on Roanoke. I immediately turned on the computer, captured screenshots from the 19th-century city-building game ''Anno 1800,'' printed them, and brought them. "I''m ignorant about navigation, so I''m not sure if this would be suitable." "Hahaha! It''s fine. I have experience in ship design several times, so I''ll look at it and judge... properly..." "..." "...Has such a ship ever existed in the world? This picture, where did you get it from...!" I just brought it thinking that a 19th-century ship would be better than what they have now. I read the printed materials and told him. "The ship''s name is cli... pper? It''s called a clipper." "The sail arrangement is... extraordinary. How fast is this ship?" "I wouldn''t know. I''ve only heard about it." "My goodness, Lord." Thinking he had received ship blueprints from God, the eyes of Walter Raleigh, the passionate explorer and the Queen''s sex toy, suddenly blazed. "If this ship is built, its speed will be formidable! I guarantee it! Clipper! Even the name sounds swift and good!" As an experienced sailor, he seemed to have intuitively understood something. I still don''t really get it. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Well then, we''ll need shipwrights and designers, so we should move immediately. Actually, it''s about time for me to return to London anyway." "You''re going back? To London?" "Yes! I''ll probably arrive in London in about 2 to 3 months! Since many of the settlers want to bring their families, it will take a few months to gather people..." "...So it will take about a year until you return." "Pardon? Well, I suppose so?" "Hmm... then you should be careful." "Of course being careful is natural! No matter how familiar I am with navigation, I''m always careful!" "No. Not about navigation, but about London. There will be the plague." "...What?" "Since it''s early May now, when you arrive in London, it will be around August, just when the plague starts to spread. Take care of yourself." "..." "Oh, and I have some things to give you. Take these vitamin supplements. If you give one to the sailors every few days, it should prevent scurvy." "...Scurvy? With just that pill?" "Yes." I showed him the vitamins I took out from my pocket, then took off my wristwatch and handed it to him. "This is a watch fixed to Roanoke Island time. Check the time with this on the ship to determine longitude. With a map as well, you should have no problem figuring out your position." "..." "And... um... ah, I''ll prepare an outfit for you. It''s the protective clothing I wear when spraying pesticides, but wearing just that should reduce the chance of contracting the plague even if you come into contact with patients. I''ll also prepare masks, so put them on your sailors when you arrive." "..." "And I''ll give you medicine when you leave." "...Medicine." "Yes. I''m not sure if it will work, but if administered with an injection at the right time, it should be able to treat the plague." "...You''re saying you can treat the plague? What do you mean by ''inject''?" "Hmm... take Margaret Lawrence with you later. Ms. Lawrence will explain. And don''t forget to add bleach to water to prevent it from spoiling." "...Blub, blubber?" "Lord Raleigh?" "..." After hastily conveying various things, Raleigh''s expression seemed dazed. It was as if a storm had swept over him. Chapter 43 - 43: Mission to London (1) Hmm... what did I promise to give Raleigh? First, the vitamin supplements and the watch. These are items for navigation. Vitamin supplements are essential. Sailors of this era died en masse from mysterious ailments, and the fact that it was scurvy caused by vitamin C deficiency was only discovered centuries later. The watch and nautical chart are likewise crucial. It would take until the 18th century for John Harrison to develop a clock that works accurately at sea. And until then, there were no clocks that worked reliably without error at sea. But with just this wristwatch, everything changes. If you can tell time on a ship, you can determine longitude, and if you know the longitude, you can determine your position at sea. It''s a privilege no sailor of this era enjoys. That''s why Lord Raleigh''s eyes rolled back. And a map made with 21st century technology? That goes without saying. But the protective suit, mask, streptomycin sulfate, and bleach serve a somewhat different purpose. I''ve been collecting these for a while. Since I first discovered Eleanor and the thirty or so people from the Roanoke colony. That''s when I started seriously reading the game catalog. I had no particular thoughts, just that, well, collecting them might come in handy? The protective suit and mask are essential items when entering dangerous areas, so there''s no need to explain why I stockpiled them. Streptomycin sulfate can save the life of a plague patient if injected within 48 hours of onset. Originally it was medical-grade (I''m still not sure if it''s legal) stuff that Mr. Tanaka from the direct sales market gave me to mix with gibberellin, so it can be used on people just fine. Usually, Buramycin is used for grapes, so I still don''t know why he gave it to me. Bleach is for cleaning. It can also kill the rodents that spread the plague. ''In 1592, a major outbreak of the plague in London and its surroundings killed more than 15,000 people, over 10% of the city''s population. The damage occurred mainly in unsanitary slum areas...'' Having seen such a historical event, I thought it was right to stockpile, and now it''s proving useful. That was fortunate. I was reluctant to recommend London to Walter Raleigh since it meant he''d be going to his death, but if he says he''s going on his own... "Lord Raleigh? Are you really going to London?" "...Well, I-I am going. If I don''t go because I''m afraid of the plague, how long should I delay? 2 years? 3 years? I can''t be away from England for that long." If he says it like that, it''s easier to entrust him with the task. "Then... do you know how to use the mask?" "Pardon? Isn''t it something you wear on your face? Of course that''s..." Flutter. "...Is that a mask?" "Use it once, then wash it or throw it away. You must distinguish between the front and back when wearing it. Please tell your sailors that." "Um... yes. Then..." "Next is the protective suit. It might look ridiculous, so it would be good to use it when you come in contact with plague patients." "Pardon? Would I ever get that close to plague patients?" "Yes." "..." "..." Raleigh looked slightly surprised, then relaxed his expression. I showed him how to put on and take off the protective suit, explaining various precautions. And then... um... "The method of using a syringe cannot be mastered in one go." "A... syringe, you mean that thing Ms. Lawrence was using?" "Yes." "..." "That''s right, the thing used on patients." "..." "..." Raleigh''s smiling expression stiffened slightly. He seemed to have caught on. And I noticed that he had caught on. Right. While you''re at it, try to solve London''s plague problem. Help the dying people and, in the process, earn the Queen''s favor¡ªisn''t that a good deal? Um... or is it not, since he has to go through a deadly crisis? Anyway, with nearly 10,000 witnesses, hiding my identity was already shot, and I thought there was no reason to hold back on exercising influence in England... of course, I wouldn''t force him. "Ah, no, that... surely not..." While Walter Raleigh was stammering, I turned my head and spoke. "I should go see Ms. Lawrence now. I need to check if she would accompany you." "Ah... yes. That''s right." Walter Raleigh''s expression became increasingly strange, but I didn''t mind much. After all, he said he would go himself. Praising his courage to voluntarily go to London teeming with germ-carrying mice, I moved on. When I finally led Raleigh to the "hospital," Eleanor, who had come to volunteer, was treating patients along with Margaret. It''s closer to an elementary school infirmary than a hospital, but still, it''s top-tier among hospitals of this era. "Raise your arm here. Tell me if it hurts." "Aaaaaaagh! It hurts! It hurts!" "Oh, dear. That must be painful." ...What''s this? I never taught her to talk like that. Does the medical profession naturally cause convergent evolution in speech patterns? I waited until they sent off the last patient, then opened the door as soon as the hospital was empty. Fling. The two people who were busy organizing medicines and bandages turned their heads and greeted me. I had them sit back down, seated Lord Raleigh beside them, and said: "Lord Raleigh has decided to go to London." "...What?" "The plague will break out in London. The people there will need Ms. Lawrence." "..." "..." Um... is she hesitating? That won''t do. I need Margaret. I asked again, more earnestly: S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "In this plan, if Lord Raleigh is the foundation stone, Ms. Lawrence is the monument stone. Your dedication is needed, Ms. Lawrence." At those words, Raleigh flinched, and Margaret... Margaret hesitated for a moment... then nodded with a slightly blank expression. "...I''ll go." "Good. Then..." As I was about to rise from my seat, someone grabbed my collar. When I turned... Eleanor was looking up at me, crying out urgently: "W-wait a moment!" "What is it, Eleanor?" "C-can I go too?" "Hmm? Eleanor, would you... be alright?" "I may not be as good as Margaret, but I-I know how to give injections, and I''ve pretty much memorized all the medicines here. I think I''ll be fine." "..." "..." I turned my head to look at Raleigh. His expression seemed somewhat different from before. A bit more... sharp-eyed, perhaps? Chapter 44 - 44: Mission to London (2) "Lord Raleigh? Would that be alright?" "...Hmm." Raleigh thought for a moment, then spoke: "Eleanor? You also heard Nemo''s words." "...Yes." Raleigh exchanged some kind of glance with Eleanor, then glanced at me and said: "She says she wants to go. How could I stop her?" "..." There was something... peculiar about the atmosphere. Hmm... the plan was to help save London citizens while sending Raleigh away. It wouldn''t work if Raleigh was reluctant. Come to think of it, the description of Raleigh in the catalog was... um... ''The most unpalatable man at the Elizabethan court.'' ...That was actually the text. I speak to this most unpalatable man: I asked carefully. "...Lord Raleigh?" "Yes." "Is something wrong?" Then Lord Raleigh asked back with a trembling voice. "W-what do you mean, is something wrong?" == Lord Walter Raleigh is a devout Protestant. One might question how devout one can be while living as the Queen''s lover, but everyone has dual aspects. In his youth, he even participated in the French civil war to help French Protestants fighting against Catholics. Even in his older years, he passionately attends church gatherings and graces them with his presence. Although he was quite odious, arrogant, dissolute, and greedy, making it difficult to find a commandment he hadn''t broken, he still considered himself a servant of the Lord. And then. "...Pardon?" "Since it''s early May now, when you arrive in London, it will be around August, just when the plague starts to spread. Take care of yourself." When he heard this, he wondered what it meant. Also. "Oh, and I have some things to give you. Take these vitamin supplements. If you give one to the sailors every few days, it should prevent scurvy." "...Scurvy? With just that pill?" "This is a watch fixed to Roanoke Island time. Check the time with this on the ship to determine longitude. With a map as well, you should have no problem figuring out your position." Stories that swept in like a storm. In the midst of that amazing celestial authority, Walter Raleigh barely regained his senses and scanned the objects before him. Vitamin... supplements? Aren''t these the mysterious medicines that Nemo gives to the inhabitants of Roanoke Island every few days? Can these prevent scurvy? And this is also amazing. Such a small watch ticks so accurately. Is this not a miracle of the Lord placed on one''s wrist! And a map? When Nemo briefly showed it before... there were no empty spaces on that map. Meaning it''s a map containing the whole world. And he received a great medicine that heals the plague and clothes and masks that prevent the plague. He had been chosen. Chosen for the prosperity and glory of this colony, to establish the Lord''s kingdom in America. He nodded with emotion and followed Nemo. And then. He told me to approach patients. He had Margaret the doctor accompany me, and Eleanor who could work as her assistant. What all that meant was... Um... "In this plan, if Lord Raleigh is the foundation stone, Ms. Lawrence is the monument stone. Your dedication is needed, Ms. Lawrence." It was clear. After all the talk was over. Lord Raleigh looked up at Nemo for a moment. He was looking down at him with the same calm face as always. He spoke to me as if he were asking me to do something too obvious. So... I had no choice but to answer. That I would do it. But now everything was clear. "...We''re not just going to assemble a clipper ship, are we?" "That''s also correct. And it''s also true that we''re going to find new settlers." "But that''s not all. No, that''s... um... not even a secondary purpose, is it?" "..." Nemo nodded without answering. When Raleigh sought a more definite answer with his eyes, only then did he speak. "Yes. That''s right." "...Then, may I ask one thing?" "Yes." "Why are you doing this?" "..." "I-I''m so curious. Oh, Lord. Did you not just tell us to go save plague patients? Did you not ask us if we could go into the jaws of death?" "..." "Are you sending us into mortal danger to treat plague patients and, um, cleanse the most dangerous slums?" When Raleigh asked, Nemo shook his head quietly and spoke. There was no disappointment on his face. Rather, it seemed as if he himself was sorry that he couldn''t go. "If you don''t want to, that''s fine." "...Pardon?" "If Lord Raleigh doesn''t want to go, I won''t force you. I don''t want to force anyone into mortal danger..." So Raleigh answered before his words were finished. "I want to." "...Pardon?" "I want to. I want to. I-I desperately want to." Some call him a selfish bastard. And that description is exactly right. Some call him a dissolute toy playing in the Queen''s bed. That description also clearly describes him. It would be correct to say he sold his soul for power and wealth, and above all, it would be correct to say he''s a man who sold his soul to lust. However. "I-I will go..." As mentioned earlier, Raleigh is a devout Protestant. The angel commands him. Go. Go and save people. For that is the will of the Father. So Raleigh answered. I will do so. I will do so even if I die a thousand times. He was an apostle. He might never become like the great and holy figures in the Bible, he would still be dissolute and extravagant, but he was an apostle. Nevertheless, he was an apostle. And his master and lord tells him to head into the muck of death. He said He would use him greatly. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. He would now attain eternal glory and authority. "...I will go to London." I will go and seek Your will. Raleigh obeyed. Eleanor Dare told this to her father John White, and John White told this to Thomas Harriot, and this was to be written in the gospel. In the 1592nd year since the Lord came to this earth. It happened on May 3rd. Chapter 45 - 45: Treatment Center (1) The preparations for the voyage took about a month. Eleanor and Margaret selected other volunteers and taught them the basics of first aid, simple medical knowledge, and how to handle and maintain syringes as quickly as possible. The rest of the people worked together according to the angel''s will, loading various cargo onto the ship: all kinds of medicines, clothes, equipment, and even food for them to eat during the voyage. Thanks to thousands of people participating in the preparations, the preparation period was reduced to one month. At this rate, they could set up a hospital as soon as they arrived. And so they set sail. About a month and a half passed. "..." "..." "...Well, there are places you need to go." Lord Raleigh pointed to Southwark, Houndsditch, Aldgate, and others as he spoke. "These will be where the most rats swarm and the most sick people wander." In other words, all slums. "We need to set up treatment centers in these places. I''ll give you money, so secure a place in a building in the area and set up tents. Understand?" "I understand. Then should we set up tents as soon as we land in Southwark?" "Hmm? Of course we all need to go to the Queen first. Who else would close public places by royal decree? Who would mandate wearing masks covering nose and mouth and prohibit various gatherings?" "...You, my lord?" "Her Majesty the Queen." "Ah." "By this time, the plague should have started to spread gradually. Nemo said that by the time we arrive, even the court would have been aware of the plague." "..." "..." "Then we should go to the Queen, tell her we''ve discovered a cure, and first set up treatment centers in the slums. Understand?" Eleanor and Margaret looked at each other for a moment at Lord Raleigh''s words. London''s slums were notorious. For all kinds of crime, sin, and filth. It was a very dangerous place. "Yes." "We should go." And the two didn''t hesitate particularly. As if on cue, just as Walter Raleigh finished speaking, the ship stopped with a rocking sensation. When the three came out of the cabin, a nauseating stench hit them. They disembarked at Southwark, mixed with luggage and people. Then Lord Raleigh turned to the other two and said: "Phew... now, let''s cross the bridge and report to Her Majesty the¡ª" "Um, excuse me." "What is it?" "..." Margaret grabbed Lord Raleigh''s collar and turned her head toward their surroundings. And then... "...Good heavens." A man whose skin was turning black from the extremities was collapsed on the street. People were fleeing around him in shock. When the man died soon, his body would probably be burned. Because he was a plague patient. "Um... how long would it take if we went to see Her Majesty the Queen and came back?" "...At the quickest, 3 days." Streptomycin sulfate cannot save a person unless injected within 48 hours of onset. And the man before them did not look like he had just contracted the disease. And behind the alley where the man was lying... Countless people were seen coughing. They would all die. "..." "..." "...Do we really need to go to the Queen first?" Margaret asks. Lord Raleigh hesitated for a moment... then spoke. "No. Only one of us needs to go." "Then you go, Lord Raleigh. We''ll set up a treatment center here first." "Eleanor, will you be alright? This is a dangerous place." "All of London is dangerous." "..." "We''ll be setting up here, so please hurry back." At those words, the hesitant Lord Raleigh eventually nodded and caught a passing carriage to depart for Whitehall Palace, where the Queen resided. "Um... Mrs. Dare? Ms. Lawrence? About half of the cargo from the ship has been unloaded. Now what...?" Now there remained a hundred-some volunteers, medicines to save thousands, and disinfectants. Eleanor Dare and Margaret Lawrence looked at each other, then rolled up their sleeves. "Let''s set up the tent here first." Thus the first treatment center was established in London. And five days passed. Rumors began to spread throughout London. == The closure of theaters that began during the last riot was extended, and taverns were closed. Public places where people might gather were shut down one by one, and London became more desolate than before. However. "...Have you heard the rumor?" The world of social circles and gossip was as lively as ever. "What rumor?" "You know, the ''free treatment center.''" "Ah... you mean the one collecting patients in slums for treatment? Isn''t it run by some local church?" "No. I heard Lord Raleigh spent his private funds to set it up..." "What? That fellow? Surprising." "Strange. How did that man suddenly become a philanthropist?" Everyone was astonished by Lord Raleigh''s ''good deed.'' What is that power-oriented man trying to do by winning the hearts of the poor? Surely he wouldn''t need to gather influence in the slums. Moreover, isn''t the plague going around now? In a situation where, if something goes wrong, his subordinates or even he himself might face death, he''s not fleeing London but opening a large-scale treatment center? It could be foolish. Or perhaps he''s suddenly awakened as a saint. "It''s like pouring water into a leaky jar." Someone declares. "Think about it. If you can''t cure the plague, what difference does it make by slightly easing the path of the sick? Only those who nurse them will die as well." "Sadly, that might be true..." "From the perspective of minimizing damage, it''s not wrong." While such conversations were exchanged, the person who first brought up the topic merely smirked, not saying anything more, waiting for them. Finally, when everyone seemed to run out of things to say and fell silent, he spoke again. "I heard... someone has come out alive from Lord Raleigh''s free treatment center." "What? That''s impressive. But why?" "He must have found good doctors. They might be able to save one or two people." "It''s not just curing ordinary patients. They say they saved them from the plague." "..." "..." "..." The gathering responds with silence to those words. For a moment, a light of ''could it be?'' flickers in everyone''s eyes. The plague is a terrible disease. A disease with virtually no chance of survival. That''s what everyone thought. But on the other hand, they recall Lord Raleigh''s American colony. That place with all sorts of mysterious things. That place where strange metals and mysterious fruits came from. "A... panacea?" "Perhaps. Why not go and get some?" "It''s free, isn''t it? I should send my personal physicians to get some." "Of course I''ll have to give them some money. If they take it for free, wouldn''t Lord Raleigh make a fuss?" They think there might be an answer there. Soon they scattered to their homes, tossing all sorts of jokes among themselves, but. They never forgot that rumor. Maybe... The very next day. Doctors wrapped in cloaks began gathering in Southwark from all over London. == Eleanor barely opens her eyes in the cabin. With only her nightgown on, she rubs her puffy eyes and speaks. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "V-Virginia? I''ll give you breakfast..." Ah, she''s not here. She is now across the Atlantic. Smiling wryly at her own foolishness, Eleanor briefly rubs her eyes and immediately puts on a ridiculous white clown-like suit. What he called a protective suit, a funny-looking outfit where the top and bottom are connected. As she leaves the cabin, others armed with protective suits and masks like her are running urgently. Following them, leaving the ship toward the dock, there are tents everywhere. Margaret, who recognizes her, runs toward Eleanor. "How many patients today?" "50 more added! Goodness, how are there so many sick people here?" "Did you turn away those who were malingering or had other diseases?" "Yes! I scared them by saying if you administer the drug to someone without the plague, they turn into a monster." "Well done." Saying so, the two hurriedly lift one of the tent flaps and enter. "Aaargh! S-save me! Save me!" "It hurts so much... I''m burning... just throw me into the sea..." "Mom? M-mom? Mom! Mom! Mom!" It''s like a chorus of madmen. All kinds of screams, delirious speech, and last words mix to create a terrible polyphony. Eleanor bites her lip tightly and asks the nurse in charge of this area: "How much medicine do we need here?" "Um, 50 bottles! Five new people came in, and we need to give injections for ten days each, so..." "Alright. I''ll bring it. Margaret?" "Understood. I''ll take charge of directing the nurses here..." Eleanor examines the amount of medicine needed and the number consumed, checking each tent. And then... Fling! She arrives at the tent used as a storage area. Many workers are sweating profusely, carrying new medicines and syringes. In one corner, they''re sterilizing syringes with boiling water and fire, and in another, they''re repairing torn or damaged protective suits. Chapter 46 - 46: Treatment Center (2) "50 bottles for tent number 10." "Yes! Understood, 50 bottles!" "Mrs. Dare? The count of hygienic gloves doesn''t match..." "That''s because about half of the gloves haven''t been moved from the ship yet. It''ll match when they''re brought over, so don''t worry." "Mrs. Dare! 13 more patients have been brought in!" "Where did they come from?" "They say from Aldgate?" "Then move them to the Aldgate tent! I''ll organize it!" There, Eleanor naturally took command. Today was another busy day, like a war. The inside of the protective suit was completely soaked with sweat, feeling as if she were swimming in water. While Eleanor was moving medicine boxes herself, sweating profusely... Fling. Someone throws open the tent door. Wondering who it is, she looks... and sees unfamiliar faces. She hasn''t heard their voices in Chesapeake Bay either. Not only that... their attire is strange. Men who thoroughly conceal their entire bodies with flowing cloaks and gloves, holding pomanders in one hand. "Is this the place!" "This is it. First, let''s find out who''s in charge here..." No... men. The dozen or so men seemed to be looking for the ''person in charge'' of this place. Eleanor took a deep breath, put down the medicine box, and walked toward them. "Are you looking for the person in charge?" "That''s right, madam. Who might you be..." "Eleanor Dare. I''m in charge here." "..." "..." "..." They seemed not to believe that quite a young woman was in charge, but... after observing the gazes of those around them toward her, they seemed to accept it and turned their heads back to her. "Do you have patients? You seem to be doctors..." "Ah, it''s not about patients, but about business. Lord Raleigh seems to be the owner of this place, but Lord Raleigh is busy and difficult to contact right now." "Bus...iness?" "That''s right." They each take out rolled-up letters from inside their garments and hand them to her. Various crests were visible on the seals. "We came by order of the Earl of Pembroke. The Earl has shown interest in the medicine distributed here." "We were sent by Sir John Lowell. For the same reason." "This one is the personal physician of Lord Hawkins. I believe you''ve heard of Lord Hawkins." "We also..." "...Pardon?" Suddenly finding herself armful of countless letters, the confused Eleanor puts down the armful of letters she had hoisted with an "oof," and asks while dusting off her hands: "You want to... trade medicine?" "That''s right. First, please listen to the price we''re offering..." "If there''s a patient, they must come here directly. There are separate tools for administration, so our personnel will be needed." "Then you can send them with the personnel!" "No... that''s not what I meant..." Feeling perplexed, Eleanor continued to explain ''kindly'' to them. This is a treatment center that treats the plague for free, and was established with Lord Raleigh''s private funds. Also, the personnel and equipment here cannot be taken out, and if one wants treatment, one must come here... "...''Here''? ''His Lordship the Earl''?" "...Pardon?" Although their expressions weren''t visible because their cloaks were pulled down deeply, one could guess from their voices that the men''s faces were scrunched up. They were looking around. Even outside the tent. A slum where beggars and prostitutes loitered. "''His Lordship the Earl'' cannot come to ''a place like this.'' We will purchase the medicine for a fair price, and we only need the help of the personnel here." "...You don''t seem to have understood the explanation properly." "Hahaha, Mrs. Dare. It''s you who hasn''t understood properly. His Lordship the Earl wants the medicine." "And?" "There is nothing more. His Lordship the Earl will get the medicine." "..." "Since personnel are needed too, we''ll have to invite you as well. Perhaps you could come..." "No." "..." "I''m sorry, but here every hand is urgently needed. No one can leave this place, and not even one bottle of medicine can be moved..." "We said we would pay a price." "It''s still not possible." "..." "..." The doctors fell silent. Eleanor clenched her fists, feeling a bit frightened as the men surrounded her. "Madam. You don''t seem to understand the situation properly..." "A mere unauthorized treatment center like this could be demolished." "Look here. I''ve never heard of the Dare family. In that case, after first paying respects..." At their threatening words, Eleanor tightly closed her eyes. And shouted. "It''s not possible!" Then she pushed them away and forcibly closed the tent door. After tying the door with a string, the doctors began to protest. "Look here! Do you think this treatment center will be safe after this!" "Eleanor Dare, I''ve remembered the name." "It seems there''s no way for a pitiful woman to live safely in London now." "To turn us away from the door like this! Do you think the Earl of Pembroke will stand by!" All of them were irritatingly clich¨¦d phrases. And... Thud. All of them were actually threatening. "..." She knew the Earl of Pembroke, John Lowell, and Lord Hawkins. They were people who could actually butcher someone like Eleanor Dare in an alley one day and dump her into the Thames. Eleanor trembled slightly... then immediately moved to another tent. "Now, what''s the situa¡ª" "..." "..." From Margaret to the others, everyone was just looking at her. They had all eavesdropped on the conversation. "..." "..." "..." "M-Mrs. Dare? What... should we do now? Can Lord Raleigh help in time? No, even if he helps, Mrs. Dare..." "..." Eleanor Dare thought for a moment... then tried smiling first. "Isn''t it time to give that patient an injection? Give me the syringe! Hurry!" == "Everyone. Why would Jesus'' life be great?" Thomas Harriot began his sermon with that opening. "Why is Jesus great, and truly the most perfect and complete human being?" == "Give me the syringe. Hurry... hurry!" "But Mrs. Dare, th-those high-ranking people from over there told us...!" S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Those people are just one person each!" Eleanor grabbed Margaret''s trembling arm and said: "Why won''t those people come here? Why do they just ask for the medicine?" "...Because it''s dirty here?" "That''s right. But we can''t leave here, can we? Because there are people dying here right now." "..." "What did he say? He told us to save them, didn''t he?" "..." "Then we should save as many as possible. Right?" "...You''re right." "Give me the syringe. Hurry." Eleanor''s eyes trembled. Margaret hesitated... then handed over the syringe again. == "He was not the God of the noble. His enemies called him the God of prostitutes and beggars. It was clearly meant as a mockery, but they would not have known. That they had bestowed the greatest royal title on the King of all. Yes. He... He is the savior of prostitutes and beggars. He is the king of slaves and madmen, and the representative of rebels, thieves, and all sorts of trash." == "Margaret... don''t be afraid." "I-I''m not afraid..." "Don''t lie. You can''t lie." "..." Eleanor looked at the endlessly streaming lowly ones. Their bodies smelled of urine, alcohol, and garbage. She could understand why they were despised in this city. They smell. That smell transfers when you get close to them. Disease transfers, misfortune transfers, sin transfers. A prostitute with no arms comes. A beggar with no legs comes. People who make you wonder if they''ve ever washed in their lifetime come flooding in. "What would they say if we treated beggars before the noble people?" "...Pardon?" "What more could they do besides kill us?" "...Pardon?" That''s right. The most they could do was kill them. That''s all they could do. They could only cause pain to their bodies, kill their bodies, and prevent their bodies from being properly buried. That''s all. That''s it. Compared to the celestial authority shining behind their backs, everything was trivial and base. The level of their threats was just that. "Ah, ah... ugh..." Margaret cried as she wiped a beggar''s buttocks. She quickly cooled the syringe sterilized with fire and inserted it into the beggar''s gluteus. Thus, streptomycin sulfate was injected into a beggar before any duke or gentry. == "The Lord is among the most vulnerable among us. Because the rich do not desperately need the Lord''s help. The Lord mingles among those who suffer and are despised. He suffers, rolling in dirty mud with them. Because the Lord''s words are not desperate to those in power. The Lord is beside them." After finishing his sermon, Harriot walked out of the church and looked at Chesapeake Bay, and the Atlantic Ocean stretching far to the east. Beyond that are many people. They are the ones who have directly entered the jaws of death called London, engulfed by the plague. Harriot, without even realizing it himself, made the sign of the cross and murmured: "Lord, always come to the lowest place..." And thus, protect your apostles. == "...You won''t sell the medicine?" "That''s right. I''m sorry, Your Lordship." "Hmmm... No. I think Lord Raleigh has already made some arrangements. I don''t know what''s gotten into that man. He won''t accept even when offered so much money." "..." "Very well. Thank you for your efforts." The Earl of Pembroke, John Lowell, Lord Hawkins, and many other nobles and gentry each received the bitter news of failure in their homes. And they remembered the names Walter Raleigh and Eleanor Dare. The treatment center could be demolished in three days, and the woman named Eleanor Dare could be turned into unrecognizable meat in the slums by tomorrow. They expressed their frustration at not getting a panacea that could cure minor skin diseases or annoying erectile dysfunction. And. They didn''t know that the plague bacteria had transferred from their doctors. The Lord always descends to the lowest place. Because the Lord is not desperate to the wealthy and the powerful. Chapter 47 - 47: Harvest Season (1) It''s gradually becoming harvest season. By now, even the grapes planted outside the original farm should have matured fully. Seisui and Shine Muscat, along with various other varieties, have blossomed all over Roanoke Island. After a long time, I went out to harvest with the 30 English people (minus 2) who could be called the "founding members" of Roanoke Island, along with Manteo''s tribe members. "Now... we''ll consider European export for the grapes. Fruits with cracks or pest damage should be removed separately right away. If those remain, fungi will spread to other fruits as well." "...What are fungi?" "Ah, good... question. Um..." "..." "..." Five minutes later, Bacon fainted on the spot. Anyway. The situation is different from before when we would pick grapes and distribute them here and there, eating the problematic ones ourselves. Now that we''re officially connected with England, we need to seriously research long-term preservation with Shine Muscat exports in mind. We place the grapes on a sorter, selecting the ones with good weight and health as a priority for packaging. Ultimately, long-term preservation is about minimizing quality degradation, not maintaining quality as is. From the start, we need to send only high-quality ones across the Atlantic. And we stack the grapes with sulfur pads that emit sulfur dioxide to maximize the preservation period of the grapes. ''...I heard they don''t use sulfites in wine production now.'' Without using sulfites, long-term preservation of low-alcohol wine is nearly impossible. In other words, we are the only group that can preserve wine long-term now. Imagine if something like a 1467 ¨­nin War Edition wine remained until modern times... oh. That would no longer be something that could be harvested but would become a cultural heritage. ''Wine too... for export!'' We already have infinitely regenerating glass bottles, so if we just get cork stoppers, wine becomes an ''exportable'' item. My ambition grows even more. Push massive amounts of grapes and wine into Europe... and fulfill the dream of a grape farmer...! S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Export domestic(?) wine... to Europe! I''ll achieve the dream that the instructor shouted about in the ''Young Farmer Wine Production Workshop'' run by the local government...! After being filled with emotion for a while, looking at the newly built vineyard and the stacked storage boxes, someone walks up beside me. "It''s grown very well. Now there won''t be any worries when making wine." It was Mr. Harriot. The lawyer who collects my statements to write a Bible, and the interim pastor of this settlement. "Well, I suppose so. If the vineyards continue to increase like this, someday beyond Roanoke Island, this entire Pamlico Sound area might be filled with grapes." "That would be nice. I''d really like to see that." "Is that so?" "Yes, Nemo. It is. That would mean that much more grapes and wine are needed, and doesn''t that mean that your people in this land have increased that much more?" "Ah... I suppose it could be seen that way too." "Yes. That''s right." "..." "..." As if he didn''t have anything special to talk about, Mr. Harriot who came to my side doesn''t speak further. I too kept my mouth shut with nothing to say, but it wasn''t an uncomfortable silence. Both of us, just enjoying this peaceful quiet. After a while, Mr. Harriot suddenly gazed at the horizon stretched to the east and sighed. Somehow guessing his inner thoughts, I asked casually: "Is it because of those who left for London?" "...Yes. As expected, you know. I couldn''t shake off my worries about them." "..." "Even while believing they would do well, I still wonder if they really had to go to that place full of death and malice... After all that hardship settling in the New World... why did they leave so suddenly." "..." I couldn''t alleviate his concerns. If I were a real angel, I would have flown to London right away. I could have watched over Eleanor Dare, Walter Raleigh, Margaret Lawrence, and others for 24 hours, looking out for anything that might harm them. But I''m just an ordinary human. I couldn''t do such things. I could only believe. "They will... be safe." "Is it because Nemo will protect them?" That''s not it, I''m telling you. I shook my head with a bitter smile. "No. Not just because of that." "Then... why?" Let''s not bring up complicated stories. Like how Lord Raleigh is the Queen''s favorite and the core of the American colony, so he''s unlikely to come to harm. That''s not what Harriot is curious about. So I told him a story that would reassure him. "Didn''t they leave to do good deeds?" "Pardon?" "It might be a crude analogy and a clich¨¦ story, but... aren''t good deeds like farming work?" I spoke to him while picking a Seisui grape from a styrofoam box at my feet and showing it to him. "Just as grapes generally grow in vineyards, good deeds will be returned with good deeds." "..." Harriot hesitated, then took the grape I offered and put it in his mouth. Watching him roll the grape in his mouth, I continued: "Don''t countless small branches spread from a very small branch, and countless fruits grow on each of those small branches? More good deeds will grow around those who do good deeds." "...Is that so?" "Yes, well, that''s right. At least, that''s what I believe." == "Disinfection! Disinfection!" "By order of Her Majesty the Queen, disinfection!" Strong men carrying water diluted with disinfectant on their backs shout here and there, running through the streets of the Aldgate slum outside London''s walls. Among them were mixed guards and Lord Raleigh''s personal subordinates. They got up at dawn to go around every corner of the alleys, emptying rat traps, spraying disinfected water on streets and corners of houses, and purifying wells. As the hand of public authority reached a place that would normally have been passed by with contempt and disregard by high-ranking people, the locals gathered, muttering, to watch them. And then. "Harriot, from here, I don''t know either. Where does this alley turn?" "That way inside is indeed a dead end. We need to move after turning left first." Lord Raleigh too was moving in the midst of it all. As a London celebrity became visible, and moreover, wearing a strange white garment that a child or clown might wear, the eyes of the locals grew even wider. What''s more, isn''t this the time when the ''Black Death'' is going around? Why on earth has the Queen''s favorite come all the way here? "I think they''re going to tear this place down... and build a large mansion." "Are they trying to drive us out?" "The plague is going around... first they''ll burn down the unclean neighborhoods..." Chapter 48 - 48: Harvest Season (2) After such ''plausible'' stories circulated a few times, people''s attitudes became defensive. Although they couldn''t block the Queen''s army out of fear, they unnecessarily avoided the paths they took or averted their gaze. And then. Walter Raleigh finally reached somewhere. "...Is this the herb woman''s house?" "Seems like it..." Naturally, beggars, prostitutes, and day laborers would not have money to find a proper doctor. Thus, they tend to seek out suspicious herb women, whether for faith or medicine. Raleigh, who had found this ''unlicensed clinic,'' trembled at the pungent stench from the front. This was... the smell of something rotting. The smell of rotting meat and organs. And this place is far from butchery. When these two facts combined, one could roughly guess what was happening inside. As Lord Raleigh, who stood in front of the soldiers, hesitantly took a step forward after deliberation, Harriot grabbed his shoulder. "No. You shouldn''t enter here now." "..." "You need to take care of your body. Someone who''s been up all night for days due to state affairs..." "Waaaahhh!" A cry. Not that of an adult. At that sound, Raleigh''s body moved before his head. The soldiers hastily followed him. "My lord!" Raleigh soon waded through the building where corpses with blackened limbs were rotting. He passed over the corpse of an old herb woman who had already died. And then. Fling! When he opened the door, a child who looked about five or six was writhing with a high fever. "He-help... he..." "..." Rat swarms were teeming around the child. Lord Raleigh held his breath for a moment, then threw himself in. He throws himself into the sea of rats to rescue the child. With trembling hands, he picked up the child, and as he stepped outside, everyone was blankly watching him. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The wary eyes of the slum prostitutes, the concerned gazes of the soldiers, all were directed at him. "Tre...treatment center." And he speaks. "Th-there... are no other survivors in that building... First evacuate the surroundings and burn... it." "..." "To Southwark''s treatment center... send this child. Dare and Lawrence will save..." "...You go too, my lord." "..." "Aren''t you feeling dizzy?" "...Now that you mention it." "Of course, if you keep doing this." Harriot asked. "Why do you go to such lengths? If you''re going to work, you should take care of yourself while..." "Oh, my friend. You still haven''t thrown away the nature of a skeptic." "..." Raleigh, weakly but clearly smiling, comforted the child who had stopped struggling. "...When the path of salvation is open, what more could I ask for?" There was a flame in his eyes. A flame that would burn his entire body and still have more to spare was blazing from his heart. == "Here! Here!" Eleanor felt her hair sticking to her sweaty neck as she ran. Just as she was heading to the cabin to change her protective suit after finishing the day''s work, someone called her like this. This wasn''t uncommon. Every time she commuted, people would ask her to help move a patient from their family or friends who had difficulty moving. This seemed to be such a case again. "...Huh?" ...At least, that''s what Eleanor thought as she turned the corner. It was a dead end. "...Um, there''s nothing here?" As Eleanor said so and turned around, something flashed in the dark alley. It was a blade. "...Do you remember Lord John Hawkins?" The man licked his lips with his tongue and slowly walked toward Eleanor. Only now did she notice the man''s features that she hadn''t seen while rushing. Features like clean skin and plump cheeks, unlike slum dwellers. Features that were useless to recognize now. "It''s really scary to get on the bad side of a high-ranking person. Do you know how scary that is?" "..." "It''s as scary as meeting a murderer in a remote alley of a slum." The man, seemingly satisfied with his humor, giggled before... taking another step to close the distance with Eleanor. Soon he swung his knife and extended it toward Eleanor... "P-push that at least!" CRASH! "...Huh?" Eleanor, who had tightly closed her eyes imagining the blade piercing her chest, slightly... opened her eyes at the sudden shout. The boxes stacked beside the wall had poured over the ''murderer.'' He was still clutching the knife, writhing... and soon the movement stopped. Eleanor approached and lightly checked his pulse, but felt nothing. "A-are you alright?" "Kyaaah!" "D-d-don''t worry. W-we, we won''t hurt Mrs. Dare." A woman was speaking with a severe stutter, crouching down. Looking closely... she was a patient who had been discharged from the treatment center three days ago. A young prostitute who stuttered. "S-suspicious, u-unfamiliar f-face w-was there, s-so I followed..." "Mrs. Dare! Are you alright?" "Are you hurt anywhere!" Soon, other patients she had cared for and volunteers who worked with her came running, kicking the already dead murderer and checking her physical condition. "What? Oh, I''m fine! I''m fine, but..." "Come with us for now! There''s big trouble at the treatment center right now!" "...Pardon?" Eleanor was led by the hand of an old beggar and ran mindlessly with the others. Again, she headed from the dark, narrow alley in the middle to a bright, wide main road. When she squinted at the sudden sunlight entering her eyes and opened them. Men with clubs gathered around the treatment center... were cowering and fearing in front of powerless beggars. Not the other way around. The strong men were fearfully trembling and slowly backing away from the beggars. "You bastards! Eat this!" "Eat this and get treatment here too!" The beggars were throwing rat carcasses. They were from the rat traps that Eleanor and Margaret had set up all over the slum recently. Because of that, the rumor that rodents were the cause of the plague had spread to some extent. "D-d-don''t come closer!" "H-help..." And that ''knowledge'' was making the thugs who came to threaten the treatment center afraid. They didn''t know what to do... then they were startled by a shout suddenly coming from behind them. "What are you lot doing there!" A voice that now no one in London doesn''t know. A face that now no one in London doesn''t know because he had been running around the slums and alleys so much. "Th-the royal guard came directly!" "Oh shit!" As Eleanor turned around, ''Royal Guard Captain'' Lord Walter Raleigh and the guards were rushing toward the thugs with drawn swords. The thugs hastily scattered and fled. While blankly... watching that sight, Margaret came running from far away. Margaret hugged Eleanor and cried loudly. "M-Mrs. Dare... wh-when others said they didn''t know where you went, I thought something had happened to you..." "I''m fine! I''m really fine, so..." "Hey! Are you all right?" "Lord Raleigh? That child in your arms..." "A patient. First, this child... cough." "You''re coughing! Lord Raleigh should also..." "The child first." "..." "Now there won''t be... any more attacks. After failing once, they won''t try such nonsense again. From now on, I''ll also assign guards here... cough, hack." "Please receive treatment first! This way! First, those who are already in line..." As Eleanor and Margaret urgently supported Lord Raleigh, who had put down the child... The crowd''s confusion ceases in an instant. The crowd gathered in front of them parted like the Red Sea to both sides. Even those who were already in line moved aside on their own to open a path for them to enter the makeshift infirmary. Hundreds of people... were praying in that state. Some knelt with both hands raised toward the sky, and some repeated phrases like "They are saints. They are saints..." while making the sign of the cross over and over. In that strange and holy silence, the three walked to the half-destroyed treatment center. == And that night. "That tent over there collapsed! Raise it up!" "Gather the syringes and bring them here!" Those walking on the street, the inhabitants of this slum, protect and rebuild this place. People who gather from somewhere quietly lend a small helping hand and then disappear. When those small hands gather by the hundreds, by the thousands. "...Huh?" "What... happened?" When Eleanor woke up the next day, the treatment center was almost completely restored. It''s just a simple and childish belief, like that of a child. That if you do good deeds, more good deeds will return. But sometimes, even such beliefs are rewarded. From a very small branch, countless small branches spread out. And countless fruits grow on each of those small branches. Chapter 49 - 49: Queens Summons (1) The Queen''s decree was issued. As Lord Walter Raleigh suggested, gatherings of five or more people were banned in London. However, only "within London." Fortunately, the upper classes who had places to escape to on the outskirts of London could enjoy conversations over banquets and refreshments in other nearby cities. And even there, the topic of conversation was "that." "Lord John Hawkins has died." "No, how did that happen?" "These days, there''s no other reason for people dying. They say it''s the plague." "...Wasn''t it the Earl of Pembroke last time?" "That''s right. We''re hearing obituaries every other day." "..." "..." "..." "Didn''t everyone... escape to the outskirts of London at the appropriate time?" "They did indeed. How this happened, I just can''t understand." "This gathering may not be safe either." "What do you mean, not safe?" "Haven''t you all seen Her Majesty''s decree? Don''t they say that even after the evil energy enters the body, one appears fine for days? Among us here, who look fine, there may be those with the energy of the plague." At those ominous words, the earls and barons gathered here clear their throats while creating distance from each other. Instantly, silence falls over the gathering. "No, I think differently." "Think differently? What are you trying to say?" "Do you all still not understand? That there''s a commonality among those who died." "Com...monality?" "I don''t know." "The news is already widespread in London. They say it''s the Lord''s will." "Well, life and death are all the Lord''s will. Being too swayed by the nonsense of commoners..." "Weren''t they all those who coveted ''that medicine''?" "...Pardon?" "They demanded medicine and then about a week later, they slowly grew ill and many died. Only some ran to the treatment center in time and barely survived." "..." "..." "..." "...Indeed. Perhaps it truly is the Lord''s will." As the elderly noblewoman makes the sign of the cross, the rest also check the atmosphere and quickly make the sign of the cross. Questions begin to sprout in everyone''s mind. Is it really... the Lord''s will? Did they die by the Lord''s will? Anyway, that rumor that spread from London reached Richmond, Kingston, Oxford, Reading, and other places. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...They are nobles who died while coveting the ''Lord''s medicine.''" "Yes, Your Majesty. Though it''s quite an impious rumor, it seems to be very popular among London citizens." "I suppose so. Isn''t it quite a beautiful story?" "...From John Hawkins, the Naval Supervisor, to the Earl of Pembroke, who was the Chairman of the Welsh Parliament, they have died despite neither having been particularly unpopular... shouldn''t we suppress the rumor?" "No. What suppression?" And to Queen Elizabeth, who was staying at Windsor Castle to avoid the chaos in London. "Spread it actively." "...Pardon?" "I have a thought, Lord Walsingham." Thus, the reputation of the ''treatment center blessed by the Lord'' skyrocketed day by day. The eyes of all London citizens turned to the slums of Southwark. == October had come. In London, all public facilities were closed, and even church gatherings, including all meetings, were banned. When even the Queen''s Accession Day celebrations scheduled for next month were canceled, the streets became completely deserted, and the city was quietly waiting for the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. And. "...It''s definitely decreasing." Harriot, who had somewhat become Lord Raleigh''s assistant, handed papers to Eleanor and Margaret and spoke. "What is?" "Deaths. Except for when some nobles and gentlemen suddenly and unexpectedly died, the plague in London is subsiding. It''s been that trend for days now." Death is ceasing. In areas where wealthy people lived, death had almost stopped, of course. And in Aldgate and Houndsditch outside London''s walls, and in Southwark and other neighborhoods along the Thames River, the march of death was slowly coming to an end. As the weather grew colder, the season when rats thrived was gradually passing. Already having reduced the number of rats significantly with traps and poison, once winter came and they froze to death on their own, the momentum of the plague would diminish even more. Eleanor raises her head and looks beyond the tent. She saw that the entrances to the wards, where people had lined up long just last month, had become quite spacious. The days when volunteers collapsed from heat exhaustion while working all day in full-body protective suits were over. Now they could finally rotate their staff. It wasn''t all over yet... but at least the end was starting to be visible. "It''s... thanks to everyone''s hard work." Margaret Lawrence said tearfully. "Good heavens, I never thought we''d... we''d finally...!" "We shouldn''t rejoice yet. Plague patients are still being found everywhere." "It will disappear soon! At the current rate, wouldn''t it be under control in a month or two?" It was an optimistic statement, but one that couldn''t be denied. Winter would soon arrive. Margaret jumped for joy, saying she could finally sleep more than six hours a day, and Harriot also breathed a sigh of relief that the end of the quarantine work was finally in sight. And... Eleanor... She felt dazed. As rumors spread that this place was under the Lord''s protection, those who had already found Eleanor and Margaret difficult to approach began to act even stranger towards the two. They would say things like "It''s the saint..." when Eleanor passed by, or they would make the sign of the cross instead of greeting Eleanor. Patients would strangely try to touch Eleanor''s clothing, or those who made eye contact with Eleanor would hastily offer prayers. It was really... uncomfortable and eerie. ''Did Nemo feel like this too?'' ...That couldn''t be. He is a real angel, and I''m just an ordinary person. Eleanor dismissed the strange thought and focused again on the conversation between Margaret and Harriot. They were discussing that it might be okay to make the sterilization cycle for syringes and other equipment more frequent... Fling. Suddenly, the tent door opens. Wondering what it was, she turned to see a familiar face. "Lord Raleigh!" It was Lord Raleigh, who had already overcome the plague. He was still continuing quarantine work in various places with royal guards and his own servants. It had been difficult to see him for the past few weeks. "...Ah! Just as I thought, you''re both here. It''s been so long since we''ve met. It''s hard to believe we''re in the same city." However, Lord Raleigh''s face showed emotions stronger than the joy of meeting longtime colleagues. Somehow, he seemed anxious and urgent. After glancing around, he gestured to Harriot to step aside for a moment. As Harriot and others left the tent, Eleanor and Margaret were puzzled. No, what important conversation was he going to have that he even sent out his friend Harriot? "Do you two have time now?" "...Pardon?" "I''m asking if you have time. There''s a place we need to visit, and we might have to leave London." "Leave London? What for..." "Don''t be too tense. Just tell me if you have time or not. Will any patients die if you''re not here?" "..." "..." The two shook their heads. Even though they couldn''t have left their posts a few busy weeks ago, now a few days would be fine. "Then, let''s go. The carriage is ready." "Where to?" "Right outside!" "F-first, let me tell the others that we''ll be away for a while..." "Hurry!" Thus, without knowing what was happening, the two hastily handed over their duties and boarded the carriage, which then sped through London. Bewildered, the two looked around as all sorts of scenery quickly passed by outside the window. The carriage seemed somehow luxurious, with gilded decorations throughout. "...Um, it''s my first time riding something like this." When Margaret murmured, Eleanor also replied, "Mine too..." Seeing this, Lord Raleigh grabbed his forehead as if they had a long way to go and said: "Both of you, when we arrive, don''t walk ahead of me. Understand?" "Y-yes?" "And don''t speak before being spoken to, and don''t forget to add ''Your Majesty'' at the beginning of your sentences." "...Pardon?" "Ah, did I not tell you because I was in a hurry? No... I deliberately didn''t mention it to avoid burdening you." Walter Raleigh spoke naturally and matter-of-factly, as if telling them they were going to lunch. "We''re going to see Her Majesty the Queen. Her Majesty urgently wishes to see you two." "...What?" "C-c-can we get off?" "Is that so surprising? After receiving revelations from an angel." "Um...umm?" For an hour, Walter Raleigh explained all sorts of etiquette and manners, but eventually realized that neither of them understood anything at all, and closed his mouth. So the carriage stopped. The carriage door opened. As the two followed Lord Raleigh with frozen steps, a huge door opened. After that, passing through magnificent corridors, magnificent doors, and people in magnificent attire, the two succeeded in completely turning into statues. Chapter 50 - 50: Queens Summons (2) When Lord Raleigh stood in front of the last door. Creeeeak. "...Walt, have you come?" "Your Majesty." "..." "..." They faced the monarch of England. While Raleigh naturally bowed to the Queen, the other two were terribly frozen and creaked like machines. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ah, are they... the rumored..." "Yes, they are." Both had memories of cheering and waving hands when the Queen''s carriage passed by from afar. They seemed to have memories of slightly making eye contact at that time. But it was different now. "Both of you... from whom did you learn medicine?" When the Queen approached them and asked the question. Eleanor felt like she was going to faint. "We h-haven''t learned it, um." "...Your Majesty." "Your Majesty." Eleanor quickly adds the honorific to the end of her sentence as Lord Raleigh points it out. As Elizabeth laughs at the sight, Eleanor and Margaret also awkwardly laugh, following the Queen. Only Raleigh hits his forehead as if he knew this would happen, and Elizabeth quietly whispers to Raleigh. "...They''re cute. Two young maidens." "One is a widow. She has a daughter across the Atlantic." "Ah, is that so?" The Queen nodded and said: "So, I heard you developed a cure for the plague?" At those words, Eleanor almost answered, "Pardon?" Come to think of it, this was the situation they had agreed upon before coming to England. "Y-yes. While gathering herbs near the colony, we found a sick person and brewed medicine, but thinking it would be better to inject it into the blood vessels, with the help of the natives..." "Can it be made in England too?" "Pardon?" "If I give you a patent, can you make and sell it in England too?" Startled, Eleanor looked at the Queen, and the Queen''s eyes momentarily changed like a viper''s... "I-it would be impossible... Your Majesty. Since those ingredients only grow in America..." Her expression softens again in an instant. "Is that so?" "...Yes. Moreover, even gathering those ingredients is very difficult and required the help of the natives." "..." "..." The Queen silently glares at Eleanor, Margaret, and Raleigh, then continues: "...Two uneducated women, with the help of natives, made a medicine that happened to be suitable for the plague? And just as you brought that medicine, the plague was spreading in England?" "Your Majesty?" "Do you know what people in the world call this? They call it a ''miracle.''" "..." "..." "..." For a moment, the air around them grows cold. The Queen nods toward Eleanor and says: "Show me the device you use to inject that mysterious medicine into blood vessels." Eleanor trembles, looking back at Margaret and Lord Raleigh, then hands over the syringe. Elizabeth examines it carefully, puts it down, and says: "To make such a thin needle... no, such a thin tube." "That''s right, Your Majesty. The people of America, though they don''t know the Lord, cannot be called barbarians. Now that they also know the Lord, they are equal to us or even superior." "Hmm." "Having gained such allies, it would now be simple for Your Majesty to drive Spanish hegemony from the Atlantic..." "Walt." "Yes, Your Majesty." "I don''t want to discuss alliances with those I haven''t even met yet. Isn''t that too distant a matter? I want to focus on this miracle before my eyes." "..." "..." "..." Had the Queen noticed something strange? Could it be that the Queen... "Angel." "...!" Now Eleanor could barely breathe. "An angel brought this, telling you to go and save London." Eleanor almost burst into tears. Her Majesty the Queen knew everything. Now Nemo would have to convert the Queen, or if not...! "...How about announcing it that way?" "...Pardon?" "Hmm, it seems this was too difficult for you to understand. Lord Raleigh?" "Yes, Your Majesty. Um... I think it''s an excellent strategy." "Your complexion does not look good. You seem to have a lot of cold sweat on your face. They say you''ve just recovered from the plague, has your health not returned yet?" "No, that''s not it." "Hmm. Then fine." Eleanor almost collapsed as her strength drained away. Margaret was still trembling. "I''ve already told Lord Walsingham beforehand. His minions will soon spread rumors throughout London. Then you just need to act accordingly. Understand?" The Queen seemed to notice something was off, but unable to imagine a ''real angel,'' she laughed it off. Eleanor responds with a surprised expression (this wasn''t acting) to the Queen''s words. "But, um... isn''t that a lie?" "It''s not a lie. It can be called a bit of spice sprinkled on a plain truth." In fact, the truth isn''t plain at all. "If you don''t want to, there''s nothing to be done. But if you are loyal to my authority given by the Lord, you should naturally follow." The Queen''s face hardens seriously. "We are now at war with Spain. Your existence will unite the hearts of the devout English subjects and prove that the Lord''s holy will lies in England''s victory." "..." "Therefore, you must have received a revelation about London''s plague from an angel. What do you say?" "Soon the French Queen Mother Catherine de Medici will die in 1589. From 1592 to 1593, there will be an epidemic in London... Ah, was Descartes born in 1596?" She still recalls those words heard when meeting the angel for the second time. She still doesn''t know who Descartes is. Ah, he''s not born yet. Eleanor glanced at Lord Raleigh. Lord Raleigh also signaled to her with his eyes. ''Do it.'' "I will do it. For the sake of my country and the Lord!" "Good. A most excellent decision!" Elizabeth smiled with satisfaction and smiled at the two. "I always disliked that self-proclaimed saint, the witch Joanna (Joan of Arc) from France! Now we have something similar too! And two at that!" "..." "..." "Ah, I''m not saying you''re witches. I mean you''ll become saints. Walt, what do you think?" "The French witch was captured by our army and burned under a fair trial, so she must have been a fake. But these two, unlike that witch, were revealed to save people instead of killing them, so they are many times greater." "Indeed... your opinion is exactly the same as mine." Clap! Elizabeth declares while clapping her hands. "Margaret Lawrence, Eleanor Dare." "Yes?" "...Yes." "You are now Saint Margaret and Saint Eleanor of London." That''s... how it happened. == "W-we were picking herbs near Roanoke Island on the east coast of the New World. That day, many herbs were found, so we were praying to God." 1 When the saints were gathering herbs in the deep valley of Roanoke Island and offering prayers to the Lord, satisfied with their day''s harvest "Then, suddenly Margaret opened her eyes during prayer and said she heard a strange sound from over there." 2 Margaret opened her eyes during prayer and said, "Eleanor, do you not hear a strange voice from that deep place?" "So we went over there." 3 And the two daughters of man went forth to the place where the voice came from, greatly afraid and also marveling. "Then suddenly, flash! And the angel...!" 4 And the two saw and heard that the angel had six wings each, and when the wings moved, they created all kinds of winds, and the body in the middle floated in the air, and its radiance was purer than the sun 5 And he spake without ceasing, saying, "Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." 6 In one hand he grasped radiance, and with the other hand he lifted a sword that could cut well-tempered metal. "...Anyway, it was amazing." 7 The two knelt with reverent hearts and worshipped "So the angel pointed east with the sword and said, ''Go! Go and save England!'' and disappeared. And then suddenly, the method to make medicine came to our minds..." 8 And they asked the angel, "Why dost thou appear unto us?" 9 And the angel raised the great sword and pointed eastward, saying, "Thou, Eleanor, thou, Margaret, go ye and save your homeland and seek the will of the Lord as a thirsty person seeks a spring." 10 And the angel''s form disappeared without a trace, and the two discussed, saying, "This is not the work of man, but the miracle of the Lord. You shall grind the herbs, and I shall extract the juice, and we shall hurry to London to defeat the evil disease." ... ... ... "Um... are you writing down exactly what I''m saying?" "Of course, Saint Eleanor. Please continue." "...You''re really writing down exactly what I said, right?" No, they weren''t. Chapter 51 - 51: The Return (1) This is the fifth new year since I came here. "Angel! When is Mom coming? I miss Mom, so please tell her to come back!" "Virginia! You can''t do that to Mr. Nemo!" "Hahaha, she''ll be here soon." Virginia Dare, who was toddling when I first saw her, is now 5 years old, or 7 by Japanese age counting. "Your mother went to do a very noble task. She''ll come back with lots of gifts for our Virginia!" "Wowww! Will I have many new friends too?" "Of course! 10! 20! No, more than 30 will come!" "Wowwwww!" "...Mr. Nemo, is it okay to say that much to a child?" "Don''t worry, Vicente. This time, that many children really will come." If Raleigh is as politically capable as I''ve seen, and if the streptomycin worked well, then Raleigh, Eleanor, and Margaret would have become heroes of London. Especially if Raleigh became not simply the Queen''s favorite but a powerful politician with popular support and a solid power base? Then how many resources could he bring? "First, since the settlers who arrived earlier said they''d bring their families, we''ll easily exceed 500 people. There will be many family unit settlers." Yes. Raleigh will filter out those who come alone just to make a quick fortune in the colony. Probably many will come with the intention of settling here permanently. "Besides, isn''t London always suffering from overpopulation? If the plague situation was handled well, Lord Raleigh could bring considerable resources." I''m really... expecting a lot, Walter Raleigh. How many will come? 700? Or 800? Maybe... over 1,000 might come. Then this community''s population would approach 9,000, but how would I utilize all those people? Building clipper ships, trading, growing wheat, potatoes, and grapes... No. I''m not even hoping for 1,000. With just 800, there''s so much we could do. First, shipbuilding would become much easier, and if there are just a few more blacksmiths among them, I could realize dreams I couldn''t implement before. Yes. Just bring 800 people. "Oh my! What is our granddaughter doing, holding onto Mr. Nemo''s pants!" "Grandpa! When is Mom coming!" "Eleanor will be here soon, so don''t worry! Hahaha!" With all these expectations, we successfully finished the New Year''s Day party, followed by several days of Christmas holidays. After that, about... a week passed? "A ship, a ship is visible! Mr. Nemo! I can see a ship!" "Where is it, Manteo!" "Over there, east-southeast!" Taking the telescope from Manteo and looking in that direction... ...Oh! A ship is slowly coming over the horizon. The red cross flag at the very top confirms that it''s an English vessel. Behind it, one by one, more ships reveal their masts. Like that, all 5 ships that had left this place are returning... "..." "..." "..." One more. Another one. Yet another one. ... ... ...Huh? "It''s Mom! Mom is waving her hand over there! Mom really came!" "..." "..." "..." While Virginia jumps around excitedly, we were frozen and couldn''t do anything. Others who came to see the ships at Manteo''s call also stopped with their mouths open as the number of ships exceeded expectations. Like that, 22 ships reached Chesapeake Bay. "Mr. Nemo! We''ve returned! Volunteers gathered by the thousands, so we had to sort through them and..." "..." S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...Mr. Nemo?" I cautiously asked Walter Raleigh, who had excitedly jumped down to the pier. "...How many people in total?" "How many? Excluding all the sailors and laborers who will return to England?" "Yes." "About... 2,000?" Wow. Double the maximum I had expected. "Among them, blacksmiths and shipwrights combined make up one-tenth. They''re veterans who built England''s finest ship, the Ark Royal!!" "Whoa..." One-tenth of them are the skilled technicians we''d been desperately searching for. "Of course, we brought 100 more dairy cows!" 100 more dairy cows needed for smallpox vaccination of the natives. I felt like... the protagonist of an American self-help book who helped an old lady on the street, only to find out she was a third-generation chaebol and inherited a massive fortune. I was dumbfounded. "I, I think we need an explanation." "It''s, it''s the land of the Holy Women!" "Good heavens, it''s the angel''s continent!" "...Right now." I asked Walter Raleigh, and Eleanor Dare and Margaret Lawrence who disembarked after him. What exactly happened here? == "So... it started as nothing special. Her Majesty the Queen took me and Margaret back to Whitehall Palace in London. Under the pretext that there were people staying in London to care for the poor, and she couldn''t be the only one escaping from London. In fact, early winter had come and the plague was almost contained, so she returned to the palace. Anyway. At Whitehall Palace, she praised us as England''s true holy women, gathered all sorts of nobles and clergy, and in front of them made us tell the story of meeting the angel..." "...Did you talk about me?" "Ah, no. Well, it was about you, Mr. Nemo... but appropriately distorted for propaganda..." "Ah, I understand roughly. And then?" "After that, we had no time to treat anyone. Wherever we went, crowds gathered to grab our hands and clothes, or ask for prayers..." "..." "..." "..." "Anyway, so statues were carved in some square, I preached with the Archbishop of Canterbury at Westminster Abbey, and experienced all sorts of strange things..." "Then when you were about to leave, volunteers from everywhere gathered, saying they would follow the holy women?" "That''s right! Exactly!" "Um... I see." "..." "...Holy woman?" "Ah, that... please don''t." "Alright. Eleanor? Miss Lawrence? Is that all there is to the story?" "Ah, no. That''s not all..." Eleanor and Margaret peek at each other, then turn to Raleigh. Suddenly, Raleigh stands up and bows his head to me. "Mr. Nemo, thank you. It''s all thanks to you." "What do you mean, Lord Raleigh?" "I am no longer a ''Lord''." "Then..." Raleigh lifts one corner of his mouth and says. "...Please call me Baron of Roanoke." "Oh..." "And, John White. You must come with me to London on the next voyage." "What? What for?" "It''s time for you to have something attached to your name too. Isn''t that right, Sir John White?" "..." White''s face freezes the moment he hears this. I briefly consider his life''s hardships. Come to think of it, this year is 1593. This is the year he should have died lonely, having lost his daughter and granddaughter. "...Si, Sir? Me, a knight... really?" Born to a humble commoner family, even when Lord Raleigh appointed him as governor, his family background had to be fabricated as that of a fine gentleman class. But now no fabrication is necessary. "I... nobility..." Because the ''White family'' is no longer just a fake shell. White stared at us speechlessly for a moment... then looked out the distant window. Tears of joy fell from his eyes. ...Anyway. Um... so... let me summarize. 1).Eleanor Dare and Margaret Lawrence have become ''holy women.'' 2).Walter Raleigh ''Lord'' is now Walter Raleigh ''Baron,'' and his loyal follower John White will also become nobility. That''s... roughly the summary. Now let''s look at the facts that branch out from there. 1).Many people have requested to immigrate here, following Eleanor Dare and Margaret Lawrence. 2).Walter Raleigh ''Baron'' has now become the Queen''s complete right-hand man and has come here with massive support. He brought shipwrights to build clippers, along with blacksmiths, carpenters, and all sorts of experts. ...The population exceeded 10,000 overnight. Among them, more than 2,000 have never seen my ''immortality'' with their own eyes. Meanwhile, the number of craftsmen has increased several times. Walter Raleigh has already started designing ships just by looking at the clipper drawing I gave him, gauging the internal structure and overall layout. The shipwrights have begun processing the abundant timber of the New World according to his orders. "..." Am I happy? Of course I''m happy. My forces have become several times stronger in an instant. Moreover, most of the new immigrants were treated for the plague in London. They''ve already witnessed miracles, so if I scatter them among the other 8,000 people, they can naturally be converted into ''Nemo faction'' believers. But. ''...What''s next?'' Chapter 52 - 52: The Return (2) I also have many concerns. What should I do next? Those people have received grace from the ''holy women'' I sent, and they followed in their footsteps all the way here. Therefore, it won''t be too difficult for me to recruit them. But having accepted thousands of English people, this place is now inevitably connected to England forever. In the future, the population here will grow from 10,000 to 20,000, to 100,000. How should I recruit them? Can a society with a population in the tens of thousands continue to operate in the previous makeshift manner? And one more worry. ''...Spain.'' England and Spain are still at war. It''s no exaggeration to say that the entire Atlantic is their battlefield. And new English sailing ships are being built here? Thousands of English people living here? For Spain, this has become a place worth mobilizing a large army to crush. How will I fend off their possible invasion? Thus, two problems arise in my mind. They say too big a gift can simultaneously become a big problem. After pondering these concerns for a long time in my head... "Lord Raleigh? No, Baron of Roanoke?" "Just call me Walter." "...Walter, there''s one thing I''d like to ask." "Ask anything." "I wonder if it''s possible to import something from England..." I''ve slowly reached a conclusion. "What is it?" Walter asked, and I answered. "Cannons." This colony needs power. == "Look! It''s Sir Walter Raleigh!" As a ship with the emblem of an angel holding a saw appeared on the Thames, many people began to gather. Spectators wave handkerchiefs at the ship and shout cheers. "Long live Raleigh! Long live England!" "Baron of Roanoke! Please look this way!" If Eleanor and Margaret became ''holy women'' of London, then Walter Raleigh, who brought them and led London''s quarantine efforts alongside them? He was already enjoying popularity equivalent to a saint of London. As the first contributor to ending the plague, he received the title of Baron of Roanoke and massive rewards, a truly great man. Wherever Raleigh went, citizens'' cheers were unceasing, as if a king was passing by, and this continued until the carriage carrying Raleigh headed to Whitehall Palace. After getting out of the carriage, Raleigh took two people with him and went straight to the audience chamber. Soon, the Queen and her ministers, and the nobles of the court who were waiting for him, greeted him. "Your Majesty, this time too, I have brought precious treasures from the New World." And just as he had done in the voyage before last, numerous boxes streamed into the audience chamber. Elizabeth''s eyes were tinted with greed... then shifted her gaze to the two men Raleigh brought. "So. You are John White?" "I, I am honored to meet Your Majesty." "Look forward to it. I shall give substantial rewards to those who have expanded my territory..." As the Queen''s smile swept over White, he nervously bowed deeply. And the Queen''s gaze immediately moved to... the other man. "...Who is that person?" "He is an envoy sent by the ''Native Emperor''." At that moment, everyone in the court fell silent. The man who gave the precisely made ''syringe'' as a gift, contributing greatly to containing London''s plague. The owner of precisely cut gems and vast territories, all sorts of sweet fruits and overflowing wealth. A great Christian who sought the Lord''s word himself and was baptized. A powerful ally across the Atlantic. "He is called Oitotan, a... vassal of His Majesty." The American whose name was mentioned briefly turned his head and nodded. Then he shifted his gaze again, looking around the palace. With an indifferent face. Elizabeth raised one eyebrow at his attitude, and the nobles whispered. "...His reaction is completely different from when that person called Manteo came here a few years ago." "Indeed, as a servant of the great emperor, does he think England''s court is nothing special?" The imagination of the great native emperor''s court grows lushly in their minds again. Raleigh let their imagination develop on its own and spoke. "Your Majesty, I would like to petition to bring one item to the Virginia colony." "An item?" "Yes. We need cannons." "...Cannons?" "Indeed. We need cannons to counter the attack of the Spanish." English cast iron cannons are slightly inferior in quality to continental bronze cannons but are several times cheaper, making them an important strategic resource for England. Export is also prohibited. "Hmm." "Your Majesty, Virginia will be an important stopover to strike Spanish colonies in America. Also, now religiously..." Lord William Cecil, the Secretary of State, whispers to her as she contemplates. Other ministers of the Queen also come to her side and whisper, making the Queen''s eyes become clearer. It was clear that the ministers'' opinions had converged for the first time in a very long while. The Queen waves her hand to dismiss the ministers. Then she looks at Lord Raleigh with a satisfied smile. "...Yes. You are right. I will issue a charter permitting the export of cannons to Virginia, so arm the colony. We must protect the ''Land of Angels'', mustn''t we." "Thank you." "Now it''s time to hear what the ''Emperor''s'' envoy has to say." "..." At the Queen''s words, Raleigh naturally steps back to let Oitotan come forward. And Oitotan briefly looks around the palace... Swish. He takes something out from inside his clothes. As Oitotan approaches the Queen, an attendant extends a hand to receive it on her behalf. The Queen... soon receives the item from the attendant and flinches. ''To Elizabeth, Queen of England, a gift from the Emperor of America. May our friendship be eternal.'' Words engraved on a cylinder made of aluminum. When she pulls the ring placed on top, the aluminum lid opens smoothly, revealing the contents inside. It was a precious pineapple. "Hearing that pineapples are rare in Europe, His Majesty sent this. It is a pineapple sealed in aluminum." Queen Elizabeth opens her eyes wide and looks alternatively at Oitotan and Lord Raleigh. Then, looking at the thin, sharp lid she just removed, she says. "...What should I do with this lid? Should I melt it and make it into other ornaments?" As Raleigh tries to answer, Oitotan speaks first. "Throw away." Though his English was awkward, that one phrase silenced the crowd. "...What did you say?" S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "To us, precious. To him, not. He throws away." "..." "...He also throws away dirty clothes. It''s okay. Because new ones are made. Is it the same here?" "No, we practice frugality in the name of the Lord..." "The chiefs of England are poor." Oitotan recalls Nemo. He used all things and immediately discarded them. Yet there was no shortage in his wealth. But the people here move carefully, anxiously, wearing all sorts of splendid jewels. Nemo was different. He didn''t handle any object with care. Because he didn''t need to. The only things he handled carefully were food and drink, like that pineapple. So, with pure curiosity, Oitotan asked. "Raleigh, are such small jewels precious to you people?" "..." Rumors about the wealthy emperor of the New World grew luxuriantly today too. And. "People... sell land? The beasts made of iron, are they not here? The one that supposedly tore Spaniards to death..." And thus, the courage of some adventurers who dreamed of plundering that wealthy emperor was broken. Chapter 53 - 53: Building the Clipper (1) July 1593. Wow, it''s already July. These days, time seems to be passing insanely fast. ''Or... I''ve just lost my sense of time.'' Unlike the precisely scheduled life of a 21st-century grape farmer, the life of a 16th-century angel is, how should I put it? Extremely relaxed. Sow seeds around this time. Harvest grapes around this time. The new settlers are causing a commotion wanting to see the angel, so... let''s set a time around this period. It''s really like ''around this time'' in this way. Without utility bills or rent to pay by specific dates, life spreads out without a sense of time. What gives me a sense of time is the rapidly growing Virginia and... "This way! Just about three more steps this way!" "Bring more hammers and nails over here!" This settlement. The shipyard, which took months to lay the foundation, erect pillars, and make many people suffer, is now on the verge of completion. The sawmill built next to it is also smoothly starting to produce lumber without me having to use any special future knowledge. The only place I paid special attention to was the timber drying facility located between them. "Here, please design the ceiling so heat spreads evenly." "Understood." "Also, we''ll place stoves here and there, so please pay special attention to prevent the wood from cracking or catching fire." "I''ll keep that in mind, Mr. Nemo." This was worth my knowledge and assets getting involved. Whether it''s timber or fruits and vegetables, they all grow mold if you make even one mistake. First, the sawn timber undergoes a simple but special process, then is moved to the drying facility. Then we install stoves to maintain a high temperature in the drying facility, and move several sulfur fumigators from the farm to manage various pests and diseases such as mold and insects to prevent damage to the timber. We prepared plenty of dried timber like that, and prepared the shipyard facilities. "Mr. Nemo! Walter Raleigh has returned! With as many as 210 cannons! This is enough to properly arm several large ships!" And we waited until Raleigh returned. "Perfect timing. I''ve prepared timber for the ships here, please take a look." "It''s just right! Excellent! May I check it?" "Of course." "Ah! You said that''s the timber drying facility over there? I should go there, right?" "Let''s go see together." "Well then, let''s..." "What''s wrong?" "..." Raleigh''s face stiffens slightly as he sees the timber stacked in the warehouse next to the drying facility. "This... the wood is different from what I expected? It''s strangely... fresh? And it has a greenish tint?" That''s because I gave it special treatment. I soaked it in agricultural copper hydroxide. The outer coating has been treated with preservatives, so it will last much longer than most timber from this era. Plus I fumigated it with sulfur vapor, so there''s no worry about insects or rot after months of storage. "Oh... oh my..." "What do you think? When can we start building the ''clipper''?" "..." Raleigh absentmindedly strokes the timber, then looks at me and says. "Once the design is done... immediately." Done. Success. "Looking closely, its internal structure is clearly different from other ships on earth. Hmm... this frame like this? It''s not just the arrangement of the sails that''s unusual?" After that, we devoted ourselves to reverse engineering. "Is that so? I wouldn''t know." "You said you were ignorant about ships, Mr. Nemo. But as someone who has designed ships myself, I can assure you. This ship is an innovation." Of course it''s an innovation. It''s a 19th-century ship. I took screenshots of the ship construction scenes from the loading screen of ''Anno 1800'', along with the ship''s form and manufacturing process visible in every corner, and presented them to Raleigh. The rest is up to Raleigh. ...It feels like asking someone to build an Iron Man suit after only watching the Iron Man movies, but this is our best option. I''ve done my best too, I mean. And the conclusion. "I can''t build this according to the original design." "...What did you say?" Has he finally gone mad from overwork? How much were the facilities we built for this, and how much time did we invest? "If you look closely... um... here, this frame part?" "Yes. I can see it too. You''re talking about the slightly darker part, right?" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Yes, Mr. Nemo. That part appears to be steel. Should we modify the design? I don''t think we can procure this much steel, though." Raleigh cautiously asked me, and for now, he was right. A steel frame? We''re not a blacksmith shop, and we can''t make something like that with 21st-century farm technology. Even if we melt and reuse steel from our house, it would ultimately be done in a primitive 16th-century forge. But thinking a bit more, I could find the answer. "Then how about modifying this part like this?" "What do you mean?" "Don''t we have another material that''s stronger than steel and available in large quantities?" Lexan (PC) panels. The frame of our clipper ship is now Lexan panels + steel square tubes. == One day, I turned on a game with an excited heart... and unexpectedly fell into the 16th century, separated from family and relatives. I was even stabbed twice. In that situation, I''m not grateful that Fansuku Software gave me a cheat... but I''ll thoroughly use the benefits I''ve received. I won''t waste even a single part of this farm. Lexan panels. They''re already stronger than steel and lighter too. I''ll make a truss structure with steel square tubes and insert Lexan panels into the faces. That''s how we''ll make the ship''s keel. Of course, the normal lifespan of Lexan panels is 10 years under sunlight, but that''s the same for iron and wood. Lexan panels need to see sunlight to corrode... but since we''ll use them for the internal frame, there''s no problem. When we combine the transparent panels and steel square tubes we''ve been accumulating, the estimate roughly works out. It''s definitely possible. Just to be sure, I had the craftsmen experiment, and it didn''t fall short in terms of strength or elasticity. The result was ''definitely possible''. Yes. I''m going to build a sailing ship with Lexan panels in the 16th century. ... ... ... ...I mean, it seems crazy to put engineering plastic into a 19th-century warship, but if that''s the case, we shouldn''t have built a 19th-century warship in the 16th century in the first place. So once we ''really'' did it, the construction of the clipper was back on track. The ships will become fast transport vessels carrying the colony''s goods while simultaneously becoming warships loaded with numerous cannons to protect our colony from the Spanish navy. Chapter 54 - 54: Building the Clipper (2) Timber is continuously produced as we clear land for farming, and similarly, Lexan panels and other materials are steadily produced, so building the ships was now just a matter of time. "Probably within a year? Maybe it will be built much faster than that." Raleigh asserted. Good. Wait a little longer, and 19th-century sailing ships will export our farm''s special 21st-century improved grape gift sets to England. In the meantime, we''ll scout the surroundings with the Nautilus and monitor the Spanish navy''s movements, while defending the coast with cast iron cannons imported in large quantities from England. As long as the Spanish army doesn''t invade right away, there''s no big problem. No, even if the Spanish army invades, we won''t just meekly submit. We have enough military power. "Fire!" Ratatatatat! I once read a column about why the 19th-century British Empire''s army was the most powerful army. It mentioned having a lot of gunpowder based on saltpeter from the Indian Empire. What''s important isn''t just the fact that they had a lot of gunpowder. "Fire again!" Rattat! Ratatat! What''s important is that having a lot of gunpowder meant they could practice shooting anytime. It''s the same for us. The reason is clear. Black powder consists of three main ingredients. Sulfur. Potassium nitrate. Charcoal. All of these come from our farm. Not only that, but items like iron pipes and copper tubes are also produced endlessly, so we were able to implement a 1 household, 1 musket policy. That''s right. Each household should possess at least a firearm to be truly American. ...Of course, that''s not the reason, but first of all, with alligators and wolves appearing more frequently than Edo Period tigers in the area, every household inevitably ended up with a firearm. After solving the colony''s immediate defense problem that way, the time had come. "Now finally... it''s time to return with the grapes." Walter Raleigh rubs his hands together and shows a meaningful smile. "That''s right, Walter." Somehow, the same smile forms at the corners of my mouth too. "But I''m curious. Why did you tell me to bring cork oak bark?" "...There''s a reason for everything." Wine bottle stoppers. Finally, with the introduction of cork, the three marvels of long-term wine preservation ¨C sulfites, cork, and glass bottles ¨C will be complete. This means we can now export the wines we''ve been brewing after aging them for a few years...! "Yes, Mr. Nemo?" "...It''s for the Lord''s precious blood, so please prepare it thoroughly." "Ah, I understand. I''ll do my best." Wine = the Lord''s blood. I didn''t lie. "I''ll never forget my experience here! Mr. Nemo, you''ve been my fountain of inspiration!" "...That wasn''t my intention, but I''m glad you found inspiration." Shakespeare needs to continue his creative activities, so it''s bye-bye now. Anyway, since he''s become a follower of Nemo, he''ll do his part in England. The clipper is still far from completion. Raleigh and Shakespeare returned on the same ship they came on from England. After sending them off, I focused again on shipbuilding and various other tasks. The most important of these various tasks was... the issue of ''administration''. == 10,000 people. In 21st century Japan, this would be a small number, equivalent to just a few apartment complexes, but in ancient times, it''s enough to establish a country, and in this era, it''s enough to form a small to medium-sized city. It''s fine for the residents of Croatan Island, who number only 200 or 300, but the enormous population living in Chesapeake slowly needed control. "People are starting to cultivate gardens around their homes." "Hmm? That''s good news. It seems there''s enough land." "No. It''s not entirely good news." "Hmm... could you explain in detail, Mr. Hewet?" Especially in land distribution. "Until now, people have been tilling fields together and sharing, haven''t they?" "Yes. Because there wasn''t much cleared land to cultivate." "That''s right. But that won''t be the case anymore. It''s time for everyone to start coveting land." Hewet was the first to notice this trend. "People are gradually planting vegetable seeds they brought from Europe near their homes and dividing the land." "Hmm..." "Of course, it''s not serious now. But..." Hewet glanced at the excavator and tiller parked in a corner of my hut as he spoke. "Well... land clearing that would normally take years has been completed in just a few months, so it''s only a matter of time before this issue erupts." "...Hmm. So when everyone had to share food in a cramped space, they worked together and shared, but now the scale has become large enough for everyone to split up?" Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That''s right. I heard from Manteo that even the natives are in a similar situation." Got it. I understand roughly. "Then we should divide the land appropriately into parcels and distribute them. My work is going to increase from now on. How should I handle this..." Is it time for the privatization of commons? As I nodded my head appropriately, Hewet, who looked worried for some reason, started to gauge my reaction. Why? "Um... there would be no such issue in heaven, but normally in such cases, humans establish a ''government'' to mediate conflicts." "..." "In other words, Mr. Nemo doesn''t need to take on all the work. Yes." "...I know that." I forgot. Living too much like a village head, I just got schooled by a 16th-century person about ''This is a [government]. You can make the governance system sophisticated...'' "Oh, I''m sorry. I thought Mr. Nemo might not know much about earthly matters..." "No, that''s understandable." "..." "..." How humiliating. "...Anyway, it''s time for Mr. Nemo to form a government." "I suppose so." A government. Dividing land among 10,000 people is not something that can be decided quickly by gathering people for a meeting like we''ve been doing. Something more systematic and precise is needed. "Hmm..." Like an Excel file... huh? As I pondered for a while, Hewet blinked his eyes. No, he probably means what''s there to think about? Just tell Lord Raleigh and delegate various tasks. But that wouldn''t be ''efficient''. "...I think I know something. Mr. Hewet, would you come to my room after waiting a bit?" "What?" I found the tablet in my bag and called Hewet. "What is this... object? It''s glowing." Now, it''s time to restore the pride of a 21st-century person. "This is something called a ''computer''." "Com...puter?" Ah, you don''t know? "Here, press the left button of this ''mouse''." Click. "The picture in this frame is moving! What, what is this...!" I smiled at Hewet and said. "Now, this is called a ''click''. And..." I took the mouse back from Hewet and opened Excel. "...With this, we''re going to create a ''government''." If I''ve received it, I''ll use it. Excel is definitely included. Chapter 55 - 55: Auxiliary Brain (1) After bringing up the topic with Hewet, I immediately took action. "Um... what? Suddenly, what are you doing?" "Daughter? What''s happening? Um... Mr. Nemo? What brings you here?" First, I called Eleanor Dare and Sir John White. "Please wait a moment. The Nautilus hasn''t finished docking properly... What? What is that? Com...pu?" I should also call Vicente. He''s the representative of about 100 Spanish people. "You said you needed me? No. Suddenly... you thrust this square object at me... it opens? Ugh, the light...!" Needless to say, Manteo, the representative of the natives. "What do you need us for?" "You said you''d teach us about com... something? Then of course we must go!" Along with Hewet, a thoughtful man who first initiated the government discussion with me days earlier¡ªhis skeptical nature balanced by genuine intellectual curiosity¡ªplus Harriot, an accomplished scholar whose astronomical knowledge and linguistic abilities made him an invaluable human resource, and the contemplative Bacon whose methodical mind absorbed new concepts like a sponge. I called all the people I''ve been working with in this settlement. Walter Raleigh is currently in England, so these seven people are all. I took them straight to Croatan Island. Then I brought them to the farm, sat them at a desk, and distributed tablets and laptops. Two laptops my parents used for office work, one laptop I used as a college freshman, one laptop I used after graduating from college, one I used while working... Plus work tablets, Netflix tablets, and more, adding up to 12 devices, both new and old models combined. People usually don''t throw away old laptops or tablets. Of course, I formatted them all to prevent them from finding any suspicious future data. Similarly, I set the language to English for all of them. "From now on... think of these as your auxiliary brains." At my words, Bacon suddenly raised his hand. Feeling somewhat ominous, I nodded to him, and he asked. "When you say brain, do you mean to say that people think with their brains rather than their hearts?" Was this future knowledge too? As I painfully nodded, Bacon again quickly scribbled something in his notebook. Ignoring him, I continued. "...Anyway, the reason this is called an auxiliary brain is simple. It will remember things for you, perform complex numerical calculations for you, and organize data for you." At my words, Eleanor''s eyes widened, and she grasped the tablet I handed her, examining it from all angles. It looked like she was about to say "Computer! Remember to bathe Virginia tomorrow!" so I moved quickly. "Now... look." As the pre-connected projector activated, my screen appeared. "You need to properly see... what you can do with this." == ...Bacon couldn''t believe the scene unfolding before his eyes. "The average age of the early Roanoke Island settlers was 23.3 years. Excluding minors among them..." "Mr. Harriot? Since you seem to understand the usage most quickly, try calculating this. What is 24514 multiplied by 16435?" "Mr. Hewet? You''re understanding just as quickly! Good. Then here, I''ll give you some random names, and try to automatically sort them in alphabetical order." "Excellent! Eleanor? Um... calculate what date it will be 13954 days after August 13, 1377!" Tasks that might take someone all day to organize were performed in an instant with just a few finger movements. Without a single mistake. Without a moment''s error. "..." "Mr. Bacon? Mr. Bacon!" "Uh, oh, yes." "What is the average number of tribe members in the Algonquian tribes in our settlement?" "Um... that is... about 271.38 people." "Good. May I check how you constructed the function?" "...Yes." He could understand why he called it an ''auxiliary brain.'' No, this machine was faster, more precise, and more amazing than a brain. This is... "Oh, oh my... this is a miracle..." "That''s right. This is a miracle. Without this, how many office workers... no, angels would have suffered from tedious tasks? With this alone, all troublesome data organization or numerical calculations become unnecessary." That was true. The past few days spent learning how to operate ''this,'' pressing unfamiliar ''keys,'' and staring at this ''monitor'' until his eyes popped out were painful... but after mastering its use, he rather regretted not knowing about such a thing earlier. "This, this, this... is the hope of all mathematicians and astronomers! With this alone, one could be liberated from all sorts of terrible calculations...!" Harriot also trembled, muttering here and there beside him. Other people like Manteo or Eleanor seemed to perceive it as just a convenient tool, but they were different. "From now on, the full name, date of birth, occupation, family, tribe, hometown, gender, religion, immigration date, and residence of all those who immigrate to this colony will be recorded here." "..." "..." "..." "And the area and location of the land that should be allocated to them in the future will also be organized here." "..." "..." "..." "So, what can we do with this going forward?" What, what can we do? When we can easily organize, classify, and rank information about tens of thousands of people at every moment, what can we do with that? "...Everything." Bacon unconsciously murmured. S~ea??h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. == Ugh, it was incredibly difficult¡ªalmost painfully so. The cultural and conceptual gap felt like trying to explain color to someone who had only ever seen in black and white. It was entirely natural that Manteo didn''t know how to read¡ªliteracy wasn''t common in his society¡ªand the others were so fundamentally disconnected from modern culture that they made even the most technology-resistant 80-year-olds in the 21st century seem like digital natives in comparison. Their minds weren''t hardwired with any of the basic conceptual frameworks we take for granted. In that sense, teaching octogenarians how to use smartphones at a senior center is overwhelmingly easier, practically trivial in comparison. At least those seniors have lived through the gradual evolution of technology, have seen telephones, television, and computers develop over decades. They have reference points. It''s about teaching 21st-century culture to 16th-century people. I didn''t think it would be easy, but I tried anyway. Chapter 56 - 56: Auxiliary Brain (2) I laid out the textbook I used when studying for the Computer Literacy Level 2 certification and taught them ''from scratch.'' "No, don''t do that, Vicente! Don''t break it! That''s the power button!" "Since the computer looks hot, how about cleaning it with water...? Think about it, Eleanor. What would happen if you cut open a person''s stomach and poured cold water when they''re hot? ...No. It might come back even if it breaks, but sparks could be dangerous." "You want to cut it open and examine its structure? That''s good curiosity, but it would be difficult to understand even if you saw it. This is a machine processed so minutely that it''s invisible to the human eye... Hey, don''t touch it! You''ll get hurt!" So, ''from scratch'' means things like this. How to hold a mouse. The purpose of a keyboard. The meaning of function keys. The meaning of a desktop and the use of shortcut icons. And various other things... "Why, why doesn''t this move when I press the screen? It''s different from my daughter''s." That, Sir White, is because your daughter is using a tablet, and you''re using a laptop without a touch screen. "Aaaaaah! Suddenly the screen turned black and I can see my face! What is this...?" That, Manteo, is because you accidentally pressed the power button. "Th-there are people trapped in here! We must save them quickly!" No. There were still videos that weren''t deleted...! ...It was really fortunate that these were electronic devices that would ''never'' break. If they had broken down, my workload would have increased three or four times. Anyway, the concept that nothing on the screen actually exists, and that they are merely the results of reading abstractly complex information in a specific form... was naturally impossible to make them understand. I just said everything on the screen was an illusion. That wasn''t all. "Eleanor? Smile." "What?" Click. "Here, this is called a photograph..." "Kyaaaah! My, my soul is trapped in here!" "No, it''s not." "Kyaaaah! A demon is imitating me from inside the picture!" "That''s not it either." The concept of a digital camera was also impossible to explain in a short time. The best I could do was to have them accept it as a very detailed portrait that''s drawn very quickly. So you can imagine how difficult it was to transfer photos taken with a digital camera to Excel and save them in a table. That''s right. It was really, really difficult. But there was a definite reward for the hard work of educating these seven people. And so. Two months passed. "Um... is it okay? I''ve heard talk about ghosts, souls, and such." "Don''t worry, ma''am. Do you doubt Mr. Nemo? Look this way and smile briefly, and it''s all done! One... two...!" Click. "Ugh, my eyes, it''s blinding." "Don''t worry! It''s almost over now! Here, just write down your name, birthday, hometown, and family members'' names!" "I''m 21 years old... and for occupation... should I say housewife?" "All done! Now go back, and we''ll allocate a suitable field for you!" "Th-thank you! In England, it was my husband''s and my wish to farm on our own decent piece of land, and now like this..." In this manner, over several weeks, we gathered data on approximately 11,282 people. Even those who were reluctant changed their attitude when told they needed to register their identity to be eligible for land distribution. It might be difficult to do something with this data right away, but it will make things much easier when establishing an administrative system in the future. I can guarantee that. That''s why it didn''t take that long to distribute land according to religion, hometown, and ethnicity. This was the power of electronic administration. == "Oh... my goodness." There''s a general impression people have about heaven. Angels in white clothes, and humans who have become like angels, floating in the sky, living in eternal light. Praising the Lord in eternal glory and happiness. Lions graze like sheep, milk and honey flow on the land, and the vast, beautiful meadows are good to walk on barefoot. There, angels are beings who guard beside the Lord''s throne. They praise the Lord''s very existence and sing of eternal happiness. But... um... ''Is this also a product of heaven?'' S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Click. Click click. Harriot watched the smiling faces of about 1,000 people in the Excel file, continuously scrolling up and down. Is there such a thing as administration in heaven too? If so, how great and efficient must heaven''s administration be? The concept of ''decimal points'' that appeared here was also amazing. A system that conveniently expresses numbers less than 1 in decimal rather than fractions, isn''t it amazingly efficient? In addition, various mathematical symbols that conveniently organize formulas, and the way these mathematical symbols are arranged and used. All of this inspired Harriot as a mathematician. How much mathematical progress could be made with the inspiration gained from this ''Excel''? Harriot couldn''t sleep properly again today. He fiddled with Excel all day... and barely closed his eyes at dawn. Heaven... might be a garden of mathematics. If so, God is probably the greatest mathematician. Perhaps it might be possible to describe the world with mathematics. If that could be done... Ah. In a half-asleep state, Harriot got up and opened the laptop again to look at the screen. "What appears on this screen is not real. What? Then what is it, you ask? Hmm... information expressed in an encrypted... no. Just think of it as a moving picture that describes something. It''s an illusion." That''s right. Mr. Nemo also said so. The world inside this laptop... might already be expressed in mathematics. Then, perhaps this world too... such a thing might be possible! In Harriot''s mind, something that ancient Pythagoras thought about, and that future natural philosophers and scientists would think about, began to emerge frantically. He stood up excitedly. He discussed his realization with Bacon, who was the closest to a scientist here. A world expressed in mathematics. As Bacon usually advocated, one explores the truth of the world under rigorous and systematic experiments. And as Harriot just realized, one expresses what has been explored as abstract models through the material of mathematics. The world is a poem written with ink of water, earth, fire, and wind. But the language that forms that grand poem is mathematics. Scientific methodology. That seed, very slightly... began to be planted early in this land. In this New World. In the conversation between Harriot and Bacon. Chapter 57 - 57: New Ventures (1) Finally, we''ve completely settled in Chesapeake Bay. Food to feed 10,000 people continues to be supplied, and the harvest of potatoes, wheat, and barley keeps increasing. The number of livestock has also grown considerably since the beginning. This means we can now conduct challenging ''experiments''. I gathered the settlement representatives who had been running around with computers and said: "Now, we''re going to prepare for corn cultivation." The effort I put into preserving corn seeds while working hard on my garden finally pays off. "What? By corn, do you mean that crop with yellow kernels that we grow?" "Yes, that''s right, Manteo. It has excellent productivity and tastes good too." "But don''t we and other natives already grow it on our own?" "I have superior seeds. Besides, the natives have only cultivated it on a small scale until now." S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I couldn''t grow it until now either. The reason was clear. Corn grows really quickly, abundantly, insanely, but in return, it depletes the land''s fertility. There''s a reason they say corn farming runs on electricity. It takes so much water and nutrients from the soil that land used for corn farming for several years often becomes completely barren. The amount of fertilizer needed for corn farming... is more than what comes from our house. A field slightly over 10 ares (about 1,000 square meters) consumes an entire bag of fertilizer, how could we manage that? But now that we''ve established a settlement in Chesapeake Bay, the soil has improved, and the water supply is much smoother, so it''s worth trying. This place has so much water that our main concern is draining it. "There are several swampy areas near Chesapeake Bay, so let''s turn those into fields. Let''s start by setting up windmills and pumps to drain the water." "If... if it requires that much water and fertilizer, how do we farm corn?" There''s a reason I said the time had come. "Here, we''ll send people near the inner part of Pamlico Sound to extract a certain ''mineral''." Spreading out a resource map of the area copied from the game catalog, I told those gathered here: "After some processing of that mineral, we''ll sprinkle it on the land and farm on top of it. Then the fertilizer problem will be solved." "You''re saying to use minerals as fertilizer? I''ve never even heard of such a thing!" "Yes, Vicente. We will probably be the first." "What is the name of this mineral?" "..." We have sufficient manpower. Therefore, it''s not bad to develop a mine or two. The product from this mine will soon become as precious as gold... I told Vicente: "Phosphate rock." After wrapping up the matter of corn and phosphate mine development, I adjourned the meeting. == Walter Raleigh, returning to Chesapeake after a long time, had secured an enormous amount of capital. This was thanks to the new variety of grapes and aluminum becoming as expensive as gold in England. Because of this, he was able to bring 50 more heavy cast iron cannons to the Virginia colony. All of them would be loaded onto the clipper ships to be newly built. It would be nice if we could make cannons directly in the New World, but non-English cast iron cannons mostly crack and explode, so there''s a big limitation. What Raleigh didn''t know was that it was because English iron contained phosphorus. Anyway, since we bought English cannons, it was time to build ships to install them on. "Transparent panel 15 was just used." Click. "Transparent panel 17 should go in now." Click. The workers move quickly at Walter Raleigh''s words. Raleigh, staring at this strange black panel that came into his hands as soon as he returned... muttered: "Wait, why are 20 panels missing? According to the records, they should all be in warehouse 3." "Ah, that''s... due to lack of space, we temporarily moved them to warehouse 4..." "Tell me in advance next time! Everything has its role, what if they get mixed up? Find them right away!" At his words, the craftsmen grumble about things becoming strict but run off quickly. They wondered what difference it would make just moving a few panels to a different place. And. In that ''strict'' work environment, Walter Raleigh was sweating nervously. ''What is this?'' It had been quite a while since he suddenly received this black slab called a ''computer'' from Mr. Nemo. And it took several whole weeks to learn how to use this strange object. It was only after Mr. Nemo and other apostles cautioned and taught him several times that he barely grasped its basic usage. Calculate, sort, organize. Those three seemed to be the basic uses of this thing called ''Excel''. Judging by its structure, there seemed to be other complex and sophisticated functions, but he didn''t even dare to try touching them. But even that was enough. Raleigh was just beginning to realize how important it is that everything is ''visible at a glance''. He was able to give procedure and system to processes that everyone used to do by instinct, memory, and habit. It feels like moving to another dimension from a work environment where it was natural for a few items to disappear or things to go wrong. Raleigh assigned numbers to each material and alphabetical symbols to each type of material. As a result, Raleigh soon came to clearly see where hundreds and thousands of components that make up that ship were going from and to. Naturally, efficiency increased as well. Useless tasks and various confusions and frictions were reduced to a quarter. This strange sense of omnipotence. The subtle sense of stability that comes from everything finding its place. Walter Raleigh significantly brought forward the completion date of the ship in his mind. ''This might... be completed even earlier than expected.'' Soon, the world''s first ''clipper'' will be completed. Virginia''s new warship that will sail the Atlantic at an unprecedented speed. That''s how Raleigh learned the power of computerization. == From what I''ve heard, my PC has several times better performance than the supercomputer set up by the Japan Meteorological Agency in 2002. Of course, they say its reliability can''t match industrial computers. Mmm, I should have learned programming or computer engineering. My computer knowledge only extends to studying for the Computer Literacy Level 2 certification. I''ve handled computer parts too, but only up to ''assembly''. Therefore, I couldn''t use this computer to calculate the orbits of spacecraft and projectiles, or connect various measuring equipment to predict the weather. Due to my limitations. So for me, a computer is a gaming device or an office equipment. Those bastards at Fansuku Software. If they were going to transport someone, they should have given at least a year''s notice. Then I would have stocked up on history books, game packs, and studied for various certifications. Whatever the case, many problems were solved with just Excel. Chapter 58 - 58: New Ventures (2) "Excuse me, Mr. Nemo?" "What is it, Mr. Hewet?" "I''ve finished organizing the data. I think we need to consolidate it." "Alright. Let''s tell everyone to gather. To go to Croatan, we should leave around this evening." Now eight people, including Walter Raleigh, with eight laptops and tablets, organize information about residents and various resources. That information is transferred to my storage PC on the first Sunday of every month, checked for any duplications or conflicting content, and then finally stored. That''s how our settlement''s DB (Database) operates. It will probably run like this until my 8TB external hard drive fills up... which won''t happen. For now, since something like a ''government'' has been established for our settlement, I can rest assured for the time being... "Mr. Nemo? I actually came to talk to you about that issue." "What''s the matter, Mr. Hewet? What issue?" "About this ''government''." Hewet tilts his head and says: "I understand that thanks to this ''Excel'', we can now more efficiently grasp the current situation. Thanks to Excel, the work was done much faster when distributing land to people." "That''s right. But what are you curious about?" To my question, Hewet answers: "Well, in the end, isn''t this just a list? A government, according to the Lord''s will, gathers the will of equal free people to elect representatives or monarchs, prevents chaos, and enforces rule by law..." Representative election, community order establishment, rule of law. ...What? Except for ''according to the Lord''s will'', it''s similar to social contract theory. Did such things exist in this era too? Bacon was born, but it''s still a long time until people like Hobbes, Locke, or Rousseau are born. I only know their names, not exactly when each was born. I''m not a Western history major. I hide my bewilderment and nod. "That''s right. You''re correct. That''s what a government is." "But I don''t understand how this ''list'' is related to forming a government." "..." "..." "Mr. Hewet." "Yes." "Haven''t you become a bit busier recently?" "What? Come to think of it, it does seem so..." Yes. Of course you don''t know. I recall the time ''before'' the introduction of Excel. During the farming season, I tended my vineyard, helped clear land with an excavator, plowed fields with a tiller, or transported cargo everywhere with a Hijet. When it wasn''t farming season? I had to help with logging operations, running around with a chainsaw. Plus, as a daily routine, storing various consumables including medicinal herbs is also a job. Just the physical labor I do is this much. And then... "Mr. Nemo! Beasts have eaten all the potatoes in our house! I don''t know what to do..." "Mr. Nemo! We two are planning to get married, please give us your blessing!" "Mr. Nemo! Our child has disappeared! Wh-what should we do? Where could our child have gone..." All the civil complaint work fell to me. Because I am an ''angel''. Even in kindergarten, when kids fight and can''t resolve it, don''t they pretend not to and go tell the teacher? It''s exactly the same principle. The ''angel'', presumed to be the most fair, wise, and great, would be able to solve most problems... such magical belief was prevalent in the settlement. This wasn''t a problem when there were 200 or 300 people. Even when natives flocked in large numbers, it was still manageable. Because there were already chiefs who mediated conflicts. But when Raleigh brought 700! 2,000! people, that''s when it became unmanageable. At least for big tasks like land clearing or clipper construction, I would gather people for meetings, but all sorts of miscellaneous tasks besides those ''big tasks'' fell to me. My days... became increasingly desolate. "Now, when you go to people with computers, how do they react?" "Um... first of all, when they get married or move, they have to report to us, right?" "Yes. Because we need to update the list." "As a result, naturally, when such important events happen, they ask us for advice or how they should proceed." "I see." "Additionally, since we''re in charge of land distribution, when people are dissatisfied with land distribution or disputes arise between people, they call us to serve as judges. Since we have the list... oh?" "..." "..." "...That''s right." Now I''m liberated from 15 hours of labor a day. A single human... even with all sorts of cheats, can''t live with 10,000 complainants. Of course, being called an angel, I can''t whine, "Wow! This is too hard! Can''t you help me with this?" It has to sound more plausible. "As Mr. Hewet said, free and equal Algonquians, Englishmen, and Spaniards naturally seek your guidance." Representative election. "Also, to prevent confusion among themselves, don''t they ask you about various matters?" Community order establishment. Thomas Hewet''s eyes trembled as if he had just realized something. "Ah, th-then..." "Then only the task of enforcing rule by law remains." Rule of law. "L-law, how should we..." "The Lord has already established and abolished laws for you, so isn''t the law within your community your responsibility?" The most difficult part remains, and I can''t take that on too. I shook my head benevolently and told Hewet: "Gather people and create just laws. The Lord will be watching over you." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "What do you mean the Lord is watching? Why doesn''t the angel directly establish laws..." "Just as the Lord wishes for the children of men to be righteous, He wishes for human communities to be just. But as He respects human free will, He respects the universal will of human communities." "..." "I have already given you commandments. So it should be you who creates just laws, using those commandments as a foundation." "Ah, I understand." "However, just as the prophet Nathan rebuked David when he ruled chaotically, and Daniel warned Nebuchadnezzar when he worshiped idols, I too will warn you when you stray." "We will... make sure that doesn''t happen!" Saying that, Hewet turns around, seemingly moved. Being an angel has many inconveniences, but there''s one convenience: As long as you say anything plausibly, it''s generally accepted. I respect your free will, so I''ll abstain from law-making and various duties. But I also cherish you, so I''ll intervene whenever I want to. I think it''s a flawless logic. A perfect logic, with a perfect outcome where I neatly cherry-picked all the rights with no obligations. I celebrated the achievement gained from my conversation with Hewet by treating myself to a special ''Crusader Kings'' play session. It was a game I was enjoying after a long time, freed from all sorts of arduous duties. == Hewet moved busily. He tried to gather representatives of the English, Spanish, and Algonquians to begin discussions about forming a government. Having secured a registry, what naturally followed was taxes. Didn''t the Lord also say not to neglect paying taxes? Currently, whenever handling public affairs, they just gather people as needed and handle it. Resources are covered by what Mr. Nemo provides. But that can''t continue in the future when the settlement''s population grows to tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands, or millions. Naturally, they need to collect taxes and form a proper government to run this settlement. Creating laws and the process of enforcing them all require resources. This is fundamental. An obvious fact that doesn''t need to be explained to anyone. Many philosophers have said it, and for many people, this is ''common sense''. Therefore, Hewet believed that this most basic task would proceed easily. "Oitotan, we need to collect taxes. Please gather your tribe members." Then Oitotan replied: "...What is ''tax''?" At that moment, everything went dark before Hewet''s eyes! Chapter 59 - 59: Gift Economy (1) ...Phew. "Good work." "Mr. Nemo? You worked hard." "Not at all." I burned through it. Something ended like a storm. In the meeting hall where all kinds of discussions took place, everyone was exhausted from conversations going back and forth in at least three languages. No... I was planning to stay one step away from the law-making process. I knew it would be tiring. But they all gathered because of me. It would be strange if I just abandoned everything and played games by myself. Anyway, a significant portion of the problems have been solved now. Issues like land ownership, differences in tribal customs, and other complex matters have been somewhat sorted out. It wasn''t complete chaos though. I thought it would be chaotic with dozens of people from various tribes and different denominations gathering, but surprisingly, the atmosphere in the meeting hall was orderly. When people like Eleanor spoke up, dozens who had been chattering enthusiastically just moments before would suddenly fall silent. Thinking about what the criteria might be... They''re all people who have been with me for a long time. Eleanor Dare, Thomas Hewet, Manteo, Vicente Gonz¨¢lez, John White, Walter Raleigh. I saw a religious authority surrounding them like an aura. Hmm... looking back, the meeting process showed who would become the center of our settlement in the future. I should keep that in mind. Anyway, that''s how it was. We''ve mostly finished the difficult issues today, so the rest should be fine! All we need to solve are issues of sectarian autonomy and precedent, the issue of natives who continue to believe in spirit worship, the tax issue, and concerns about conflicts with nearby native tribes, especially the Powhatan tribe! It''s a problem that will be resolved after dozens of people debate for half a day without breaks, so there''s nothing to worry about! Ha, haha! Hahahaha... ''...The conversation just keeps going around in circles.'' The starting point was the tax section. "Once the government is established, everyone will pay a little tax..." "Hmm? Then what does this ''government'' give back to us?" "What? Give back?" "So it just takes without giving anything back?" There was no scenario like in some isekai hero story where everyone does somersaults while accepting explanations like ''This is [tax]. It''s used to handle public affairs.'' The natives were in an uproar because they couldn''t understand the concept of ''giving something to this [government].'' ''Don''t you all already offer labor or goods to Mr. Nemo?'' ''That''s different from this!'' ...I don''t know what''s different either. It reached its climax especially during the discussion about the Powhatan tribe. When the natives brought up something complex and confusing, mixing Algonquian and English, the English and Spanish people got dizzy and interrupted the meeting... Should we accept the Powhatan tribe as allies? Should we be hostile to them? It was something like that, but it was difficult for me and the Europeans to understand. "Wait, if the Powhatan tribe gives a gift... we shouldn''t accept it?" "No. You must accept it. You must accept it, but after accepting it, you must return several times the amount." "What? But they''re saying not to accept it." "They''re saying the wrong thing, so don''t listen to them." "...???" The hardest thing to understand was ''gifts.'' Wait, weren''t we talking about an alliance? Why does the conversation keep revolving around gifts? And each tribe was saying something different. So I asked Manteo. "Should we be hostile to the Powhatan tribe?" "Then you must reject the gifts they send." "...If they sent gifts, doesn''t that mean they''ve submitted? Shouldn''t we accept the gifts then?" "No. Then we would have to return the gifts several times over." "...What?" That''s how it was. I couldn''t understand. "Manteo." So I asked Manteo separately during a meal. "What''s going on here? Why is everyone saying different things?" Those gathered at the meal were the so-called ''apostles.'' A little distance away, Bacon and Harriot were debating some mathematical topic. Just looking at those gathered here, you could tell who was leading this colony. Those who have maintained connections with me for the longest time. The 30 people from Croatan, Manteo''s tribe members, and the Spanish sailors. They are the leaders of this settlement. In addition, a few brains brought from England assist my rule. Anyway. Manteo, who somehow became the representative of the native world, glanced around before turning to me and saying: "As I said earlier... whether it''s the Powhatan tribe or others, if you are hostile to ''natives,'' you should not exchange gifts." I nodded roughly at Manteo''s words. Then Manteo continued: "If they first send a lavish gift, you must either firmly reject it, or if you accept it, you must repay it several times over." "Hmm..." As the conversation between Manteo and me began, others also quietly turned their ears toward us. Seeing that I still had a puzzled expression, Manteo tilted his head. "You still don''t understand... the concept of gifts among us?" "Yes. Honestly, it''s difficult. You call it a gift, but if they sent something first, isn''t it a tribute of surrender? Shouldn''t we just accept it?" "No. Then the enraged Powhatan tribe will wage war against us." "What? Even after receiving the gift?" "They wage war because the gift was received. No, this is..." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Manteo, hearing my words, seemed to be struggling with where to begin explaining... then snapped his fingers. "Ah. Then Mr. Nemo still doesn''t understand why you are our Great Chief?" "What? Isn''t it because I''m the wealthiest?" "No. It''s because you sent gifts to others." "...What?" I briefly trace my memories. I had excess Shine Muscat grapes, so I bartered with Manteo. Manteo distributed the Shine Muscat he received from us to surrounding tribes, and in return gave us various food and luxury items he received. I thought that was the end of it... but later, Oitotan started revering me, saying I was the wealthiest person, the Great Chief, and so on. So I thought that''s how it happened. "No." "...Isn''t that right?" "The barter part is wrong. We never bartered." "...What?" "Think about it. Is it really barter to send jewels, food, and fur pelts for one bunch of grapes? Were the tribes around Pamlico Sound crazy about grapes?" "..." Manteo said: "A gift, that is, in the words of Mr. Nemo and Europeans, is a kind of display. It''s also a show of friendliness. But before that, it''s a display." "..." "..." "..." It was something I''d never heard before. Manteo continued his explanation: "Why do people worship the sun? Because the sun continuously gifts them with light. So people return offerings to the sun, but it still can''t compare to the power and vitality the sun brings. That''s how powerful the sun is. That''s why people worship the sun. Did people barter offerings for sunlight here? No. Isn''t it repaying the gift of sunlight that the sun has given?" "..." "Do you understand?" "I... think I''m starting to." "Giving a gift is a display of ''I am this wealthy,'' and therefore a friendly gesture saying ''enter my sphere of influence.'' Rejecting it means you''re hostile to the other party. It means you don''t respect their power." "And accepting it?" "It means you respect the other party''s power. So we must return gifts to show our power too." "..." "If we are wealthier than the other party and can return something greater than what they gave, then they must acknowledge our power. But if we are poorer than the other party and can only return relatively modest gifts... we''re acknowledging their power." "When does the gift exchange end?" "It never ends. It just continues forever. As long as we are alive." Giving a gift, before expressing friendliness to the other party, is displaying one''s wealth and power. Just as I gave Shine Muscat to Manteo''s tribe. It was a precious fruit that couldn''t be obtained anywhere else. I showed Manteo my power. Manteo then distributed that to surrounding tribes, and the surrounding tribes returned fur, jewels, and food to me. Because it was their obligation. But they were all less precious than Shine Muscat. They probably couldn''t find anything more precious. Therefore, they acknowledged my superiority, and I became their Great Chief. Without my knowledge. Now I think I roughly understand. Chapter 60 - 60: Gift Economy (2) "In that sense, your European kings are strange. How can a leader who receives gifts from those they lead be respected? Shouldn''t the one who gives be respected, and shouldn''t the one who gives lead?" Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "But offering gifts means submission, doesn''t it?" "Why is that submission, Mrs. Dare? It''s generosity and an expression of power." Conversely, Manteo couldn''t understand our way of life. To Manteo, a leader is the wealthiest person. And the wealthiest person is the one who gives the most. Because they give the most, they receive the most respect and gain leadership. To us, a leader is the strongest person. Because they are strong, they dominate and protect all others around them. And in return for protection, they receive numerous treasures from their subjects and gain ruling power. Somehow... it''s completely different. What am I? I suddenly look at the rest of the apostles and Manteo, who have now started arguing. I see them glancing at me. Ah. I am both. I am the strongest. Therefore, I protected them from poverty and disease and gained their loyalty in return. I am simultaneously the wealthiest. Because I gave them so many things, I gained their loyalty in return. ...The tax issue was the same. It''s a natural thing for Europeans. No sane person in this world says "So what are you going to give back?" when gangsters collect protection money. Therefore, it''s natural for them that the government takes taxes, and kings or nobles take taxes. But not for the natives. A leader is naturally someone who gives something. Since it''s natural to return what you''ve received as a gift, they would ''gift'' labor and resources back to him, but taking something one-sidedly is an absurd act of robbery. Like the sun. The sun continues to shine light and warmth on them, but doesn''t expect anything greater in return. "...So, are you saying natives can''t accept an organized government?" Hewet said with a sigh. "That''s nonsense, Manteo. We must somehow teach them about taxes and obedience to the government, and make them part of this settlement." That''s correct. I nodded, and then Manteo spoke again. "Then what about the other natives? Would they look favorably upon an entity that unilaterally extorts something from its subjects?" "..." "Don''t they all have to accept it someday? Will you be satisfied with just over 10,000 people?" Manteo''s words were also right. I had no choice but to nod again. Someone once said that pre-modern states and gangsters are no different. Just as armed gangsters collect protection money and claim they maintain order in the area, ordinary states do the same. To the natives, the Europeans'' so-called ''state'' would look like gangsters. ...As it did in actual history. They suddenly appeared, demanded offerings and loyalty, and when people didn''t listen, they drove them all out and killed them. That was the conclusion drawn by the so-called ''state.'' "..." As Hewet and Manteo continued to argue, I rolled some peas on my plate with a spoon a few times... and reached a conclusion. "Manteo''s words are correct. Even to incorporate other natives, we shouldn''t do that." "...What?" "Our government will decide not to collect taxes." Hewet''s eyes widen. Others also look at me with wide eyes. "However." I nodded. "The government can receive ''gifts'' equal to what it has given. That will substitute for taxes." At first glance, it seemed like just wordplay. But it was the wordplay needed at this moment. With my words, the argument among the ''apostles'' was settled. And once the argument among the ''apostles'' was settled, the argument in the meeting that continued the next day was also settled. There are no taxes. The government does not extort. It only receives gifts in return. Nothing would change immediately. Because I will continue to plow their fields and distribute land to them. In return, they will offer me taxes in the name of gifts. There wasn''t much difference. But the natives quickly understood and all agreed to the matter. So we moved on to the next issue. We all felt something strange. A country without taxes, it sounds like wordplay, but isn''t it strange? Well... nothing will change right away. == A child arrived at Chesapeake Bay, starving. His tribe''s people scattered due to famine. Since the child had no parents, he followed others around until he lost his way. The child became a person alone in this world. Wandering for days and nights with nothing, the child walked east without direction. Because he had heard rumors before. There is a tribe with a very wealthy great chief there, so one wouldn''t starve. If only one could get there, there would be no worries about food. Believing only those words, the boy walked to Chesapeake Bay. Moving with his emaciated body, he had no strength. The boy... staggered... and collapsed. "H-hey, there''s a boy here!" "Q-quickly bring water and porridge first!" The boy was, so to speak, a vagrant. In Spain, the boy would have wandered as a despised beggar for his entire life, sustaining himself through begging. Vagrants are not the state''s concern, but they are worthy of pity. In England, the boy would have been caught by soldiers and then locked up in some workshop, living a life of backbreaking labor. Because an idle vagrant who can work is a loss to the state. "What''s your name?" "Uh... uh..." "Slowly, don''t strain yourself, just tell me your age, name, and hometown." "Ugh..." But this was the Virginia settlement. A place where a giving government exists, not an extorting one. The child soon received food and a place to sleep as a ''gift.'' And soon after regaining consciousness, the child hurriedly picked tree fruits and ''gifted'' them back to Eleanor, who had ''gifted'' him with food and shelter. Then Eleanor smiled, ate those tree fruits expressing gratitude, and ''gifted'' the boy land and seeds. The boy diligently plowed the land and planted the seeds. Finally, after a few months, when fruits formed, the boy ''gifted'' the fruits to Eleanor, and Eleanor stroked the boy''s head and said: "Wait. ''He'' will come to you soon." The boy, puzzled, returned home. And a few days later, hearing a strange roar, he went outside to see a bizarre sight. A beast made of iron was plowing the fields of the boys and neighbors anew. It seemed there would be no need for additional work. And in front of the boy''s hut was a basket. Opening the basket, it was filled with cheese, various foods, and household items. "Uh..." "Are you awake?" The boy suddenly looked up at the man who was driving the iron beast in front of his house. The sun shone behind him. "I am Nemo. Welcome to Virginia." The boy realized he had received a gift from this man that would be insufficient even if he gave everything in his life in return, and soon followed others with grown hair to help cut down trees. Now the boy was a Virginian. Nothing seemed to have changed immediately. Slowly, everything changed. People didn''t follow Virginia''s government because there was a terrifying boss. They were by its side because Virginia''s government, like the sun, endlessly gave. They did not fear their government. Without knowing it themselves, they loved their government. Just as they loved their angel. Chapter 61 - 61: Fundamental Orders (1) ''All free and equal individuals of the Virginia community have gathered to establish governance in accordance with the Lord''s will on this land, to elevate justice, to guarantee everyone''s rightful rights, and to provide protection to those in need of protection. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. We will provide goodwill and gifts to all who wish to be included in our community, and all who wish to be included in our community will return appropriate goodwill and gifts to the community. Also...'' This was the ''Fundamental Orders of Virginia.'' More precisely, it was what Mr. Nemo had ''copied'' and separately distributed to Bacon. Francis Bacon, now smoking tobacco he had learned from Manteo, slowly read through each clause. After the meeting ended, the fundamental law, which Hewet, Harriot, Raleigh, and others had worked on for days and nights, contained all sorts of strange content. A clause stating that there is no tax that the state can first demand from individuals, and that the state only gives gifts and takes returns. A clause stating that since such gifts include land to cultivate, food to eat, and houses to live in, the government must provide such things. A clause stating that since all individuals are equal before the Lord, an assembly should be established where everyone can vote regardless of status and gender to establish laws and solve various problems. "..." Many of the contents within the document still remain puzzling and unconvincing to contemporary analysts. The fascinating intersection of Algonquian customs and European common sense gave birth to remarkably strange and unique content that extended well beyond the established ''gift system.'' For example, the document contains a revolutionary clause stating that when someone dies intestate¡ªwithout a specified will¡ªproperty is distributed equally to all close relatives regardless of gender distinction. This progressive clause arose because many Algonquian communities maintained a matrilineal inheritance system, standing in stark contrast to European societies where patrilineal inheritance predominated. The Algonquian tradition of female leadership, including the presence of respected women chiefs, fundamentally shaped these inheritance provisions. Consequently, the document also enshrined women''s right to vote¡ªan extraordinary concept for the era that wouldn''t be widely accepted in Western societies for centuries thereafter. Religious freedom is likewise guaranteed throughout the text. This was not merely an idealistic inclusion but rather an inevitable practical clause necessary for Catholics, indigenous spirit worshippers, and Anglicans to coexist peacefully within the same governance framework. The pragmatic acknowledgment of religious plurality represented a significant departure from European norms of the period. Various other progressive contents are included throughout the document... but they were not entirely unfamiliar to Bacon''s experienced eyes, as they were all ultimately legitimized through the assembly''s democratic verdict. These provisions, while revolutionary in many respects, maintained a framework of procedural legitimacy that satisfied European legal expectations while incorporating indigenous values and practices. "..." Bacon briefly puts down the document he was holding and watches people chattering in the distance. Algonquians, Englishmen, and Spaniards were sharing jokes using a strange mixture of English and Algonquian language. They were chatting amongst themselves while pulling out weeds and... suddenly, as if they remembered something, they made the sign of the cross while looking far away. In the direction they turned, there was an excavator. The excavator was again pulling out tree roots and breaking rocks. It seemed to be preparing fields to distribute to new residents. Bacon unconsciously makes the sign of the cross following them. Everyone is equal, everyone is free, and everyone has what they need. Those European philosophers and distinguished teachers would likely assert that such a community cannot last long. That soon disorder, chaos, lawlessness, and immorality would prevail, and humans and beasts would mix. But... in Bacon''s view. This place was surprisingly peaceful. And prosperous. This ''Fundamental Orders of Virginia'' does not operate on its own. Behind those clauses, there is another authority that supervises and supports it. Therefore, this ''utopian'' community can continue. This prosperity can continue. Also... it can grow. Listening carefully when the angel occasionally explains about his tools, they must be designed based on great scientific knowledge that people do not yet know well. They were clearly made through technologies too superior for people to possess. But will it always be that way? Will people never be able to make such things? "Someday people will be able to explain everything in the language of mathematics! Certainly, that will happen!" "..." Bacon recalls the words Harriot had uttered. "Ask, and I shall answer. Seek and seek again. Strive for knowledge and enlightenment. Ask. That is the second commandment I give to you." Bacon also recalls the words the angel gave to his apostles. ...Perhaps. There may come a day when this small community becomes a model for all mankind. Someday this community might become greater than any kingdom on earth, and the seeds of knowledge that Mr. Nemo has sown might bear incredibly valuable fruit. Thinking this... Bacon unconsciously wrote a phrase in his notebook. ''New Atlantis.'' One of the pioneers of utopian literature that should be published in 1628 was being written here and now. February 1594, on a hill on the east coast of America. "Woooooooo!" A cheer. As Bacon suddenly looked back, he saw a sail with an angel holding a saw and a lantern unfurled in the distance. A newly built ship was being launched. == "Look!" Raleigh points to a newly launched ship with a broad smile. ...It''s a clipper. A completed clipper. A fast transport vessel that can carry up to 8 cannons, enormous by the standards of this era. The ultimate sailing vessel made with engineering plastic and 21st-century steel frames inside. Now... for at least 200 years, no ship greater than this will emerge. With that, we can travel across the Atlantic in just under a month. If we do well, we might even reach China or India. "The clipper is here! That great ship has finally been launched on the coast of Virginia!" Recalling all the hardships we went through to build it, I also got teary-eyed. Really, with just a few of these, we can transport almost any goods. Chapter 62 - 62: Fundamental Orders (2) Inside, there''s also a warehouse equipped with urethane foam and various equipment, so it won''t be difficult to deliver fruits even more freshly. Finally... I have achieved the great feat of full-scale export of (American) grapes to Europe. 15 minutes after hugging Raleigh and rejoicing, as the ship reaches the dock, Vicente walks towards me with a bright smile. "I, truly, have never seen such a ship! This great ship will go down in history!" Of course it will. It''s the first ship made using plastic. "What will you name the ship?" "...Enterprise." "A great name! Enterprise!" Sorting through various idle thoughts, what needs to be done comes to mind. "Walter." "Yes, Mr. Nemo." "How about you take a tour around the North American coast, also to test the performance of that ship?" "Ex...ploration, you mean?" "No. Not to that extent, just move along the nearby coast for now. And, do you still have the map I gave you last time?" "Of course I still have it! I still don''t understand why there are no borders or important cities marked on that map..." Of course I gave it without any markings. If I had given him a plain 21st century world map with letters like ''Washington D.C.'' prominently displayed, who knows what misunderstandings it might cause. "...In the eyes of the Lord, do you think borders drawn by humans matter?" "Ah, of course...!" Indeed, having the name of an angel allows you to make up any excuse. I patted Raleigh on the shoulder to encourage him. "Anyway, I''m glad you still have the map I gave you. Just lightly check how different the map is from the current coastline. Don''t spend too much time." "Of course I should do that! I will definitely return after a successful voyage!" While we''re at it, let''s adjust the discrepancy between 21st-century and 16th-century coastlines, and also test the performance of the newly built clipper. After Raleigh departed northward, we gathered again for a regular meeting. Except for Raleigh and Vicente who had set sail, everyone who received a tablet sat before me. As well as other settler representatives. I presented a topographic map similar to what I had given to Raleigh, zoomed in on North America, and said: "This is a map of this land." "..." "..." "..." Most of them didn''t know the shape of the land they were living on. They looked at the map I presented with curiosity and passed it around among themselves. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Only after that brief commotion ended could I speak. "Here, who knows the geography of this area best?" "That would be Manteo. He''s moved around the most for exchanges with other tribes. He''s also looked at things similar to this ''map'' the most." "Good. Manteo?" "Yes?" When Manteo asked with apparent confusion, I handed him a set of crayons. "From now on, we''re going to draw a map of the forces in this area. We need to check how many forces are around us, and how large an area our force occupies compared to them." "...Hmm, I see. Such a map would be convenient." I push the map toward Manteo who answered like that. "So first color our territory in blue, and draw other forces in red, green, yellow, and so on." "Hmm... understood." The area our community occupies is roughly Croatan Island and the Chesapeake Bay area. More than 10,000 people live together there. Now that we''ve started a gift offensive toward tribes in various regions, it would be good to clearly understand the distribution of surrounding forces. We''ll need to send envoys to each force, won''t we? Well, it wouldn''t be bad to go beyond that and precisely assess our capabilities and examine the situation of neighboring forces. Anyway, for any purpose, we need a map indicating the areas each force occupies. Since few among the American natives lead a completely settled life, the markings might not be accurate. But... "..." "..." "..." "...Manteo?" "Ah, yes." Why are you just standing there? "Are you contemplating something? There are separate maps, so don''t worry about ruining it and feel free to color." "No... that''s..." Manteo squints at the map, turns to me, and asks: "Should I color rivers and seas too?" "No." "I understand. Then what should be the criteria for ''our territory''? Also, since there are smaller tribes within each force, it''s difficult to determine the criteria for the power map." Ah, right. There are no fixed nations and borders in America. In other words, it''s like the problem of deciding whether to color Henan and Sichuan provinces entirely as Wei territory when drawing an early Three Kingdoms map of China, or to separately mark each vassal state within. To draw it properly, we need to set criteria. After thinking for a moment, I say: "If you go west from our territory, there''s the Powhatan Confederacy, isn''t there?" "Yes. That''s right." "Think of coloring them as one color, and color our territory." "Ah! Now I understand!" Yes. Now the map should come out soon. First, color Croatan Island, then color Chesapeake Bay. To the west of that... huh? "Why are you coloring a red circle there?" "Ah, this is the Powhatan territory." "But you haven''t even colored our territory yet?" "Ah, that''s..." Swish. Scratch. "..." "Roughly speaking, you''re talking about the area that acknowledges our supremacy and our leadership, right?" "Um... yes. Manteo, but..." "Then except for the red circle I just made, everything up to the great mountains in the west would be our territory." Scratch scratch scratch. Manteo, coloring the vast area overlapping with that red circle entirely blue, says: "Whew! The map is big, so it was a bit hard to color it all. How is it?" Manteo said proudly with his hands covered in blue crayon powder. And I... um... "Um... so the blue..." "Yes. The blue area is our territory!" I saw the entire eastern parts of today''s North Carolina and Virginia colored blue. Everything east of the Appalachian Mountains. "All tribes within this area, except for the Powhatan tribe, will recognize Mr. Nemo as the Great Chief!" ...The area was larger than the effective control area of Japan. No wonder the incoming resources were enormous. Chapter 63 - 63: Great Chiefs Realm (1) "I am Raleigh. Ra-leigh." "Raleigh? Funny name." "You are quite intelligent, Massasoit. Learning basic English in just a month." "Sim...ple. You people, speak language, similar to ours." Massasoit chuckles and says to Raleigh and Vicente: "Speak with similar language. Speak with English. Same. Understand quickly." "Good. Very good. I should give a gift to a friend who learns our language so quickly." Rustle. Rustle. As Raleigh takes something out of his bag, Vicente quickly pulls out a Bible. Raleigh places a scepter in his hand and a crown on his head, while Vicente recites Bible verses and says: "Do you now recognize Nemo of Croatan as the Great Chief?" "...Of course. If he is the wealthiest." "Do you swear to receive gifts from Nemo of Croatan, and also to send gifts in return, firmly maintaining your faith and loyalty toward him?" "Gifts... must, continue." "Excellent! Now you are a loyal subject of Mr. Nemo!" Originally, they should have mentioned the Queen of England''s name, but it was unlikely that the Queen would send someone all the way here to check and behead Raleigh for treason. Raleigh confidently offers a handshake to Massasoit and says in Algonquian: "You are now our comrade too. Let''s work together for the Virginia community!" "Well... I won''t ever go there in my lifetime..." "You never know, do you? Would you like us to take you there?" Massasoit shook his head. He spoke in his native language, not English. "This is my home, so I won''t leave." "..." "You call this place ''Massachusetts''?" More precisely, Nemo had mentioned Massachusetts in front of them. The two men just remembered it. "I won''t leave Massachusetts. So you should return." "...Then, farewell." Raleigh nodded to him with a smile. "Glory to our Emperor, Great Chief, Angel, whatever you call him. I hope to see you again." With that, Raleigh and Vicente leave the shore and board their boat. Thus, they continue their journey. This story took place quite some time after leaving Chesapeake Bay. == "..." S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." "..." I and other Europeans are speechless, staring intently at the map Manteo has colored. Since many natives don''t know how to read maps, they just glance at each other, not knowing what''s happening. But I could roughly tell from Manteo''s expression. Even if other chiefs knew how to read maps, they wouldn''t have been so surprised. Because for them, this is a ''natural'' situation. We organized a gift exchange network with enormous resources, and as a result, successfully brought numerous tribes under our influence. All achieved through grapes, aluminum, and other items. ...What is this? Why does my head understand but my heart refuses to? It''s a similar sentiment to when the fate of the world is decided by a card game or soccer in a children''s animation. I mean, no matter how delicious Shine Muscat is, really? Conquering a land as large as Japan with it? It''s nonsensical. "Ah, well, um..." "...You didn''t know?" "I didn''t know." "..." "..." But it''s not nonsensical, they say. Yes. No matter how unbelievable, reality is reality. "Then... those outsiders who sometimes lingered around during meetings?" "They are people who gathered because the ''Great Chief'' called a meeting. I explained the situation and sent them back, but they must have been somewhat dissatisfied. I''ll mark such tribes with stripes." I see. Anyway, I barely managed to finish the meeting while trying to keep my head from spinning. And looking over the various areas Manteo had colored on the map... I sigh. "So they''ve at least entered my ''sphere of influence''?" "That''s right." "But they''re not members of our community yet?" "Correct." If they are in my sphere of influence, and they recognize me as the Great Chief, am I their king? No. To them, I am... um... Perhaps like a UN Secretary-General. Roughly speaking, it''s like having a presence that''s neither here nor there. It''s simple when I think about how I didn''t even know I was a Great Chief until Oitotan called me one. Can I, as a Great Chief, demand them to fight for me? No. Or can I, as a monarch, give other orders? That''s also not possible. Whether a chief or a great chief, in this neighborhood, it''s closer to an honorary position. It''s somewhere between a group project leader and a village head. ...Whatever the case, for some reason, there was a strangely large amount of incoming resources. So I was distributing grapes across an area about the size of Japan. "Everyone, I missed you! I missed Chesapeake so much!" "If you knew how many places we adventured to, you would be surprised!" "...Oh." And not long after realizing this fact, Raleigh and Vicente returned. "Welcome back. Now you need to go to England." "...What?" "Pardon? I am Spanish." "Then let''s exclude Vicente and just have Walter go." Various spices, sugar, various small tools, clothes for residents to wear... there are many necessities. After unloading pearls, coral, and all sorts of jewels in England, when Walter Raleigh returned, several more months had passed, and it was gradually becoming September. September... grape season... Grapes overflow from everywhere. This time, without worrying about freshness, we could properly harvest most of the grapes at the optimal time. And the various new grapes I ambitiously cultivated this time! Ruby Roman! My Heart! Cotton Candy! And countless premium grapes worthy of being supplied to department stores bloom on Croatan and nearby islands! I used to pay royalties for some varieties, but now there''s no entity to take those royalties! Neither the US Department of Agriculture nor the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries can stop me! "Now, Walter! Please work hard again." "...I''ve spent half the year at sea." "Indeed, Walter''s spirit of adventure is amazing." And the ambiguous climate of the North Atlantic can''t stop me either! Now I can export grapes harvested at the optimal time across the sea in perfect condition! With a heart pounding with excitement, thinking ''I''m going to destroy all the English nobles'' gums,'' I sent Raleigh off. Raleigh complained about how difficult it was to operate the clipper, the terrible steering difficulty, and the grinding labor of skilled sailors... But all those words only led me to the conclusion that I should send out a ''skilled captain.'' "...Then this time I''ll stay in England for a while. I should attend Her Majesty the Queen''s coronation anniversary banquet for once." I granted Raleigh''s vacation. So Raleigh departed. I eat some leftover Shine Muscat and fall into thought. It''s already the 6th year since I came to this land. These are Shine Muscats that I''ve maintained with all my might, continuously replanting and even trying flat-roof cultivation methods. Hmm, grapes. Even though I''m called a Great Chief, I''m not an entity with real power like other Great Chiefs of this era. To many people, the grapes I grow are probably closer and more familiar than I am. Just as most grape farmers are to consumers. Yes. I''m just a grape farmer. But a farmer who has targeted a rather broad market. Thinking like that makes me feel a bit better. I chewed and swallowed another grape. == "Father, jewels are becoming scarce. Even nearby fur pelts are running dry." "Is that so?" Drought continued. With farming and hunting becoming difficult, it''s not strange that foxes giving fur are becoming rare. Also, jewels don''t grow like plants or animals, so naturally, they decrease as people pick and mine them. One cannot sustain oneself by clinging to disappearing things. "Father, why did our tribe abandon our previous life? Why did we accept rather than reject or burn the grapes and those things called ''potatoes'' offered by the so-called Great Chief?" "...To survive." The chief smiled at his son''s words and said. ''Gifts'' weren''t originally like this. Originally, ''gifts'' were mostly exchanges of more symbolic, valuable, and crudely speaking, useless items. Like sharing necklaces made of coral and shells, or passing around elaborately decorated feather hats. Of course, it''s natural since people had time to spare but not food. No one was that wealthy. No one could casually share ''gifts'' of food that could feed tribe members for months, as they do now. No one could offer rare fruits to those suffering from drought and famine, as they do now. Chapter 64 - 64: Great Chiefs Realm (2) The people of this tribe found it hard to believe whenever the ''Great Chief'' sent gifts. In a situation where everyone was starving, unable to find food, they continuously produced numerous fruits, as if molding them from clay. After the envoy they sent left, everyone from the chief to tribe members hurriedly ate potatoes and grapes. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The beginning of everything was when they carelessly accepted the massive gift for the first time. The pain of famine continuing for years, hunger, disease¡ªthese things changed them again. Many tribe members now don''t bother with farming that''s about to fail anyway and just roam around to obtain precious fur pelts. It''s easier to exchange them with the Great Chief for food. The days of making gift ornaments in spare time after farming and hunting are gone. Now they only sow seeds and hunt meat if they have time after making ornaments. It wasn''t just them. Some spend the entire day mining pearls. Some spend all day grinding coral to make beads. Some live day by day brushing fur pelts until they''re beautiful. It was unprecedented. Europeans would call this ''division of labor,'' but the Algonquians in this region found the current situation so unfamiliar that they couldn''t even find a word to describe it. Of course, they still don''t ''buy and sell'' things like Europeans. They still only exchange gifts. More fur pelts for more potatoes and grapes, then even more fur pelts for even more potatoes and grapes. No one is bound by contracts. They are still free. But, indeed, everything has changed. The wars that used to break out during famines are gone. They picked up thread, needles, and traps instead of bows, spears, and clubs. As a result... they gained peace instead of fighting. "And, life instead of death." "Don''t say that. Don''t we now have to go deeper into the forest to get fur pelts? And we quarrel with other tribes there." "Hmm... that''s true." "Additionally, mining jewels has become increasingly difficult. Soon we''ll starve to death! We must leave this area!" "...No. That''s not the case." The chief shakes his head at his son''s worried words and says: "I''ve heard that instead of recklessly killing large beasts, the Great Chief''s tribe tames them, increases their numbers, and then eats them." "...What?" "Why don''t we do the same? Tame foxes and eat their meat. And get fur at the same time." So, using foxes as livestock. As someone who has only tamed small animals, the son found the proposal absurd. "We, we''ve never done that before, have we? First of all, don''t foxes eat meat? Moreover, will foxes adapt well and live in the places we''ve prepared..." "We have to try. We''ll probably face failure for several years." The chief''s eyes shine. "Aren''t unprecedented things happening constantly? We must change too. Or at least change our hunting methods." "But..." "Have you ever seen a being like the Great Chief before? Why are you trying to respond in the way you know to a situation you don''t know?" "..." "If it really doesn''t work, we''ll just lead the tribe members to the Great Chief''s land. Remember that a chief must make decisions that save the tribe members above all else." "..." Anxiety was visible in the son''s eyes. It was the look of someone afraid of change. But when days get shorter, there are no trees that keep summer-like fresh leaves even when snow falls. Everything must change according to approaching changes. That''s how to survive. Regardless of what his son thought about the Great Chief... the chief somehow felt his heart toughen when thinking about the Great Chief whose face he had never seen. "Originally... you would have died fighting by now." "What?" "I would have starved to death." "..." "But look. We both live to enjoy the night. The bonfire still burns, and the moon and stars blaze in your eyes. Don''t you know who it''s all thanks to?" No one starves, no one dies. Even if there are no foxes left in this land, and all the rubies in surface mines disappear, they won''t starve to death. The Great Chief they''ve heard about in rumors always welcomes new people. He''s someone who doesn''t let anyone who enters his embrace die carelessly. So they will survive. Thanks to a grape farmer they''ve never even seen. According to rumors, that grape farmer is a spirit who descended from heaven. That''s why he''s so wealthy, having brought heavenly treasures. According to more unbelievable rumors, that grape farmer is a being who doesn''t experience death. Honestly, the chief didn''t believe even half of these rumors. But regardless of which parts are true and which are false. Hundreds of thousands of lives owed a great debt to that grape farmer. Originally, around this time, the population in this area would be wiped out by smallpox. The population in the southern Mississippi River basin dies from epidemics transmitted from Spanish colonies, people nearby move north, and amid many people starving due to abnormal weather, the chaos in this region intensifies. The Powhatan Confederacy begins to rapidly expand while fighting wars with strange tribes that came down from northern New York and Pennsylvania to escape drought and famine. And after several decades, various tribes are defeated in wars with white people and fall. The same is true for the seemingly massive Powhatan Confederacy. They seem to succeed in mediation under the famous name of Pocahontas, but eventually collapse due to white invasions, and many tribes under them are forcibly relocated. Defeat, massacre, forced relocation, extinction, downfall. The history of native tribes in this region that follows is summarized like that. And they disappear from history as nothing. In the gorgeously bound volumes of American history, they are relegated to an area of just a few pages. Just as they lost their homes and were driven out. They were driven out not only from space but also from time. But now that won''t happen. Thanks to the existence of one grape farmer. This was a debt that couldn''t be repaid with any amount of gifts. If this unprecedented drought continues. The refugees heading toward Nemo''s land would swell to hundreds of thousands in an instant. That''s why that grape farmer was called their Great Chief. Chapter 65 - 65: Growing Pains (1) This year, the grape harvest has been exceptionally good. The sugar content of the grapes came out much higher than when I farmed in the 21st century, and their size and flavor were overwhelmingly superior compared to last year. "..." "..." "..." In addition, thanks to the newly expanded vineyards all yielding abundant harvests, the amount of grapes sent to the surrounding areas has increased accordingly. I can probably acquire that many more furs, pearls, and various luxury items. "..." "..." "..." But why is the atmosphere here like this right now? "...Um, Harriot? How many new people have arrived this time?" Grapes are a crop that gets sweeter and better in quality as the weather gets drier. There''s a reason why grape farming is difficult in Japan, where torrential rain pours down right before harvest season. And. Corn consumes a lot of water. The main crops of the natives in this area are corn and beans that have undergone almost no selective breeding. They''re relatively drought-resistant and different from our crop varieties that have been improved over hundreds of years. Anyway, naturally, if water becomes scarce, wild animals won''t thrive either. The amount of food obtained through hunting and gathering also plummets. Our record grape harvest means that the surrounding native tribes have experienced an unbelievable crop failure. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So... "3,200 people." "..." "For reference, last month it was 2,500 people. The month before that also exceeded 3,000 people." It''s now November 1594. In three months, our settlement''s population has exceeded 20,000 people. With the population suddenly jumping to almost double, the administrative system we had carefully built began to totter. Since they arrived during the busy grape harvest season, we haven''t even been able to properly distribute land to them yet. There isn''t enough cleared land for thousands of people to farm yet. Projects like phosphate rock mine development and corn farming planned for next year or the year after have been tentatively canceled. We''re not short on food right away. Potatoes always yield well, and we have plenty of wheat stored in warehouses instead of eating it. We have enough to live on for several years even without farming. "For now, we''re mobilizing all the horses to plow the fields. Though not extensive, we should be able to prepare enough land for about 3,000 people to farm." "I understand, Mr. Hewet. Now I''m worried about what the remaining 5,000 people will do." "..." But we''re short on land. "Eleanor, Vicente, and Mr. White couldn''t come today either?" "Ah... yes. It seems they haven''t finished organizing the lists yet. Even with mobilizing our tribe members..." We''re short on administrative capacity. "We need to urgently procure timber. Right now, we need approximately 600 houses immediately..." "We''ll have to tell the natives to build their own huts for now, and gradually provide houses." We''re short on houses too. The current meeting situation, with Walter Raleigh gone to England to sell grapes, and Vicente, Eleanor, and White all unable to attend, tells you everything. They''re all too busy working to come here. We''re short on everything. ...This is going to drive me crazy. == Step. "My God (Mon Dieu)! Remarkable no matter when I see it. Such vast land." "Isn''t it too much that the English and Spanish try to monopolize such land? I even heard a cure for the plague came from here, how could God bestow such a blessing on those English Protestant bastards..." "Those English Protestant bastards supported our Majesty, did they not." Fran?ois Grav¨¦ Du Pont and his nephew Samuel de Champlain carefully looked around while passing through unfamiliar grasses of America. Melons of mysterious appearance, over-ripened, have fallen to the ground and smashed, and passing wild animals and birds that were pecking at them run away sensing human presence. "Strictly speaking, they don''t monopolize it. Since there are savages." "Hmm..." "Be careful. The English said that among the savages here, many are simple and good-natured, but originally those cunning folks often have shameless lies on their lips. Well, our explorers didn''t say anything different." Saying that, Fran?ois gestures, and the rest of the expedition members step forward bravely, walking between shallow grass and rough trees. And. Swish! An arrow flies and sticks near Fran?ois''s foot. As everyone tenses up and raises their guns, Fran?ois calms them down with an exaggerated gesture. "Whoa, whoa... be careful. Didn''t you see? Didn''t an arrow just stick in a place far from my foot? It must be a warning. As long as we don''t approach further..." "#@$#%...!" "#$#%$...!" Soon, as an unknown language echoes through the forest, the atmosphere that Fran?ois had barely calmed becomes tense again. As the brave men raise their arms, nearly naked warriors jump out from between the trees. As they aim various weapons, Fran?ois also reluctantly swallows and raises his gun. Haah... if only they could communicate through language to resolve this situation. If it''s going to be a bad encounter from the start, the only option is to kill before being killed. Having made that decision, Fran?ois slightly places his hand on the trigger. "...Wh...ere." "...Huh?" "Where... are... from?" Someone mutters in a mumbling voice. For a moment, thinking it might be one of his subordinates, he looked back, but they too were just staring blankly ahead. Fran?ois, filled with joy, puts down his gun and says: "France! I come from proud France! Have you learned English? Have the English come here?" If English works, that''s better. It means they''ve already experienced Europeans. As Fran?ois speaks in English, they whisper among themselves again, and then all nod their heads. Especially the man who just spoke English comes forward first. "I, Massasoit. Here, chief." "If you''re a chief, then you''re a king. Wherever we are, we Frenchmen show respect to the rightful monarch established by the Lord. Pleased to meet you." "..." "Then, where did you encounter the English? Could you perhaps tell me the location or time..." "Wait." Massasoit cuts off Fran?ois''s words and quietly commands something to the other men beside him with a jerk of his chin. The men then briefly disappear into the bushes and return with something. It was... "...Oh." A crown. A scepter. Symbols of royalty shining in pure white. Is it made of silver? Chapter 66 - 66: Growing Pains (2) "When show respect. Told to wear." As Massasoit dons the crown and holds the scepter to the ground, it becomes even clearer that he is the ruler of this area. Fran?ois unconsciously bows his head in surprise and whispers to Samuel: "...European Regalia!" "Re...ga... what''s that?" "Ah, nothing, Massasoit. Nothing at all." "...Gift, it is." Massasoit says to the French in still awkward English, but with a much more dignified appearance than before. The French, who were full of wariness toward the savages just moments ago, relax their posture, and reverence enters their voices. "Gi...ft?" "Yes." "From whom exactly?" "..." "..." "...Raleigh." Raleigh! Walter Raleigh! Baron of Roanoke! The confidant of Queen Elizabeth, the saint of London, the lord of Virginia! Fran?ois, who trembled at that name, almost fainted at Massasoit''s following words. "Gift... from Raleigh''s chief." "..." "Our Emp...eror. Great... Chief." "..." "..." They briefly glanced at the crown. The material didn''t seem to be of English origin. It looked like silver or platinum, but the texture and color were subtly different. Then there''s only one answer. "Do... you know where the Great Chief lives..." "By sea, far, so...uth. Beyond that... don''t know." "..." "Captain, that, that looks like aluminum I''ve only heard about in rumors!" New World aluminum. Samuel exclaims in astonishment. "My God, the Emperor of the New World actually exists...!" Slap. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Fran?ois lightly hits the back of Samuel''s head and says: "Talk sense, Samuel. Anyone can see it''s about Queen Elizabeth." "Is... that so?" "Yes, it is." "Eliza...what?" "Nothing, Massasoit. Besides the man called Baron of Roanoke... I mean, Walter Raleigh, was there no one else who seemed higher than him?" "..." Massasoit shook his head. Then Fran?ois slowly turned to his nephew and said: "See. Even that chief called Massasoit says he hasn''t met anyone other than Walter Raleigh." "But... the aluminum..." "Doesn''t that English queen nowadays go around jangling with aluminum ornaments? Besides, would a native emperor have any reason to give European regalia to his subjects?" "That''s, true." "It''s not just ''true'', I''m right. If you believe a savage emperor actually exists, would you also believe the stories about the saint of London and the angel?" Fran?ois Grav¨¦ Du Pont is a Catholic. That is, he honestly doesn''t believe the story about an angel suddenly appearing in a Protestant country. No, in fact, except for the English, everyone, whether Protestant or Catholic, doesn''t really believe it. "So, do you believe that an empire of savages, which no explorer from France, Spain, or England had discovered until now, suddenly appeared, poof, just as England established a new colony?" "...It doesn''t seem so." Samuel, intimidated by his superior''s words, nods with his head down, and Fran?ois nods in response. Fran?ois''s words were the ''orthodox view'' in the European world. A noble Christian savage emperor of the New World? Only superstitious sailors or the English would believe such a story. Countless explorers have traversed North America. And what they discovered there were, at best, some sturdy huts and naked savage chiefs adorned with feathers. But suddenly, as soon as England establishes a colony, a hidden empire reveals itself? Moreover, they possessed superior technology to Europe? They shared resources never seen before with the English without any price? The English from the ''peace-loving island nation'' didn''t plunder, kill, enslave, or exile them, but operated the colony in harmony? ''Coincidentally'', uneducated women who met an angel there brought a cure for the plague? Above all. ''...Believe England?'' The country that abandoned its faith because the king wanted to remarry a pretty woman? The most untrustworthy country in the world? Nonsense. Only fools would believe England. Even though France and England were allies under the anti-Spanish banner, Fran?ois couldn''t trust them. Isn''t that the neighborhood that fills the royal budget with piracy? Moreover, there were plenty of reasons for England to spout such nonsense. It''s good propaganda to say they''ve established a kind colony in contrast to the Spanish exploiting poor natives. It''s good for domestic consumption to claim they''ve allied with a New World Christian monarch, whose existence may or may not be real. It''s convenient to say, "These aren''t blood-stained jewels like Spain''s. Our kind native emperor gave them as gifts. sob" when luxury items pop up. "Does that so-called ''native emperor''... have some jar that infinitely produces precious metals and all sorts of resources? To give away so much to the English?" "Didn''t they say they trade? Who knows, maybe it was genuinely peaceful?" "Yeah, yeah. With bullets." "Ahem." At the two men''s rapid-fire French, Massasoit, unable to understand anything, frowns. "Ah, sorry, Massasoit. We had no intention of disrespecting you." Worried that the atmosphere might worsen, Fran?ois handed him other curious objects like a compass and flint before leaving. He had decided. He came here on royal orders to do preliminary work before establishing a small contact point for luxury item trade. Originally, King Henry IV of France would have forbidden going too far south out of concern for friction with England. But... now there are too many fruits in the south to give up. ''Even if disguised as coincidence, approach the English colony and uncover the identity of that ''native emperor.'''' And then find other sources of precious aluminum and fur to establish trade with natives. That was his purpose. Fran?ois, true to European common sense, never for a moment doubted that England''s propaganda was false. The ''native emperor'' is just a novel written by England''s harlot Elizabeth and her male prostitute Walter Raleigh. Who would believe that? == "Ahem, hmm, hmm..." "What''s the matter, Baron of Roanoke, Your Excellency?" "Nothing at all. My ear just itches for some reason. The Emperor of the natives told me that when your ear itches, someone is speaking ill of you." "Hahaha, what an amusing imagination. Her Majesty the Queen is waiting." Thus, Raleigh, dressed up and doused in perfume, felt something strange as he entered the Queen''s bedchamber. "Walt! Come here. Let''s talk a bit more about that amazing ship." "My Queen..." It was a time when the queen and her favorite of the most untrustworthy country in the world were enjoying themselves after a long while. Chapter 67 - 67: Growing Pains (3) It became December 1594. "Another... three or four tribes have pledged allegiance." Wow, a population growth rate of 100%! Ueda City where I lived had a negative population growth rate! Now I have more people under me than the mayor of Ueda! My power surpasses the mayor of Ueda! And the various problems occurring in the settlement have also increased by 100%! "Good heavens! Shamans are approaching the church and causing trouble!" "That''s... not causing trouble, they''re offering sacrifices." "Isn''t that the same thing! Manteo, isn''t there some solution?" Since they''re all flooding in without converting, it''s becoming a headache for Harriot, who was enthusiastically evangelizing. Moreover, as natives who don''t speak Algonquian languages are gradually flooding in, problems are increasing even more. "I, I, without the angel present, we can''t communicate!" "Good heavens... how does he speak multiple languages simultaneously...!" "...Everyone, gather around first." With natives who don''t speak the same language crowding into the trading posts and settlements, the Europeans are having serious communication problems. The cultural and linguistic barriers have created daily frustrations and misunderstandings that slow everything down. Even if the natives who have impressively mastered five or six different tribal languages among themselves are managing just fine, the European traders and settlers who have only recently struggled to learn basic Algonquian phrases now suddenly have to contend with some strange new language from tribes further west. Their exasperation is visible in every interaction. Fortunately, a simplified version of English had gradually spread as a practical trade language among many of the native groups in this particular region. The pidgin version lacks complexity but serves its essential purpose in commerce. If that linguistic bridge hadn''t developed naturally over the past few years, my work as an intermediary would have multiplied several times over, becoming nearly impossible to manage alone. ...Still, it didn''t change the fact that I ended up taking on interpretation duties that weren''t in my job description. The workload is insane! Christmas is approaching, but it looks like we won''t be able to prepare anything this time! "I''ve returned! If you tell me to set sail again, I absolutely..." "Walter, thank you for coming back. Here, take this tablet first." "...What?" "First, let''s tour the western inland area together to check on the newly settled tribes. Countless Excel files have piled up for us to organize together." Unfortunately, I had to put Walter Raleigh to work as soon as he returned from his voyage. In a situation where most English people can''t read, how could I let someone who knows how to handle Excel files idle away? "Huff... huff... I don''t know how many villages we''ve toured..." "...Walter." "Yes, Mr. Nemo, please wait a moment. This is..." "...Get in." "..." "I... have to work through the night too." So we drove around in the Hijet, shedding tears. From Chesapeake Bay southwest further inland, we moved with excavators, Hijets, and all kinds of equipment. We had to clear new land in that area. == "This? This rod? Gift. Man called Raleigh, gift." "Com...pass? This object, don''t know name. But know. Came from south." "Raleigh...? Given by a man with that name. Great Chief''s... gift." The more south you go, the more fluent the natives'' English becomes. Also, the more south you go, the more specific the natives'' stories become. Especially, mentions of ''Great Chief,'' ''Raleigh,'' and ''Nemo'' increase. "Nemo... meaning ''nobody''? A curious name." "So are we heading further south from here?" "No. From here on is the territory of the Occohanock tribe. It''s only a few dozen kilometers from the Virginia colony. If we go by ship from here, it could be considered an invasion of foreign territory." Fran?ois Grav¨¦ Du Pont shakes his head in response to Samuel''s question. "So we''ll dock the ship here and split the party. I and a couple of explorers will approach Raleigh''s Virginia colony somehow from this area, whether by land route or whatever. The rest will wait at the docked ship." Fran?ois''s plan was simple. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. From here, take a boat to cruise around Chesapeake Bay looking for sources of aluminum and fur. While doing so, check the rumors about the ''native emperor'' and their truth. If they happen to reach the Virginia colony, immediately examine the colony carefully and leave. But... "Where is everyone moving to?" "To the Great Chief''s land. Everyone is starving. And there is food there." "C-can we go together?" "...If you can paddle an oar." Things accelerated several times faster. After meeting and trading with someone who seemed to be a tribal chief, Fran?ois immediately boarded a canoe with his men. As Fran?ois jumped up and down with excitement, Samuel asked: "Captain, does, truly, a savage emperor actually exist? Everyone''s talking about the Great Chief, and now we even see crowds moving toward that Great Chief, don''t we?" To his nephew Samuel''s foolish words, Fran?ois just smiled and replied. No. Rather, more things became certain. "Don''t be stupid, Samuel. We haven''t seen any traces of advanced civilization, but the name of the Great Chief is widely spread? Doesn''t it seem like the English are playing some nasty trick?" Yes. That must be it. What did the English say? Didn''t they boast that a great savage empire, as advanced as Europe or even more so in some aspects, had become their ally? But we haven''t found any trace of civilization, let alone a great civilization more advanced than Europe, except for a few ''gifts.'' Even after coming right up to the Virginia colony. "It''s definitely the English setting up a chief in this area and showing off! I''m finally going to catch them in the act!" "...Is that so? Then why are hundreds of people moving that way?" "Don''t you understand? They already know! That we''ve come!" "..." As Samuel tilted his head, seemingly unconvinced, Fran?ois said: "Since they know we''ve come, they''re desperately gathering people around to at least make a show of a ''great empire''? Trying to hide their vices from the Christian world somehow? Are you afraid of me, Fran?ois Grav¨¦ Du Pont, England? Walter Raleigh? Huh? Hahahaha!" "..." "That''s why they''re all moving so urgently! Right! Now we''ve caught England''s tail! From now on, once we find a tribe to trade aluminum and fur with and establish a trading post, we too can plant the French flag in this America!" Chapter 68 - 68: Growing Pains (4) "No, could they have noticed our arrival so quickly? Even if news traveled from the north, it would take several weeks by sea..." "So do you believe England? Or me?" "...The captain, of course." As Samuel seemed persuaded again and nodded his head, Fran?ois resumed paddling, inhaling the salty sea breeze of Chesapeake Bay. Thus, breaking through the rough waters, hundreds of people soon... "Land!" "We''ve arrived!" Reach their destination. As Fran?ois looked up, he saw dozens of European-style huts lined up along the coast. They were all characterized by white outer walls with green-painted gabled roofs. People marveled at the neatly arranged sight, and even Fran?ois couldn''t hold back his exclamation at this moment. ''This... the English colonization seems more successful than expected.'' "Arrived, here." A stiff and foreign English pronunciation is heard from beside him. It was the words of the chief who had guided them here. As he said, soon the hull of the canoe gently touches the sandy beach, and people begin to disembark one by one. Fran?ois rubs his hands together and steps onto the shore of Chesapeake. Now... the plan is to naturally blend into the crowd and, when this ''emperor'' or ''Great Chief'' appears, strike up a conversation. Let''s see how long the myth of a ''native emperor fluent in Latin and English and faithful to Christianity'' can last. Soon, Fran?ois Grav¨¦ Du Pont will decipher all of England''s intentions and be able to present a powerful diplomatic weapon to His Majesty the King. It was while thinking this and mingling among those gathered on the shore. "There! Everyone gather here!" A woman''s call is heard. Turning his head, he sees a woman in her 20s calling people together. The tribe members who had just come with him rush over. "Tell me your name, age, and family relationship briefly here before you go!" "Gather over here! Over here!" Other English people seem to be guides, standing to assist the woman from earlier, lining people up. Anyway, the expedition members who inadvertently lined up following the tribe members wait their turn and eventually stand before the woman. "Your name is... huh?" And the woman looks at Fran?ois and the other expedition members and blinks her eyes. As if she doesn''t understand what''s going on. To her, Fran?ois bowed gently and opened his mouth. "Hello. I am..." "Um... you''re European? Why are you here? Ah, did you guide the Occohanock tribe here? Then you should all go carry timber now!" "...Hmm?" The young woman in front of him suddenly interrupts? "No. Why are you just standing there? Move quickly!" "...Ahem. There seems to be some misunderstanding." She''s giving orders? Fran?ois''s brow twitches for a moment. "Why are you just..." "There seems to be some misunderstanding." "...What?" "Who are you? The governor''s wife? I seek rest and proper treatment." Only then does the woman''s eyes widen, hearing the English with an unfamiliar accent. At the woman''s reaction, nearby English people gather, saying, "Mrs. Dare! What''s the matter!", "Lady Eleanor!" The woman called Eleanor tilts her head and says: "...I''m not the governor''s wife, um, aren''t you our settler?" "I am French, and I seek rest. You don''t seem to be of a status worthy of respect, but I would like to be brought to someone of proper status." "..." "..." Suddenly, the atmosphere turns hostile. But Fran?ois, already displeased, lightly ignored such a slightly unpleasant atmosphere. "What''s this? Why is everyone like this? Is there no proper person in charge other than this woman?" "..." "..." "..." "Captain, I think it would be better to stay quiet for now." "Samuel? What''s wrong with you? These English people seem to lack manners. Didn''t I say I''m a guest from abroad? Other than this rude woman who suddenly gives orders to my face, someone else..." "..." "..." "..." "...Why is everyone acting this way? Haha! Is this woman some kind of saint? Why are your expressions suddenly so hostile..." "..." "..." "..." "St-stop! I am an explorer with the permission of the King of France! Assaulting me would be an insult to the authority of the King of France...!" "..." "..." "..." "St-stop! Stop! I said stop, shit!" == I really stayed up for several nights. At one point, while traveling on a poorly cleared road, the Hijet almost flipped over. Only after all kinds of hardships could Walter and I return to Chesapeake in the Hijet. What a struggle... "Kyaaaah! Stop, everyone! Calm down!" ...Hmm? That sounds like Eleanor''s voice? What''s with the sudden commotion? Naturally, in a neighborhood where about 10,000 people live, if a conflict arises, it all becomes my responsibility. If dozens of people gather, shouting and jumping, of course, I need to pay attention. "Walter! Let''s run!" "Got it!" After parking the Hijet and running with Walter Raleigh, people soon see us and split to both sides. Then I saw Eleanor, who had fallen to her knees screaming, and four men who were bloodied. "Wh-what, is this...!" As Raleigh shouts in confusion, other people around Eleanor walk over to us, huffing, and report the situation. "Those guys dared to be disrespectful to the Holy Lady! Clearly, that guy was calling the Holy Lady a rude woman and whatnot...!" "They were also saying something about being French! So thinking they were even more arrogant because of that, we completely broke their noses!" "Don''t worry! It''s not serious enough to cause major injury, just enough to make them unable to regain consciousness!" S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ...What? As I looked down at them in confusion, they were indeed collapsed, trembling, and falling unconscious. == Heh... heheheh... Completely figured it out. Englishmen, did you think it wasn''t enough to deceive by distributing gifts to nearby savages and gathering nearby savages together? First, beat people up, establish dominance, and then start the conversation. It''s such a shallow tactic that it''s been completely figured out in my mind. Thinking that, Fran?ois Grav¨¦ Du Pont smiled with satisfaction... Ouch. His lip was split. Anyway, attempts to hide the secrets of the settlement and regain control of the situation while draining his energy... all figured out... Fran?ois fainted with a smile on his face. Chapter 69 - 69: Growing Pains (5) "..." "..." "..." "...Walter, please step aside for a moment." "Yes." "Eleanor, please hurry a bit. Where was the painkiller?" "It''s here." "Thank you." "..." "..." "..." This place is a hospital. Since Margaret was sent to London to establish a clinic for the poor in Southwark, others have been taking turns playing doctor. ...Let me briefly summarize the situation. First, the English people, unable to tolerate the "Saint" Eleanor being insulted, beat up those self-proclaimed French explorers. Then the natives urgently intervened, asking why people were being beaten to death, and we managed to move them here. "Ugh, urgh... cough..." "Hick... hiccup..." All four are unconscious, and fortunately, there don''t appear to be any serious external injuries. At least for now. What if one of them has serious internal injuries? What if they die? A foreign expedition dying in our community? Wouldn''t that be a problem? "Are you alright?" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...I don''t think I am. But thank you for asking, Eleanor." Phew. I was stunned after suddenly being hit with an unexpected variable. Let me gather my thoughts first. Suddenly, a French expedition came here. There was certainly no such content in the game catalog. That could mean these people weren''t important in the original history. Or, the existence of this expedition itself might never have happened in the original history. ...Somehow, I think it''s the latter. No, all the names and routes of expeditions sent by 16th century England, Spain, France, etc. were definitely listed in the game catalog. Which means... ''Is it because of the butterfly effect?'' What did I do? ...Come to think of it, I saved a failed colony, converted Walter Raleigh, created a new sect, treated the London plague, and distributed aluminum, fruit, and various luxury goods to England. I''ve done a lot. I was able to quickly understand, unlike a book-transmigration protagonist who monopolizes all the opportunities and then says things like, "Strange... the growth of the main character''s party is too slow." Given what I''ve done so far, butterfly effects are more than plausible. The likelihood that France would set its sights on the New World earlier than in the original history after seeing the fruits I had sown was more than sufficient. Right. I''ve roughly grasped the situation. Now the question remains, "So what will you do now?" Should I... just convert them too? No. With Walter Raleigh, the opportunity was right, and I had plenty of time and resources to invest in converting just one Raleigh. Not now. Thanks to the population explosion, there''s nothing I can do immediately. What could I do for them anyway? Should I make prophecies like I did with Raleigh? But having altered history so much, what if I make some clumsy prophecy and it turns out wrong? I also question whether there''s any benefit to enticing them. Raleigh was the queen''s favorite, but these people? Aren''t they just explorers? Moreover, France is in the midst of civil war, and I don''t even know which faction these explorers serve. I decline investments that might fail after putting in all that effort. For now, avoiding them seems to be the best strategy. "Walter, I''ve hidden the Hijet, so I''ll be leaving now. I''ll leave their reception and surveillance to you." "Understood." So I left the hospital. As soon as I walked out, I heard screams erupting behind me, suggesting they had woken up. ...I''ve delegated to Raleigh, so I won''t worry about it anymore. I already have plenty to do and am busy. == After a few days, Fran?ois recovered. His slightly dislocated jaw returned to normal, and the bruises on his beaten nose and swollen face gradually subsided. Still, remembering the beating he took, he cautiously wandered around the lodging area... until he eventually overcame the trauma and was able to examine various parts of the settlement under the "guidance (and surveillance)" of the English. "So... you''re saying the population here has only recently increased this much?" "Yes. Originally about 10,000 people lived here, but suddenly within a few months, natives started pouring in, and now it''s doubled." "Ha! Interesting." His eyes only caught the vulnerabilities of this settlement. Although dozens of houses were lined up in rows, most of the gathered population had no place to stay and had settled in tents or the flimsy huts typical of savages. There also didn''t seem to be proper fields for farming, as most of the population appeared to be surviving day by day by planting crops densely in narrowly divided plots. The situation of this settlement, which had forcibly increased its population recently, was apparent to anyone. Had they arrived a few months later, the splendor of this "fake empire" with its tens of thousands of inhabitants might have been more evident, but it was too late as he had already arrived. That wasn''t all. Swarming. "Excuse me, what''s happening there?" "Ah... it seems more tribes are pledging allegiance." "They''re offering treasures?" "Voluntarily, yes." Natives bringing suspiciously large amounts of treasures to submit themselves, and it''s "voluntary"? Nonsense. Whether he couldn''t properly investigate because he was confined here, it was clear that the English were continuing their conquest. Or they might be using food as a weapon during the famine. Forced migration, plunder, and conquest. Watching these three things happening simultaneously¡ªthings the English claimed they never did¡ªFran?ois couldn''t help but smile bitterly. Is this their peaceful "civilization"? Is this their moral "evangelization"? "Wait, you cannot go outside today." "What''s the matter?" "...You just can''t." Above all, occasionally the English would arbitrarily confine them to their lodgings. And a few days later, when they came out, strange things would have happened¡ªtens of acres of forest would have disappeared, or tens of acres of new fields would have been plowed. It was clear. Forced labor. It was evident they were enslaving the natives and working them harshly. Otherwise, it would be impossible to clear such vast forests and develop wildlands in such a short time. Fran?ois finally concluded. "My nephew, I think we''ve gathered enough information. We can leave now." To which Samuel replied: "What? But there''s still so much to see!" Hmm? More to see? Chapter 70 - 70: Growing Pains (6) "What more is there to see? Native slaves in chains?" "No! Have you ever seen potatoes like these, Captain? They''re much tastier than those known in Europe, and the tubers are larger! And the chickens are so fat and big..." Samuel spoke excitedly. "The agricultural technology of these savages, I mean natives, seems to have developed amazingly! Their tool called a ''homi'' and everything else is remarkable!" "..." Fran?ois, holding his head at Samuel''s foolish remarks, said: "My boy." "Yes, Captain. What do you think about these amazing things..." "Think about it." It''s a question even a child could answer. "Why would tribes with advanced agricultural technology not farm but wander around relying on hunting and gathering?" "...Pardon?" "If their agricultural technology is so great, why can''t they settle somewhere instead of continuing their nomadic lifestyle?" "Well, that''s..." "Yes. Their chickens might be larger and potatoes tastier. But there might be issues like poor yields." "But the food seems too abundant for that!" "They probably imported it from England. Are you saying only the potatoes here in America are delicious, and only the chickens here are big and fat? Were chickens even native to the New World in the first place? It would be more realistic to say they fell from the sky." "..." After perfectly refuting his foolish nephew''s opinion, Fran?ois rose again. "The savages here are just savages. Pitiful savages exploited by England at that. Now, let''s prepare to leave..." "But what about the emperor''s authority? All the people here seemed to hold great reverence for the emperor!" "..." "Everyone was saying they owe their livelihood to the ''Great Chief.'' If the emperor has secured this level of authority and loyalty, it implies there''s an organized government..." "You''re saying the emperor has such great authority? The chiefs here can fall from power at the slightest issue." "Huh?" "And isn''t saying they owe their livelihood to the emperor a kind of primitive religious notion? Even ignorant peasants believe in the king''s healing touch." "..." "Think about it, my boy. They owe their livelihood to the emperor? Unless the emperor descended from heaven and threw down potatoes and whatnot, how does that make sense? Unless the emperor personally plows hundreds of acres of land, how does that make sense?" It''s all ridiculous superstition. "Above all, if they were so civilized, they wouldn''t have been so helplessly dominated by the English..." "They don''t seem to be dominated as such. And if their agricultural technology isn''t advanced, how do you explain those sweet grapes?" "They were naturally sweet." "If they''re being unilaterally and helplessly exploited, why are they giving gifts and pledging allegiance?" "The English must have threatened them with force, or enticed them with food during the famine. There''s a drought, isn''t there? If not that, then perhaps food is so abundant that they''re just giving gifts to neighbors. But how could food be abundant in a newly established colony?" "..." "..." It seemed there would be no end to this argument. As they glared at each other and continued their debate... they realized the other two people weren''t with them and looked around. The other two were pressed against the window of the lodging, looking outside. "What are you two doing?" "Hm? Watching the native emperor." "...What?" The emperor. A being they had never been properly shown. "How do you know what you''re seeing is the emperor?" "It''s obvious when you see him! Would you like to look?" As soon as they heard those words, Fran?ois and Samuel rushed to the window to watch the crowd visible as dots in the distance. A group of mixed English and local savages surrounded one man. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And that man... was easily noticeable because he was a head taller than everyone else. Everyone was kneeling before him or carefully bowing their heads. Even the English. Among them, Baron Raleigh was assisting him like a courtier. "..." "..." The two men fell silent. "Ah, ah! You shouldn''t be looking outside right now!" Soon, the English who were monitoring them approached from outside and closed the window. But the scene they had just witnessed was unforgettable. Even though they saw it from a great distance... they could sense that the gaze of people looking at him was extraordinary. "Captain? I, I think I need to revise what I said earlier. What we just saw wasn''t reverence but rather..." "...''Love''." He was loved. Fran?ois and Samuel quickly pulled out notebooks and pens from their pockets and began scribbling various notes. It was a report they would write for His Majesty the King. The day after writing that report, they left the English colony. It was the most bizarre experience of their lives. == ''To the Great King who rules the great France with God''s blessing. I hereby declare that there shall be not a single falsehood in what I am about to report, and that all of this content is not information heard from others, but what I have directly seen and heard. ... ... ... Reviewing the above, the English colony seems to be operated in a completely different way from their propaganda, clearly in an inhumane and immoral manner. Also, the reality of their colony and the so-called ''Native Empire'' was very shabby and not worth paying attention to. ... ... ... However. If there is one thing that deserves careful observation, it is the identity of that ''Native Emperor'' the English presented. The loyalty and respect of the residents (including even the English) toward him seemed deeper than any love I know that a good monarch receives from his people. Also, their faith in him appeared like that of a devout Christian serving his savior. From this, I infer that the identity of the so-called ''Emperor'' is likely the spiritual pillar of the natives, or a symbolic monarch. While he may not have substantive ruling power, it was clear that his presence and leadership were strongly captivating the natives and the English settlers. Considering these factors, if France were to establish colonies there, evangelize the natives, and obtain American resources, Your Majesty''s greatness would be further enhanced. Your faithful servant, Fran?ois Grav¨¦.'' Chapter 71 - 71: Contrasting Reports (1) A man was reading two letters in front of a burning fireplace. Reports from across the sea, written by an uncle and his nephew. ''...The level of technology handled by the natives was very crude, greatly differing from the English claims. If Your Majesty were to see these naked people, you would inevitably think of the word "barbarism." Also...'' This was the content of the report sent by Uncle Fran?ois Grav¨¦. ''...We cannot dismiss their level of civilization. Each tool they used was incredibly sophisticated and contained many technical considerations. Their fruits were large and sweet, and their livestock were fat. Anyone who sees "barbarism" here is a fool. Moreover...'' This was an excerpt from the report of his nephew, Samuel de Champlain. The two reports contained eerily opposite content. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''...Everything was a vile fabrication by the English. They either co-opted or detained the so-called "Emperor" of the savages to create a fake empire and exploit the local savages...'' Here it says this. ''...There was a strong bond visible between the savages and the English. When I called the local Indians savages to the English here, they became very angry and corrected me with the term "natives." The "natives" here send luxurious gifts to the English...'' There it says that. "Hmm..." These were conclusions drawn from observing the same place at the same time. Could one of them be false? That couldn''t be. There was no reason for it. Then there is only one conclusion. Both reports contain the sincere observations of their authors, each examining different sides of the same coin. Even so, such contrasting reactions. And there was something even more interesting than these contrasting reactions. ''To the so-called "Native Emperor" that the English have...'' ''To the spiritual leader guiding the "natives" here...'' "...Huh." ''There is definitely something.'' ''Something was glimpsed.'' They overlap in that one section. There is a monarch whom natives and English with different religions simultaneously respect and admire. While their opinions diverged on whether he had real power or was Baron Raleigh''s puppet, they at least agreed that he exerted some powerful influence. ''...Enviable.'' For Henry IV, the legitimate and rightful monarch of France, this was enviable content. Just recently, he had barely begun to resolve this country''s religious conflicts. However, the war between him and his enemies was not yet over. He was still excommunicated by the Pope of Rome. That was natural. He had been a Protestant until two years ago. Now he was a Catholic excommunicated by the Catholic Church. Anyway, the religious wars in France that had continued for the past 30 years were finally heading toward their end. It was his second year since entering Paris. His enemies would be destroyed, and he would triumph. But the war had lasted 30 years. Catholics, royalists, Protestants¡ªall had amicably borrowed every debt in the world and still lacked money. Even he himself was in a chokehold by England''s Queen Elizabeth. Besides that, there were numerous debts to be repaid. That wasn''t all. On the brink. The kingdom was devastated, and royal authority was more vulnerable than ever. Great lords who sought to diminish royal authority or even covet the throne itself were everywhere. Potential traitors who couldn''t be trusted, who had been pointing guns and swords at each other until just moments ago, were sharpening their blades from all sides. To survive, to restore royal authority... Money was needed. And not just any money, but a new source of funds that could be used without any burden. The money had to come from outside. He couldn''t risk taking on more debt from anyone at home or abroad. Gold, silver, and luxury goods were needed. He needed massive luxury goods enough to extract money from the upper class of the country at any time. A source of funds was needed. A source of funds to establish an army solely for the king, an organization of officials solely for the king. A source of funds for royal authority. He wanted an alliance that gushed aluminum and fur, just like Elizabeth had. He desperately wanted the power to casually trample various great nobles of the country under his boot heel, like her. ''But... it''s probably an achievement I can''t accomplish within my lifetime.'' However, for now, he must refrain from actions that could provoke England, his ally. Henry de Bourbon, the monarch of France, sighs and looks at the map of America placed on the side table. He wouldn''t extend his sphere of influence beyond a certain point. To avoid provoking England, it would be better to establish just a few trading posts with about a dozen people stationed. According to the explorers, the fur trade up there didn''t look bad, so that should be just right. Someday, he too would swagger like England''s Elizabeth. But not now. Henry IV, suppressing the great sense of interest rising in his chest, carefully folded the two letters and put them in a drawer. And he didn''t forget. There might be a wealthy and powerful monarch across the Atlantic. A potential ally who could help place the French monarchy on solid ground. It seemed as if he was beckoning to me. == Huff... pant... "W-we''ve finished registering 400 people. Now just head over there to complete the land register!" I was happy at Hewett''s words, but then I wasn''t. This is insane... I''ve been working for 7 hours straight without a break, and it''s still not done? This is all because of those French people. They came uninvited, wandered around meddling everywhere, and disrupted work, causing already delayed tasks to pile up even more, more, and more. I won''t forget this grudge... "Are... are you alright?" No. "I''m fine, Mr. Hewett. So where do I need to go now?" "To the western settlement. Where the Occohanock and Accomac tribes have newly settled." "..." So after 14 hours of labor today, I collapsed onto my bed and fell asleep. The next day I worked for 13 hours. The day after that was 15 hours, and the day after that was 12 hours... Is this... even life? It''s strange. Other people who know how to work with Excel don''t suffer this much. Why is all the work falling on me? Let me quickly summarize my daily routine. After Excel work, I push land with an excavator, break rocks, cut trees with a chainsaw, plow fields with a cultivator, and manage household consumables. That includes supervising other people working with Excel to make sure they''re doing it properly. Wow! One person doing office work, production work, and management all at once! ...I see the problem. ''There are too many tasks that only I can do.'' Today too, completely exhausted, I lay on my bed. The only difference from other days was that I only worked about 12 hours. Thanks to that, instead of immediately passing out, I could think before sleeping. ''Only I can handle the cultivator, only I can drive the Hijet and forklift, the chainsaw, mixer, pesticide sprayer¡ªeverything stops without me.'' And now the settlement''s population has increased by more than 70,000% in 7 years from the original 30 people. Our settlement''s population now exceeds 20,000. But the way it operates is exactly the same as before. I just keep working, working, and working more. This... isn''t right. I need to find a solution, like I did with Excel. ''For example, teaching others how to use certain equipment...'' Yes, that''s it! Chapter 72 - 72: Contrasting Reports (2) Struck by this brilliant idea, I sat up without realizing it. For instance, isn''t it better to recruit three or four people to operate a cultivator for fifteen or sixteen hours a day, rather than me alone operating it for two or three hours before moving on to other tasks! Meanwhile, someone operates the chainsaw, someone drives the Hijet, someone sprays pesticides¡ªwouldn''t that be perfect? We''ve already built boats and greenhouses with plastic. There''s no need for me to carry all these various tools alone while saying, "I must hide that these are modern items!" By passing on these various technologies to some trustworthy people, not only will productivity increase tenfold, but my work-life balance will also be restored! Barely suppressing my excitement, I began organizing this genius idea in my notebook. Yes, let''s start slowly. Beginning with the easiest to teach, the least strenuous, the safest... == "This is what we call a chainsaw." Yes. I started with the hardest to teach and the most dangerous. The reason was absurd. It was because logging with a chainsaw was the most exhausting work. I too... want to be free from hard labor. "Ooh... ch-chainsaw!" "That''s right, Oitotan." The guy in front of me right now is not at all trustworthy, but at least he has a position and a name. Not a bad condition for entrusting a tool of the "angel." I took Oitotan and several other "chainsaw user" candidates to a nearby forest. "Oitotan, take it." "Y-yes!" Perhaps due to the tension of possibly handling an angel''s tool soon, sweat was pouring down Oitotan''s face. I patted his shoulders to help him relax before handing him the chainsaw. "Now... what did I tell you?" "Here, touch this to start the engine, and the ignition is done by touching here..." "Wait. You need to engage the brake first." "Ah!" Tsk... this feels unsafe. Still, I''ve trained him day and night for several days, so it should be fine. After giving Oitotan one last word of encouragement, I said: S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "As I mentioned, with a chainsaw, instead of extending your arms to work, always keep it close to your body and apply force." "Ah, understood! I''ll do exactly that!" Whirrrrr! G-good. At least the engine started safely. It''s just trimming some tree branches. I gave thorough safety training, so no one should get hurt... "Ah, ah! You shouldn''t work with the tip of the blade¡ª" Clang! Ah, kickback (when the chainsaw guide bar suddenly jumps up). Fortunately, Oitotan wasn''t hurt. That''s because Oitotan instantly dropped the saw due to its recoil. That doesn''t mean everyone was safe, though. A chainsaw blade can rotate at speeds up to 20 meters per second. The saw that flew off with that force sailed through the air. And the flying chainsaw... "Aaaaagh!" "P-pull it out! The chainsaw is lodged in Nemo''s shoulder!" "Oh, oh, oh my goodness!" ...ended up like that. == Alright. I''ve definitely learned one thing. Never, ever put potentially lethal equipment in the hands of beginners. In this era, there''s no YouTube, no systematic teaching materials, no proper teachers, and no academies to provide all those things. In other words, people have to learn by instinct. I can learn by instinct. I have unlimited lives. But others don''t. This isn''t some fugu sashimi recipe¡ªwe don''t need safety precautions for heavy machinery that are perfected as people die. I''d rather handle all these potential murder weapons by myself, even if it''s exhausting. "Hijet, chainsaw, excavator, forklift, weed trimmer..." Only after thoroughly listing these potential murder weapons could I finally grasp the situation. Ah, so that''s why they say not to make enemies with your neighbors in rural areas. Anyway. Pesticide sprayer, fertilizer spreader, pesticide mixer, cultivator, crop duster, water pump... Others, excluding me, should only handle these relatively "safe" items. That... isn''t limited to just the simple use of farm equipment. "A-a-are you alright?" "..." "N-Nemo, your arm flew off! Y-y-your arm...!" "First support Nemo and quickly collect his arm too!" ...I felt this before when I asked blacksmiths to replicate a two-stroke weed trimmer engine for field clearing. The technology of the 20th and 21st centuries wasn''t something that could be replicated with the crude handcrafting skills from before the Industrial Revolution. A 20th-century tin can surpassed everything about the most sophisticated machines of the 16th century. I''m never going to try replicating dangerous technology with 16th-century blacksmiths again. Especially anything with explosion potential. When the engine exploded, I nearly died. Whoever it is, I''ll make sure they only handle safe technology. Otherwise, I''m not human. "Mr. White, watch carefully from now on. I''ll show you how to use a cultivator. You can determine forward and reverse with this gear here." "Forward... reverse..." Of course, now I''ll only entrust these "safe technologies" to truly trustworthy people. I don''t know yet, but who knows if there''s a way to kill someone even with a pesticide mixer? The killer I saw in a movie once killed three men with just a pencil. Anyway, seeing John White quickly become proficient with the cultivator makes me feel proud. Before gripping the cultivator handle, White even made the sign of the cross while mumbling some Bible verse... Indeed. There''s one more reason why I should entrust this equipment only to trustworthy people. Power. In this world, I''m the only one who has these things, and I''m the only one who knows how to use them, so handling modern equipment might look like some heavenly power to people. In such a situation, carelessly giving authority to someone ignorant could lead to unpredictable consequences. It''s best to entrust it to someone trustworthy who won''t cause accidents in the long run. ...Yes. I should create something like a certification system. Since I won''t be recruiting many people anyway, they can take an exam in front of me, and I''ll directly conduct a ceremony to confer qualifications. Like appointing master craftsmen. What should I call this? Agricultural Machine Technician? But that''s for people who make and repair agricultural machinery. Similar to heavy equipment operator... that''s it. Watching people respond with tears and applause as White operates the cultivator, I say to White: "Congratulations. You''ve now taken your first step as an ''Agricultural Equipment Operator.''" "Pardon? Did you say, ahem, Surgeon (Operator)?" ...Huh? The high-performance language patch made by Fansuku Software immediately gives my intuition a signal that something is wrong. The word ''Operator'' referring to a ''technician'' only has the meaning of a surgeon right now. In other words, I need to give White some kind of title here. ...What should I call it? Something appropriately authoritative. Something familiar to people of this era. Something that looks like it''s engaged in professional work... Um... ...I''ve got it. "Ah, I meant Knight of Agricultural Equipment." "Pardon?" ''Knight.'' And so began the first investiture ceremony for an Agricultural Equipment Knight in the New World. Chapter 73 - 73: Delegating Authority (1) Despite the grand name "Agricultural Equipment Knight Investiture Ceremony," it wasn''t much. "Mr. White, will you diligently follow the safety guidelines I''ve taught you?" "Yes! Of course...!" "Good. Let''s work hard." And that was it. ...Well, it''s not like we needed to hold a sword, tap shoulders, kneel in a grand cathedral, and make declarations. Is that how you get a heavy equipment operator''s license? I''ve never seen that. Anyway, after teaching White various safety guidelines and instructing him on the maintenance and use of cultivators and related equipment, the insignificant "ceremony" ended. "I will... work hard!" ...But strangely, White''s eyes were getting red. I wondered why, but then I saw Walter Raleigh wiping tears next to White and realized. Ah, a knight is nobility. Come to think of it, Raleigh himself was originally a commoner who earned his knighthood and baronetcy after tremendous struggles. I quickly added to White: "Ah, this isn''t a hereditary title or anything. Think of it more like a license..." "Still... it''s an honor. You saved my daughter, and now you give me this honor... I will live a life dedicated to serving and obeying you." This reaction is... quite different from what I expected. I just hoped no problems would arise. The next day, I took White and others to my farm in Croatoan for urgent training. "Although I happened to invest the first... knight, from now on, Agricultural Equipment Knights will be selected through rigorous training and verification processes. It will not be hereditary, and I will bestow this honor only to those who are qualified." "Oooooh...!" "Ah, understood!" "That''s amazing...!" Something still feels off. Did I make the name too grandiose? No. Since I''ve been the only one operating farm machinery until now, in a way, I''m sharing "power," so it''s actually right to be thorough and confer authority. Of course, I still won''t teach them how to use potentially lethal weapons like the Hijet or weed trimmer. Here, my most common tasks are plowing fields, cutting trees, spraying pesticides for pest control, and spreading fertilizer. If I carelessly teach someone these methods and they cause an accident, my authority will diminish. And if my authority falls here? This community will collapse. And if this community collapses, my daily life ends too. This community is maintained by my authority and resources, and my daily life is maintained by this community''s loyalty and reverence. Agricultural Equipment Knights shouldn''t be taken lightly. Even in 21st century Japan, heavy equipment operators have high daily wages and are difficult to become without connections. Anyway. I''ve gotten off track. "From now on... I''ll explain how to use the fertilizer spreader and its precautions. It will smell, so work with masks on." At that, Eleanor Dare, John White... and about 30 other people gathered here put on their masks and hurriedly lifted fertilizer bags. Oh dear, working with their backs like that will destroy their discs. "First, everyone open these fertilizer bags and pour them in. Then we''ll take it to the vineyard." "Understood!" And so the work began, and naturally, with helping hands, it was completed faster than usual... or not. "Don''t pull it that way! Keep it straight!" "I told you... controlling the pressure is crucial when spraying pesticides." "Be careful with the sprayer. If you use pressure above 40, it strains the sprayer. Always make sure the ball valve is fully closed before setting the pressure and using it." Teaching while working took two to three times longer than usual, even with a dozen people. Still, the fortunate thing was that even if something broke, it would be fixed a day later. Statements like ''To use this for a long time, don''t use it like this!'' or ''If you use this for several days straight, it will definitely break!'' didn''t apply to us. Other processes like cleaning, tightening, oiling, and maintenance were also unnecessary. Even if we used it recklessly today as if we were going to throw it away, it would be fully restored tomorrow. So there were only two things to teach them: S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "So... hold this valve while looking at this gauge..." Simple usage instructions. "Obviously, when using this, never point it at a person. Understand?" Safety guidelines. There was no need to teach management, storage, or disposal methods. As a result, although it took a while for them to become proficient, they could all soon roughly imitate me to some extent. Then the next day, and the day after that. "Eleanor! Take the cultivator!" "Will! Will! You left the water pump over here!" "Mr. Bennett! Over here! Come help carry some fertilizer!" ...It became easier. Now I didn''t need to work all night alone to manage the vineyard, nor did I have to frantically plow thousands or tens of thousands of square meters of fields by myself. "The sprayer dial doesn''t indicate the pressure being sprayed. Always close the ball valve, set the pressure, and then spray..." "Always refuel the water pump outdoors, don''t fill the fuel too full, and, uh, also..." After about a month, everyone could clumsily imitate me, and whenever they used farm equipment, they recited the safety guidelines I had told them like scriptures, staying completely alert. After about two months, the awkwardness in their posture gradually disappeared, and I would immediately tell them and correct them if they made any mistakes or did something wrong while I was closely checking. After about three months, everyone could now proceed with work on their own. Yes... Now things seemed to be running properly. "What is this?" "...A valve." "Then what is this?" "That''s... hmm. Not that important." "Ah, it''s truly amazing! I never even thought such intricate machines could exist before!" Of course, Bacon would occasionally throw questions at everything like a three-year-old toddler. Even Virginia, now 7 years old, doesn''t ask this many questions... "Doesn''t this part seem to prevent backflow?" "Y-yes, Thomas! Excellent reasoning! Look, Nemo is passing by, let''s ask him if your reasoning is correct!" Moreover, Bacon had somehow disassembled all the machine parts and was discussing with Harriot what this and that was, then asking me if they were right. I don''t know either. Who memorizes every single part when using equipment? "...Haha, I want you to figure it out yourselves. That''s how you grow." "Aaaah...!" "As expected!" Anyway, at times like this, I could skillfully evade by saying things like "self-study" like a professor who didn''t want to prepare for class. That''s how... the "1st Agricultural Equipment Knight Brigade" consisting of 32 members was invested. "Everyone, applause!" "Woaaaah!" "Thank you for your hard work!" Again, nothing grand, just a simple dinner and applause to finish. I handed out certificate forms hastily made with a printer, clearly stated that no one without one could touch farm equipment, and wrapped everything up. And the next day. Whirrrr! "Ha, hahaha..." I lifted the chainsaw, savoring the beautiful feeling. The effort going into farming was reduced to a quarter. Plowing fields, preparing pesticides, spraying pesticides, and various other tasks were resolved! For example, with many people knowing how to handle water pumps, filling in the small wetlands of Chesapeake Bay became easy! Of course, there was originally only one water pump and there were wetlands everywhere, so it''s largely thanks to simply replicating various parts to make improvised stove-cum-water pumps. By replicating farm tools in this way and increasing the number of people who know how to use them, work would become even easier. Now... I could sleep 8 hours a day! I could play games every day instead of just a day or two every couple of months! Quality of life... had returned. Chapter 74 - 74: Delegating Authority (2) "Now we can export wheat to England too!" "Finally, we can help with England''s food shortage!" S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Walter, bring some spices and sugar this time. It would be nice if we could make jam with the extra grapes." "Of course! I''ll bring enough sugar to build mountains!" Harvests also... increased. Ah. I should have done this earlier. Of course, there are still various problems remaining. The population is constantly growing, and the arable land that needs to be reclaimed and forests that need to be cleared are rapidly increasing, but there are limits to what can be done with just one cultivator, one excavator, and chainsaws... Well, those are problems to solve later. Anyway, the urgent issues were mostly resolved, and harvest season had arrived, so it was time for other tasks. "Walter, the freshness of the grapes is of utmost importance. Can you reach England within a month?" "Of course." If you make it, you have to sell it. I''d like to be self-sufficient in most things, but there''s still too much we lack in our settlement. From residents'' clothing to muskets and various equipment for hunting wildlife, to tools for blacksmiths and various craftsmen. We cannot stop trading with England, even to secure such things. We load up grapes packed in styrofoam boxes, and next to them, wine that has been aged for 2-3 years. Sending wine without fortification across the Atlantic. What a remarkable achievement. Naturally, just as White originally planned to grow food crops to sell to England, we also load wheat and potatoes. Finally, jewelry made by our settlement''s precious metal and gemstone craftsmen with the aluminum and various gemstones I provided are carefully wrapped in cloth. The ship departed, loaded with various medicines to be delivered to Margaret as well. Across the Atlantic to England. == Knock! Knock! Knock! "Saint? Saint! It''s time to wake up!" "Mmm... is it 6 o''clock already?" As "Saint" Margaret Lawrence says this and opens her eyes, bells ring in the distance. It is indeed 6 o''clock sharp. As she rubs her eyes and gets up, maids immediately surround her in her nightgown, changing her clothes and grooming her. They had adamantly refused when she originally said she would do it herself, and that''s how it turned out. Margaret had realized over the past two or three years that further argument was futile, so she didn''t try to stop them. That''s how... a court dress, still unfamiliar to a woman from the slums who had no family, is placed on her body. Margaret steps out the door, walking awkwardly. "Where is Her Majesty?" "She has already risen, completed morning worship and breakfast. We''re just waiting for the Saint to arrive." "Thank you." Receiving care from the maids who came with her when she moved to Whitehall Palace, Margaret stands before the door to the Queen''s chambers. Soon the door opens, and the Queen, wearing a wooden corset and a black and white dress, was waiting for her. Maids were moving around, dabbing her cheeks and neck with sponges covered in something called "foundation" and "concealer." Originally, the Queen used whitening cosmetics mixed with lead and vinegar, but when Nemo heard about it, his face literally turned white, and he brought these new cosmetics. They mix "moisturizer" and "foundation" for the dry parts of her skin, then dab a mixture of "pearl" and "blusher" on her cheeks and forehead. Then after applying various cosmetics matched to the Queen''s "personal color," the complexion of the woman in her 60s brightens like magic. Elizabeth, seemingly gaining confidence from the mirror, turns to Margaret with a happy face and says: "Today... you''re a bit late." "Ah... I''m sorry." "I''m not scolding you, come here. My teeth have been hurting lately..." "Have you been brushing your teeth?" "After every meal." "And toothpaste?" "...The taste is unfamiliar." "That won''t do. You must use it." After prescribing mild painkillers (drugs with exotic names like "Ibufen*"* and *"*Tyleol") and various supplements to the Queen who suffers from toothaches due to her love of sweets, Margaret changes from her dress into comfortable work clothes and steps out. Soldiers guarding the palace immediately surround her carriage. As Margaret leaves the palace, citizens who were always waiting send her cheers and gestures. Her destination is Southwark, London''s largest area where pleasure districts and slums mix. Originally, filth filled every street, but thanks to Baron Raleigh mobilizing even the royal guards to clean slums all over London, the hygiene conditions had improved greatly. As she reaches the clinic near the docks, her day finally begins in earnest. "Argh! I-I feel like I''m dying!" "This doesn''t seem like the plague?" "Disinfect the wound area and apply ointment around it!" The clinic, now treating various diseases besides the plague, had become more complex and busy even though the number of patients had decreased. Only after Margaret sweated profusely all morning did the line of patients disappear, giving her some respite. But Margaret''s rest would only come after evening. "The soup kitchen is open!" "Q-quickly, get in line!" This was because the free soup kitchen that had been operating recently opened after lunch. The principle was that one-tenth of the profits from England would be used to operate clinics and soup kitchens like this. Today''s menu was again soup with potatoes and onions. Volunteers were carrying and peeling potatoes brought by Baron Raleigh who had recently returned to London, while others were busy boiling soup and serving. "Miss Lawrence." "Baron? When did you arrive?" "I''ve been peeling potatoes right next to you for 47 minutes. Didn''t you notice?" "..." "I guess not." Margaret was so busy that she didn''t even notice Baron Raleigh approaching. Raleigh puts down the potato-peeling knife and says to her: "So, not coming today either?" He was talking about the banquet at his mansion. Margaret shook her head and said: "I... I may be staying at the palace, but I still don''t think such a fancy place suits me." "If you came, there would be more people at the banquet who would pledge donations just because of the mood. Tsk, that''s unfortunate." "I-I''m sorry!" "No, no, what are you sorry for? I''m the one putting pressure on you. Well, I should go now to prepare for the banquet." "G-good luck!" So Raleigh takes his carriage and leaves for his mansion, Durham House... and evening falls. But the area around Durham House is still brightly lit. This was because of the many dignitaries gathering for the banquet. All sorts of notable nobles, wealthy merchants, and gentry from prestigious families gathered, all wearing dazzling ornaments. All of them... wore aluminum brooches and necklaces that had been fashionable in London for several years. They gathered in Durham House''s splendid banquet hall like statues, whispering among themselves. "Thank you for waiting, everyone! Today''s ingredients are coming out!" Then, along with the host of the banquet, all kinds of fish and meat are displayed in the banquet hall. The guests cannot help but be amazed at that moment. "My goodness... do you see that?" "How many of those are there?" It wasn''t because of the fresh vegetables, fish, and meat sourced from all over England. It was because of... The styrofoam boxes filled with ice that contained them. "Even the Duke of Norfolk could only gather 50 styrofoam boxes!" "Goodness... it''s as if all the styrofoam in England has been gathered here!" The reason why ice vendors around London increased rapidly, the cause of the culture of showing off fresh ingredients before banquets. Thanks to styrofoam boxes, the freshness of high-end ingredients distributed in England had skyrocketed. Styrofoam boxes were also preciously distributed as a symbol of prestige, showing that one enjoyed eating rare Shine Muscat, Ruby Roman, and Black Sapphire grapes. The gathered nobles sat in their respective seats, holding aluminum cutlery, eyeing the ingredients in styrofoam boxes with greedy eyes. "Here, today''s wine has been substituted with Virginian instead of Bordeaux! Everyone, have a taste!" "Not Bordeaux? You''re saying it was transported across the sea?" "No matter how fast Lord Raleigh''s ships are, that''s a bit..." Gulp. "Ooooh!" "I-I-I''ve never experienced such flavor!" Aluminum cutlery instead of silver... American wine instead of French... styrofoam boxes on the dining table... "Where is Sir Drake now?" "Probably happily plundering Spaniards along the Caribbean coast again!" Margaret avoided this banquet, saying it was too lavish. But in a way, it was actually the most frugal banquet in London. At least, that''s how it was. Chapter 75 - 75: Car I returned to Croatoan Island after a long time, precariously carrying the Hijet on a barge. The reason for bringing the Hijet was obvious. There''s hardly anything pointed to load and carry from Croatoan Island. The Hijet may look quite pathetic, but that''s only from our 21st century perspective. The power this tiny car''s engine can produce is a whopping 35 horsepower. ...Of course it looks ridiculously pathetic, but as mentioned earlier, that''s by 21st century standards. Let''s think about what the standard of "horsepower" actually is. Horses. Horses. From the perspective of this era, where horses pull carts, wouldn''t the Hijet have tremendous power equivalent to a carriage pulled by thirty-five horses? Bump! "...Guess not." Anyway, after disembarking from the barge, I''m now driving along the well-paved (by 16th century standards) road, but I feel like I''m going to go crazy with anxiety every time I hit a rock. What if this thing tips over? If I were just driving it empty, that would be one thing, but since I''m carrying various equipment for maintenance at the Chesapeake settlement, it''s incredibly nerve-wracking... Bump! Clank! "Uh, uhh... uhhhh...!" W-wait a minute, why is the wind blowing from the side right now? Come on, no way. It''s still a car. It''s not made of cardboard or corrugated paper, but steel. How could a steel car be blown over by the wind... CRASH! ...It can. I thought I was going to die. Actually, to be precise, I already died once. I can feel my broken ribs rattling inside my body. Normally, this would be 100% fatal. The reason I can state this so definitively is clear. Medicine in this era is so underdeveloped that statements like "You have too much blood in your body. Let''s drain some," and "Blood... circulates around the heart? What?! I''ve never even heard of such a thing!" are commonplace. If your ribs break and puncture your internal organs, you die without even having a chance to do anything about it. You just die, painfully. But I survived. I''m recovering. I could feel the bones inside my body knitting back together and the wounds in my organs healing. Right. Thanks to the immortality cheat, I''ve survived countless near-death crises. I should be grateful for just that. ''...If I hadn''t fallen into the 16th century, there wouldn''t have been any life-threatening crises either.'' Getting my heart stabbed by suddenly appearing Spanish soldiers, having my entire body turned into an exhibition by some assassins, or like this, dying defenseless when the Hijet overturns on a remote unpaved road... Ah, I guess the last one is quite possible in the 21st century too. Suddenly, cold sweat runs down my back. After escaping from the car through the broken window in my blood-soaked clothes, I finally realize: If I had driven this piece of junk, I would have met my demise someday even in the 21st century. Did Fansuku Software actually extend my life? Indeed... I''ll bow three times a day in the direction of Montreuil, France, where the Fansuku Software headquarters is located. No, I didn''t originally drive such a garbage car. Maybe not in the city (although it''s still dangerous in the city), but in the countryside with many narrow, rough, winding roads that aren''t properly paved, driving something like a Hijet is just perfect for enjoying a naked swim in the Jordan River. You think I''d just drive this car because I''m crazy? This coffin that''s slightly less than 1 ton. This car that tilts and overturns when the wind blows a bit strongly. With or without reason, anyone who drives a Hijet is a crazy bastard? Why are you rubbing salt in my wounds? I also had a better car than this, damn it. A 2017 Porter. Double cab, long-wheelbase, 4-wheel drive, solid one. I used it to transport grapes to the direct sales store, and while posing in the driver''s seat, I''d fill a corner of the local newspaper with articles like "Shine Muscat? Not dead yet! The cry of a young farmer." Anyway, that''s how it was. Until the flood washed it away to the small mountain behind the farm. By then, my income level had already started plummeting vertically, so there wasn''t much I could do. Honestly, it would have cost more to retrieve it and send it to the junkyard, so I just left it there. Those bastards, selling watery-tasting Shine Muscat and ruining the brand value, they should go to grape farmers'' hell. Anyway, after that, I got a 92 model year Hijet for 300,000 yen as a used car. A Hijet that I barely drove, which was about to go to the junkyard. "Huff... huff... huff..." The Hijet that will be found in perfect condition in the warehouse once midnight passes again. This Hijet was my "temporary" personal vehicle, but now it has become my life vehicle (forcibly). I went to the back of the overturned Hijet and loaded the various packages that were in the trunk onto my back. Ugh, it''s heavy. I was just complaining about the Hijet, but now that even that Hijet is gone, I''m going crazy. The paint cans and other items I brought from the coast have already spilled and made a mess. I''ll just say goodbye to them, thinking they''re abandoned now. See you after midnight. ... ... ... Ah, this is really pathetic. I want to go back to the 21st century. I''d even go into debt to get my car back. If I just had my Porter, my Porter, I could easily move these packages. The Porter is used as a weapon in civil wars in foreign countries, what would the Hijet be used for? Scrap metal? A coffin? Anyway, leaving behind the Hijet that was crumpled like paper, I walk step by step, and my legs tremble and my body shakes. Even though my strength has increased enormously since coming to the 16th century, I''m in this state. After walking for about an hour and a half. "Aaaah! I-I''ll live!" I finally changed out of my blood-soaked clothes and lay down on the bed. The people who remained in the settlement rushed over when they saw me covered in blood, but since everyone knows I don''t die anyway, I brushed them all off. I just wanted to rest first. I clenched my trembling hands and sighed. Why, why did "Immortal Order: Origin" launch right when I was driving a Hijet? Could it be that I received the immortality cheat because of the Hijet? Was there an agreement among the Fansuku Software executives like, "His personal vehicle is a Hijet, let''s give him a cheat so he doesn''t die"? Anyway. Wow, I''ve seen people get into traffic accidents, go to another world, get reincarnated, and get transported, but getting transported and then having a traffic accident is quite novel. Now... I want to give everything up. Give... it up. ... And so I dozed off to sleep. In my dream, I saw a scene from the past. It was definitely the day of the flood. Thankfully, this house, Pseudo-Green Gables, built by my mother who was a huge fan of Anne of Green Gables, was built with a high foundation to suit Japanese conditions, so it wasn''t flooded. The problem was the field. "T-this... damn it! The grapes are all ruined! The grapes all taste like water!" Just as I was cursing the damnable Japanese climate and Emperor Jimmu''s masochistic starting position selection for raining heavily right before harvest season, it happened. At that time, I saw through the second-floor window (casement) of the house. The Porter parked outside... uh... CRASH! It''s... floating away... Given how late my parents started farming, and the fact that they were fundamentally city people, you can tell we had no connections in the countryside. And since we tried to relocate to a village where we had no connections, we went through all sorts of hardships, and this property was part of that suffering. There was a reason our farm property was tucked away in a very remote part of the village. You can tell just by looking at the fact that out of the 13,200 square meters, several hundred include a small mountain spur. The car crashed there... Huh? "Huh?" Just as I was sobbing over the Porter buried in the mud-colored water like chocolate milk, I woke up. And immediately my mind started racing. Wait. Items in my house, no matter how damaged, are restored pristinely once midnight passes. Here, what exactly is the precise meaning of "restored pristinely once midnight passes"? What is "restoration"? Does it simply mean returning to the original state? Then what is the standard for that "original state"? For example, if a cultivator that originally rattled a lot due to my neglect gets damaged and returns, does it come back still rattling in that state? No. It comes back in a pristine, shiny state, as if newly purchased and just unboxed. There''s a reason I''ve been using items more roughly in the past few years. Rather than getting ambiguously scratched or strangely damaged, it''s better to completely break it and have it restored pristinely. Then... ''What about the Porter that was originally submerged and damaged?'' The Porter... then... what would happen to it? When I came outside in my pajamas, dawn was just breaking. Of course it would be dawn since I suddenly opened my eyes while dreaming, thinking about the Porter. Even though North Carolina is a bit warmer than Japan, it was still a bit chilly coming out in pajamas at dawn in autumn. But I don''t care about such things. Since I won''t catch a cold anyway, I just squeezed into my sneakers and went outside. Then I grabbed a shovel from the warehouse, kicked the damned Hijet that had just returned once, and ran towards the mountainside. At that time, in my dream, and in the memory of the past, I saw you in despair. I saw you submerged and disappearing, buried in silt. But... Now I can save you, Porter! I wiped away the tears that were blurring my vision and ran like crazy. After running and running, I could see the mountain where shepherd''s purse and mugwort were growing. I immediately charged towards the place I saw in my dream, holding the shovel. And! I dug like crazy! Excavator? That''s in Chesapeake right now, so I can''t do anything about it. All I can rely on are my two arms and two legs that will never break. Thud! Thud! Thud! Getting up at dawn to shovel seemed absurd, but thinking about the "something" that would return afterwards, I held my two arms that were trembling from the cold. Soon it will appear. It''s coming...! What I''ve been dreaming of! And finally. Clang! When the shovel and "something" in the soil collided, making a strange and clear metallic sound, I couldn''t believe my ears. Looking around, I was stuck in a soil pit about as deep as my waist, and soil mounds about as high as my waist were piled up here and there. And it wasn''t just one such pit that I had dug. "W-what? Who suddenly dug the ground... Mr. Nemo?" "What are you doing there!" The villagers were calling me, but my heart was so full that I couldn''t even answer and just gritted my teeth. I knelt down as if my legs had lost strength, threw away the shovel, and dug the soil with both hands. Then... I saw it. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The deep onyx blue color like the sea. Beautiful curves and straight lines. And the clean driver''s seat visible through the car window. Ah. Aah. "A-are you alright?" "..." "You are alright, right?" "...Everyone, please bring shovels over here." If an angel suddenly appeared in dirty pajamas and asked you to bring shovels from the morning, what would you do? You might think they''re crazy, but at least our kind settlers followed my words. They each brought shovels and dug the ground with me. And. The outline emerged. "Ah... ahk..." Premium trim. 6-speed manual transmission. Front seat airbags. External tool box under the cargo area and spare tire. Plus PTO (Power Take-Off). Finally. 133 horsepower. About 3.8 times that of the Hijet. It''s said that with just one of these, a village in a remote area of the Third World can sustain itself. I quickly sent the villagers away before they found it strange. I apologized for troubling them early in the morning and gave everyone potatoes baked in butter that I had kept for myself as a snack. And. I returned to the front of the Porter. "Ugh... ughk..." Tears come out. Even when I first realized I had fallen into the 16th century and panicked. Even when I rammed the fence with an excavator and my heart was stabbed, causing momentary cardiac arrest. Even when I was riddled with dozens of air holes by some assassins. Even when my shoulder was sawed by a chainsaw because of that Oitotan. I didn''t cry. I shed those precious tears here. "Lord Fansuku... overwhelming gratitude...!" That''s how much I loved this 1-ton truck. Chapter 76 - 76: Warships on the Horizon (1) "Is everyone alright?" "Yes! It feels good to look around the vineyards after so long!" "I feel like I''ve returned to my homeland too! Though my actual homeland is across the Atlantic, of course!" I returned to Croatoan Island after a long time. And with Hewett, Eleanor, Vicente, Manteo¡ªthe so-called founding members¡ªall together. We were there to manage the vineyards after the harvest and to test the newly made water pumps. "The performance of these water pumps is quite good, isn''t it?" "All thanks to the blacksmiths in our settlement." Yes. I''ll forgive your blowing off my arm last time when trying to replicate the weed trimmer engine, for this. The pain was excruciating¡ªa white-hot flash followed by numbness as I watched my limb separate from my body¡ªbut seeing what we''ve accomplished now makes that sacrifice seem almost worthwhile. After installing improvised water pumps connected to drum-barrel wood stoves here and there, we could quickly drain water from wetlands all around Croatoan and begin land reclamation. The formerly sodden earth, which had been unusable for generations, began to firm up under our feet as the pumps worked day and night, their rhythmic chugging becoming the heartbeat of our new settlement. Murky pools that once harbored disease-carrying insects gradually gave way to fertile soil, rich with possibilities. This too... was an achievement that couldn''t have been accomplished without quite a long period of trial and error. Weeks turned into months as we tested different designs, experiencing countless failures before finding success. The community gathered to watch each new attempt, their faces shifting from skepticism to hope as our progress became evident. Disassembling the agricultural machinery I had, replicating parts, trying to copy them exactly but failing, then making only simple machines... The workshop floor was perpetually covered in metal shavings and discarded prototypes. My hands became calloused and stained with oil and rust, the skin cracking at the knuckles as I worked through cold nights illuminated by the amber glow of lanterns. The occasional spark from metal striking metal would light up the darkness momentarily, like shooting stars in our small universe of creation. Making high-performance wood stoves that way, creating floor heating, and then connecting various pipes to move the water pumps... We learned to seal joints with a mixture of clay and plant fibers when proper gaskets failed, discovered how to regulate temperature by adjusting the air intake vents, and eventually understood the delicate balance required to maintain optimal pressure throughout the system. It was an achievement that couldn''t have been realized without 21st century steel and materials, but an achievement nonetheless. The recovered scraps of civilization¡ªsprings from abandoned vehicles, metal sheeting from collapsed buildings, copper wiring from electronics long since obsolete¡ªfound new purpose in our hands, transformed by necessity and ingenuity into something entirely new. These water pumps were the fruits of that labor. After watching the water drain from wetlands everywhere with these hastily assembled pumps, we spread a tent nearby and shared stories. "Wait... Vicente? You met Sir Drake while sailing on the Nautilus?" "Yes. Well, that''s right." "Didn''t you say that when you were governor of Santa Elena, the English led by Drake turned nearby colonies into wastelands? I heard you withdrew from Santa Elena because of that." "Ha, hahaha, hahahaha. That''s just something from the past." "How far in the past?" "Exactly 9 years, 5 months, and 2 days ago." "...For someone who spoke as if it didn''t matter, you remember it quite in detail." "Well, the colony I poured my life into was destroyed in an instant. It can''t be helped. Back then, I used to grind my teeth just thinking about the English, but who would have thought things would turn out like this? Hahahaha!" "..." "..." "..." Isn''t he here because he tried to do the exact same thing to this settlement that Drake did to him? Of course, no one bothered to point that out. "Anyway, as that fellow goes around plundering Spanish colonies, he''s bound to come to this area. So I''ve encountered him several times, and he was more interesting than I expected. He''s also good at killing people." "..." "..." "..." "He was a better person than my first impression suggested. Isn''t it about time he returns to this area?" That''s how we spent our first day back on Croatoan, talking and then falling asleep. The next day, we earnestly tended to the vineyards, prepared for next year''s farming, and looked after the settlement. The place was in disarray since the 300 people living here had become a kind of high-ranking officials, busily traveling back and forth to Chesapeake Bay. We also dusted the houses that had accumulated dirt for a long time. We spent another two days like that. Just as I was thinking it was time to return to Chesapeake Bay... sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Knock! Knock! Knock! Knock! "W-what''s that?" I woke up to the sound of someone knocking on the door. I quickly changed out of my pajamas and went outside to find Manteo and Eleanor. "What''s the matter with you two?" "Something tremendous seems to be happening near the coast! The Spanish guarding the outpost said they saw several large warships..." "What? Warships, you say?" "Yes!" I hurried to the warehouse, started the Hijet, and came out. After picking up the two of them, I drove straight toward the eastern coast. And... BOOM! "...What''s that?" I heard a thunderous sound. Something like an explosion echoed from far away. When I stepped on the accelerator and reached the coast, we soon could tell what that thunderous sound was. "T-there! Over there!" Even in the dim light of early dawn, we could see several warships fighting quite close by. Each carried flags of England and Spain. As the English fleet moved northward, the Spanish fleet chased after their rear, firing a barrage of shells. The English ships seemed to have caught an unfavorable wind and eventually gave up fleeing, turning around one by one. As soon as they completed their turn, their loaded cannons poured fire on the Spanish vanguard. The flames and smoke rose over the water surface like stars and clouds. In short, all of that scene was clearly visible. Chapter 77 - 77: Warships on the Horizon (2) "...They''re fighting incredibly close by!" Eleanor was right. Close enough that the Spanish fleet could land right here after the battle ended. "Hewett? Manteo? Tell everyone to gather at the coastal battery. Tell them to bring whatever guns and gunpowder they have." "Understood!" "Vicente? Is there any way you could intervene with the Nautilus and accomplish anything¡ª" KABOOM! A sudden explosion swallowed my words. "Kyaaah!" And made Eleanor scream. Looking toward the sea, a Spanish warship was sinking in pieces. It seemed to have been hit by a shell in the gunpowder storage, causing an explosion. In an instant, flames and ship debris surged over the water surface, and with that, the tide of battle reversed. While the Spanish ships nearby were thrown into confusion as fire spread from the friendly vessel, English warships were each moving to advantageous positions. Massive ships circled around each other, scattering shells and ropes, or dropping troops onto enemy ships to attempt close combat. The Spanish warships, which had been in the position of pursuers until just moments ago, now broke their formation and were being ensnared one by one by English ropes. Spanish vessels that were hurriedly approaching the shore saw our coastal battery, immediately raised white flags, and returned toward the English ships. The Spanish fleet was disintegrating one by one. "Wooooah! We won!" "We won!" The English who were standing here cheered, and Vicente, despite being of Spanish origin, also clapped happily. Just as everything seemed to be ending and people were about to return inland... "...Huh?" "What are you doing, Mr. Hewett? We should start heading back..." "No. Something seems strange." "What do you mean?" "The ships seem to be getting closer." "What? What are you saying¡ªoh." When I turned around, the English ships were slowly approaching us. W-what? Why are they coming here? As I looked around at others in confusion, Vicente calmly said: "The battle just ended, didn''t it? And right here there''s an English ally where they can resupply." Ah. Soon, small boats were lowered from the ships, and sailors began landing on the shore with rough, hoarse songs. They seemed quite excited, firing muskets wildly into the sky. "Long live Her Majesty the Queen!" "Death to the Spanish!" As the cheering people gradually backed away in fear, I too tried to step back just in case. Then Hewett grabbed me. "Don''t worry too much. As Lord Raleigh mentioned, doesn''t everyone hear Nemo''s voice in the language they''re most fluent in, as if it were their mother tongue? It would be difficult for them to be so proficient in more than one language." "..." "And since they''ll come to the village for supplies anyway, it''s better to meet them here than awkwardly there." "...Alright." Oh, what should I do? My farm? Should I hide it? No, is there a need to hide it? While I was pondering these things... "...Ah! Gentlemen! Fucking hell, we won!" "Woooooah!" "We won!" Bang! Bang! Bang! In the middle of the men who had disembarked from the boats, I could see one man shouting vigorously. If he weren''t on our side, he would have given the impression of a complete madman at first glance. "Who is... that man?" "That man is Sir Francis Drake¡ª" "Hey! You there, Vicente! And hello to the rest of you!" ...Oh. Francis Drake. The pirate captain and English naval commander appointed by Queen Elizabeth. It seemed true that they had met several times before; Drake approached Vicente with a friendly greeting, and Vicente likewise grabbed his outstretched hand and said: "Sir Drake! It''s been a while! What brings you here..." "Well, I was passing by and thought of this place. No, I was passing by and saw those fellows with lots of money, so I asked them to share a bit, but they chased after me like madmen? I came here to rest along the way. And to see the Saint! To see aluminum! To see the Native Emperor!" "..." "..." "..." "Ah! Is this the Saint of London? Pleased to meet you, I am Sir Drake." "I-I''m Eleanor Dare." "Nice to meet you, I''m Hewett." "..." "..." "..." "...Then, who is this?" "...That." "I think I know." Drake suddenly begins to bow even though I haven''t said anything yet. "I pay my respects to the Great Emperor of the natives in this area." "..." "..." "..." "Excuse me, Sir Drake. Did you know how to speak Spanish or Latin?" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "A little. Just enough for survival, trade, and formalities." "...Nice to meet you, I''m Nemo." Reassured by Drake''s answer, I quickly spoke up, and when Drake heard my response, his eyes widened momentarily, and then... "Hello! I am Francis Drake! The Queen''s pirate!" He responded as if nothing was unusual. ...Indeed, it seems he can''t be fluent in more than one language. The catalog said he came from a middle-class background. Drake shook my hand vigorously with a hearty laugh and then asked me directly: "Do you happen to have any spare water and food?" "...We do." "How much could you provide?" "We can give you as much as you need." At my words, Drake''s face brightened rapidly, and he shook my arm vigorously, saying: "Very good, Your Majesty! Very good! Thank you!" "I-I see. Then..." "Now, let''s prepare to leave. Vicente? I''ll make sure to kidnap your family properly when we stop by the Florida colony. The rest of you, farewell." "...You''re leaving already?" "What? Haven''t I seen everything there is to see in this settlement? I''ve seen the Saint, the Emperor, water and food, so I must return!" "..." "I am a man of the sea, you see! Besides, I have assets ''borrowed'' from the Spanish piled up now, so I must return to England before others extort them!" ...Is he insane? Well, he''s a man who funds a year of the national budget by pirating from the strongest country of the time. It would be stranger if he weren''t a madman. "..." "Ah, there''s one more thing I should tell you." "...What is it?" "The Spanish are growing their Florida colony down there. They seem to feel threatened by the Virginia colony. So be careful, as there might be trouble from the south." "I understand¡ª" "Oh my! I forgot yet another thing! Wait a moment!" "..." Drake rushed out hastily and soon shouted something toward his fleet, which was docking one by one at the shore. Boats were lowered from each ship, and people came ashore in various places. As the area became noisy, I too approached closer, wondering what was happening... "Everyone, gather around!" At someone''s shout, naked men and women slowly moved their bodies. Watching them, Drake said: "I accidentally took them on while plundering several Spanish ships. There''s no one to buy them if I take them to England, and I might even be criticized, so I was worried, but fortunately, a buyer has appeared!" "..." Those people were... "You probably need a lot of labor, how about it?" "Um... they are..." "Yes, that''s right. They''re all slaves." They were all Black people in chains. Chapter 78 - 78: Aluminum for Souls (1) Slave trade. According to what I saw in the "Immortal Order" catalog, the slave trade in this 16th century era was a field dominated by Spain and Portugal. That was the natural result. They were the only ones with colonies where slaves could be brought to work. While England, France, the Netherlands, and others would begin expanding overseas in earnest after the 17th century, right now the only colonial empires were those two. The Spanish and Portuguese used numerous slaves to extract profits from their rapidly expanding new territories. However, the native population declined rapidly due to smallpox and other epidemics, and later, when the enslavement of natives was prohibited altogether, they turned to slaves from elsewhere who were relatively stronger against diseases and whose supply sources were relatively closer. These were the slaves from West Africa. When various kingdoms or tribes invaded and abducted others, the American colonies would purchase those slaves. And when they transported gold, silver, and various cash crops produced by slave labor back to their homeland, they would use those luxury goods to pay the African "dealers" and "slave producers" to buy more slaves. This is the infamous "Atlantic Triangular Trade." And Drake raided ships and colonies engaged in this trade. He killed people indiscriminately, burned houses and fences, and thoroughly swept away all remaining treasures and property. "But, well... think about it. Where would we use slaves we capture?" The Black slaves were what he had acquired in the process. "...I heard you have previous experience as a slave trader." "Yes, that''s true. But wasn''t that before the war with Spain? What should I do with these slaves? Would I keep them? People who have no particular use, just to feed, house, and clothe them for the sole reason of wanting to look important¡ªwouldn''t that be spending more than I earn? Then do I sell them? Where? English people would refuse to buy slaves for exactly the same reason as me, and what''s left are the Spanish..." You stole them from the Spanish, though. Moreover, since we''re at war, he can''t sell them back. "I''m not running a charity, so I can''t take them back to their homes in West Africa and free them, can I? I''d go bankrupt." In truth, it didn''t seem likely that such a conscientious person would choose to make a living as a pirate. Someone who had just been happily massacring Spaniards and then suddenly says, "Ah! These are slaves! I must liberate them!" would be less kind and more like someone who was broken somewhere. "But! Like this! Who would have thought an English ally and colony would appear so close to my ''business area''!" ...Did he just call the sea where he pirates his business area? "Anyway, isn''t it fortunate? If Your Majesty would purchase them, though I don''t know how many..." Suppressing a sigh, I said: "All of them." "Uh... pardon?" "I will purchase all of them." "..." Drake seemed momentarily stunned, his mouth open and eyes blinking... then his face brightened as he said: "Ah, hahaha! I guess you needed even more labor than I thought! Impressive! However, the price is quite steep..." "Would it be acceptable to pay it all in aluminum?" "..." "Sir Drake?" Drake, who had momentarily stiffened, now showed a broad smile and said: "Of course! Boys! We hit the jackpot! Quickly connect the slaves'' shackles and..." "Remove the shackles." "Uh... what? What if they run away?" "..." When I said nothing, Francis Drake began to observe my reaction. And when he realized that I noticed him watching my reaction, he began to observe the reactions of those around us. Then Drake closed his eyes for a moment as if thinking. "...Aha." He opened his eyes again and gave me a subtle smile. "...I, Francis Drake, have honestly not lived my entire life according to the Lord''s words, but I roughly understand Your Majesty''s intention. Your Majesty is a true Christian. I too have actually always felt a deep loathing for the institution of slavery, so..." I haven''t said anything yet. And weren''t you a slave trader? That said, your ability to read the room is freakishly good. "...I feel great! I''ll hand them over for half the price I originally intended to charge! How could I sit and calculate profit when doing the right thing! Hahahaha!" ...Wow, I almost thanked him without realizing it. It seemed odd coming from someone who just said he had no place to sell them and was troubled, but it was so natural that I almost fell for it. Well, it doesn''t matter anyway. "Y-you''re giving me this much? I clearly said I would only take half..." "Why are you so surprised? You''re doing a good deed, so I should help." It''s just aluminum foil and clips pressed together, and he''ll be overjoyed when I give it to him. Drake now bows to me with his mouth stretched in a grin. "Your Majesty! May you have longevity and good health! I hope the friendship between England and Your Majesty lasts forever! Now then..." "Wait." "...Yes?" "What are you going to do now?" "Umm... well, originally I was planning to return to England. Having successfully completed piracy... no, I mean the redistribution of resources, now I should return to my homeland to enjoy that joy with Her Majesty the Queen, shouldn''t I?" "And after that?" "Hmm? Don''t you know? I am a pirate." Drake claps his hands once and tells me with gleaming eyes: "Piracy begins again. Hehehe, I love doing this." Thou shalt not kill, thou shalt not steal. He''s already proudly declaring he''ll break two of the Ten Commandments, yet just a few seconds ago he was talking about being a Christian. "Then... as you pirate, remember one thing." "Ah, of course. As long as it doesn''t conflict with my oath of loyalty to my sovereign, Queen Elizabeth, I will fulfill any request." "It''s not a request. Rather, it''s a proposal that will benefit you." "What is it, Your Majesty? My interest is piqued." "..." Can I trust this person? His impression is perfectly optimized for fraud and extortion. ...Ah. No, wait. He''s already leading an armed robbery gang roaming around everywhere. What could be more ridiculous than asking if such a person can be trusted? This... is the Queen''s favorite? What kind of country is England, anyway? In any case. Now that I''ve confirmed slaves are being captured, there''s something I must do as a matter of principle. "...In the future, when you raid the Spanish." "When I ''battle'' with the Spanish." "...When you battle with them and discover detained slaves, bring them here. I will compensate you as I did this time." At my words, Drake''s eyes widened again. After seeming to ponder for a moment... he nodded vigorously and said: "Of course, Emperor. For you, and for the cause of our Lord who abhors slavery, I will do so." Our Lord probably abhors piracy too. ...Not that it''s any of my business. == Francis Drake. He is known as a fine friend and colleague of John Hawkins, England''s first slave trader. Following his cousin John Hawkins, he began in his early twenties traveling between the West Indies and West Africa, either capturing slaves directly or capturing Portuguese ships that had captured slaves. His successful career thus begun continued onward, and after 1569, he became Queen Elizabeth''s reliable money bag, enjoying tremendous honor. This is what sets him apart from other pirate rabble. With his innate gangster disposition, he knew whose "territory" he was in. His nose sensitively smelled power, and he knew who was the most absolute "big boss" in this area. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. So instead of reveling in the enormous profits equivalent to several years of the national budget, he offered most of it to the Queen. He had a good sense of awareness. A remarkable survival instinct always flickered in his eyes and ears. This is a proposal from an important ally who dramatically improved England''s trade balance. A major customer who fills the English royal treasury with luxury goods and buys all sorts of luxuries and necessities from England, such as sugar, spices, and woolen fabrics. He offered a deal in exchange for freeing slaves. Moreover... He knew well what his relative and prominent slave trader Sir John Hawkins had done to meet his demise recently. He went to the "Saint''s" clinic, caused trouble demanding medicine, and died from divine punishment. He probably died from some poison, but since people generally spread such rumors, it was easier to accept that as the truth. In other words. The time for "cutting ties" had come. ''How long has it been since I directly engaged in the slave trade?'' Not like this time, where slaves came along as a side branch during battle with Spain, but the work of directly purchasing and exporting slaves¡ªit had been over 10, no, over 20 years. John Hawkins, who worked in the slave trade and even put a shackled Moorish slave on his family crest, died from divine punishment. And. A sponsor who would pay money for freeing slaves appeared. ''...What is this? A spirit of the sea?'' Chapter 79 - 79: Aluminum for Souls (2) Not just any sponsor. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A sponsor who speaks Spanish, Portuguese, English, and Latin simultaneously. Though I panicked and blurted it out, it would be an unforgettable experience. One who performs impossible miracles... a magician? A mystery of the sea? ''The sea is truly amazing! To have such a wondrous experience!'' Of course, Drake could accept it without difficulty. He had already seen numerous miracles at sea. Like a seagull speaking human language (a hallucination due to vitamin deficiency during long voyages), or a mermaid (it was a dugong). Thanks to such experiences, Drake was sufficiently "superstitious" like a sailor, and he could incorporate this strange experience with the native emperor "Nemo" as just another page in his adventurous life! That is, what mattered to the great Captain Drake right now wasn''t such things. From the beginning, there had never been any good that came from lengthy encounters with "sea mysteries." (Naturally, it''s difficult to see anything good when in a mentally and physically weakened state due to vitamin and various nutritional deficiencies.) What mattered to him immediately was the deal. The deal. Yes. From now on, he is no longer the fine friend and colleague of John Hawkins, England''s first slave trader... "Gentlemen." "..." "..." "..." "What does this look like to you?" "Why are you asking such things without even letting us rest on land?" "...There was a reason for all that, so shut up and answer." "Ah, isn''t it aluminum?" "No. This is the fruit of great freedom and the just reward that comes from morality and ethics." Now he is the liberator of slaves, a friend of freedom and justice. "We''re going on another job. Target the area near Cuba." "Ah, understood!" "If you see people who look like slaves, treat them all with respect! They''re our new source of money!" "Woooooah!" He is a friend of aluminum. And so Drake once again set off on a journey toward the Lord''s light and justice. As for the deaths that occur along the way... Let''s consider them natural causes. == We returned to Chesapeake Bay after our extremely... bizarre meeting with Drake. Everyone was dumbfounded by the perplexing experience, but there were things to do first. "What is your name?" "...How do you... speak our language? G-good heavens!" "No. That was my tribe''s language... My tribespeople all died, how could...?" "Everyone, please calm down. You are safe now." After removing their shackles, all the slaves stirred and bowed awkwardly to me. They seemed to think I was their new owner. "A-are you our new master?" Someone asked in Spanish, and I immediately replied: "You no longer have masters." Then his face filled with a complex mix of fear and awe from hearing multiple languages in his ears, and joy from understanding my words. "H-how..." "Could you tell me where your homeland is?" "...#$@#." I heard a language I couldn''t understand or pronounce properly. The Japanese patch installed in my brain soon translated it as "Sierra Leone." When I turned on the world map on my phone, I could immediately confirm Sierra Leone''s location. Sierra Leone is about 7,000 kilometers away from here. "Are all of you from the same place?" Most of them nodded at my words. I said to Vicente who was standing beside me: "How much longer until the Voyager is completed?" Voyager, the name of our second clipper ship under construction. "Only a month or two left." "Good. Let''s take them to Africa on the Voyager." According to what I read in ''ANNO 1800,'' clipper ships originally carried ''perishable cargo,'' and given the era, slaves were 100% included in that. Whatever the case, it''s an appropriate ship to use while Spain is searching for English vessels in the Atlantic with fire in their eyes. Because it''s fast. Now it will be used to escort freed slaves back to Africa. "So... exploring this coast with the Voyager is still difficult, you''re saying." "That''s right. To look around the area first, we''ll need the Nautilus. Would you like to join us?" I nodded at Vicente''s words. Haven''t the English and Spanish fleets just clashed quite significantly nearby? There might be effects in the area. There could be shipwreck survivors. "Good." After wrapping everything up, we boarded the Nautilus and explored the southern coast after the battle. And. "...There should be a village around here." Several villages had been abandoned empty. Tribes hiding in the forest out of fear from the night''s thunderous sounds. Countless corpses and battle debris washed up on the shore. Rotting limbs of Spaniards, English, natives, and Black slaves. "..." Drake was a cheerful person, but he led dozens of warships and thousands of soldiers. Our community now has at most 20,000 people, while they command armies of tens of thousands and populations of millions. Each time these giants engage in battle, thousands die and tens of thousands are stirred up. "Sir Drake mentioned that the Spanish... are growing their Florida colony?" "Yes. It seems they''re trying to check us." "Those repercussions won''t reach us, will they?" "Probably... not." We could only pray to remain safe amidst it all. == The Council of the Indies under the Spanish Empire seriously considered the "disappearance" of Vicente Gonz¨¢lez. "An epidemic broke out in the area, and natives attacked, resulting in the annihilation of about 200 troops..." "Thinking about it now, wasn''t it the doing of that savage ''Emperor''? At most, he''s probably just a particularly strong Indian chief in the area." "So you''re saying a local group powerful and skilled enough to crush 4 warships and a force of 200 soldiers has joined hands with England?" "The Virginia colony''s population now numbers in the thousands. To overthrow them, we would now need to dispatch a large force of at least 2,000, possibly up to 5,000 men." "Meaning, they cannot be overthrown." "..." "..." "..." A perfect intermediate stopover has emerged for the English, who stick to you like vicious swarms of mosquitoes or midges. No, not just an intermediate stopover. It''s a new territory that fills England''s perpetually tight treasury and prospers enough to not only be self-sufficient but even export food to England. Moreover, considering their propaganda about "angels" and such, the political significance is even greater. From the perspective of the Spanish colonial authorities, an irritating threat had arrived. "For now... shouldn''t we protect our Florida colony first? I think we''ve become too vulnerable since abandoning Santa Elena and other areas." "That''s right. First, we must strengthen the defenses around Santa Elena and expand the colonies near Florida. Further retreat will only create strategic threats." And so, the Spanish colonial authorities made a decision. "Expand the colonies." Thus, the government of Spanish West Indies began a colonial expansion movement. They supplied weapons and resources to San Agust¨ªn and allied tribes in the area, instigating conquest of new lands. The result was clear. The Spanish-allied Apalachee tribe drove out the Guale tribe to the north. The displaced Guale tribe then plundered the Muscogee tribe. The Muscogee tribe declared war on the Catawba tribe. The Catawba tribes were pushed northward, threatening the Tuscarora tribe. The large and small movements taken by Spain toppled the native societies in regions that would in the distant future be called Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina like dominoes. An unprecedented drought persisted. Amid this, Spain''s "light precautions" caused them to move to the more barren and cold north instead of the warmer south. Thousands, tens of thousands who lost their homes and homelands wandered aimlessly with weapons in hand. Their eyes were now filled with confusion, anger, and sadness. "G-good heavens, why they suddenly came north..." "Where should we go now?" Then, the chiefs and great chiefs of various tribes recalled rumors they had heard. "In the north... there is a very powerful and wealthy great chief." "They say he never lets a visiting guest go hungry, and never turns away those who seek refuge." "We cannot defeat him in battle, but we can seek his protection." "So, we go there." To Croatoan. And to Chesapeake. Chapter 80 - 80: The Convert (1) "Beautiful. Perfect weather for setting off to Africa!" Walter Raleigh, who had returned before we knew it, said while stroking the hull of the newly completed Voyager. In response, Vicente Gonz¨¢lez, who had been selected as the captain of the Voyager, smiled and said: "The Voyager is a bit larger and sturdier than the Enterprise. Perhaps because the craftsmen have become accustomed to building this type of ship, it''s superior in every aspect." "Still, somehow I prefer the Enterprise over the Voyager. Don''t you like the name better? Enterprise! America! The final frontier! Our mission is to explore new worlds, discover new life and civilizations, and boldly go where no one has gone before. Doesn''t the name Enterprise fit perfectly with that? But the name Voyager lacks... power." "But the Voyager can carry more cargo and more cannons, can''t it?" "That''s different. It''s a matter of... feeling. It somehow feels like it will be stranded somewhere, wander around, as if the name is covered with ominousness." "...Please don''t say such things about someone else''s ship." "Half joking." The two were soon to cross the Atlantic to Africa with the slaves Nemo had purchased from Drake. The estimated time was about 3 months. A time shortened thanks to the clipper ship''s miraculous sailing speed. They watched as the Africans, who had fully regained their health, boarded the ship one by one, and said: "...By the way, ''He'' seems to be against slavery." Although Raleigh only said ''He,'' Vicente could easily understand. There was only one person in this settlement whom people referred to as ''He'' without any context. "That''s right. When He unhesitatingly purchased the slaves from Sir Drake, I thought He was being practical, but I didn''t expect Him to free all of them..." The first thing He did after purchasing the slaves was to talk with the newly freed slaves. He asked them where their homeland was, if they wanted to return, and if they could return. Based on their answers, He divided the freed Africans into several categories. Those who would newly settle in Virginia. And those who would return to their homeland. Not a single person remained a slave. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Raleigh, having returned and heard the news, carefully phrased a question he had been holding: "You''ve also traded slaves before, haven''t you?" "Me? Of course. I bought commodities like slaves and ivory from various African tribes and sold them to Spanish colonies. I had a few in my colony too. Haven''t you done the same, Baron?" "Me? I led a privateering fleet. Of course I have." "..." "...If He abhors employing slaves, then the Lord must feel the same." "..." "I fear how we must appear in the eyes of the Lord, and in His eyes." "Who among us is not a sinner in His eyes? Can''t we atone for the rest of our lives?" "..." "Doesn''t everyone have a second chance as long as they''re alive?" The atmosphere had suddenly become somber, and serious conversation was exchanged. The two quietly recited the Lord''s Prayer, made the sign of the cross, and disembarked from the ship to make a final check if the voyage preparations were complete... "Virginia! I have arrived!" "..." "..." ...in the midst of which they turned around to see a fleet docking at the coast of Chesapeake. The man with a gallant impression rowing a boat toward them was a very familiar face to both of them. "...Sir Drake?" "Ah, Baron Raleigh! It''s been a while! Quite some time since we''ve met!" "..." "You there! Vicente? You''re right there too! Come help me!" "Ah, you''ve come to transport new slaves¡ª" "Tsk!" "...What? If not slaves, then..." "Ssssst!" "...?" Vicente turned to Raleigh in confusion as Drake suddenly became enraged at his words. But Raleigh was equally puzzled. Drake approached Vicente, seething, and spoke with ''sincerity'': "Slaves? Do you become a slave when captured by the hands of vicious pirates and slave traders in Africa? Would the Lord watch such evil deeds and do nothing?" "...What?" The words ''But you are that vicious pirate and slave trader'' rose to their throats, but Vicente barely swallowed them. "Call them ''liberated freemen from Africa'' instead." "...Understood." "Sir Drake, I see your piracy this time had a good harv¡ª" "Baron Raleigh! You too! Piracy? Piracy is taking what belongs to others. But I have only moved according to the holy cause of restoring freedom to those who have had it stolen. I have accomplished a great mission." Raleigh sensed something strange and glanced back. Then he saw Nemo watching them from a distance. He appeared as tiny as a dot, and it was unclear how Drake had noticed. "...I see your ''great mission'' had a good harvest?" As soon as he corrected his expression according to Drake''s opinion, Drake''s seemingly enraged expression instantly softened. "Oh, of course. The newly liberated slaves alone number over 300. And I also ''reclaimed'' evil property extorted by the Spanish from slaves and Indians." Why is Drake receiving what was extorted from slaves and Indians? Like Vicente, various questions arose in Raleigh''s mind, but he barely suppressed them. Looking back again, he saw that He had already come to their side. "Sir Drake, you''ve come. The wound on your cheek..." "Ah, Your Majesty! While waging war against the wicked Spanish, I couldn''t contain my indignation and stepped forward, getting slightly cut by a sword... But it''s fine. What would such a small scar matter to this Drake?" "That''s... fortunate." "Indeed. Had I fallen and died there, who would have saved the hundreds, thousands of Africans suffering under Spanish rule in America? The Lord clearly saved me from death." "..." ''He''s definitely confused.'' ''He''s confused.'' Raleigh and Vicente could easily sense the bewilderment on Nemo''s face. After seeming to ponder for a moment... Nemo finally couldn''t hold back and opened his mouth: "Um... hasn''t Sir Drake also engaged in slave trading? You''ve even directly captured slaves in alliance with local African tribes." At that moment, Raleigh and Vicente felt as if their insides had been cleared out. That was it! That''s what they wanted to say, their mouths had been itching to say it! They had just been talking about whether they were sinners or not, and then this villain of a different caliber comes along and speaks so boldly, it was nauseating! Chapter 81 - 81: The Convert (2) They soon exchanged glances and smiled, imagining Drake stammering and apologizing. The two were roughly experiencing the "catharsis" sensation that would exist hundreds of years later. However. "Ah... you speak of my shameful and ugly past." "No, I wasn''t trying to point it out. I was just concerned..." "Aren''t you referring to the time when I was ugly, dirty, unscrupulous, and obsessed with the wealth and pleasure that slaughter provides?" "...What?" They had underestimated Drake too much. Drake suddenly bowed his head deeply. And just as actors in the 21st century often do on variety shows, he suddenly dropped a tear. "I... will go to hell. A sinner like me deserves to die!" "Ah, no, that''s not what I..." "Your Majesty, no. No matter how hard I try to do good deeds, it''s as useless as mixing honey with poison. I know too. Since the Lord sees everything, I too will someday pay for this sin..." "D-don''t say that. Sin is a matter for later, but for now, aren''t you doing righteous deeds?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...Now that I hear it, indeed. Since I''ve brought 353 Africans, I''ll only take about 2 kilograms of aluminum." "..." "..." "..." In that moment, Raleigh and Vicente looked at each other and came to an agreement on one conclusion. How great a sinner they themselves were... they honestly didn''t know. But the man before them was simply a lump of sin. == ...What a transparent human. I gave Drake a few kilograms of aluminum and saw him off. Looking at that innocent smile, he seems like a child, but... uh... what kind of child commits murder and arson as if it''s nothing? Anyway, a person whose trustworthiness had decreased to -255 coming out like this caused an underflow, instead raising his trustworthiness. To 0. If they can''t be a believer with conviction and strength on my side, maybe it''s better to have someone who transparently flies around following money and status like this. In any case, Drake has been doing a good job here and there, so already 500 slaves have been freed. Of those, about 150 had nowhere to go and stayed in our community. Not a bad outcome. If I can save hundreds of people with just a bit of crumpled aluminum foil... ''The problem isn''t that.'' I wonder if I''ve been too meddlesome. I worry that Drake''s piracy might become even more rampant, causing Spain to adopt an attitude like "Where is that bastard''s base? Virginia? Attack it immediately!" And although slave trading wasn''t a major industry in England, there would still be slave traders, and I wonder if they would oppose Drake''s actions. This might create diplomatic problems, but... ''Still, how can a person just leave this alone?'' And establishing a connection with Drake like this will surely have its uses later. After all, isn''t he like the supreme commander of the English navy? His public recognition is considerable. Anyway, judging from Spain''s lack of response for years, they probably won''t harm us or react differently... And in England, they won''t abandon a honeypot like me just because a few slave traders are grumbling. England... well, they''ll handle it well. == Drake knew exactly what to do with this "pure aluminum" he had obtained. Indeed, it was befitting of a man who had been raised among pirates since childhood and learned the principles of power in his teens. He lives in a country of pirates and organized crime. In times like these, one should not be stingy in paying tribute. That was the difference between him and other insignificant pirate gangs that didn''t make it into history. He knew how to catch the eye of the "boss." And so, having received the tribute, "Boss" Elizabeth decided to continue her political offensive from here. "Tighten the belt a bit more. I need to show a resolute impression." "Yes, Your Majesty." Soon, the political show with Drake begins. Before entering the court, Elizabeth slowly reconsiders the current situation in her mind. What is the current situation in England? Originally, it was indescribably bad. Until the war, they had lived by continuously hitting the money bag called Spain and extorting massive wealth in return... but now Spain says it won''t just take it anymore. Because of that, funds have run out first. For war, ships are needed, and for ships, timber is needed, but the forests within England have almost been depleted. That means everything is imported. The treasury is completely emptied by buying timber and ships at expensive prices from Sweden and Denmark, then patching up the empty treasury with piracy, then buying timber and ships lost in piracy again... The royal budget is in deficit every year, and the entire country wobbles with the success or failure of one or two piracy missions. In the midst of this... salvation approached. ''Virginia.'' Luxury goods regularly come in from the Virginia colony established in the native emperor''s domain, and through those luxury goods, enormous profits are collected from the nobles. At the same time, since the Virginia colony has started operating shipyards, it seems they will soon escape from timber and ship shortages. Even the food situation has improved. This was the moment when various problems making England creak were being washed away. Of course, does this mean that England''s national wealth is being drained by importing luxury goods from Virginia and the native emperor? Not that either. They buy massive amounts of sugar, spices, and woolen fabrics. Plus... a strange fruit from near Africa. ''Coffee, was it?'' When Raleigh brought it, saying it was the native emperor''s request, both Raleigh and the Queen floundered for a long time not knowing what it was. Only recently were they able to supply it to the Virginia colony, so the gold flowing out to Virginia has been significantly reduced. So to summarize. The Virginia colony, and the native emperor beyond it, are the highest priority ally for England, filling the treasury and supplying strategic materials. Moreover, he is hostile to Spain. Then the conclusion was clear. ''The emperor''s condemnation of slavery is a signal to plunder Spain together!'' Chapter 82 - 82: The Convert (3) Indeed, a thought worthy of a pirate boss. Bam! "H-Her Majesty is entering!" As Elizabeth entered the court, people bowed their heads, and Drake, standing in the middle, also lowered his head. Elizabeth, as previously agreed, spoke to him with trembling hands and tears: "So... this is the gift we received from our ally across the sea?" "Yes, Your Majesty." "And it was obtained in exchange for releasing poor slaves..." "That is correct!" At Drake''s words, Elizabeth joined her hands in prayer and slowly... dropped a tear. "I have always wished." At her words, everyone in the court fell silent. "I have always wished for all the people of this land to escape from a slave-like state and live as free people walking on those green fields." Indeed. That was Elizabeth''s true desire. "Because... it is the will of Christ." The freedom and liberation of her subjects. As the ruler of the Kingdom of England, as the head of the Church of England, and as a Christian, it was what she had earnestly wished for. It was absolutely not because the aluminum Drake brought could be converted into several times its weight in gold. Of course, it was also not because they could no longer sell slaves to the Spanish colonies, which had been their biggest customers. Similarly, it was not national propaganda either. These are all petty slanders by Spanish spies against England and its Queen. Or they might not be. "But whether it was reading my will in advance or not, our ally across the sea has given me, no, all our souls great inspiration, has he not?" "Indeed it is so, Your Majesty!" "Yes. Indeed it is so. Slavery is the greatest sin invented by humans, and the most horrific act of rebellion against God. And as you all know, the Spanish are still enslaving countless ''natives'' and Africans!" "That''s right, Your Majesty!" "Those words are true!" At this moment, Elizabeth Tudor, who had tasted juicy profits and invested in the slave trade multiple times, died. Also, Elizabeth Tudor, who employed Moorish servants with dark skin (who don''t receive wages, but are absolutely not slaves), died. And when she opened her eyes again in tears. "Look! An angel suddenly appeared, cured London''s plague, and now a Christian barbarian is helping us without any compensation. Why does such luck only happen to England and not to Spain? It''s because we are righteous! We will triumph in this righteous war! We will crush the evil practice of slavery! From now on, slavery will be permanently prohibited in all lands where the rule of the English monarch extends!" She was now reborn as "Emancipator" Elizabeth I. And Elizabeth''s Moorish servant, for the first time in a very long time, or rather for the first time since coming to England, received something called wages. Thus, Sir Drake''s fleet set out again for the Caribbean Sea with full support. To kill more Spaniards. To burn more Spanish homes. To extort more Spanish property. ...actually, no. To liberate more Spanish slaves. If anyone disagreed with this opinion, they were clearly Spanish or their spies. ... ... ... "''Although We have invested in the slave trade several times, We could not overcome Our conscience and withdrew from it...'' What nonsense is this?" And the Spaniards, upon encountering the holy declaration of the English Queen, also became angry. "...Didn''t that woman quit investing just because there was no profitability?" That was correct. "To be precise, uh, wasn''t it because she felt awkward about smuggling slaves into our colonies?" That was also correct. "And she says we''re the Devil''s minions? Because we buy and sell slaves?" And reaching the conclusion, everyone was angry. "How morally superior do they think they are! They''re the ones who make their living by burning and plundering other people''s colonies, and yet they..." "C-calm down, everyone. Isn''t the issue of their Virginia colony more important? That Francis Drake character has set up base there and is plundering us, so we need measures..." "That''s right! How much has that Virginia colony grown? We can''t even overthrow it with our power! What measures are you talking about!" To be precise, it wasn''t that they lacked the power to deal with it. Spanish King Philip II possesses far greater wealth and power than Elizabeth of England "and her ilk." This is even more evident considering that England, which records perpetual deficits, is surviving by sucking Spain''s wealth. However, the powerful might of the Spanish Empire must be projected worldwide. It must be used by the king to suppress domestic great nobles, to check the Pope, to stop Ottoman expansion, to suppress Protestants in Europe, and to compete for world hegemony with Habsburg relatives. England is merely an obstacle and one of many enemies in the Spanish Empire''s global policy, not a major adversary. Therefore, even with its powerful might and overflowing wealth, the empire has no choice but to leave Drake''s pirate gangs, like flies, and their spawning ground, the Virginia colony, alone. In the end. The method they choose remains defensive. "To block England''s infiltration, we must expand the Caribbean coast and Florida colony more! We need to go beyond simple mission headquarters and military bases to increase permanent settlements!" "That''s right! Let''s develop that area immediately with allied Indian tribes!" "B-but, isn''t there a shortage of labor?" "..." "..." "..." To prevent the infiltration of English colonies and the plundering of slaves, they need to strengthen the substance of their colonies. And to strengthen the substance of the colonies... "...Import more slaves." "Damn it, only the Mali Empire will be happy." It seems contradictory, but it was the only choice. They ultimately imported more slaves, and various kingdoms in West Africa, including the Mali Empire, made a fortune. And the Spanish began reclamation. "I plan to build about 4 windmills. There''s nothing but wetlands around here." "How long will it take? Don''t think about human casualties. Assuming we mobilize slaves." "...In that case, about 6 months?" "6 months?" "You mean ''only 6 months,'' right? And we also need blacksmiths and iron mines." "What for?" "Don''t we need shovels? We can''t ask slaves to dig soil and scoop water with their hands, can we?" "Hmmmm... Virginia colony already has thousands of people. Can we catch up?" "Of course. Unless they''re draining water without windmills." == "Here, an automatic water pump!" "Ohhh..." "If you put firewood in here, the pump will automatically run 24 hours a day without any human touch!" == "Aaaargh! Ah, ah, alligator...!" "Bring the musket first!" "There are... no muskets!" "Why? Didn''t we build a forge too?" "Well, does metal bend and cut itself?" == "Here, iron pipes." "I-is it alright to use so many? They''re needed for water pump parts, but..." "The Lord will replenish them anyway, so why worry? And please turn on the grinder. Don''t we need to run the lathe?" Whirrrrr! == "Ughhhh... huff, huufff..." "Carry the stones! Your dedication will be the glory of His Majesty the King of Spain!" "Ughk... s-someone, please move the stones for us...!" "Talk sense. You might as well say some beast with shovels for arms would build a levee." == Boom boom boom boom! "With an excavator... it would be done in half a day." "Ah, perfect!" "Mr. Hewett, let''s prepare the water pump first. I''ll go to the factory." What is this? Who keeps calling me? Why is my ear so itchy? Anyway. There are many large and small wetlands around Chesapeake Bay, and it''s difficult to place windmills everywhere to reclaim them. The so-called "automatic water pump" to be placed in such places. When I went to Mr. Brown''s factory, all sorts of ironworkers were busily walking around, engrossed in various tasks. As I approached with the Porter (... not the Hijet, but the Porter!), Mr. Brown came out and guided me. "Ah, are you here for ''that''?" "Yes. That''s right. The place where the work is in progress..." "It''s over there." The technology and materials needed to make automatic water pumps were varied. For example, let''s look at the cylinder part, which is the most important part of the power unit. I''ve seen these people make muskets, but in this period, creating a cylindrical shape with metal requires tremendous skill and labor. To make a cylindrical barrel for a musket, you have no choice but to mercilessly hammer iron plates to roll them into a circular shape. After that, the hole inside is machined by inserting a core. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. How do you make an accurate and uniform cylinder by making it so crudely? Obviously, you can''t. It was a time when I could understand why pre-modern weapons weren''t standardized. Making the cylinder''s tube would have to go through the same process since the shape is the same. Originally. "Uh... w-what is this?" "It''s an iron pipe, of course." "..." If it weren''t for an iron pipe made with 21st century technology being a "consumable." That means if you just block one end of the iron pipe and wrap iron around it thickly and circularly to reinforce its strength, the cylinder is quickly completed! And with steel made with 21st century iron and steel technology at that! Making the inside more precisely machined and smoothing the surroundings... "First, just power this grinder! Please wait a moment!" Whirrrrr! Yes. This is it. Without a lathe that transmits power through the grinder, it would have been impossible to smooth the inside of the pipe and create and polish precisely fitting parts. Anyway, when you put together a well-processed iron pipe and piston, the cylinder is complete. You drill a hole in the completed cylinder with a (21st century) drill. Now that the most important cylinder part of the power unit is complete, the next step is to make the crank, boiler, and valve chamber. The method was simple. "Excuse me, Nemo? I''ve forgotten the exact structure of the crank..." "The book is here. I''ll copy it and post it on the wall now, so don''t forget." "T-thank you!" Referring to the (21st century) biography of great people that was in the house, we set the structure of the entire power unit. "Where did you put the cylinder! We need to assemble it!" "Bring the pipe for the valve chamber here!" Since we need to create a space for gas to enter and exit inside the cylinder, we make a valve chamber with another pipe and attach it to match the hole we made in the cylinder earlier. Next, we connect the valve rod connected to the valve chamber and the piston rod connected to the piston to the crank. This converts the reciprocating motion of the piston in the cylinder into rotational motion. And when a water pump connected to the crank shaft continuously pumps water, water can be pumped without relying on manpower or animal power. ...I never thought living alone and having this house become like a family warehouse would benefit me like this. Books that had been collecting dust because no one had opened them since I was a child are now treasures. Especially, various pictures in biographies or educational comics I read as a child (like scenes saying "Haha! Are you curious about the structure of an external combustion engine? Ah, Dr. IKnowItAll!" and so on) have shown me the light. That''s not all. "Excuse me, but did you bring ''that'' by any chance?" "Of course. It''s fully loaded in my Porter." "As expected! Let''s carry it out right now!" ''That''. The (21st century) lubricant I had hoarded. Squeeeeak! Squeak! With just this, the squeaking sounds and frictional heat disappear! Efficiency improves several times! When I brought the lubricant, the craftsmen each took an armful and sprayed it on the joints of the automatic water pumps they were repairing and inspecting. I watched them approvingly... and realized anew. Wow. The resource cheat is really something else. Chapter 83 - 83: Iron and Intentions (1) "When will Raleigh... arrive?" "Baron Walter Raleigh of Roanoke arrived in Plymouth a few days ago, so he should reach London within a week." "...Good. You may leave. I need to think." "Yes, Your Majesty." Elizabeth slowly dismisses her attendant, looking at the paper on the table. And then. "Sigh..." She falls into deep thought. Raleigh will arrive soon. Originally, Raleigh was her "special pleasure," a young lover 19 years her junior and an easily manageable favorite useful in various ways. But since the Virginia colony began serious development, his position has completely changed. A bridge between Elizabeth and the native Emperor, a diplomat, the Queen''s envoy. She doesn''t know exactly what caused it, but according to information from various sources, it seems Raleigh has earned the "Emperor''s" favor. Therefore, going through Raleigh to contact the "Emperor" made sense. After all, he was also the only person who regularly traveled between Virginia and England. He completely monopolized trade with Virginia. ''...Abolishing slavery, hmm. The native Emperor is clearly extending his hand to me.'' Since he has gone this far, she will clarify her relationship with him through Raleigh. Having welcomed him into the Christian world with a grand coronation ceremony, it''s time to move forward. When she subtly tested the waters by giving Raleigh the title of Baron of Roanoke, the Emperor accepted it without much resistance. Judging from that, he had clearly "bestowed" Roanoke Island and some small pieces of land to the English. The rest of the vast land seemed to be the Emperor''s territory where the English were "permitted" to reside, so she would frame it that way. The English would be allowed to live in his country under his protection, and the Roanoke Island area would be treated like the residence of Raleigh, dispatched as her ambassador. That''s how she''ll define the scope of the "Virginia colony" and the relationship between the two countries. As a firm alliance. He is like the Netherlands, which is fighting an independence war against Spain, in that he stands against Spain and disrupts Spanish hegemony. And he is like Sweden or Denmark, Protestant allies in the north, in that he provides strategic resources like timber and ships. Though she has never even seen the "Emperor''s" face, he is now one of her major allies. An ally against Spain, an ally supporting England''s economy. Without Virginia, things would be much harder now. Even now, her head is pounding. Despite selling luxury goods from Virginia everywhere and exporting various goods to Virginia, the current trade surplus was just barely being maintained. In particular, the timber shortage was the biggest issue. England is an island nation, and what an island nation needs most during war is warships and cannons. Warships and cannons are made of timber and iron, and iron requires vast amounts of fuel to produce, so ultimately timber supply is crucial. And England''s forests were depleted long ago. That''s why they had been dependent on foreign imports for timber, iron ingots, and many ships. Of those, the expenditure on ships would be greatly reduced soon. They were bringing in inexpensive ships from Virginia shipyards. But iron? Iron used for farming tools, armor and various cold weapons, as well as cannons, chains, and anchors...? Still insufficient. The gold coins they earned were flowing back out to northern European countries to fill that shortage. A truly frustrating situation. Raleigh... needs to come quickly. The Queen grinds her teeth, thinking. If Lawrence, who thoughtfully prepared gum painkillers and toothpaste for the Queen, could see this, she would be shocked. ''Displaying aversion to slavery is clearly a declaration of war against Spain.'' Judging from Raleigh''s attitude when mentioning the "Emperor," the statements of the "Saint" whom he meets every morning, and all other circumstances... he is clearly very knowledgeable about European politics. So he must have considered England''s position, Spain''s prosperity, the relationship between the two kingdoms, and so on... before making his proposal to Drake. Considering that England''s slave trade has quieted down while Spain''s slave trade is more active than ever. To build a justification for war against Spain. What other reason would he have to care about slavery across the ocean? Because he''s a good person? ''He has clearly decided to be hostile toward Spain. And he has resolved to involve England in his war.'' Then she should match his rhythm. What if England... provides strategic resources to him as he prepares for war? Simultaneously, a plan to solve England''s iron shortage forms in the Queen''s mind. Virginia has abundant timber, so they built shipyards there. Then, what if they built ironworks in Virginia? Yes. Sending miners and blacksmiths to jointly develop iron ore with the "Emperor." Elizabeth slowly reads again the words on the flyers laid out on the table. ''The Virginia Trading Company seeks skilled craftsmen.'' ''Blacksmiths, goldsmiths, miners, bricklayers, tanners, farmers, etc. Please contact.'' Blacksmiths... are listed first. In fact, Raleigh recruited many blacksmiths and took them to the New World. That means iron ore supply must be good in that land! Virginia can provide the resource England needs most! Gift artisans and ironworks to the Emperor''s territory, and share the harvest from that land. He will surely welcome it too. He will receive iron for his war against Spain. The Queen thought this while anxiously waiting for Raleigh. She couldn''t even guess why Raleigh had called for blacksmiths first. She couldn''t even imagine that there was simply unlimited steel spontaneously appearing in Virginia. It wasn''t her fault, of course. == S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As someone who studied world history in Japan, I know a few facts. England is the country that created the most independence days in the world. And it was the first country to wage war just to sell drugs. Though England is our ally, looking at what they do to Spain... uh... I don''t have much to say. A country that gives nobility titles for successful piracy. Originally, when you think of England, you think of imperialism, and when you think of imperialism, you think of England. A remarkable country that massacred enough people in Ireland and India to build several nations. ...That''s what I thought. "Um... so... England abolished slavery?" "That''s what I''m told. Her Majesty the Queen has always... deeply... abhorred slavery..." "..." "...Ahem." See? You''re clearing your throat because you have nothing to say either. You should have a conscience. I saw it in the "Immortal Order" catalog too. Queen Elizabeth herself sponsored slave traders and directly invested in the trade, so stop lying. Anyway, Raleigh, caught between my suspicious gaze and his loyalty to his lover the Queen, cleared his throat and avoided my eyes. "Well... isn''t it good that it''s good?" "Well, that''s... true." "Anyway, isn''t it a beautiful thing?" Raleigh is right. Good is good. Life doesn''t always go according to principle. Even villains can do good deeds, like when a cow catches a mouse while stepping backward, and actions with evil intentions can produce good results. Let''s just say this is similar. Chapter 84 - 84: Iron and Intentions (2) After talking with Raleigh, who had briefly visited England, I tried to somehow accept the current situation. It''s a good thing, right? Even by 21st century Japanese ethical standards, there''s nothing to criticize. ...No, I take that back. 21st century Japanese ethics certainly wouldn''t condone piracy. Let''s just say it''s good and move on. There are many other issues to worry about. "Walter, please tell me about the next matter." "Her Majesty has sent 50 blacksmiths and 50 miners. She wants to build ironworks here." "What?" "...I wanted to tell her that there isn''t even an iron mine here. Because we''ve already brought so many iron products from our side." "..." Well, it doesn''t make sense. We''ve taken aluminum foil and needle syringes to London, but we don''t even have an iron mine here? To Elizabeth, it would sound like saying, ''We have nuclear power plants, nuclear submarines, and nuclear bombs, but actually no uranium.'' Even I think that''s nonsense. I completely understood Raleigh''s position. "Well, it doesn''t matter anyway. There''s an open-pit mine on Roanoke Island." "How did you know that... No, never mind. There are indeed things beyond human wisdom." I knew it from the game catalog too. Well, I don''t know what kind of company Fansuku Software is, but considering they send people to the past and shamelessly sell DLC in pieces, it is beyond human wisdom. Anyway. "Walter, take the artisans to Roanoke Island for now." Placing Queen Elizabeth''s ironworks on Roanoke Island would be perfect. It''s far from both Croatoan Island and Chesapeake Bay, and being an island makes it easier for us to control the personnel. "Her Majesty asked if sharing half of the produced iron would be acceptable. She instructed me to ask for Nemo''s thoughts before proceeding." "That''s fine with me. We gain free resources. However..." Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "However?" "Why ironworks specifically? Is iron so scarce that you need to get it from here too?" "...Yes. I suppose so." Raleigh says with a sigh. "It''s England''s chronic problem. We have no timber. We have to spend fortunes importing timber and iron ingots from Sweden and Denmark." "Hmm?" "No matter how I look at it... the war with Spain was a mistake." Raleigh''s brief explanation mingles with what I already know. At first, it was good. They could suck money from Spanish colonies through piracy. After destroying the Invincible Armada, nothing could stop them. ...That''s usually where history class stops teaching. So England, after winning this war, gained Atlantic hegemony, laying the foundation to become a world power, while Spain declined to become a second-rate country. But according to the detailed content in "Immortal Order," the truth was different. Fansuku Software''s historical accuracy is good. In fact, England didn''t really win, didn''t gain Atlantic hegemony, and Spain didn''t fall to become a second-rate country. It''s just that modern British people agreed to forget the unpleasant parts of history. Like the part where they attempted a counterattack on Spain right after defeating the Invincible Armada, got completely crushed, and fled. Or the part where after Elizabeth I died and James I ascended, they made major concessions to Spain to finally reach a peace agreement. It''s similar to a high school bully whitewashing their otaku loner middle school days. So... "England is... falling behind, you say." "Yes... No point in denying it now." Raleigh says with a sigh. I''m slightly alarmed. ''Wait, wait... This is more serious than what was in the game catalog?'' Unlike the game catalog, which was written under the firm premise that England would be a future hegemonic power, the story coming from a contemporary''s mouth was much more stark. Spain is the strongest nation. It will continue to be so for decades. But for England to become the strongest nation, they''ll have to wait about 200 more years. ...It feels like investing in a stock that''s not even publicly listed yet, just believing it will rise. Can we really be properly protected from Spain? If we annoy them just a little more, won''t the Spanish navy catch us like mice? "Don''t... worry! England is small but great! England has Sir Drake, and likewise the right and left feet of the great admiral John Hawkins... Oh, this gentleman is dead. Anyway, England has the great British spirit that continues from King Arthur! Did King Richard the Lionheart and the Black Prince Edward emerge for nothing?" Right. And you''re a descendant of the Anglo-Saxons who killed those Britons. And these familiar statements make me more anxious. Oh, I hope the butterfly effect of history doesn''t result in something like ''England''s Virginia Colony (1588-15nn, destroyed by Spanish invasion)'' with England collapsing after overinvesting here. That can''t happen. Then I would be treated as an ''angel (formerly)'' and burned at the stake. Worse, I wouldn''t even die from burning, so I''d burn forever. England must survive. "Provide... as much support as possible for the ironworks, Walter." "Pardon? Of course..." "No, I mean spend 1.5 to 2 times more resources than you''re thinking." "..." "Understand?" "Ah, I understand." After saying this, Raleigh withdrew to examine the iron ore of Roanoke Island. I wiped away cold sweat and leaned back in my chair. Yes... I hope nothing goes wrong. Anyway, what could craftsmen from England make with an ironworks? At best, they''d make steel with lacking technology or cheap cast iron. Yes, that should be... ''...Wait, cast iron could be useful in many ways?'' Oh... It might help the settlement more than I thought? == "By now, our artisans must have arrived. Isn''t that so, Lord Cecil?" To the Queen''s words, England''s Lord Privy Seal and Treasurer William Cecil bows and says, "Indeed, Your Majesty. It is clear that the Emperor of that New World land is preparing for war, and soon the Spaniards will face armies equipped with English iron throughout Nueva Espa?a." "I''m glad you share my thoughts." The corners of the Queen''s mouth rise sharply. "That Felipe of Spain will have much to worry about." She can already vividly imagine the ''Emperor,'' armed with weapons made by English artisans, leading thousands and tens of thousands of soldiers to overwhelm Spanish settlements. That ironworks will be a sword and shield the Queen hands to her ally, and a sharp dagger to thrust at her enemy. She''s already delighted. What kind of weapons will the Emperor make with the newly forged iron? == My predictions were mostly correct. "Over here! Those who ordered hinges, come out!" "Oh my, an iron pot!" Cast iron is inexpensive and easier to make than steel, and as the name suggests (cast iron), it''s suitable for making castings. Therefore, while it may not be suitable for weapons that require strength, most daily necessities are made from cast iron. For example, pots and pans, various tableware. Or hinges and locks. In that sense, as the ironworks was established, the lives of our community settlers became gradually more comfortable. That''s not all. "Do I... assemble this?" "Yes. It came out roughly as ordered." When making automatic water pumps, I was worried about parts like the boiler room that couldn''t be cast in large molds. But now, not only boiler rooms but also large mechanical parts like crankshaft flywheels could easily be cast. Our forge in Chesapeake Bay could now outsource to Elizabeth''s artisans whenever we needed casting work or when we needed parts that didn''t require precise processing or high strength. Thus, the quality and productivity of machines throughout our settlement also improved. But this isn''t the main point either. Not at all the main point. Clunk. My newly acquired cast iron skillet. Thud. My newly acquired cast iron Dutch oven. And various camping equipment. I set up my Nor*ent camping tent, lights, and chairs that I had purchased when Shine Muscat grapes were in season, and started a fire. Of course, I lit the fire with a camping fire stick. As I lit the fire, sizzling sounds emanated from the Dutch oven and skillet placed above it, while white smoke rose. When I brought my face closer, steam clung to my face, and delicious aromas wafted up. "Smells good..." Sitting in a 12,000 yen folding chair, putting my feet up on the grass, and looking up at the sky, I see stars seemingly pouring down from the spring night sky. Ah... so good. In the distance, insects are chirping, and nearby, music plays from my portable amplifier. Since it''s the countryside of America (which doesn''t exist yet), I put on some country music. Nodding off drowsily, then waking to my phone''s alarm, I open the Dutch oven lid. "Oh." A perfectly browned lobster bake is ready. I gently melt butter on top while flipping the beef steak on the skillet. The most important change since the new ironworks was built? It''s that I can now order lots of camping equipment that I couldn''t afford in the 21st century. After hurriedly devouring the piping hot butter-baked lobster fresh from the oven, I opened a bottle of 1592 Edition wine and poured it into a glass. Then I cut the steak without hesitation... and put it in my mouth. I accompany it with wine. Ah. ''Long live Queen Elizabeth.'' That''s right. England was never a pirate nation...! A country that bestowed such grace couldn''t have done such bad things. Surely Spanish sailors were passing by English ships, throwing treasure chests overboard and diving into the sea by themselves. Those evil Spaniards. Framing the innocent English...! Anyway, enough nonsense. Hearing rustling sounds, I saw Virginia approaching with large strides, having smelled the food. As Eleanor hurriedly tried to catch Virginia, I stopped her and shared lobster with both of them. There''s plenty of lobster anyway. Just a bit of dabbling in the nearby sea yields lobsters. I have about three more in the tub right now. ... ... ... Is this life? Crunch. Ah, hot hot hot... Mm. Mmm. Wild lobster is delicious. Beef is even more delicious. This is why I got transported here. Chapter 85 - 85: Major Blow (1) Let''s review the current situation. England has abolished slavery. Drake is "liberating" slaves. So, are England and Drake on the good side? ''...England, on the good side?'' It feels similar to a righteous Nazi or a benevolent Japanese Empire, but I suppose that''s what the butterfly effect of history is about. No, that''s not right. After enjoying luxurious camping with cast iron from England, my thinking has become a bit compromised. Perhaps England has been excessively disparaged, and Spain was actually the bad one. Anyway. I conducted a brief interview to learn about the situation of the slaves newly liberated by Drake. But then... "Is it okay to talk now? My name is Nemo." "Ah, fortunately! Someone among the Indios who can speak Spanish! Are you perhaps the chief of this region?" "Hmm? Can''t you speak any language other than Spanish?" "Well, I was born in a Spanish colony. Thank you so much for liberating me! But there''s a small problem." "...What is it?" "You see, I didn''t have a bad relationship with my previous master, I was baptized in the Catholic church, and I had saved up enough property to be freed soon... um..." "..." "Um... the master who was going to free me and give me land..." He died? "Then, the small plot of land and property that my master was going to give me..." It''s gone? "Of-of course, I''m really happy to be liberated, but..." Is this really ''liberation''? Isn''t this essentially kidnapping? ...There were sporadic cases like this, although they were the minority. "Here, we call the length of this pipe ''1 meter.'' And a square with sides of 10 meters has an area of 1 are, and 100 ares is 1 hectare. We''ll distribute about 2 hectares of cultivated land per household. Later, we''ll increase it to 50 hectares." "Th-then, 50 hectares means... My goodness!" Fortunately, the land and property I intended to give were ''naturally'' more than what the master had promised, so most issues were resolved without complaints, but, um. Come to think of it, I heard that before the American Civil War, slaves in the South sometimes ate better than workers in the North. And Spain''s slavery system was more flexible than expected, with cases of slaves who escaped from English colonies in the 17th century being freed after converting to Catholicism in Spanish colonies. The slavery issue... is so complex...! Well, still, being suddenly captured, dragged across the Atlantic, and forced into labor is the same regardless, so terms like ''generous,'' ''somewhat humane,'' or ''flexible'' only go so far. Still, it remains ambiguous. "Th-th-thank you. I lived near Konkaw when I was suddenly captured by the Safi people and..." Most people were grateful to me and happy that we could communicate. I comforted myself with this fact as I walked around. "Excuse me, do you have a moment?" I turned around to see who it was¡ªit was Vicente. "Ah... I have all the time in the world. What is it? Is there another problem with the cultivator?" "No, that''s not it... I just wanted to ask you something." "Go ahead." "..." "..." What is it? Why is he hesitating so much? Vicente lowered his head briefly, appearing to ponder deeply... and only after some time passed did he ask me. "It''s about how you used the surplus aluminum to free the slaves." Just when I was already troubled, he''s trying to pour more oil on the fire. ...Without showing that sentiment, I nodded to his words with a benevolent and calm smile, back in "wise angel mode." "Yes, Vicente. Please speak." "Was what Nemo did... the Lord''s will?" "..." "..." "...Of course. All people are equal before the Lord." Right. If I just say obvious things according to my standards and wrap it up... "So the Lord disapproves of slavery?" "...Pardon?" "But doesn''t the Bible repeatedly tell servants to serve their masters well? Although I''m no priest, several passages come to mind..." That''s because the Bible was written in ancient times...! Of course, I couldn''t answer like that, so I found an appropriate skill to use. "Didn''t I tell you? Don''t fixate on the literal words of the Bible." "...Ah!" Good. That was an appropriate evasive maneuver. I hardened my expression, closed my mouth, and made a face that said ''I''ve said all there is to say.'' Vicente tilted his head but stepped back. I quickly changed the subject with a cough. "By the way, it''s about time Sir Drake returned..." "Look! It''s Sir Drake!" "...He really does arrive right on cue." It was good timing. I could already see Drake running towards us, covered in blood. "Ha, hahaha! Vicente! Hey! I have good news!" ...What is it? What good news? Is it about how coolly he cut off some Spaniard''s head? Thankfully, it really was good news. "Your family!" "You found them?!" "Kidnapped them from Santa Elena!" ...Is that really good news? Anyway, upon hearing Drake''s words, an excited Vicente rushed to Drake''s ship, and I ran after him. Soon, we witnessed a touching family reunion after eight years. "Ahhh! The-the English have ki-kidnapped us... We''ll be sold as slaves...!" "De-dear! It''s me! Get a hold of yourself!" "I-I-I''m seeing the ghost of my husband who died in a foreign land...! I think I''ve gone mad, but if I can just die while being mad like this...!" I glared slightly at Drake. Drake shrugged as if asking what the problem was. "I clearly told them the story. Your husband is looking for you, and he''s alive and well in the Virginia colony." "..." "Of course, they didn''t believe me at all, so I cut off the head of one of the Santa Elena militia and waved it in front of them to scare them a bit..." What a crazy bastard. Whatever the case, Vicente''s wife soon regained her senses and began a somewhat touching reunion with Vicente, while Drake approached me and started talking. "Anyway, as you requested, I rescued the families of the crew from Santa Elena." "I''m grateful, Sir Drake. So, about the aluminum..." "You''ll need to prepare exactly about 2.78 kilograms." ...Really, he''s so precise when it comes to aluminum. Look at how perfectly he''s adapted to kilograms. When I glanced at him sideways, he cleared his throat, perhaps feeling embarrassed. "Ahem, setting aside the aluminum talk... Our losses were greater than expected when attacking Santa Elena. The rumors that they were expanding their colony and reinforcing its defenses were true." "...I suppose you have a request." "Yes, I do, Your Majesty." Drake said with a meaningful smile. "Did you know that the Spanish are importing more slaves?" ...What? Why? Shouldn''t imports decrease with such frequent raids? S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It''s for reinforcing the northern part of the Nueva Espa?a colony. Ultimately, it''s because they fear the growth of Virginia." "...So, what should we do?" "There''s not much we can do. The sea is vast, Spanish ships are numerous, and they will bring in many slaves. Unless we block the sea and destroy all Spanish ships, what can we do?" "..." That''s true. I bit my lip slightly, and Drake stared at me before adding one more thing. "However, I know a way to strike a major blow against the Spanish." Chapter 86 - 86: Major Blow (2) He handed me a document. I read the lines on it. It was a plan for a fleet''s voyage. Not an ordinary plan. This was... "I snatched it through a spy. It''s a massive scale. It seems they''re planning to move hundreds to thousands of slaves soon. Not just slaves, but various ivories and treasures from Africa too. A treasure fleet is setting sail for the New World." "The treasure... isn''t important." "Of course, that''s understandable. Your Majesty is wealthy enough. Well, just know that slave trading will happen on a large scale. And here." Tap tap. Below were detailed dates and plans. Departing from Portugal on a certain month and day, when they would reach African colonies, how many slaves they would buy, when they would depart for the Caribbean and arrive. Very detailed. "We will ambush them when they approach Trinidad Island." "I see." "But would it be possible for the people here to participate in the battle?" "...What did you say?" When I showed my surprise, Drake continued with an unusually cautious tone. "It''s a huge trading fleet. If we raid them, the slave trade in this region will be weakened for a while." "Hmm..." "But our fleet alone seems insufficient. We''ve lost quite a few soldiers and ships in various battles, and as you can see from the plan, the enemy has 15 ships. It''s a challenging opponent even for our fleet of 20 ships." "..." "I ask just this once. Even if it means reducing the amount of aluminum I receive..." Aluminum, that''s of no consequence. It''s a precious metal to them, but it flows abundantly for me. What concerns me isn''t something like aluminum. At first glance, participating doesn''t seem like a bad idea. If we put England''s navy in our debt and leave a record of fighting together as allies? The importance of our community to England would be elevated, and it wouldn''t be bad to jointly respond to Spanish threats in the future. The benefits of improved relations with England don''t end there. Our community of just tens of thousands can''t be completely self-sufficient from Europe. We need a strong rope like England connecting us to the European world to better import external goods. But going into battle? Taking the locals with us? "Hmm... Just a moment." What if there are casualties? Thinking this, I sought advice from Raleigh and others. "Piracy? How exciting!" ...Getting advice from Raleigh is clearly a failure. After all, he''s the man who led several privateers and burned Spanish colonies. I thought that after being called a saint in London, his behavior should have improved a bit... "...Don''t you agree, Eleanor?" "What? About what?" "No, even so, human lives could be in danger..." "People are half-dead when they go to sea anyway! Wouldn''t the Lord forgive us for killing a few seamen?" "...What?" ...But you''re a ''saint.'' How can you say so innocently, "Hehe... We won''t go to hell for killing a few Spaniards!" Don''t you know the Ten Commandments? Feeling an inexplicable chill, I asked others. More specifically: "...Mr. Hewett?" "Of course I agree!" "Mr. White?" "If only I were a bit younger, I could have joined you..." "Mr. Bacon?" "The glory of England is thus enhanced!" "..." "...Why do you ask?" I only asked the ''English.'' These... pirate scoundrels. Anyway, the natives, who didn''t particularly care whether England fought Spain or aliens, showed a ''whatever works'' reaction and agreed with the English. Vicente was... even more ridiculous. "Excellent! Let''s drive away the forces threatening this holy community!" "..." "Why, why are you looking at me like that?" "Don''t you feel any hesitation?" "Um... I''m not Spanish anymore, am I?" ...And so it was decided. We would also participate. I took Raleigh and Vicente to a nearby hut for a meeting. Since both had experience as seamen and commanders, they could adequately assist me, who knew little about ships and naval battles. The first conclusion from the meeting: "I''m going too." "What? But your life could be in danger..." "Vicente, do you think I would be in a ''life-threatening'' situation?" I''m going too. Being immortal was particularly good at times like this. I could dive in without considering the risks. I had to go. How would Virginia community soldiers think of me if the angel wasn''t involved in a ''holy war'' freeing slaves? Though I gave up going to Europe during the Black Death because it was too dangerous, this is different. Moreover, my presence would make it easier to claim our share from England later. For the morale of the soldiers, for my position, for the community, I had to go. Above all, these English pirates... Who knows what they might do without me. And the next conclusion: "Drake, we will sail separately." "What?" We''ll go separately from Drake''s fleet. There are many problems with going together with Drake''s fleet. First, clipper ships become incredibly fast when catching favorable winds and currents, but conversely, become turtles when facing headwinds. Plus, they''re transport ships, not warships, so their combat power is low. If we chose the wrong route and position, instead of showcasing the might of 19th-century vessels, we''d likely become floating wooden planks. "For now, Sir Drake, please wait near Trinidad Island, going against the current. We will secretly track the route of those merchant ships from Africa, staying outside their firing range. "Uh... What did you say..." "Then, right after combat begins, we''ll attack the enemies from behind." "..." "..." "..." Drake''s face contorted at my words. To Drake, it would sound like nonsense. It might sound like cowardice since I''m saying we won''t confront the enemies head-on. Of course, I devised this strategy because I didn''t want to face the enemy directly with ships not designed for combat, so it''s half true that we''re avoiding direct confrontation. Originally designed for cargo transport, these ships are just oversized by this era''s standards with only about 10 cannons equipped, making them weak vessels. Under normal circumstances, they would be difficult to use effectively in naval battles. However... At least it''s not nonsense. Of course, for this plan to work, several assumptions are necessary. First, we need to be able to accurately determine our position at sea. From this point, Drake would consider it hopeless. Following them while maintaining a distance where the enemy won''t notice, then suddenly accelerating to catch up? That''s also nonsense. If I can see the enemy, the enemy can see me, so how could I tail them? And maintaining a distance where we can''t be seen, then suddenly accelerating at the end to attack from behind? Are there ships that fast? Drake looked perplexed, alternating his gaze between me, Raleigh, and Vicente, then said: "Um... This is an impossible strategy? Baron of Roanoke? Haven''t you explained properly to His Majesty?" And Raleigh replied: "It''s an entirely possible strategy." "...What?" "It''s difficult to explain the exact circumstances, but just know that it''s possible." Drake doesn''t have a watch. Similarly, Drake doesn''t have a telescope. Lastly, Drake doesn''t have a 19th-century clipper ship. From his perspective, it''s as if he heard during the strategy meeting, ''We''ll teleport, identify the enemy with clairvoyance, then catch the enemy from behind using telekinesis. Just know it''s possible and don''t ask questions.'' However, seeing Raleigh''s firm expression, he subtly... nodded. "Um... Just make sure it doesn''t disrupt the overall plan." As the meeting was wrapping up, Vicente said, clasping his hands: "Lord, grant us the ability to become righteous pirates." "Amen." "Amen." Um... that sounded familiar, but I just bowed my head deeply. "Amen." That''s how our plan was formulated. Soon, two clippers headed towards Ndakaaru, a port city in West Africa. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. To load the liberated slaves and track the Spanish. Chapter 87 - 87: Land of Freedom (1) Clang! Clang-clang! "Huff, huff, are, are you alright?" "I''m... still fine, for now. How about you, Walter?" I wasn''t particularly short even in Japan, but since coming here, I''ve noticed something. "I, I, I''m... finding it a bit difficult." I''ve become something of a giant. This is the 16th century. It''s an era where the nutritional status and growth environment of people worldwide are much worse compared to 21st century developed countries. Whether Walter Raleigh or Vicente Gonz¨¢lez, despite being sturdy white adult men of this era, they were about 10 centimeters shorter than me. The differences in physique and strength were naturally significant as well. "Would you like to take a break?" "No... We don''t have much time before departure, so let''s leave it to Vicente. Hey! Vicente, come and spar with Nemo in our place...!" "Me, me? Isn''t there someone else..." "Thomas Hewett is a lawyer, and John White is a painter. Who else is there besides us?" That''s why it wasn''t surprising that the two men who were supposed to teach me swordsmanship and other miscellaneous martial arts before the battle quickly collapsed. Originally, they were going to teach me physical training methods and other things as well. But naturally, no matter how systematic they might be, 16th-century physical training methods wouldn''t surpass the various exercise methods of the 21st century. After skipping various processes like that and moving straight to swordsmanship, this was the result. "Huff... hah..." All three collapsed. People often say that 21st-century people who just sit at desks are much weaker than people from the past. That doesn''t apply to me. You bastards, am I not a 21st-century person? Office workers always think they''re the only ones who exist in the world. "So, when holding a sword, balance of the body is most crucial, and defending against an enemy''s attack is... um..." "..." "..." "Come to think of it, do I need to defend?" "...Vicente, I still feel pain." "Aha." What do you mean ''aha''? Don''t act like you just realized something. I still wake up sometimes because of the memory of being stabbed. ...Come to think of it, my first stabbing in life was because of you. "Anyway... huff, hah... You said you''d teach me swordsmanship, but it''s unfamiliar to me and just tiring." "Is that so? But if hand-to-hand combat were to break out..." "Then I''ll use my own methods, Walter." "..." "..." The two men whispered to each other about me and soon nodded, saying to me: "Understood. Well, Nemo, you''re superior in both physique and strength, so it should be fine." "Normally, for a ''person'' going into their first battle, we''d just hope they don''t get hurt, but... surely, you won''t get hurt, will you?" Wow, they don''t worry at all. I''m a person too. A person... Oh, right. I''m not a person to them. Looking back, I should probably first consider whether someone who survives a sword to the heart is a person, but well, that''s not important. A few days later, I boarded the Voyager after preparing appropriate means of self-defense. And so, raising the banner of slave liberation, we began our magnificent voyage. ... ... ... End of voyage. Arrival at Ndakaaru, West Africa (modern-day Dakar, the capital of Senegal). It''s a port not far from Ribeira Grande, where the Spanish are likely stationed. It''s also a gateway for slaves and various luxuries like gold, ivory, and more. "Walter, do you hear any news about the Spanish?" "Since Spanish and Portuguese frequently visit the area, when looking for information, it''s not immediately clear if it''s about the fleet we''re seeking. Results should come soon. And according to the data Drake brought, there are still about 3-4 weeks before they depart, right?" "Then..." "Yes. We have enough time to release the liberated slaves." "Let''s move slowly along the coast, then." So we left Ndakaaru and moved southwest. Soon we could reach the coast near the homeland of most Africans we had brought. We set the liberated ones ashore, and they slowly looked around, breathing in the air of their now-unfamiliar homeland. In truth, it might be ambiguous to call it a homeland. It''s not like if a Martian kidnapped a Japanese, a Swede, a Lebanese, and a Vietnamese, and then roughly released them in New York, they would have been returned to their ''homeland.'' It''s also amusing that people who lived in different tribes, speaking different languages, are grouped together and roughly dropped here solely because they were all captured as slaves by Spain. But this was our best option. We couldn''t find and return each of them to their individual homelands. Most people''s hometowns had disappeared entirely. Still, most of them now knew how to speak Spanish and English, albeit clumsily, and had built bonds through shared experiences. I could only hope they could live together in this land. "Look! New settlers!" "Baron Raleigh is here too! Move the new supplies first!" In this new settlement. Liberia. A Latin word meaning ''land of freedom.'' I couldn''t find a more appropriate name. In original history, it was also the name of the country established when American abolitionists returned freed slaves to Africa. Hundreds of freed slaves, whom we had previously dropped off and who had arrived in Liberia earlier, welcomed the latecomers in Spanish. In response, they hesitantly but steadily walked into the village surrounded by a palisade. Ah, right. There was something I hadn''t done for them yet. "Wait! Please wait!" When I shouted, everyone who was moving forward turned around, startled. At my gesture, sailors laid muskets, ammunition, and various necessities at their feet. "In this area, there are tribes armed not only with bows and arrows but also with firearms received from Europeans. Use these to protect yourselves and the lives of others." "..." "More settlers will come in the future. Walter Raleigh and Vicente Gonz¨¢lez here will steadily bring people who have gone through the same situation as you, so please welcome them. And one thing, do not enslave or sell other people. Please don''t do to others what Europeans and other kings and chiefs have done to you. That''s all I ask. Because you are free now." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." "..." "..." Naturally, there couldn''t be anyone who ''didn''t understand'' my words. They stared blankly at my face, then one by one picked up firearms and various necessities. Chapter 88 - 88: Land of Freedom (2) However, for some reason, they couldn''t readily leave the shore. As I was about to ask the reason, curious... The oldest middle-aged man among them asked in Spanish. "Why?" "What do you mean?" "Why do you go to such lengths?" "..." "Since being captured as a slave, I''ve seen many Spanish. Some were kind, others vicious. Someone would pour cold water on my back when they couldn''t bear to see me working under the whip in hot weather, while another would fire bullets at me, urging me to mine silver faster. But in the eyes of all of them, I was the same¡ªa slave. Even a kind master might try to free me, but that too wasn''t without a price." I see myself reflected in the middle-aged man''s eyes. I see an ordinary grape farmer. "But... what you''re doing now has no price. No price at all." Yet he seemed to see something else in me. "You cross the sea for something without any return, and you hand food and weapons to people who have nothing to do with you. What you ask in return is next to nothing. I heard you''re soon going to risk your life to fight with others." "That''s right." "Why on earth? Is it because it''s written in your ''scripture''? But my Spanish master also taught me to obey according to the words of the ''scripture.'' Isn''t that strange? I... can''t understand..." "Don''t try too hard to understand." After pondering my answer, I look at Vicente and Raleigh standing on either side of me. I see the many freed slaves lined up behind the middle-aged man, and the Spanish, English, and Algonquin people lined up behind me. I chose my words carefully. Because I realized that whatever I said would be eternally remembered in their minds. "...All those disasters that befell you." What I was saying wasn''t just for the middle-aged man before me, but for all Europeans, Africans, and Americans gathered here. "Can you understand those disasters and malice? Can you understand why the world is so cruel and terrible? I dare not understand. Can you?" At my words, the middle-aged man seemed to ponder for a moment, then shook his head. "I... don''t know either. How things came to be this way." "Then there''s no need to understand this either. Because it''s not in the realm of understanding." I told him. "I didn''t do it because our scripture says so, but because it was the right thing to do. My soul commanded it, and so I followed." "..." "There''s no need for something to follow the right deed. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They often say punishment follows those who do evil, and reward follows those who do right. But even without a reward, a right deed has value in itself." "..." "So, I did it. Is your curiosity satisfied now?" At my words, the middle-aged man blinked his eyes for a moment... then opened his mouth. "I still don''t understand. But I know one thing." "..." "You are truly a peculiar being." With that, the conversation ended. As the middle-aged man turned around, the others also slowly moved toward the new settlement. As I too turned to go back to the ship... "..." "..." "..." Everyone was looking at me. Raleigh murmured a light prayer toward me. == "So, who exactly is ''he''?" There was nothing in common among the residents of Liberia. Their tribes, languages, homelands, bloodlines¡ªthey shared nothing. Only one memory bound them together. "Who on earth is he, to have done such a thing? Didn''t you just talk with ''him''? What did he say?" "..." The memory of ''liberation.'' Memories of a land called Virginia. Memories of the peculiar man who ruled there, who could speak all languages. Who was he, for what reason, and with what purpose did he set them free? Someone said they were chosen as an army to conquer this land. Couldn''t they see from the periodic provision of weapons and food that Liberia was a fortress but also an outpost? Someone else said they were being deceived. Common sense dictated that no one would provide resources without any return, suggesting they were enchanted by a strange spirit. Whatever the truth, they remained anchored here without hearing any reason or purpose. Though they had established a settlement and continued to accept people, they lingered awkwardly, not knowing what to do. They wondered if they could just remain idle like this, and what ''his'' true intention might be. When word spread that the answer might come today, all the settlement''s residents gathered and asked the middle-aged man. "...An angel." The middle-aged man uttered only that word, then quietly closed his eyes. "Oh, amen..." Converted Christians made the sign of the cross. The rest of the people tilted their heads, not knowing what it meant. But those others would soon know the meaning. No, all people of Africa would. Someday, all people of the world would. They would know his will. == Having completed our business, we returned to Ndakaaru and hunkered down. We planned to stay here for a while to gather information, barring any other matters. What information to gather? "First... we''ll find out if the Spanish are buying ''merchandise'' as Drake reported." Raleigh spoke in a hushed voice. "We should observe the flow of conversations among merchants in this area." "Will merchants provide information freely?" "Of course not. Do you need anything?" "Hmm..." And that''s how we ended up stocking up on coffee beans. Wow, buying directly is much cheaper than through England! After enjoying the aroma of caffeine to my heart''s content for several days, Raleigh comes running again. "Found it! There was talk of a big contract, and upon investigating, there''s a contract to purchase about 2,000 slaves at once! Since such a large contract is unprecedented, everyone''s whispering about it! It''s definitely about the fleet we''ve been looking for!" "When is the departure date set?" "Three weeks later. Just as we previously found out. Still, we should silently observe the flow of people and goods." "We''ve already confirmed the general information, haven''t we? Is there a need to take risks by observing further?" "There is. I''ve heard that large warships are gathering in Ribeira Grande, and shouldn''t we assess their military strength as much as possible?" Raleigh spoke firmly and nodded. "I''ll go further. I''ll have Spanish sailors inquire while minimizing contact with the Spanish in Ribeira Grande." "Understood." Time passed again. Not long after, Raleigh rushed into the cabin for the second time. "I''ve confirmed the size of the enemy fleet." "Don''t we already know that? 15 ships..." "It''s 23 ships!" "...What?" "It seems they noticed the information leak to Drake from the beginning. Moreover..." Raleigh hung his head and said. "They''ve already departed. We must track them immediately." Chapter 89 - 89: Premature Encounter (1) Just as Raleigh had tracked them, the Spanish were also on high alert after suffering successive pirate attacks. And then, a piece of news reached their ears. "There are... English people coming and going in Ndakaaru." It might have been nothing significant. Originally, French or English people frequently visited this place. "Go-good heavens, isn''t Ndakaaru right under our noses?" "Stay calm. There''s no mention of seeing that fellow Drake, just some English people. Probably just merchants." "Why would ''just merchants'' come here? Didn''t they ban the slave trade? Besides, English and ''just merchants''? There''s no such thing! They''re just pirates with merchant side jobs!" "...That''s true too." But the Spanish staying in Ribeira Grande were divided in opinion after hearing the news. "We need to leave Ribeira Grande quickly. Ndakaaru is just a stone''s throw away." "How many ships do we have in our fleet? Are we going to flee just because a few English have appeared?" "You never know! They might just be scouts, and the ''real ones'' might be lurking behind them..." "..." "..." It was a chilling possibility. Even those who were complaining about the loss if they left now without fully loading cargo on their ships. Even those who were concerned about losing the trust of local merchants in Ribeira Grande if they didn''t respect the contracts they were obliged to fulfill. Faced with the threat of ''English pirates,'' everyone fell silent. "...Well then, let''s hurry with the departure." "Our fleet will need some time to prepare..." "Drake''s fleet is targeting the American colonies. It''s imperative that we move these ships to the New World." "Even so, three weeks is too drastic, so let''s move the plan forward by about two weeks." Two weeks should be enough. It should be sufficient to shake off any enemies following from behind. Thinking this, the Spanish suppressed an ominous feeling that was somehow creeping up. == "They departed two weeks earlier than planned?" "Yes... It was my oversight. I''m sorry." "No, Walter. Let''s quickly track them for now. Vicente? How long do you think it will take to catch up with them?" "Hmm, since their route is obvious anyway, if we navigate well..." "..." "..." "Well, shall we depart first? I think we''ll catch them soon?" Anyway, they had watches, telescopes, and 21st-century maps. And the routes taken by those who lacked these three things were predictable. == Drake had been patiently waiting for news on the South American coast for days, repeating the routine of eating and sleeping. To reach Trinidad Island, they would surely pass near this coast, and then they would inevitably be spotted by those guarding in this vicinity. Then, he would strike the faces of the complacent Spanish, bombard them with cannon fire, and when they reached their limit, engage in hand-to-hand combat with superior numbers to completely crush them. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Battle concluded, a vast amount of treasure and countless aluminum... no, liberated African freemen would be obtained. Thinking this, Drake endured weeks of tedious living. His obsession with treasure made his eyes gleam, and his anticipation of carnage sharpened his senses. But his subordinates were different. "Hey... what''s the menu today?" "Why worry about a menu? Just eat anything and stand guard." "Guard? The enemy won''t arrive for another three weeks, what guard?" Naturally, the sailors became lazy after spending a long time on land. They would go to nearby native villages to barter, gamble, and have fun. In such a situation with discipline completely relaxed... "Th-there! Spanish warships are in sight!" "What? There are still two weeks left?" The prey had arrived. Hearing that the Spanish had arrived, Drake hastily drew his sword and boarded. The half-drunk sailors also hurriedly climbed aboard, pulling ropes and preparing to set sail. And so, as they headed to the shore, loaded the cannons, and observed the enemy''s movements... Observed their movements... "What the... Why are there so many..." BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! There were more enemies than expected. Cold sweat ran down Drake''s spine. Clearly, the enemy escort fleet, which was about 15 ships in the obtained documents, had increased to 23 ships. That meant there were 23 ships surrounding the large flat-bottomed vessels. Even a large ship like a galleon had increased by one. "Oh, Lord f***... Maintain formation! We have the advantage since we''re striking first!" And then. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! Cannonballs began to fly parallel to the water''s surface again. Having approached while preparing to load first, the English side could deliver several powerful attacks. Meanwhile, the Spanish could only scramble around, unable to form a proper formation. As several small enemy ships already became inoperable with their masts broken, the English cheered. However, Drake himself bit his lip and thought. ''It''s not enough.'' In battle, the first factor is numbers, the second is numbers, and the third is numbers. And in all three, the Spanish seemed to be ahead. It was premature to rejoice just because a few small ships were thrown into confusion. Their advantage was only in morale gained from taking a long rest and in tactical superiority as surprise attackers. Therefore, if they didn''t decisively break the momentum in the first attack, the battle would gradually become more disadvantageous... "Fire!" BOOM BOOM BOOM! Allied cannon fire continued, and soon the sight of panicking Spanish on the deck came into view. But that was short-lived. THUD THUD THUD! Water sprayed up right in front of where Drake was watching. The enemy cannons had started loading. This meant that from now on, the allies would only become more disadvantaged. ''Where are Virginia''s ships?'' ...As expected, not in sight. Damn it. Somehow I thought it was a strange strategy, and it seems it didn''t work out after all. It was a strategy that was too much even for a fleet commanded by the ''Mystery of the Sea.'' "The, the enemy is approaching!" "Continue firing and wait! Hold position!" The enemy ships began to close the distance, entering within range of allied fire. Having confirmed their numerical advantage, they were trying to utilize it. They were planning to gradually surround and cook the allies. Their intention to gradually bombard, close the distance, and then through hand-to-hand combat, conquer the allied ships one by one was evident. What surprised Drake wasn''t the enemy commander''s judgment. A fleet isn''t a single body, but a confederation of small, isolated islands floating on the sea. As such, the formation in naval battles can only be firmly established if it''s meticulously coordinated and prepared. That''s why the surprise attacker has an advantage in naval battles. However, now the enemies, without any sign of urgency, were making a long clockwise turn to disrupt the allied formation. And when all the enemy ships simultaneously turned their port sides toward them. "Fire (Fuego)!" Dozens, hundreds of cannonballs began to fly in. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! The hull rocked back and forth, and several sailors fell. They had clearly been hit by cannonballs somewhere. But it wasn''t important. Hardly any ships sink from being hit by cannons anyway. As long as the mast doesn''t break, it''s fine. Chapter 90 - 90: Premature Encounter (2) "Is everyone okay?!" "We''re fine!" "Then don''t just f***ing stand there, fire back!" THUD THUD THUD THUD! Cannonballs flew in all directions, skimming the water''s surface like a school of flying fish, their black bodies flashing. The deck became chaotic with the mixed noise of soldiers unlucky enough to die from being hit by cannonballs, soldiers hurriedly patching hull breaches with planks, and soldiers shouting commands here and there. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ha, hahahahaha!" Looking back, several allied ships had broken masts. The enemy ships? Just one or two. F***ing hell. Half-defeated already. Drake laughed because he felt terrible. He took out the wine bottle from his waist, poured it over his head, drew his sword, and shouted. "Well, we''re screwed! Prepare to flee!" Even as he said this, Drake''s eyes frantically traced the ships around. Judging by the arrangement of nearby islands, the current wind direction, and the movement of ships... We can''t just flee smoothly. A fierce hand-to-hand battle would follow. Even though not much time had passed, even though only about 10 people had died in battle so far, Drake could already envision the scene. He wasn''t the only one who sensed this. Experienced sailors were already loading guns and drawing swords. They sang boisterous songs among themselves to boost morale. And suddenly. Silence fell all around. This was because both enemy and allied cannonballs had dropped. The slowly approaching enemy ships were still maintaining their formation thoroughly, preparing for the coming melee. They prepare grappling hooks. They draw swords. They sing loudly to calm their fearful hearts. And then. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! The silence is broken. The sudden cannon sound wasn''t from the allies. Then, was it from the enemies? No, it wasn''t that either. That means... BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! Suddenly, the enemy formation starts to become disordered. As if someone had appeared from behind... Ah. Only then did Drake''s view catch two huge transport ships. The clippers that had dangerously mounted several cannons on the deck just for this day. These ships swiftly turned and again showered the enemy with cannonballs, but the enemy ships, having already spent most of their cannonballs facing the enemy in front, could only struggle without being able to respond. The English sailors, who had been blankly watching this scene... like possessed, began to sing in rhythm and moved to their positions. Then they turned their ships toward the enemy vessels. The opportunity was when the enemies were scattered here and there. Drake, this time with a broad smile, shouted again. "Anyone preparing to flee dies by my hand!" And no one ''prepared to flee.'' They are born pirates. They were born with an innate sense of who, where, when, and how to rob. And now the answer was clear. They had to rob the enemies right in front of them. == I''ve only ever lived in cities or rural areas, but after slipping in and out of Croatoan and Chesapeake by boat, I got a feel for navigation. And after riding clippers for months, I realized something. This ship is insanely fast and terribly unstable. Like a Hijet with a jet engine attached. It''s a ship that has completely sacrificed stability and comfort solely for speed, so life on board was... terrible. The problem is also that this ship is a sailing ship, so even that ''speed'' becomes totally useless if you don''t follow a certain route. And if you face a headwind? There''s no answer at all. Given such a ship, its performance in battle was also clearly visible. A ship that can''t mount many cannons, is large in size, has a low height, and simultaneously heavily depends on wind speed and direction for movement? This is a target. "Now we should enter..." "Let''s wait a bit longer." "Nemo? Our allies are being pushed back..." "Not yet." So I waited for quite a while. Until my precious sailors and clippers wouldn''t turn into lumps of meat and pieces of board, respectively. "Nemo! No more cannon sounds are heard!" "Now''s the time!" "Now''s the time, comrades! Let''s go kick those slave traders'' behinds right away!" And now was that time. When Raleigh and I shouted simultaneously, all the sailors moved at once. A favorable wind was blowing. Like racehorses that have heard the starting gunshot, the two ships began to sprint madly. And before the enemies could even react... "Turn!" While turning, fire! BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! The Spanish, suddenly hit by cannonballs without knowing why, fall into panic and flail around. This isn''t simply because they saw our two ships. If enemy ships have surprised them once, couldn''t it happen twice? They start to panic, unable to gauge how many more reinforcements England might have. Some throw grappling hooks at our ship, but they don''t reach the range, so they just fall into the sea in vain. Plus, we still have plenty of cannonballs. "Fire!" BOOM BOOM! Few cannons but large cargo capacity. In other words, we can only fire a little at a time, but we can store and use as much ammunition and cannonballs as we want! As we continued our bombardment, the enemies now turned their ships to port and starboard in complete confusion and tension. And through that chaotic gap, English ships began to charge. BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! After such indiscriminate firing, the Spanish ships became completely like rags and staggered. The English ships slip in between and induce a melee. Satisfied with achieving our goal, we applauded in celebration. The Voyager led by Vicente had already poured out lots of cannonballs and was retreating, and it was time for us to do the same. "Alright, Walter?" "Everyone prepare to retreat! Maintain firing range and shoot at the enemies!" Enemy ships, now thoroughly agitated, belatedly chase after us, but it''s already too late. We unfurled our sails and again accelerated toward the rear... "Huh?" ...or tried to. The wind stopped. Our clipper, not disappointing expectations, stopped abruptly. ...Should we row instead? While thinking this, enemy ships slowly approach. They target only this Enterprise, abandoning the already distant Voyager. Carrying sailors who are thoroughly agitated and spouting all kinds of curses in Spanish. They are spinning ropes with grappling hooks for hand-to-hand combat, looking down at our ship. Yes, ''looking down.'' This ship has a low height. So it''s disadvantageous for hand-to-hand combat. Um... "Walter?" "I''m here." "Tell everyone else to go below deck." "Everyone! Take shelter below deck! And secure the entrance tightly!" "And please give me ''that''." "Understood." So I picked up ''that,'' and Raleigh lifted a shield made of Lexan. With just a few people left on the deck, Spanish men jumped down. "Raleigh, position yourself well to avoid being surrounded, and cover me." "Understood." "The rest of you, be careful with your lives." "Understood, Nemo!" Soon, Spanish men who jumped in from all directions look around and... They hesitate upon seeing my ''that.'' "Wh-what is that terrible thing..." WHIIIIIIIIIIRRR! What else would it be? A great communication tool. I swung the chainsaw and charged at the enemies. "Everyone fire! Quickly!" Behind me, musketeers with Lexan shields covered me. Chapter 91 - 91: The Mystery of the Sea (1) "There! A large flat-bottomed ship! A transport vessel full of treasure..." "Idiot! Ignore it for now! Focus on capturing the enemy warships first rather than the transport ships that can''t escape anyway!" Drake moved busily. The Spanish now realized there were no more enemy reinforcements. But while they were confused about whether to respond to the front or the rear, the tide of battle had already turned. "Throw the grappling hooks!" "Open fire!" Whoosh whoosh whoosh! Ratatatatat! Drake sensed victory. Allied ships approached the scattered enemies, engaging in hand-to-hand combat to conquer them, then moved on to capture other ships. As this process repeated several times, the initial numerical advantage was completely reversed, and St. George''s Cross flags of England waved everywhere. "Ha! This time we''ll take down that carrack!" "Uwaaaaah!" As Sir Drake charged toward the enemy ship with a maniacal smile, his troops followed, providing covering fire and overwhelming the enemy. During the time it took to capture four ships, not a single Spaniard had boarded Drake''s flagship. It was a clear sign of how the battle was going. As Drake advanced, killing and capturing, he thought about what had led to victory in this battle. ...Without question, it was those two ridiculous ships from Virginia. Though he didn''t know how that laughable strategy had succeeded, the miracle unfolding before his eyes made all other explanations meaningless. ''Indeed...! The Mystery of the Sea is amazing!'' So the talking seagull and mermaid he saw then weren''t hallucinations! Look, isn''t that the Sea God accurately determining his and the enemy''s positions at sea! The fact that England''s warships could now penetrate among the Spanish was all thanks to the unexpected cannon barrage that ''he'' had delivered from behind. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Though it was a brief attack, it was enough to break the masts and hulls of many small ships and throw the larger ships into confusion. Come to think of it, his two ships are... "They''re over... Oh, Lord damn it." Drake, while watching the enemy ships in the distance, encounters a desperate scene. About three warships surround one low, oddly shaped ship. Given the low hull of that so-called ''clipper,'' there''s no way to prevent enemies from jumping onto the allied ship. It was only a matter of time before that ship was captured. This can''t happen. The person on board is the native Emperor and de facto ruler of the Virginia colony (and a mysterious being of the sea)! Drake raises the sword he''s holding above his head, waving it in circles to focus the attention of his sailors. "Right now! Rush over there! Our allies are surrounded!" At those words, the sailors immediately clear away the ropes and planks connected to the captured enemy ship and unfurl the sails again. As Drake''s flagship rushes forward, the Spanish ships move aside, terrified of a collision. The path opens up. As soon as they approach the starboard side of one of the ships surrounding the Enterprise, Drake fearlessly jumps in and stabs his sword into a Spanish soldier''s neck. Then he puts a bullet in the head of a surprised Spanish soldier, and while Drake buys time, English sailors place planks between the two ships and rush across. While allies belatedly follow, Drake, half-intoxicated by the smell of blood, hurriedly runs to the port side and soon discovers the Enterprise in distress... WHIRRRR! The Enterprise in... distress... "Mo-monster! It''s a monster!" "Sa-sa-save me...! Lord, sa-save me...!" ...What is this? == People often cite ''guns'' as the reason Spanish conquistadors were able to conquer the Aztecs and Incas. But is that so? Firearms of this era were remarkably primitive by modern standards. They required several minutes just to reload, suffered from poor accuracy at anything beyond close range, and were highly vulnerable to humid conditions that rendered gunpowder useless. A skilled archer could fire multiple arrows in the time it took to load and fire a single arquebus. While these early guns did offer superior penetration power compared to indigenous bows, this advantage was largely redundant against Mesoamerican warriors who typically wore only quilted cotton armor (ichcahuipilli) or, at most, lightweight wooden shields. The devastating power of firearms against European plate armor simply wasn''t necessary in these conflicts. Of course, in the initial encounters, firearms produced profound psychological impacts that shouldn''t be underestimated. Weapons that could seemingly "instantly" fell an enemy from a distance, accompanied by thunderous noise, blinding flashes, and clouds of acrid smoke, appeared supernatural to peoples who had never witnessed such technology. These displays fundamentally undermined enemy morale and created an atmosphere of terror. The hail of bullets fired simultaneously by hundreds of men, regardless of their actual power, was enough to instantly break the enemy''s spirit and make them kneel. And that was about it. After the Aztecs and Incas became accustomed to firearms, guns became nothing more than ordinary ranged weapons. Moreover, as gunpowder became difficult to supply, the conquistadors relied on crossbows and bows instead of guns. But conversely? In those early battles, gunpowder weapons were truly ''evil magic'' to the enemies. WHIRRRR! "Do-don''t come near! Don''t come near, I said!" WHIRRRRRRR! "Aaaaargh!" Think of the laser weapons often seen in sci-fi movies, fired by aliens. In fact, while they look flashy with sparkling lights and impressive visual effects, they''re often not much more powerful than modern firearms in their portrayal. But imagine encountering that in reality. Imagine a green-headed alien pointing a laser gun and a lightsaber at you. Who could possibly think rationally, ''This is hardly different from modern weapons!'' "Urgh, urrrgh! He-he-help... me..." Splash! The Spanish soldiers who saw my chainsaw reacted exactly like that. In reality, the number of soldiers actually injured by my chainsaw was only about three or four. Many times more were hit by friendly fire in their panic at the horrific appearance and roaring sound, or fell into the sea while fleeing. As about half of the dozens who rushed onto our ship fell into panic and confusion... "Fire!" Ratatatatat! Under Raleigh''s command, soldiers with Lexan shields pour gunfire to deal with the remaining half. Just as the Spanish had overthrown natives many times more numerous with guns. We were overthrowing the Spanish with ''transparent shields'' and a ''screaming saw.'' Chapter 92 - 92: The Mystery of the Sea (2) After some time... "...Is it over?" Once the bodies of injured and unconscious Spanish soldiers were scattered all over the deck, I had time to look around. Looking at myself, my clothes were torn in several places but I had no wounds. Just as it seemed we had dealt with all the enemies on the ship... "...What is that?" "Sir Drake? When did you arrive?" "Uh, no, I came... to help... but..." Drake boarded our ship with a half-dazed expression. "..." "..." "Can I touch that?" "No, you cannot." "..." "..." Tsk. No way. This would hurt a reckless Englishman if he touched it. As I moved slightly away from Sir Drake to turn off the engine, and Raleigh called Drake, causing him to turn his head... "Yo-you goddamn devil...!" Ah. One Spanish man remained...! Thwack. The Spaniard stabbed my stomach with his sword and showed a triumphant smile as if he had gained the upper hand. WHIRRRR! I immediately started the engine again and ground his nape. Then, like an office worker who woke up 4 minutes before work, I hurriedly pulled out the sword from my stomach and straightened my clothes. Damn it, of all times, in front of Drake...! "Well, seems there was one more enemy?" "...Sir Drake?" "Yes?" "Did you... see that?" "See what? I was just conversing with Baron Raleigh until now..." "..." "..." "...Nothing." Phew. He didn''t notice. == ...Let''s avoid eye contact. One shouldn''t maintain eye contact with the ''Mystery of the Sea'' for too long. You might go insane. Just now, I think I saw an ''illusion'' of him pulling a sword out of his body. Look. There''s blood on his clothes, but not a single wound, isn''t that clean? "Are you alright?" "I''m fine, Walter. What about the injured?" "Just a few soldiers with minor wounds like bullet grazes. Don''t worry." Even Raleigh and others don''t seem to have noticed him. Such an insensitive attitude. Only Francis Drake witnessed the scene just now. ''Indeed... those who claimed to have seen mermaids or strange sea creatures were all frauds.'' The Kraken, the Flying Dutchman, the Fountain of Youth¡ªthey must all truly exist. "Now... since the battle seems to be wrapping up, I should head home." "By home, you mean..." The bottom of the sea? "Croatoan, I mean." Ah, I see. "Oh, it''s already... 4:30. It''s too late, so shall we dock at a nearby port?" ...How did he know that when there''s no sun due to clouds? Indeed, a mystery of the sea. This world is truly amazing beyond compare. ''Once this is over, I should go look for El Dorado...'' And so, Drake''s belief in superstition deepens further. == "Take all the captured ships except one or two. In exchange, we''ll take care of the people who were captured as slaves." "Ah! Of course, Your Majesty! Hahaha, I wonder if we''ll ever have such a magnificent and outrageous battle again!" Now... we''re completely safe. I realized this fact while feeling Drake''s awe-filled gaze. England is the greatest ally of our Virginia community. Then what is the greatest potential threat to our community? The Spanish fleet? Close to the answer, but no. It''s also England. The Spanish fleet is certainly dangerous, but they have much to protect, so it''s difficult for them to unite and attack somewhere. The development of the England-Spain war as described in the game catalog shows this. After both countries attempted large-scale invasions of each other''s mainland in the early stages of the war and amicably failed, large-scale frontal warfare did not occur again. When the English lurked around Spanish colonies and treasure fleets, the Spanish navy mostly focused on fending off the swarms of English like flies. But the English navy was different. Several fleets led by Walter Raleigh, Francis Drake, John Hawkins, and others took an offensive stance, attacking, besieging, and looting Spanish colonies, accumulating damage to Spain. Because England had nothing to lose from the start. The English burned and destroyed Cadiz, Cuba, Florida. They could do the same anywhere. But now they can''t do that in Virginia. The English are reaping huge benefits thanks to me. They even fought alongside us as allies. Drake, England''s most threatening naval admiral, also maintains a friendly attitude toward me and continues to maintain contracts with me. Now, it''s probably safe to say that the threat to the colony has been almost eliminated. All that remains is to return to Virginia and enjoy a peaceful daily life. Thinking this, I happily set foot on the land of Chesapeake Bay. "Uwaaaaah! We won!" "Long live the Virginia community! Long live England!" I disembarked amidst the cheers of many who sensed victory. Both Vicente and Raleigh welcomed the settlers'' cheers with smiles all over their faces. Of course, most of the settlers, the natives, didn''t particularly care who fought whom and how they won, but everyone was happy since we''d won the war. Just then, from a distance, Manteo, Eleanor Dare, Thomas Harriot, and John White approach. "Congratulations! Such victorious news! Raiding the Spanish treasure fleet! I never thought you would achieve such a feat!" Bacon cheered with excitement. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "You... liberated 2,000 more slaves? I''m, I''m really glad..." Eleanor Dare also sniffled with tears. "If it''s alright, may I take a look at the captured Spanish flat-bottomed ship over there? We can use that ship to connect Chesapeake and Croatoan more closely in the future! Plus, all that silver..." John White seemed to be pondering the benefits this victory would bring to the settlement. Since everyone was thrilled and excited, I too felt uplifted and spoke to Hewett. "Mr. Hewett, how does it look to you?" Hewett replied: "What''s there to say? The community''s treasury will be filled with Spanish treasure! We won''t have financial shortages for a while!" "That''s right. From now on, we''ll have peace for a while..." "Now we just need to teach those Spanish bastards a lesson!" "What?" "...Pardon?" Suddenly, the atmosphere around my question turns cold. Somehow... the gazes of the English looking at me become strangely awkward. Wha, what? Why? As I stand perplexed, Raleigh slowly walks over and whispers to me. "What... do you mean? We haven''t even started yet, have we?" "What?" "Now that we''ve raided one Spanish treasure fleet, shouldn''t we completely sweep away the enemies in this area?" What? As I look around in confusion, those who heard Raleigh''s words all nod together. Thomas Harriot too. Walter Raleigh too. John White too. All the other English as well. "Now! Let''s break the pride of those Spanish bastards!" "Uwaaaaaaaah!" They were shouting with the spirit of a shonen manga protagonist who exclaims, ''Our adventure is just beginning!'' ...Are you all insane? Chapter 93 - 93: Fortification (1) Spanish Florida. Numerous mission bases and military fortresses were scattered along the coast, with hundreds of Spanish settlements and their allied tribes dotted around. "...How can this be allowed? Let''s plow it all up." "What do you mean by ''plow it up''?" "Florida is the gateway from the so-called ''Virginia'' above to the Caribbean Sea. If we strengthen its defenses and station a fleet there, it would be much better for guarding against enemies." But that alone was insufficient. If they hastily withdrew from Florida out of fear of English attacks as before, it would more likely increase the tyranny of the English pirates centered around Virginia. Rather, they needed to broadly strengthen the defenses of the Florida colony to monitor the southward movement of English pirates and, furthermore, to prevent the growth of Virginia. Above all... "Does this ''native Emperor'' really exist?" "Definitely, I saw it clearly with my own eyes! A physically imposing native massacring our soldiers like a madman!" As the reality of the ''native Emperor,'' thought to be mere propaganda, was revealed through the painful recent defeat, Florida now became the frontline against not only England but also the mysterious Emperor. In the end, abandoning Florida was no different from giving up control over the southeastern coast of North America and amounted to turning a blind eye to England''s infiltration into the Caribbean coastal areas. And so. "Let us report to His Majesty the King about strengthening the Florida colony." "How do we know if the report will be approved or not after submission?" "...In this situation, His Majesty cannot but give his approval." A decree bearing Philip II''s seal was soon handed down to the colonial government committee. Spanish Florida thus began to be thoroughly developed. Large-scale slave labor was invested to develop Florida. Immigrants were brought in large numbers from Spain and the Mexican colonies. Florida was made into a solid Spanish territory to check enemies. Such plans were made and implemented, but... "Prepare the friendship gifts to send to the influential local tribes first!" "There are no volunteers right now! How should we..." "From the mainland?" "Sa-same situation." The plan encountered obstacles after just a few steps. Send out immigrants in large numbers? ''Who'' would immigrate? ''Who'' would want to immigrate to a land full of barbarians, and one where English people might invade from anywhere at any time? "...Aren''t black slaves already enough? Besides, we can bring in hundreds to thousands each year!" "Well... that''s true." "So what are you suggesting?" "We give out slaves for free to those who volunteer to immigrate to Florida. Ten slaves per immigrant, that way anyone can become a landowner in Florida!" "Ten slaves per person? That''s financially..." "2,000 immigrants. No more, no less¡ªjust 2,000 people would be enough to defend Florida. If we give out 20,000 slaves for free, we can maintain naval hegemony in the Caribbean, can''t we?" Soon the answer was decided. Those who wanted to become ''landowners.'' Commoners who wanted to become nobles of the New World flocked from mainland Spain and Mexico to head for Florida. Although the number of slaves given out was cut by 30% or even half, the immigration boom didn''t subside. Anyone could become a plantation owner. Anyone could become a slave owner. Anyone could become rich. With such dreams, many headed for Florida. And so the colony was rapidly pioneered. "Phew... is, is this Florida? There are more wetlands than I expected..." "Don''t worry. You won''t be pioneering it, the slaves will. However, pioneering will occur after this area is fortified." The Spanish authorities needed quick results. Slaves were overworked to fortify Florida. "Hu-hurry up! I spent my entire fortune just on the ship fare to get here!" Similarly, commoners who suddenly became ''nobles'' were also filled with dreams of building mansions and managing vast plantations. Under the whips wielded by the colonial authorities and new ''nobles,'' the slaves... "are pioneering the Florida colony." "..." "Then what happens to our missionary work? Even if we try to evangelize the dark-skinned Moorish slaves, their masters don''t send them to church." "..." "Bi-Bishop Las Casas also said in his later years, didn''t he? Slavery is a sin. That''s why the Holy Pope also liberated the natives from their enslaved state, isn''t it? Eventually, those Moors should also be liberated..." "Shh." "..." "Alonso Garc¨ªa, quiet. Slavery being a sin... about that statement... as much as I care for you, I''ll restrain my words." Bishop Sebastian of the newly established Diocese of San Agust¨ªn admonished his young disciple whose head was heated from reading the books of radicals. "Your job is... not that. Didn''t the Apostle Peter, the rock of the holy Catholic Church, say that the chief virtue of a slave is to serve his master as he would serve the Lord? If slaves serve their masters well and don''t fall into evil ways, they will naturally go to heaven. What are you so worried about?" "How can they go to heaven when they don''t know the Lord?" "Then make them know the Lord, won''t you?" "Th-then... so they can come to church on Sundays..." "No. If you try to force rest for Florida''s slaves, you''ll face backlash from the slave owners." "..." Alonso felt deep regret in Sebastian''s words. "...Yes. We cannot force slave rest upon them. It might be possible someday, but not now. His Majesty the King and his ministers are enthusiastic about pioneering Florida. To pursue ideals, one must first understand reality. Look. What can you do?" "...Nothing, I can do nothing." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That''s not true. You can persuade those slave owners. If the master follows the Lord, the slaves will naturally come to know the Lord and reach heaven. Your job is not to wash the feet of tired slaves and feed them, but to wash and feed their souls. Realize the difference between those two things. The words of Bishop Las Casas and others... forget them for a while. Do what you can do." "..." Thump. "...Alonso, where are you going?" "Just feeling stuffy, so I''ll take a look around for a bit." Sebastian''s immensely kind eyes and thoughtful voice... evoked sadness in Alonso. As Alonso left the cathedral building and walked for a while, he soon came upon a vast spread of fields. Alonso suddenly noticed a scarecrow protruding from between the fields... and his legs gave out, causing him to sit down. The Spanish authorities extolled these ''immigrants'' as true crusaders fighting against England''s Protestants. And they provided all sorts of conveniences to them. For example, they would even supply two or three new slaves if a slave was injured or died in an accident. "..." To that extent, a slave''s life in Florida was worth less than elsewhere. Rather than being precious labor as in other places, they became consumables. For instance. To the point of using the bodies of escaped slaves as scarecrows. The appearance of the corpse, eaten by rats and crows, was too difficult to look at straight on. But Alonso couldn''t bring himself to turn away. "Cru...saders... Crusaders..." The world is going mad. And there was nothing he could do. == "Most of the newly supplied slaves go to Florida... and the defenses there have significantly strengthened recently." "Yes. You said such work had been going on from before." At my words, Raleigh firmly shook his head and told me: "These days, the scale is different. Even when passing through nearby waters, if we''re not careful, we might be the ones getting hit instead." "..." Raleigh circled areas on the printed map in front of me and said: "Here, this area especially. They''ve concentrated immigrants in one place and completely fortified the surroundings, making it not easy to attack... it''s become ambiguous. Sir Drake keeps suggesting we target Cuba, but I suddenly thought we might not be able to keep this up for long." To summarize, now the place where slave trade is most actively conducted in Spanish America is Florida. But since Florida has strong defenses, Drake targets Cuba or other colonies. Until here, there might not be much of a problem. It''s a pity that the number and frequency of slaves being liberated is decreasing, but at least it''s not completely cut off. Chapter 94 - 94: Fortification (2) The problem lies in Florida being the gateway between Virginia and the Caribbean Sea. If this continues... "Eventually, it might become difficult to even enter the Caribbean Sea." "Correct. And in my view, Florida is just the beginning. The will of the Spanish is extraordinarily strong. As I see it, soon the defenses of the entire Spanish colonies will be incomparably thorough." "..." sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." I''m an ordinary farmer, and Raleigh is a pirate boss (that''s a fact), so he probably knows better. Anyway, if what he says is true... it''s a predicament. More than anything, the strengthening of Florida''s defenses means they''ve explicitly declared their intention to check us in eastern North America. That is, this settlement becomes endangered. It means we will inevitably clash with Spain someday. Moreover, what about the slaves in Florida...? No, it''s the same elsewhere. How should they be liberated? No, can they even be liberated? Naturally, casting such questions, Raleigh and I continued our deliberations for a long time. Thud. While we were spending time like that, someone entered the church building we were using as a meeting room. As the two of us turned our heads... "...Ah, Vicente?" "Were you in the midst of discussing that topic again? Should I leave?" "No. It''s fine. Please sit here." "..." "..." "..." Since Vicente also roughly knew the situation as a captain, it wasn''t difficult to include him in the conversation. The three of us put our heads together and wracked our brains over the current problem. Hmm... what should we do? The Spanish colonies are becoming increasingly fortified. It sounded like a signal that they wouldn''t lose their advantage in America even if it meant accepting a large temporary disadvantage. And to be honest. If Spain properly concentrates its capabilities, there''s not much we can do. In the distant future, England, or Britain, will hold world hegemony. And they''ll beautify the era of Elizabeth I and spread various propaganda. Like falsely claiming they won the England-Spain war that''s unfolding right now, or asserting that their ''victory'' in this war caused Spain''s downfall and gave them Atlantic hegemony. Of course, that''s nonsense. Spain will continue to do well from now on. Until they can no longer extort more gold and silver from the New World. Yes. The Spanish Empire is now a hegemonic power shaking the world, and England is just an obstacle on its periphery. And the reason Spain has become such a great hegemonic power is precisely because of the numerous luxuries obtained by exploiting natives and black slaves. So even if Spain doesn''t put its full effort into the Caribbean fight, there are enough reasons to deliver a sincere blow once. What we''re seeing now was exactly that sincere strike. ...This won''t do. We can''t stop here, and we can''t lose here. There''s a reason for the safety and prosperity of this settlement and community, but the immediate reason that concerned me was different. "For now, as Sir Drake suggests, finding methods while taking tactical advantages elsewhere..." "No. If we retreat like this, everything we''ve fought for will become meaningless." "..." "..." "Walter, didn''t you say the Spanish exploitation of slaves is getting worse?" "...That''s right." "Then wouldn''t our fight have merely made their exploitation more intense?" Let''s look at it coldly. Spain cannot stop the slave trade. Because the empire''s wealth comes from exploiting slaves. Nor can we achieve the miraculous feat of driving Spain out of all of America. Driving out the Spanish from Mexico, and from the distant lands of Peru and Argentina? That''s nonsense. I''ve never thought that far. I''m well aware that the Atlantic triangular trade will continue for hundreds of years. Even my actions so far have been for my moral self-satisfaction, not considering such complicated circumstances. I''ve never thought I could solve all the problems alone. But... if, as a result, some people''s lives have become more cruel, shouldn''t I take responsibility for that? Shouldn''t I try what I can do? I pound the desk as I think. If only there was a way... a suitable method to attack the Florida colony... "First, I wish there was a way to appeal to the conscience of the Spanish. Walter, can you contact conscientious Spaniards?" "Hmm. As if Spaniards would have a conscience..." "Bartolom¨¦ de Las Casas was also Spanish." "...That''s true." Suddenly talking about conscience out of nowhere. It might sound nonsensical, but it''s one approach. About half a century ago, conscientious Spaniards who couldn''t bear the violence against natives, a king who wanted to check those who had gathered native slaves to form small kingdoms, and a church trying to evangelize the natives collaborated to bring about the result of native slave liberation. Las Casas, whom I just mentioned to Raleigh, was also a priest who led the native liberation at that time. Of course, as can be seen from the explanation above, native liberation didn''t rely solely on conscience. Therefore, to draw out movements from within Spain, information about internal conflicts and interests is needed. "And I wish there were people knowledgeable about the internal affairs of Spain and its colonies. Not knowing how things work inside, we have no methods." "...Hmm?" "Additionally, if we could help slaves escape on their own..." "..." "..." "Well, think about it for now. I''ll also think separately." But no method particularly emerged from struggling alone. I sighed deeply and stepped outside. My neck is stiff, and my head is throbbing. ...I don''t even have a clue on what to do. == "Did you hear?" "I heard. It seems even Nemo has no solution..." "That''s not it." Raleigh cut off Vicente''s words and shook his head. "He sees the situation more clearly than anyone." "Pardon? What do you mean?" "Didn''t he ask to find ways to collaborate with ''potential helpers'' inside Spain?" To Raleigh''s ears, ''conscientious Spaniards = internal helpers'' because any person of conscience would naturally yearn for the free Virginia that had escaped from slavery and Catholic barbarism. "Moreover... he said he wished for someone knowledgeable about Spanish internal affairs?" Raleigh is a man who has moved in step with Europe''s first intelligence agency. The meaning was clear. He desires an ''information network.'' Finally, if possible, he wants Moorish slaves to be able to escape on their own? In other words, he desires an organization to systematically incite and move slaves? Isn''t that what European intelligence agents often did? "Right away, gather Spanish people and liberated Moorish slaves to receive volunteers. Then..." Thud! "..." "..." "Ca-can I also participate?" In the direction where Raleigh instinctively pointed his pistol, a frightened Moorish man had collapsed in front of the wide-open door. He had probably been caught eavesdropping with his ear to the door. "I-I''m sorry for eavesdropping, but my wife is still not liberated! My wife... is across that sea! If you send me to the Spanish colony...!" "..." "..." A desperate cry. Raleigh strokes his chin for a moment and says: "...You, you''re good at hiding your presence." "Yes. For that, I''m confid..." "And you speak Spanish well." "Well, I was born in the colony." "Ah, is that so? What''s your name?" "Teyan... Oh, I also have a Spanish name. It''s Mart¨ªn." Raleigh snapped his fingers. "You''re hired." Chapter 95 - 95: Two-Faced Saviors "What''s going on? Why is there suddenly such a commotion at the shore?" "Ah... Holy Maiden? Well, people have arrived from Spain!" "From Spain? They crossed the Atlantic?" "No, not quite. They came from Florida over there..." Eleanor was startled and turned around. Indeed, she could see several small boats and half-naked people among the crowd gathered noisily on the beach. They clearly seemed to have arrived from somewhere far away on small boats. And if they had come from Florida, it must have been an incredibly dangerous and terrible journey. As Eleanor approached, the crowd naturally made way for her. Recognizing that she was an "important person" here, the trembling newcomers walked up and took Eleanor''s hands. "P-p-please help us... There, m-m-master...!" "...Pardon?" "That person bought us from the slave market in Florida and even arranged ship passage for us to come here! He is our benefactor!" The former slaves, exhausted and trembling, pointed to where a Latin man and a tall Black man stood, both looking in even worse condition than themselves. "Th-that person, whenever there was food, they gave it to us..." "...Oh." Eleanor felt her eyes reddening. As the freed slaves gathered around began taking the newcomers away one by one, the "master" and his servant, their legs giving out, remained collapsed on the shore. Eleanor brought them water, food, and blankets, and built a fire. Gradually, color returned to their faces. "Uh, ugh... Where is..." "This is Virginia. Are you alright?" "...Oh, greetings to you, my lady. Th-this is Virginia, you say?" "Yes, that''s right." "...Hey, Malco. Get up and see. We''ve... finally arrived!" "Ugh... urgh... Master? Are you alright?" "Ah, no, I''m fine. But you..." The two men grimaced as they raised their bodies, which seemed to be screaming in pain. Those watching them shed tears, clapped, and rejoiced. Of course they would - these men were virtuous heroes who had traveled the hundreds of kilometers from Florida to Virginia (Nemo had worked hard to instill the metric system in their minds) to help slaves escape. It was only natural for everyone to be happy that they had survived. "Are you... alright?" As Hewett, who had walked up beside Eleanor, asked this, the two men - Asuero and Malco - nodded and slowly explained their situation. They had been a slave owner and a slave in Florida. The slave owners there were an exceptionally cruel and vicious bunch, but Asuero was different. He would read the Bible to his slaves and even paid them monthly wages as a diligent plantation owner. Malco was a standout among his slaves and served as an overseer. Then one day they... "...heard news about Nemo and Virginia." "..." "..." "We heard that there were no slaves or slave owners there, and that its Emperor despised slavery and had forbidden it forever. That''s when I made my decision - to buy slaves and help them escape. Malco also joined me." And so Asuero and Malco spent their fortune to purchase about ten slaves from the Florida slave market, and together they risked their lives on a daring escape by boat. That''s how they had arrived in Virginia. "Wow... That''s remarkable." "Not at all. Our Lord was crucified and died in agony for our sake - how could a person not do at least this much for fellow humans?" When Thomas Hewett expressed admiration, Asuero bowed his head as if embarrassed, and Malco looked at him with satisfaction. However... "Hmm? So all the people we just met were the slaves you purchased later?" "That''s right. They''re free people now, of course." "I heard that in Florida, all pioneers are basically given ten slaves... Where did they go?" At that question, Asuero''s face froze slightly, then relaxed so subtly that no one noticed. "...You seem to know the details of our colony." "Ah, well, stories from the south are quite famous." "Is that so? Haha... It''s bitter indeed that my homeland is known for such injustice..." "..." "..." "So, what happened to..." "They were all freed by Master Asuero..." "They all died on the way..." "Pardon?" "...I mean, I freed them and brought them along, but they all died on the way." "Th-that''s right. Good heavens. I can only pray for my slave brothers." A subtle inconsistency, a hasty exchange of glances between the two. "Anyway, this is impressive. I can''t just send such virtuous men to ordinary lodgings! I''ll lend you my quarters." Thomas Hewett didn''t notice and simply moved past the conversation. "Is... that so?" Eleanor felt a slight sense of discomfort but couldn''t express it in words and merely nodded. It was the same when they reported to Nemo. "I think it would be appropriate to prepare a new house on Croatoan Island especially for those virtuous men. They may become symbolic figures of slave emancipation in the future!" Hewett excitedly proclaimed in the meeting hall. "W-wait, isn''t that too hasty?" Eleanor Dare tilted her head and asked. Nemo questioned her. "Why do you think so, Eleanor?" "Well... it''s hard to put into words, but somehow they made me feel uneasy." "...Hmm." "No, thinking about it again, it seems strange to make such judgments based only on intuition. Perhaps I''ve been too rude to them..." "No. Eleanor is right." Nemo nodded and, as if suddenly remembering, pulled something out of a drawer. "Mr. Hewett, place this in their room as you take them there." "This is... a small tablet?" "...It''s a device called a smartphone. Here, press this button and this button, then leave it in a corner of the room, and bring it back to me tomorrow." "S-surely you''re not going to look into their souls, or harm them..." "...There''s no such function, so don''t worry. For now, we can''t be sure they aren''t spies sent from Spain, can we?" "Well... that''s true." "So trust me and place it. After paying attention to their behavior for a few days, everything will be confirmed, won''t it?" "If that''s the case..." And so, Hewett guided them to his room and then moved to Vicente''s quarters, who had temporarily left for reconnaissance. He placed the smartphone in an inconspicuous corner and... collected it the morning of the day after next while greeting them. The contents of the conversation they had the previous day fell directly into Nemo''s hands. == (3:16:17) Rustle. Rustle. Tap. "Ah, there you are, Master." "What master when there are no slaves? Call me by my name." "Hahaha! How could I do that? You''re still my benefactor, aren''t you?" "Just call me Asuero. Or Mr. Javier if you prefer." "...Mr. Javier, you''ve worked hard. I still can''t forget the wailing of those idiots burning in the basement. Why did we make things so troublesome by buying them?" "Idiots? They''re your countrymen." "Heh, countrymen? No way. My family has been selling slaves for generations. If we hadn''t lost the war, I would never have fallen to the same level as those creatures." "Is that so? Anyway, let''s toast. To our new homeland and the new Emperor." "To the new lord we will soon meet..." Fast forward. Beep. (14:39:21) "..." "..." "...I''m asking just in case, but there''s no way that incident will be discovered, right?" "Of course not! I securely blocked the basement door." "Still, you never know? What if they escape outside and make contact with other slaves...? Even if that doesn''t happen, what if their bodies are discovered? There are traces of torture." "Well, they were probably the ones who spread rumors about our new lord ''Nemo'' and incited the slaves, but do they really have the will and ability to conduct such an investigation on us?" "True, Florida is also Spanish territory. No matter how much they try..." "Don''t we just have a life of enjoyment ahead of us? Of course, we won''t be able to enjoy hunting or whipping anymore, but..." "Right. That''s not what''s important. Have you heard about the land area they promised to give us someday? Do you know how much 500 hectares is? Hahahahaha! I never thought I''d live like a lord here." "Congratulations. If you forget me..." "Half of all the property I acquire will be yours. Don''t worry. I swear to my lord..." Fast forward. Beep. (27:52:33) Drag. "...Why are you pulling the chair?" "Just in case someone might be eavesdropping." "I''ve already confirmed there''s no one here. Don''t worry." "Is that so? Alright. Now, let''s count how great the glory we''ll enjoy will be... By the way, it''s a shame we can''t hunt Indians around here. Maybe we should have gone to Portuguese Brazil instead..." (29:01:17) End. "..." "..." "..." "...Eleanor?" "Yes, yes?" "Please go back for now. I''ll... think about how to deal with them." Nemo said this to Eleanor with a calm face. But to Eleanor, those two eyes were... Burning. == "..." After Eleanor left, I was alone. I picked up the smartphone, stuffed it into my pocket, and left the church. After walking a bit, I soon reached my house. Inside, I checked the refrigerator. Beef... in good condition, and for seafood, well, I could get fresh ones on the day and cook them. It might be nice to try Spanish cuisine after a long time... ... ... ... "Ugh." I feel like vomiting. Just looking at meat felt like it would trigger hallucinations. I heard their conversation. In their conversation, I heard what they had done. I heard the story of them impaling people to death. I heard the story of them burning people to death and feeding their flesh to their families. I heard the story of them humiliating naked people before showering them with bullets. I heard the story of them... People... killing people... again and again. ''This is... even more cruel than in the original history.'' People could be insanely cruel to other people. ''It means there''s absolutely no control. The Spanish colonial authorities, eager to expand their colonies, aren''t controlling the settlers at all.'' When there was nothing to stop them except their own conscience. And when they finally throw away even their conscience and pour out their ugly desires. People could be more cruel than devils. My, my hands are trembling. I couldn''t show such weakness in front of Eleanor. I couldn''t show disgust or fear. Because I was an angel and had to maintain dignity. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But it''s disgusting. It''s so disgusting that I want to kill those two right now. And I''m afraid. I''m afraid that they pretended to be virtuous in front of our settlers. I''m also afraid that I almost fell for it. I am an angel. At least, those around me believe so, and that''s why they follow me. I am an angel. Therefore, I must act righteously, and by doing so, my community remains peaceful. I am an angel. So I must not allow evil people around me. And the single act of malice they committed almost destroyed the foundation of my community. ''...What should I do?'' All sorts of anguish instantly coil and grow in my head. How should I, how should my community respond and deal with such malice. How can we expose and punish the crimes of such evil people? How can my community defend against the insidious attacks of such individuals? And the Spanish colony is operating far more harshly and cruelly than I thought. I knew that many Europeans performed atrocities in Africa and America during the colonial era, but I didn''t know it would be revealed so starkly. I... how should I... Slap! ...Fuck, get a grip. I can''t be intimidated and shaken by something like this, like an idiot. The people I''m responsible for now number tens of thousands. If we''re going to collapse because of the malice of just two people, we shouldn''t have started in the first place. Honestly, even with a clear mind, I have no idea how to solve these problems. The feelings of fear and anxiety still haven''t subsided. Of course. If I could single-handedly remove the darkness of colonialism and punish all the evil people in the world, I would truly be an angel. I cannot do that. I cannot solve these problems right now. But. "Those bastards..." I will definitely deal with the bastards who have come into my sight. Everything else can be thought about later. When I lifted my head, it was already midnight. Dishes get clean by themselves without washing, and clothes become neat without doing laundry. Staring blankly at that scene... I think. ''Appointments... are made at night.'' I made my decision, and as soon as the next morning came, I called Eleanor. "For now... let''s invite only that Asuero character to my house in Croatoan." "..." "He must come alone. Like I''m interested in him and inviting him for a meal? That kind of pretext would be good." "Then what about guards..." "Not needed. No, perhaps we should have some troops watching my farm from a distance to prevent him from escaping. But they must be positioned inconspicuously." Yes. Even if not to this extent, facing human malice while running a community wasn''t a one-time or two-time occurrence. At times like this, I have ways to respond. "Finally... I intend to give them just one chance." I''ll handle it myself. With my own hands. Chapter 96 - 96: Emperors Judgment (1) After disembarking from the Nautilus, Asuero shed tears of emotion... as he looked around. An impressive coastal fortress and straight, long roads welcomed him. He whistled as he walked on the smoothly paved road that ran through the dense forest. Anticipation. A fulfilling anticipation for the future ahead filled Asuero''s entire body. Asuero wept as he remembered the difficult life he had experienced until now. It is the way of the world that hardships befall the righteous, and all manner of deception in the world comes upon the honest. All the poverty and frustration he had experienced until now flashed before his eyes. Born as a child of a poor hidalgo (a lower Spanish nobleman), he had worked as a mercenary for decades until his body was broken, all for the sake of advancement. He had wandered countless times beyond his homeland, learning swordsmanship and whatever else came his way. When isolated from enemies, he had even drunk his own urine. There was no hardship like that hardship. After enduring all sorts of difficulties and migrating to Florida for a peaceful retirement, what did he face? Disgusting savages and slaves so lazy it was abominable. And contrary to what the colonial government had said, there was nothing but terrifying wilderness rather than fertile land. Due to that anger and exhaustion, he, who had been a good Christian, did commit "minor transgressions"... but now the day had come for all of that to be rewarded. Those hardships created his current days of glory. "...This way. If you continue walking this way, his ''palace'' will appear." "Ah, I''ve been waiting! Thank you, Mrs. Dare!" Asuero gave Eleanor an overt, oily smile. Eleanor''s expression suggested displeasure, but this only made him feel more pleased. It made him feel like an even more important person. After all, he was a guest invited by the native Emperor. Though it was late enough for drowsiness to pour down like starlight, his eyes were bright and alert. He had experienced this kind of thing when making appointments with employers during his mercenary days. Busy people with many responsibilities could find it difficult to make time. So the fact that he and the Emperor were meeting at this hour meant that the Emperor was that busy and important. ''It means that I am important enough that he had to deliberately make time for me...!'' Each of Asuero Javier''s steps was filled with strength. With each step, step by step, the house with the green roof in the distance grew closer... "..." ...Is this all? It was perplexing. No, it was indeed a fine house. It was pleasing to see the neat wooden walls under the well-organized green gabled roof. But... it wasn''t very large. At least, not large enough to be called a palace. In fact, it was questionable whether it could even be called a mansion. At this size... it wasn''t much different from the house he had lived in in Florida. Ah, well, that''s right. He''s a savage after all. Snicker, Asuero laughs. He wasn''t sure what he had expected. Walls smoothly plated with gold? Or a tower as massive as a mountain? If there had been a monarch in this land capable of building such a palace, wouldn''t Spain and England have already been brought to their knees? Surely he was just a native chieftain who was floundering, not knowing what to do with all the gold and aluminum sitting under his backside. Living near this clumsily built hut. Knock. Knock. Knock. As he approached what appeared to be the door and knocked, suddenly there was a sound of metal brushing and singing, and the door clicked open. Looking inside, all was quiet and dark, with a narrow corridor stretching straight ahead. A faint light leaked from the door at the end. An unfamiliar but fragrant smell pricked his nose, and strange-styled walls and decorations filled the surroundings. Asuero entered, feeling slightly frightened. Thump. Thump. Thump. Mud stuck to the clean floor, but he didn''t care. Quietly opening the door at the end of the corridor... A simple living room appeared, just like before. And in the middle, a small dining table was set. Lobster, grilled beef, and curious stews occupied the table. And a man was sitting behind it. A tall man with dark eyes. He extended his large hand, offering Asuero a chair. Asuero, unknowingly intimidated, quickly sat down opposite him and looked at this mysterious native man. Without saying a word, he muttered a simple prayer, barely audible, and then began to eat. Asuero had thought that being a savage, he might grab food with his hands and chew noisily, but that wasn''t the case. He leisurely picked up a fork and put sliced meat into his mouth. Asuero followed him and put beef in his mouth. However, due to nervousness, he couldn''t taste anything. His hands trembled. "Um... should I address you as Your Majesty?" "..." He remained silent in response to Asuero''s words, only smiling. "...Your Majesty, thank you for inviting me here." "..." "I... uh... have always had a deep abhorrence for slavery. Then, to meet Your Majesty who shares the same thoughts as me, I thank the Lord..." "The Lord?" "...Pardon?" "Did you say you thank the Lord?" It was perfectly fluent Spanish. As if he had been born and raised in Castile. "...Ah, yes, that''s right. Yes, I thank the Lord." "For what are you speaking?" "Well... of course because the Lord has allowed me to meet Your Majesty..." Something was strange. The shape of his mouth and the words coming from it were slightly different. His mouth speaking Spanish seemed awkwardly like it had been overlaid with someone else''s lip movements. Yet the Spanish coming from his mouth was... Perfect. A sense of fear gradually crept in from that disharmony, that unnaturalness. Yes. This house, the shape of this table, everything was strangely unfamiliar. In this extremely peculiar atmosphere, Asuero was so tense that food wouldn''t go down his throat. All this time, the Emperor was still just smiling. "It''s fortunate that you thank the Lord. I too wish only to thank the Lord." "Y-y-yes?" "Yes. Did you not come to this house alone?" "...Does that please you?" "Of course. Doesn''t the Lord rejoice even when one lost lamb is found?" "..." Lost... lamb? Is this the right metaphor here? Is it a statement revealing that he had been a slave owner who had repented? Or... no. Let''s not think strange thoughts. By now, bells were ringing somewhere in the distance, indicating that it was well past 11 PM. 11 PM. Why had he called him at such a late hour? Was the reason he had originally thought correct? Why did he... S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Why did you do it?" Here, Asuero''s thoughts momentarily stopped. No, it seemed as if the time of the entire world momentarily stopped. The juice dripping from the meat, the leaves flying beyond the narrow window of the living room, the table that wobbled slightly as if not quite balanced. The eyes of the native Emperor staring at him. Everything stopped for a brief moment... then moved again. "...Pardon?" Asuero was not a stupid person. But even though he knew what the Emperor was talking about, he could only stupidly ask back. "No, I don''t understand. You freed all the slaves? Why did you come here with such a lie? Couldn''t you have just said that you mistreated slaves but had a change of heart?" How did he know that? Chapter 97 - 97: Emperors Judgment (2) "If you had, you would certainly be a sinner, a clear sinner, but I would have considered it. And I might have forgiven you. You could have obtained fields and a house in this land and lived happily. No, if we think about why you left Florida in the first place, that wouldn''t have happened." No. What''s important now is not ''how did he know?'' "You were dissatisfied with life in Florida, weren''t you? So you wanted to enjoy a wealthy life with the favor of a rich native Emperor. From the beginning, there was neither a will to repent nor a conscience in your heart, so all questions are meaningless." What''s important now is ''how do I escape?'' "You will pay for your sins here. So speak finally. I will give you a chance. I''ll give you the opportunity to say that you are willing to apologize to those slaves you locked in the basement and repent for your own sins..." Asuero was no longer listening to him. Upon hearing those words, Asuero looked around to see if there were any guards, but the house was quiet with no one inside. There was no one around. If... I act here. If I can just eliminate the "witness" here and escape. Then I can buy time to safely escape to Florida. Asuero gripped the knife he was holding. Seeing this, the ''Emperor'' calmly continued cutting meat and speaking. "Deceiving me is the smallest of your sins. Your sins are..." "AAAAAHHHHH!" He shall pay the price for that arrogance! Asuero rose and repeated what he had done countless times during his mercenary days with the knife he was holding. Instead of meat, he cut a person. Shuck. The knife penetrated the Emperor''s neck. The Emperor''s eyes widened with pain, and then... "...!" KWAKWAKWAKWAKWANG! He rose up, grabbed Asuero''s neck, and pushed him against the bookshelf. BOOM! The bookshelf fell over, and books scattered everywhere. Black frames broke, vases shattered into pieces, and fragments of dishes bounced in all directions. Tables broke, the floor was scratched and dented, and objects all around lost their places and broke. "Die! Die! Die already!" And so... during their fierce struggle, Asuero frantically stabbed the Emperor''s vital points. Despite all that pain, the Emperor did not release Asuero''s neck, and each time, Asuero, terrified, wildly stabbed and slashed the Emperor''s body. And... Slurrrp. Time was on Asuero''s side. After being slammed against the wall and pinned under the bookcase several times more, the Emperor collapsed, drained of blood. "Mo-monster! I thought you''d fucking die... kek... kaak!" Cough. Cough. Asuero spat phlegm on the floor, recovering his damaged throat that the Emperor had been strangling. It didn''t make sense. To endure this far. Is this the kind of strength that gave him confidence to meet me alone without any guards? But he was foolish. Idiot, what kind of emperor would receive a strange foreigner without a single soldier? Asuero hurriedly searched for valuables in the house and stuffed them into his pockets. Then he headed towards the door and tried turning the handle... Rattle! Rattle! ...It wouldn''t open. He had to get out. He needed to leave this house immediately, but where to go... ''The window!'' Asuero threw a chair and smashed the window with a crash. Through the broken window, a peaceful, pastoral vineyard was spread out. ...It''s okay. Everything had gone wrong, but it was still okay. Seeing that it was still quiet around, no one had noticed. He just needed to grab a few more valuables and slip outside quietly. And then, prove it with those valuables. That he had killed the native Emperor, that he had done it. Then the wealth and glory he desired would await him. Now if he could just find a small boat and return to Florida... Huh? Gone. When Asuero checked his pockets, all the pottery fragments and aluminum statues he had stuffed in earlier had disappeared. Asuero blinked again. Dong. Dong. Dong. The bell of 12 AM rang. Asuero watched. He watched a ''miracle''. The broken glass pieces floated into the air and then assembled one by one, piece by piece. And the assembled glass was fitted back into the window frame. The fallen bookshelf stood up on its own without anyone''s touch. Scattered books arranged themselves and sat on it. The broken frame was filled in, and the cracks disappeared like wounds healing. The head of a broken statue reattached itself. The fallen chair was righted, and the dirt scattered on the floor suddenly melted away. It was as if this ''palace''... was alive. As if it was slowly recovering from its wounds. "De...devil''s work...this is." Everything moved as if time was rewinding. If that''s the case... could it be... "...Your greatest sin is not that you deceived me. Nor is it even that you deceived the Lord." Clatter. "You deceived your own soul. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. (1 John 1:8) You drove the Lord out of your heart." The moment he heard his ''voice'', Asuero''s thinking stopped. Asuero could no longer move or breathe. Stiffened like stone, Asuero barely managed to turn his neck to look back. On the table that had been shattered to pieces, on the tablecloth that should have been torn. He was cutting meat just as before. As if nothing had ever happened. Yes. He rather wished that all the previous moments had been a dream. That nothing had actually happened... "Sit down again." But the ''Emperor'' said. He said in a very cold voice. "It is dinner time now." Everything in the living room had returned to how it was before midnight. But his fate had crossed a river that could never be turned back. Asuero, having lost even the thought of resistance, collapsed to the floor. The Emperor chewed a piece of meat. Yes. Meat. Like that meat, I am nothing but a piece of meat. When a knife enters, I am cut, and I am merely a piece of meat that drips red blood. I am a handful of dirt. Just as an ant is crushed under a child''s finger strength, I am powerless before him. My life is more worthless than a fly''s. That''s right. "...De, devil." Vanity of vanities... all is vanity. "The devil''s... power..." He was, a mere human. "De-deceiving those who dwell on the earth and telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and lived... (Revelation 13:14)" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But he was not human. If he wasn''t human, then he must be either an angel or a devil. You who died and came back to life, you must surely be of the devil''s power, the devil''s beast. No, you must be the devil''s beast. "De-devil''s power! Devil''s beast! Ge-get away! Get away! Fucking get away!" Asuero hastily pulled out a dagger from inside his clothes and raised it towards that strange and extraordinary being who was silently looking down at him. He was not trying to stab him. "Lo-Lord! Lord! Please! Drive away that devil. Please, please, glory, on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. Fu-fu-fuck!" His hand trembled violently. He raised the dagger held in both hands to form a cross. "Power of hell, be gone! Be-be gone, I say!" Please, may this holy form drive away that evil being. Please, I, I have never been negligent in worship throughout my life. Please, please...! "How dare you try to violate the Lo-Lord''s pe-people..." "How dare you call yourself the Lord''s people." The moment he heard those words, Asuero''s head became dazed. ''He'' was calmly walking towards him. As Asuero held out the cross made with his dagger, he... "...What? I, I, I was baptized, and I, I, I confess every week." "What does baptism matter, and what does confession matter." "Uh... uhh...?" He gripped the blade forming the cross tightly. Blood flowed. Blood dripped, falling to the floor. He grabbed the blade and took the knife away from Asuero, throwing it away. Then he proudly showed both his hands. They were clean. As if... As if the cross had refused to harm him. Asuero squeezed his eyes shut. "Look at me." He couldn''t bear to look. He had to be a demon. "Look at my eyes." He didn''t want to see. He didn''t want to see how... petty and insignificant he was, reflected through his eyes. "Asuero Javier!" But at that cry, Asuero''s eyes flashed open as if receiving a royal command. "Ah... Ahhh..." And he saw. He was... "Uwaahh... No, it''s not true. You, yo-you, savage emperor, can''t possibly..." "..." "..." He wept like a child who had sinned. Chapter 98 - 98: Breaking of a Man (1) "You, de-de...vil..." There was no strength in his voice. "Go...go away..." There was no conviction in his eyes. He trembled all over as he gazed up at the being before him. The truth was reflected in his two eyes. A man stands there. No, a man? Can one assign a human gender to him? Can one attach a human name to him? He is not a person. He must be either a devil or... ...or... Asuero, unable to contain the truth in his mind, trembled all over. Fear and anguish that gripped his soul emerged amid the throbbing pain of his body. Only then did the thoughts he had been putting off float up. How on earth. How on earth did he know? How did ''he'' discover Asuero''s past, and how could he reveal things Asuero had hidden? ...No. This too is a foolish question. The truly important question is this: What is this mysterious being standing before Asuero? One who revives from death. And one who sees through human sins. Sin. ...My sin. "..." Asuero is silent. Asuero is silent, unable to do anything. There was nothing more he could do. The ''native emperor'' before his eyes must be either a devil or an angel. And whether a devil or an angel, the result was the same. He came to me. He knows my sins. He has pierced my soul. I was his. Asuero thought this and wept. "Y-you...are..." While weeping, he murmured without even realizing it. "...a de-devil?" And there Asuero''s thoughts stopped. This was a question yet not a question. This was self-deception. Asuero already knew what kind of being the other was. The other could not possibly be a devil. But he wanted to ask just once more, for the last time. "What... are you...to..." To dig up my sins. To speak of my punishment. To this, he answers. "Nemo." The one who is nothing before infinite and brilliant glory. The one who stands at the feet of the throne, beside the Lord of all creation. And thus, the one who lives wrapped in that radiance. He is... "N-no. No. No. No. No way." He is a devil. "Y-you, you, you''re a devil. A devil...! You, you''re a de-" He serves the Lord, and he is a devil. He must certainly be a holy being. But he is a devil. He cannot possibly be a devil. Therefore, he is a devil. Thoughts that could never possibly connect become linked, and shocks that could never possibly be endured strike his soul. His reason gradually melts away. "Must...flee...from...the de...vil..." Yes. Because he''s a devil. I must escape before the devil who serves the Lord inflicts divine punishment on an evil person. Me? An evil person? That can''t be. But devils inflict divine punishment on evil people, and I am an evil person, so I must flee. Tormenting slaves is a serious crime. But all I did was torment slaves! I have sinned, so I mustn''t be punished! Because I am an evil person! The Lord loves evil people, and the devil loves righteous people, and the devil created all things, and the Bible was written by the devil... The sea surges upward and the sky plummets downward. Stars swim like fish, and fish shine like stars. Thus, he staggers to his feet in this tangled world. As he crawls out of the living room on all fours, the sound of someone following with footsteps, thump, thump, comes from behind. No. It''s the devil''s footsteps. I must flee. Strangely, even though running on all fours should surely be twice as fast as walking on two legs, I cannot escape from him. Ah, that''s right. That guy was a devil. He must certainly be flying with the angel wings on his back. Then I too must rise. Because, uh, did humans originally walk on two legs? Having risen like that, Asuero hurriedly rushes to pound on the front door. But the steel door doesn''t budge an inch. After pressing various buttons and turning levers, luckily the door opens with a "click" sound. Asuero swims through the darkness, moving staggeringly through the gap in the door. I''m not sure... if I''m walking properly. The ground seems to be turning to mush. You, Asuero Javier, repent. If you repent, hell will move away from you. Looking up at the sky, clouds were baring their teeth and rushing to devour him. Filled with fear, he bends his waist and quickens his pace again. You, sinful Asuero Javier. You should be afraid. Be afraid of hell. Be afraid of your sins that summon hell. Looking back, the angel''s figure is nowhere to be seen, and numerous dark-skinned Moors are running towards him. They are all his former slaves. They wail. Torture that man. Torture him as he tortured us. If not. If you fear becoming righteous. You, Asuero Javier, will suffer eternally. Other people run after him. They are natives. They chant. Tear him apart, mock him, humiliate him. Let us return to him as he tore, mocked, and humiliated our souls. All those wails and chants and laments and sighs and tears and thundering voices pierce Asuero''s ears. Every dirt floor he steps on turns into black charcoal. From that charcoal, terribly hot flames sprout like grass and pierce his feet. All mountains look like towers of piled skulls, and all forests look like seas of surging lava. The power of death hangs over your head, and if you do not repent, you will fear the punishment that comes after death until the day your breath ends. The voice of the angel, no the devil, no the angel chasing after him, strikes like lightning in Asuero''s heart. Wings sprout on the shoulders of the native emperor, no, the angel. The trident in the angel''s hand transforms into a grotesque shape and pierces Asuero''s entire body. Is this... a hallucination? No, that can''t be. It''s too painful. "Ugh...aah...aaaahh..." The world blurs with tears. It blurs with gray and rainbow colors. He cannot properly distinguish the world. He gets hurt in the bushes, his feet catch on stones, and his body crashes into tree trunks. Still, he walks. Because behind him, the devil, no, the angel, the an...devil, the angel is chasing. Because he must flee. Because he must flee forever. He walked. He walked, firmly gripping his half-crazed head amidst a world that appeared only faintly. The angel''s voice continues to ring in his head. His judgment approaches you. Be afraid. BE AFRAID! His shouting overturns the entire mountains and valleys, and his mad laughter makes the sea boil. Asuero Javier must flee. He must flee forever. He must walk and walk and walk forever. But he will never be able to escape from the clutches of that devil who is an angel. Everywhere... was noisy. The whole world was in turmoil. == "..." "..." "..." It is quiet here. But it is filled with tension. Eleanor and the other soldiers waiting at the entrance to the farm stare in bewilderment at the scene before them. That terrible murderer, that shameless deceiver who pretended to be a righteous person, was staggering towards the gate. And behind him, He was just watching him from a distance. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Asuero was like a ghost rather than a person. His pupils shook in all directions as if chasing an invisible vision, and he shook his entire body as if swimming in darkness. Chapter 99 - 99: Breaking of a Man (2) "Heh, L-Lord, dea...not dead... I''m not dea... An-angel. Devil? Hell? Repent?" He convulsed. And He just quietly watched that sight. Without saying a word. Whenever Asuero turned around to look at Him, he would suffer, grab his hair, and pull it out clump by clump. As if the mere sight of Him caused an electric shock. The soldiers, who were on guard because they didn''t understand the situation, unconsciously flung open the gate when He signaled. Asuero staggered out through the opened gate, still with unfocused eyes. Endlessly chanting, "An...gel... An-an-angel..." One of the soldiers raises a gun and attempts to shoot. It was understandable. As far as everyone knew, that guy was an extremely cruel human butcher. Thinking this, while trying to light the matchlock gun... Swish. "Wait!" His hand, rushing urgently, blocks the hasty soldier. As the soldier feels awe and extinguishes the fire, He said to the soldier. "Judgment is not our role. What happens next is his own matter." "..." "...Anyway, he can''t do anything now. Don''t worry, everyone." "..." At those words, everyone made the sign of the cross in silence. Meanwhile, Asuero was gradually moving away. He continued to chant and stagger, heading towards a place that wasn''t even a road. Until he became a small dot in everyone''s vision. Until he finally disappeared beyond the horizon. == What do Europeans of this era fear most? Based on my careful analysis... It''s hell. Specifically, the fear that they might experience endless suffering in an eternally burning hell. That makes people go mad and also makes them desperate. Even if they aren''t that devout, as long as they aren''t among the very few atheists who face execution the moment they are publicly exposed, they basically believe in the existence of God in this era, don''t they? Before an ordinary believer of such an era, I appeared as an ''angel''. And I revealed his deep, hidden ''sins''. I thought that Asuero Javier would... at least submit to me, or perhaps have a change of heart... But he collapsed in an incredibly absurd way. Spouting all sorts of nonsense, drooling, alternately crawling on all fours and walking on two legs, showing all sorts of looks, he completely disappeared. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I don''t know if Asuero will regain his senses or survive safely in this strange land. But as long as he thinks of me as an angel, he will absolutely never become a threat. For now, the problem has been solved. Moreover, it was good that I didn''t kill him directly. He is an outsider, and his crimes also occurred outside. Unless we have the capacity to judge all the crimes and injustices in the world, we can only handle matters within our own community. If we had accepted him as a member of our community... I would have properly put him on trial and sought an appropriate punishment. But that wasn''t the situation. Asuero was not yet a member of our community. It was an area that couldn''t be handled by our laws. And what if I had ignored the legal system and fair procedures, and killed him in a moment of anger? How would our community members have responded in the future? Wouldn''t they have sought to wage war immediately, saying it was to stop all the injustices in the world? ...It wasn''t the time for that. Not yet. So, outside the realm of law, I did the best I could. I attempted to talk to him, and when he refused to talk, I asserted my authority. And he left our community on his own feet. The side effect was... much more certain than I had thought. ...No, no. There was a more personal reason. I didn''t want to usurp God''s name and ''condemn'' a person. I didn''t want to directly ''judge'' him either. This was completely different from killing people in war or killing people in self-defense. Yes. It was a completely different matter. In that sense, perhaps I am hoping that he will recover his senses. To recover and repent, or at least to receive punishment under Spanish law. Anyway. What I need to worry about right now is not the story of a murderer who has already disappeared. What I need to worry about is... "...the situation in the Spanish colony. From what I''ve heard, it seems much more serious than expected. Especially Florida." "..." "..." "..." Soon, the actions of those ''fraudsters'' were exposed throughout the colony, and that freed slave named Malco, who had been working with Asuero Javier, also vanished. However, the shock that arose as their criminal actions became known still had not subsided. The cruel colonial policies of Spain, which had been widely spread from England for propaganda purposes, had all become prophecies. Just with the target changed from natives to black slaves. Bacon, after hearing our recording, shut himself in his room, saying he would write a detailed report to the home country, and even Drake, who occasionally visited, became serious-faced. Because the reason Florida colony became like that was... "Because of our existence." Raleigh said with a sneer. "They fear us, so they are hastily implementing a policy of colonial expansion. As a result, they cannot internally control even the worst elements. Slaves make up 80 to 90 percent of the population, and a small number of Spanish pioneers monopolize overwhelming force. The colonial authorities lack the capacity to monitor those pioneers." People who were randomly selected, came to a strange world with overwhelming force. A situation where such people receive minimal supervision and control. "Eventually, unless one of us or them disappears, this situation will not end." Raleigh is right. There are only two answers. Either Florida crushes us. Or we crush Florida. I walked out after finishing dinner with Raleigh, lost in thought. ''Now... I need to change the plan.'' We must now move beyond passive responses like helping individual slaves escape and freeing them. At first, it was just because of my conscience, I couldn''t just stand by, I was only adding small acts of help. But given how things have turned out, I can''t just stand by. We must strengthen our capabilities and weaken the enemy''s capabilities. Until Spain''s Florida colony is completely broken. Yes. We must clearly break Florida. Chapter 100 - 100: Hunger and War (1) "How much expansion has been achieved?" "The Seminole tribes allied with us are celebrating their victory in war. Soon, it will be nothing to control the entire Florida peninsula." "Good. Excellent results. First, let''s bring in more slaves to cultivate the land." For a long time, a plague that had killed countless people began to spread from Florida. This time, it wasn''t about smallpox or other diseases spread by Europeans. Of course, the Spanish colonial policy ignited the flame, but the disease itself was not something that even the natives were experiencing for the first time. "We must go north. If we don''t go, everyone will starve to death." "Then shouldn''t we submit to those tribes? Will they accept us? They lack food just as we do..." "If they also lack food... they will find a way too. The first plague to arise was named ''hunger''. Those in Florida who refused to ally with Spain were defeated in wars with Spain and other tribes and were pushed northward. It was an unprecedented upheaval. A population of a scale never seen before began to move simultaneously. Naturally, tribes pushed from their lands couldn''t leisurely pack their corn and peas and flee. Some were killed as adults and absorbed into other tribes, while others barely escaped, maintaining the lineage of their tribe as they fled northward. "Please... accept our tribe...!" "..." "..." "..." "If we accept them, our own strength will be reinforced. Food is scarce. A path could open for us too." "If a path opens..." "Yes. With these numbers, we can stand against the forces in the north. Aren''t the Muscogee tribe also sharpening their knives? Now is the opportunity!" "...You''re right. Select a new war chief." The tribes that fled this way became carriers of yet another disease, igniting a new fire in the north. The second plague to arise was something very familiar to the first plague of ''hunger''. It was ''war''. People replaced arrowheads, gathered stones that fit perfectly in their slings, and sharpened spear tips to be more pointed. As vegetable gardens dried up and hunting grounds became barren while mouths to feed increased, this was a natural result. And... "Kill them all! No, rather than killing, focus on the beans and corn!" "If we retreat from here today, we all die!" Blood soaks the dried furrows of fields. Crack! Crunch! Thud! Skulls are broken and brains scatter on the ground. Intestines spill out, bones and muscles protrude, and skin is torn off. Like starving beasts fighting, desperate and terrible battles spread like epidemics or wildfires. Northward. And, northward again. Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina... And to Virginia. Scholars of the future would define that the Catawba and Tutelo tribes use Siouan languages. And most of the tribes of the great Virginia Confederation use Algonquian languages. Language, as always, is an important issue. Those who speak the same or similar languages, those who share ancestors, can communicate and unite more quickly than those who don''t. The same thing happened among those who suddenly lost their land and collapsed. "There... the lands spread around Chesapeake Bay are the only wealthy lands even in the midst of this turmoil." "..." "...They offer enormous gifts to the Great Chief, but in return, they receive enormous amounts of food. That''s why so many people have survived through that long famine." "So?" "We too... must go there... In order to survive..." Dozens of tribes driven north gathered, their chiefs gathered, and the great chiefs they served gathered again. "Then, how? Other tribes in that area won''t welcome us, will they? They will surely kill us." "...No. We must kill them. By any means necessary. We must open a path to that wealthy Great Chief. If not..." The great chiefs briefly look at the other chiefs. They see the flesh beneath their bellies gradually drying up. Outside that tent, the crying of a child who had been crying from hunger stops. Another one has died. "...If not, everyone will starve to death." Hunger brings war, and war brings hunger again. The Catawba and Tutelo tribes, with thousands of warriors, invaded the land of the Tuscarora tribe. They were the largest group among those who offered tribute to Chesapeake. They fought for days. And all died. Thus, one tribe disappeared. "...Huh?" "What''s wrong, Mr. Hewett?" "No... Fox furs are scarce. That was the item the Tuscarora tribe brought the most..." "Because the Tuscarora tribe hasn''t sent envoys." "..." "..." "...Vicente, do you know the reason?" "I have no idea." The exquisite cycle created by the devil rolled smoothly, staining the American continent with blood and scattering bones on the ground. That''s how history moved. Desperately biting and being bitten for survival. That chain eventually reached Virginia. == The Spanish Empire had clearly designated us as enemies. And we too were in a situation where we could no longer stand by and watch the Spanish Empire''s colony growing in this vicinity. Whether for survival. Or for moral reasons. Everyone in the settlement learned about the situation in the Florida colony. "They... impaled people and burned them?" "Good heavens, such... ugh!" The English, having been exposed to a lot of anti-Spanish propaganda for a long time, denounced the immorality and cruelty of the Spanish. And the Algonquins and other natives who had been living with the English and heard their angry remarks about Spain also felt disgust. The Spanish expressed regret as well as shame and anger at the behavior of their ''former'' homeland, which had become so corrupt. Finally, the freed slaves... "Co-could we have become like that too?" "No. Not ''could have''. If this place falls, we could become like that anytime." "..." "..." "..." They were afraid. Thus, many tribes speaking mixed languages united with various angers and various hatreds. Frankly speaking, it was the moment when the Virginia community, which had no commonalities except faith in me, came closest to being united for the first time. Fear, hatred, and anger. Like a similar dew, negative emotions swirled and kept the settlers'' hands and feet busy. "How many cannons remain in the coastal battery now?" "Out of 210 in total... about 70 are available!" "We must strengthen the defenses of Croatoan Island more thoroughly!" "Transparent shields! We''re short on transparent shields!" "We''re also short on gunpowder! We need to expand fertilizer somehow..." "No. With farmland rapidly expanding, fertilizer too? Rather, let''s find a place where saltpeter is available..." "I know." "Nemo? Is that true?" "Yes. For now, let''s go south of Croatoan Island together. Manteo? Prepare the ships." First and foremost, preparing military force was the top priority. The freed slaves, terrified that their former masters might enter this land and create a living hell at any moment, advocated for strengthening the military. Most other groups agreed with this. If Spain were to land a large fleet here... we too could suffer tremendous damage, or in the worst case, we could even be defeated. At least, that''s what the settlers believed. I thought the possibility of a Spanish invasion was low, but I didn''t think it was bad to increase Virginia''s military power either. Our community clearly needed more strength. This small settlement with only this population had to face the threat of a huge empire with millions of people. They worked hard to make more guns, more ships, more gunpowder. Military training became more frequent, and gradually, there were fewer and fewer settlers who couldn''t properly shoot a gun. So we rushed forward diligently. First of all, the issue with Spain was a matter of survival, and matters of survival were more important than anything else. So I thought this trend would continue in our settlement for a while. "Aren''t there tribes whose communication... was cut off?" "Yes, Manteo. There are tribes whose gifts suddenly stopped." "They''ve... returned." "What? What happened?" But I was wrong. "And they are requesting settlement. Perhaps... thousands will gather." "...What did you say?" Because another problem began to pounce on us. Natives from various regions began to pour in again. "Pl-please accept us. We have no more land to stay on." The Chowanoke tribe. The Moratuc tribe. The Pamlico tribe. The Secota tribe. ...And many other tribes I didn''t even know the names of. They migrated in tens and hundreds every few days. They are tribes that served me as the Great Chief, and they have maintained gift exchanges with the Virginia community for a long time. The sight of them, all exhausted from hunger and injured, asking to be accepted by the ''Great Chief'' was... Devastating. Just organizing a list of these people into a chart was a task, but first, it was urgent to treat and feed the injured and hungry people. Eleanor and other medical volunteers moved breathlessly, and ''administrative officials'' with tablets also bustled about, trying to grasp the current state of personnel. And then the result was... "Injured people, big or small, make up about 10% of the refugees." "..." "There seems to have been... war. And in many places." "Manteo, if there was war, why didn''t they report to the ''Great Chief''? As small as the role of the Great Chief might be, I understood that he at least oversees matters related to war..." To my question, Manteo answered. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "They probably tried to report... but collapsed before they could." "That means." "Yes. It seems foreign tribes suddenly poured in unbelievably. Due to the simultaneous collapse of tribes, there was confusion." Foreign tribes poured in? ...From the south? Usually, group migrations occur due to food shortages, and the south, having a milder climate than the north, has more abundant food. So while invasions from the north would be understandable, invaders from the south seem a bit strange. "The Spanish are expanding the Florida colony down there. They seem to feel threatened by the Virginia colony. So be careful, as there might be trouble from the south." ...Ah. Clearly, when we first met, Drake had said something like that. Considering that was a year or two ago, the influence of the Spanish movement seemed to be just now reaching here. ''Goodness.'' It gives me chills. I don''t know how many times our colony has staggered just because the Spanish decided to expand the Florida colony. It''s from such people that we must survive. Anyway, as my expression worsened, Manteo cautiously answered. "And, above all, the situation in the south is not looking good." "...The south? You mean where the newcomers who have invaded this area are?" "Yes. It seems we should prepare." ...''Prepare''. For some reason, Manteo''s words felt hollow to me. A few days later, when the ''council'' was held, the identity of the emptiness I felt was clearly revealed. "The Catawba and Tutelo tribes that have newly taken over the land of the Chowanoke tribe... have expressed their intention to submit." "What? Impossible! We cannot let those cruel ones into this land!" "That''s right. They are... devils. Devils, I say! Great Chief, please destroy them! Please kill them!" The current situation was not a disaster of a nature that could be prepared for. Just as an ant cannot prepare for a landslide. First, we had to receive it with our whole body. Chapter 101 - 101: Hunger and War (2) I created this community to survive. And I will probably live for at least a few hundred years. Looking at how not a single wrinkle has appeared even though I''ve been here for almost 10 years. What that means is... "..." "..." "..." ...unless it collapses for a special reason, this community will continue for hundreds of years. And the story of a community that originally didn''t exist continuing for hundreds of years means, in other words, changing history. "I am opposed." Each decision I make will remain in history. I couldn''t shake off that thought. "...We cannot accept them." Manteo, who came during mealtime, said to me. "Too much hatred is entangled all at once. No matter how I think about it, I can''t come up with a way to prevent conflicts after accepting them!" "Then." I said, picking up lentils with my fork. "Can you think of a way to avoid war without accepting them?" "...That''s." "They are people who are starving to death. They will do anything for survival. So, have you thought about what they might do if we don''t accept them?" "..." "Of course, Manteo, I believe you''ve thought about it well. Nevertheless, you thought it would be better not to accept them. But my opinion is different." "Even if war breaks out... no." "..." "...My thinking was narrow." Manteo bowed his head deeply as he said this. I knew well what Manteo was trying to say. "Even if war breaks out, we can win." Yes. We can win. The opponent is just a coalition of various tribes who are starving and don''t know how to use metals. Moreover, it''s a defensive war. If we fortify some points and place cannons and muskets well, we can win ''easily''. We can achieve an overwhelming victory. In other words. We can easily massacre starving refugees. That wasn''t our option. After dinner, as I went outside, this time Hewett approached me and hesitated. "Mr. Hewett? Why are you like that?" "...I heard stories about the war waged by the Catawba and Tutelo tribes. I''m not sure if it''s right to accept them." "..." "When I think about how they tortured and tormented the defeated..." "Mr. Hewett, at times like this, we must stay focused." "...I''m sorry." "Remember. Oitotan tried to gather survivors from the Roanoke colony to plunder the Powhatan Confederation. Consider what would have happened if that plan had succeeded." "That''s..." "We must make decisions for the community. Our emotions shouldn''t dwell in just one place." Moreover, such conflicts, wars, and plundering between tribes have always existed. Even the residents near Croatoan have done so. If we start to judge rights and wrongs about this, it would be endless. Therefore, there was no justification for their complete expulsion. And if such unjustified decisions accumulate, eventually the community itself will collapse. So I accepted them. It had to be done for the Virginia community. Of course... my personal feelings were also heavily involved. "...Thank you. I, truly, thank you." The man with snake tattoos on both shoulders who is crying in front of me now was the great chief of the Catawba tribe. And behind him, refugees from the Catawba and Tutelo tribes pour in. Their numbers... were roughly more than the number of our settlers. The number of newly arrived Algonquian natives pushed by them also well exceeded 10,000. The Algonquians glared at the Catawba and Tutelo refugees and growled, and also sang songs softly with mixed meanings of mockery and threat. All the residents who were originally gathered in our settlement whispered. Everyone expected that there would be fighting among the newcomers. They expected that at least hundreds would die and be injured. ...Naturally, we couldn''t just watch. "Does the defendant admit to senselessly burying and killing 15 people of the Chowanoke tribe?" "What is there to admit or not? It was during a war!" "They were all under 15 years old! You cruel...!" First, we held trials. We defined so-called ''war crimes'' and determined whether they were sufficiently ''senseless'' acts. And we punished those who fell under that category. We didn''t kill them if possible, and instead confined them to appropriate places and had them do high-intensity labor. "Here! Everyone gather here! This way!" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Next, we began the work of carefully placing the newly arrived residents. If we recklessly divided and accommodated them by tribal confederations, the conflict would likely only grow. If they gather their feelings of anger among themselves and suddenly ignite at one moment? Then no one can stop it. Instead, we divided them into small tribal units and accommodated them among the English and other tribes that were already staying. If we drop them among heterogeneous people, they would be too busy adapting to the new living environment to pay attention to revenge. Indeed, these policies showed some effect. There was no armed conflict for a month or two after accepting them. At least for now. But no one felt at ease. "Pe-people... my family died..." No one was optimistic that this situation would last long. I could feel the atmosphere of this settlement becoming heavier. Whenever residents of Catawba-Tutelo lineage and Algonquian lineage encountered each other, an unusual gaze froze the atmosphere of the area. ...Still, I didn''t regret it. I had to accept them. == "Achak, Achak! Wake up! We have to go check the field!" "..." "Wh-what? Why is your expression like that? Suddenly like a corpse..." "I dreamed of when my family died." "..." "..." "..." The surroundings immediately fall silent at Achak''s words. Achak speaks as if chanting. "I dreamed of when my family died. When my mother and father, and other siblings died..." "Ca-calm down. You..." "Can you be calm? When those enemies live just a few steps outside?" "..." Achak suddenly rises and rustles in the corner of the hut. As others watch what he''s doing, an unpleasant smell soon rises from there. He takes out a jar and presents the black liquid inside it. "It''s kerosene I received as a pottery craftsman. I''ve been saving it without using it every time I received rations." "...Surely you''re not." "I''m going to set fire with this. With this, if I set fire to where the great chief of those damn people lives! They will also clearly realize something." "..." "..." "You all." Azak says, his eyes gleaming. "For me... will you stand watch?" He puts a knife on his waist, takes a jar full of kerosene, and quietly leaves the hut. Then others followed Azak as if bewitched. They pretended to go hunting, lingering around the nearby forest to kill time, and set out as the sun set and people fell asleep. They stealthily reached the large hut where the chief of the Catawba tribe lived. Tap. Tap tap! Someone threw a jar full of oil along with a spark. Then flames rose. As everyone was about to leave, suppressing shouts of joy... "Azak, what are you doing?" "...What if he escapes?" Azak closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them, recalling his mother with an arrow in her neck. He hid in a suitable corner and said, placing his hand on the hilt of his knife. "I must kill him in the midst of confusion." == When we heard the news, we were having a late dinner after finishing the chart work. "Eleanor, which direction was the house of the Catawba tribe''s great chief?" "If you go out of the building, turn left, and go straight... it would take more than 5 minutes..." Whoosh! I immediately pulled the tablecloth covering the long table and soaked it in water. I rolled it up and gauged the direction. "Yes, Nemo!" Without further hesitation, I ran out of the church building. Coming outside, far away, as if the sunset were happening, one corner of the sky was gradually turning orange. It was now 9 PM. That meant it was long after sunset. Without needing to separately identify the building''s location, I ran like a madman. This can''t happen. If the great chief of the Catawba tribe dies here now... everything goes wrong. Even if this were a random accident, problems would arise, but what if it''s not an accident, what if it''s an incident caused by someone''s arson? If it''s someone who hates and is angry at the Catawba tribe, expressing that hatred and anger. Then this domino of violence and conflict that has begun will continue to collapse endlessly. Until the tens of thousands belonging to this community take up arms and try to kill each other. If that happens, everything is over. With that thought, strength enters my legs. A voice passes through my mind that maybe I shouldn''t have accepted them. ...Yes. Maybe I shouldn''t have accepted them. Immoral? Why would that be immoral? Haven''t I already killed Spanish people with a chainsaw? This is ''war''. If it''s not even a war we started, why should I feel moral responsibility? If I had said I wouldn''t accept them, everything would have been clean. Because they were the ones who attacked our allied tribes first. Because they are the villains. As Manteo was about to say, we can ''overwhelm'' them with force. We can subdue those who use at most slingshots and stone axes as weapons with various gunpowder weapons and steel swords. That''s still fine. Because they attacked first. If they get scared and flee elsewhere, we''d be even more grateful that the troublesome problem is completely solved. We can live peacefully that way. After repelling all the ''bad guys''. After abandoning all those who came to us for help. Just, like that. ... ... ... ''This community originally started by distributing convenience food to 30 English people.'' Because I unnecessarily gave food and drink to those who might kill me. "What? Impossible! We cannot let those cruel ones into this land!" "That''s right. They are... devils. Devils, I say! Great Chief, please destroy them! Please kill them!" Devils? They''re villains so it''s okay to abandon them? Can I really get away with that? They just did it to survive? I recall the Catawba tribe''s great chief crying and thanking me. I recall the Catawba people who arrived on this land, hugging me with tears. Are they all villains? In extreme situations, human nature is revealed, or when survival is threatened, a person''s true self is revealed... I dislike such sayings. Humans face numerous moments in life, and numerous emotions and thoughts pass through them. There will be happy moments, depressing moments, and moments filled with anger. In all those moments, people reveal their own nature. Of course, sometimes people can be more cruel to others than anything else. If their own survival depends on it, and the survival of those dear to them depends on it. Can we say that the appearance at such times is a revelation of their nature? Is it really just to judge and stigmatize a person based on actions taken when pushed to the most extreme situations? I don''t think so. We are not gods. We cannot determine someone''s good and evil. "Fi-fire! Oh my goodness, fi-fire!" "Instead of shouting, hurry up and carry water! Hu-hurry... Huh?" "Great Chief? Why are you here... No, you can''t! You can''t go in!" Therefore, for us, for humans, there are more urgent things to do than distinguishing between good and evil and stigmatizing someone. Helping each other to the best of our abilities. And saving each other. Yes. This community was built that way. If we forget that fact, this community will collapse. Therefore, this was the best choice. As those who recognized my face shouted, Catawba people urgently began to grab me. I shook off their arms and. Entered into the flames. Pillars, walls, and the ceiling were burning. Within that, I inhale smoke and find a half-unconscious man with snake tattoos. He was the great chief. He had lost one leg. They say he lost his leg when he was defeated and driven out in a battle with the Muscogee tribe that invaded from the south. "Ugh... Gr-Great... Chief?" "Take my hand. Quick!" I hurriedly strike away a burning heap of charcoal that was about to fall on his head. Instantly, the pain of flesh cooking devours my brain. "Grrugh! Hu-hurry!" "Wh-why are you here?" I covered his body with the water-soaked tablecloth and then supported him as I walked. Flames blocked the entrance, and sparks fell like rain above it. But I will go. Because the lives of countless people depend on my shoulders, I will go. I save this community. Chapter 102 - 102: Hunger and War (3) "Good heavens, Lo-Lord! Lord! Somehow, we must do something...!" "The Great Chief went in! The Great Chief went in there!" "Bring water buckets! What? Just bring anything that can extinguish fire, whether water or sand!" Achak''s mind goes blank. This wasn''t the plan. He never calculated this from the beginning. Isn''t it absurd? That someone as important as the Great Chief would personally rush in to save such a person... Achak''s hand gripping the knife at his waist trembles. Without realizing it, he had walked out from the alley and was looking at the burning house. As he turned his head with a dazed look, people were slowly approaching him. Yes. Because if you''re wandering around an arson scene carrying a knife, anyone would find it suspicious. He was so shocked that he forgot to hide. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...Are you the culprit?" "..." "Baron Raleigh? What should we do?" "For now... confiscate his weapons first, take him away and detain him somewhere. Good heavens, what is this..." "No, no." "...What?" "I, I didn''t know this would happen... I didn''t know..." "..." Achak trembled. He still couldn''t believe the scene he had just witnessed. Although he hadn''t been here long, he knew. It''s the Great Chief''s leadership that guides and maintains this place. Without him, this community...? What about the surviving members of his tribe? The scene that would unfold afterward vividly appeared in his mind. Achak wept at the tragedy before his eyes, his body trembling even as his arms were restrained. "This, this isn''t, this isn''t what I... This, this... what I wanted..." "..." "No, no, I, I didn''t know, the Gr-Great Chief would die like this..." "...What? Did he die?" "Huh?" At Raleigh''s question, Achak makes a stupid sound. It was then. Crack. Turning his head, someone walks out from the burning, collapsing hut. Even though flames still flicker like the tongue of hell toward the sky. Even though it emits heat that seems like no one could survive inside. From within, someone walks out proudly. His face is contorted, his clothes have become worthless scraps that barely cover his body, and burns spiral around his body. And, Achak sees. Those burns gradually subsiding like ripples on water. The marks on his body that were distorted, dented, and torn are disappearing one by one. The wounds heal instantly. No, beyond healing. Not even a scar remains. As if time had been rewound. Because... "Uh... uhh... ughhh..." ...Achak''s head convulses as it receives incomprehensible information. It was difficult to distinguish whether this was a hallucination created by an extreme state of excitement or something he was actually seeing. A man walking out of the flames. The ends of his hair flare up in the flames and then subside again. The heat of the fire still emanates from his entire body, but he stands before everyone literally without a single hair harmed. ''He'' releases the man wrapped in the water-soaked cloth. The man with snake tattoos on both shoulders, the great chief of the Catawba tribe. The man with snake tattoos looks at Him with eyes full of reverence. With tears of fear, he kneels on his one remaining knee. Although flames still burn behind their backs, the light and heat do not violate the radiance that surrounds ''Him''. He places His hand on the shoulder of the man with snake tattoos, mutters something, and soon turns His head. Toward him. Toward Achak. Achak trembles just from that gaze. Though He was nearly naked with His clothes burned, He exuded a more overwhelming power than a fully armed warrior. Looking around, everyone was on their knees, offering worship. It didn''t seem to matter which tribe they belonged to, or who had killed whom. He stands in front of Achak, whose arms are restrained. And says. "I don''t know who... you lost." "..." "I express my condolences." "Ah, ughh..." Overwhelmed, no words come out. He had so much he wanted to say. He wanted to ask why He didn''t drive out the Catawba devils, no, why He didn''t kill them. He wanted to question why He accepted them into the community. Why, why... why... Numerous ''whys'' pile up and turn into tears. He could only spill out tears. "Uh... uhh... uhuh..." And as if knowing everything he wanted to say, He speaks. "Please release this person''s restraints." "...Nemo, it''s dangerous." "Such a situation hardly poses a ''danger'' to me." "...Release him." Those who had been hesitating at Raleigh''s words release Achak''s arms. Then He personally lifts Achak, who had collapsed to the ground. Achak looks up at Him. He sees the still brightly burning flames behind His back, draped like a cloak. The stars and moon of the night sky become like a crown placed on His head, and His body that can never be injured becomes the most absolute armor. He, He is... "Uh, uhh... ughhh..." "Stand up. And..." He draws the knife that was tucked at his waist. "...I know what you must do." "Wh... what? What?" He raises his hand and gives him the knife. Unable to understand the current situation, Achak becomes even more confused. Why? After saving that man with snake tattoos, is He now asking me to kill him? Why? And. Thrust. "Uhh... uh...?" The dagger pierces His chest. "..." "..." "..." At that moment. Everyone here falls silent. The Spanish who came to offer prayers. The Algonquins who rushed to contain the flames. The English who ran to resolve the situation. And all of the many people gathered here. They witness the sight of Him plunging a knife into His own chest. And He whispers in Achak''s ear. "Your resentment... I will bear it all." "..." "Right here. If it doesn''t end here, then forever." Slice. And with an eerie sensation, the knife was drawn out of His heart again. Amid the overflowing blood, there wasn''t even a trace of a scar. Achak knelt and shed tears. Then rain fell upon this harsh world. The flames, along with hatred, were gradually subsiding. Achak... said nothing. He just held onto Nemo''s legs and wept. == Sometimes this world is very cruel to people. If only enough bread is given for just 1 out of 100 hungry people, they might have to become cruel. That doesn''t mean they are evil people. But from that, gradually malice sprouts, resentment accumulates, and the starting point of wars spanning generations opens. This is not because people are cruel. It''s because this world... is cruel. This time, the Catawba and Tutelo tribes killed these people''s families and neighbors. But the last time, these people probably killed people from the Catawba and Tutelo tribes. Conflicts and wars between tribes are all too common in this land. Even at this moment, it''s just a fleeting moment among continuing, complex chains of grievances. Chapter 103 - 103: Hunger and War (4) Grievances so complex that it''s meaningless for me to intervene and determine right and wrong. Right when the first English people arrived on Roanoke Island, nearby natives lured them with false information to kill hostile tribes. The Chesapeake tribe used the English to threaten the Powhatan tribe, and the Powhatan tribe annihilated the Chesapeake tribe. This person wailing in front of me now, how many neighboring tribe members did he kill before I came? Is he evil? Is he an evil person who doesn''t even think about the people he killed, and only grieves for his own people who were killed? I don''t know. Yes. I don''t know. Amid the falling rain, numerous people look up at me. The followers of the ''Nemo faction'' were all on their knees with their hands joined. Those encountering Christian rituals for the first time awkwardly imitated them, kneeling and bowing their heads or blindly raising both hands. But everyone was showing me respect. Though it''s being extinguished by the rain, flames still burn beside me. Thousands, perhaps tens of thousands, are gathered in one place. Everyone focuses on me. Eleanor hastily draped a cloak over my half-naked body. ...At this moment, at moments like this, there are words that must be said. I lightly brush down my chest area. Then there''s no wound left. For another person, when stabbed in the heart, they would have died. Even if they survived, an ugly scar would have remained. But not for me. "...I will clarify once more." I have a body where not even a scar forms. "Those who have committed evil deeds will pay the proper price for their sins. No one will commit evil and escape without any trial or punishment. However, I will not stigmatize anyone as an evil person." I have the power and resources to make this world less cruel. "I, and this community, will not exclude anyone who wishes to become part of us." Literally infinite resources. I can do it. I can add a bit of kindness to this world that is only cruel to people. With a body without scars, I can bear all kinds of evil deeds, resentments, and hatreds that have grown in this cruel world. Even if I can''t break the cycle, I can make the world a little better. So I will do it. I will do it. == Thomas Hewett briefly looked down at the charcoal remains of what had been a hut burned by fire. Even now, the memory of that day seems like a dream. Somewhere, he had heard that among the pains humans experience, the most intense are being stabbed and burned. So, isn''t that why they tear and burn the bodies when executing traitors and infidels? And... ''He experienced all of that.'' Just to save people. Just for this community. "...Oh, Lord." He recalls when he first met Him. Those ridiculous days when he mistook His identity for merely a prince from Asia. He thought there would be no greater grace than being revived from the brink of death. Of course, that''s not to say the grace received during those days was small. He gave them food. He gave them shelter. And He protected them from the threats of enemies. If even one thing had gone wrong, they would have immediately faced death. Yet they probably hadn''t given anything back to Him. Still, He risked all kinds of dangers to save them. That grace is great compared to anything. Hewett knew that fact well. But... ''Perhaps the grace received that day might be even greater.'' Enduring all that pain, He protected this holy Virginia community. He taught them about something greater than hatred and anger. ...About true life. Hewett turned away from the burnt remains, then walked toward the church where He would be. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It was a path from the dreamlike moment back to reality. With a sigh, Hewett recalls the bitter facts. The kind of thing that happens in stories for children, where all hatred is washed away as if by magic, did not occur. All the arsonists from that day surrendered themselves. They were sentenced to appropriate labor and all of them were sent to work in the phosphate mines in the south. Some people caused a disturbance in opposition to this fact. Also, some of the Algonquins who had fought with the Catawba-Tutelo people still avoid being with them. It''s natural. They had just recently fought a war. Reflecting on such situations, Hewett sighs again. Before he knew it, he had arrived at the council building. It''s time to deliver one more piece of bad news to Nemo. Creak. "Ah, Mr. Hewett?" "...Nemo." People all around were moving busily, discussing various things among themselves. Numbers on tablets changed ceaselessly, and complex calculations continued across charts. "It seems we lack English people to teach farming to the Catawba people..." "For now, let''s increase the number of horses imported next time." "Please also request cattle. We''re far short of the numbers needed to implement cowpox vaccination." "Alright, John. I have many things to discuss with you, so I''ll organize them and provide a chart soon." In the midst of people sharing their respective conversations, there was a person... no, an angel sitting at the head seat, listening to reports from all kinds of people. His face was full of fatigue. Well, since the residents here had doubled, by simple calculation, the work would have doubled too. It''s natural. "Nemo?" "Ah, Mr. Hewett. You''ve come. It seems you have something to report." "...Yes." Hewett nodded and extended his notebook with a serious expression. "Here, as you''ll see..." Desperate figures circulate. "Food is absolutely insufficient. At this rate, we won''t last a few years." "..." "..." "..." At that moment, all eyes focused on Hewett. Feeling the pressure, Hewett continues. "It''s not just food. Unless we drastically reduce the amount of resources originally distributed to people, we can''t maintain this population..." "I understand. Plus, there would be insufficient land to distribute." "...Yes." Literally everything is lacking. The large-scale gift economy network that had been running originally half-collapsed due to this disturbance, and a significant portion of that population was absorbed into the community. Those who were half self-sufficient now completely depend on Virginia for food production, creating an enormous burden. Because of that, the amount of various resources that were generously distributed to settlers previously is rapidly decreasing. Naturally, voices of discontent are echoing everywhere. The inter-tribal conflicts that had been barely mended might flare up again because of this. "If things continue like this, public opinion might turn ominous. For now..." "Wait." After interrupting Hewett''s words, He tapped the table and fell into deep thought. "I know what you''re about to suggest, but it''s not acceptable. If we differentially distribute resources... once the community divides after proceeding that way, it would be difficult to mend it again." "Th-then, is there any method..." "If there''s a method, there is. If things proceed according to plan, there''s a plan that would more than solve the food problem, and also instantly solve the issue of producing other goods." "Is that so? What could it possibly be..." At Hewett''s words, He pondered for a moment, then opened His mouth. "Isn''t the problem ultimately that we lack cultivated land?" "That''s right." "What about the automatic water pump?" "Ah... yes, do you mean that strangely rolling thing?" "Yes. That''s right." "What about it..." "Let''s replicate it. And modify it so it can move around." "Pardon?" "It might take several months to several years, but it''s certain." Hewett tilted his head, not knowing how this connected to the food problem. "...With a steam engine, no one needs to starve." Nemo said with conviction. Chapter 104 - 104: He Is Coming! (1) Looking at the current situation, the answer becomes immediately obvious. Let''s think about what prompted the development of the automatic water pump in the first place. First of all, the water pump ''itself'' isn''t that complex a machine to replicate. It''s just something that sucks in water and spits it out. The water pumps of the 21st century aren''t that different from today''s water pumps. The problem was the... engine that drives it. Wetlands that needed water pumps were abundant, and water pumps could be replicated in any quantity, but there was no power to drive them, so they had to be operated using people or horses. The efficiency? Naturally, it was poor. After the Porter was created, we tried connecting the Porter''s PTO (Power Take Off) to it. Still, the absolute lack of power was unavoidable. And windmills or waterwheels can only be placed where wind or river water flows consistently strong, so their locations are limited. They''re also difficult to build. So what we created was the automatic water pump. And what we created was a power source to drive the automatic water pump. The steam engine. Yes. If you''re transported to the past, you should at least create a steam engine. Mechanical engineering problems? The structure was simply illustrated in educational comics, so it wasn''t a big issue. Materials engineering problems? My house produces 21st-century steel pipes and copper pipes. With the materials available, we can produce reliable parts at the farm. That''s how we solved the problem just recently. Now, dozens of water pumps are operating in various places, and the power shortage problem we previously experienced has almost disappeared. And now another problem has arisen. Food is scarce. In other words, agricultural productivity is low. Honestly... coming to this neighborhood, farming couldn''t be easier. "...Nemo? Are you crying?" "I''m crying because there are no floods in the summer, Mr. Hewett..." "Indeed... Once again, you think only of the settlers." That''s not it. It''s because the past years of farming in Japan seem so futile now. Whether it''s the summer monsoons, the land drying up in other seasons, or the weeds growing like crazy because rain comes all at once. What does it mean that water worries and weed worries have decreased significantly? It means that, unlike in Japan, the times when labor is concentrated are limited. Because we don''t struggle all day with weeding and water management like in Japan. So it''s busiest during planting and harvesting, and the rest of the time is leisurely. And during those leisurely times, we cultivate land... That''s the hardest part. If we look at why this lack of productivity is occurring, first of all, there''s an absolute shortage of land. Clearing forests and leveling hills can be handled instantly with excavators and such. But the work of turning land that has remained wild for decades, if not centuries, into permanently cultivated land? That... actually, there are many agricultural tools for that... and they''re easy to replicate... But there''s only one power tiller to drive them. We also use horses to plow fields, but productivity is still low. If people pull them, it gets even worse. Thus, there are few agricultural tools that can be operated simultaneously, and naturally, the number of agricultural equipment operators to drive them was also small. Therefore... there''s only one conclusion. We need to do what we did with the water pumps. We need to use steam engines for land cultivation. In other words. "...Tractor." We need to make a steam tractor. Flutter. Flutter. ...First, I consumed all the educational comics, biographies, and high school textbooks in the house. After my parents'' failed attempt at farming, this house was a storage for our family''s old things. After being transported here, I took out and read all the dusty books in this house. Thumby and Squeaky, and all sorts of ''Doctors'' (who travel everywhere with children as if they have too much time on their hands) became my guides. ''Doctor! What''s that?'' ''Ah, that''s the first external combustion engine or something! If you look at that internal structure...'' ''Doctor! What''s that?'' ''After the external combustion engine was created, steam locomotives and tractors appeared. That structure is...'' S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ... ... ... Thank you, Mom and Dad...! Those strange educational comics you bought instead of Comic Meix Story are helping me...! After mastering dozens of professional books(?), the conclusion I reached: ''The structure of the steam engine used in tractors is simpler than I thought!'' Since early steam engines are, intuitively speaking, just about boiling water to move pistons, they had a much simpler and clearer structure compared to later internal combustion engines. Therefore, except for materials and processing issues, everything could be made. And both were solvable. I have steel pipes and copper pipes that regenerate every 24 hours, and various 21st century machines. This solved the two most major problems. Of course, I can''t do anything with the steel pipes I have. To work with steel, you need to hammer, cut, and stretch it, but I can''t handle my steel pipes that way to make large boilers or other things. They don''t do that even in modern times. But this is where the grace of Queen Elizabeth of England shines. Woooooong! "Hey! The iron chunks are coming! Get ready!" Thank you for your hard work, blacksmiths of Roanoke...! Like this, once a week, we load about 4 tons of scrap metal onto the Porter and head to Roanoke Island. Hmm, was the original Porter''s load capacity about 1 ton? What does it matter? It won''t break anyway. As those scraps return transformed into various large parts, the metalworkers on our island immediately grind their surfaces smooth with lathes and attempt to produce precision parts to match those dimensions. With 16th-century technology? Producing precision parts? Of course, it''s difficult. But there was a reason we could be free from processing problems. Wheeeeee! We had grinders. With rotating grinders, we could modify them to create similar lathes. After making various precision parts by cutting pipes with these makeshift lathes, we connect them to large parts made from castings. After assembling them with rivets as suggested by the craftsmen according to the blueprint. We spray lubricant on the joints, and finally, with the mindset that the whole universe will help if you earnestly wish, when we finish praying... Thud, thudududud! Screech! Screech-screech! It works. It works...! As the steam engine operates, the wheels connected to it begin to slowly move forward with a creaking sound. It''s still a prototype, so it can''t change direction or do anything else, but this is just the beginning. "Wh-what can we do with that now?" When someone whispered in astonishment into the air, I wanted to answer. We can do anything. Literally anything. After giving the craftsmen various materials and encouragement to continue developing the prototype, I returned to what I was originally doing. "Nemo, will that really solve the problem of insufficient cultivated land?" "Yes. Definitely." I nodded and said to Hewett''s words. "We''ll need to pay attention to the Florida issue from time to time, but for now, this issue is more important." External enemies are far away, but internal dangers can bring down our community in an instant. Of course, we''ll need to pay attention to external issues from time to time. Having forgotten for a while due to the refugee-related problems, we were at war. A war to drive out the Florida colony, a war to drive out slavery. It''s not an issue directly related to our community''s survival, nor one that needs to be addressed urgently, but it''s still important. Chapter 105 - 105: He Is Coming! (2) "Walter, are you still in contact with various organizations inside?" With that in mind, I casually requested an interim report. "Hmm... Yes, we are." ''Hmm''? I tilted my head at Raleigh''s curious answer. "What''s the matter?" "Oh, it''s nothing special. It''s just that through the organizations in Florida, I''ve heard some interesting rumors. Thanks to that, more people seem to be joining our organization..." Interesting rumors...? I listened to Raleigh''s words. "There''s a strange ''legend'' circulating." == January 1598. The northern edge of the Florida colony. Over the past decade or so, colonies that had been abandoned and neglected since Francis Drake''s invasion were being rebuilt one by one. Among them, mission headquarters and military bases were re-established, and plantations were built under the hands of black slaves and the whips of Spanish masters. Spanish colonists from Spain, or other colonies like Mexico, planted tobacco, sugarcane, and cotton in this land. All were profitable export crops. For such vast cultivated lands, labor was needed. Spanish colonists, filled with expectations of becoming lords of the New World, naturally did not engage in such rough labor. It was the slaves, who made up more than 80% of the colony''s population, who cultivated these vast fields. They defended the colony from hundreds and thousands of attacking Native Americans. They took charge of cultivating the cash crops of this colony. Crash! And they couldn''t even lick the crumbs of wealth coming from this colony. When the master swings a whip made of cowhide and strikes the ground, an eerie sound echoes. Hearing that sound, several slaves tremble and look down at the ground. Then the master, as if finding it ridiculous, lashes the whip at a fence post standing nearby. More precisely, at. "Gasp... Cough... Ugh..." "I, I can''t understand your hearts full of anger." Toward a slave tied there, bleeding and dying. Crash! "I''ve sacrificed so much for you all." Crash! "Didn''t I read the Bible to you every day? Unlike other masters, didn''t I let you sleep on proper beds instead of on straw?" Crash! "...But, why did you do it?" The slave tied to the post collapsed face down, struggling even to breathe. All over his nearly naked body were reddened wounds. "Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. (1 Peter 2:18) I often read this passage to you all." "..." "..." "..." "I might be a bit difficult. You might think it''s too harsh to whip a slave just for having a small gathering. But what can I do." As the master swings the whip, the slaves who are struck cower in fear. "...I am your master." S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. There are 23 slaves gathered here. The master''s family consists of only five or six people. At a glance, it seems like the slaves could overpower them, but just a short walk away are soldiers from the Spanish colonial authorities. There have already been many incidents where slaves killed their masters, only for those slaves to be massacred in turn. After such events repeated several times, no one even dreamed of rebellion. Crash! Crash! So, no one could risk themselves for a dying comrade. His crime was organizing a "prayer meeting." "Satan worship... Satan worship... Indeed, you infidels don''t listen without physical pain." The master''s seemingly kind eyes become bloodshot. As he licks his dry lips with his tongue, his mouth glows red as if stained with blood. "Oh, Lord! Lord! Why have you entrusted me with such a difficult task of civilization!" "I, I, I have never done Satan worship..." "..." "Ju-just, I only organized a prayer meeting. Reciting a few Bible verses..." "Then recite them." "..." "I said, recite those Bible verses you claim to have memorized." "Do...don''t seek a reason when one person saves another. That is the Lord''s sorrow!" At this, the master''s hand hesitates. ...It''s an unfamiliar verse. Could it be something he made up? As he''s about to continue the whipping, the slave cries out again. "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free! (John 8:32)" Ah, this is a familiar verse. Just as the master''s mouth is about to form a satisfied curve, the bloodied slave, half out of his mind, says. "Do not be bound in the path of seeking faith! In the Lord''s eyes, denominational differences are too trivial..." Then the master''s face frowns again. What nonsense. Does that mean that English people, and French Huguenots, will all be saved? That''s absurd... Crack! And during the master''s moment of confusion, the bloodied slave lying down trembles and pulls out the fence post. With his two arms freed, he immediately begins to flee from the master. Of course. Crash! "Ugh, cough..." It was impossible for an already exhausted slave to escape. "Prayer meeting. Creating strange idols... Inciting other slaves...! Now... even reciting strange verses!" The master remembers when he encountered their so-called "prayer meeting." It was very disgusting. They had carved something like a Native American wooden statue, and the sight of them holding it, crying, and muttering something resembled crawling insects. "Lo-Lord! An-angel! Angel!" "...Hmph." Still talking nonsense without coming to his senses. The master raised the whip again. And... Whack! "...Wh-what?" "The Lord hates slave owners. His, an-angel hates slavery!" Suddenly, someone embraces him from behind. Surprised by the stench of that body, he pushes it away and sees a strange-looking man staring at him with vacant eyes as if gazing into the void. A man with unkempt beard and hair, wearing only rags. "Wh-whipping slaves... is whipping the Lord... the Lord''s angel... forbids it..." "..." "An-angel, the angel hates slavery...!" "...Are you that madman from the rumors?" Angry, he looks around and finds that the bloodied slave has disappeared without a trace. Thinking that someone who was nearly dead had suddenly escaped, the slave owner, with blood rushing to his head, says. "Do you know that the one who just escaped is a Satan worshipper? The Lord is, why are you bewitched by some devil..." "The Lord''s angel ha-hates slavery..." "..." The conversation was not getting through. Then, for some reason, the master feels drained and puts down the whip. The other slaves, who had been tense, tremble and return to their quarters. "...Really? The angel hates slave owners?" "Ye-yes... The angel exists. He, he put fear in me..." "..." "He-hell, fear of hell, he put in me..." A bitter laugh escapes. Because of some strange madman, he lost a slave and his dignity in front of the slaves. But this guy, whether beaten or whatever, seems already to have lost his mind, so it would be useless. Feeling drained, the master laughs weakly and asks the madman. "What''s... your name?" "Na-name... Asu...ero..." "What? I can barely hear you." "..." "Well, fine. Don''t speak. Then, this angel you keep crying out about..." "...Angel!" Cutting off the master''s words, the madman opens his eyes wide. The image of that day was still vividly replaying before the madman''s eyes. Deep in the madman''s soul, the words of the ''angel'' were still deeply engraved. "You deceived your own soul." "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us." "You drove the Lord out of your heart." "Mu-must repent..." "What?" "Must repent... the eternal hell is still chasing me from behind...! The angel is watching me...!" "...No, who on earth is this angel you keep crying about?" When the slave owner persistently asks, the madman cries out in a loud voice as if expelling even his soul. Firmly believing that name would one day make this world tremble in fear. Believing that name would one day conquer this world. "...Nemo!" Nemo! He is coming! He is coming to this land soon! The angel''s wrath will soon descend upon this land! The madman howled like a crazy person and ran off somewhere again. Endlessly running, running, and shouting. The slave owner didn''t even think of chasing him. Because as soon as he heard that name, a creeping fear began to climb up his spine. Clearly... the name those slaves were shouting in their ''prayer meeting''... Nemo. And so the rumor spreads again. A rumor about a madman wandering somewhere between northern Florida and the savage land beyond. He wandered endlessly, trembling with fear. He shouted the arrival of the angel until his throat was raw. ''He will come someday.'' ''He will strike this land like lightning.'' ''His words will deafen people''s ears.'' ''His appearance will blind people''s eyes.'' So he shouted. He could be called, so to speak... ''The Wandering Spaniard''. Chapter 106 - 106: He Is Coming! (3) Chiiik! Oooh. Chiiiiiik! Ooooooh...! "Ne-Nemo...? Is it supposed to move like this..." Chik! Chik! Chik! Chik! Chik! "AAAHHH!" "WOOOOAH!" "It-it''s moving! It''s really moving!" They say when the first steam-powered car appeared, people were terrified and ran away. But our settlers have experienced monstrous-sized excavators, and Hijet and Porter trucks that moved at speeds incomparable to the first steam automobiles. They merely clapped their hands and rejoiced. Except for Oitotan, who was directly riding on it. And especially the craftsmen were displaying their emotions of gratitude with tears in their eyes. Of course, that''s natural. The cars I''ve been riding around in must have seemed like something belonging to the heavenly realm, but now they''ve created something similar with their own hands. That feeling must be incredible. To exaggerate a bit, perhaps it''s similar to how people felt when humans first went into space and landed on the moon? "Ne-Nemo, we really did it...!" "Good heavens, to recreate the power of heaven with human hands! Oh my goodness!" Everyone came to me with happy faces, throwing a word or two my way, so I also threw back some encouraging words to celebrate this monumental moment. A portable steam engine created by adding various devices to an existing steam engine...! Although it''s a result slathered with 21st-century resource cheats, this will go down in history. Most of the technological development process consists of unnecessary trial and error. That''s natural since we''re fumbling into unexplored territory. It''s like the process of evolution. Numerous random mutations occur, and only a few survive. The species that survive evolution aren''t necessarily the most flamboyant, the strongest, or the largest. The evolution of organisms and technology isn''t like Pok¨¦-mon or Digi-mon evolution. What''s most suitable for the situation survives well. Or what rides various coincidences well. Originally, the technological development schema of history didn''t match us. We didn''t need looms and spinning machines, railways and steam locomotives. The existing development schema is a reflection of what people needed in existing history. That''s why I didn''t follow that schema. I first presented a tractor that was most suitable for us. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course... since this is the result of direct intervention by me, a person from the future, it''s a bit off to talk about evolution, but... This technology will likely survive and develop as long as the nature of this community doesn''t change. "We really did it. Watching the test run today, I feel renewed." Who is it? Ah, it''s White. "Ah! Mr. White! No, I wanted to give you a ride as the first agricultural equipment operator..." "Not at all. Ha ha, I''m now too old to even think about riding such a thing." "..." "..." ...What''s this? He''s looking around hesitantly as if he has something to say. I quietly pulled him to a corner and nodded, signaling him to speak his mind. Then White whispered in my ear. "I... heard that you''ll be farming with ''that''..." "Ah, yes. That thing is called a ''tractor''." Right. To exaggerate a bit, a tractor is the root, flower, alpha, and omega of modern agriculture. Isn''t there a saying that farming without a tractor is terribly difficult (though I was an exception as I practiced facility farming), and practically impossible? "That tractor is not just something used to load and carry things like my Hijet. It''s closer to a Porter, but even the Porter has limited uses." The Porter at least has a PTO (Power Take Off) that allows the engine''s power to be used elsewhere, but as the Porter is not fundamentally an agricultural machine, it has structural limitations. You can''t plow a field with a Porter, after all. But you can with a tractor. Some ignorant city folk think a tractor is just a noisy, rumbling car. But calling a tractor ''just a noisy car'' is like... calling a smartphone ''just a phone that breaks easily''. Just as a smartphone can be used for gaming, as an exercise aid, for listening to music, watching movies, or social networking depending on which apps you install, the same applies to tractors. A tractor also changes completely depending on what implement is attached to it. If you attach a plow, you can overturn hard soil; if you attach a rotary, you can break up the clumps of soil left after plowing. With a seeder, there''s no need for manual seeding, and with a harvester, crop harvesting becomes much simpler. In other words, it can handle almost all farming operations. Of course, the first steam tractors probably didn''t have such power take-off shafts, but we added an axle that could hold belts to connect with implements at the rear or front via belts. Yes. This tractor is far superior to the first tractor that would have appeared in the 18th century. Yes. This tractor is a mechanical god that has appeared in the 16th-century agricultural world...! "You can probably do everything you imagine with a tractor. If you design the implements to connect to that shaft well, that is." And naturally, I''m familiar with the structure of simple tractor implements. Of course, although this steam tractor might be toy-like compared to 21st-century tractors with dozens of horsepower, it''s a tremendous innovation right now. So I proudly explained the above contents to White. Ah, do people of this era not know yet? That right there is a [tractor]. With just that, farming becomes easy. And with a meaningful gaze, I nodded while looking back at my steam tractor. Since we couldn''t make rubber tires suitable for wheels with increased surface area to prevent getting stuck in mud, for now, we attached anti-vibration rubber plates cut to fit the large wheels to increase friction and absorb shock. The mechanical devices covered with rain shields continuously make chik-chik sounds as they move, and pipes entangled all around transmit the powerful pressure from the cylindrical steam boiler to each component. The power unit, placed outside for easy maintenance, continuously moves pistons and gears, making it look like a squirming, living metal organism. "...What do you think?" And then, expecting a reaction like ''Whaaaat! I''ve never heard of such a thing! Kin Issei, you''re amazing!'', I stood there proudly... "Well, I already know about those aspects from when you explained them last time I asked." "...Is that so?" My pride deflated at the less enthusiastic reaction than expected. Chapter 107 - 107: He Is Coming! (4) Whether he knew my feelings or not, White rolled his eyes for a moment and then said to me. "Ah, that''s not what I wanted to talk about." "Then what aspect are you discussing..." "Yes, ahem, that is." White says with a cleared throat. "It seems that if we farm with that tractor, we''ll be farming in a completely different way than before." "That''s probably right." As expected of the person who first planned the Roanoke colony. He realizes it immediately. Yes. The tractor is revolution itself in the agricultural world. When I answered as if it were obvious, White asks. "Then do you have a plan for how our settlers will utilize that machine?" "Well, that''s..." Hu, huhu. I feel like he''s looking down on me too much. I am a hero from another world from the 21st century, a full 400 years in the future. And I''m from Japan, with its fairly advanced agricultural system called ''agricultural cooperatives'' and other institutions deeply rooted! "So, first, after finishing land preparation work with that tractor, when we have more of them, we''ll lend them to each farmer..." "Yes." "..." So... um... lend them out like the Japan agricultural cooperatives... Um... That is... Ah. "..." "..." That won''t work? ... ... ... Right. "...I''ll have to think about it," I''m not sure. Suddenly, cold sweat starts pouring down my back. == The reason I broke out in a cold sweat and momentarily panicked in front of John White is simple. How are tractors managed and operated in agricultural cooperatives originally? There''s something called the ''agricultural machinery bank'' business. The agricultural cooperative purchases agricultural machinery, then lends it to those who meet certain requirements, or the cooperative directly performs agricultural work as a service. I was familiar with that, so I assumed that''s how it would be. But... lending that? How many more tractors can we produce in the future? It seems like it took several months just to make that one? That''s absurd. Who would sell or lend such a precious thing? I had naturally forgotten that I had crossed over to the late 16th century. I almost made a big mistake. Plus, the second factor. The area of land. What was the reason we developed a tractor in the first place? Because there''s little properly cultivated land. And what does it mean that cultivated land is scarce but the population now exceeds 50,000? In other words, the cultivated land per person is very, very small. ...And tractors. ''Are agricultural machines used to cultivate very, very large areas.'' Why didn''t I think of this? It seems that the habits of living in the comfortable environment of 21st-century rural areas are still attached to my body even after about 10 years. Get a grip. You are now a person of the 16th century, not the 21st. No... not a person, but an angel. Anyway, in the 16th century, especially in a settlement surrounded by undeveloped land, it makes no sense for individuals to operate tractors. That''s not the only problem. ''How can you do anything with tractors when there are few people who can drive them in the first place!'' A serious third problem the more I think about it. Our settlement wasn''t just short on power. We also lacked ''people'' to handle that ''power''...! In our current settlement, if we count only people who can properly farm wheat, barley, and potatoes, the number drops to just a few thousand. Considering that the settlement''s population now exceeds 50,000, that''s woefully insufficient. And among them, how many people can properly lead horses and plow? Even fewer. So while our settlement has vast land, only a few people farm properly, and most people just awkwardly follow the former. That''s why the already inadequate power feels even more inadequate. Because they can''t even properly lead horses, let alone the tractors of the 21st and 19th centuries. In a settlement where most people can''t even lead horses around, how many people can properly operate and move a steam tractor? ... ... ...I just realized it seems like only me for now. Oh... this won''t work. Not only is cultivated land lacking, but the power to expand that cultivated land is insufficient, and the manpower to operate that power to expand the cultivated land is also insufficient. Moreover, for tractors to pass over and farm on small, divided personal cultivated lands... we need to operate agriculture in a different way than before. Why do problems keep coming out linked like Vienna sausages? I pondered, holding my head in my hands in an empty room. Since all kinds of trial and error were experienced with the first steam tractor, naturally, the second one will come out in a shorter time than before. Needless to say for the third and fourth. Within that time, we need to solve the problem somehow... Anyway, there are already people who handle similar items like power tillers and other agricultural machinery. Agricultural equipment operators. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Farming is like that too. It''s different now because the cultivated land has become too wide and the number of residents has reached tens of thousands, but it wasn''t originally like this. Originally, didn''t I just push through a large area with a power tiller once, and then people would sow seeds and do various things on top of it? Yes. Just think of it as an expanded version of that. ...Let''s not look too far ahead. Only one basic tractor has just emerged. It''s still a long way to go before we can supply such tractors and implements that can replace most agricultural operations and can be called the essence of modern agriculture. It took several months to produce this one tractor, like producing a warship. And that was a feat achieved only after dozens or hundreds of people directly and indirectly worked on it. It will take several more months for the second and third tractors to emerge. We need to quickly expand the number of agricultural equipment operators and focus on operating the current resources as efficiently as possible. That tractor will initially be used intensively to increase the area of cultivated land. Since our settlement''s problem was that we couldn''t cultivate all the land that the excavator quickly cleared. There''s still a lot of time left before the problems I just thought of emerge. For now, we focus on increasing cultivated land. Chapter 108 - 108: Do Not Be Afraid (1) "Timber coming down!" Wheeeeeeee!! I cut through trees with a chainsaw while others chop with axes or move around clearing away logs. "C-can I pass through?" "It''s fine. Everyone keep your distance." After a while, as people step back, Oitotan slowly starts the steam tractor. Since it''s a ''steam'' engine, it takes quite a while to start. Boom boom boom! But after waiting patiently, the tractor finally moves with a thunderous sound. As it tears up the ground where tree roots are tangled, completely plowing the earth, nearby workers cheer at the impressive operation before heading off to chop down more trees elsewhere. It was an ordinary evening. I approached Oitotan, who was struggling to change direction, and asked: "How''s the performance of the newly made attachment?" "It''s fine. The plow blade seems to be working well." Good. This is already our second tractor, and the performance isn''t bad. Moldboard plows, disk plows, and various other plows suitable for this soil are being tested smoothly. Especially the disk plow. Thanks to this plow, which wouldn''t have been developed until the distant future, we were able to quickly clear and develop this area full of tree roots. Since disk plows are originally suitable for developing untamed land that is hard, rough, and full of trees and stones, it was perfect for our situation. Even without a tractor, this type of plow pulled by horses wouldn''t be bad. At this rate, it seemed we could cover a significant portion of the land cleared by the excavator. I nodded with satisfaction as I looked around. Now it''s July 1598. The settlement has two tractors, one cultivator, and one excavator. Not a bad achievement. I was walking toward the excavator that had been set aside to clear trees when I happened to look toward the beach. Lanterns carried by those guarding the coast swayed here and there. Beyond them, far away near the horizon, faint lights twinkled like stars. They were the lights of fishing boats. Some fishermen who had come over from England seemed to be catching salmon, sea trout, sheepshead, and other fish in this area. Thanks to them, our food shortage had been greatly alleviated, but... ''It''s still not enough.'' Because we absolutely lack skilled fishermen who can go out to sea. It was fortunate that the natives didn''t have the technology for mass fishing, so the waters were teeming with fish. Going far out to sea on boats helped secure a certain amount of food. Anyway. Everyone was working hard for the survival of this community. Myself included, and them too. I can''t be lazy either. Vrrrrrrrrrm! As I moved the excavator to clear scattered timber... "AAAAAGH!" Suddenly, a scream rang out. ...What''s going on? == The Spanish colonial empire was enjoying an era full of glory and gold. Its current king was Philip II of the Habsburg dynasty (Habsburgo in Spanish pronunciation). The empire ruled by this meticulous, clever, and detail-oriented man was enjoying continuous prosperity. Although his Habsburg relatives in Central Europe constantly checked his power, The Netherlands rebelled disgracefully, In France, some Protestant converted to Catholicism and took the throne, And the Papacy too, cleverly riding on top of these complicated diplomatic relations, irritated him... Still, a large ship is not easily rocked by high waves. In fact, in the grand power struggle within Europe, King Philip II of Spain was achieving fairly good results. During his reign, Spain defeated the Ottomans and emerged as the undisputed leader of the Catholic world. Indian slaves were liberated, and the brilliant Renaissance culture was transplanted. There were several bankruptcies, but these were minor issues. The wealth flowing in from the New World continuously replenished the empire. ...Of course, treasure naturally attracts vermin like sweet food. For example, flies. Or ants. Or England. Still, he did not let his attention be distracted by pests like England. He avoided the mistake of missing the big picture by focusing on small matters. His attention remained on Central Europe and Italy, where the Papal States were located. "...Hmm." He occasionally devoted time to handle accumulated matters regarding the war with England all at once. In writing, fitting his meticulous personality. "Hmm..." Although his complexion had somehow worsened lately... believing it to be nothing serious. Swish. Swish. Swish. Thus, several orders flowed into the Council of the Indies in Seville, and then were dispatched to the West Indies colonies, evading English eyes. "...His Majesty commands that you focus all efforts on checking the Virginia colony. His Majesty has expressed adequate satisfaction with achievements thus far, and ultimately commands you to defeat those barbaric heretics and lead the Indians to the right faith." "..." "..." "..." The colonial authorities who received Philip II''s orders fell into deep thought. "...To defeat the heretics." "This surely means to prevent the expansion of the Virginia colony itself." "To block Virginia, we need to strengthen Florida, so it might be best to continue the current approach..." "No, no. His Majesty said we must ''ultimately defeat those barbaric heretics.'' We must come up with an active countermeasure!" "Hmm..." "Isn''t that right? Does anyone here know the exact population of the Virginia colony?" "..." "Then, does anyone know the strength of the Indian Emperor''s forces?" "...No." Looking back, information about the Virginia colony was mysteriously veiled. After observing the Virginia colony from a distance several times, they discovered that at least thousands of Indians and Englishmen were residing there. They also concluded that a direct landing operation on that land was clearly impossible, as it was thoroughly armed with hundreds of cannons. However, all other information remained unknown. Exactly how many people lived in that land, and how many of them were Indians. What kind of person the Indian Emperor was, how vast his empire was, whether he even existed. What resources came from their land, how large that ''aluminum'' mine was. They knew hardly anything properly. That''s right. They knew absolutely nothing about a colony of that size. Considering that Spain had planted eyes and ears all over England... a rather chilling conclusion emerges. "...Are you saying England also knows nothing about their own colony?" "Strictly speaking, Virginia isn''t even England''s colony. According to the treaty between the ''two countries,'' the English have only been granted the right to freely operate within the Emperor''s territory and the right to purchase land." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "But there must be people going back and forth? Just think about that fellow Drake..." "I''ve heard that a trading company owned by Baron Raleigh has a monopoly on all trade between Virginia and England. No information leaks from there." "..." The more they pondered, the more chilling it became. Their heads throbbed with pain. They knew nothing! "Damn it, whatever we do, we need to gather information first." "We should at least send an expedition there." "...An expedition? Any Spaniard would be killed immediately." "Then what do you suggest?" "What about recruiting Englishmen or people of other nationalities and sending them..." "...Wait!" "What is it?" Someone exclaimed as if they had come up with a breakthrough idea. "I''ve got it! There are people who are Spanish but can freely enter and exit Virginia!" "Who are you talking about?" "..." "..." "..." "...The slaves." Aha. There was a way to catch them off guard. Chapter 109 - 109: Do Not Be Afraid (2) "I heard most freed slaves are moved to Virginia. So let''s select some freed slaves who reside in our territory, ones whose loyalty has been verified." "How?" "We need to throw bait. First, we place spies in some colonies and leave them vacant, then if English pirate groups plunder those places..." "Then... they''ll plant our people in Virginia for us!" "Excellent idea!" "Let''s make plans right away. How about placing treasures and slaves in a port on Hispaniola Island?" "Good. I''ll spread rumors. I''ll spread stories so appealing that those greedy pirates Drake and Raleigh won''t be able to resist." "I''ll select the people. Let''s gather devout Catholics." The Spanish colonial authorities moved diligently. The officials carefully selected by Philip II smoothly carried out a series of processes like well-oiled machines. "Look, Baron Roanoke! Don''t you already smell money... I mean, the smell of freedom coming from this place?" "...It might be better to just plunder it first, Sir Drake." The English fell for it perfectly. == Twenty-year-old Paulo believed he had lived a not-too-bad life. Although his father and mother longed for their homeland their entire lives, New Spain was a comfortable home to him. His master wasn''t particularly harsh to slaves, and opportunities for freedom weren''t particularly closed off. Even after paying for his own freedom and entering military service, Paulo hadn''t particularly felt any inconvenience in his life. However, after experiencing the ''rise'' from slave to free man... ambitions he didn''t know he had began to take shape in his heart. He wanted to be rich. He wanted to be a landowner. He wanted to own a nice mansion and estate, receive steady rent, and enjoy a peaceful retirement. Believing it was a dream he could achieve someday, he sailed the seas for years. Then the opportunity came. A high official of the Spanish colonial authorities wanted a spy with black skin. They wanted a loyal Catholic who would infiltrate dangerous enemy territory. And Paulo wanted to advance in life. "Now... what do we do?" "We''re already on an English ship, it''s too late to be discovered..." "Shh." Now, Paulo sees a dozen or so fellow spies before his eyes. Those who were ''liberated'' by the English army after waiting together in Hispaniola. Somehow, Paulo, at 27 years old with the longest military experience, became something like the leader here. "Just stay quiet and don''t try to probe anything. And don''t forget to gather at the shore at the appointed time later." "Ah, understood!" After giving appropriate advice to the rookies, he waited leisurely. Despite being in the midst of enemies, he felt no tension. The treatment aboard ship was decent enough to confirm whether it was true that the English freed slaves without compensation. "Sir Drake, here''s your towel." "Hahaha! Always grateful!" "Not at all. For a benefactor, this is nothing..." "Benefactor? I only did what any Christian should do! I''ve always deeply abhorred slavery..." Moreover, by subtly ingratiating himself, he was able to get close to Drake and develop quite an intimate relationship. "Virginia... I''ve only heard rumors. I wonder how many people live there..." "Well? I don''t know either?" "..." Of course. "Meeting Sir Drake is truly a heavenly fortune." "Thank the Lord. It''s thanks to Him that you''ve escaped from Spain''s cruel rule." "Of course. By the way, how compassionate the Indian Emperor must be to embrace slaves like us without reason..." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Shhh! D-don''t casually mention ''Him'' at sea!" "...Pardon?" Sir Drake was a more thorough man than expected. While appearing to have let his guard down, he didn''t reveal any information about Virginia. ''As expected, a fearsome man...'' Anyway, as time passed on the ship. "Land ho! It''s Virginia!" Finally, they arrived at the long-awaited Virginia. "Hell yeah! Finally!" "It''s aluminum time!" As always, the sailors who had completed a tiring voyage shouted joyful exclamations. ''...Finally!'' Paulo smiled with satisfaction. Sir Drake was a key figure in the English Navy. Having built rapport with him, now he could follow him deep into Virginia, and perhaps even meet the Indian Emperor... "Now! All freed Africans, board here!" "Sir Drake! Aren''t you coming too?" "I-I''m not going. The mystery of the sea is... no, it''s nothing." ...? What''s this? He said he''s not coming, and then muttered something quietly at the end. Maybe he''ll come later? For now, Paulo disembarked at the port with his companions. When he looked back... The ship... was leaving. "..." ...??!?!!? What is this? "Now, everyone follow me! I''ll guide you to the lodgings where you''ll all stay!" Still in a daze, they followed an English woman. Right. Now he was a ''free man'' here, so once they reached the lodgings, he could gather information without being controlled by anyone... "Finally, your name?" "...Paulo. Paulo Ramirez." "Good. Smile!" Click. "..." "..." "Oh, it''s nothing special, just recording your face, address, name, age, and various other information! For easier management later!" ...Am I already caught? "Now, you can go back to your lodgings! Everyone here chose to live in Virginia instead of going to Liberia, right?" ...Or not? Anyway. So he returned to his lodgings, but when evening came, he slipped away and headed toward the shore. Somehow, looking for a good place to escape from here... "..." "..." He made eye contact with someone holding a lantern. It was clearly a Spaniard with curly hair. The stranger asked in Spanish: "...What are you doing here?" "Uh... no, just taking a walk..." "Ah! Be careful! Walking alone on the shore without a lantern, you might be suspected of being a Spanish spy!" "...What?" "Everyone is trying to protect ''Him.'' No one can set foot on this shore, whether Spanish, English, French, or anyone..." "English too? I-isn''t this English territory?" The question popped out in surprise. The man, looking slightly flustered, soon smiled and said: "Ah, hahaha. You''re a newcomer. Yes. You might not have seen Him yet... You still don''t know anything." "..." "No one who enters this settlement can leave again. Unless they''ve proven their faith." "..." "If you''re alone, you''ll be suspected, so since we''ve met, let''s walk together. I''m Vicente Gonz¨¢lez." "Uh... Paulo Ramirez." "Pleased to meet you." Thud. Thud. Thud. Wheeeeeeee! Boom boom boom boom! "W-what, what is that?" "Calm down. It''s nothing." "T-there, t-trees are falling..." "It''s nothing. It''s everyday life here." "..." "Ah, since you might ask, that was just ''Him'' passing by." "Excuse me? Who is ''Him''?" "..." Suddenly, a strange excitement appears on Vicente''s face. He speaks as if dreaming: "...Our eternal leader." "..." Vicente''s eyes lose focus. "..." Silence. After a long eerie silence, what broke it was: Rumble. Another thunderous sound. Rumble rumble. W-what is this? A bizarre silhouette appears in the growing darkness, far away. Something like a giant arm rises toward the sky. It lifts massive trees. "L-Lord, my goodness, my goodness what is that...!" "...Do not be afraid." "Ugh, w-what do you mean don''t be afraid! T-there, a giant arm is..." With still unfocused eyes, Vicente turns to him and smiles. "It''s ''His''... arm." What is this place? I''m scared. Chapter 110 - 110: Internal (1) Early November 1598. The end of autumn is approaching. As the weather gets colder, fishing conditions worsen and the sea becomes dangerous. Fishermen finish their sailing for the year and rest at home. They probably won''t go out on their boats until around February next year. Instead, ships loaded with Shine Muscat and various grapes set sail for England. The cold late autumn sea is both an environment conducive to freezing people to death and good for maintaining the freshness of fruit. At the same time, it was also the end of the season for sowing crops that would grow throughout winter. With the medieval three-field system still in place, wheat and rye sowing was ending in some places while barley and lentil harvests were finishing in others. One-third of the land lies fallow. ...If my fertilizer had truly been ''unlimited,'' I could have eliminated such fallow fields, but even if I spread fertilizer everywhere, even reducing grape farming, the amount was woefully insufficient. I''m starting to feel the limits of what can be accomplished with resource cheats. If it''s like this with a population of around 50,000, what will happen when the population grows to 500,000 or 5 million? Well, that could be considered the distant future, but it took just 10 years for our community to grow from only about 30 people to this size. Later on... hmm... Anyway. Now that it''s a relatively leisurely season, I find myself lost in idle thoughts. Of course, by "leisurely," I mean compared to September and October when I had to worry about grape farming in various areas, clearing undeveloped land, and various other issues. I''m still busy. Testing new plows and rotaries for tractors (rotary is equipment mainly used to break up and level clumped soil after plowing). "Ha, hahaha! Nemo! Look! I have once again rescued Moorish slaves from Spanish oppression and tyranny!" "...Well done, Lord Drake." Drake is anxiously dealing with blocked routes near Florida and just acting crazy by recklessly engaging with the Spanish fleet. Along with that, we''re also preparing homes for the liberated slaves. Before we knew it, the food problem was gradually improving. The cycle for manufacturing tractors is also getting shorter. The food issue was now somewhat resolved. However, food was just one part of our problems. Just one part of the chain of problems that arose since we started accepting large-scale refugees. No, let''s look at the bigger picture. What caused these large-scale refugees in the first place? Why are we accepting liberated slaves? The fundamental reason why we''re struggling to support the growing population and somehow stabilize the suddenly unstable community atmosphere... ''It''s Spain.'' As I''ve read several times in the catalog, England is just one of Spain''s many enemies. They are facing countless enemies in France, the Netherlands, the Mediterranean, Italy, and disturbances in the colonies are just part of the fronts they''re dealing with. Later on, Britain will dominate the world and its descendant, America, will rule the world, so they do their best to embellish the history of this period... but the essence doesn''t change. Spain is the world''s strongest country, and England is still on the periphery. England defeated the Spanish Armada at the Battle of Calais? Broke Spain''s Atlantic hegemony? That''s just historical distortion by the British. The Spanish Empire could restore similar forces multiple times within just a few years. We are hostile to such an empire. More precisely, to the Viceroyalty of New Spain, which is like the right leg of that empire. To the Florida colony belonging to that Viceroyalty of New Spain. We were on the verge of being crushed just because the Spanish Empire slightly flexed its toes in Florida. So, we need to organize internally first. Before projecting power toward Florida in earnest, we need to firmly secure our community so it doesn''t collapse first. "Mr. Hewett?" "Yes, did you call for me?" "Let''s implement a roll call system and control nighttime traffic. We need to prepare for potential internal instability." "I''ll leave such a message with the assembly for now. Since not many people are active at night anyway, there won''t be complaints." "Good. Manteo?" "Please speak." "There might still be unresolved tribal conflicts. Please collect various rumors, and especially prepare a list of persons of interest who might harbor dissatisfaction with the community." "It''s a task that''s difficult to complete in just a few days... but I can do it." Yes. Above all, the most concerning issue is internal problems. More than anything else, many of our community members are intertwined in relationships of gratitude and resentment, so if we don''t properly control that, problems might arise. We loosely control unexpected possibilities and eliminate any potential risk factors. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. And in addition to that... "Manteo? And there''s one more thing." "What is it?" "Please thoroughly monitor the liberated Africans. There might be spies among them." "Of course." "Walter?" "Yes, Nemo." "For the time being, let''s reduce the amount of information exposed about our settlement while maintaining exchanges with England." "Understood. What do you think about planting some false information appropriately?" "...That''s a good idea." We don''t neglect surveillance against external threats either. We eliminate even the slightest possibility of Spanish people learning about us and infiltrating us. Finally. "Eleanor?" "Yes! I''m here!" "Please organize a list of all the manpower that can fight and all the weapons we have in case of a possible Spanish invasion." "Ah, understood!" "Vicente?" "Did you call for me?" "Check the status of coastal batteries and strengthen coastal guards and surveillance. Now that we''ve strengthened Florida to that extent, we don''t know how the enemy will respond." "I will follow your instructions!" We''ve prepared our battle lines enough to fight against enemy invasions. I''m not sure if enemies would actually invade a settlement with tens of thousands of people, but still, we''ve never experienced an invasion before. (Except Vicente.) Rusting spears and swords have been resharpened. Lexan shields have been distributed to every household near the coast. We''ve checked the management status of gunpowder. We continued firearms training with muskets. We''ve blocked all variables. We''ve prepared for all possibilities. If they stab us insidiously from behind, we''ll block from behind. If they boldly attack from the front, we''ll confront them from the front. We guard the left and right before they attempt a flanking maneuver. Whatever that enormous and great empire called Spain does, we''ve prepared countermeasures. We will never fall. We will repel any attack from them. We will surely survive... "Nemo! Good heavens!" "Walter? Why have you returned so early? Your stay in London hasn''t even been a week..." "The King of Spain is dead!" "...What?" Uh... oh... I hurriedly returned home and opened the catalog. ''Philip II (1527-1598): Known as the "Paper King," he was a monarch who achieved the golden age of the Spanish Empire and made significant contributions to establishing Spain as a modern nation-state...'' "..." Philip II is dead. And as if by magic, news from the Spanish Empire suddenly stopped. I turned to the next page of the catalog. ''Philip III (1578-1621)'' Description. ''During the reign of Philip III, known as the worst incompetent ruler of the Spanish Empire, the empire...'' "..." And, surprisingly. The Spanish Empire fell silent. == "Ah, did my father handle all this volume of work alone?" "Yes. The late king always weighed the paperwork like this to measure his daily workload..." Thud! "...that''s how he measured it." "..." Chapter 111 - 111: Internal (2) Philip II''s most brilliant achievement was transforming Spain into a centralized and bureaucratized empire. Spain is a country made up of a coalition of various regional powers. Due to this characteristic, various indigenous powers coiled like snakes in different regions, threatening royal authority. It was a situation where no one could be trusted. Therefore, Philip II trusted no one. He maintained the powerful empire and royal authority by lonely tackling the enormous workload head-on. If he didn''t weigh the paperwork to be processed in a day, he would work endlessly. He established royal authority while working until his body broke down, enduring gout, diabetes, and other ailments. "M-Marquis of Denia?" "Yes, Your Majesty." "Could you... uh... help me handle this together?" "Of course." And in just a few minutes, that royal authority began to waver. "Did the new king give any separate orders?" "No. There weren''t any particular instructions. Wouldn''t it be fine if we just proceed among ourselves for now?" "No, that won''t do. Until the late king''s time, moving without approval would result in immediate punishment." "Let''s wait for now. Surely... uh... the new king must have some deep thoughts on this." In fact, there were no such thoughts. The newly appointed royal favorite, the Marquis of Denia, was merely whispering plans like relocating the capital for land speculation into the king''s ear. And. A temporary administrative vacuum befell the Spanish Empire that had lost its head. The colonial government of New Spain also did nothing for the time being. All offensive plans toward Florida were canceled, and only operations focusing on defense with existing resources were approved. Like that... Peace arrived. == "Surely... Spain wouldn''t stop so easily. They must be plotting some grand conspiracy behind the scenes!" No. It''s just that Spain''s new king is a bit... of an idiot. If numerous scholars in Spanish academia until the 21st century couldn''t find much room for reevaluation despite their best efforts, he must indeed be an incompetent ruler. ...But since I can''t say that. "...The reign of Philip III will be like a long quagmire. During his reign, the vast empire will temporarily lose its vigor, and many people will fall into confusion." "Ah... ahhhh!" "Nemo has once again prophesied, Hu-Hewett! Write it down!" "I''m writing it down!" I replaced the explanation like this for now. Being able to skip the persuasion process is very convenient. Anyway. The external threat that was pressing against our skin has disappeared for now. It suddenly became peaceful. The secret society in Florida has already grown vigorously to the point of leaking internal information. Various measures implemented in preparation for a Spanish invasion have also become temporarily unnecessary. Since there are no urgent external matters for now. "Let''s aim for internal stability first." Yes. Sounds good. Internal stability. Most of our community consists of refugees. People who have suffered from hunger, displacement, plunder, and war. People whose minds and bodies have been devastated. They even harbor hatred toward each other. There are no visible armed conflicts or full-blown disputes. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But tension remains here and there, so it would be good to resolve it on this occasion. Hmm... hmm... For now, we''ve roughly figured out how to fill their hungry stomachs. Nothing more to fill on the economic side. "Speaking of internal stability, something comes to mind." "Ah, Walter? Please tell me." "First of all, residents don''t have anything to enjoy or spend time on. As always, if a ruler doesn''t provide entertainment to residents, they tend to harbor discontent." Oh. Leisure activities. Indeed, medieval peasants were so devout and fanatical because they had no entertainment other than church and faith. If social energy isn''t released somewhere, it can leak out in strange ways. Perhaps that''s why conflicts between natives have intensified like this? "And... when it comes to fun, it''s definitely ''that'', isn''t it?" "''That''?" "Yes. Although there''s some risk of injury, there''s nothing like football to pursue pleasure while moving the body." "Football!" It''s good for the health of community members and quite a decent leisure activity, isn''t it? "That''s a good idea. Let''s implement it right away. First, we''ll build a stadium for football..." "That''s not necessary! Hahaha, let''s just set simple rules. First, you can''t throw the ball with your hands..." "Good." "...and, you can''t bring weapons. These two rules should be sufficient for now! I should ask Mrs. Dare to send healers!" "...What?" "Pardon?" I had a deep conversation with Raleigh about the concept definition of football. "But... if you prohibit fighting in football, where''s the fun? Won''t the spectators be bored?" "..." "Come to think of it, the benefits of football are clear. Since we don''t know when we''ll fight against the Spanish, it''s good to instill appropriate belligerence and fighting spirit in the residents..." Rejected. This isn''t football. Football is... forbidden in this land. So I left Raleigh behind with a regretful expression as he muttered, and went to seek advice from someone else. "Every morning, a sermon containing the Lord''s words..." Rejected. Church kids always dozed off during the pastor''s sermon time when they were young. "Let''s hold a festival!" Oh, is that a good idea? "As the festival gets going, once people chew this mushroom and get excited..." "...Manteo? What''s the name of this mushroom?" "Hahaha, it''s nothing special. It''s what you might call a hallucinogenic mushroom..." Rejected. Calling shamans, chewing psychedelic mushrooms, dancing and singing together...? Would Christians from Europe collectively foam at the mouth and collapse? "Lord Raleigh recommended football? Why did you refuse?" "The rules... only prohibited throwing and weapons." "Ah, I see the problem." "I knew Mr. Hewett would understand..." "If you ban weapons, it certainly wouldn''t be fun..." Again, rejected. These crazy people, that''s not football. ... ... ... Sigh. Can''t we just keep it simple and modest? For entertainment, what about soccer, basketball, baseball, Sudoku, crossword puzzles, escape room games? While thinking about this, Eleanor raises her hand. "I have an opinion!" "...Eleanor? Please speak." "Um, what if we let residents decorate their houses?" Oh. "Houses?" "Yes. Come to think of it, until now, the natives have lived simply with just a few pots, a few tools, and nothing else besides their huts, but now they can''t live like that anymore..." "That''s right." "Until now, everyone has somehow managed to live in huts or temporary tents, but they''re all secretly envious of the nicer houses of those who came earlier. So..." I grabbed Eleanor''s hand. "I understand. Thank you, Eleanor." After hearing various strange opinions, my mind suddenly becomes clear. "Uh... what? No, it was nothing special..." No. It is something special. It''s so special that I wonder why I didn''t think of it earlier. Chapter 112 - 112: Transition to Settlement (1) Home. A home is not simply a space for eating, resting, and sleeping. A home is a space where I and my belongings stay. The way each resident lives is fully reflected in its structure. That''s why just by looking at the form of a house, you can learn a lot about that society. An entire clan living together in the same house, with no separate rooms, and a communal storage? You can tell it''s a house built in a clan-centered society, and there''s no concept of private property among its members. Each family member... even small children have their own separate rooms, and it''s built with solid, immovable materials? You can easily guess that in this society, each family member is a separate entity and most will lead a settled life. Then how did the indigenous people around here build their houses? First, they gather materials available nearby to build small huts ¨C a large house being about 30 square meters. In other words, there''s almost no surplus production or private property. And they don''t spend much time at home either. Every summer, they would move between camps set up in various places, continuing hunting, gathering, and garden farming. Above all, most of them were slash-and-burn farmers, so they moved elsewhere when the soil fertility declined. In other words, a house is not a permanent settlement. A house is a small space to sleep in. And there''s not much need for household items inside. The only things stored would be simple tools like ornaments or stone axes. And... Now it''s different. Surplus production to store has appeared. The need for hunting and gathering has decreased. Now, houses have become permanent settlements. It was natural for the natives to be confused in this suddenly changed lifestyle. Eventually, they wandered between temporary tents and shoddily made huts. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In the midst of sudden environmental changes, their leisure was limited to chatting with each other or occasionally going gathering. In their hunter-gatherer days, although the absolute intensity of labor was low, they killed time wandering around all day, but as settlers, they''re forced into a stay-at-home life. In such an emptied life... A sense of emptiness sprouted. And when people have nothing to do and a sense of emptiness sprouts... ''...Damn. Doesn''t that Tutelo bastard live in the house way over there? Living pretty well after killing people?'' ''They killed many of us too, and now they''re whining that they''re the only ones who suffered many deaths?'' ''It''s annoying?'' ''It''s infuriating?'' And as they develop such negative emotions while passing time chatting among themselves... Boom. "F-fight! About three or four people are getting into a street brawl...!" "Arrest them all and punish the one who started the fight first!" "Bring Nemo!" It explodes. This is why you shouldn''t give people idle time. When they''re idle, they think too much, and when they think too much, they get depressed, and when they get depressed, people go crazy. But I can''t make them clear wasteland without giving them a breathing space. The labor intensity required to maintain a hunter-gatherer''s daily life and that required for clearing wasteland are on completely different levels. "Hmmmm..." So I pondered for a moment with Eleanor in front of me. The joy of decorating a ''home'' is about arranging one''s possessions in a space one owns. Teaching natives the joy of decorating homes means teaching them the concept of settled ownership. ...That''s fine. It''s a good means for natives to adapt to our community and not bad for social stability either. Don''t gamers also cling to housing when content runs out? Decorating and fixing up homes is an endless task. Good. "Then let''s convene the assembly right away. Isn''t this just the right time?" It''s already been 10 years since I arrived here. Due to the butterfly effect, it''s becoming increasingly difficult to predict exactly when people will die and when they will live. From what I heard from Raleigh, some figures in England have lived trajectories different from history and died on different dates. However, if it''s for inevitable health reasons in this era, the story is a bit different. For example, Philip II who suffered from overwork his entire life and died of liver cancer. No matter how much he tried to hold on, unless he suddenly adopted an anti-aging diet, I thought he would die within an error range of 2-3 years. Originally, when people feel themselves dying and become desperate, they tend to do anything. Philip II must have been the same. He would know better than anyone that his son was an idiot, so his heart would be breaking while his body wouldn''t listen. I was anxious that a desperate king might attack us, but he''s already dead. Therefore, there''s no need to worry. The full-body paralysis of Spain that I had been waiting for so long. How long I had been waiting for the moment when Philip II would die and Philip III would ascend to the throne. Even normally, when the throne changes hands, there''s confusion in state affairs, but what if he''s an incompetent ruler on top of that? Need I say more? Now is the time to settle matters that were postponed due to war preparations. The matter of housing supply was instantly approved in the assembly. == It''s late November, the farming off-season. A time when people in the settlement, regardless of their profession, will enjoy more leisure. Winter hasn''t fully arrived yet and there''s no sign of snow, so it might be the most suitable time for civil engineering work. Gostango of the Tutelo tribe quietly looks around and asks an approaching Englishman: "What... is a sewer?" "Oh, it''s like a road that discharges dirty water." "Is that necessary because your people live gathered together? We don''t need it..." "You''ll need it now. Because you''re living together too. We plan to build a sewer here, so please move your tent elsewhere." When the Englishman says this, other Tutelo people around Gostango tilt their heads and then clear away their tents and huts. Some casually demolish or abandon the homes that served as their bases. Chapter 113 - 113: Transition to Settlement (2) After all, there''s not much inside, and they think they can just build again. So they demolished the randomly built tents and huts and moved as Hewett instructed. But Gostango... shivers before clearing his tent. "Hey, what''s wrong?" "Oh, nothing... I just... feel strange." "What''s wrong? There''s not much inside, right?" "No... actually, there''s quite a bit. The iron axe and iron plow I received last time, for instance." Those items were his treasures. Thanks to that axe, getting timber became much easier than before, and with the iron knife, processing the meat and skin of game became incredibly easy. It was thanks to doing fieldwork a bit longer than others and hunting foxes here and there. Since acquiring those tools... something feels strange. The timber piled up in his house increased, and as the speed and delicacy of processing game differed from others, the skins to trade for various items also increased. As a result, various belongings increased significantly, making the tent cramped with no place to step, causing many inconveniences. But thanks to that, winters became warmer and better food and fruit were obtained in summer. Routine tasks became incredibly easy, and because of that, although the intensity of work increased, rest time also increased. And this is the tent where those things are gathered. It''s just a tent large enough for one person to shelter from rain and wind, stuffed with all sorts of things. "Uh... c-could someone help me move my belongings? I''ll share some Shine Muscat later." At his words, others lazily get up and start helping Gostango move his belongings. After moving the tent, it became as spacious inside as the space where the Shine Muscat had been. And a few more days pass. "Everyone gather around!" This time, some Chesapeake man comes and shouts. As everyone slowly gathers upon hearing the bell, he checks attendance, gives instructions to others behind him, and says: "Everyone needs to move their living places! We can''t live in tents forever, can we?" "..." "..." "..." Gostango blinks. Oh, is that so? It seems fine to live as we are now? "Do... do we really need to go through the trouble of moving? You''re saying we have to build houses separately?" "Yes. This was also decided by the assembly. Everyone come out and walk east. There, you''ll find places marked with lines on the ground." At those words, people start moving again. Soon Gostango sees places with lines drawn on the ground here and there. ...But, are we really building houses here? Are these the boundaries of houses? They''re too... big? But soon, looking around, Gostango''s guess proves correct. There are already houses built to fill those large areas here and there. Houses built by Englishmen, Chesapeake people who came earlier, and so on. They are given as if they were textbooks. The meaning of this situation was clear. "Each family chooses one of those squares and builds a house on it!" Soon timber is given to Gostango, and very simple tools are placed in his hands. And just like when they moved due to sewer construction, some people stand dazed and confused. But Gostango seemed to roughly know what to build. Those strange houses. Houses with pointed roofs, walls raised with logs or wooden boards. Somehow, it felt like he should build such houses. The walls should be painted white, and the roof green. As soon as he decided on the exterior, Gostango realized. That he had been eyeing those houses. Looking to the side, another person seemed to be building a large hut where shamans or chiefs used to stay. Covering the walls with bark, and making windows in the walls, something they had never seen before coming here. As some built large houses one by one, those who didn''t know what to do unconsciously followed them and built houses too. The handling of tools had naturally become familiar through logging operations and simple tasks with other settlers. So, one by one. Not houses that would be full with two or three people sitting or lying down, but large houses that could accommodate 10 people comfortably were built. Gostango soon realizes. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Somehow, it feels like he''ll live in this house for the rest of his life. Thinking about how to decorate which wall inside, and where to place walls, his hands and feet move faster. Having a house makes him want things to fill it. It makes him think about how to fill it. He comes to stay in that house. Like that. The Tutelo tribe becomes a settled tribe. They become Virginians. == Simple sewers are laid everywhere, and new residents are made to build houses. English carpenters supervise and help appropriately. That''s it. That''s how new houses are gradually supplied to new settlers. Some might say it''s too unplanned, or that everyone could just live as they used to... Hoo, hoohoo, hoohoohoohoo. Originally, people want to sit when standing, and lie down when sitting. And as can be seen from children liking giant robots, palaces, and dinosaurs, humans naturally like big and grand things. Deliberately, like model houses, completed houses were placed here and there near the newly built houses. Houses that rise to a second floor and have areas of 200 square meters, 300 square meters each. Seeing such houses, and looking at their household goods that have increased during their settlement life, how could they not build their own houses large? As the size of houses increases, they''ll want to put more things in them, right? Like newlyweds who''ve moved into an empty new house? Then they''ll start moving on their own from that point. I''ll divide and distribute land to everyone, so they''ll somehow cultivate their fields while learning farming. If everyone is busy with their own work, they''ll have far fewer idle thoughts than when they''re just sitting around doing nothing. As they escape from the previous state of having too much time and not knowing what to do, they gradually become settlers... Farming on the land they''ll each receive... And adapting to life in our community. And, well. They''ll repay our various gifts with something. That''s how our community grows again. And when the community grows... ''There''s much more we can do.'' Well, that''s a discussion for later. In games too, housing is the final content. Since natives don''t have much to do yet, I plan to add various additional content. There must be something better. == Paulo, who had finished building his house, went to a nearby church building and met Vicente. "Ah, that African from before! Nice to meet you!" "Ah... yes." "Have you finished building your house? Looking at your hands, it seems you''ve worked hard." "Ah, haha, yes, I''ve finished." He suppressed the urge to say that he hadn''t been able to meet his companions for several days because of it. Then Vicente said: "Then since you''ve completed your house, you''ll soon receive land. Congratulations." "...Land?" "Hmm? Haven''t you heard? This won''t do. The newly cleared land is first distributed to those who have finished building their houses. About 50 hectares." "...How much is that?" "Ah, you don''t know? Well, it''s..." "..." "...that much." At those words, Paulo blinked for a moment, spread both hands, and folded and unfolded his fingers. Then with trembling hands, he calculated. "S-so, 50 hectares is... how much did you say?" "I''ll tell you again." So Paulo heard it again and. His conviction began to seriously waver. Chapter 114 - 114: Conversion (1) Paulo Ramirez, the spy ambitiously infiltrated into Virginia from Spanish Nueva Espa?a. As a devout Catholic and a mercenary with loyalty to the Spanish Empire... "W-what do you mean by His arm? What is it, w-what is it...?" He had been locked up in his house, terrified, for months. "...My goodness, for three months?" "I suppose he suffered a lot of abuse during his time as a slave. Perhaps he has emotional scars." "Poor thing... let''s just leave some food and go." What allowed him to survive was the constant gifts and charity extended by the Virginia government. After a few months, he was finally able to regain his senses thanks to other liberated slaves who occasionally visited and talked to him. Apparently, ''His arm'' refers to a huge machine used for plowing fields. ''Why on earth did they call it that?'' He also heard that the only person who could drive it was the Indian Emperor of this place. Anyway. After finally coming out after almost three months, not long after... "Ah, you''ve come out! Here are tools and materials. You can use these to build a house!" "Build... a house? Whose?" "Obviously the house that you, Paulo Ramirez, will live in!" "..." Thud! Thud! Thud! Creak. Creak! The entire area had become a construction site. So after somehow following others and building a house... ''They''re giving out land, and 50 hectares at that? And 50 hectares is... one, two, three... uh...?'' His loyalty to Spain began to waver. His hands trembled uncontrollably. Becoming a landowner had been his lifelong goal, and it seemed he would achieve that dream soon. If he just stayed put. Yet, there was only one reason he didn''t betray Spain. ''No, I can''t. If I stay here, I''ll go to hell.'' His last pride as a Catholic. At first, he attended a church at the urging of the settlers, but... "Nemo descended to earth for us, and He is the model for humanity! Praise our Lord Jesus Christ who sent Him!" "Ah, ahhh! Lord!" "Ahhh! Nemo!" "..." Shockingly, they were worshipping some angel. "So, who is this Nemo?" "Ah... He is the eternal leader of this place..." Moreover, this self-proclaimed, widely acknowledged angel is the Indian Emperor of this place! ''I, I need to get out of here...'' If he stays here any longer, he''s bound for hell. He almost missed what was truly important because he was blinded by land. Yes. What''s truly important is the faith deep in our hearts! Pride as a Christian... "Where are the others?" "Oh, they all say they won''t come back. But they won''t report us..." "..." ...Which apparently the other spies didn''t have. "You all! Do you want to go to hell? Don''t you know you''ll go to hell if you''re bewitched by a heretical group?" "..." "..." After barely managing to drag them out by their collars and matching numbers again, morale was at rock bottom, and there wasn''t much they could do. The authorities expected this colony''s population to be around 5,000. But the current population here exceeds 50,000. Ten times. Just recognizing that overwhelming number crushed his morale. "Is that... what they call a tractor?" "Yes. If you put fuel in it, it plows the field by itself." "...And that?" "They call it a cultivator, but no one knows why it rotates." "..." Moreover, all sorts of bizarre machines and the strange atmosphere gnawed at his mental strength. It felt like he had fallen into purgatory. He had agreed to make contact with his home country about a year later, but honestly, he wondered if it was even possible to escape from this place. Having been meticulously stripped of hope in every aspect, he was completely devastated before he knew it. Then one day. "H-hey! Is there anyone who knows how to play ''Football''?" "Why are you asking suddenly?" "Apparently they''re holding some kind of tournament?" Finally, an opportunity came. That''s it. Paulo may not know much else, but he is skilled at using his body. That''s how he survived in various remote areas as a seasoned mercenary. They don''t encourage physical activities for no reason. In 80% of cases, it''s for military purposes. So after somehow standing out there, he could somehow come face to face with the military aspects of this place. That way, he could extract detailed information about how coastal batteries are managed, how many guns there are, and so on... or even better, if he could get even a small military authority here? Wouldn''t that be a great success? So Paulo went to the football match. Crack! "R-red card!" "Well done! It''s advantageous to use a weapon once, get a red card, and neutralize an opponent player!" "Y-you too are out!" In his first match, he was hit in the head by a player from the team coached by Raleigh. It seemed the Spanish spy''s infiltration into Virginia was facing difficulties again. == ...The introduction of sports was a huge failure. People are very cunning. When we made a rule that using weapons results in a red card, someone brought a wooden hammer, smashed the head of the opposing team''s ace, and got themselves ejected too. It was like 21st-century professional sports, with fierce debates about who committed a foul and who should be ejected. "You are Paulo? Are you alright?" "Ugh, urkk! Kyaaaak! Kueuagagagak!" "...What''s wrong with him?" "I don''t know? It seems he''s having his first conversation with Nemo." "But I''ve never seen such an intense reaction before..." Anyway, there was an incident where one of the injured people I visited for comfort went wild like a madman, but it was concluded without major issues. Whew... For now, it seems to have been handled appropriately. Still, the settlements begin to show signs of vitality right away. Settlements grouped in units of thousands of people are gradually enjoying football and other activities, and the sound of house building is everywhere. There''s no shortage of timber. After all, we''re surrounded by primeval forests. We are steadily making tractors to clear those primeval forests. Despite building houses, building ships, using wood as fuel, and running tractors on fuel, the surrounding forests tenaciously maintained their place. With swamps everywhere and forests everywhere, it felt like we were growing islands. Our Chesapeake settlements were about 10 islands, each with thousands of people living on them. Meanwhile, we''re expanding those islands through constant drainage, logging, and clearing. Anyway... internal problems are being sorted out decently. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 115 - 115: Conversion (2) Residents'' tent living is coming to an end, and internal conflicts have been temporarily reconciled... Now I need to fill in what''s lacking. "Walter, could you ask Queen Elizabeth if it''s alright to bring more blacksmiths?" "Of course. As long as they''re not cannon makers, Her Majesty the Queen will approve of any number." Expanding Roanoke''s ironworks and blacksmith shops. More resources are circulated. == Paulo, who had recovered from his injury, went into seclusion again. He still couldn''t forget that situation. "Are you alright?" That single phrase, echoing endlessly in his mother and father''s language from that distant Africa and in Spanish... that memory. ''...Is it a devil?'' He looked too benevolent to be a devil... No. Get a grip. Devils originally change their appearance freely to tempt humans. They don''t appear as ugly and dreadful figures but as beautiful and sweet ones, pretending to be God''s messengers to lure and deceive humans. They clearly do good deeds, liberate slaves without compensation, distribute land and housing without any payment, but surely some evil plan is hidden somewhere...! As Paulo got up, steeling his resolve... "...Wait. But then how do you distinguish between devils and angels?" "What?" "If they pretend to be good, do good deeds, don''t do anything particularly bad, and even liberate slaves, isn''t that an angel?" "..." "..." ''That''s logical?'' He faces a rebuttal. After pondering for a moment, Paulo finally thinks of a counterargument. "...They are not Catholics! This is the devil''s trick to bewitch people with the teachings of a false church, as can be seen here!" "Is... that so?" "...Probably." "..." "..." The number of spies Spain dispatched to Virginia was exactly 25. Currently, 5 people have gathered here. It''s obvious what the remaining 20 are thinking, but even the 5 gathered here are wavering like this. Paulo was also beginning to realize that something was going wrong when... Knock knock. "W-what is it?" Slam! "Is Paulo Ramirez here? The one who hurt his head in the football match." "...I''m here." "Nemo was worried and sent gifts. Please accept them." The items he received in confusion were... Shine Muscat grapes. Cast iron pots and various equipment. Various furniture. And... "Al, alumi... alum..." A small piece of aluminum. "Take the aluminum to Raleigh later to exchange it for other items." Slam. The door closed again. "..." "..." "..." Silence fell. And so the last remaining Spanish spies converted to the Nemo faction. It wasn''t just them. Numerous indigenous people began to open their eyes to ''wealth'' while enjoying all sorts of luxury goods. == Give them houses¡ªsturdy timber-framed dwellings with thatched roofs and stone chimneys that stand resilient against the harsh Virginia winters. Provide various items to decorate their houses: hand-carved oak furniture from England, colorful woven tapestries to brighten their walls, pewter plates and copper cookware that gleam in the firelight, glass windows that let in precious sunlight. For now, the residents'' economic difficulties have been resolved, creating an atmosphere of cautious prosperity throughout the settlement. It was thanks to actively moving English merchants who seized the opportunity to transport resources while there was no threat from Spain''s naval forces. These enterprising traders, with their swift caravels and sturdy galleons, established regular shipping routes between Bristol, London, and Jamestown, ensuring a steady flow of goods and materials despite the treacherous Atlantic crossing. As a result, in Virginia, where the food problem has been somewhat resolved through improved farming techniques and trade with neighboring Native tribes, various spices¡ªcinnamon, nutmeg, and pepper from the East Indies¡ªmetal goods like iron tools and brass fittings, and luxury items such as fine English textiles, French wines, and Dutch ceramics are circulating everywhere from the governor''s mansion to the humble craftsman''s workshop. Of course, the plan to distribute these luxury goods as compensation for labor or barter, thereby boosting work motivation while increasing luxury goods to send to England... "It''s a deficit again..." "Even when selling Shine Muscat and wine?" "Yes. Shine Muscat was only introduced a few years ago, right? The trend hasn''t died down, but as people have become somewhat familiar with it, they''re not as willing to pay easily." It failed. Tsk. It seems the problem was expanding the ironworks and blacksmith shops significantly because of the tractors. The cost of bringing new iron specialists and foundry workers from England was much higher than expected. ''Well, it''s a country at war... so the value of blacksmiths can only rise.'' Because of that, the amount of gold and silver we''ve accumulated is gradually decreasing. No matter what, we always had a small surplus in trade with England... Moreover, due to the recent mass migration of natives, it has also become difficult to obtain furs or jewels. The original gift trade network completely collapsed, and its members flocked to us. Occasionally, some natives go hunting and bring back foxes and such, but that alone is far from enough to meet demand. In the end... Is there no other way than ''that method''? I called Walter and Vicente and whispered back and forth. Then their faces brightened. "Just leave it to us. We can handle this splendidly!" "They already recognize you as the great chief, don''t they? We''ll get moving right away!" "This time, trade should be central. As gifts, we should give a little surplus food, aluminum, and PC plates that we have in excess..." "Of course!" While England''s early North American colonies had populations of hundreds, most of France''s early North American settlements had only about 10 people. When establishing colonies, the English separated themselves from the natives and built fences, while the French were deeply entwined with the natives. Quite a significant difference. And that difference stemmed from the different purposes for which the two countries managed colonies. The English developed colonies to release their overflowing population and solve food burdens. That''s why they needed large farms and residential districts. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But the French were different. They wanted to trade in luxury goods like fur. That''s why they only needed small trading posts. So while English colonies grew larger and expanded, French colonies moved in the direction of generating large profits with a small scale. What we''re trying to do now is, in other words... "Nemo! We''ll be back! We will definitely plant Virginia''s flag in that land called ''Canada''!" "...That''s not necessary, just return safely." ''French-style'' development. Chapter 116 - 116: The Race (1) "Hmm, it''s been a while since I''ve sailed the Nautilus this far." The last time I headed north with the Enterprise was primarily to test the performance of our first clipper ship. And we confirmed then that clippers were terrible for moving along the coast or sailing against the wind. For that reason, after excluding the Enterprise, the Voyager, and our newly built clipper the Defiant from this voyage, what remained was the Nautilus. Vicente strokes the ship''s railing with an expression like someone returning to their homeland after a long time. "Ahhh... this feels so familiar. Yes, how many times have I wandered these coasts aboard this ship? It''s a vessel filled with so many memories." Raleigh was about to ask if those memories included trying to kill Nemo, but stopped. Vicente''s eyes were too full of emotion. "To think that once again, after so long, I''m moving with this vessel, bearing the duty of exploration..." As just mentioned, during the last exploration with the Nautilus and Vicente, Nemo was stabbed for the first time. "...Strictly speaking, it''s trade." "I know. Aren''t there already numerous gifts loaded?" The cargo packed in the ship''s hold was divided into two categories. One consisted of glass beads, various metals, and assorted toys and luxury goods ¨C items suitable for exchange with natives. The other category was various jewels and furs obtained through such exchanges. They could travel around without much worry despite carrying such a large quantity of treasures, because they were followed by other caravels equipped with about ten cannons on each side. Of course, those ships also contained enormous amounts of treasure. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. They had been repeating their adventure, landing and boarding over and over like stones skipping across water. Perhaps because it was a process they had already experienced, it didn''t take that long. After repeating this for about a month, They had already reached "Massachusetts," where they had been before. The northern end of America they had visited last time. What lay beyond was still unknown territory. Raleigh and Vicente landed on the familiar coast with an inexplicable sense of excitement and anticipation, carrying various treasures to give to the chief of this region. The vast coniferous forests spread out everywhere make visitors feel as if they''ve entered a majestic and quiet temple. As they advanced, birds scattered here and there, fluttering and spreading noisy cries. Raleigh was swinging his sword while taking the clear, fresh air deep into his lungs when... "...Wait." "What''s wrong?" "There''s a human presence over there. Let''s stop." "Of course there would be human presence. Don''t we already know whose land this is? I want to go to the village and eat some proper food..." "..." In response to Vicente''s words, Raleigh quietly parted the bushes to show the mud underneath. Human footprints were imprinted there. That in itself could make sense. It''s not particularly strange. This isn''t uninhabited land, after all. But the fact that those footprints were in the shape of European shoes? That couldn''t be. It shouldn''t be. Raleigh holds up the gun slung over his shoulder while holding his breath. Vicente and the other soldiers also become very tense, looking around. And. Rustle. Slowly, they bend down and move forward, muffling their footsteps. As they do, a murmuring sound gradually becomes audible. Soon that murmuring becomes the sound of conversation. "...We don''t do that ''trade'' thing with others. Go see our great chief." "S? lad os bytte denne perle med den pels?" "...I have no idea what you''re saying. We have no more furs to give you." "lort! Det her giver ikke mening!" Along with the familiar voice of the chief, Vicente hears voices speaking in an unfamiliar language. Even before Vicente could ask what language that was... "They''re Danes." Raleigh mutters, squinting his eyes. At those words, everyone raises their guns and grips their sword hilts. Of course, Denmark is a Protestant country like England. Relations between the two countries are not that bad either. But... if they are here, that''s a different story. Raleigh signals the others to wait, then advances alone through the bushes and shouts: "This is the land of the native Emperor!" At that, blades flash from all around. Raleigh raises both hands and says: "And you have not made a treaty with the Emperor." Then Vicente and others appear from among the bushes, their blades glinting. When they see that the English outnumber them, the surprised Danes step back. "Kejser...? Traktat?" When one of the Danes mutters, Raleigh nods. "That''s right. That''s why they''re refusing to trade." "..." "I see you understand English?" The Danes whisper among themselves and then send one person forward who says: "Y-yes, English good. My name is Jannik. You are?" "Walter Raleigh." "...L-Lord Raleigh?" "Now Baron of Roanoke." "..." Upon hearing that name, the wariness immediately drains from the Danes'' faces. They put away the swords they had drawn and bow to Raleigh. "B-Baron of Roanoke. Then what should we..." "Go back. As allies of the Emperor who rules this region, we will prevent your coercion even by force if necessary." "..." "..." "Next time... unfortunately, you won''t be able to come without the permission of His Majesty the Emperor, the protector of Virginia." At those words, the Danes'' expressions harden, and they look around as if contemplating something. But no matter how they looked at it, their numerical disadvantage was too obvious. Seeing that the natives were now standing beside Raleigh, his words didn''t seem to be lies... They all turn around with a sigh. Only after confirming that they had completely disappeared from sight did Raleigh relax his guard and turn to the chief. "Ousamequin." "...You''ve returned. Yes. We have plenty of fur to give you. Welcome back." "After us, were they... the first?" To Raleigh, who asked with a stiff face, Ousamequin, the chief of the Wampanoag Confederation, replied: "No." "..." "Some people called French or whatever came." "W-what did you tell them? What did you say?" "Naturally, I responded as you told me to. I showed them the crown and scepter, and said I was a subject of someone called Nemo." "Uh..." "Is there a problem?" "No, it''s not that..." Chapter 117 - 117: The Race (2) As Raleigh turns his head with a face drained of blood, Vicente and the other sailors also hurriedly gather their belongings. "L-let''s just finish the gift exchange and go. We need to report right away." As he said, they rushed like madmen, got back on the ship, and canceled all future voyage plans. They had to return to Virginia immediately. Returning in less than a few weeks, they immediately reported to their noble master. And their noble, great, and always benevolent ruler said: "Oh, damn..." == Today was another peaceful day. "Nemo! H-hello!" "Nice to meet you, haha." My workload, which was already slowly decreasing after the tractor development, has drastically reduced. Now all I have to do is ride around on an excavator all day, cutting down and moving trees. Then in just one day, enough land for dozens of people to farm and live on is created. As agricultural land and farming concerns are slowly resolved this way, the world becomes truly beautiful. The spring days of the 16th century are so dazzling... "Nemo." "...Yes, Walter." "This is serious. Who would have thought they would covet the New World so early?" Right. According to original history, it was still far off. The establishment of permanent French settlements was originally... Wait. When Philip II died. Exactly 10 years. Is it... already 1599? Just before the end of the 16th century? And there''s only 9 years left! The Huguenot Wars have ended! And literally, a "permanent" settlement was established in 1608. Temporary settlements appeared and disappeared much earlier. Right now, it''s exactly May 1599. When did France try to establish a trading post in Quebec but fail? == "Huff... huff... We can''t establish a trading post here?" "Let''s return to our country for now. We''ll continue searching and then return." == When did Basque fishermen settle in Chaleur Bay? == "Hey you! How about we just settle in this area?" "Come on... how could we?" "Let''s look around and think about it." == Right after that. S-sufficiently, Europeans could come. I can feel cold sweat running down my back. Another European colony. Another threat. More than anything else... ''They mustn''t find out the situation here!'' More Europeans shouldn''t come here...! I must stop them somehow. C-catalog, if I look at the catalog... Flip. Flip. The current king of Denmark is Christian IV, who led mercantilism and naval power enhancement... an ambitious king who attempted to colonize Ceylon Island in India in 1618 and Greenland in 1619. The political situation isn''t particularly unstable either. And France is the same, just recovering stability after the Huguenot Wars ended. Come to think of it, they sent an expedition last time too. The Netherlands hasn''t even properly gained independence from Spain yet, but in 1602 they established the East India Company and sent expeditions to North America. Wow, 1602! In 3 years! What would those people think seeing Elizabeth earning an insane level of profit from North American colonies? In other words, right now is a period when all the major powers of Western and Northern Europe bordering the Atlantic are recovering stability. Even the small Italian city-states, which are gradually becoming insignificant around now, will start attempting to establish colonies in America. Just then, Philip II dies. Just then, Philip II died...! According to original history! "N-Nemo...?" I unconsciously put my hands together in prayer. Oh, God... th-thank you. A close call. Worrying about Spain invading, stupidly looking only forward, I almost got hit from behind. It''s a bit strange to say, but America is now a famous culinary hotspot. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Shine Muscat, aluminum, and the furs exported like crazy from this area must have contributed. That is, thanks to me. In my mind, I can see myself imprisoned, hearing demonic voices. I can also see various Western European powers distributing the rights to various resources coming from my home. ...This won''t do. Mysticism. This is my most basic survival method. It''s the same principle by which I survived among the English in the beginning. I must continue to be the emperor of a "mysterious native empire." Even Europeans with terrible personalities wouldn''t go so far as to not respect a foreign monarch who has converted to their religion. And above all, they can''t act carelessly because they can''t gauge whether that foreign monarch commands an army of a million or is just a neighborhood gang leader. If I didn''t have a mysterious aura? I would have long been treated as just a "barbarian ruler.1" And how a "mere barbarian ruler" is treated can be seen in how the Inca Emperor and Aztec Emperor were treated. I... won''t end up like that. Unless I could meet Montezuma and Manco Inca in the afterlife to lament together. To suffer in a body that can''t even die? That''s nonsense. "...Walter, Vicente." "Yes, Nemo." "Please speak." "Your response was... truly excellent. Both of you have made great contributions to protecting this sacred community." "It was nothing..." "No, it was significant. So please listen." "..." "..." Let me get my act together. Is this a situation to worry about Spain''s invasion or threat? No. Absolutely not. It hasn''t even been a year since the Spanish king was replaced. There''s almost no possibility that the political situation has stabilized. So let''s be relieved. Let''s be grateful that we can take action right now. "From now on, our goal is..." "..." "..." Let''s be grateful that the wise ruler Philip II has died. Let''s be grateful that Philip III is an idiot. "To receive oaths of loyalty from all tribes in eastern North America." Let''s be grateful that we can attempt this nonsensical act right now. "...Huh?" "Pardon?" Yes. I''ll go first before others come! "Walter, do you remember what I said when I first saw you?" "I-I-I remember! I remember every phrase! You said blood would flow in this land! That you would use me greatly to prevent that future...!" Wow. That was already how many years ago, and you remember it all? Amazing. I don''t even remember it well. Anyway. "...Everyone, keep this in mind." "Those blinded by wealth and glory can do anything. Think about what those who claim to serve the Lord might do to people who don''t know metal weapons or gunpowder." Yes. This isn''t just for my survival... let''s say. "..." "..." "Everything from now on is for the protection of the people of this New World." Now that I''ve talked about the cause, I should talk about practical matters. "Make it impossible for any power to penetrate the eastern coast of this continent... Bring them all into our sphere of influence." It might seem like a mishap after going out to balance trade, but... There''s no other way to survive. A few days later, Vicente and Raleigh were about to embark on another long journey. "N-Nemo? What is it?" "May I give you one last piece of advice?" "Ah... yes. Of course. If you offer advice, I will gladly listen anytime." "Then..." I gave them a few pieces of advice before they left, and. I never thought it would change the destiny of the New World. Chapter 118 - 118: The Race (3) "Hmm..." "What''s wrong, Baron?" "Ah, Vicente." At Vicente''s words, Raleigh seems to come to his senses and puts down the tablet he was fiddling with. Between them, a campfire was burning, and the walls and ceiling of the wigwam (traditional Pennacook dwelling made of tree bark) were enveloping them cozily. "No, I was just... amazed." Raleigh couldn''t take his eyes off the tablet he had put down. Inside it was written a long list. Numerous tribes, tribal confederations, and the names and ranks of their chiefs and grand chiefs were listed. That''s right. Names and "ranks." "It''s truly amazing. How could our leader have thought of such a thing..." "Isn''t he a person who transcends ordinary wisdom? Surely, the one who sits beside the Lord''s throne sees what people cannot see and knows what people do not know." "Even so, isn''t it truly astonishing?" Raleigh still couldn''t forget each and every one of his amazing words. "Remember. Bronze, Pure Silver, Gold, Platinum." "Bronze, Pure Silver, Gold, Platinum." "Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond." "Ruby, Sapphire, Emerald, Diamond." After listing the names of various precious metals and gems, he said: "This will become the designation attached after the tribe''s name from now on." Ah. "Those who have made the Lord''s authority flourish in this land will receive a higher name, and those who have served this holy community will receive a higher name." Aah. With his wisdom, he wondered what use it would be. It seemed beautiful but just a name. But as soon as they put his wisdom into practice, a miracle happened. Many people entrusted themselves to the holy and blessed Virginia community, offering gifts. And those many people brought more people into the community, making them participate in new gift exchanges. Raleigh looked at Vicente and said: "This... is like a parable from the Bible." "Well, that''s right." So many tribes voluntarily submitting themselves. As Raleigh and Vicente were conversing, a young man who had recently become the grand chief of this place enters the wigwam. "You''ve waited long. I apologize for the inconvenience to our guests. There were tribal matters that needed to be resolved." "Not at all, Grand Chief. For us, it''s an honor to be invited like this." At Raleigh''s words, Grand Chief Nanepashemet opens his mouth. "...So, what exactly is this proposal of yours?" At those words, Raleigh and Vicente swallow hard and slowly... open their mouths. "You are... very fortunate. If you start now, this tribe can start right away at the Gold rank." "Yes. And if you bring in other tribes, it won''t be long before you can easily upgrade to the Ruby rank." "...Hmm." That''s right. They were in the process of attempting the world''s first multi-level marketing. == "Issei, this isn''t what mom is doing is multi-level. Huh? Network marketing? I''m telling you it''s not that either! "...Originally it was called network marketing, but because there are so many low-quality and trashy scammers in the industry, our company doesn''t use that term anymore." "Really, it''s not that illegal multi-level scheme, I''m telling you! So from now on, please call it by its proper name, ''business referral marketing''." "That''s right. Issei''s mom, this is truly a good business model! If someone isn''t greedy, they just buy and use their own products, and the commission comes back to them! Companies save on marketing costs, customers use good products at a cheap price..." "Kuaaaaaak! N-no! You can''t make money from that...!" "Uh, N-Nemo? What''s wrong?" "...Nothing, Eleanor." Ah... bad memories came to mind. Mom, p-please, please... Don''t buy strange things like shampoo. It''s not cheap, and it''s not good quality, so why are you stockpiling it... Being so gullible, you fall for nonsense about easily and comfortably making money by farming Shine Muscat... ...Sigh. I blew the bad memories away with the wind, shaking my head slightly as if the physical motion could dislodge the unwelcome thoughts. Some people suffer from trauma, some people are consumed by trauma. I''d heard that somewhere before, and it resonated deeply. I consumed trauma. Turned it into fuel, into motivation, into a twisted form of knowledge. If I can''t avoid multi-level marketing, I might as well become multi-level marketing itself. Transform the very thing that caused my pain into a tool under my control. Multi-level sales, network marketing, business referral transactions... whatever you call it, the essence is the same. A rose by any other name would smell as sweet¡ªor in this case, as suspicious. A proposes to B to try and sell this product, making a "business referral." The friendly smile, the casual coffee meeting that turns into a pitch. B accepts it, and B proposes the same to C and D, C proposes to E, F, and G, forming a "network." The web spreads, each person reaching out to friends and family, stretching the connections thin. And so, as the proposer takes a portion of the profit from those they introduced, a pyramid-like marketing with multiple "levels" is formed. The money flows upward, a trickle becoming a stream for those at the top. That is multi-level marketing. Adding various clauses here can make it as evil as an outright Ponzi scheme, or removing some spiciness can make it like a Ka*ao game that was popular in the early to mid-2010s. Yes. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If I''ve experienced many annoying things because of multi-level marketing, if I''ve been stressed because of multi-level marketing... I become multi-level marketing. ...Of course, I don''t intend to ruin anyone''s life, so I didn''t make it like a Ponzi scheme. I slightly mixed multi-level marketing with Ka*ao games and removed the spiciness. == "Isn''t this... a structure where we can never surpass those who started before us? This will surely bring calamity..." "Ah, how wise you are. Many people have such concerns. Clearly, it''s a structure where those who start first have an advantage over latecomers." As Raleigh interrupts Nanepashemet at the right moment, while he is confused, Vicente continues: "That''s right, Grand Chief. But isn''t it natural for someone who starts running first to be ahead of someone who starts running later?" "...Well, that''s true." Vicente distracts the chief''s mind with a somewhat similar but slightly different argument. Meanwhile, Raleigh subtly shifts his position, pretending to adjust his uncomfortable posture, and moves toward the entrance of the wigwam. Thus, Nanepashemet''s escape route is naturally blocked. However, he doesn''t even realize the sophisticated encirclement refined by 21st-century multi-level marketers. Chapter 119 - 119: The Race (4) "Besides, our Grand Chief Nemo has indeed considered all such aspects." "Look. The more new tribes any tribe brings in, the higher their rank can be, right?" "Hmm..." "Those who start earlier may reach higher ranks more easily, but that''s just a matter of difficulty, not a matter of possibility and impossibility!" == That''s right. Basically, if you have many "members" you''ve brought in, you can rise from Bronze rank to Diamond rank on your own. How reasonable is that! I''ve abolished the malicious practices of many multi-level schemes that make it impossible for latecomers to ever catch up with early starters. This is the first characteristic of my "good multi-level marketing." == "T-then, when I later receive gifts from others and offer those gifts to Nemo..." "That''s right. You can keep a portion as distribution costs." "I-is that really okay? We didn''t do this in our sacred customs." "Customs and traditions have also changed over a long time." "If that bothers you, you can request a service fee from us." "Hmm." "Look. Our holy Grand Chief commands tens of thousands of people and needs many goods!" "..." "And you and your tribe are alleviating that inconvenience, aren''t you? It can be said that we''re adding a ''little'' extra to that gratitude!" == And the second key point of my "good multi-level marketing." There''s no exploitation of gifts from lower ranks by higher ranks! At most, they only receive a small "service fee"! From the beginning, native gift exchange is essentially about goods continuously circulating. There''s no possibility of anyone shouldering life anxiety through hoarding or forced selling of items, as in multi-level marketing. == "But I still don''t understand exactly what benefit there is in starting first..." "...Is that so?" "Well then..." The original "justification" for introducing multi-level marketing is that it reduces marketing and sales costs, thereby supplying good quality items at a cheap price. But in this era, the concept of marketing doesn''t properly exist yet. Naturally, Vicente and Raleigh cannot use marketing cost reduction as a justification for persuasion. They also can''t emphasize the aspect of a distribution method that earns income through consumption. In the first place, they''re not "buying and selling" items, but exchanging them. Therefore. "If you join now, we''ll give you these glass beads for free first." "...M-my goodness! How can they be so beautiful...!" "Be careful, they''re as fragile as shell beads." Here, the concept of a "bait product" appears. "As your rank increases, you''ll be able to receive such special gifts more frequently. Also, for tribes of Platinum rank or higher, such excellent..." Rustle. Rustle. "Iron axes will also be provided." "T-this, isn''t this what you were using to cut trees earlier? My goodness, seeing it up close, its sharpness is incomparable to stone axes!" "The efficiency of logging operations with this will also be incomparable to stone axes." "And... though it''s not a usage method we recommend, when cutting the necks of enemies too..." "Aaaah...! Amazing! Truly amazing!" == The more "members" you bring in, the more "special" gifts you can receive, and as the number of introduced members accumulates, the rank of gifts also rises further. And all of this... == "You must start right now!" Slightly surprised by Raleigh''s exclamation, Nanepashemet flinches. "R-right, now...?" "The Wampanoag Confederation is probably already moving quickly. Their subordinate tribes are likely rapidly going through the registration process." "What? Are you saying they''ve already participated?" "A long time ago, to be precise. I think they''re already close to Diamond rank..." "I-I''ll do it! I can''t fall behind them!" == You must start right now. Otherwise, you''ll lose out. That urgency will tighten around people chewy-tightly. Isn''t that... the charm of multi-level marketing? ...Not a Ponzi scheme. Our multi-level marketing is truly good multi-level marketing. ... ... ... Anyway, that''s how it is. == "Try recommending it to hostile tribes around you or to tribes with whom you''ve had good relations. Treasures of a kind you couldn''t even imagine and all sorts of beneficial goods will pour in." "...Thanks to you, I''ve obtained truly good treasures. Walter, Vicente, I won''t forget my friendship with you." "Hahaha! Thank you, Grand Chief! We''ll work even harder to bring you more treasures! For Virginia! For Nemo!" "For Nemo!" "Hahahaha!" "Hahahaha!" Regardless of what Nemo himself thought, the Pennacook tribe, the Pennacook Confederation... whatever they were called, their Grand Chief was completely co-opted by Virginia. "What did he say to warn when other Europeans come?" "Never hand over furs or other resources. Cannot allow settlement in this land. This is the land of the great Emperor." "Excellent." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. After shaking hands, attending welcome banquets, and completing PR by distributing various gifts to tribe members, the two returned to the Nautilus. "Whew... Now we can go north again." "Indeed. Let''s see how favorable other unfamiliar tribes will be to this ''multi-level marketing''." "Didn''t he say this method would be effective? They''ll surely be favorable." So the fleet led by Raleigh and Vicente headed north. Their goal was to contact and co-opt tribes near the Great Lakes and the Labrador Peninsula. By doing so, they could block more than 90% of European penetration. And. "We are already Nemo''s subjects... Ah, a winged person holding a spiked club? Are you Virginians?" "...''Already'' Nemo''s subjects? How is that possible?" "Well, the nearby tribes kept recommending something, and when we accepted, they brought all sorts of strange items... Isn''t that what we were told to say?" The Cowasuck tribe. "Nemo? Virginia? If it''s that, we''ve already heard about it from the Cowasuck tribe. By the way, is it true that our rank increases if we report gathering other tribes? Here, we''ve already co-opted several tribes from the Arosaguntacook area..." The Kennebec tribe. "Ah, if we join twice, do we get gifts twice?" The Penobscot tribe. "..." "..." Walter Raleigh and Vicente Gonz¨¢lez looked at each other, breaking out in cold sweat. "...Why?" The exact question Raleigh was about to ask was, "Why are places we''ve never been to already our territory?" "..." And Vicente couldn''t give an answer to that. Except... He could only say it was the power of ''network marketing.'' Chapter 120 - 120: The Race (5) Henry IV, King of France and Navarre. A possessor of flexible thinking who changed his faith like changing shoes in order to become King of France. Once he declared "I am Catholic" and seemed to be somewhat winning the civil war, the papacy, while grinding their teeth, canceled his excommunication and recognized him as the true King of France. The Spanish also signed a peace treaty and gradually withdrew their troops from his territory. Although pro-Spanish factions still remained and operated secretly throughout society. For now, the war within France had ended. At last, he had become the one and only monarch of the French land and its people. "Henry IV, by the grace of God, King of France and Navarre." The corners of Henry IV''s mouth lifted into an arc. He looked at the courtyard of the Palace of Fontainebleau where he stood. I should decorate this place to my taste. I''ll build pavilions to the west, and completely rebuild the east. I will build a magnificent and elegant garden, establish canals, and create ponds where all kinds of fish frolic. This is my palace. Mine. My kingdom. ...As his thoughts reached that point, Henry IV''s smile slightly cracked. It was because he remembered the fact that rebels were stirring everywhere and people he needed to be wary of were all around. He had to take good care of his Protestant comrades who had followed him until now (though he had stabbed them in the back). He also had to somehow embrace the Catholics who newly came to serve him. And somehow he needed to drive out those Spanish spies... but he didn''t even hope for that much. He wished that a source of wealth would emerge for the royal family to use exclusively, like in England. Then he would be happy. Yes. Last time, he had failed to properly make contact with Virginia. He had been too concerned about England''s reaction. And those he sent again eventually couldn''t properly withstand the rough terrain and endemic diseases. But now he had some leeway again. So wouldn''t it be okay to prepare a bridgehead in an appropriate place in America and slowly prepare to trade with that native Emperor? At that thought, Henry''s eyes sparkled again. I am the King of France. This kingdom should be entirely mine. The achievements of the last expedition were... well, not bad. For now, I can leave it to them. Hmm, not the uncle''s side. They were too skeptical about the existence of England and the native Emperor. Instead, it would be good to send that seemingly soft-headed nephew... With that thought, Henry de France summoned Samuel de Champlain. Soon, a ship departed for America. A bit... to the north. Quite far to the north. This was because of what was written in the letter from His Majesty the King of France delivered to Samuel de Champlain. "Avoid moving through areas known to be the territory of the native Emperor." That''s what it said. After all, as England was taking enormous profits from exclusive trade with that Emperor, it was right to avoid approaching the Emperor carelessly, if only to avoid provoking England. Also, even without considering England, it was questionable whether the Emperor would welcome French people who came near his territory. Samuel headed to the New World with the important mission of building a trading post to conduct fur trade with American natives (Natifs am¨¦ricains, a term popularized from England) and establishing a foundation for future diplomatic relations with the native Emperor. And. "We... are servant of Emperor Nemo! We do not with Urop people..." "European people." "With European people trade... or land to them not. Give!" "..." "..." "W-we..." "I understand." "U-uh?" He encounters a native tribe repeating poor English sentences. Suspecting it might be an English trick (which is often likely when things go wrong), he stayed for a long time and tried to communicate with gestures, but. It was clear that they clearly understood the meaning of the sentences they were saying. "W-what''s going on here? Surely when we came here last time..." "Shh. Wait." "..." "I-I need to think about this for a bit." This is quite far from where they previously encountered Ousamequin, that is, the chief who claimed to be Nemo''s subject. But... has this place also become ''his'' territory? "..." As his uncle and other fur traders had been crying that the natives'' attitudes had suddenly changed, could it be... "L-let''s go north for now!" "From here, sir?" "The king''s order was not to cause friction with England or the native empire! If anyone has objections, I''ll personally arrange for you to see His Majesty later!" "..." "..." "We''re heading north!" But. "T-this is Nemo''s land..." Here too. "We are Emperor''s... subjects... is this right?" There too. The same message was heard everywhere. Tribes that had been fighting each other for a long time, tribes that were so far apart that they had no contact with each other, all spoke the same name. Nemo. Nemo. Nemo. "...Captain, what should we do?" Samuel looks around with blue lips. This place is... covered in snow everywhere. "Ne...mo?" "Yes. Is that a name you''ve heard before?" An Inuit man watched the shivering French people looking around, then snapped his fingers and spoke. "Ah, you mean our Great Chief?" "..." "...Captain, what do we really do now?" "..." H-h-h-how. For territory to expand this far. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Samuel''s face turned pale. He couldn''t tell whether it was due to the cold or some other reason. == "...How far has it spread?" "The last time we checked... uh... it was up to here." "..." The area Vicente marked on the map was the entire northeastern coast of North America. That''s why... Raleigh was now constantly traveling north and then to England without rest. Because there were too many "members" to deliver gifts to right now. Well, thanks to that, the trade deficit was resolved in one go, but... uh... hmm... It''s "much" more successful than expected. No, it''s too successful. Right now, I can''t even grasp how much in gifts should be delivered to whom. There are already three tribes that have reached ''Diamond rank.'' W-what is this. What is it. "Indeed... amazing! This..." I didn''t know either. I must have unconsciously thought by modern standards again. In the end, whether it''s social games through Faebook that were wildly popular in the 2010s, or various malicious multi-level Ponzi schemes that will never be eradicated from around the world, it''s like a very intense epidemic. Chapter 121 - 121: The Race (6) Modern people in the 21st century have developed immunity by experiencing such diseases frequently, but it would have been truly fatal to people of the past who encountered these things for the first time. Well... of course, we''re not 21st-century multi-level scammers, so it doesn''t matter. There won''t be issues like forced sales or hoarding. We deliberately didn''t create noticeable steep differentials between ranks. Above all... Besides just scamming everyone and running away like a Ponzi scheme, there are also sound and sustainable business models. First of all, we have unlimited resources coming from my farm. And for resources that can''t be covered by that... There''s Europe. More precisely, there''s England. == Elizabeth Tudor, Queen of England and CEO of Virginia''s luxury goods supply subcontractor, stood in front of the gates of Whitehall Palace. There stood Walter Raleigh, Baron of Roanoke, ''Saint of London,'' ''Ambassador of the New World.'' Of course, she, being a monarch, didn''t come out of the court to the gates just to welcome a mere subject. And Baron Raleigh wasn''t foolish enough to summon and dismiss the queen. He knew that his power and authority came from the queen. Therefore, the reason she stood there, to be precise, wasn''t because Raleigh had summoned her. Many courtiers gathered around her, their mouths agape. They weren''t summoned by Raleigh either. "So these are the trade goods... this time." "Yes. That''s right, my Queen." They came out because Raleigh couldn''t enter the court. More precisely, because what Raleigh had brought couldn''t enter the court. "These are the trade goods that the Emperor of the New World has bestowed upon me this time." Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Boxes piled like mountains cast shadows in front of the palace. Everyone could only open and close their mouths, not daring to add any words. Shine Muscat? Black Sapphire and other grapes? They were still sweet and tasty. The popularity of Shine Muscat in England showed no signs of waning. But they''re fruit. Aluminum? It''s still a precious metal receiving everyone''s fervent interest. Being light while having mysterious luster and being durable, it was worthy of everyone''s love. But it''s a rare material not abundant in quantity. Moreover, it''s unfamiliar to many people. Many other trade goods similarly only satisfied demand within England for various reasons. Of course, Elizabeth could raise massive funds from numerous nobles, but such fund flows also only occurred within England. Basically, if England imported a massive amount of luxury goods from Virginia, Virginia would then purchase coffee or other various items from England in return. In this structure, the only one who saw a clear surplus was Elizabeth, who conducted a kind of intermediary trade between her country''s nobles and Virginia. Looking at the English national community as a whole, they could barely balance their trade. However. Fur is different. Coral and various jewels are different. They don''t rot or soften like fruit, nor are they too scarce or unfamiliar like aluminum. In other words. They are luxury goods that can be distributed throughout Europe. They are luxury goods that can make all of England wealthy. And such items were piled like mountains. "These items here are not all! This time, our brave and bold Englishmen established more trading posts and traded resources from all over His Majesty the Emperor''s territory! This is the result!" As Raleigh shouted his pre-determined speech, amidst everyone''s astonishment, Elizabeth gestured toward Raleigh. "Baron of Roanoke." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Come here. My loyal subject." After several ceremonial flattery and cheers were exchanged, the two met again in a deep, private place in the palace. "Very... excellent." The queen sharply smiled as she stroked the furs Raleigh had brought as representatives with her wrinkled hands. "The quality is very high and the colors are good. They can compete without issue against those of the Russians." "That''s right. Most of the items we''ve brought this time maintain this level of quality, so nobles from all over Europe will rush in." "What has created such results?" "..." "What has changed the Emperor''s mind? Has the Emperor suddenly needed more resources? Or is it that the steady increase in trade by the English is finally bearing fruit?" Elizabeth raises a finger to point at the furs Raleigh has brought. "Both the quantity and quality are clearly different from before, aren''t they? What story could there be for this to happen?" "..." For a moment, Raleigh''s mind becomes complicated. ''Diamond, Gold, Ruby, Bronze...'' ...How should I explain this? "...The Emperor has conquered territory several times larger than England and obtained more tribute." "Indeed, it seems the ironworks have been helpful." "Truly so. Your Majesty''s foresight shines again here." It''s true that they''ve been helpful. After all, we could gift various utensils to the natives with the iron produced from those ironworks. Raleigh awkwardly nods as he watches Elizabeth''s satisfied smiling face. Perhaps in the Queen''s mind, she was imagining that strong Emperor who directly defeated the Spanish army taking control of North America? Raleigh also imagined Nemo holding a ''crying saw'' directly and slaughtering enemies... but soon shook his head to clear his thoughts. Anyway, now wasn''t the time for this. The queen holds Raleigh''s hand, quietly smiles, and closes the door. "Walt, without your help, it would have been difficult to give those Spanish ones such a hard time in the New World. For now, let''s enjoy the banquet and relieve our feelings..." "Your Majesty, I think I need to return." "...Hmm?" As a surprised Elizabeth tilts her head, Raleigh says: "I have urgent matters. I''m sorry." As Raleigh hurriedly left, Elizabeth could only blankly watch his back. Until three months had passed, Elizabeth didn''t know why Raleigh was leaving England without even taking a breath. "Huff... huff... Your Majesty! Here are the newly arrived furs!" "..." "R-right now, the items needed in Virginia... glass beads, iron axes, cats..." And three months later. Three times the amount of fur he first saw was released into the country. And the country''s glassmakers and blacksmiths began to cheer and scream at the influx of orders. No. All the glass and various miscellaneous goods in the country were being sucked toward the New World. It was definitely not an amount that the English people there could all use. Elizabeth realized that something strange was happening. Chapter 122 - 122: Birth of an Empire (1) "..." "..." A serious atmosphere, a large North American map attached to one wall. It was a map showing the territories of Native Americans spread across North America, from the Pennacook and Mi''kmaq tribes in the east to the Navajo and Shoshone tribes in the west. And colored pencils placed in front of it. "...Mr. Hewett, please give me the tablet that Vicente left behind." "Here it is!" So I turn on the tablet at one side of the desk, and open the catalog at the other side. As I opened the catalog, a list was written there. It was a list of North American indigenous tribes. Fortunately, not only the modern names but also the names they called themselves were all listed. I could easily compare and contrast them with the tribal names on the tablet. "Eleanor, please pin the places I''m about to mention. "Ah, understood!" "Mi''kmaq." "Mi''kmaq... here it is!" "Pocomoke, Manokin, Wicomico, Lenape, Mohican." "W-wait a moment." "Ottawa, Mississauga, Petun, Wendat, Mohawk." "P-please speak a bit more slowly!" I can''t. We have at least dozens of indigenous tribes under our command now, and if I adjust the pace while speaking, it will take all day. Anyway, as Eleanor moved to pin various locations on the map as I called them, slowly... the outline appeared. The outline of the areas that newly came under our influence. "Uh, uhh? Nemo? Is this... correct?" "...It is, Eleanor." Among the natives of this region, tribes with sufficient productivity to maintain a settled life are rare. Most at best practice slash-and-burn agriculture combined with hunting and gathering, so inevitably they lead a nomadic life, and as a result, the concept of ''owning land'' is weak. Even so... well, if it''s land where tribes belonging to our sphere of influence live, it could be considered our territory. The roughly marked area was approximately... North Carolina, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Thus, of the original 13 American colonies, roughly 11 coastal states excluding Georgia and South Carolina, Plus the coasts of the Labrador Peninsula, Newfoundland Island, Nova Scotia Island, the Great Lakes region, and so on. "..." "..." That was our territory. Of course, we don''t actually govern these regions. Just a little away from the coast, our influence probably wouldn''t properly reach. At most, the natives in the area are taking a stance like "Yeah, yeah, Nemo is our Grand Chief. So give us those damn iron axes and cute cats." "G-good heavens..." Even considering that, it''s unbelievably vast enough to make Eleanor unable to close her mouth. That entire area has been co-opted into our multi-level marketing. ...Although I called it multi-level marketing, in the end, we''re not unilaterally selling things to the natives, so it''s just an intermediary trade network. Like Mon*t Hunter that exploded in popularity in the early 2010s, there are just a few bonuses given when friends are recommended So we''re taking products from the eastern coast and the entire Great Lakes region of North America and selling them to England. England then gives us glass beads and various castings and other products to meet the demands of Virginia and the natives within its sphere of influence. Several ships are constantly traveling back and forth across the eastern America, carrying various items from land several times larger than England. And even now, natives are probably expanding that territory by holding active promotional events towards surrounding tribes, saying ''This is called network marketing...'' "Uh... well, no wonder Vicente and Raleigh are busy." This, with the two of them responsible for the major route connecting the Native Americans of eastern North America-Virginia-England, they can''t help but be insanely busy. ...I should treat them well when they return. == "300 glass beads to be sent to the Northeast, 50 iron axes, 120 cats, 200 daggers, blankets..." "Excuse me, are you alright?" "I''m fine. 450 glass beads to be sent to the Great Lakes region, 150 iron axes, 200 cats..." "Baron? Are you really alright?" "I-I said I''m fine, Thomas!" Raleigh shouts once at Harriot, then moves his fingers again. Numbers were fluctuating on the Excel file in front of him. "Ah... uh... where was I counting, Vicente?" "You were counting the number of cats to be sent to the Great Lakes region." "Ah, thank you. Tsk tsk tsk, Thomas, I almost forgot because you spoke to me..." Thud. "...What are you doing?" In response to Raleigh''s question, Harriot silently drags a mirror to his front, then holds his head and makes him face it. Then in the mirror, a man who was energetic enough to oversee the development of the New World, passionate enough to participate directly in numerous battles, romantic and charming enough to capture the Queen''s heart... ...had disappeared without a trace. "Uh... who is this?" "It''s you!" "...Was this a mirror, not a portrait?" The once energetic 20-something young man who stood by the Queen''s side had now turned 47, but that was secondary. First, with dark shadows under both eyes and fingertips trembling from fatigue, he looked exactly like a sick person. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot with prominent capillaries, and neither his beard nor hair was properly groomed, making him look like some lion. "...D-did I go before Her Majesty the Queen looking like this?" As Raleigh presses his temples due to a suddenly rising headache, Harriot laughs hollowly and says: "Why are you so shocked? Have you lived for days without looking in a mirror?" "No... what need is there to look in a mirror and primp on a ship? It''s all just dark-skinned men." S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That''s right! Besides, aren''t we handling holy duties?" "T-that''s right! Vicente''s words are correct, Thomas! We are devoting ourselves to resolving resource shortages in the New World and expanding his domain as Nemo instructed!" "Mr. Harriot, don''t scold the Baron too much! When doing great work, sometimes one has to temporarily sacrifice one''s well-being. He must have a grand plan..." Thud. "Oh, is this a picture of a sick person?" "This is also you, Vicente." "..." "Do you all remember when you last slept?" "...Two days ago?" "It was three days ago." "Oh." "If you don''t want your epitaph to simply say ''Oh,'' go to sleep right now. Vicente, the same goes for you." "..." "..." Though he wanted to refute, Raleigh lost his words because the figures in the mirror were so miserable. Chapter 123 - 123: Birth of an Empire (2) Looking to the side, Vicente was continuing to refute Harriot but was completely defeated and returned to his cabin. And Harriot glares at Raleigh. Raleigh had conducted two voyages in succession, and during the voyages, he had poured his energy into organizing gifts received from natives and trade goods obtained from England. "Ah, somehow my head feels a bit dizzy." And he''s half dying. "''My head feels a bit dizzy?'' Is that all you have to say?" "No... but didn''t Nemo entrust me with an important duty? There must be some reason for that, and if I approach it lazily..." "Or perhaps it''s because you happened to be near him, so he entrusted you with trade-related duties." Flop. "You, what are you doing... cough... cough... kururu..." As soon as Harriot covers Raleigh''s shoulders with a blanket, Raleigh collapses and falls asleep. Now in the room, there was one tablet, one laptop, and only one person still awake. Harriot sighs, moves the chair Raleigh was sitting on to the side, and sits at the desk himself to continue the work. After roughly organizing the accounts, he finally gets some leeway after having the sailors move Baron Raleigh to bed. Harriot rises to the deck, hearing the crackling sound of his turning waist. As the sun rises from the east, looking at the opposite side, land gradually appears over the horizon. They had arrived in Virginia. == Uh... hmm... Are these corpses? "You look terrible. Take care of your body first, Walter. The same goes for you, Vicente." "...I''m sorry." "Not at all. The system isn''t properly established yet, so you had to overwork in the beginning. We should be the ones apologizing." "That..." "For now, both Walter and Vicente, please rest in Chesapeake while only handling office work. And sleep for more than 8 hours." "..." "..." Seeing the two staggering out, it became even more certain. As I just said, we need to establish a system. ...We should have developed in the French style. "Everyone, what do you think about establishing trading posts in various regions?" Let''s try going the French way then. At my words, everyone else nods and agrees. It seemed they had all thought about the need for people permanently stationed to manage trade. It would be perfect to scatter 10 to 20 people in various places and assign them duties of managing inter-tribal resource distribution, multi-level system management, and logistics. Just as it was about to pass like that... Hewett raises his hand. "Excuse me, I have something to say." "Yes, Mr. Hewett. Please speak." "Well... how do you plan to find volunteers?" "Hmm, if we say we''ll give priority supply of luxury goods coming from England, there will be many who''d come." "That''s true, but first of all, the people who go there won''t be able to have proper faith life, right? Will everyone want to go?" "...That''s also true." It was the 16th century. A time when religion played a large part in life. Especially in our community where religious authority operates greatly, everyone, whether European, native, or African, is enthusiastic about church life. "Well, then Mr. Hewett, please select quiet and trustworthy people. Wouldn''t it be good to have one such person in each place?" "Quiet and trustworthy people? You''re saying I should select them?" "Yes. So as not to instill hostility about our faith among the surrounding natives." That''s right. If they''re not quiet, they might cut down and burn sacred trees in the name of missionary work to the surrounding natives. "Ah, it would be good if they could do paperwork decently too! They''ll have to handle trade and logistics-related duties after all!" "Hmm... I understand. I''ll select about 30 people, including a few young people I''ve taught theology to." "Good. And it would be nice if Mr. Hewett or someone else could supervise them." "...Supervise (Bishop)?" "Yes, bishop it is." You never know. A church in a remote place, a mad clergyman... I''ve seen it often in horror movies. There needs to be a bishop. With the trading post issue resolved... "Um, seeing the Baron''s condition made me think of this..." "Mr. White? Do you have something to say?" "These days, as the cultivated land in our settlement expands, the agricultural equipment knights seem to be struggling going back and forth. There are also issues with the activity radius of tractors overlapping." "Hmm." Now a problem with our settlement has been raised. The jurisdiction of agricultural equipment knights... "Then we should place agricultural equipment knights, tractors, and technicians who will repair and inspect the tractors in various locations." "That''s right." That''s an issue of placing tractors and agricultural equipment knights in various places, right? Like trading posts. But how should this be operated? Like an agricultural equipment rental place? Or like a regional agricultural cooperative? Hmm... "Really like some agricultural cooperative (A.C., Agricultural Cooperative)...?" Flinch. "Hmm? What''s wrong, Mr. White?" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ah, nothing. So you mean establishing headquarters for the agricultural equipment knight brigade in various places?" "It''s a bit grand to call it a knight brigade headquarters... but yes? While we''re at it, it would be good to equip them with appropriate warehouses and various equipment." "Hmm... I understand. Let''s proceed that way." Well, the problem seems to be roughly resolved. Now, after throwing some encouragement for everyone to handle things well, today''s work was over. There was a lot of work today... Should I grill a steak for the first time in a while? "Hmm? Aren''t you all leaving?" "We need to organize the conclusions of the meeting a bit before leaving. Weren''t there many topics raised?" "Ah... I feel sorry, as if I''ve given you homework." They''re trying to run this community on their own without me having to direct everything one by one. Somehow... it feels heartwarming. I believe everyone will do well. Click. == After Nemo left. "Finally, d-did he say to dispatch clergy to various places? Those who can do paperwork?" "...That''s right? It didn''t seem like just talking about simple missionaries. Is my understanding correct?" "It must be, Mrs. Dare..." "...My goodness, Lord, my goodness..." "..." The meeting room was in chaos. People opened their mouths one by one. "There are clergy in various places, and he''s placing supervisors (Bishops) too? Isn''t that exactly like bishops or priests?" "I was wondering what to call them, and that fits perfectly. Priests and bishops." "..." "..." "..." "Father? What do you think, Father?" "...''A.C.'', what does that mean? What is it an abbreviation for?" "Father?" "Ah, nothing. I was thinking about something else. I was pondering what he meant." "Since it''s the headquarters of the agricultural equipment knight brigade, isn''t it an abbreviation for ''Agricultural Citadel''?" "Citadel... indeed, that must be it." Bishop... Citadel... So they wrote down Nemo''s words, organizing them well. Since they seemed like very important stories, they underlined them several times. Chapter 124 - 124: Great Spirit (1) There was an issue that deeply resonated with me from our last meeting. "Recently, as the farmland in our settlement has expanded, the Agricultural Equipment Knights seem to be struggling as they travel back and forth. There are also problems with tractors having overlapping operational areas." I feel the same way. When I drive the Porter truck around and operate the cultivator, I often find that the sun has already set by the time I finish my work. With farmland all around and no proper accommodations, I often had no choice but to sleep in the second row of seats in the Porter truck. In summer, I''d sleep in the Porter with the air conditioning on, and in winter, I''d pitch a tent next to a field and sleep with a heater and circulator running. In other words... I was homeless quite often. Without a shower or toilet in the tent, repeating this for several days made it hard to maintain a decent appearance. Hmm. This is obviously a problem. I mean, I''m supposedly an "angel (not really)," so I shouldn''t be walking among the faithful looking so grimy, right? Still, I tried my best. After several consecutive days of work, I''d go to a nearby stream with soap and vigorously scrub my face. Of course, I couldn''t properly hide things like the "bird''s nest" that was my hair, but even that level of hygiene put me in the top 1% by 16th century standards. Anyway, even setting all that aside, I really didn''t want to sleep under the stars if I could avoid it...! That''s only natural...! I mean, I''m someone who transported an entire house to the 16th century. Going from living in a home with air conditioning, a shower booth, and a robot vacuum cleaner to sleeping outdoors covered in dew is quite the ascetic practice. Anyway, my point is that I need somewhere to stay when I''m out. But there''s a limit to making do with the tent and various camping equipment from my house. I can''t always set up a tent, have a romantic time staring at the fire, and grill meat after finishing work late, can I? After work, I just want to collapse onto a bed without thinking. Conclusion. I don''t want to sleep in the back seat of the car. The bed is uncomfortable, and when you park with the air conditioner or heater running, their performance drops, making it too hot or cold. I don''t like tents either. They''re romantic, but setting them up and taking them down might be fun once or twice; after that, it becomes a chore. Not to mention they''re insanely hot in summer. ...Ugh. Kin Issei, after 11 years away from Japan, you''ve completely adapted to the mild climate of North Carolina and Virginia. But what can I do? Hot is hot, and cold is cold. Anyway, if cars are uncomfortable and tents are a hassle, there''s only one answer. A house. "A camper van..." But one I can carry around. After seeing my tent fly away in the wind during my fourteenth business trip, I stopped hesitating. I immediately returned to Croatoan and stripped out all the household items. ''I definitely need air conditioning and heating.'' Fortunately, my house was full of heating and cooling appliances. For some reason... people living in cities, especially in apartments, probably wouldn''t understand this. People like my parents, who ambitiously build countryside houses in unfamiliar areas after deciding to return to farming, often make one common mistake. This happens because they''re accustomed to "apartments," the representative living space in Japan for decades. "Apartments" have "overwhelmingly" better insulation compared to countryside houses...! That''s because the homes in front, beside, and behind your apartment all serve as your insulation! As a result, many people design countryside houses with a soft "this should be good enough" attitude, only to suffer later. In a countryside house, each room needs its own air conditioner and heating appliance. Because there''s no neighboring house to block the cold in your room. Among the poorly insulated rooms in our house, which was modeled after Green Gables, there was the second-floor room where Anne of Green Gables might have lived. Not on the first floor, but a room connected to the second-floor front window. A really inconvenient place to access. In other words, the room that became a storage space after my parents abandoned this house and farm to me - formerly my mother''s room. I removed the window air conditioner that had been stashed away there and measured its dimensions. Hmm, good. This is essential. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Due to space limitations, I installed the window air conditioner on the ceiling. I made sure it could be covered with a lid on rainy days. I had plans for the rest of the space. First, the plan was simple. I don''t like feeling cramped. So, except for when I''m sleeping, I designed it to maximize the use of external space. The walls on both sides would be storage exposed to the outside, with a bed installed in the center space. Then I''d create one window each in the wall and ceiling, installing the window air conditioner on one side and covering the rest with transparent polycarbonate panels. Finally, I''d place an electric heated mat on the floor to complete the sleeping area. Once the space design was finalized, I began the actual construction. First, I decided to use fairly dark-colored wood, utilizing leftover materials that were originally meant for shipbuilding. I applied oil stain to the wood and then varnish to prevent mold or deterioration. This deepened the wood''s color and brought out the grain. While drying those boards, I assembled a wooden frame on top of the Porter. Next, I divided the storage compartments to be placed on both sides of the bed. I planned to set up the left side as a kitchen space and the right side as a workspace. On the left, I partitioned the space to accommodate a workbench, cutting board, kitchen knife, grater, spatula, gas stove, etc., then cut and assembled the boards accordingly. On the right, I installed large cabinets, primarily to store not just tools but also their batteries. While my electronic devices like tablets recharge every 24 hours, tools often discharge before those 24 hours are up. So with the feeling of organizing a large toolbox, I hammered nails into the wall and pushed in the toolbox, and all the tools fit perfectly according to the measurements. "Oh, oh..." That just felt extremely satisfying. Seeing items fit perfectly into the storage compartments I designed myself is... fantastic. And with that, it was reasonably complete. On top of the Porter was a blackish-brown wooden box filled with kitchen utensils and tools, with a bed nestled in between. When I tried sleeping in it as a test, I felt like stars were pouring through the skylight. When I woke up, sunlight was seeping through the skylight gap. It was morning. I came outside, assembled the camping shower booth I had stored in the kitchen area, and washed up. As I finished, I heard footsteps in the distance. As I put on my clothes and turned my head... "Oh, Mr. Nemo?" It was Raleigh. He looked less worn out than the last time I saw him, so he must have gotten some rest. "Ah, Walter? I just finished building this mobile home. Good timing." "...Yes, the carpenters lingering around here told me you would be here." "Ah, I did receive their help. What brings you here?" "That... it''s complicated to explain. This might take a while." Huh? "We... that is, Vicente and I seem to have made a big mistake. No, strictly speaking, since I''m the one in charge, the responsibility is mine as well." Raleigh seemed uneasy for some reason. He also looked a bit embarrassed and somewhat urgent. In situations like this, I''ve learned what to do through experience. "Anyway, I need to tell you... I was hesitating because you might find it awkward, but it''s an urgent matter that needs to be conveyed..." "Walter, don''t be too hasty." "...Pardon?" Seeing Raleigh''s still slightly bloodshot eyes moving frantically, I quietly unfolded the nearby workbench/dining table and assembled two folding chairs. "Let''s sit down and have some coffee first." And then, with a gentle smile that wasn''t too intimidating, I said: "What? But..." "Did this happen during the voyage?" "...Technically, yes." "Then even if we try to resolve it, it will take several months." "..." I took out the coffee machine and poured oil into the gasoline generator that each farm has, then plugged in the cord. "We have time for a cup of coffee in the meantime." While Raleigh hesitated, I had already finished making the coffee and sat down, offering him a chair. Raleigh carefully leaned back in the chair and picked up the coffee cup on the table. "...Ahh." Now Raleigh''s face showed a bit more warmth. I could feel his tone soften and his expression relax. As his tension eased somewhat, he looked out through the open door... and began speaking. "...Actually, new tribes joining the trade want to meet you, Mr. Nemo." "Me?" "Ahem... yes." What''s this about? A multi-level marketing guest speaker? Or a commemorative lecture for the CEO''s visit? "Why do they specifically want to see me?" "Well... from the natives'' perspective, they''re curious about how this ''Great Chief'' whom they''ve never seen can possess such enormous wealth." That''s right. A multi-level marketing guest speaker. "And..." "And...?" "..." As I tilted my head in confusion, Raleigh sighed and said: "The situation is a bit complicated." == In the early days of the multi-level scheme, Raleigh and Vicente worked hard to expand trade. "You people who came from across the sea, I''ve seen your kind many times before. Most come offering to trade goods." But now the 16th century is fading, and the sun of the 17th century is about to rise. Many natives have already encountered European merchants and explorers clustered around this area. So while they might find it somewhat curious to see natives and Europeans from across the sea mixing together, the appearance of Virginians itself didn''t make much of an impression in many cases. "But... you all are different." However, everything changed when the Virginians brought out their goods. "You people truly know how to ''gift.'' You''re a tribe that knows courtesy." The Virginians understood ''gifts.'' "Plus... to give so many iron axes, that''s also surprising." Chapter 125 - 125: Great Spirit (2) The Virginians were much more generous in their offerings. Of course, this was possible because they were on the same continent and had Clippers that reduced distribution costs, but the natives didn''t need to know that. What mattered was whether it was worth trading exclusively with Virginia, setting aside all trade with Europeans. "Good. I am now a subject of this Nemo. We will serve him as our Great Chief, and may he in turn look after us." "Thank you, Great Chief! Thank you!" The answer was ''yes.'' But it''s not always just the answer to an important question that people become curious about. "...But how wealthy is your Great Chief to possess all these things?" "Ah, that..." "Where does all this wealth come from?" The leader of a peculiar group commanding both Europeans from across the sea and coastal residents. A being clutching endless, overflowing wealth. Moreover, a Great Chief is not normally such an impressive figure. But to the natives, Vicente and Raleigh seemed to worship their Great Chief. All these aspects aroused the curiosity of the natives. After much deliberation, Vicente and Raleigh finally agreed to coordinate their stories and decided to say: "He is... a kind of powerful spirit. He serves the most powerful god in the world." "Uh... huh?" "He... uh... wields a howling blade to defeat enemies and drives steel machines to cultivate the land." "..." "Does that explain it?" "Uh... No. Tell me more." When briefly asked, more questions they couldn''t resist came up. Thus, this chief heard rumors about the ''Undying One.'' == And he proceeded to another tribe to introduce the innovative distribution method he had been given. "What brings you here?" "Haven''t you heard the rumors? About Nemo!" "Ne...mo?" "Oh, it''s pitiful that you remain ignorant. Our tribe is already at Ruby level, so I must help raise your rank first." "Ruby? Rank? What''s all this suddenly... explain." "..." "..." "...That''s basically it." "So by serving this Great Chief Nemo, spreading his story to other tribes, and exchanging gifts, you receive special items?" "Yes! Like this..." CRACK! "This axe that I obtained." "My goodness." "Impressive, isn''t it? Rumor has it that all the tribes in this area, no, along the entire eastern coast, are already participating in the gathering. You should join quickly..." "No, how does this Great Chief distribute wealth to so many tribes? I should hear more..." "They say he''s a spirit." "What? That doesn''t make any..." "Wielding a howling blade with sharp teeth embedded all around, defeating countless enemies. Doesn''t that make sense? He must have conquered many tribes and seized their wealth." "..." This newly joined chief remembered the ''Undying One,'' the ''One Who Wields the Howling Blade.'' S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. == Anyway, the newly joined chief headed to the lands of another tribe and repeated the same process. "How... what''s left after giving away so much? How wealthy is this Nemo? Where do these axes come from? Surely this isn''t a lie?" "What? Are you doubting me?" "Well, it is suspicious, isn''t it? I''m just asking..." "They say he''s a spirit!" "Are you mad?" "No, wielding a howling blade..." "Is it similar to this sharp axe? Still, it''s not very convincing." "He, he is said to be immortal! As a spirit, he lives eternally!" "Well, that makes sense." "And that howling blade... did they say it had iron teeth? Or was it that his own teeth grew?" "Huh?" Thus, the ''Undying One,'' the ''One Who Wields the Howling Blade'' acquired a new nickname: the ''One with Steel Teeth.'' == "How can a person have such teeth!" "I''m telling you, he''s not a person! He must be a mighty spirit! Probably the size of a house-sized beast!" == "A house-sized beast as Great Chief? You should say something that makes sense..." "Then can you otherwise explain how one person can be so wealthy?" "Well..." "..." "...That''s true?" == "They say he''s a spirit who conquered numerous tribes and slaughtered countless lives, creating rivers with blood. So..." == "...wielding the howling blade, when he waves the light in his hand, lives perish instantly..." == "...This axe is made by grinding down his house-sized teeth. That''s why they''re endlessly available." "Then do his teeth continue to grow?" "Perhaps? I guess so? That''s what I heard." And so the rumors continued to grow. == "Believe in Mr. Nemo. He will give you many gifts..." "You... your name was Raleigh, right? I''ve already heard rumors about him." "Is that so? That''s fortunate. Then..." "Does he really have hundreds of teeth?" "...Pardon?" The rumor returns to Raleigh. == Not long after the rumors returned to Raleigh, trading posts and cathedrals were built throughout the area. "What''s this?" "Ah, this is... something like your sacred place." "Sacred place? So is this Nemo spirit worshipped here too?" "Uh... we don''t worship him. We can honor him somewhat... where are you going?" After briefly leaving and returning, the natives were covered in blood, carrying something. "What is that?" The priest pointed at the blood-covered man who had blood, meat, and entrails stuck all over his body. Anyone could see that he had just been in a fierce battle. "Deer meat and blood." "Uh... pardon?" "Step aside now. We must also offer sacrifices to the spirit named Nemo." "Uh, uhh...!" And so a fire broke out. The priest fainted. == "I''m not sure exactly what went wrong, but strange rumors have spread that Mr. Nemo is some kind of monster." "..." "The natives believing that in itself isn''t much of an issue, but later when we built trading posts and cathedrals, people gathered in front saying, ''Let''s offer sacrifices to the great spirit!'' Skilled pastors might have handled it appropriately, but most of the priest candidates selected this time were too surprised to know what to do. I''m not sure if I should be glad they came without us specifically doing missionary work." "..." "Uh, I''m just purely curious, but have you actually sent prophecies through native shamans saying ''I will eat you if you don''t offer sacrifices''?" "Of course not." "Ah... I see." "..." "..." Now I understand why Raleigh is so alarmed. It''s idol worship. "No, well, anyway, that''s why many people want to meet ''Mr. Nemo, the great monster and great spirit.''" "..." "Mr. Nemo?" Uh, well, okay. This is disconcerting. "Is that so? It''s nothing serious then." I answered, trying not to show my confusion. Though it may not seem like it, our Raleigh is a very devout person. Although he does engage in various un-Christian activities as the Queen''s bedchamber partner, he''s still a devout Christian. To someone like him, the issue of idol worship might have seemed serious. I get it. Hmm... "Mr. Nemo? I think it would be best to consider what to do first. For now..." "What would you think if I went to see them?" "Pardon?" "Isn''t it something we''ll have to do eventually? It would be good to solidify our influence by traveling to each region. And clear up misunderstandings too." "Hmm..." Raleigh nodded as if he would consider it, and I turned my head to look at the camper I had built. I didn''t expect to start using it in earnest so soon. Chapter 126 - 126: Great Spirit (3) Here is a tribal chief. Let''s call him chief aa of tribe A. Chief aa is in a great mood after receiving various gifts from a man named Walter Raleigh who recently came from across the sea. Getting iron axes, glass beads, and blankets was nice, but what really made the difference was obtaining an incredibly cute animal called a "cat"! "Oh, this little one eats meat?" "It eats fish really well too! Haha, hahaha!" The family relationships that had become somewhat distant also improved with the cat as a mediator. The tribe members also gained benefits, such as hunting more diligently because they wanted to feed the cat. But the cat''s greatest advantage lay elsewhere. It is... Cute. Unbelievably adorable. "Meow meow, you rascal! How dare you pull daddy''s beard!" "Meow." "Haha, hahaha! You rascal! Never go outside the village! You never know when fierce beasts might carry you away!" It looks like a male cat, but he wants to bring a female cat to raise together. He became curious about what this creature''s offspring would look like. As soon as aa expressed this opinion at the tribal council, everyone agreed that tribe A would request more cats. And when the next ship arrived, aa and various shamans from tribe A came forward to petition. "Vicente Gonz¨¢lez, was it? Please bring more cats to our tribe! If you send just three more female cats, we''ll repay you with much more fur!" "I''m sorry, but your tribe''s rank is not high enough for three cats yet." "...What did you say?" "There are many tribes who want to raise cats. For now, as I mentioned last time, be especially careful in managing the cat you already have. There are already dozens of tribes who have lost their cats to wolves or other predators." "L-look here. Don''t you feel sorry for this fellow searching for a mate?" "Meow." "...I''m sorry." But their love was sadly blocked by limitations. It was because of the absurd reason that their tribe''s rank was still only at the "Silver" level...! "This cannot be! Are they, is this man Nemo saying he doesn''t even feel sorry for the meow meow?" "It''s so pitiful to hear the little one crying every night... We must find it a mate somehow." Unfortunately, tribe A didn''t have many allied tribes due to their belligerence. It so happened that there were many tribes of different ancestries gathered nearby. "P-please, just this once! Serve the same Great Chief as us!" "Bah! Wasn''t it your uncle who split my father''s head? Get lost!" "Urgh...!" After aa and others traveled around for several days, they still couldn''t find an answer. "...Why won''t they accept? Even if they hate us, our gifts were certainly luxurious." "I suppose it''s because our relationship has been poor..." "Besides, nobody has heard of this Great Chief named Nemo, have they? At most, only a few coastal tribes might have heard of him." "Hmm..." "We need to let them know how wealthy and great he is!" "I-is that so?" "According to rumors, he personally wielded a howling iron club to cut down enemies. If we tell them ''why'' he is wealthy, they won''t be able to ignore our words." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "From what I heard, the Great Chief is not human. Some kind of spirit..." "I heard that too. Are his teeth as hard as that axe?" "No, I heard that the axe was made by grinding down his teeth." "Are you saying he''s some kind of enormous monster?" "Perhaps... It makes you wonder how he could be so wealthy." "..." "..." "..." The members of tribe A glanced at each other. It felt questionable. And the pitiful crying of the cat from outside could also be heard. In that instant, anxiety and fear about the future were washed away. They had to find a mate for that child. "...I''ll go to the surrounding tribes once more." "Chief?" "I need to emphasize his power. Once they know how terrifying a spirit who rules the entire coast is, they won''t be able to ignore us." And then their tribe could rise to Gold rank. Finally, their cat would get a mate. So aa went around to the surrounding tribes again and said: "It''s difficult for us to bear his wrath. When his heart is filled with anger, his warriors will... Let''s stop here." "He is certainly not human. He is as tall as that tree, his gaze is as cold as the moon..." "Do you know how much wealth he has? This beast is just a small part of it! Look. Isn''t it cute?" "Meow." "If I get more of these cute beasts, I''ll give you one as a gift!" And so. After great effort, tribe A rose to Ruby rank in the next quarter and was counted among the excellent tribes. "They say the spirit called Nemo does not die even if killed..." "I heard Nemo has hundreds of teeth, and each tooth is as big as an axe..." "Don''t be too afraid. He''s a kind monster who gives gifts to his subjects. Except when he''s angry..." The strange rumors that spread around had already passed the point of no return. == "...I''ve heard about cases like this secondhand. I don''t remember the tribe''s name, but it must have happened near the territory of the Powhatan Confederation." "..." I put my hand to my forehead. So that''s why the rumors spread in such strange ways. It wasn''t just accidental distortion; there was clear intent behind it. ...Come to think of it, when I was young, I too wished my dad was a Tyrannosaurus rex. Perhaps it''s human nature to want the being you follow to be strong and great. ''But that doesn''t mean I want to become a Tyrannosaurus rex.'' Of course not. I''m also a human, a human. Isn''t it too much to expect of a normal person who just happens to be immortal with a built-in universal translator in their head? Anyway, to clarify the facts and prevent further rumors, I need to go out myself. That hasn''t changed. Sighing, I secretly glanced at the tablet placed in front of me. Then I asked Raleigh: "Walter, do you have time?" "Ah, Mr. Nemo." "Is the ship being prepared well?" "Of course. The modifications will be completed within two months. That''s necessary if we''re to carry the ''Porter'' and carts." It will be a long journey of thousands of kilometers. We''ll travel by ship along the coast, and occasionally move by land. We needed a ship that could carry the Porter and carts for those times. On the ship designed by Raleigh, we will meet tribes that might become our members, or perhaps could already be considered as having joined us, and check on their conditions. And I need to convince them slowly while promoting myself as an ordinary human... no, as an angel, but I''m not sure how to do that. Should I shed blood, as was commonly done throughout history? ...No. The wound would heal within 10 seconds, which would be even stranger. Anyway, let''s think about that later. There are other important matters. Since I''ll be away for several months, I need to think about how the settlement will fare during that time and how it should be managed. Knock knock. "Who...?" "It''s probably Mr. Hewett and Mr. White. Mr. Hewett seems to want to ask about population management after we leave. I called Mr. White." "Ah." The door swung open. "Mr. Nemo, would it be alright to entrust the tablet to others? With Baron Raleigh, Mr. Harriot, Mr. Gonz¨¢lez, and Manteo all leaving, I''m concerned that work won''t progress properly..." As expected. Chapter 127 - 127: Great Spirit (4) I seated Hewett and offered him a coffee cup. "Of course. But be careful. Only entrust it to reliable people, and make sure to keep records of who modified what and when in Excel." "I understand. I''ll keep that in mind. But when you say reliable people, exactly who..." "I''ve prepared for this." I pulled out a pre-printed table from under the desk and handed it to him. "Here... Mr. Hewett? I''ve selected some people from the residents of Croatoan Island who are reasonably literate and trustworthy. Choose a few people from this list." "Ah, thank you. I''ll follow your instructions!" "You really must be careful. If there are any Spanish spies, our settler list would be what they''d most want to get their hands on." "I''ll keep that in mind. And are there any special instructions before you leave?" "Ah, yes. Trade with England must be maintained as before. Walter will leave some sailors behind, so have them sail for England around February, May, and September." "I''ll remember that." "Finally, let''s consider trade with the French..." "Pardon?" Elizabeth''s death date is March 24, 1603. The day when England''s political situation changes is not far off. "Consider the trading post establishment that the French requested. And, Manteo?" "Yes, Mr. Nemo." "Help Mr. Hewett find a suitable island for establishing a trading post in Pamlico Sound." "I understand." Good. I can leave the document Excel work and settlement external business management to Hewett. I slowly turned my gaze from Hewett to White, meeting his eyes. He seemed curious about why he was called. "Mr. White, how many Agricultural Equipment Knights have been trained to drive tractors now?" "Ah, about 35 people." 35 people. We currently have 9 tractors, and thinking about how many more will be produced by the time I return... "I hope that number will increase to 50 by the time I return." "50 people..." This number included reserve personnel and those who would operate the tractors in shifts. As White took out his notebook and started writing down my words, I slowed my speaking pace appropriately. "Now that we have a sufficient number of tractors, we can slowly start using them for purposes other than clearing wasteland. Do you remember the implements we made last time?" "Yes, I remember." "Don''t test newly made implements in other fields if possible. They might ruin the crops. For now... let''s test them in my potato field." So I organized the matters I needed to attend to in my head as I spoke to the two. Trade with Europe. And clearing wasteland and training Agricultural Equipment Knights. Managing the population and distributing resources from my mansion. Since it had been a while since I was absent for an extended period, there was much to discuss. And... more tasks to delegate... Ah, right. There was still a second or third best-selling export item in the trade with England. "Mr. Hewett, was this season''s vineyard keeper at Croatoan Island Ambrose Vikas?" "Yes, that''s correct." "He should be inspecting House #3 now. Please call him." "Pardon?" "I have some advice regarding grape cultivation." People shouldn''t forget their identity. Shortly after Hewett left, the tablet screen showed two people. When I gestured, White, who was standing nearby, opened the door. Two people walking from a distance saw the open door and quickened their pace to enter the farm shed used as a meeting room. "Come in. He is waiting for you." "...Ah, I, understood." The vineyard keeper, who seemed quite intimidated, walked up to me. We usually select vineyard keepers from among those living nearby. Then we provide training related to agricultural equipment and entrust them with managing nearby vineyards. ...I''d like to do it all myself, but since I''ve become the leader of this community, I can''t help it. "You called for me?" "Ambrose, are you the one currently managing the vineyard at my farm?" "Yes. What about..." "You''ve been managing it excellently so far. I was particularly pleased to see your consistent water management." "Th-thank you." "However, your enthusiasm seems slightly excessive." "Uh... pardon?" At my words, the vineyard keeper made a strange expression and looked around at Hewett and others. Seeing him tense up, I moved closer, offered him a seat, and sat across from him, offering tea. After all, many people get nervous around me. I knew how to ease this level of tension. "Don''t worry. You''re already doing a fine job. I''m quite satisfied from what I''ve seen." "I-I''m honored!" "I''ll give you some advice now, so please remember it. If you follow my advice well, you might end up managing all the vineyards on Croatoan Island." "Ah." And I quietly continued my explanation. "First, there seems to have been an improper handover. It''s not critical, but... don''t fertilize the grapevines yet. The temperature will soon drop, and if the trees are in the middle of growth, they could suffer frost damage." "...Is that so?" "Yes. Just yesterday, weren''t you lingering in front of the fertilizer bags? That part seemed to confuse you a lot, so ask the person who was the vineyard keeper last season. That will make your work easier." "Th-thank you..." "However, it''s fine after all the leaves have fallen. And when next year comes and the leaves sprout again, you''ll need to stop fertilizing during the growing period." "I-I''ll write it down..." "Don''t worry. I''ve already written it down for you." As I handed him a note, the vineyard keeper received it with trembling hands. It contained a brief summary of his poor farming habits, ways to improve, and how to manage moisture and nutrients until next year. "Others working with you will tell you more details." "...Thank you." "You may go now. Mr. Hewett? Please escort Ambrose back." "Understood." At my words, Hewett and vineyard keeper Ambrose Vikas slowly went outside. Hmm... what else needs to be managed... Nothing urgent. I poured tea for White as well and enjoyed a brief rest. Soon I would need to supervise White''s Agricultural Equipment Knights'' training process, and also check if Raleigh''s sailors were causing any trouble. I really do live a busy life. == "Very good. It seems he highly regards your diligence. You might be entrusted with important tasks for this community later." "..." "Amby, what''s wrong?" "That... h-how..." "Hmm?" Vineyard keeper Ambrose Vikas trembled for a moment. Then he slowly read again the note he had received earlier. It detailed habits when applying fertilizer that he himself wasn''t aware of, and even considered the amount of water he gave to the grapes. This raised one question. "Mr. Hewett? Earlier, how did he know I was at House #3?" "Well, he told us." "...Then, how did he know?" "Hmm?" "Moreover, h-how did he notice us as soon as we arrived at the meeting room without us making any noise..." He had never visited the vineyard when Ambrose became the vineyard keeper. So how did he know that Ambrose hesitated in front of the fertilizer bags, and how did he know that Ambrose tended to give more water when spreading to the left? Above all... he had already prepared notes summarizing all the questions Ambrose wanted to ask. As he recalled this fact, his body trembled again. "What did you say?" Hewett lightly grasped Ambrose''s shoulder and tilted his head. "How does he know? What do you mean by that?" "Well, I..." "Isn''t it natural that he knows? It''s his farm, isn''t it?" "...Pardon?" Of course, Hewett didn''t know about the security cameras installed throughout the farm. Nor did he know that Kin Issei being caught by Eleanor while playing DOOM had become the catalyst for him to be thorough with locking doors and closely monitoring security cameras. But he could say as if it were obvious: Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "And he is... well, him, isn''t he?" As Hewett said this and nodded, Ambrose also nodded as if entranced. "Y-yes, you''re right." Ambrose examined the note again with a dazed feeling. Ambrose Vikas didn''t know that Kin Issei was originally a diligent person by nature. He didn''t know where his calm personality and composure that eased tension came from. He couldn''t know that his businesslike and calm personality developed through experiencing unemployment due to C*VID, the rollercoaster of the Shine Muscat grape boom, and the downfall that came with a mountain of debt. Like others, Ambrose simply accepted it. Ah, he''s an angel. Because he''s an angel, he can know everything, prepare for everything, and predict everything like that. As if someone were showing him the future. Chapter 128 - 128: Great Spirit (5) "No, it won''t work." "Mr. Nemo, but... no matter how I look at it, it requires too many resources. First of all, the terrain..." "The limitations of the terrain can be overcome sufficiently." "If you would just reconsider..." "Given the resources that will be invested in the future, it''s better to prepare in advance. And." I grabbed Vicente''s shoulder and pointed to a ship in the distance that was nearing the end of its modifications. "Walter has already prepared a ship for him. Considering his effort, we cannot give up." "...Is that really so?" "Of course." I smiled at Vicente and said: "What is the most important aspect of this journey?" "Isn''t it to solidify our influence in various regions and supervise the establishment of trading posts?" "No. If that were the reason, there would be no need for me to go along." As I slowly shook my head, a question mark seemed to appear on Vicente''s face. I opened my mouth again to resolve Vicente''s doubt. "The most important thing is to make ''me'' known." "...Ah." To prevent misunderstandings about me and stop rumors from being expanded and reproduced among themselves. And to prevent such misunderstanding-filled rumors from spreading to Europeans, causing unsettling talk about heresy among the natives. Above all, to make the natives become familiar with ''me'' as a being. Many Native Americans speak multiple languages like their native tongues. The same is true for Africans. In societies before the establishment of large nations, societies divided into various tribal communities, languages are diverse as political unification hasn''t been achieved. It''s common sense here that different dialects emerge in each village, or even completely different languages are used. In some cases, traveling just a few dozen kilometers can bring you to people who speak a completely different language family. As such, most natives know how to learn various dialects and speak different languages, if only for survival. In other words. The effect of ''directly'' facing them myself is that much greater. While those like Manteo, whose neighboring tribes mostly spoke similar languages, might experience less shock, others would not be the same. "The greatest purpose of this journey is to let them know that I am neither a monster nor an idol, to testify through words that I am a servant of the Lord, and to make them neither misunderstand nor fear me." For now... I need to live properly first, don''t I? Moreover, since ''I'' am the center of this community, making them accept ''me'' is also the shortcut to incorporating them into our community. "And, what''s needed for that is this Porter!" This time, I pointed to the Porter that had been moved to Chesapeake Bay. Vicente, who had seemed almost convinced, tilted his head again. "Is... that so?" "Of course. This steel body will show them where their iron tools came from. Also, won''t we be able to provide a lot for them with the tools and cooking utensils we''ve packed here?" sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Ah!" "Also, even though there are many forests and wetlands, most of our territory is not far from the coast, so we can overcome it sufficiently. Even if not, wouldn''t we need to build roads for larger-scale trade and integration someday? By taking this Porter around, we can also look for places suitable for building such roads." "Indeed!" "This is by no means for my personal comfort." Though that is part of it, of course. "The Porter will certainly make travel easier, and it will bring better results for our grand plans in the future." Though personal comfort is probably the bigger reason. ...Well. I want to lie in bed, cool off with air conditioning when it''s hot, and warm up with an electric heating pad when it''s cold. I want to stay clean by carrying around a folding shower booth. There''s nothing wrong with that, is there? It would be strange for a being called an angel or a spirit to go around looking dirty... It''s all for the greater cause... ...Probably. "So let''s plan our travel route with the assumption that we''ll be taking the Porter." "Understood." "Is this the latest map of the eastern North American coast that was produced?" "Yes. It''s based on measurements made as accurately as possible with various equipment, so it should be correct!" The map of America I''m holding is entirely from the 21st century. And the changes in the landscape over 500 years, as hundreds of millions of people cleared and reclaimed this land, are enormous. The eastern United States is now surrounded by forests across the continent, with native villages dotted among them. The undeveloped shorelines are full of wetlands and mudflats, and the coastline is incredibly complex. So to determine the route we''ll take, using a 21st-century map alone would be far from sufficient. Vicente cleared away a nearby coffee cup, carefully removed the map hanging on the wall, and spread it out on the desk. And I discreetly displayed a 21st-century map of the United States on my phone, keeping it out of Vicente''s sight. "In this area... it would be better to move along this route." "Is that so? Distance-wise, cutting across here would be better." "That area not only has dense forests, but the ground is likely to be uneven." By examining where roads were built in the 21st century, I could suggest the route we should take to Vicente. Even if I couldn''t know the exact terrain features, mountains and hills that were intact 500 years ago wouldn''t have moved or disappeared without reason, so they would have built roads avoiding such places. Add to that connecting the residences of tribes that had agreed to participate in our multi-level... I mean, intermediary trade... "Is it done?" "It... seems to be." Our travel route was complete. The estimated time required was 6 months. ...6 months. This is a longer journey than when I went to Africa and the Caribbean to battle the Spanish navy a few years ago. I suffered a lot on the ship back then. That''s when I learned why sailing is a life-risking endeavor. I learned how hard it is to live for months on a cramped ship where the planks creak madly, clean water is hard to find, and there are no proper facilities, be it a toilet or anything else. ''...I''m never doing that again.'' Fortunately, I''m taking the Porter. Thank goodness I built the camper...! Looking out the window, I saw Raleigh and others coming. I put on a coat and said to Vicente: "Well then, let''s pack our bags now." It was now March 1600. It was time to depart. == The bonfire blazed, and inside the hut, many people were smoking tobacco and looking at each other. "Last winter... was the most comfortable and abundant winter among the dozens we''ve spent. And we''ve also acquired many sharp and good-quality tools. All thanks to trading with you folks." "It was nothing, haha." "Your name was... what was it again? James?" "Yes. Please call me that." "Yes... James. A name that still doesn''t sit well in my ears no matter how often I hear it." "Haha, you''ll get used to it gradually." "Yes... I should. Where was I?" "You were saying that last winter was very abundant." "Ah, that''s right. That''s right. Anyway, despite that... we still need to bring in more of that thing called ''potato.'' Food is scarce." Chapter 129 - 129: Great Spirit (6) When the chief spoke to the man in priest''s attire, a brief silence fell. Other tribe members clicked their tongues and shook their heads. Clap! "Everyone." In the somewhat subdued atmosphere, the priest clapped his hands to draw attention and put down his tobacco pipe. "This thing called tobacco, whew, really calms the mind. It makes the mind clear." As Father James rose to speak, the dozen or so tribe members in the hut raised their heads to look at the priest standing by the door. Beyond that door stood the trading post building recently built, with a small cathedral attached to it. And also something called a ''cart.'' "Your lives will improve from now on. That''s for certain. Do you know why?" "..." "..." "It''s because Mr. Nemo blesses you! He has devised a business that will benefit everyone!" As applause and cheers rose, the priest bowed his head and said to everyone: "Every time you bring furs of foxes, ferrets, and other various animals, the glass beads in this settlement increase! One more cat is added! More axes and iron tools will be created!" Everyone listened to the priest''s words. Indeed, this was the proper attitude of excellent members who had jumped straight to Sapphire rank. "The more you introduce our business to other tribes, the more benefits will increase. Remember. He is always prepared to give back more than what we send." "Excuse me." "Yes, please speak!" A tribe member said: "Since we''ve obtained iron axes, could we... take care of the Susquehannock tribe?" "By ''take care,'' do you mean..." "They don''t serve the Great Chief Nemo like we do anyway... so we''d like to settle the conflict once and for all. Would that be alright?" "..." "..." The priest quietly smiled and took out a contract from his bosom. A contract written in both languages. "If you look at the terms here, attacking other tribes through violent means risks rank reduction or contract termination." "...Ah, was that so?" "That''s right. Didn''t James tell us that from when he first came?" "That''s correct. Rather than resolving conflicts with hostile tribes violently, trying to incorporate them somehow would be more advantageous for rising to Diamond rank." ...Diamond! The highest rank one could reach, where one could receive not only various iron tools but also several ''guns'' for hunting. At that moment, ambition blazed in the eyes of everyone gathered there, and they nodded at each other as if strengthening their resolve. And then. "Still... more than other items, we need more of that ''potato.'' If possible, we''d like to know how to cultivate it." At the chief''s words, the flames of ambition subsided somewhat, and a solemn atmosphere prevailed. "...We are too hungry to have ambitions. Even wanting to kill the Susquehannock fellows stems from anxiety that they might come to plunder us." "I... understand." "Is that so? That''s good to hear. We won''t attack them first, but you should know. Our distress has not yet been properly resolved. There aren''t many people starving yet, but who knows about next year, and the year after that? No one knows when this cold will pass." "..." "..." "..." The atmosphere in the room, which had felt like a multi-level company''s business presentation, suddenly became somber as if drenched in cold water. They were afraid. The fear that the hope they had just found might be extinguished again was growing behind them like the shadow of a bonfire. "...Could we make more of those?" The chief asked, pointing to the cart behind the priest. "Thanks to that, we''ve been able to transport more fur. After building roads for it, walking around has become a bit easier. Could we get more carts like that, carry more fur, and get more potatoes? Can you endlessly distribute food like that? Is your Great Chief truly that wealthy, wealthy enough to feed all of us?" Momentarily at a loss for words at that question, the priest opened his mouth and stayed silent before... finally speaking. "Of course! Mr. Nemo is very wealthy!" "Is, is that so?" "The more you increase items like that cart, the wealthier this tribe will become! Believe in your new Great Chief..." And then. BOOM! The sudden loud noise cut off the priest''s words. Confused people hurriedly rushed out of the hut to look outside... A bright light rose on the horizon as if a star had fallen. As people stirred, the chief quickly tried to calm them down. VROOOOM! When the noise grew louder, that effort instantly turned to foam. In the darkness, two lights like the eyeshine of a giant beast were blazing. And clearly, the sound was coming from the same direction as those lights. As the lights and noise drew closer, people one by one took out spears and stood guard. They couldn''t even guess what it might be... SCREECH! "..." "..." "...Whew, is this the place? Walter, is this right?" At that single utterance, the tribe members'' faces froze. Is it possible for one voice to speak multiple languages simultaneously? Or is it natural to shed the outer layers of language and convey only the pure meaning? Whether it''s possible or not, it was a process unfolding before their eyes. And so, in front of the speechless tribe members, people who had disembarked from the cart surrounded the one who had just spoken, as if in reverence, and said: "Uh... it should be. When we heard from the Lenape tribe''s Great Chief, he said the land of the clan living here was the last member." "Let''s check the map first!" "..." "..." "..." They saw it. The bright light pouring from the two eyes of the strange ''cart.'' Five or six strong men jumping out of the giant cart. "Uh... oh..." "..." "..." It was something whose operating principle they couldn''t even begin to guess. "How do you do? I am Nemo." "How do you... Nemo?" "Yes, that''s me." And after the ''Great Chief'' shook hands with each of them, the dazed chief asked the priest: "Uh... that..." "..." "Can we make one of those too?" "..." As the chief pointed to the ''Porter'' and asked, the priest couldn''t say a word. == "Ugh... urgh..." I stretched and quietly looked around. After driving on rough unpaved roads for a long time, my whole body was screaming in pain. Moreover, I had been holding the steering wheel for days without anyone to take turns with. I desperately needed proper rest. After greeting those around, I entered the camper where a cozy bed and a half-read catalog were waiting for me. Flopping down on the bed and opening the catalog, I found various historical facts listed. ''Queen Elizabeth will die in 1603, ending her 44-year reign. The latter part of her reign was difficult. Those who followed her, including the Earl of Essex, plotted rebellion, uprisings from the populace were incessant, and she lost popular support by depleting the treasury through prolonged wars.'' ''Walter Raleigh, after losing the Queen''s favor, never restored his relationship with her to what it had been. After the Queen''s passing, during the reign of James I, he faced open checks and humiliation, and was eventually executed on charges of causing an armed conflict with Spain during his exploration to find El Dorado.'' No, to be more precise, these ''were'' historical facts. Now, far from depleting the treasury, Elizabeth is earning enormous income from Virginia, maintaining support for the war. She is also successfully leading the war in Ireland, and in the war with Spain, she is achieving results in various places based on her strengthened finances. Raleigh, too, by suppressing his uncontrollable promiscuity with pouring work, never lost the Queen''s favor. He built an incredible position by monopolizing trade with the New World, and politically, he enjoyed tremendous popularity, being called a ''saint'' by London citizens. Drake, too, took the supplements he received from me, took good care of his health, and didn''t die from the fever, and the historical directions of other figures were also greatly twisted. ...Good. It''s good, but. "I don''t know what to do... moving forward." Most of the historical content written in the catalog is about Europe. Moreover, as time passes, the density of content decreases, and omissions increase. In other words, my greatest advantage, ''future knowledge,'' is about to become useless. Considering the butterfly effect I''ve caused, it already almost is. The resource cheat was enough to feed hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of people, but its limits were gradually becoming apparent. Ten years from now, when the population might have multiplied several times, could the unlimited resources based on my farm still function meaningfully? The characteristic of being immortal is similar. There are many curiosities, but limited utility. For example, what if my body splits exactly in half, like a planarian? Would it divide? If my neck is cut off, would the body regenerate from the head, or would the body regenerate from the head? Following the previous question, as depicted in various media dealing with immortals, is there a focal point from which my body regenerates? If so, if that is destroyed, would I actually die? ...Each one is extremely dangerous to test. In the first place, it''s right not to be in danger of death, and the immortality cheat is just my last resort. I feel the importance of the means I had, the means I could have, gradually fading as the community grows and time passes. That''s because I''m just one person. Even if I live forever and have unlimited resources, that clear fact doesn''t change. Then... what will happen to me in the future? How will I live? Will my life really continue like this? ... ... ... ...What is ''immortality''? "A life... that never dies." Ten years so far. Hundreds of years to come. Contemplating how I would live through that long period, I looked at the stars beyond the window. Perhaps I might live longer than those stars. Croatoan. There''s a prohibition there that no one can casually enter. == Specifically, inside a certain mansion with a green roof. People only guess that secret, spiritual, and great daily activities of the angel take place there, but no one steps in. Because that would be blasphemy against the divine. In such a place. WHIRRR! Suddenly, after a long time, a sound is heard. Not a human sound, but a machine sound. Inside Kin Issei''s most secret room, a sound coming from the computer. ...Click! It turned on without anyone''s instruction. The cooling fan rotated, and various computing devices emitted heat, revealing something on the screen. Small phrases appeared there. ''Immortal one who exists beyond eras.'' ''...Do not doubt your immortality.'' ''Your flesh shall not age... your spirit shall have bright eyes that transcend ages.'' And. ''...You shall have eyes that avoid death.'' Click. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It turns off again. Chapter 130 - 130: Vision of Doom (1) This is the area corresponding to the future state of Delaware. The people living here are the Lenape tribe, also called the Delaware tribe. We traveled all the way from the land where their Great Chief resides to the lands inhabited by various tribes under his command. "...Coming this far north, I notice people want potatoes as much as luxury items." "Well, it''s the north, so that makes sense." It''s a land with a colder climate compared to Virginia originally. In such a situation, with the Little Ice Age approaching, conflicts are breaking out. "I heard that there was talk of attacking the nearby Susquehannock tribe, but the priest dispatched to this region prevented it." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I heard the same. But since the matter is already resolved, don''t worry too much." "...I suppose you''re right. It seems I''ve been needlessly concerned. Thank you, Walter." "Not at all. I''m just glad to have been of help." I quietly looked around while listening to Raleigh''s words. Yes. The people here are slowly learning to grow potatoes, and also learning how to make carts and pave roads. With such low population density, if productivity increases, they won''t go hungry. And even if not them, we will soon incorporate the Susquehannock tribe into our gift exchange network. Then they will be bound by a peace treaty of enormous scale, semi-forcibly, and conflicts will naturally be prevented. There''s no immediate problem. It''s been three days since we arrived here, but the situation, whether regarding food or anything else, showed clear signs of improvement from before. As mentioned earlier, the food situation improved as they imported potatoes and various food resources. In hunting too, by importing "guns," they catch various animals that they couldn''t have touched before. In terms of timber and various resource supplies, their productivity has greatly improved with iron axes, iron knives, iron sickles, etc., and their lifestyle has noticeably changed. These people, the natives here, won''t face untimely deaths. ... ... ... They won''t die for the reasons I''m thinking of. As I smiled contentedly, Raleigh moved slightly away to smoke tobacco. The white smoke rings carrying the harsh smell quietly melted into the night sky like dissolving sugar. Nearby, the river flowed majestically, and small lights flickered from the scattered huts around it. It seemed people were going to bed late tonight. Probably because of the unfamiliar guests. Bonfires rose among the Porter and other carts, and Lenape people and Virginians were sharing food and enjoying themselves boisterously. Yes. They won''t die for the reasons I''m thinking of. Hmm... Unless it''s a hurricane. Yes. Hurricanes... aren''t they common in this area? Indeed, they represent the most destructive natural disaster in this region, causing billions in damage annually and reshaping coastlines with their tremendous power. Their seasonal patterns bring dread to coastal communities who must prepare for potential devastation each year. Hurricanes refer to tropical cyclones that occur in the North Atlantic, North Pacific, and other ocean basins, with maximum sustained wind speeds reaching 64 knots (approximately 118 kilometers per hour). These massive storm systems can span hundreds of miles in diameter, with some exceptional storms reaching nearly 1,000 miles across, creating weather effects felt far inland from coastal regions. The term "Hurricane" comes from "hurakan" in the Taino language, meaning powerful wind, and was spread by the Spanish and incorporated into the English vocabulary system. Hurricanes. Tropical cyclones like hurricanes form in the tropical convergence zone where trade winds from the southern and northern hemispheres meet. Inside this low-pressure system, heated air rises and forms a large amount of clouds, which begin to rotate due to the Earth''s rotation. The intense thunderstorms thus formed grow or shrink influenced by various factors, becoming tropical storms, then developing into hurricanes causing enormous damage... ...Huh? What was I just thinking about? Ah. I was thinking about hurricanes. I was thinking about how the main difference between hurricanes and typhoons is location, and that they''re called hurricanes if they occur in the northeast of the International Date Line, and typhoons if they occur in the northwest. And I was thinking about how hurricane damage is so great because the water temperature in the North Atlantic, through which hurricanes pass, is higher than in the North Pacific. Also, the reason the North Atlantic water temperature is high is... ... ... I was thinking about how tropical cyclones, including hurricanes, help maintain the Earth''s thermal balance by moving warm tropical air to higher latitude regions, but also damage ecosystems by moving salt water to coastal areas, and how natural coastal ecosystems like wetlands, coral reefs, and mangrove forests reduce hurricane damage... SNAP! "Ha, hah... Gasp..." W-what is this? For a moment, I felt knowledge buried in my memory rising up like vomit. It wasn''t so much unpleasant as it was alien. That sense of alienation from my body, my head not running as it normally would. That alienation filled my head completely, then disappeared as if washed away. W-where, where have I seen this? Right. The catalog. The content I read in the catalog about the climate of the eastern United States, mixed with content I had looked up in educational comics, popped up. But... why? I try to recall when I feel nauseous. When I''m excessively stressed. When something is stuck in my throat. When my body... is tense, threatened, afraid. "Wa, Walter, I''m sorry. I suddenly felt dizzy, so..." "..." "...Walter?" Huh? I looked to the side. And Raleigh wasn''t there. Just moments ago, Raleigh was standing right there. He was smoking tobacco beside me. And looking at the sky, the stars and moon had also disappeared. Just moments ago it was night and dark all around, but now looking around... It was gray. It was as if the world had fallen into milk stirred with cigarette ash. Everything was hazy, and the atmosphere howled ominously. It was as if the whole world was screaming. "AAAAARGH!" And then, a real scream is heard. As I stupidly turned to look, someone''s arm... Flies away. Like dust. I could only stare at the surreal scene. For a moment, I couldn''t think at all. "M-Mr. Nemo!" Chapter 131 - 131: Vision of Doom (2) At the sound of someone calling me, I turn my head. Raleigh runs up with bloodshot eyes and grabs my forearm. "A-are you alright now? Everyone is seeking shelter on higher ground! You must come too..." WHOOOOSH! CRACK. About 2 seconds. The sound of a whistling wind. Raleigh and I turning our heads. Until something flew and lodged in Raleigh''s brow. 2 seconds. I embraced his falling body and slowly laid him down. "...Walter?" It was the first time I had seen the focus leave someone''s eyes so quickly. "Lord Raleigh...?" Naturally, there was no answer. THUD. Something strikes my side, bringing me pain. But even that pain felt like a distant fantasy that made no sense to me. T-this makes no sense. Just moments ago, it was night here. Raleigh was laughing and talking with me. He had a better future awaiting him than being executed by James I. He had days ahead where he would live in glory as a pioneer of the New World, as much as he had worked for me. Just moments ago... this place... was... I unconsciously turn on my phone. The date appears. It was different from the date I remembered. It was the same as the last day we had planned to stay here. We had planned to stay here for about a month. This was where the last member tribe of the Lenape lived, so we planned to use this place as a base to contact various member tribes again. We planned to determine the locations of trading posts and cathedrals with them. And we were scheduled to leave this place. That was the original plan. That''s how it should have been. "...H-higher ground." He had said everyone was seeking shelter on higher ground. Looking down, the place that had been the village was completely submerged in muddy water as the river swelled, and our carts and Porter were being washed away, half-destroyed. I couldn''t waste any more time. I carried Raleigh''s body... his body still warm... and started running like mad toward a nearby hill. "Wa... Walter, just wait a moment. We''ll reach higher ground soon!" I felt like I would lose my mind at any moment. I uttered meaningless words to Raleigh''s body whose heart had stopped beating as I ran. I just had to. I had to. "M-Mr. Nemo! It''s Mr. Nemo!" And soon, the voices of others could be heard through the fierce wind. In the distance, I could see people trembling and lying flat. They were too afraid of being blown away by the wind to move properly. I tried to move toward them. I tried to tell them I was safe. My clothes are soaked and clinging to my body. Raleigh''s cold lips, now blue and parted, brush against my ear. The chill of death brushes against me. Goosebumps rise. But I had to go. SPLASH. I was walking toward the high hill when I soon encountered a shallow, wide stream. Looking around, there was no way to go around, so I gritted my teeth and stepped into the stream. PLOP. "...Huh?" The current of the stream, deeper than I expected, disrupts my body''s balance. It was an instant. As my body tilted, I felt Raleigh''s body slipping off my back. As I forcibly tried to grab him, my entire body fell backward. SPLASH! "Wa, Walter!" Walter''s body is washed away in an instant. At the same time, I am plunged below the surface, and when I raise my body, coughing from the muddy water that entered my eyes, ears, and throat. A huge log was rolling toward me. It struck my body. I momentarily lost consciousness. My body tumbled about in pieces like a broken toy, like a cotton doll with burst seams. The relentless current kept taking me somewhere. Every time I floundered, the heavy log caught on my body restricted my movement. And. I sink. I. To somewhere unknown. Everything is hazy. The water is both salty and tasteless. Fish are eating all sorts of things that lived on land and died, taking advantage of the chaos. And... Time passes. I suffocate. But I don''t die. There was no more oxygen to sustain my body''s life. My lungs were completely filled with salt water. But I don''t die. My body becomes heavy and doesn''t move. I couldn''t find a way to escape from this cold, wet prison. My consciousness fades. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But it never breaks. I don''t die. And so. I... Endure an eon of silence. ... ... Light. Light that illuminates the world. And. ...a voice. "...Are you alright!" I open my eyes again. My respiratory system instinctively coughs to expel the water filling my body. "Kuhak...! Huh..." "M-Mr. Nemo!" But comically, it was a dry cough. As I struggled to breathe, Raleigh embraced me from behind and attempted the Heimlich maneuver as I had taught him. It was useless since there was nothing actually stuck in my throat. But thanks to Raleigh''s action, I was able to regain my senses. I look around. The world is still night. With hands trembling like someone freezing to death, I take out my phone from my pocket. And check the date. It was ''today'' again. "..." "M-Mr. Nemo? Are you alright? You suddenly staggered and struggled to breathe..." I wanted to say it was nothing. I wanted to say I was fine. Whether because of my cheat or my mental strength, I could endure being stabbed in the heart with a knife or having my body cut to pieces. I could forget it quickly. But after experiencing that moment just now, I realize. I... won''t be able to forget this for a long time. What just happened wasn''t ''nothing.'' It wasn''t a simple nightmare or hallucination. I gather again the fragments of visions and intense emotions scattered like vomit in my mind. Through them, I try to gauge what I saw, what exactly is going on. And. "Immortal one..." A very familiar voice echoes in my mind. "...You shall have eyes that avoid death." == Raleigh saw his body suddenly staggering. He hastily grabbed his body as he was about to collapse and asked. "Mr. Nemo, are you really alright?" "..." His breathing slowly calms down. And. He meets Raleigh''s eyes. Emotions rarely seen were lingering in his eyes, which were usually calm. "..." "..." Bewilderment and fear. As Walter was about to say something to him, he briefly covered his face with both hands... then wiped them down. Then the same peaceful smile as before emerged. But somehow, it was a smile tinged with detachment, unknowable sadness, and determination. "...Walter." "Uh, w-what is it..." He looks at Raleigh. "I have received a revelation." Chapter 132 - 132: Vision of Doom (3) "I have received a revelation." What is a revelation? ''Revelation'' is a word translated from the Koine Greek apocalypsis (?¦Ð¦Ï¦Ê?¦Ë¦Ô¦×¦É?) in the New Testament, also called ''apocalypse'' in other words. Apocalypsis originally meant actions like opening a cover or lifting a veil. Its meaning expanded to generally indicate revealing something hidden. Throughout the Old and New Testaments, such revelations appear several times, the most representative being the Book of Revelation, the last book of the New Testament. And as is well-known, the Book of Revelation exudes an eschatological atmosphere throughout its verses. Because of this, ''apocalypse,'' the English translation of apocalypsis, has come to signify the end of the world. Anyway, what''s important here is that revelation is something that reveals what is hidden. Of course, in the Christian worldview, the existence and will of the omnipotent God are naturally revealed through the laws of nature, the unfolding of history, and human reason and conscience. This is also revelation, and theologians call it ''general revelation.'' But sometimes that''s not enough. Therefore, occasionally God intervenes directly. To foolish and sinful humans who do not understand His will, God sends His representatives, angels or prophets. Sometimes He lets them hear His own voice or shows them visions. Various supernatural wonders may be revealed in the process. That is the revelation I claimed to have received. A message sent directly by the omnipotent God who created and rules the universe. "Revelation... you say?" I nodded at Raleigh''s words. To Raleigh, I am the messenger and servant of the almighty God. I am one who acts on behalf of God on earth, one who delivers God''s messages. How would it sound to him when someone like me mentions revelation? THUD. He kneels before me as if his strength has left him. Quietly listening to my words, he whispers again. "More than that... a-are you alright? I''m curious about the content of the revelation, but you were struggling to breathe just now..." "I''m fine." I didn''t say anything else to him. I needed time to organize my thoughts. Revelation. Yes. I received a revelation. I don''t know if it truly came from God, but there''s no other way to explain it. "You shall have eyes that avoid death." This voice still echoing in my head proved it. It''s the voice that appeared when I first turned on the ''Immortal Order'' game screen. Also, it''s the voice I heard on the day I first escaped from the valley of death. That voice was making my whole body tremble as it resonated using my eardrum, no, my soul as a diaphragm. I couldn''t do anything but listen to that voice. ''Immortal one who exists beyond eras.'' ''...Do not doubt your immortality.'' ''Your flesh shall not age... your spirit shall have bright eyes that transcend ages.'' And again. "You shall have eyes that avoid death." "..." Yes. Eyes that avoid death. What else could that just now be if not eyes that avoid death? It was too clear. In that vision, I faced a situation akin to death. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Walter Raleigh died before my eyes. The corpses of many others floated on the river. I was buried in what might have been a riverbed or the deep sea, losing consciousness for what felt like an eon. It was a terrible moment. While Raleigh waited for me, I stood dazed and took out my phone to check the date. June 2, 1600. The date I saw in the vision was July 23, 1600. There''s just over a month and a half left until July 23. Within that time, the people here can avoid death. If I lead them away from here, they can escape that terrible storm, and the people around me can survive. Literally ''eyes that avoid death.'' ''What''s the criteria? Can I see when people around me will die? Then why didn''t I have this experience during the fight with the Spanish army? Why...'' SNAP. I wipe my face with both hands, reorganizing thoughts that were drifting somewhere. For now, such details aren''t immediately important. I can gradually learn about this new ability later. First, I have ''received a revelation.'' "Raleigh, I have received a revelation." "I am... listening." And, I saw numerous deaths that will pour down here. I saw countless people and beasts dying as the land and sky mixed into gray. "Follow me." "...Pardon?" Though my head was still throbbing, I couldn''t stop walking. As I moved, Raleigh, though looking confused, quickly got up and followed behind me. So Raleigh and I walked through the bushes under countless stars in the night. We walked exactly along the path that I, in the vision, had walked while carrying Raleigh. I suddenly got goosebumps all over my body and looked back toward Raleigh again. Raleigh was alive. Yes. Raleigh is still alive. "...Mr. Nemo? Are you really alright? Your complexion doesn''t look good." As he examined me with a concerned look, I couldn''t hold back and blurted out: "Raleigh, I''m glad you''re alive." "Pardon?" "You are a good person." "Yes...? Ah, ahem, thank you." "An ending befitting you awaits." "I''m not sure what you mean..." I mean I won''t let you die so pathetically. "...You''ll know soon." "..." The places where there had been streams and mud in the vision were all still dry land. Among them, I climbed a particularly high hill and looked around. ...Safe space. The space where people had taken refuge. I examined the soil there, the surrounding topography. I think about the storm that raged in the vision and the safety of this place. ...Would it be safe here? How can I know? Would the Lenape people who have lived here know? I thoroughly search through my memories wandering in the vision. And I think about how many people were on the high ground at that time. ... ... ... At most, six or seven people. They don''t know either. They didn''t know such a large storm was coming, nor did they know where to evacuate. Then... where and how can the people here evacuate to be safe? Only then do the corpses of many people floating on the river draw in my mind again, and then fade away. I constantly pace around, looking up at various high grounds. And I superimpose the recent vision on them. Someone dies. They die swept away by the current, they struggle and die in the debris of houses collapsed by strong winds. They are injured by debris carried by the strong wind, and they also starve to death isolated somewhere. And amid all those deaths, people crawl up to places the water can''t reach. Toward dry land where they won''t be swept away by the current... THUMP. This is the place. Suddenly my head clears for a moment. The screams echoing in my ears and the flickering images of corpses fade away. This place... "...Walter." Is the evacuation center that will save people. At my call, Raleigh, who had been panting and following me here and there, raises his head while catching his breath. Our eyes meet. Both still alive. "I have received a revelation." "..." "Countless people will die swept away by water spray." "What did you say..." "Countless people will die swept away by the storm. He, through a holy vision, showed me." Raleigh''s expression hardens again. Looking around with a bewildered expression, he says: "It''s so peaceful... did you say a storm?" "Yes. A calamity that will come in less than two months." "..." "Many will suffer tribulation. Walter, we, as those who have gained knowledge, have been given a mission. We must save those who do not know." "..." "Will you help me?" I spoke to Raleigh, and after a moment of confusion, Raleigh... soon knelt before me with the same face as always and said: "As I always have, I will." And as soon as the next morning dawned, I gathered people. "Leave for the place we''ve indicated in 50 days. A powerful storm will come. If you don''t avoid it, everyone will..." Chapter 133 - 133: Vision of Doom (4) After throwing a few words to the villagers... We immediately left the village. After instructing others to follow by cart or on foot, or to escape via the coast, only I and a few people moved quickly by Porter. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. My hands gripped the steering wheel tightly. == "It''s there." They walked for a long time, passing through forests and hills. And when they reached a place with solid ground, he finally raised a finger and pointed somewhere. Vicente, though exhausted and panting, raised his head. And looked up at his finger and the hill at its end. "Evacuate to that place exactly 44 days from now. It would be good to dig into the ground from now and preserve food and water. You should be able to endure for at least three days." "B-but isn''t it too high and steep?" "Yes. That''s why no matter how high the water rises, it won''t dare to invade." He turned to the tribe members who were briefly protesting and spoke. Then people stirred. "..." They whispered about how an outsider knew so much about the topography around the village, and whether the rumors that he was a spirit were true. Of course, unlike last time, they didn''t throw offerings and ask for blessings as soon as they saw Mr. Nemo. Wasn''t that what we came here to prevent? "Vicente, Manteo, come here. And I''d like you to mark these points by driving stakes into the ground." "Ah, understood." "Before ''that day'' comes, everyone take refuge inside these stakes. It''s necessary to protect your lives." "..." "..." "..." When he finished speaking and looked around, everyone dared not add more words. Vicente had seen such scenes many times before, so it wasn''t so shocking, but... the locals would be seeing it for the first time. That tone of talking about future events as casually as if they happened last night. That attitude of walking without hesitation to places that even locals find unfamiliar, as if returning to a place he''s been before. "When ''that day'' comes, everyone must evacuate here and endure for a few days. Don''t worry even if fields collapse and houses break. Your safety is most important." "..." "..." "..." And that confident face. It was a facial expression that only someone who had no doubt about their actions could make. "A-are there no other shelters? It seems insufficient for all the tribe members to stay here..." Seeing that tone, that attitude, that expression, no one could doubt him. Suddenly, the chief who had been gruff, asking what this sudden evacuation was about, was now bowing politely and asking. In his eyes looking down at the chief, there was a calmness and composure that seemed almost emotionless at first glance. After a moment''s hesitation, he spoke. "...There should be. Let''s look." And after looking around for a while... "Let''s go this way." He starts walking toward somewhere again. Everyone followed him as if enchanted. His expression was still so calm. His behavior was as casual as if nothing had happened. == I must stay calm. I must not show a different appearance than usual. I must not be frightened or fall into fear. I... "S-save, save me! Please... please..." "F-father? Father! Father!" "My... arm... someone please find my arm..." I must stay calm. I''ve seen dozens of calamities. I''ve seen thousands of deaths. But I must stay calm. Now I could roughly sketch the hurricane''s path and lifespan. The hurricane weakens rapidly after July 24. The method of finding out was simple. In no vision did the date exceed July 23. The voice said that this ability is called ''eyes that avoid death.'' Of course, it can''t be my death. I am an immortal being. I experienced that point to exhaustion in the first vision. Then whose death will be avoided? The people around me. Even if I didn''t yet know well what the limits of this ability were, what conditions triggered it, I could guess through process of elimination and inference. I''ve gone through several battles so far but never experienced this, so man-made disasters like war aren''t included. I don''t know why. Many people have already died in Virginia, but that too has never induced visions in me, so individual deaths or natural deaths don''t count. Even when a large-scale epidemic swept through London, such visions didn''t come, so it seems correct to assume it only shows what will happen around me. To summarize, it could be said to be an ability that detects deaths caused by imminent natural disasters around me. I''m still not sure about more detailed activation requirements, like exactly what is considered a disaster, or how close in space and time it needs to be for this cheat to activate. But that''s what it is for now. "AAAARGH! AAACK! M-my leg, my leg is trapped! Please, Great Chief, help me!" "W-where are you going? Great Chief, Nemo! Where..." I see visions. I see countless deaths. I run like mad through them. I run following the direction people are evacuating. Cutting through thorny bushes, stepping in stinking puddles, I run. Thus, I find the safest place for people there. And... "...Mr. Nemo?" "Ah, Manteo." "You spaced out again for a moment." "...Did I?" "Is it another ''revelation''... as Baron Raleigh mentioned?" "..." I wake from the vision and move toward that place in reality as well. Countless visions of death continuously ravage my brain. Endless, horrible scenes unfold that make my limbs tremble involuntarily. In them, I sometimes drown. Or I am trapped somewhere, restrained, or lose limbs. Still, I walk. If I walk, and keep walking... I reach that place. There. My head clears for a moment. The gray sky that was strangely overlapping with the clear sky of reality finally disappears as if washed clean, and the sun rises brightly. Seeing that scene, I am immersed in an indescribable sense of liberation. Earlier I said the name of this ability is ''eyes that avoid death.'' Also, I said that this ability is useful for predicting disasters. Then let''s look at it in reverse. Places where the eyes that avoid death don''t activate. Wouldn''t that be places where there''s no need to avoid death? ...No more death appears before my eyes. No corpses being swept away, no terrible screams heard. Is this truly a revelation? Something this painful and horrible? I just want to stay here. Until the calamity ends. "..." For a moment, I closed my eyes... then opened them. Then I saw people. They were waiting for me. "...Is it here?" The chiefs of nearby villages look at me with worried eyes and ask. I nod to them and extend my hand to Vicente. Vicente then handed me my coat. I took step by step trying to leave the newly found shelter... and stopped at its boundary. I swallow. "...What''s wrong?" "Are you alright?" Vicente and Manteo ask. From a distance, I can see Raleigh looking at me with worried eyes. So I answer. "It''s nothing." I am an angel who has received a revelation. I must foresee calamities and lead everyone to safety. Therefore, I must give everyone certainty. I must not show weakness. I must stay calm. I must be calm. There are still too many people to save. There''s no time to waste. As I take another step outside the boundary. "S-save me! M-mother, mother, there''s too much blood..." "S-spirits, ancestors..." I see visions again. Still, I walk. A storm rages in the clear sky. Chapter 134 - 134: Vision of Doom (5) The date when I first saw the vision was June 2, 1600. The date I saw in the vision was July 23, 1600. Even with the simplest calculation, the result showed that a hurricane would hit this land in 53 days. And the Lenape tribe is a people spread across a vast territory from 21st century Delaware to New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York. This meant we had only 52 days left to evacuate them. 53 days. It might be an absurdly insufficient time to evacuate people scattered across a land larger than Shikoku. "But it''s barely possible." "..." "..." "Most of them live gathered around the lower Hudson River and near the Delaware River, so if we move along the relatively flat land beside the rivers and the paths people have cleared... it should work." By that reasoning, we just need to travel a few hundred kilometers. Moreover, if we consider that surrounding tribes will inform other tribes of the crisis and evacuate them, the number we can save will increase further. That''s how the journey began. "Your Great Chief has come! Open the door!" "Great... Chief?" "Mr. Nemo! Hurry!" First, three or four of us, including myself, rush ahead in the Porter. In any case, since we had already visited each place once, finding the way wasn''t difficult. Next, I use my "eyes that avoid death" to look around and find safe zones where my head clears. Meanwhile, the others and those who arrive later by cart gather the villagers and inform them of what I''m doing and the impending disaster. Then we move on to the next village. The time spent repeating this work has already been... "22 days have passed, Mr. Nemo." This means about 40 percent of our remaining time has passed. Looking at the date on my phone, which read June 24, a sigh escaped. "...Manteo, how many villages have proceeded with evacuation?" "That... not even half yet." "Exactly, tell me the proportion." "...Only about a quarter." A quarter. At this rate, it means we''ll need to spend two more months. Time is woefully insufficient. "Moreover, considering that more tribes are scattered across a wider area in the future..." "Manteo, and everyone. I''m changing the plan." "Pardon?" "Manteo, stay here. And during the remaining time, urge the surrounding tribes to evacuate to the safe zone." "B-but then Mr. Nemo will..." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I''ll be fine. Please complete all the tasks here. Please just don''t get swept away by the storm." After finishing our meal, I gave Manteo a few cautions and then walked straight to the Porter. That''s how short of time we were. Every moment, every second was precious. Our meals became increasingly simple and meager, and the interactions between us also kept only what was essential and concise. "Mr. Nemo, before reaching the swamp ahead, you need to turn right to reach the next village." "Thank you, Raleigh." "..." "..." "..." And gradually, we came to move in silence. I increased the Porter''s speed up to 60 kilometers per hour. On primitive roads with various obstacles and where wild animals and rocks could appear at any moment, it was quite a dangerous act. "Mr. Harriot? I''m sorry, but I''d like you to stay here as well. I''m thinking of assigning you the same task as Manteo." "B-but that would greatly increase the burden on you, Mr. Nemo! That won''t do!" "I also object. It might be understandable if one person were to leave, but from the second person onward..." "I should be the one working hard. Isn''t that why I took on the role of the Great Chief of Virginia?" "..." "..." "..." "Mr. Harriot, please." "...Leave it to me." And when the Porter''s maximum speed was raised to 80 kilometers per hour, the empty seats increased one by one. "Vicente? How is the situation now?" "It''s still clear near this safe zone! There are rumors that it will rain soon, but whether that''s true..." "What date is it today?" "...June 30th." "That''s the date you agreed to disperse." "..." "Vicente, stay alive." "Of course." Then Vicente as well. Thus, all the back seats of the double cab Porter became empty. VROOOOM! Maintaining the Porter''s speed at over 100 kilometers per hour day and night became the norm now. "Please listen! A storm is coming soon! This is neither a metaphor nor a scare tactic! Soon a storm will rage and might destroy this village!" "We''ve already had our fill of storms. They''ve weakened recently, so what''s there to worry about?" "You should be concerned, Chief. Our Great Chief wishes it." "...Why?" "That''s... a good question. ''He'' wishes to save you all." Raleigh dedicated himself to spreading the news to surrounding villages, and I ran around like a mad beast everywhere, chasing visions. Finding places where my head wasn''t dizzy or painful, where horrible visions weren''t visible. Finding safe zones and informing the tribe members. And... "Walter." "..." "I ask this of you. And please stay alive." "Haha... I know it''s silly for me to worry about you, Mr. Nemo... but still, take care." Raleigh also got off the Porter. I examined the map, the clock, and the date. I was entering the lower Delaware River, it was night, and the date was July 14. I turned on the Porter''s headlights and drove. Under the unusually clear night sky, a yellow cone of light raced forward. Rattle, rattle. Not long after I started driving, I heard a sound from somewhere. At first, I thought it was coming from the car. Rattle, rattle. Again, a vibrating sound was heard. It was the kind of sound that unnecessarily made me tense. Rattle, rattle. "Please...!" I briefly hit the brakes, trying to check where this unpleasant sound was coming from in the car. I let go of the steering wheel. At that moment, the sound stopped. "..." Looking down at my hands, they were trembling. July 19. The date seen on ''that day'' was July 23. Estimated hurricane landfall on the 22nd. ...3 days until the hurricane''s landfall. I spread out a 21st century map. Then I look at a tangled web of major mountain ranges, rivers, and roads that couldn''t possibly exist yet. Cities that haven''t been built yet are growing like blisters here and there, and roads and bridges that couldn''t possibly exist now are stretched out like scars. But the scale and description of the topography were detailed and accurate. Of course, by 21st century standards. Flip. And then I unfold another map. It was another map drawn by me and my colleagues. Though it had a much less accurate scale and topographical description, at least it showed what exists now. It showed the villages that exist now, the sporadically broken roads that exist now, and the rivers, mountains, and all sorts of obstacles that exist now. Comparing the two, measuring with a ruler, and overlapping them, I estimated the approximate distance to the destination. It was the result using the two most accurate maps of the eastern North American region on Earth. The result was... 150 kilometers in a straight line. ''I can make it.'' It was a distance I could cover in a day. I can arrive well before dawn. The sooner I hurry, the better. With that thought, I stepped on the accelerator, and soon the instrument panel read 150 kilometers per hour. Though I hadn''t slept for a week already, my body was still alive and wriggling. Even without looking in the mirror, I could tell. My eyes, completely bloodshot, repeatedly recovered and trembled. A steel beast heavier than any beast in America raced down the road at a speed more overwhelming than any beast in America. Wolves and various beasts wandering around trembled and fled at the sight of the fiercely drawn line of light. But I didn''t stop. There weren''t many road-connected sections to the coastal village, the destination village where the Lenape Great Chief resided. If I didn''t speed up here, there would be nowhere else to drive faster. I step on the accelerator again to increase the speed. The car body trembles and screams, but I knew. After 12 o''clock, it would be fine again. And. With that thought, I overlooked one thing. It was night now. And I forgot that even though it was called a "road," it was a road made by merely packing soil with crude tools. CRACK. Until I heard that sound, I couldn''t even guess for a moment what had happened. One wheel lifted, the car flipped sideways, and a low protruding rock was revealed to my eyes. "Oh." That was all I could say. CRASH! Soon the steel crumpled, the wood tore away, and the world shook. I was shaken madly, flipped, and crushed like a lump of meat being ground in a blender. Chapter 135 - 135: Vision of Doom (6) When I regained consciousness... I couldn''t even scream. Under the torn and bloody clothes, the intact flesh as always wriggled. Nevertheless, I couldn''t move properly because of the pain. My body, which had moved calmly even when stabbed with a knife or burned by fire, had stiffened. Ah... maybe staying up for a week was too much. Thinking such thoughts, I gritted my teeth and crawled over the broken window in front of me. Broken glass was stuck all over my hands, arms, and legs, but because of the pain that twisted my entire body, such minor pain actually felt refreshing. And, barely crawling out and looking back, I could see the wrecked Porter. Black oil was dripping from that huge body like blood. Somewhere, ominous friction sounds and dizzying burning smells arose. Oil, friction sounds, burning smells. Anticipating what would happen, I got up and stepped back significantly. Soon, flames arose and consumed the car body. "..." Only then did it sink in. How far was it to the destination? Ah, about 190 kilometers left. Remaining time? About two days. And the car is burning in front of my eyes. "..." I couldn''t give any answer beyond silence to this situation. Soon, as time passed, the flames subsided, and each component of the Porter melted as if evaporating into the air, and then completely disappeared. Everything inside it too. It was midnight. Now July 20. Just two days until the hurricane''s landfall. "..." 190 kilometers in two days... "..." I unconsciously looked up at the moon. And looking around, I saw the residents of this area gathering here and there as if surprised. These were people I had already visited before, those who might not have heard the news of the storm from Raleigh, who was now in charge of this area. I knew well how I would appear in their eyes. One who commands a steel beast, one who crawled out of its dead body, and one who survived the entire process. Some were coming to pay their respects to me. But they were not my share. I trusted Raleigh. So I began to run, shaking them off. Some people tried to follow me, but they all fell behind, unable to match my speed. I ran like mad until they were out of sight. No, I ran even after they were out of sight. I ran. They say professional marathon runners run 42.195 kilometers in just over 2 hours, while average people run for 4 to 5 hours. Then what about me? How quickly could a person with a continuously regenerating body, disregarding pain, arrive? I didn''t know. And in that not knowing, I could place hope. Trying to check the time, I fumbled in my pocket for my phone, realized it was empty, and let out a hollow laugh. Ah, I had thrown it on the passenger seat of the car. I wonder if it''s safely stored in my house in Croatoan by now. I couldn''t know my position, my speed, the current time, nothing. Just guessing the rough direction and path, I was simply running like a fool. Everything was dark. Even the stars were hidden by clouds and couldn''t be seen. When the sun rose, my legs almost gave out. And when the sun set again, my whole body began to tremble. I fell many times, but small wounds were easily erased like water stains. Again, torn clothes mended and bloodstains began to disappear. I realized midnight had come again. July 21. One day until the predicted hurricane landfall date. My legs were shaking. When I spat, blood pooled on the road, and my whole body felt like it was melting. Blinking my eyes again, all those abnormal conditions were healed. My heart was beating as if it would jump out of my body. My head started to ache and pain began to come because my body lacked water. And after moving a few more steps, the pain was thrown off again. I repeated this countless times. Visions of death passed by me, and echoes of pain pricked my nose, but I ran. I just ran. As if I had been running since birth. Muscles tear and regenerate again. Broken bones reattach and regain their former strength. Sweat pours like rain all over my body, symptoms of dehydration approach all over my body, and then disappear again. I ran. I fall again, bleed, and clothes tear away. Still, I get up again. And. I ran. I couldn''t tell how much time had passed. My destination was just beyond that horizon, at the end of the vanishing point. I ran. Until I reached my destination. Until I could see the sea, the horizon. I ran. == Rain falls. People gave up hunting or gathering and sat around in their huts, chatting with family or inviting neighbors for good food. But some people didn''t stop going outside even amidst this rain, because the Great Chief would be arriving soon. They waited for the day the new Great Chief would return. He had said that their tribe would become purer than jade, and that nothing greater than them would remain except diamond. But in the meantime, they had persuaded more tribes to send gifts. Now they could become an even greater tribe. Now they could acquire more iron axes and various shiny luxury items. With such desire, people had been lingering and looking around more frequently for days. They wandered around like people who had lost a cherished dog, scanning the outskirts of the village for a long time. When would the Great Chief return? Shouldn''t he be back by now? No. Maybe tomorrow... With such expectations, young men of the village, including Sassunan, loitered around this area. They did so even though they knew that when the Great Chief came, he would lead several carts, bring that giant steel cart at the forefront, and come rushing at a swift pace. He would return with strange attire and with such a splendid procession. He would return with that reassuring smile of his. He... "L-look, look over there!" "..." "..." Sassunan, who was patrolling the outskirts of the village today, saw a man. A man walking slowly towards them, covered in wounds and blood, wearing tattered clothes, blinking his eyes and looking around as if trying to figure out where he was. And his gaze turns this way. Only then did Sassunan understand why his companion had called him urgently. He had returned. "..." "..." In a way no one had expected. With each step he takes, the wounds on his body disappear as if washed away by the rain. With each step closer, all sorts of traces on his body scatter into the wind. "...Sassunan." "Ah... uh..." sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "I remember your name. Call your chief. No, gather all the villagers." And as he raised his blood-covered face to look at the sky, the dried blood scabs on both his cheeks fell off. Again, the torn clothes stuck back together and returned to their original state. Like... a beautiful snake shedding its old skin and revealing its true form. The young men gathered at the spot were astonished and called people together. He, he has come. He has returned. He was indeed not human. He was a spirit. A very great spirit at that. At those words, people gathered even on a day when rain poured heavily. Fearful and joyful, they looked at the man. Then the man points to a place. "...Over there." And people walked following the man. After walking aimlessly, on a hill, he stops. He suddenly picks up a branch and draws a large circle surrounding them all, then says: "At least until the third day comes... do not go beyond this circle." Those were his last words. As his tired, unfocused eyes closed. THUD. He collapsed. On the day he collapsed, heavy rain fell to a degree that made yesterday''s calm unimaginable. On the first day that followed, a storm arose. People cowered in fear, bowing their heads and curling their bodies to the screams of the atmosphere. As the man had said, they ate the food they had brought, waiting only for this moment of terror to pass quickly. And on the second day, the wind continued. People saw the wind tearing through the village. They saw everything they had submerged in water. Throughout all this, the circle the man had drawn didn''t fade at all despite the storm. It was just a circle hastily drawn with a branch. Out of fear, no one touched the circle. Even the children just watched, as if that thin line was protecting them. And on both the first and second days, the man just lay there. Finally. The storm subsided. The third day he had spoken of came. Chapter 136 - 136: Sacred Circle (1) The third day had come. This meant three days had passed since the coastal villagers had evacuated to the inside of the circle drawn by a man. When morning came, people slowly woke up. After living without going outside the circle for three days, everyone showed clear signs of fatigue and exhaustion. As usual, they rubbed their eyes as they got up, exchanging greetings asking if others had slept well or if their mouths had become crooked. They passed time with some small talk, tended to simple tools, and ate light snacks they had prepared in advance... Then they suddenly realized. That when they woke up in the morning, it wasn''t the same as yesterday and the day before. That when they woke up in the morning, they all woke up because they couldn''t bear the brightness of the shining sunlight. Looking up, they saw the sun had reclaimed its throne in the sky, driving away the gray clouds. Looking around, they saw the world had stopped being a hazy mass and was regaining its separate colors. Looking at each other... They were all alive. The storm had ended. Everyone looked at the scene in a daze. They stroked the grass that had regained its blue-green color and deeply inhaled the air that no longer smelled of water and blood. Only then did people realize. "Uh, uhh...?" "...Ah!" They had survived. Everyone''s reactions were different. Some cried thinking of their lost village and their companion dogs who must have died. Some gathered the food and tools they had barely managed to bring out and sighed in relief. Some embraced their children who had stopped crying and followed Sassunan outside the circle, stepping on the ground and becoming intoxicated by the sensation. Others sighed, worrying about lost property and how they would live from now on. And they were all grateful to have survived. Grateful for the blessing of life. They weren''t fools. And they certainly weren''t ungrateful people who didn''t know kindness. That''s why, from the moment they realized they had survived, people''s gazes gradually began to converge on one spot. Those who had dispersed to briefly savor life gathered again around the man lying in the center of the circle. They looked down at the man. Looking down at the man who had slept oblivious to the world for three days, they exchanged various conversations and organized different thoughts in their minds. They carefully placed their ears against his chest one by one, and placed their fingers on his wrist. His pulse was beating. He too was alive. Not a single person inside this circle had died. They slowly lifted his body up over their heads. They carefully moved him. So that his sleep wouldn''t be disturbed. Very carefully. == As the cart raced madly and then braked suddenly, the entire body creaked and groaned as if it would break apart. While the coachman made a strained sound and looked troubled, the passenger hurriedly got off and ran. There wasn''t even time to thank the coachman for his trouble. He ran breathlessly into the village. When some people who recognized him approached and waved, the man went to them and eagerly grabbed their hands. "H-h-he...?" "Raleigh, w-why are you like this? Please calm down." "This is not a situation to be calm about. Him...? Is he here?" The man''s, Walter Raleigh''s, eyes were bloodshot. In the days just before the storm hit, he had gathered surrounding tribes to the safe zone and saved hundreds. People were grateful to him and gave him all sorts of treasures as gifts. But those countless thanks and gifts meant little to him. It was because he had heard shocking news. "That... large blue-painted cart flipped over and then flames erupted. When I heard the news and went to check in surprise... I could only see the ashes that remained after burning and rough wheel tracks." "I saw the scene before that! ''He'' crawled out of the overturned cart before it burst into flames!" "And he ran away. Though he was covered in wounds, amazingly those wounds seemed to heal immediately..." A large blue-painted cart. He who was covered in wounds but those wounds healed immediately. This was the story of ''Him.'' As soon as he heard this story, Raleigh instantly guessed what had happened, and because of that, he hadn''t been able to sleep properly for the past few days. As soon as the storm ended, Raleigh rushed south with a cart, and at the end of that roughly paved road, he saw wheel tracks that had roughly scraped the ground and burn marks. Traces of something burned remained here and there, but no other debris was visible. Raleigh could immediately picture what had happened. It had melted. The Porter, and all His other sacred tools. They probably returned to Croatoan Island. Thinking this, everything became clear. He currently has ''nothing,'' just His bare body. He might not even have proper clothes. The thought gave Raleigh goosebumps, and he rushed for several more days. "I-I''ll ask again. Is ''He,'' the Great Chief of us all and not a human being, here? Please answer me!" And so he came here. Raleigh''s heart became urgent. The village was in ruins, and moreover, due to the semi-nomadic nature of the residents, not many stayed in the village, so there was no way to know how many had survived. Let alone knowing whether He had succeeded in saving this village, Raleigh couldn''t even know if He was properly here. To such a Raleigh, the villagers, though perplexed, pointed to one place. His eyes fell on a large hut that had been temporarily rebuilt. It was probably the chief''s house. "Th-thank you!" Without time to ask detailed circumstances, he gave a brief greeting and ran again. While running, he quickly arranged his hair and clothes and showed the proper respect to meet ''Him.'' And as he carefully lifted the cloth covering the entrance... "...Ah, Walter?" A man appeared. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. A man quietly looking at the stream of sunlight seeping into the dark interior of the hut, with a blanket covering his legs. As always, with a gently calm smile, He turned to look at Raleigh as if He had been waiting. Chapter 137 - 137: Sacred Circle (2) He showed no sign of being flustered or surprised. Raleigh quietly kneeled on one knee before Him to show respect. The clothes He usually wore were folded and placed beside Him, and loose, light clothes that would be comfortable for a patient had been changed onto Him. Although it would be difficult to find firewood with everything soaked, dry wood was piled high beside Him, and the bonfire also seemed to have been neatly tended until just now. A couple of native youths seemed to have been providing something like nursing care, carefully observing His condition. It was evident in the way the people here treated Him. "...You succeeded after all." Mr. Nemo had saved the people here. He simply smiled in response. "Walter, I''m glad to see you survived safely through the storm. Are the others alright?" "I haven''t been able to check yet." "I see." And after emptying some of the warm porridge-like food handed by the natives, He slightly tilted His head after looking at Raleigh''s face. "Hmm... then, did you come here as soon as the situation ended? Why didn''t you rejoin the other colleagues?" S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." "Walter? You don''t look well. What''s wrong?" "..." "Are you perhaps injured somewhere? Oh, I''m sorry. I shouldn''t have left you alone. Can you show me the wound...?" "I''m not injured. I was in the safe zone Mr. Nemo designated, so my body is fine." Raleigh shook his head and waved his hand to Nemo. And with a somewhat bitter expression, he asked: "Just, I know it''s funny... I know it makes no sense for a mere human made of dirt to worry about a spiritual being... but are you alright?" "Pardon?" "I was just reminded of when you first saved me." It was still vivid in Raleigh''s eyes. When assassins rushed at him, He stretched out His arm to save him, and instead received countless slashing blades while standing His ground¡ªhe could still picture that scene. The people at that place knelt before Him, and covered in blood and wearing tattered clothes, He quietly moved forward to save yet another life. Every moment of that sacred scene was embedded in his mind and unforgettable. It would be more accurate to say that he couldn''t forget it. But Raleigh could remember not just the sacred aspect of the scene, but something else as well. Others might not have seen it because they were too far away. Those who stabbed Him with knives might not have seen it because they were too excited. But he saw it. How His fingertips trembled each time He was stabbed with a knife. How His brow furrowed and then relaxed again. "When I think about it, it makes sense. Even an angel... when clothed in human flesh, naturally feels pain, doesn''t it?" Yes. He feels pain. When He was stabbed with a knife and threw Himself into burning flames, He felt the pain each time. Because He is an angel clothed in flesh. "Is the pain somehow lessened when transmitted to an angel?" He quietly smiled... then dismissed the natives who were nursing Him and opened His mouth. "...What meaning would remain in the Savior''s Passion as He carried the cross, if you removed the pain? Many valuable things are obtained through pain." In other words, His answer was ''no.'' He feels the full pain. He feels the pain of flesh tearing, bones breaking, muscles twisting, and entrails being ravaged. He feels the pain of limbs burning, the body becoming dizzy, fingertips and toes going numb, and strength draining from the entire body. "And yet... did you go?" That long distance, with your bare body? This time He just smiled. So Raleigh raised his voice further: "How did you do that while enduring all that pain? What... does it leave you with?" "Who would expect to gain something while doing a good deed?" "Humans do." Yes. Humans do. The desire for wealth and fame, the hunger for power drives them. Therefore, a human would want their good deeds to be widely known, and a human would expect their name to be exalted through their good deeds. That''s what humans are. No one endures beyond a certain limit of pain to go that far. "...Isn''t it painful? Why, why do you go this far?" It appeared before Raleigh''s eyes. The breaking Porter, His body writhing in pain, the image of Him running with a body that had gone without sleep for days¡ªall of it appeared. That''s not something a person, no, even an angel should bear. No one should bear such a thing. Especially not the great being before him. Especially not ''Him'' who had changed his life and taught him so much. He had already suffered enough, so why should He endure such great pain further? "Is it because of your angelic duty? If it''s because you''re an angel, because you were created to serve humans and you''re following that nature, then an angel''s life is how terribly and painfully filled with..." "Walter." And. As Raleigh raised his head, He smiled. Unlike usual, His smile was full of playfulness. "What a foolish question. Angelic duty, nature... it''s not about such things. Why do you find it so difficult to answer a question that any human could answer?" "...Pardon?" "It was an amusing joke, if it was a joke. You run a trading company and have an excellent mathematician like Harriot as a friend, surely you wouldn''t fail to solve such a simple arithmetic problem. Did I say I suffer?" He extended one finger in front of Raleigh. "Yes. I, one person, suffer ''briefly.''" "..." "And..." Again, He extended all ten fingers in front of Raleigh. "With the suffering of just one, hundreds of lives can be saved. It''s a great profit." "..." "It''s a hundredfold, no, a thousandfold profit. Shouldn''t one be happy to have made such a great profit? As a merchant yourself, Walter, you would understand how happy I must be." "I, I..." Raleigh couldn''t dare to answer. Then He smiled. "In this world, there are those who search all day for one lost sheep and rejoice when they find it. So, what''s so extraordinary about making a small effort to save hundreds of people?" One. And hundreds. Simple arithmetic. "..." That arithmetic left Raleigh speechless. "This isn''t about an angel''s nature or anything like that. This is about doing something because one can do it. This is... just, the natural thing to do." Again. That naturalness blinded Raleigh''s eyes with light. Chapter 138 - 138: Covered in Blood (1) "Vicente? Manteo? Is everyone alright?" "Except for a stiff neck from sleeping in the cart last night, I''m fine! No, I feel refreshed!" "I''m sorry for being late, Mr. Nemo. The villagers kept asking us to stay a little longer..." "It''s fine. That''s also part of winning people''s hearts. Everyone has worked hard." Soon, the scattered colleagues returned one by one. When I checked the personnel, I was finally relieved to find no one missing or injured. None of the Virginians had died because of me. In terms of material loss, the Porter had flown away along with my carefully built camper, but... it wasn''t a big deal since I wasn''t touring alone anyway, and the Porter originally moved at the same pace as the other carts. My life had just become slightly less comfortable. Sigh, what a pity. My cozy bedroom where I could see the stars, a mobile kitchen and workshop¡ªall that effort spent over months to build the camper had gone to waste... Well, can''t be helped. I lost it because I drove recklessly. No one else to blame. Anyway, besides my inconvenience in washing, eating, and sleeping, there wasn''t any major disruption. It wasn''t the time to continue the tour anyway. We had already visited all the main places where misunderstandings had occurred, and I didn''t plan to make this tour just once, so we decided to wrap up the tour here. "Please provide axes, hammers, and various tools to the tribes that suffered damage. Let''s ignore ranks especially for now." The priority now was to recover from the hurricane damage. Let''s look at the situation with the Lenape tribe. Not only the tribes that had joined our gift exchange network, but also most of those who hadn''t properly joined yet had survived. However, even though there were no casualties, they suffered great damage from the hurricane because most of their residences were located near water or in valleys. Their food situation had suddenly worsened as well. That couldn''t be helped. What great possessions could people gather when evacuating in a hurry over a few days? At most, they would have had food for a few days and simple tools. Due to the hurricane, most of their grain stores and homes were submerged. There was no solution for survival. But one fortunate thing was... "These ships seem like they could sail again with just a little time." "What about the cargo inside? Is it alright?" "Ah, of course. Everything is perfectly in place." That our docked ships and the cargo in them were relatively intact. Of course, there was substantial damage, such as broken masts or sunken decks, but Raleigh said it was at a level that could be handled locally to some extent. "That''s fortunate, Walter. Then I''ll trust you with it." "...Yes." "..." "..." "Walter? Your expression seems strange. Are you alright..." "I''m fine." And after submitting his report, Raleigh quickly passed by. ...What''s going on? Ever since our conversation last time, he keeps making complicated expressions whenever he sees me. He seems to avoid conversation too. Did I say something strange? I just said it''s profitable to save people while not dying anyway, something like that? That''s strange? ...Maybe I made some other slip of the tongue? Well, probably not. Even if I made a mistake, he''ll soon return to normal. Raleigh isn''t someone who would easily distance himself from me. Anyway, what mattered was that the cargo in the ships was safe. And important cargo in the ships included glass beads, guns, jars... "The p-potatoes are also safe!" "That''s a relief! Let''s start preparations right away!" There were potatoes. Of course, there were many other luxury goods too, but as we went further north, food became an issue, so many tribes received food when exchanging gifts. And since we had come as far as Delaware, the remaining tribes were only those living in relatively high-latitude regions like New England and Canada. Therefore, it was natural that many potatoes remained to be given to them. Besides that, various tools such as iron axes, hammers, and saws that were originally intended to be given to other northern tribes flowed out. And they were urgently distributed under the name of the ''Member Tribe Special Disaster Insurance.'' "Could... we join too? We don''t need to start at a high rank!" "W-we want to join too! Please accept us!" There was also good news. Even tribes that had not been incorporated into our trade network had all suddenly joined after this incident. Moreover, as they had migrated to the safety zone, they decided to relocate to that area, leading to a kind of tribal absorption and integration. All of this was good news. The tribes gathered together, they were all incorporated into our sphere of influence, and one by one they searched for places to settle. "Everyone! Look at this! You split it into four pieces! Here, like this!" Isn''t it perfect for distributing potatoes? It was now late July, and since the potato planting season extended until late August, fortunately, they could start potato farming right away. Although the sailors and attendants who had come for trade unexpectedly began potato farming lessons, no one had major difficulties. These were things they had already experienced in the Virginia settlement. I hastily sent one intact ship south with instructions to give different gifts to the natives in the north, so others wouldn''t starve even if we used the potatoes here. So the immediate food problem was somewhat resolved... Now we just needed to build trading posts and cathedrals for the trading post staff... "Is this the site?" After handling matters inland and returning, the bishop dispatched from Croatoan to the coastal village asked. "Uh... yes. With the help of the villagers, it''s progressing quickly. This is the warehouse, this is the office space, and here... the cathedral will be placed." "The cathedral site is larger than I expected? The location is somewhat remote." I asked out of pure curiosity. Our ''Nemo faction'' did not attempt aggressive evangelization toward the natives. If conflicts or disputes arose from that, the damage would come right back to us. So the cathedrals built at each trading post were nothing more than small prayer spaces for the 10 or so staff who would stay there. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But this site... just looking at the pillars set in the ground, it seemed capable of holding at least 100 people. Why are they building it like this? And in a location quite far from the village? "The tribal members in this area wanted it." "...Ah." "Look at the floor." At those words, when I looked down at the floor, stones were laid in a circle, and small lines were engraved on top of them. Looking around, I saw that stones with such lines drawn on them encircled the cathedral site. Only after surveying this did I realize. This irregular line is modeled after what I had drawn. Inside that line was... The safe zone from the storm that raged that day. Somehow, it felt difficult to say more. A silence too valuable for me to break had settled around. Looking around, I saw flowers or shell beads brought by people placed near the stones with engraved lines. They had been placed there by people passing by. Anyway, about two months had passed since the day the storm hit. It was time to return to Virginia. Late September, and early October. When the repairs of the ships were roughly completed, we loaded the remaining baggage and boarded. As the amount of gifts received had decreased and quite a lot of cargo had been unloaded, the ships departed the coast smoothly with their lightened bodies. So, while looking at the horizon stretching to the left and the sun setting to the right, I was quietly sipping wine at the bow when... Step. Someone''s footsteps were heard. When I turned around, the man who had been avoiding me all this time was standing slightly apart, looking at me. Somehow, my reflection in his pupils seemed as distant as the moon faintly rising in the sky, and the emotions that pooled and evaporated like shadows in every contour of his face created a complex ambiance. Chapter 139 - 139: Covered in Blood (2) "Walter?" At that, Raleigh carefully took the wine glass from my hand, brought it to his own lips, and then said, taking something out of his pocket: "Do you remember this knife?" It was a shoe knife. Before I could answer, the sudden aching sensation in my body made it difficult to continue speaking. In a way, it was a knife my body remembered. "...Is it the knife that stabbed me?" At those words, Raleigh nodded and said: "And the knife that almost stabbed me. Do you remember?" Step. Taking one step closer, he showed me the shoe knife and said: "You are the benefactor of my life." == He had many names. The name given at birth and baptism was Walter Raleigh. A glorious name inherited from his ancestors. The nickname received from the Queen as her lover was Water. A name obtained because she couldn''t pronounce the ''l'' in Walter well. Speaking of titles, "sir" had been attached to his name at one point, but now he had gained a splendid new title as a proper territorial nobleman: Baron of Roanoke. There were also many other nicknames that countless people called him, filled with respect or contempt. A few years ago, after preventing the Black Death in London, he even received the excessive nickname of ''Saint.'' However, there was a name more important to him than all those honorable, miscellaneous, humble, and noble names. "People, too generously, call me an ''Apostle.''" Apostle. One who is sent to spread the Lord''s word. He cherished and valued that name the most. That name was not given by parents or lovers. It was not given by lords or the common people. "You saved me, and you gave me a mission." That name was received from the one who saved him and reshaped his soul. "You protected me from countless blades." Raleigh spoke softly, listening to the sound of waves around. Fortunately, only the two of them were there. The sun cast long shadows on them as it shone its final light from the west. "I am a person saved by you. I live with a debt to you that I can never repay." "..." To those words, Nemo only showed a smile that was somewhat enigmatic. Then Raleigh said: "That''s why I must speak. I cannot understand. Why do you endure such great pain to save people? I am still confused, unable to understand that ''simple arithmetic.'' Why do you endure such pain? Why... why do you struggle so?" Raleigh had seen. When he took out the shoe knife, He slightly curled His body as if in pain. For a very brief moment, He lost balance and staggered. Beneath His detached face, the pains He had endured were stacked up, eating away at Him. Putting the shoe knife deep into his pocket, he said: "No one living in this fallen world will be able to understand the ''simple arithmetic'' that Mr. Nemo spoke of. No, even if people like Noah, Daniel, and Job were to be reborn and live on this earth, I wonder if they could understand it." Suddenly, his speech, which had seemed calm and measured, changed as if he were speaking passionately. Yet even as Raleigh spoke with excitement, He maintained His composure. And He was about to open His mouth. At that, Raleigh brought his index finger to His lips and spoke again: "...But I know what you''re going to say." "Do you?" "Yes, of course. That simple arithmetic... humans can never understand it. Because it''s not meant to be known and understood." At those words, Nemo''s lips turned up slightly. Gaining confidence, Raleigh added: "It was not something to be solved by knowing and understanding, but something to be felt. It was something that could reveal and illuminate the answer through the most primal and noble light shining in a person''s heart. ...Am I right?" Silence. And a smile. Yes. He was right. The teacher says he was right. Clutching his overwhelming heart, Raleigh continued, almost reciting: "People... say that you can do such things because you are an angel, that you show us such lofty appearance because you are the messenger of the great Lord. No. Those are nonsensical words of foolish people. In fact, everything you do, we too can do. We too can be as noble as you. Although we cannot have immortal bodies like you, although we cannot see the future, humans can be as noble as you." Then Nemo, raising his finger to the sky, added one sentence: "...For when they shall rise from the dead, they neither marry, nor are given in marriage; but are as the angels which are in heaven." Mark 12:25. "Indeed... that is so." Raleigh bowed his head and answered Him. "We all can be as sublime as you." "Very well. If you know that..." "But because we do not act so, you suffer." At those words, His smile diminished slightly. Raleigh slowly knelt on one knee and said: "Because humans act vilely, because humans do not reveal the nobility within themselves, you suffer." "...I am fine." "I am not fine. Those who follow you are pained by your suffering." "..." "...However, how dare I, how dare I whom you saved, ask you not to suffer? How dare I ask you not to save people? So..." Their eyes meet. Some flame burns from the souls of the two people. "...Just allow me to reduce your pain." Nemo extended His hand. "Just... let me act together at your side." Then Raleigh grabbed that hand. "So that people may become as noble as you." All my allegiance. All my passion. My lifetime. To you. Ah, you have truly come as a model for humanity. You are truly the messenger of the Lord. Thus Raleigh offered a prayer. He engraved that prayer in his heart once more. == The chiefs of the Lenape tribe gathered to hold a meeting. "...Now, everyone here has received their own rank and become part of that ''Virginia Community.''" "That''s right... How could it be otherwise?" "..." "..." "..." It was because they faced a problem difficult to solve within a single village or clan. They did not gather in the large village they always used as a meeting place. Similarly, they did not go to the newly constructed coastal synagogue. The place they headed was on a certain road. A place where ashes remained even after being swept away by the storm. They gathered there, each pitching a tent and talking. "According to the testimony of many people, His sprint began from here." As someone puffed on tobacco and spoke, others nodded and muttered together: "Then... let''s set up a milestone from here. We need to pave the road anyway to move gifts by cart." "From here to the coast? That''s not an easy distance." "Indeed. That''s why we need to build a road." S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." "..." 190 kilometers. Yes. It was not an easy distance. Someone ran that not-so-easy distance day and night. Thus, dozens, hundreds of people survived. Someone spoke again. If we set up milestones from here, how about establishing places to stay along the way for those pulling carts to rest? Someone else answered. That''s a good idea. Then the speed at which gifts are exchanged would also increase. Someone added. This road is not just for gifts to pass. It''s a place where certain memories that we should engrave as long as we live on this land pass through. Those who commit deviations here will be severely punished in the name of the entire tribe. Everyone nodded in agreement. Someone clapped and said. At the end of this road is the sanctuary of the ''Master'' whom He serves, so how about we all walk there once? Perhaps to see the road-building work. A moment of silence. One by one, the chiefs stood up. And after several discussions, the chiefs each led their light and heavy bodies and began walking toward the southern coast. Following the path where a man had walked covered in blood. Chapter 140 - 140: Heretics (1) The sea was calm, and the autumn air was slightly chilly but clear. The sky felt unusually high and blue, almost like an upside-down ocean. I gazed up at the blue sky before lowering my eyes toward the horizon. Islands and peninsulas were scattered here and there like stains across the blue sea. "Walter, exactly how far are we from Virginia?" "About 200 kilometers left." "Haaa... indeed." "What''s the matter?" Finally, Raleigh is using meters instead of those cursed leagues, miles, yards, feet, and inches...! I might not be an angel, but I am at least a righteous warrior who has defeated the yard-pound system. I did it! "...Nothing. It''s nothing." "I see your lips curling up slightly? Haha, you must be happy that we''re getting closer to Virginia!" Thanks to Vicente''s comment from beside me, no one particularly wondered why I was smiling to myself. But if God exists, He would know. About the greatest achievement I''ve left in this world. Anyway. After leaving the Lenape territory, we were circling around the Delmarva Peninsula (a peninsula in the Atlantic that belongs to parts of Virginia, Delaware, and Maryland) meeting various tribes again and returning to Virginia. The weather was bright and pleasant, hard to believe that a hurricane had blown through this sea not long ago. The wind wasn''t bad either, so we were moving at a decent pace on our journey home. As we were chatting among ourselves, the ship''s captain approached us, looking through a telescope, and reported: "We''ll soon be entering the territory of the Pocomoke tribe. Everyone should prepare gifts and get ready to... huh?" Suddenly, the captain''s body stiffened, and he turned to us like a poorly oiled machine, creaking. Then in a metallic, high-pitched voice, he said to us: "Uh, th-that, I mean..." ...If we can call this stammering "speech." I approached the captain, firmly gripped his wrist, and demonstrated deep breathing. Soon, the captain followed my example, took a few deep breaths, calmed down, and looked at me. "What''s the matter?" I asked. "Uh, no, th-that, well, you see..." "..." The captain began showing the same reaction as before. What on earth did he see through that telescope to react like this? Confused, I snatched the telescope from the captain''s hand and brought it to my eye. And I looked in the direction the captain had just been looking. Then... "...Oh." "Wh-what is it? What do you see, Nemo?" "Are you alright? Is something wrong...?" "...First, arm the crew on the deck." "Pardon?" "And then arm everyone on the ship. Arm yourselves too." After saying that, I handed the telescope to the confused Raleigh. After looking through it, his expression became serious as well. "Oh... damn. Vicente? Remember where our swords are?" "What? Well, uh..." "We need them right now!" That''s right. What the captain, Raleigh, and I saw was... A ship. A European-style ship with unmarked sails, impossible to identify as friend or foe. They had already docked in the territory of the Pocomoke tribe where we were planning to anchor. Alarmed, we rushed ashore with chainsaws, knives, and pistols. "For Virginia!" "F-for Virginia...? Huh?" "..." "..." After confirming they were all familiar faces, we quickly put away our weapons. "W-why are you coming out from there, Nemo?" "Waaaaaah! Nemo is safe!" "..." "Nemo? Where is Nemo? Where!" "..." "..." "...Everyone, put down your weapons." They were all our settlers. "...Everyone, what''s going on here?" "N-Nemo, how did you..." "We were on our way back from our tour. Now answer me. What were you all doing here?" "..." "..." "..." ...Somehow, the atmosphere feels familiar. Like our family dog pretending not to know anything after breaking my mother''s favorite flowerpot... Or like elementary school students turning their heads away, pretending they didn''t forget to bring their textbooks to class... Expressions that appear when people have done something wrong were clearly visible. "Hmmmm." "Um... Nemo?" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As I stood with my arms crossed waiting, someone hurriedly jumped off the unmarked ship, ran to me, and bowed. It was... "...Oitotan? Is that you? Are you the leader of this group?" "Ha, haha, hahahaha... more of a proposer than a leader..." "..." "...Yes, that''s right." When does this guy not cause trouble? "Anyway... well, no one got hurt, so it''s fine. What''s going on, everyone? Why did you come all the way here?" It could have been serious, but since nothing major happened, I''ll let it slide. When I spoke with that attitude, Oitotan bowed his head with a relieved expression and said to me: "T-to explain the situation, I should first explain about ''that thing'' that suddenly appeared one day..." "''That thing''?" "That thing! The blue, giant wagon..." Ah. He was talking about the Porter. And so Oitotan''s story began with the Porter. == It was a peaceful day on Croatoan Island. Eleanor was in a good mood. Today, her Excel work was going much better than usual, Virginia hadn''t been picky about food, and most of the patients who came to the hospital had only minor ailments. Having finished her daily routine, she was humming a tune while heading to a space permitted only to her and a few others at Nemo''s farm¡ªthe logistics warehouse. Eleanor planned to transfer the information of new settlers she had organized and update the records of those newly born or deceased on the computer there. The surroundings were bright thanks to the special lighting Kin Issei had left on. Since electricity was unlimited and there were no electricity bills, Kin Issei''s idea to use it freely was extending Eleanor''s working hours into the night. So... THUD! Until midnight. "Ack! Wh-what was that!" Eleanor ran anxiously toward the direction of the loud noise. But there was no one, nothing there. Of course, at this hour, no one would dare cause a disturbance in this sacred place, but... Then what was that loud noise just now? People were already rushing over with pitchforks and muskets, apparently having heard the sound too. Before they arrived, Eleanor thoroughly searched the surroundings. Perhaps a Spanish spy or something could be hiding in a place like this... "..." And then she saw it. "Wh-what...? Why is this here?" A blue vehicle, with 5-6 passenger seats and a spacious cargo area. The Porter that Nemo should be driving up north was stuck in a pit, almost like someone about to be buried alive. People began to stir at the ominous sight. Most Croatoan residents had been around Nemo for over a decade. They knew well under what circumstances his possessions returned. When he could no longer retrieve them. Or when they were too damaged to use or recover. Everyone looked at each other with dismay, unable to hide their expressions. Ominous thoughts lingered in everyone''s minds. That strong steel body of the vehicle was crushed, torn, and terribly damaged to the point it couldn''t move? Then... what about those inside? What about Nemo? "..." "..." Everyone was silent. And without holding a separate meeting, they easily agreed that this news must not leak outside the island. "Eleanor? Are you okay? You''re so pale!" "I''m f-fine. Let''s get to work first." "Are you feeling unwell?" "..." However. "Why the long face?" "...It''s nothing." "You seem troubled." "N-nothing, I said..." People outside the island weren''t fools either. They might not know exactly what the Croatoan residents were hiding, but they could tell they were hiding something. "Well, the truth is..." Chapter 141 - 141: Heretics (2) In such a situation, it wasn''t difficult for the truth to leak out. And the whole of Virginia was turned upside down. "Aaaah! N-Nemo...!" "Nemo is in danger! It must be the Spanish plotting!" "E-everyone, please calm down! He is a messenger of the almighty Lord! He will never be threatened by any Spanish plot!" "Can you really guarantee that, Hewett?" "...Probably." "..." "..." "Aaaaaah! Aaaaaaaaah! Fi-first, grab your weapons!" "We must save Nemo! We, we must save Nemo...!" Even Hewett''s persuasion had no effect. It was natural since Hewett himself didn''t know exactly what had happened. People quickly noticed the lack of conviction in his tone and fell into an even greater panic. Seeing the crowd frenzied before the confused Hewett, Eleanor stepped forward this time. "Everyone! Look! The tablet that He gave us is still shining, isn''t it!" She turned on the flashlight function of the tablet and shone it on the people. The night was dark, so even a small light had a good visual effect. "If something had happened to Him, could His power still emit light like this? Everyone, come to your senses!" "...L-logical." "Right. With the Saint speaking like that..." Thus, most of the crowd calmed down, but... "B-but, still, no one knows whether Nemo is in danger or not, right?" "Shouldn''t we at least send someone to check?" "We could cause more trouble if we move rashly. For now..." "Let''s at least go ourselves! There''s a ship right there!" "Yeaaaah!" Not everyone was convinced. Several hundred people, including Spanish and English sailors, Oitotan, and excited followers, gathered and headed north without a plan. "N-no! Everyone! Stop!" "Lord White! We will safely rescue Nemo, so please wait here!" "We''re coming, Nemo!" John White made a final attempt to stop them, but they weren''t the kind of people who could be stopped. They set off on their adventure together, bearing the sacred mission to ''save Nemo.'' ...In the process, they broke into the armory to steal weapons, entered the communal storehouse to gather food, and seized a newly dried ship. This was beyond a simple deviation. From the moment they independently armed themselves, they were essentially rioters or rebels, just not punished yet. Therefore, they absolutely had to ''save'' Nemo. But it''s okay. Surely Nemo must be captured somewhere by a bad tribe or bad Spanish people. They would be able to rescue Nemo! They would be able to save the community in crisis! With their overflowing devotion! Believing so... == "...And that''s how we ended up here." That was the story of Oitotan and those who followed him. I rubbed my temples at his words. ...A headache is coming on. It''s my fault. I was too complacent. This could have happened anytime. It''s a situation that arose because I didn''t establish countermeasures. "...Everyone." At my words, those who had been hanging their heads like scolded schoolchildren looked up at me. "I understand that you didn''t act with ill intentions. In fact, considering your motives alone, I find your hearts admirable and am glad." "Thank y¡ª" "However." I raised a finger and said: "Why didn''t you obey the ''apostles'''' orders?" "W-well, we were worried Nemo might be in danger..." "..." "...We''re sorry." "That''ll do." When I look back at the biggest mistake I made, it''s clear. I neglected to properly establish authority for my close companions... those people call my ''apostles,'' merely assigning them tasks without establishing their authority. This isn''t the fault of Hewett, White, or Eleanor. They were merely administrative officials (good with Excel) and favored aides of a religious leader, not religious leaders themselves. They were closer to being members of a government leading the Virginia community, with little religious authority. So everyone fell into confusion as soon as I was in danger. Because there was no authority to control that confusion. The process of their departure was problematic, but in my view, the situation after they left was even worse. The apostles couldn''t control their ''excessive loyalty'' toward Nemo. They couldn''t do anything as these people ravaged the settlement and left. Moreover, thinking of those who remained, it probably created religious anxiety like "Sh-should we have gone to save Nemo too? Were the apostles wrong?" By now, the community must still be in chaos. People must be trembling in fear and continuing their anxious daily lives, doubting the orders of apostles they can no longer trust. "Do you understand what you''ve done? Your disobedience is a very serious matter." "..." S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." In any other place, these people would simply be treated as traitors. It means they would be hanged without mercy. However... it was difficult for me to punish them. After all, they didn''t act with ill intentions. Suppressing a deep sigh, I said: "Everyone, remember this. When I am absent, the apostles are my representatives. If a problem arises when I''m not around, follow the apostles'' words first." This mess happened because I didn''t make this point clear. I took a moment of silence for Eleanor and others who must have suffered. "Then, should we consider the apostles'' words as Nemo''s will?" "That''s... no, that''s not it." Whoa, that was close. Right. That''s not it. "However... since they were appointed to convey my intentions, they may be relatively close to my will. Their words deserve respect." I established a clear hierarchy while appropriately separating the authority of the so-called ''apostles'' from myself. They seemed to understand, nodding their heads. ...Good. "For now... let''s return together. I''ll decide your punishment later." At the mention of ''punishment,'' everyone''s spirits dampened. It seemed they finally realized what they had done wrong. Well, with this, the situation seems to be mostly resolved. We began heading south again with the dejected hundred-plus volunteer corps. After traveling about 200 kilometers more, passing through the territories of the Occohannock and Accomac tribes... "L-look, the fleet is returning!" "At the bow! It''s Nemo!" It was Chesapeake Bay. Ahh... uuugh... it was tough. This tour was several times harder than I had anticipated. Suddenly having premonitions, the Porter flipping over, experiencing a marathon... In the middle, the camper attached to the Porter was completely destroyed, causing my quality of life to plummet. I had to bathe in streams and couldn''t even cook for myself. That won''t happen anymore. Ugh, I even miss the low-temperature slow-cooked rice. All that''s left is to return to my Green Gables and enjoy a peaceful, comfortable life... "Tr-traitors!" ...or so I thought. My ears perked up at the sudden shout. People murmured and repeated the word "traitors" among themselves, then... "N-no! Heretics!" The word "traitors" was replaced with "heretics." I hear the word I''ve feared most during my 12 years since falling here. Startled, I looked around with wide eyes. Someone was pointing not at me but at the person standing a few spaces away from me. The finger was pointed at Oitotan. "Those traitors refused to obey the apostles'' orders and ran away, stealing the community''s ships, provisions, and weapons! They are traitors to the holy community! They are infidels and heretics!" The thundering voice instantly drowned out all other sounds at Chesapeake Harbor, and only that angry voice could be heard. "Disobedience to the apostles is disrespect to Nemo, and disrespect to Nemo is rebellion against God!" "Right! Right!" "Looking at them, it seems they went to save Nemo but only received a scolding and returned!" I... saw this coming. After messing up the order so badly and making people anxious, this kind of reaction was to be expected. Oitotan flinched at the last remark as if it had hit home, but I was more concerned about the words that came before it. ''Heretics.'' Hon...estly, since they didn''t listen to the apostles and took food, ships, and even weapons, it''s hard to say they aren''t. If this goes wrong, it could seriously spin out of control... "Messenger of the Lord! These people must be expelled from the community!" "That''s right! There is no place for heretics in this community established by the Lord! They must be judged!" "E-everyone, please calm down! We cannot judge them!" "What are you saying, Hewett? They must be punished in the name of our community and the Lord! If we don''t punish them, how can this community be called the Lord''s community?!" ...It''s already out of control. Suddenly, sweat poured down my back like rain. I could feel the blood draining from my face. "Nemo... are you alright?" No, I''m not alright. Chapter 142 - 142: Heretics (3) "Of course those people should be expelled from the community!" "No, expulsion seems too harsh. Perhaps we should choose an appropriate punishment..." "Isn''t it wrong to punish them without any established laws?" "Are you suggesting we leave them be? When they''ve committed blasphemy against the apostles and Nemo?" "That''s... true..." People were murmuring even though I hadn''t even disembarked from the ship yet. They were bickering among themselves about how to deal with those ''heretics''... For now, I kept my mouth shut. I didn''t utter a single word. My instincts, my entire body was screaming. If I said even one wrong word here, everything would fall apart. "What are you all doing? Nemo has returned, yet instead of focusing on welcoming him, you''re causing discord and disturbing his peace!" ...Well done, Raleigh. You''re doing very well. Only after the atmosphere had calmed somewhat were we able to board the tender and disembark properly. Finally stepping onto land that felt like home... "..." "..." "..." S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. But I didn''t feel comfortable at all. Anyone would feel that way with tens of thousands of eyes fixed only on them. "...So what happens to those traitors? Heretics? Whatever they are?" "They''ll be punished, of course! The question is how to punish them..." "I remember there was talk of expulsion. Will it go that far?" "Well, they defied the apostles'' orders, so they''re heretics. And heretics shouldn''t get off with just expulsion, right?" I heard it all¡ªeveryone cautiously exchanging glances while discussing these matters. They might as well have spoken openly... Among these conversations, what particularly concerned me: "Those guys aren''t just traitors but heretics¡ªshould we prepare some firewood...?" "How do we re-educate those infidels?" Heretics, infidels, heretics, infidels, heretics, infidels... Ominous words were being spoken. From ''These people betrayed the community, so they''re traitors,'' To ''But this community is the Lord''s community,'' Leading to the conclusion: ''Therefore, these people are traitors to the Lord.'' Traitors to the Lord. Shortened to ''heretics'' or ''infidels.'' That smoothly flowing logic, as if oiled, kept bothering my ears. And with everyone nodding in agreement to this watertight logic, my mind became unnecessarily complicated. Yes. The issue isn''t whether to punish them or not. Of course they should be punished¡ªthey stole weapons and did all sorts of things. The issue is ''how'' to punish them. I have several non-negotiable premises: ''Nemo (Kin Issei) is God''s representative, sent to earth by God''s command.'' ...Right. That''s what I''ve already told the ''apostles'' and the people. ''Nemo is the leader of the Virginia community.'' This can''t be abandoned either. This community protects me from external threats, and this peculiar community is maintained because I am its leader. ''Nemo established doctrines and denominations by God''s command.'' This is the same. If I claimed to be an angel and established new doctrines and sects without God''s command, that would make me a heretic... no, just a cult leader. So let''s look at these premises from the Virginia residents'' perspective: 1).Nemo came down from heaven by the Lord''s will. 2).Established the Virginia community and governed it with apostles. 3).Spread new doctrines to the community. The conclusion naturally drawn from this: ''Ah, the Virginia community is a holy community established by the Lord!'' That''s it! This is the biggest problem! There is no separation of church and state in this community. For convenience, I assigned administrative duties to the so-called ''apostles,'' gave them religious authority, and didn''t separate the two, so Virginia has become a theocratic community! Of course, it''s hard to say ''this is wrong!'' According to the catalog, many early American pioneers came for religious reasons. As a result, many communities constituted theocratic societies, so historically it''s not far off. ...If there''s a problem. It''s that my will becomes the community''s will, and the community''s will becomes God''s will. At first glance, this seems extremely dictatorial and convenient. I can package whatever I do as God''s will! Indeed, Nemo is the absolute power of the New World! One might think. But let''s look at it in reverse. If my will is God''s will. Then God''s will must be my will. If people see inconsistency in my words, or if my behavior is not sufficiently ''divine''... This community would immediately be shaken to its foundations. ...Of course, that wouldn''t happen easily. Most people would follow my words. But that''s equally terrifying. A closed society that reveres the leader''s words as God''s will? I''ve seen that many times in newspaper social sections. Yes. The moment I condemn Oitotan and his bumbling friends as heretics, this community faces the hellish binary choice of destruction or cult status. That path cannot be chosen. But on the other hand... if I don''t punish them as heretics here? I would overturn the belief held by most community members that ''Ah, the Virginia community is a holy community established by the Lord!'' What happens then? This community becomes one created by an angel acting independently of the Lord''s will. That''s right. This entire community could become heretical. Would the Europeans in this community want to remain in this ''heresy''? Oh. I can almost see the stake before my eyes. To the Old World people, this is already sufficiently heretical. So whether I punish Oitotan, who''s trembling beside me, as a heretic or not, either choice carries an absurd risk. "Nemo, what do you think? Aren''t they heretics? If they are heretics, what punishment should..." Please don''t ask me. "You! Is sorting out such trivial disputes more important to you than welcoming Nemo who has endured hardship?" Fortunately, Raleigh was handling it well, but... I cannot show any sign of wavering here. I must always be ready to provide the right answer without hesitation. Because I''m an angel. Raleigh was reprimanding the man who had asked me if the heretics should be punished. I lowered Raleigh''s arm, which was pointing at the man, and said: "Thank you for your concern, Walter. But would you please step aside?" "You don''t need to waste your time." "No. Doesn''t he have the right to question me as well?" I slowly walked toward the man. As soon as I stepped forward, people parted to the sides, leaving nothing between the man and me. "I..." Step. "I dare ask for your opinion..." Step, step. "...uh, um." "..." Without saying a word, I approached him with just a smiling face. The nutrition and height of people 400 years in the future basically overwhelm those of this era. As I stood close to him in silence, the man closed his mouth and just stared up at me blankly. It was then that I spoke. "You''re... Mr. Hardy? From England?" "Y-yes! Now about those heretics..." "And you were a member of the assembly." "...Yes?" "Then, my answer to your question." I raised my hand, pointing to the distant assembly building, and said: "I will give it at next week''s assembly. Isn''t the assembly where we mediate conflicts and establish rules? If we don''t follow rules, how are we different from beasts?" "...Ah, ah, I understand." "That''s right, Mr. Hardy." I patted the man''s shoulder and said: "In the assembly, I will tell you my will." Hardy nodded nervously. I walked toward my lodging in Chesapeake with a face as composed as possible. I could feel everyone quietly watching my back. ...Ugh, I''m so nervous I feel like throwing up. == James Hardy was an ordinary middle-class man from England. Not quite a gentleman (gentry), just a commoner who was somewhat well-off. His life changed completely when he saw... ''Recruiting settlers bound for the New World'' The Virginia Trading Company''s announcement. "Th-they''re giving away 50 acres of land each...?" "If we go as a couple, that''s 100 acres! Darling... we can live well too!" Chapter 143 - 143: Heretics (4) If he went there, he could live in abundance! Not being trampled under the feet of noble lords in a new world! And after arriving in that new world... "L-look, a person got stabbed and resurrected!" "That''s not... not a person! It''s an angel!" He found true faith. "You should be our group''s representative!" "That''s right! Aren''t you the most trusted among the bricklayers?" "E-everyone... thank you...!" He even earned the title of ''assemblyman,'' which he thought only nobles could have. He was the happiest person in Virginia, no, in the world. He lived every day with gratitude to Baron Raleigh and Nemo, who had given him land, faith, and honor. But then... "Let''s save Nemo!" "Yeaaaaah!" "E-everyone, calm down! I-I''m an assemblyman!" "Get out of the way! Didn''t we say we''re going to save Nemo?" Daring to threaten this precious, beautiful, holy, excellent community? Recalling that time, Hardy''s eyes burned with anger. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Those people are damned traitors. Because they didn''t follow the orders of their leaders. And considering those leaders were apostles, and those apostles were the cornerstones of the holy church established by Nemo, it was all the more despicable. Traitors! And moreover, heretics! They must be clearly condemned as heretics! At the very least, they should be expelled from the community! After boldly proclaiming this in front of people, many agreed and followed him. Indeed. This path was undoubtedly right, for the good of this community. A sense of satisfaction rose within him, feeling that he was serving this holy community. Hardy walked to the assembly hall with a pounding heart. When he opened the door, various tribes were gathered. Natives, Englishmen, Moors, and Spaniards were mingling and making a commotion. "He''s speaking today?" "Yes. He definitely said he would decide on the treatment of Oitotan and the others today. Weren''t you there that day?" "Goodness, I''m nervous..." Of course, at the center of that commotion was ''His answer.'' How would he deal with the ''heretics''? How would he punish those who defied the ''apostles'''' orders? People from all over the Chesapeake settlement quickly filled the empty seats. The six ''apostles,'' various chiefs of tribes who had come from afar, and people scattered across Croatoan Island and Chesapeake Bay. All of them were waiting for one person, one angel. And the back door of the assembly hall opened. Everyone stood up, but a calm gesture made them sit down again. It was Him. He was looking down at everyone with His usual calm smile. As He took His seat, the bell announcing 6 o''clock rang exactly from afar. It was time to begin the session. Creaking. "Today''s agenda... actually, there''s only one major issue." As Hewett spoke first, Hardy swallowed. Everyone was looking at him. Overwhelmed by his emotions, Hardy stood up and shouted: "Nemo established this community according to the Lord''s will!" An obvious statement. "Nemo saved those who were starving to death and cultivated everyone''s foundation in this Virginia land. All of this is the work of the Lord." That too is obvious. "Therefore, it is our duty as servants of the Lord to protect this holy community!" Adding obvious statements to obvious statements can only lead to an obvious conclusion. As everyone nodded, Hardy gained more confidence and developed his logic further. "If we protect this holy community of the Lord, what are we protecting it from? Shouldn''t we protect this community from the work of the devil?" "Right!" "That''s right! The devils, humanity''s ancient enemies, are constantly eyeing this community. Those Spanish heretics who worship the Pope!" "And... those heretics among us who dared to disobey the apostles'' orders are those who have been shaken by such devilish influences! They stole weapons! They stole food! They stole a ship and ran away! What else wouldn''t they do?" With so many forces targeting this precious community, we cannot afford to be lenient. To protect this place, we must execute those heretics. "We must stop the devil''s power, even if it means killing or expelling them! If we can''t expel them, we must at least condemn them as heretics! Isn''t that the best we can do...?" "Enough." As his speech was suddenly cut off, Hardy coughed dryly. And. The one who interrupted him was slowly rising from his seat. "..." "..." Everyone looked up at him. They looked up at him as if waiting for the Lord''s words. And... "Did you say... we should execute those who have disobeyed the Lord''s will?" He speaks. Feeling an inexplicable pressure from His casual tone, Hardy nodded, trying to shake off his fear. "Y-yes. We must guide those who have strayed from the Lord''s will, and if guidance doesn''t work, we must crush them. That is the Lord''s will." "..." "S-such people are precisely heretics and infidels, aren''t they?" "...Aren''t they?" "..." Silence. "..." And a heavy gaze weighed him down. "..." That weighty silence, without a single word, was overwhelming him more powerfully than any eloquent speech. It was perplexing. Why is He acting like this? I only said the obvious things? I only mentioned the most basic morals that Christians should uphold? As he thought this. Nemo shook his head. As if to say he was wrong. As if already looking into his thoughts. "Who is the one to select heretics, and who is the one to identify infidels...?" At that moment, He looked up at the sky and spoke as if reciting: "Under heaven, who can know the infinite will of the Lord? Which creature is great enough to know Him completely?" His voice was calm and articulate, like singing a lullaby or teaching the alphabet to a child. Carefully, but in an easily understandable way, He spoke: "Let me ask you all." He gestured. "Do you truly know all of the Lord''s will? Is there anyone who thinks they do?" "..." "..." "...I suppose not. That''s how we are. We are so small, and the almighty Lord is so great." He smiled. "We do not know all of the Lord''s will. Unless He whispers to us directly, we cannot fathom His great intentions. So who can point out heretics and identify infidels?" Again, obvious statements were piled upon obvious statements. But Hardy was shocked to see that the accumulated pile was reaching a completely different conclusion from his own. Yet, as if entranced, he listened attentively to His easy and kind words. "Is there anyone here who has directly heard from the Lord that Oitotan and the others are infidels and heretics?" "..." "..." "..." "No one? Then how can we call them heretics, infidels, or tools of the devil''s power and punish them? We can punish them for running away with assets belonging to their community. But we cannot judge someone in the name of the Lord, borrowing His will. Because..." "...because we cannot know the Lord''s will." As a natural sentence flowed from Hardy''s lips, Nemo nodded with a smile. And then Nemo spoke: "...Therefore, I leave their punishment to you all. But do not treat them as heretics or infidels, but as fellow members who have committed misconduct." At those words, Oitotan, who had been shrinking in a corner, shrank even more. Hardy was secretly relieved by those words. So they will be punished after all. As they should be. Just not as heretics... Everyone quietly nodded and agreed with His beautiful words. With that, the meeting was adjourned. Hardy finished his day with a satisfied face, relating what he had heard from Nemo to his family. After finishing the day. After lying in bed. "...Wait a minute!" Hardy was shocked by a sudden thought. "Wh-what''s wrong, dear?" "No... j-just a moment, creatures dare not know all the Lord''s will? So we can''t distinguish heretics and infidels?" "Wh-what are you talking about all of a sudden?" That means even the apostles cannot know all of the Lord''s will. Because they too are creatures. The government formed by them cannot represent all of the Lord''s will either. Because the Lord''s will is infinite. But then... What is this community? If we cannot identify heretics or infidels... what is the identity of this religion? Is this really Christianity? As his thoughts reached that point, Hardy''s face turned bluish. Instantly, the color drained from his limbs, and all the blood in his body turned cold. It felt as if his heart had stopped. "...N-n-no!" Our small, precious community is heretical! Thus, one by one, those who had attended the meeting, including Hardy, woke up at dawn. They screamed in spiritual confusion. Soon, the commotion spread throughout Virginia. Chapter 144 - 144: Heretics (5) "Hmm, hmm... indeed, it''s a wonderful statement. That''s right. How could our finite intellect fully grasp God''s infinite intellect?" "Did he really say that?" "Of course. Didn''t he previously say not to be constrained by the path of seeking faith? Wouldn''t his latest words complete what he said then?" Isa shares what he heard at the assembly with his fellow freed African slaves. His companions rejoice, clapping their hands and laughing. Excited by his colleagues'' positive response, Isa exclaimed: "Look! It''s time to end this barbarism where countless people are made to bleed, enslaved, and even burned over trivial denominational disputes! Now we''ll build a better church and create a better world! For humanity! According to one''s own conscience!" "Hurrah!" The words from Isa''s mouth were beautiful. What do complex ritual differences and minor doctrinal differences matter in serving the Lord? Would differences of opinion among creatures really matter in the Lord''s eyes? Whether or not those destined for heaven are predestined, whether or not bread actually transforms into the Lord''s body¡ªdoes it really matter? Would the Lord send countless people to hell for believing or not believing in such unimportant details? No. That''s merely a thought that insults the Lord''s great, great mercy. When everyone is diligently serving the Lord in their own way, what do such disagreements matter? That was Nemo''s will. That was the true meaning of this community. Everyone was moved to tears, praising the name of the angel Nemo who had descended to earth. He was as great as the angel Jibril who came down to the great prophet and taught the Lord''s words. He would surely be remembered forever in human history. He broke the chains of slavery that bound them. He was like Moses who parted the Red Sea and led the Jewish people to the promised land. Everyone shed tears as they offered prayers of gratitude. Everyone cried with choked voices at His great mercy. "Ibrahim, quickly open the temple. Shouldn''t we offer prayers for Him!" "Ah, understood, Isa! I''ll open it right now!" The scattered freed Africans gathered together to offer prayers. The way they prayed and the content of their prayers were somewhat ''unfamiliar'' and ''peculiar'' to Europeans. Due to such cultural differences, many misunderstandings arose, but according to Nemo''s words, if one has devotion, what could be the problem! And so they recited the first verse of the prayer: "I bear witness that there is no god but God (???? ?? ?? ??? ??? ????)." "I bear witness that there is no god but God." And they recited the second verse: "And I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God (????? ?? ????? ???? ????)." "And I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of God." ... ... ... Isn''t what matters the heart? At least everyone gathered here respected Nemo. They loved the Lord and respected the great prophets Moses (????), Jesus (????), and Muhammad sent by the Lord. Isn''t that enough? ... ... ... Of course, opinions might differ depending on one''s perspective. ...They might differ quite a lot. == Let''s be objective... and consider. Is our community a Christian community? Hmm. Well. Considering that about 80% of our community members were spirit worshippers until a few years ago... it might be a ''bit'' of a stretch to say so? "So... this is God the Father." "Ah, I see." "And this is Jesus, the Son." "I understand." S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "They are the same person." "...Pardon?" "And here is the Holy Spirit. The Word of God." "I see." "This Word is also God." "...You know what? This fellow is my son." "I-I see." "This fellow is actually me." "..." "Does that make sense to you?" Right... In fact, quite a number of 21st-century Christians don''t understand the Trinity. It''s too much to expect people who have just encountered Christianity to comprehend it. But the problem is that many have accepted a rather creative doctrine like "Aha! Among the world''s spirits, God, Jesus, and Nemo are the most powerful!" not to mention the Trinity. This... there''s a limit to what people like Hewett and Harriot can do, no matter how hard they try. How could people understand in a short time when their lifelong worldviews are so different? But, Muslims? They believe in... a single God? They... revere Jesus? Isn''t that close enough to be considered Christian? Maybe? Catholics and Protestants, what? Is that such a big difference? Make peace. ...This is roughly how we''ve dealt with our community''s religious issues. Anyway, most people have felt uncomfortable with this situation but have quietly gone along with it. Because I, who was considered to be in a close relationship with the subject (?) of this issue, didn''t say anything. The general atmosphere throughout the community was like, ''While the Lord''s chosen messenger remains quiet on these matters, it''s difficult, if not impossible, for ordinary followers like us to argue about this sensitive matter.'' There exists an unspoken hierarchy that few dare to challenge. And though 60,000 people is large, it''s similar in size to Tsuruoka City in Yamagata Prefecture or Shibata City in Niigata Prefecture Having lived as a resident of Ueda City for several years, observing its social dynamics firsthand, I understand intimately that stirring up conflicts in such a not-so-large, closely interconnected community would be absolutely disastrous. Everyone has to be cautious about the words they speak and the positions they take. Relationships formed over decades could shatter in an instant. Especially when about 50,000 of the 60,000 are spirit worshippers. ...Well, eventually, this situation will sort itself out as time passes. Muslims, seeing that I rarely mention the Quran in my teachings and only refer to the Bible as my primary spiritual text, will naturally drift toward conversion, though not officially declaring themselves as converts. I have no choice in this approach since I know nothing substantial about Islamic theology or practices. Plus, there aren''t many Muslims in our community anyway¡ªthey represent a small minority easily influenced by the majority culture. And those who believe in spirits¡ªthe vast majority here¡ªwill gradually adapt to the more sophisticated concept of ''a single God who created all things.'' A systematic and organized faith like Christianity, with its clear doctrines and hierarchical structure, is bound to spread quickly once introduced properly. The appeal of its coherent worldview will naturally supplant the more fragmented spiritual practices currently observed. That''s what I thought. Chapter 145 - 145: Heretics (6) Anyway, this was roughly the situation at our settlement. Then I declared that ''we need not specifically identify heretics or infidels.'' Slurp. "L-look, the window curtain has been drawn!" "Please, p-p-please look this way!" "Please come out! Give us an answer!" And this is the result. Approximately 5,000 people have gathered in front of my lodging like obsessed fans... it''s chaotic. Of course, most are English. Particularly those who have recently arrived. As soon as they heard the news, they panicked and rushed to my house. ...Of course. They''re not making a fuss because they can''t punish the spirit worshippers or Muslims living next door. The community has coexisted peacefully with these neighbors for years, maintaining a delicate but functional balance. The occasional tensions never escalated beyond mild discomfort, and many have formed genuine friendships across these faith boundaries despite their theological differences. What they really want to ask me is probably... ''The meaning and reason for our community''s existence.'' I declared that even I don''t know all of God''s will. I also declared that in this community, we cannot identify heretics and infidels. This must be shocking to those who have believed that this community was ''a holy community established according to the Lord''s will.'' For many, this belief formed the bedrock of their identity, the justification for sacrifices made and hardships endured. Some elders visibly recoiled at my words, while younger members exchanged confused glances, trying to process this paradigm shift. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. If this community is not the Lord''s, what should they believe and follow now? What will happen to those who have believed in and dedicated themselves to this community? Could this community have been created by an angel''s unilateral decision? Is it alright for us to continue believing in and following ''Nemo''? Is this community heretical? ...How should I answer these questions? They are very complex and difficult questions. "..." In fact. My deliberation is already over. I rose from my half-reclined position on the bed. When I opened the door, the kitchen-cum-living room came into view. Six people were waiting there. "N-Nemo! You''ve come out!" Eleanor Dare. "Goodness, it''s chaotic outside! How to calm them down..." Thomas Hewett. "Everything will happen according to the Lord''s will... Don''t worry too much." Walter Raleigh. "My goodness (Dios m¨ªo), somehow it must be so! If not, everything is over, isn''t it?" Vicente Gonz¨¢lez. "Our community will survive. It must..." John White. "The tribes'' reactions are still calm. And hopefully... will remain so." Manteo. Except for Shakespeare, who had gone to London''s theaters, and Bacon, who had returned to politics, all those who had gathered then were gathered again. Yes. Let''s go back to the beginning. To when I first properly established a ''denomination.'' == Though it was quite a spacious room, it felt cramped with seven people standing. With so many people gathered, the room felt somehow stuffy despite it being December. Eleanor swallowed and looked around. She remembered when she first saw Nemo in this New World. When she was 19, and Virginia was still toddling. She and Virginia had grown and aged, but He still stood before her, looking the same as He did then. She had experienced so many things during that long period. She became the leader of a huge settlement, learned to use something called Excel, and even gained the title of ''Saint'' while treating an epidemic. Indeed. She had grown over the past 10-plus years. She was no longer the reckless girl of the past. She had grown by staying up all night making tables and learning theology from Mr. Hewett and Mr. Gonz¨¢lez. That''s why she could understand how serious the current situation was. People whispered various stories and were afraid. Everyone said that Nemo was fighting an invisible devil. And they said that this community, this holy community led by Nemo and the apostles, should be strong, especially in times like these. But fear was also in the eyes of the apostles who said such things. Fear flowed from the eyes of Baron Raleigh, her father, Mr. Gonz¨¢lez, Mr. Hewett, and Manteo. Everyone was confused, thinking about what might happen next. But everyone had one thing in common. "Nemo..." "Ah, Eleanor." Everyone believed in Him. Eleanor feels her heart slowly stabilizing at His calm smile, as always. It was clear that others were feeling the same emotion as Eleanor. A gentle yet firm smile. That smile had led them to where they were now. "...We are in your presence, Nemo." "Mr. Hewett." Turning her head, Hewett, the closest to a ''clergyman'' among the group, stepped forward and knelt before Him. Then the others also knelt without hesitation. "Unsettling rumors are circulating. There are even stories questioning whether this community is holy." "Of course, Mr. Hewett." He speaks with a bitter smile. "Of course... there would be." "So please come before them and give them your words. We are ready to listen." "..." "..." "..." They knelt, waiting for His words. They waited for the truth. And He opens His mouth again. "...What do you mean?" "About the holiness of this community and your power, Nemo. So that no one can doubt that they came from the will of the almighty Lord..." Everyone nodded at Hewett''s words. Hadn''t everyone seen it? Hadn''t they witnessed His power, His goodness? So He just needed to speak. That all His words, all His actions... Came from the Lord... "...No." "...Pardon?" At Nemo''s words, Eleanor momentarily uttered a dumb sound. Then His always calm and benevolent smile disappeared from His face. Just as clouds covered the sky, the shadow on His face deepened. Among those kneeling, He looked majestic like a towering rocky mountain. "If a shepherd leads sheep, does every step of the sheep reflect the shepherd''s will? Or if a servant delivers his master''s words, is everything that comes from his mouth the master''s will? One who looks only at the servant''s lips, not the master, is one who listens to the servant''s words, not the master''s." Feeling awe from that appearance, from that shadowed face... Eleanor hears His declaration. "My words do not come from the Lord." At that moment. Eleanor involuntarily holds her breath. The air all around freezes. The foundation of this new sect is overturned. Chapter 146 - 146: Nameless (1) The early winter of December in Virginia was cool and quiet. Outside, sleet was falling, frost formed on the windows, and the field was quiet as the wild animals were all falling asleep. As frost and snow covered this land, the world was cloaked in a monotonous white. As the snow clouds obscured the weakly shining sun, shadows soon settled. Under those shadows. He stood. Various apostles knelt. And beyond the door, thousands of people were waiting for them. And to the apostles, He spoke softly: "A certain man told his servant to clean my house and tend to my sheep." He gestured as if pointing to a subordinate. Then the next moment, He picked up a broom that had been placed beside Him and swept away the dust that had fallen in His room. "Then the servant, like this, took up a broom and cleaned various rooms, took up a cloth and wiped the windows and frames, gathered scattered things and put them in boxes, and dusted off the dusty furniture." And putting down the broom, He drew back the curtain of the window and pointed to the English people wailing in the distance. "Also, the servant went to those wailing flocks, cared for the injured and suffering ones with splints and bandages, drove the hungry ones to the fields to feed, and washed the dirty ones in the river." "..." "..." "..." "And the master went around the house and saw what the servant had done." He puts down the broom. He draws the curtain again so the wailing English people cannot see Him. "The master soon saw that the servant had used the house''s broom, cloth, and duster without telling the master. He discovered that he had driven the flocks to the fields and the river without telling the master, that he had cared for the injured ones with splints and bandages." His voice was soft yet resolute. More clearly than the voice of one who shouted loudly, it reached their hearts. In countless languages. It poured down like rain. "And the master asked, ''How did you use these household items without saying anything, and drive the flocks out without saying anything?'' And the servant answered, ''I did so in order to do what you wanted me to do. Knowing that you were watching me, I did so.''" His words pour down like rough, wild rain and wind. His voice was not loud, but its highs and lows continued like waves, violently echoing throughout this entire space. "Thus... the house became clean. The flocks were peaceful. And everything in the house was desirable and satisfactory to the master''s will." At the resonance of that voice, everyone lost their words. "Thomas." "...Ah, yes." "Thomas Hewett, I call you." "Servant of the Lord, Nameless One, I hear your voice." As Hewett crawled on his knees to approach Him, He, Nemo, smiled and stroked his shoulder. And He gently lifted his chin. Hewett''s trembling eyes met His eyes. Once those eyes contained the sight of heaven, and contained Him who was light and word. Now Hewett sees his own reflection through those eyes. "Since you have not been negligent in learning the scriptures, I will ask you. When the Lord told Gideon to smite the Midianites, what did He tell Gideon to kill the Midianites with?" "Y...yes?" "Did He tell Gideon to take up a sword and smite the Midianites? Or to brandish a spear and stab? To shoot with bow and arrow? Or to kill with a sling?" "That... uh..." Hewett''s mind goes blank. Going through the verses about Gideon in the Book of Judges one by one in his mind, he recites what the Lord said to him. And he reaches a conclusion. "I-I don''t know... In the Book of Judges, such a verse..." "Isn''t there." At that word, Hewett''s strength completely drains. He smiles faintly and continues His words. "God said to remove those who feared battle, to remove those who knelt and drank water, and to fight with only 300 people... but He did not specifically mention what weapon to use to kill the enemies." To the ears of the trembling Hewett, He whispers: "Gideon took up a sword and killed the enemies according to his own will." "..." While Hewett lost his words and trembled at His whisper, this time Nemo approaches Eleanor and says: S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "There are people around you who are sick and dying, and I told you to save them. The situation is urgent, and I am watching you directly." "...Angel, Nameless One." "When saving that person, would you ask me which bandage to use and which medicine to use? Or would you focus on saving the person as you were told?" "I, I..." His eyes, as black as the night sky, but warm like coals in a fire, envelope her. Eleanor raises her head, meets his eyes, and says: "...I would save the person." Then he smiles. "That''s right. That is in accordance with my will. And my doing is like this." "..." "..." As He draws back the curtain in the dark room, eyes accustomed to darkness feel even dim light intensely. As He stands with His back to the window, heaven''s light shines down on them through Him. "The holy Lord said to make people like angels." People, like angels. More virtuous. More great. "And just as He did not tell Gideon to use a sword or raise a shield, He did not tell me about the means. I saved you and made you His servants and tools. I established this community to benefit you. This is not the Lord''s will." This community is not the Lord''s community. "But you are the servant''s broom, Gideon''s sword." But this community is a community to follow the Lord''s will. He slowly walks and moves among the apostles. As everyone turns their heads, He slowly... Was advancing toward the door. "All of you are David''s sling and Samson''s jawbone of a donkey!" He exclaims as He opens the door wide. Then thousands of people outside the door stand up and look at Him. As if all the light of heaven was concentrated on Him, only His figure was bright in the dim early winter, and only His voice echoed over the frozen air. "Know this truly! Chapter 147 - 147: Nameless (2) I and you do not know all of the Lord''s will! I am a vessel but not a potter, a sheep but not a shepherd! Therefore, no one on this earth can call another a sinner, a heretic, an infidel, and kill or punish them!" Everyone is silent before Him. Over that silence, like a drop of blood on white drawing paper, His words echo red and dense. "No one on this earth shall take the name of the Lord in vain! (Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11) No one but your almighty Lord God Himself! No one shall judge or punish others in the name of the Lord!" His words... fell into the hearts of the believers like a rock breaking down a solid fortress wall. It struck down like lightning that instantly burns a thousand-year-old giant tree. Like an ax breaking the frozen river, it cuts through their minds. Everyone just quietly held their trembling hearts, engraving each word, each phrase. ''I too have come to make humanity like angels.'' Once He said. He came to make people like angels. ''The Lord said to love people, so now I tell you to serve people.'' He also said. To serve people, all of humanity. ''Follow your conscience that the Lord has given you.'' He said to follow one''s own conscience. ''Ask questions. Inquire and inquire.'' He said to ask questions. On top of that, a piece of commandment is added again. He said, one who does not know the Lord''s will shall not punish people in the Lord''s name. Like a precisely crafted clock turning, all sentences fit together as if they had been arranged together from the beginning. At this fact, Raleigh, and thousands of other people, tremble. He said to make all humanity like angels, to serve all humanity, so how could one label someone an infidel and divide person from person? He told everyone to follow their own conscience, so who could call someone a sinner if they served humanity and did not violate their conscience? He said to endlessly question and inquire, so how could one not question even the words given by a messenger of God? They had not just heard a single sentence. They would now live in a new world. A world where no one would be killed for being an infidel or a heretic. The apostles quietly show their respect toward His back. The sun has already rotated in silence, changing day to night. Starlight settles over everyone''s heads like white frost. == ...Fortunately, the situation was well resolved. No, it wasn''t just resolved. It was tied up. I uprooted and removed elements that could threaten me and the community in our doctrine. I eliminated any room for arguments about heretics or infidels. And at the same time, one thing gained. Knock. Knock. "Nemo, the voting has concluded. Let''s go together." "Ah... Walter? Has it already become that time?" "It''s long past that time. It just took time to prepare until we could escort you." "That isn''t necessary..." "It is necessary. Isn''t this the day to elect the government of our community?" Separation of church and state. I am still the leader of this community. That doesn''t change. Because I sustain this community, and this community protects me. But now those who will assist me and build this community with me will be determined by votes in the assembly. Regardless of religion. With 189 years left until the French Revolution, the world''s first country with separation of church and state has been established. Anyway, while thinking about various complicated thoughts, I walk with Raleigh toward the meeting hall (which was also newly built, separate from the church) and feel nervous. What kind of people will work with me in the future? Probably most will be natives? How will I hand over Excel skills and other things? Ah... if it''s new people, it might be a bit uncomfortable... Creak! So the door opens. And as I step in. "There he is!" "Nemo!" "..." Eleanor, Vicente, Manteo, White, Hewett... Raleigh. All familiar people. All apostles. "Walter, perhaps..." "We decided to elect a total of six people, and when we lined them up by votes, it turned out like this." "..." "Isn''t familiarity good? In wartime, you don''t change horses, you know." "..." I see. Separation of church and... state? Is this right? ...It must be. == "You... truly, truly must know. This is certainly a new commandment, but also not a new commandment. The first commandment He gave is an expansion of the new commandment that the Son of Man gave us, the commandment to ''love one another'' (John 13:34). Because we love one another, we can further love and serve all of humanity. Therefore, this is not at all new. In the case of the second commandment, it''s a bit unusual, but we can also see its basis in the Bible. The Son of Man said to the Jews, ''If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free'' (John 8:31-32). Here, the Lord used the words ''disciple'' and ''truth.'' Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, as the Word made flesh, is Himself the truth. Therefore, knowing Him naturally frees our souls. But here, He called His followers ''disciples.'' And a disciple is one who seeks and learns knowledge. What we need to know is the Lord Himself. And as the Lord is the One who created this world, His traces are everywhere. And to know, we must first ask questions. We must question this world and the Lord within it. We must question Nemo and God. Therefore, the second commandment cannot be called an entirely new commandment either. And the third commandment... is a broader interpretation of the third commandment of the Ten Commandments. No, it can be said to be a greater emphasis and repetition of it. Moses told the Jewish people, ''You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain'' (Exodus 20:7, Deuteronomy 5:11). The important part here is ''in vain.'' When Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, He said that those who falsely act as prophets in the Lord''s name and pretend to exercise power are lawless ones. (Matthew 7:22-23) Yes. Those who try to punish people in the Lord''s name are those who try to act as false prophets. Do not listen to words like, ''Burn the Protestants. It is God''s will.'', ''Behead the Catholics. It is God''s will.'', ''Kill the Muslims and Jews. It is God''s will.'' Those who insult and oppress their neighbors as infidels are themselves infidels. Those who kill and humiliate their neighbors as heretics are themselves heretics. Because the Lord only said to love your neighbor. Thus, ''His'' words do not deviate in the slightest from the Lord''s will. ''He'' even called Himself ''No One (NEMO),'' which is His intention to be humble before the Lord." Thud. Hewett closes the book that people call "The Books of Thomas Huet" and walks off the platform. Then many people show their respect to him. To His apostle. "He gave up even His name to give all glory to the Lord, so He is truly the Nameless One. But by doing so, the Lord and all humanity were glorified, so His insignificant, non-existent name is truly a noble name." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. At Hewett''s words, everyone gathered here to listen to the sermon nods. "Following the Nameless One, we have been given a shared duty to make all people like angels. We help people, save people, and serve people. We wish not for our names to shine, but for the names of all to shine. We wish for the Lord''s name to shine! Therefore, our church has no name (Nameless Church). If it must be called something, it can only be called Namelessism. For humanity." People of many tribes and many denominations nod, quietly making the sign of the cross or putting their hands together in prayer. A church that never existed before is established in this land. A church where no one is killed as an infidel. A church of those who follow their own conscience. That church had no name. Just like the angel who leads that church. Chapter 148 - 148: Camping (1) On Roanoke Island, dozens of blacksmiths and various craftsmen who had come from England to support their livelihood were isolated. The reason for their isolation was obviously because of me. It would be a disaster if they happened to overhear my voice somewhere. They only knew about the Virginia community as the "Indian Emperor''s" territory. They knew about the Porter and tractors that occasionally passed by, but they just thought of them as "strange native technology." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Of course, we do our best to prevent them from feeling confined. We periodically send them back to England and pacify them by giving them various luxury goods as gifts. Thus, on land about 10 times the size of Odaiba, only a few dozen people live and maintain the blacksmith workshop. Most of the natives who originally lived there had long since moved to Chesapeake Bay. And. "I am the ''Baron of Roanoke,'' after all." Clank. Clank. Bang! Boom! "It seemed strange to me that I didn''t have a mansion to stay in on my estate. No matter what, if I''m the Baron of Roanoke and this is my territory, aren''t the craftsmen on the other side of the island my subjects? Then I should at least pretend to visit my subjects occasionally and take care of them somehow, but I hadn''t thought of that." Well... that''s true. Since England took control of Roanoke Island before Virginia did, strictly speaking, it''s English territory. Thanks to Queen Elizabeth conveniently misunderstanding, "Ah! There was an original native empire there!" this place became one where the ownership between our community and England was intricately intertwined. Raleigh... is a vassal serving two lords according to the treaty, me and Elizabeth. Anyway, whether this land belongs to England or Virginia, it''s definitely Raleigh''s land. That''s right. If Raleigh wants to act as a lord here, he should have at least one mansion. After preventing craftsmen from England from coming to this area, we landed on the opposite side from where the blacksmith workshop is located. The "Baron of Roanoke''s" mansion was set to be built here. The workforce brought from Chesapeake Bay is moving around, transporting materials. Seeing English and African workers piling up bricks, marble, and timber, an inexplicable sense of fulfillment wells up. Although called a mansion, its scale is not that large. This was because Raleigh firmly insisted that he couldn''t build something more magnificent than "the dwelling place of the angel." Idiot... No matter how big your mansion is, your house doesn''t have air conditioning, refrigerator, or robot vacuum cleaner...! Anyway, I felt somewhat sorry, so I provided various premium timbers and came for this inspection... "Ahem." "What''s the matter?" "Let''s go somewhere where there are no people." I had something to ask. Raleigh gently turned his steps into the bushes, and Harriot and others who were standing beside him also tactfully vacated the area. Once there were no people within a 10-meter radius, I said: "...What''s the real reason?" "What do you mean?" "I''m talking about suddenly building a mansion. Usually, when a person prepares a new dwelling in a new place, it''s one of two things." "...May I ask what those two things are?" "One is because of greed. Greed for new land, new status, and new wealth." "Haha... That doesn''t apply to me." I suppose not. Though Raleigh is a person full of ambition, that would be satisfied in England and Virginia. It''s not something that would be achieved by building a mansion on this remote island. What could he gain by building a new mansion on an island with a population of only a few dozen? "Then what''s the other case?" "The other is..." I carefully chose my words, not to offend Raleigh. "Usually, people whose original dwelling has become unstable do this." "..." "Has something happened in England?" "...Indeed, you notice." Raleigh nodded and frankly admitted. "The political situation in England is somewhat unstable." "Why? The Queen is wealthier than ever, and the war is progressing fairly well." "It''s a separate issue. No, from a certain perspective, it''s a much more serious issue." "Hmm?" Raleigh speaks slowly, almost in a whisper. "It''s the succession issue." "Ah." I roughly understand. "Her Majesty... refuses to designate a successor." Elizabeth is 67 now. Considering she dies two years later in the original history, she could literally die at any time. Yet... the kingdom has no successor? In fact, it''s absurd. Originally, Elizabeth didn''t designate a successor until just before her death. It''s presumed she didn''t want to share power with a successor. So her close advisor Robert Cecil secretly corresponded with James VI of Scotland and had him ascend the throne after the Queen''s death. Hmm... So that''s why the political climate is unstable. Enough for Raleigh to consider firmly establishing a nest on this Roanoke Island. "..." "Well, it''s just a precaution for a possible scenario. Her Majesty the Queen is healthy, and the kingdom is flourishing, so nothing will happen. ...Probably." "Yes, probably so." Anyway, it was an issue worth remembering, so I nodded and engraved the issue of Elizabeth''s succession in my mind. "Um..." "Yes, Walter. What is it?" "Please don''t misunderstand. I''m just asking out of pure curiosity." But Raleigh strangely hesitates as he broaches the subject to me. After I nodded, Raleigh asked me: "H-how did you end up coming to Roanoke Island?" "Pardon?" "Yes." "...Ah, you don''t know?" As I turned my head, I saw the other apostles setting up tents in the distance, waiting. As the confused Raleigh tilted his head, I patted his shoulder and said: "This is what''s called ''camping.''" == Camping... I was really into camping when I was making good money. I bought equipment from famous brands like "Nor-X-sk," "Hel-X-nox," "Snow-X-k," etc. (why did I do that?) and invited friends to grill A5 Wagyu beef (seriously, why did I do that?). ...If I had known I would go completely bankrupt later, I wouldn''t have done such things. Anyway, in that sense, camping was a symbol of the moment when things were going best in my life. I had countless times resolved that once I had some leisure, I would drag out my dusty equipment and stare at a campfire at a nearby campsite. Of course, that "once" never came. ...Ah! Mom! Dad! Why did you saddle me with a failing business, really! Chapter 149 - 149: Camping (2) As my financial situation drew a desperate downward graph, I cut all other manageable expenses and resold all sorts of collectibles I had accumulated, but I couldn''t sell my camping equipment until the very end. That was... um... Yes. It was my hope. I had hope that I might pay off all my debts before the Earth ended or I was reincarnated into another world. When that day came, I would complete my collection with the cast iron skillet and other cooking equipment I hadn''t yet purchased. When that day came, I would leisurely go camping whenever the farming off-season came. I dreamed such dreams. ...But I was transported before that dream came true. Perhaps it was really God''s will. "Angel! Come here! The meat is all cooked!" "Ginnie, how can you rush Nemo!" "Mom, why are you like that? I really need to eat now!" That I would need that damned Vingant to fulfill my dream. ...Anyway, I''m fixing the camper again, so for now, I''m just carrying a tent and camping around various places in Virginia. Among them, Roanoke Island is somewhere I normally couldn''t come, so I took this opportunity to visit. "That''s how it happened." "Uh... Is that so? Whether intentionally roughing it is that enjoyable..." "Well, the meat is all cooked, so let''s eat. Isn''t it all cooked, as Virginia said? Vicente? Manteo? Did you bring the wine?" "Of course! Here are the glasses too." "Oh my... It''s even more delicious with cheese on top!" "It''s fascinating to eat meat this way." "Look. Doesn''t everyone seem to be enjoying themselves?" "It does seem so..." Raleigh, perhaps because he had been an explorer many times, seemed not to understand but sat beside me anyway. So we spent time under the starry sky, eating raclette together. We also invited the workers wandering around to sit with us and shared meat and lobster, and grilled fish we caught while fishing on the spot... It''s peaceful. Really, once I almost died... no, almost got trapped forever in water, and after running for my life, I almost got burned at the stake for being a heretic when I returned. Ah, it was really tough. My head hurt, and I went through a lot of hardship. Now that I''ve resolved the annoying problems, I wanted to live leisurely, not worrying about official duties, and peacefully. I regained my peace of mind as I uncorked the "Imjin War" edition wine made from grapes harvested in 1597. After a few glasses, I felt pleasantly tipsy... Of course, I shouldn''t drink more than a few glasses here. Who knows what mistakes I might make if I get drunk. My privacy management was more thorough than most 21st-century celebrities. If celebrities fail to manage their privacy, they ruin their careers, but I would have to choose between burning or drowning. Anyway, as the sizzling meat is topped with hard cheese imported somehow through England, another delicious raclette is prepared. I eat raclette, take another sip of wine, look up at the stars, chat with Manteo, and then quietly stare at the bonfire. ...Wish fulfilled. Anyway, I did it. As a wave of emotion rushed over me and my mind relaxed, the world looked beautiful. I felt nothing but gratitude and pride for these "apostles" gathered here. At this point, I picked up my glass, feeling like I should make a typical, unoriginal toast like "We''ve come this far thanks to all of you." Just as I was about to open my mouth, Virginia, who was dozing off next to me, quietly grabbed Eleanor''s shoulder and spoke first. "Mom... I''m thirsty..." There happened to be a water bottle next to me, so I naturally picked it up to pass it to Eleanor. "Oh? Are you? Just a moment, here''s some wine..." Clack. Roll roll roll... The wine bottle I grabbed and dropped rolled away and... Plop. Float float. It was swept away by the stream. "..." "..." "..." "I-I''m sorry. Are you alright, Eleanor? Are you hurt...?" "Uh, I... Did I do something wrong to Nemo...?" "What? No, that''s not it..." No, no, that''s not it... "...Virginia?" "Yes?" "How old are you?" "13, right?" 13 years old. Wine. I turn to Eleanor in panic. "Is it okay for a thir... thirteen-year-old child to drink wine?" "...What?" "Pardon?" "What are you saying?" "Um, uh, well... Don''t you all feel that something is... wrong...?" "..." "..." "...I guess not." It was the 19th century when they fed children morphine and cocaine mixed in syrup. Similarly, the prohibition of alcohol for adolescents also began in the 19th century. Now it''s the first year of the 17th century. Um... well... "Eleanor?" "...What is it?" "By any chance, how much alcohol does Virginia drink?" "What?" Don''t give me that puzzled expression. Don''t look at me like someone who''s been asked how much water they drink...! "Virginia, you..." "I can handle alcohol well! I can probably handle up to two bottles of wine..." Slap! "...Are you okay?" "I''m fine, Eleanor." I slapped both my cheeks as I felt like my mind was going to be confused. "Wait... Surely not tobacco..." "Uncle Manteo taught me." No, that can''t be right. As I glared at Manteo, he panicked and rambled: "Ah, no, she said she wasn''t feeling well, so I told her to breathe in some tobacco smoke to feel better..." Shit. I stood up abruptly. This time, it wasn''t for a toast. I try to maintain my composure as much as possible. I show a calm smile to soothe the panicked apostles. "...Everyone." "..." "..." "Alcohol and tobacco are harmful to the body and mind, especially for those who are growing." "Hmm? No. Tobacco is clearly beneficial to the mind and body..." "It''s harmful." "..." Be quiet, Raleigh. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...Especially for growing individuals, don''t we need to teach them self-restraint? Since alcohol and tobacco both disturb a mind of restraint, teaching them at an age when a person''s mind has grown sufficiently is not too late..." "You mean around 14?" "About eighteen..." "..." "..." "..." "...seems too late, so let''s make it fifteen. Since outright prohibition seems a bit much, let''s ''generally'' not give alcohol to children below that age." 15 years old. In East Asian age, about 16-17, the age of graduating from middle school and entering high school. I can''t compromise beyond this point. "W-well, understood. Let''s do that." "If you say so directly..." "Isn''t it the knowledge of an angel? Everyone knows alcohol is harmful to the body." "I''m thirsty..." "Shh!" Fortunately, everyone nodded and agreed appropriately. And thus, the world''s first minimum age for purchasing alcohol and tobacco was created. I hope they will adhere to it. Having lived in this era for over 10 years now, I know well. They probably won''t follow it. Damn it. Chapter 150 - 150: Treason (1) "How is the situation, Walter?" "Excellent! This time, we''ll finalize a trade large enough to shake all of England!" As February arrived, the farming off-season was gradually ending. Merchants began planning the last major voyage of the early year. They prepared for exports to England by carrying firewood and loading wheat and grapes that had been harvested quite some time ago onto carts. England was suffering from chronic food shortages, firewood shortages, and financial shortages. And our community had helped resolve these issues to some extent. According to the catalog, when Elizabeth was in her later years of reign, she had no resources to draw from and sold off royal lands and all sorts of rights. ...Well, that''s what happens when you keep warring with the world''s strongest country. Anyway, the karma of recklessly selling off royal assets later returned in the form of Charles I getting his head chopped off. But now it''s different. Because we''re filling in those shortages. Though I''ve never been to England and don''t know much, Elizabeth''s royal authority must have become overwhelmingly stronger compared to the original history. Thanks to us. ...Although, despite that, we haven''t brought about as dramatic a change as expected so far. Well, what does it matter how history flows in that distant land? It''s enough if our community is peaceful and people around the world live more abundantly and happily. As long as we export food for tens of thousands of people, at least the number of starving people in England should have decreased. "Hmm... but this time, the quantity will be less than what was previously announced?" "That can''t be helped. It''s sad that we can''t give the Queen the amount we promised, but even this much is a massive quantity, so everyone will be satisfied." Raleigh said to me as he checked the cargo loaded on the Enterprise. "Her Majesty the Queen must be counting the days until those ships arrive. All of her joy will be on that ship! Meanwhile, let''s think about how to lead this community for the next year." "Um... Walter isn''t going this time?" "Wasn''t I elected as the head of government this time? I can''t easily leave my position. If possible, I plan to entrust trips to England to others in the future." "...Well, if that''s the case. Won''t Queen Elizabeth be disappointed?" At those words, Raleigh smiled and said to me: "Don''t worry. She always chases new pleasures. She might be spending time with other beautiful lovers by now." ...Is that why she disliked it so much when Raleigh had affairs? I still don''t understand what kind of person Queen Elizabeth is. I just thought she was a great queen of England because I was told so. Clearly, she seems great, but... Judging from what I hear from Raleigh, she seems like a strange person. == The Queen tapped the table with her slender fingers as she looked around the court. New furs were spread all around. The nobles of the court eyed them like hawks, coveting them intently. Items that arrived a few days after spending splendid days celebrating the new year of 1601. Elizabeth, the legitimate monarch of England and Ireland, loved all sorts of splendid and beautiful things in the world. Elizabeth loved luxury. And she loved the dignity and authority that luxury brought. When the Queen wore a fur cloak, it became her wealth. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Because she monopolized furs from the New World. When the Queen wore aluminum rings and ate grapes stored in styrofoam, that too became her power. Because she held all those things in her grasp. With such abundant wealth, she could gift more splendid pleasures to the person she loved most in the world. To herself. Gleaming treasures, sweet sugar, and soft men. Enjoying all these things, Elizabeth was experiencing the best moments of her life. ''These days I''m bored without Raleigh...'' The Baron of Roanoke, Raleigh, one of her favored courtiers, had become the wealthiest man at court. It was quite sorrowful that he no longer played along in her palm so obediently. But it''s fine. Because there are other pleasures. If she had been the type of person who only pursued jewels and gold themselves, she would never have obtained such treasures. If she had been immersed only in the sweetness brought by sugar and men, she couldn''t have lived immersed in such pleasure. She knew what was gleaming, sweet, and soft more than anything else. She was addicted to power. Her eyes, seemingly lost in luxury, suddenly gleam sharply. The moment she loves most approaches. "Your Majesty, Baron Raleigh has monopolized resources from the New World for far too long. Entrusting him entirely with trade with the native emperor is too excessive for him..." Ah, this is when I enjoy myself the most. "Earl of Southampton?" "Yes, Your Majesty." "Do you not know shame?" Crushing the face of someone who doesn''t know their place. Many say she is indecisive. Perhaps that''s true. But during her 40-plus years of reign, political opponents who tried to bring her down all met their downfall without exception. "W-what did you say..." "Virginia is a land directly explored by Raleigh and his subordinates. And it was not I who gave the rights to trade by having the Baron of Roanoke close by and trusting him, but the native emperor you mentioned." "..." "This is merely a foreign matter, and even if Virginia belonged to my kingdom, I have no intention of taking away Raleigh''s rights. Because..." Because he''s the most manageable. Because he pays tribute to me best. "...it is his rightful right." Above all, because he deals mainly with me. Therefore, in reality, Raleigh''s monopoly belonged to the Queen. Indeed, Raleigh was a talent who knew how to do only things that pleased her. His intuition for her desires was unmatched among courtiers. For no reason, she recalled his face, who wasn''t even present, and smiled with satisfaction. The sharp angles of his jaw, those knowing eyes that sparkled with ambition yet always showed proper deference when meeting hers. My great courtier. The man who brought me wealth and glory. The Queen reprimanded the Earl of Southampton, Henry Wriothesley, making him step back considerably. Her fingers, adorned with precious gems that caught the afternoon light streaming through the high palace windows, gestured dismissively as her voice cut through the hushed atmosphere of the privy chamber. Already annoyed by the Earl and others, she enjoyed this thrilling moment to the fullest. Chapter 151 - 151: Treason (2) The succession issue. Everyone treats her, at 67, like a walking corpse. When they look at her, she can see them calculating in their minds who will be the king ''after'' her. Everyone is doing this. Thus, they gnaw at her authority and glory. The Queen didn''t like that at all. So when the atmosphere of the court gradually calmed down, she slowly broached the subject. Having already set the stage with various rumors through different channels, the conversation was slowly flowing in the direction she wanted. "The Spanish are coming to destroy our liberty in Ireland and various places. What do you all think?" "..." "..." "..." "There are talks that we need a stronger navy. But we are already importing warships from Virginia, gathering cannons from various places, and protecting our land. What should we do?" Various discussions emerge. But the Queen dismisses them again with a gesture and shouts, putting strength into her stomach: "I ask again! What should we do?" As the Queen suddenly rises from her seat, everyone shows respect and stands up. Those who had previously heard from her stand up immediately, but others look around with sour expressions. And just as friend and foe are about to be identified, the Queen exclaims: "We need an army to protect our freedom! An army to protect our homes, our families, our faith, and our country!" Even though she had only said that much, the faces of several nobles turned pale. The Queen''s gaze turned fierce as she mentally compiled a list of those openly expressing dissatisfaction. Henry Wriothesley. William Clark. Griffin Markham. Henry Garnet. Robert Catesby. Et cetera. That''s done. "To clean up our history of defeat after defeat to our enemies in Ireland! In the Netherlands! We need..." Bang! "...an army. This is not a request for consent. This is a declaration. I will protect my loyal subjects from the oppression of tyrants and will preserve all virtues of this land from the fierce princes of Europe. As a newly created standing army." After a moment of silence, someone exclaims like a scream: "Y-Y-Your Majesty! This is a matter that requires convening Parliament! To collect war taxes..." "No war taxes will be collected." Elizabeth raises her head and proclaims: "The future English army will run solely on royal budget. This is not Parliament''s concern." And a deathly silence follows. Elizabeth smiled brightly as she left the court. It''s an absurd act. Running a standing army solely on the royal budget is madness. But she doesn''t care. Because she has no real intention of running a standing army. She just hoped they would be too busy running around screaming to remember other issues. To be so frightened that they dare not mention the succession issue. Elizabeth Tudor has neither a husband to give a new dynasty name to, nor a child who would become the founder of a new dynasty. Probably James of Scotland, her closest relative, will take the next throne. And she would be the last monarch of the Tudor dynasty. Then... what happens after her death is not her concern. ''...That''s right. It''s not my concern.'' The Queen returned to her room and enjoyed the hot burning texture as she swallowed Virginia wine down her throat. The Virgin Queen, once called a beautiful fairy, is no more. She was now a 67-year-old woman. Soon she will die. That means she will soon depart either for the eternal kingdom of the Lord or the burning hell ruled by the devil. Before that... she wanted to reach a conclusion. The conclusion of everything. Someone might ask why. Why do such a reckless thing? Why want more when you already have so much? Then she would answer like this: Because it''s more... enjoyable. == "A-a-a standing army..." "Heavens, Lord, heavens." The Queen''s declaration instantly devastated all of England. England is an island nation. The only country it borders on land is Scotland, which is several times weaker than them. Of course, there were several invasions by Spain, and there were times when they succeeded in landing and plundered various places, but that was it. That''s all there was to the rebels of Ireland, too. Then what would be the Queen''s purpose in establishing a standing army? Is it really to stop the Spanish? Or... to kill and oppress the nobles in the country? There was no need to think further. This was the Queen''s last declaration of victory. It was the final statement proving that in this kingdom, there was no one higher than her except the Lord. Naturally, many rose up with indignation. Those of noble bloodlines faced the crisis of losing their freedom and rights without receiving any respect. Not only that. Catholics who had been treated as rebels, and Puritans who had hoped for more concessions, all gathered, murmuring. This cannot continue. If this continues, there will be no more moon or stars in this kingdom. The eternally burning sun of royal authority would suffocate this land and cause all plants to wither and die. The oppression of a tyrant was not far off. But already many nobles had sworn allegiance to the Queen. Many gentlemen had already knelt before the Queen. Forty-two years was too long. The Queen''s reign had been that long. The New World was too vast, and the wealth she brought from there was so abundant. That long time and that enormous wealth had already broken the desire for rightful rights in many people. Long live the Queen. May this golden age continue forever. Those who stand against her must all be Spanish spies. But... "We can''t just watch anymore. That heretic Queen is finally trying to suffocate us all!" Some had different thoughts. "The church must be separated from the state. We must continue the will of Calvin and the great reformers!" People with completely different ideologies began to aim their arrows at a single target. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It is regrettable that the rights of those with deep history, nobility, and excellent birth are being violated like this..." Those who thought they might never cross paths began to unite, triggered by the Queen''s final declaration. The black hand of treason begins to spread throughout England. Chapter 152 - 152: Treason (3) For over 40 years. During this long time, which might constitute someone''s entire lifetime, the Queen had created many excellent laws and appointed many great subjects to enhance her glory while ruling England. She was cunning and persistent enough to win power struggles that would have crushed lesser monarchs. Her keen mind saw three moves ahead in the chess game of court politics, outmaneuvering rivals who underestimated the woman behind the crown. Otherwise, she would have already departed for the next world, her name merely a footnote in the chronicles of English sovereignty rather than emblazoned across the epoch that now bore her name. The Queen''s bluff about establishing a standing army was also the result of such cunning and persistence. She meticulously swayed public opinion in London over a long period, spreading rumors on the streets. ''The Queen is trying to build up an army!'' ''She''s trying to build an army loyal only to the royal family!'' And she mobilized vast resources to move the royal guard, creating a tense atmosphere. She carefully calibrated this bluff to look threatening to anyone who saw it. As a result, no one could discuss the successor anymore. No one could bother the Queen to her face. She seemed to have won again. It seemed that the rightful Queen of England was once again getting her share. However. She overlooked one fact. "Think about it. What will happen when that witch, that harlot, gets an army!" "B-but that''s absurd, isn''t it? There''s no way the English royal family really has that kind of money..." "They do." "..." "..." "..." "...No way." "That''s right, Virginia! With the enormous funds coming from there...!" Now she had Virginia behind her back. For the English to take her words as a bluff, she had become too powerful. For conspirators to doubt the Queen''s words, her power was more solid than ever. That wasn''t all. "Wasn''t this a predetermined situation from when Walter Raleigh started building up the royal guard?" "That''s right! When he killed the Earl of Essex on charges of attempted assassination of a foreign head of state, there was no one left to check him!" Moreover, since Walter Raleigh, as a ''saint'' and Captain of the Royal Guard, led the guard to save London, the presence of the Royal Guard had gradually increased. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The number of guards, which was only a few dozen at that time, grew two to three times. It was for inspecting slums. Although the guard no longer played a substantial role after Raleigh''s visits to England became rare, everyone still remembered the sight of the guard patrolling the slums. If the scale of that royal guard grew... If the Queen''s army became more powerful... It would be a disaster. Thus, frightened people gathered. Those who were dissatisfied with the Church of England, like Puritans and Catholics, joined hands. And various nobles who had been expelled from the Queen''s court moved. "We need at least 500 sympathizers within London. To capture Her Majesty the Queen and deliver various demands to her..." "Deliver demands? No, what about setting up someone else as king..." The plan became more concrete. "First, we stir up the city councilors at St. Paul''s Cathedral, then secure the Queen." "The order should be reversed. Only after securing the Queen can we secure the city councilors." And more detailed. Robert Cecil, the Queen''s favorite who would monitor this, was already busy. Unfortunately, at that time, rumors spread that Spanish troops would land in northern Ireland. The navy was too far away. Drake was busy doing his best to plunder the Spanish fleet somewhere far away in the Atlantic. And. Hundreds of people gathered in London over several months. Essex House, a mansion devastated after the death of the Earl of Robert Devereux, was secretly fortified. Danger approached right up to the Queen''s feet. == It was still early morning. The Queen slowly finished her prayers, got up, and completed her makeup as always. Then Saint Margaret Lawrence walked into her room to check her dental condition and complexion. "Your Majesty, this is not good. What time did you go to bed yesterday?" "I went to bed a bit late. Curious what I was doing to be up so late..." "Aaaaah!" "I did nothing but read books. What were you thinking?" "T-that... it''s nothing." "Hahaha! You''re really amusing." Patting the shoulder of the blushing Margaret, Elizabeth quietly looked out the window. In the luxurious garden of the palace, all sorts of flowers were blooming in the midst of autumn. The Queen was quietly gazing at them when she turned her eyes toward the door due to some disturbing sound. "Your Majesty, what''s the matter?" "Shh." Elizabeth puts her finger to Lawrence''s lips. Then she dismisses her ladies-in-waiting and immediately has the door opened. Just, slightly. Metal sounds are heard. As the Queen quickly approached the door and put her face close to the gap, she could see the scene beyond. Just then, her most favored lady-in-waiting, Catherine Howard... Slash! Suddenly has her chest torn by a man''s sword. The lady-in-waiting who had served her for over 40 years collapses, bleeding on the floor. She again covers the mouth of Margaret, who tries to scream beside her. At that moment, the Queen''s brain quickly rotates and draws a single conclusion. Treason. ...Why didn''t I know? Ah, damn, those cursed Spanish. It took less than a few seconds to reach this inference. As the Queen raised her head, the face of the man who killed the lady-in-waiting was revealed. It''s the Earl of Southampton. ...What should I do? What do they want? Can they kill me? Whether they kill me or whatever, what can they gain? While she was thinking, dozens of other strong men gathered and filled the corridor. At that moment, the smell of blood rushed into the Queen''s nose, accelerating her thinking. She sets up several scenarios and runs thought experiments. Whether a woman over sixty has a chance to evade those strong men. Or... Fling! The Queen did not hesitate. As soon as the door opened, the bewildered strong men stopped in their tracks. The Queen shouted at them: "What are you doing!" Chapter 153 - 153: Treason (4) In an instant, dozens of armed men freeze at that single word. Many of them have served the Queen since birth. A moment of silence descends... Before they realize their advantage, the Queen shouts first: "Do you know who stands before you! Your rightful monarch is here! Kneel and show respect!" "Y-Your Majesty... we have discovered that Lord Robert Cecil has conspired with Spain to threaten Your Majesty..." "Now! Didn''t I tell you to kneel!" "..." For now, the strong men kneel on one knee before the roaring lioness without even thinking. Then the Queen turns her back to them. "I... I understand your words well. Wait. My grooming is not complete." At the Queen''s gesture, the ladies-in-waiting hurriedly close the palace doors. While everyone is confused and murmuring in fear, the Queen grabs Margaret''s arm and whispers: "...Look down below the window." "Y-y-yes...? Y-Your Majesty... the traitors...!" "Stop whining and look down below the window!" The Queen pulls her shoulder and looks out the window, right below. Well-trimmed boxwood bushes were spread out below. It was three stories down. "I, I... Your Majesty?" "Can you jump down there?" "What?" "I asked if you can jump down. Actually, I didn''t really ask; it''s an order." "...What?" "Jump down right now." A moment later. "What''s taking so long?" "There, let''s check on Her Majesty''s well-being." The traitors outside the room quietly gather in front of the room and knock on the door. Knock, knock. "Are you there? Your Majesty?" S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." "..." Only silence returned. It was then that they felt something eerie and hurriedly broke down the door to enter. What they saw was an empty room and a vanity, And curtains that had been torn lengthwise and tied to the vanity leg. The Queen was nowhere to be found. Nowhere. == "Huff, huff...! Cough...!" The 67-year-old Elizabeth was now running for her life. Beside her followed Margaret Lawrence and other ladies-in-waiting. They escaped the maze-like palace garden as quickly as possible, then ran to the prepared escape route and boarded a carriage. And just before the carriage departed, the Queen gestured to stop the driver. The sounds of clashing metal and shouts echoed throughout Whitehall Palace. Amidst the terrible confusion, several of her courtiers were seen running around in panic. Elizabeth chewed her nails as she mentally organized the situation. Is it a serious situation? Yes. The masterminds of the conspiracy? ...There are too many suspects to consider all of them. At least, judging from the fact that they didn''t try to kill her on sight, it seemed that the Queen''s assassination wasn''t part of their plan. Perhaps it was because she had frightened them excessively with the standing army business. ''...Even so, how could I not have known until now?'' Elizabeth blinks quietly, feeling a chill at that fact. Yes. Whoever masterminded this rebellion, it was clear that it had quite widespread support within London. Of course, she was still a queen beloved by citizens. Thanks to the Virginia colony, she was able to be called a sage ruler by dispensing tax reduction benefits relentlessly even during wartime. If the Queen went to the square in front of St. Paul''s Cathedral right now and addressed London citizens, she could defeat them sufficiently. The probability was more than 50 to 60 percent. She imagined herself bravely leading the citizens and defeating those rebellious ruffians. Upon returning to the blood-stained Whitehall Palace and sitting on the throne... Then, her goal would be achieved in one breath. After removing all annoyances, she could grip power more strongly than ever before and wield this kingdom as she wished. "..." "Y-Your Majesty! The traitors are killing the guards and coming here now!" "You must depart!" "Wait. Just a little more." If so, there could be nothing more desirable. It''s the best situation to make Spain and other pesky flies all suffer. It''s a golden opportunity to draw the ''power'' she loves so much into the palm of her hand as much as possible. ...However. There was one fatal flaw in this plan. When she suppressed those rebels with London citizens. The probability that she would die or be injured by their blind swords in desperation... About... more than 10 percent. She had always loved gambling. She took gambles when waging war against the Spanish, and when refusing numerous proposals and delaying the designation of a successor. And she eventually won. The arduous journey toward greater power continued, but she mostly won. "...Hmm." "Your Majesty!" "Yes. Yes. Let''s depart now." "W-where to..." But, there was something she valued more than power. It was love, the happiness of her subjects, the peace of the kingdom, the glory of the Lord... No, it was herself. She loved herself too much to risk her life for such things. If she wasn''t that kind of person, she wouldn''t have thrown the kingdom into confusion by delaying the designation of a successor until just before her death. First, she''ll leave London. After that... what to do? Initially, she thought she should go to another region, lead an army, and recapture London. But no. She didn''t want to do that either. That would require owing favors to other fools, and now she didn''t want to leave any political debts domestically. She wanted to enjoy the rest of her life sufficiently, however many more years she might live. Not living a hard life dealing with rebellion suppression. Hmm... What should she do? Ah, right. "First, let''s go to the port and get a ship." "Yes, Your Majesty... uh, what?" The progressive way of thinking that the state is the people (me), and where the people (I) are is the state. Such an advanced way of thinking was not widely spread on Earth at that time, except for Japan''s mobile monarch, Emperor Go-Y¨­zei. Elizabeth hadn''t reached such thinking either. She had only reached the thought that where she was, was the English court, and she was the center of England. Therefore, just as Emperor Go-Y¨­zei came up with the groundbreaking idea of fleeing the Japanese archipelago to avoid foreign enemies. "Abandon London. No, leave England." She too could reach a groundbreaking conclusion. For a more comfortable retirement. A brilliant plan for a more beautiful remainder of life came to mind. Thus, a ship arrived in Scotland several months later. "Why do... you come out here?" "Asylum." Carrying the Queen''s ambition for her retirement preparation. Chapter 154 - 154: Virgin Queen (1) James VI, King of Scotland. A man who would have been crowned as "James I of England," the first unified monarch of the British Isles, if events had followed their original course. The various sectors of England were already gradually preparing for him to be the next king. Though Elizabeth was ominously healthy, he had no doubt that the Kingdom of England would become his in a few years. "I have one proposal to make, James." "..." "From now on, I want to make you co-monarch of England. I will also divide the resources coming from the New World in half." "...Are you not considering the fact that you have abandoned England to traitors and fled? Are you still indeed the rightful monarch of England?" "I didn''t flee. I made the best decision to protect England." This seems like a refreshingly nonsensical statement. But for now, James blinks and reviews the situation in England as relayed by his informants. Traitors have overthrown London. The Queen was missing for several months (or so they thought... but here she is). Since she was such a popular queen, the traitors fabricated all sorts of stories to avoid being torn apart by citizens. They had no choice but to make a "patriotic decision" because the Queen was being deceived by Robert Cecil and Walter Raleigh''s faction. It was because Robert Cecil, Walter Raleigh, and others were colluding with Spain to plunge England into ruin. Et cetera. Naturally, it didn''t work, and the rebels'' regime is precarious. They don''t know whether Elizabeth is alive or dead, and due to public opinion, it''s also awkward to establish another monarch. "...But where were you and what were you doing for the past few months?" "I was briefly in seclusion in Ireland." S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Ireland. "And I joined with Lord Robert Cecil, who was dispatched there, and... briefly toured various parts of your kingdom." ...Why didn''t I know? "Many nobles welcomed me grandly. It seems they all granted my request to keep it a secret especially from you." Oh, goodness gracious. James VI lamented the worthless royal authority of Scotland, as insignificant as a rag. The misery where each local lord is essentially a king of their region, and the King of Scotland is merely their representative. Anyway, the Queen''s words were significant. Elizabeth had already been meddling throughout Scotland. "What will you do? Didn''t I say I''d give half the throne of England to you? I am old, and you are young, so you will soon be the sole monarch. You won''t lose anything..." "..." That sounds reasonable at first glance. But James knew. He too was an insightful monarch. Elizabeth. That person never does anything for the benefit of others. Never. If he accepts this proposal now, the rebels will automatically erase James from the "list of potential monarchs to crown." Then James would have to labor for years, leading Scotland''s army alongside his "co-monarch" Elizabeth to reclaim her throne. ...Why should I bother doing that? I could secretly kill Elizabeth and wait, and when those rebels crown me, England will become mine anyway, as I am the rightful successor... "Many nobles welcomed me grandly. It seems they all granted my request to keep it a secret especially from you." ...Ah. The plan has failed before it even began. "..." "You weren''t thinking anything strange, were you?" "...I-I don''t know what thoughts you''re referring to." "Then that''s fine." "..." ...It''s okay. Receiving the rightful throne of England and enjoying half of the enormous wealth coming from the New World... it would be profitable. Feeling somewhat uneasy, James VI shook hands with Elizabeth. Thus, the contract was sealed. "Report to me in detail every gesture, every step of the Queen! Anything! The people the Queen meets must be limited to those I approve!" Of course, James VI was not an easy person either. He was not someone who would be satisfied with a mere "co-throne." Since the Queen was unexpectedly robust, he thought he could gradually weaken her vigor by discreetly adding small amounts of poison to her food or slowly restricting her activities. But... "Your Majesty! The co-Queen of England has left Edinburgh, saying she is going on a tour!" "What?" The Queen lightly slips from his grasp, as if she had anticipated even this. "Where on earth did she say she was going! Where could a monarch who has lost her country possibly go...!" "Well..." Upon hearing the Queen''s destination, James was utterly astonished. That, mentally disturbed individual... That was all he could think. == To summarize. The last time we received proper news from England was around November or December of last year, 1601. Anyway, it was when our merchants in England hurriedly returned and reported the sudden "rebellion" that had erupted. The Queen was missing, and rebels had taken control of London. What happened after that... The rebels controlled London, but that was it. Nobles and citizens across the country were all loyal to Elizabeth. Everyone was confused when they heard that the Queen had flown to Scotland and that James of Scotland had become their co-monarch... but the situation didn''t change. In any case, everyone was relieved to learn that the Queen was alive, and everyone was outraged by the tyranny of the traitors. Of course, there were those who sympathized with the rebels because of the Queen''s attempt to organize a standing army, but still, 60 to 70 percent of England remained loyal. Everyone thought civil war was imminent. It was believed that if Scotland''s military forces moved south to join the loyalists, and then joined with the Irish expedition army returning from across the sea, the loyalists could easily achieve victory. There was even internal confusion among the rebels. The outcome was predictable, given that groups of different natures had gathered for the purpose of kidnapping or eliminating the Queen. They even failed to achieve that goal. Moreover, they opened the treasury expecting enormous wealth remaining in the royal coffers... ...but there was nothing. The Queen had squandered it all. Without leaving a single penny. Only then did they realize that the standing army construction had been a bluff, and they were furious, but it was too late. Chapter 155 - 155: Virgin Queen (2) They had no choice but to lie flat on the ground, rambling with typical excuses that they were not traitors to Her Majesty the Queen but had only intended to deal with the bad people around her. In the midst of this, they had to internally purge Catholics who were ''really'' colluding with Spain, and plead with the Queen to please return. Now, with just one word from Elizabeth. With just one word, civil war would begin. ... ... ... And the Queen kept her mouth shut in that state. While everyone was just steadily gathering weapons, making a mess of things in confusion, and James VI was supporting the English loyalists by mobilizing even non-existent resources. The Queen maintained her silence. So. Um... England was surprisingly quiet. "It''s because of Spain. As soon as civil war breaks out, Spain will land troops, you see." That''s right. Everyone had forgotten, but the English were at war. In the end, following the Queen''s silence, England fell quiet again as the state of tension continued. "Does that... make any sense? First of all, a monarch abandoning the throne and fleeing? And why do that when the rebellion could have been sufficiently suppressed?" "...Her Majesty the Queen is simply that kind of person." "More incomprehensible than anything else is maintaining the status quo like this! No, what is there to gain from doing this?" "..." "..." "...There is something to gain." "What is it, Walter?" "..." Raleigh nodded to me. "Her Majesty the Queen no longer has to handle official duties." "...Pardon?" "More precisely, she only has to deal with the duties she wants to. Co-monarch James is on a leash because of the resources coming from Virginia, and all other English people still nominally remain loyal to Her Majesty, don''t they?" "..." "So, Her Majesty can now do whatever she pleases." "..." What is... this? There was a rebellion, but she didn''t suppress it. She partially outsourced the tedious work to someone else and fled while retaining actual authority. For what purpose? ...For her YOLO lifestyle? I was astounded by the Queen''s progressiveness, leading the FIRE movement culture about 400 years earlier than the original history. Indeed, it was because of such an advanced Queen that England would later lead the world... No. I don''t understand at all. A "genius" that couldn''t possibly be grasped by ordinary human thinking flashed in Elizabeth''s mind, and she exercised that genius following her animal instinct. That''s the only way to see it. And... "But, wouldn''t James I not leave her alone...?" "Pardon? ''I''?" "...No, I mean, wouldn''t King James not leave her alone? He would try to eliminate the Queen somehow, wouldn''t he?" "Yes, that''s true. Isn''t that why Her Majesty made such a bold decision?" ''Bold decision.'' Is it right... to attach such a positive word to that? I briefly looked out at Raleigh''s mansion built on Roanoke Island. We were standing on a ship floating near Roanoke. Being only a few kilometers away, the island''s coast was clearly visible. There were fences to prevent English artisans settled across the island from crossing over, and soldiers standing guard were visible here and there. And there, workers were renovating and expanding Raleigh''s mansion. It was due to recent events. A reason had suddenly emerged to urgently expand Raleigh''s mansion. As I peered at the coast through a telescope, I saw a familiar face among numerous ladies-in-waiting. Margaret Lawrence, the Saint of London and our doctor. And beside her, an elderly woman was chattering away with a happy smile as if she couldn''t be more satisfied here. "Um... Margaret has come all the way here, and rebels have taken control of London, so how is the London clinic being operated?" "Ah, I hear it was long since dismantled and moved to a city under loyalist control. Don''t worry, we''ll continue to supply medicines there." ...Well, whatever. Though it''s a bit slapdash, everything will work out somehow. I focused the telescope again. The elderly woman''s face came into clearer view. That''s right. Worried that James I might threaten her life? Then come to a land where he ''absolutely'' cannot touch. And it would be even better if it''s a land where she can directly control the distribution of resources from the New World. That conclusion was right before my eyes. "..." "..." Elizabeth Tudor was currently chatting idly with Margaret on Roanoke Island. == "Your Majesty?" "Hmm, what is it? Are we going to play cards together again?" Elizabeth answered Margaret''s question with a broad smile. She was adorned with aluminum accessories all over her body and wrapped in furs. It''s March now. Free from various work stresses and enjoying all sorts of luxuries, the Queen''s face looked brighter and healthier than ever. She was excessively vibrant for a 68-year-old woman. "Ah, no. That''s not it... I was just curious..." "About what?" When the Queen asked, Margaret opened her mouth haltingly and asked: "...Um, didn''t Your Majesty say that you fled to Scotland for the safety of your royal person?" "That''s right?" "But... um... isn''t crossing the ocean to the Atlantic also sufficiently dangerous? How did you come to make such a decision... Staying in London and suppressing the rebellion would have been entirely possible..." Clack. "...Pardon?" "Oh, my Margaret. You still don''t understand?" The Queen gripped Margaret''s shoulders and said with a bright smile: "There is only one reason." Margaret swallowed hard at the Queen''s face, which somehow became serious. Finally, she could understand the true intentions of Her Majesty, who seemed to have abandoned her kingdom and fled... "Now both England and Scotland are mine." "..." "Whether I play cards, go bowling, or hunting, everything is mine." "..." "If it''s hard to understand, fine. I''ll keep it brief. Isn''t this... more fun?" "...What?" Margaret asked back stupidly. The Queen laughed loudly and walked again on the sandy beach of Roanoke Island. Behind her, a large mansion was being constructed as an extension to Raleigh''s mansion. It was all being built with funds provided by James of Scotland. Now she only needed to give orders without lifting a finger, occasionally giving advice on incoming news and making the English people''s heads ache. Her father, Henry VIII, was a degenerate king. He changed wives according to his mood and changed churches like changing shoes when he was upset. Everyone failed to understand her father then... but now she could understand. Now she had far surpassed her father''s eccentricities. No, perhaps she had already surpassed her father when she decided to plunder Spain. She can now overturn England with a single flick of her finger. She had won at gambling once again. == Wow, what is this. Seriously, what is this. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Chapter 156 - 156: Othello Chips (1) "Ugh..." The King of Scotland, James VI. Now also the "joint" King of England, James I, was suffering from the endless stream of paperwork. This wasn''t what he had expected... In Scotland, being a king meant being just one among many powerful lords, a first among equals at best. The fractious Scottish nobility had always tested him, challenged him, and sometimes openly defied him. He had learned to navigate their ambitions through cunning and compromise, never truly commanding absolute obedience. Scotland was already smaller than England, and with such insignificant royal authority, he had always coveted the English throne. Once Elizabeth died, that position would be mine. Once she disappeared, that seat would be entirely mine... "From now on, I wish to make you the joint King of England. I will also divide the resources from the New World in half." "...Ughhhh." "Your Majesty, are you alright?" "I''m fine, leave me." "But, Your Majesty..." "Leave me. It''s my request." "..." Creeeeak. Thud. The door closed, and the attendants withdrew. Then, alone in the room, he silently sobbed. He gritted his teeth and pounded the table. "Elizabeth, that Babylonian harlot..." I should never have accepted that proposal. I knew what schemes that witch might devise, yet I fell into her trap. It was vexing enough that she called it "joint rule" and then fled alone to America. (Of course, he had tried to kill Elizabeth. Isn''t that what politics is all about?) More than anything, he detested how she created this ambiguous situation and then played innocent. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The resources from the New World that she had promised continued to arrive steadily. However, those resources were mostly spent on persuading and mobilizing loyalists within England as soon as they arrived. Naturally, this too was due to the situation she had created. She must have anticipated this. Meanwhile, he had to suppress the rebellion in Ireland, worry about the war with Spain, and consider the movements of France and other European countries... All those duties fell solely on him. And Elizabeth? Who knows. She''s probably enjoying an (openly public) tryst with that Raleigh fellow across the Atlantic. Building a magnificent mansion with all the resources James himself had sent. ''How long... must I continue this charade?'' Until Elizabeth... dies? When would that woman die? She seemed extremely healthy. Wasn''t there also a saint by her side? I heard she even receives personal health care. How many more years does she intend to live? "..." Before he knew it, he was about to crumple and tear the document before him. James carefully placed the document back on the desk, sighed, and continued signing. And... "The taste of lobster is truly exquisite. Margaret, please help yourself!" "I-I am honored..." James''s prediction was exactly right. Elizabeth was experiencing the best moments of her life. Free from frequent work and late sleep schedules, Elizabeth''s health was improving day by day. She enjoyed bowling, fishing, and hunting at her newly built mansion, and occasionally toured the island to admire the diverse scenery of the New World. However. "Is there any reason why I must stay here? According to the treaty, all English people should be free to travel throughout the Emperor''s territory." Elizabeth had to remain confined to Roanoke Island without knowing why. Occasionally, she visited various uninhabited areas near Pamlico Sound with Raleigh to observe alligator herds and go hunting and on outings, but she still found it strange. They only visited places without people, or places where only English people were present. As if there was something to hide... "I would like to meet the ''Emperor'' as well. I''m curious about his palace and what his empire is like." "...Your Majesty, please wait a little longer." "I don''t know how many times I''ve heard that reply." Bang! As Elizabeth fired her gun, a deer lost strength and collapsed. That would be dinner tonight. "I''m starting to get... bored. Tell the Emperor that if he has nothing to hide from me, I would like to be treated properly as a monarch of an allied nation, not as a prisoner." "...Of course." Elizabeth detected hesitation and deception in Raleigh''s response but showed no reaction. Raleigh also knew that his intentions had been seen through Elizabeth''s gaze, but similarly did not reveal it. The two simply sat quietly opposite each other, smoking tobacco and passing time. That evening''s dinner was a pie made with venison and potatoes. After dinner, Raleigh paid his respects to his sovereign and left Roanoke Island. Elizabeth tilted her head as she watched Raleigh board the ship with somewhat excited eyes. What is he hiding? Another woman...? That doesn''t seem right. == No matter how little I know about history, there''s one thing I can say with absolute confidence. Absolutely, as far as I know, there was never any history where Elizabeth crossed over to Roanoke Island to enjoy a leisurely retirement. ... ... ... But what does it matter? What does "as far as I know" matter? As far as I know, the Roanoke colony failed, and there was never an incident where saints receiving angel''s commands cured the plague. Let''s just accept it outright. Goodbye, my catalog. Goodbye, my limited historical knowledge. It seems both of you have become completely useless now. ...Well, famous figures might still be born, right? Strictly speaking, since I''ve been transported into a game, notable people would probably still be born as if they were NPCs. Yeah. So far, only a little more than 10 years have passed! No one knows yet how far the butterfly effect of history will reach! Let''s be optimistic! Whatever happens from now on, things will work out somehow! "Nemo. It seems trade with England will become somewhat difficult." "...Pardon? What''s happening, Walter?" "After the rebellion, things are chaotic, and for now, we''re sending goods to Scotland instead, but they seem barely able to handle our volume." "..." "More than anything, Ireland has become semi-independent, so we''re struggling to avoid hostile ships. Of course, we can evade them to some extent, but given the clipper''s characteristics, it takes time to pick up speed." "..." What a mess. When Spain gets an idiotic king, does England have to crash vertically to maintain balance? Is this God''s balancing that mere human game designers dare not approach? Whatever. I raised my head to look at the ceiling and shook my head. Chapter 157 - 157: Othello Chips (2) My mind was complicated. Why did Elizabeth of all people come here? It''s not even that good a place for a nearly 70-year-old elderly person to live? The fact that one of the world''s most famous queens is living and breathing just about 100 kilometers away makes me incredibly uncomfortable and anxious whenever I think about it. What should I do with her? Will she live here for the rest of her life? But I can''t keep her imprisoned forever either? And I can''t send back an ally with whom I''ve built a good relationship, putting her in danger of death. Ugh... The worries keep piling up. Elizabeth''s escape hasn''t only affected Virginia''s trade situation and my mental state. Drake is now saying things like, "It''s unfortunate that London has fallen to treason. Nothing can be done. Given the circumstances, I must expand business from here!" and is more enthusiastically beating up the Spanish forces. He also continues to visit Roanoke Island occasionally to pay the stipulated tribute to Elizabeth. It seems he''s acting up more now that he no longer needs to visit England. As a result, the western Atlantic and the Caribbean have become even more turbulent. It''s absolute chaos. Because of this, we''re inserting more spies into Florida, extracting more information from there to exploit Spain, so this situation won''t be easily calmed. Conversely, Spain is performing well in the eastern Atlantic. Originally, the Earl of Essex, Robert Devereux, would have botched the suppression of the Irish rebellion, dragging things out, and then gradually the situation would reverse in the 1600s, with England achieving a decisive victory at the Battle of Kinsale in 1601. Thus, driving out native Irish forces and gradually strengthening England''s colonial rule over Ireland was the original history according to the catalog... Robert Devereux had already died trying to assassinate Raleigh and me. Other commanders stepped up to push the Irish into a defensive position, but now with Spain joining in and England self-destructing, the Irish Catholics have gained breathing room instead. As a result, Spanish privateers are currently doing quite well raiding western England and Scotland. The whole world is full of chaos. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. It''s not just anything, but an entire kingdom has been turned upside down, so the history of all Europe will start to be significantly affected. For now, we''re experiencing economic impacts. How will the supply of luxury goods... fare from now on... Ah. "Ah, Hewett? How is the business at the port of trade progressing?" "If you''re referring to the port of trade, it''s starting to roll along properly. In fact, it''s thriving!" Hewett raises his head with a bright face when I ask. "It seems we''re gradually filling the luxury goods supply that England has lost there. We could even expand the scale further in the future. Seeing that we''re already short on ''chips''..." Oh, they''re already running short? "Speaking of ''chips''... I should replenish them soon. Shall we go that way to get a change of scenery?" At my words, the apostles... no, the government council members who looked slightly tired, rose one by one. "Are we going shopping after a long time? I''m all for it!" "Oh? Did you bring the chips?" At Eleanor''s question, I nodded, taking out a ''chip'' from my pocket. Ports of trade are usually built for commercial reasons. We were no different. At the port of trade, there''s a market opened for French merchants. Naturally, if we''re not going to barter, currency is an essential element in a market. What I''m holding is... an Othello chip, white on the front and black on the back. A lightweight, appropriately small plastic chip with a magnet inside. A consumable. In other words, a currency that absolutely cannot be replicated with the technology of this era, and one that only comes from my home. "Of course. Let''s go circulate them." == If you go south from Chesapeake Bay, there are long barrier islands (islands formed by sand, gravel, etc. deposited along the coastline) standing in a row. At their northern end is Virginia''s port of trade. It was not far from Chesapeake Bay, making it accessible, and conversely, it was safe being separated from Roanoke Island or Croatoan Island. It was not bad for guiding and simultaneously monitoring French merchants coming to this area. In front of a building erected to one side, French people stood in a long line to exchange their gold and silver coins for chips. And those who exchanged chips from there hurriedly ran around to the markets spread out everywhere and immediately began bargaining. One chip has the value of 100 livres (a medieval French currency), that is, the value of 100 livre coins. And though I''m not sure, 100 livres seemed to be worth several months'' wages for someone. When French merchants carefully counted out chips with trembling hands and handed them over, the natives who received them put out an equal amount of fur, coral, jewels, etc. The deal was made. When a French fur merchant clenched his fist in joy at the thought of becoming rich, the native who had just sold leather went to another French person selling goods here to pay that chip. What to buy is up to him. It could be iron tools, beads made of colored glass, or a doll to give to his children. Whatever the transaction, it is controlled here. These Othello chips are our community''s first currency, and a currency that can only be used here. It''s also a device that can minimize the influence coming into the community from the outside. Anyway. The apostles spend time looking around the market and purchasing things with the chips I distributed. Of course, I should not contact the French, so after looking around the market from a distance, I enter a tent set up at the edge. Flutter. "Ah, Nemo!" "Good work, everyone. Have all the items arrived?" "Ah, of course. Look here! There are so many beautiful things! If you look at this sparkling colored glass..." Various statues, all sorts of religious paintings, and ornate crosses. All items ordered from all over Europe and imported through French merchants. What these are used for... "...Now, we will finally have a proper ''cathedral''!" That''s right. We are building a cathedral. All the workers in the tent made the sign of the cross. Chapter 158 - 158: Cathedral (1) At the heart of medieval European society was, above all, Christianity, specifically the Catholic Church. The center of community was the church congregation. The most authoritative intellectuals in various regions were priests. And naturally, the most important focal point of the local community was... The cathedral. At the cathedral, they celebrate the birth of a person and perform the sacrament of baptism so that person can establish themselves as a Christian. Next, in a traditional Catholic cathedral, they celebrate a person''s coming of age with the sacrament of confirmation. And in everyday life, the cathedral is where people participate in the faith community by attending Mass every week. It''s also where two people are officially recognized as forming the most basic faith community, a "family," through the sacrament of marriage, and where funerals are held when someone dies. Thus, a person''s life begins and ends at the cathedral. That''s how a community is maintained and moves through the space called a cathedral. Since medieval times in Europe, the cathedral could be considered the heart of a community. It''s ultimately similar to how our church building in Chesapeake served as both a parliament building and a meeting place for the apostles and me for a while. It''s natural. It''s convenient to hold meetings and make important community decisions where people gather every week. For the same reason, in original history, church buildings became the center of early American pioneer communities. So the beginning was very simple. "Now that our population is approaching 70,000, wouldn''t it be nice to have a proper church building?" "Well... of course." "Mrs. Dare is right. We can''t have priests like Hewett or Harriot holding important ceremonies outdoors forever. For example, if it suddenly rains during Mass..." As for how our church operates... well... The only thing I can really say is that it''s quite improvised. Priests and deacons are roughly elected by vote or take turns in office through drawing lots. Usually, those who have learned our doctrine from Hewett or Harriot take the role of priest. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. People going far to trading posts need someone to celebrate Mass and preach, so we dispatched those who had studied doctrine to serve as priests. Or trading post people elect them by vote. The same goes for positions above deacon and priest. Usually, bishops are roughly elected by vote among priests, and occasionally I appoint someone and dispatch them to distant locations. Archbishop... we don''t have that yet. With a population of only 60,000-70,000, why would we need to elect an archbishop? It would be as ridiculous as a 5-person club electing a president, vice president, secretary, treasurer, and auditor. Anyway, archbishops would probably be elected by bishops later. ...What is this? This terrible hybrid of Catholicism and Protestantism? Anyway, since our community has both Catholics and Protestants, it ended up being this mixed together. Some refuse to say priest and say pastor instead, and some refuse to say bishop and say superintendent, but it doesn''t really matter so I just leave it be. Doctrinal debates only give me headaches. Above the elected deacons, priests, and bishops are the apostles, and ultimately me. I''m roughly... well... something like the Pope of the ''Nemo sect,'' no, the ''Nameless sect.'' Looking at this summary, I''ve used words like "roughly" and "approximately" a lot. It seems our church organization really is operating quite loosely. Well, it will work out somehow later. It''s not something to worry about now. Anyway, even if the church organization is like that, other important matters can''t be handled so casually. For starters, even though it''s loose, the Nameless sect is still Christianity, so everyone gives baptism to new believers. They preach using Bible content and frequently hold communion. And usually, church events are held every Sunday. That means believers need to gather around the priest (...or pastor or whatever) once a week. People gathering means a place to gather is needed. And that gathering place is the cathedral. I didn''t know, but apparently people felt sad about calling a shabby hut with a roughly planted cross a cathedral. Especially when I occasionally drop by to give words of encouragement, public opinion like ''It''s too shabby for an angel to preach in!'' sometimes arises. Above all... "Beauty and grandeur sometimes inspire holy reverence. Even from a practical perspective, we need something like a proper cathedral." "...Does Hewett think so too?" "Of course. Why did Catholics create icons? Wasn''t it to make preaching easier to barbarians?" Right... I understand. They mean that having something "cool-looking" helps maintain dignity and aids in missionary work? From that perspective, the grand and decorative elements of cathedrals and churches could be seen as designed under extremely practical purposes. They overwhelm people once built. That''s how... our denomination''s first "cathedral" building project began. "Didn''t we say we shouldn''t erect statues! We must remove everything except paintings and crosses!" "No... why get rid of such nice things? Are you planning to just show a single cross to natives who have never experienced Christianity before? Saying, this is our God?" "Can''t that be well explained through preaching?" "If preaching alone were enough, we wouldn''t need to build such a cathedral in the first place, would we?" "...Mr. Hewett, Vicente, that''s enough from both of you. Aren''t you ashamed in front of the believers?" Of course, it was very eventful. Now it''s the early 17th century. The era of religious wars. ...For now, I barely mediated the conflict between Hewett and Vicente. We decided to install a crucifix showing Jesus hanging on the cross, but exclude all other statues of saints and angels. Oh, this is exhausting. I barely held back a sigh as I left the meeting room and looked at the "construction site" of the cathedral. It''s been about a year since the idea came up... and they''re still just laying the foundation. Complex and magnificent buildings like cathedrals take a long time just to design. They''ve been arguing for days just about whether to erect statues or not, so it would be a miracle if the construction didn''t take long. Still, at least a warehouse to store materials and interior decorations for the cathedral has been built, so I went to take a look... Creeeeak! "...Are these all donated items?" "Yes. At least for now." Chapter 159 - 159: Cathedral (2) Here were various high-quality materials and religious art pieces imported through French merchants. Plus jewels and various treasures offered by natives. It was full of donations pouring in from all over America. Through the warehouse windows, natives, English people, and Africans were moving about, setting up pillars and frames. ...It seems there was some progress after all. == Henri de Bourbon. Henri IV of France and Navarre. The great founder of the Bourbon dynasty and hero who ended the long religious civil war... "Chief Minister! Duke of Sully! Maximilien! Da, damn it...! The treasury is on the verge of collapse again! Do we really need to build that canal?" "Your Majesty, you know, don''t you? To collect taxes from that place..." "Urggghh." ... was currently strapped for cash. Today again, after several meetings with his most trusted advisor, Chief Minister and Finance Minister Duke of Sully, Maximilien de B¨¦thune, he collapsed into a chair. Becoming the sole and legitimate king of France was good. But the fact that France was full of ruins and Catholics and Protestants trying to kill him was not so desirable. Yes. The situation in France was not good. For the past few years, he had barely been pulling the domestic situation out of the mire, but the civil war had been too long, and spies from Spain and the anti-royalist faction were everywhere. Every day was a difficult battle. ''Could I, like that Elizabeth, throw everything away and just enjoy..." No, probably not. He had a newly established dynasty and children to whom he needed to pass the throne. He was different from the start compared to Elizabeth, who lived alone and would die alone. ''No... who am I envying?'' Wasn''t it Elizabeth''s fault that he was currently so strapped for cash? Right now, due to the chaos in the British Isles, trade with Virginia had shrunk, and along with it, the various luxury goods that Elizabeth had directly provided to the French royal family had also been cut off. Wasn''t he suffering now because the funds he could draw from the nobles had sharply decreased as a result? Anyway... still, I''m envious. At least she had her own power, so she could make such a bold choice? Didn''t she have the ability and foundation to manipulate even the King of Scotland? But he had no such foundation. He had to seize it with his own two hands from the ruins...! As he was thinking this, clenching his fists and raising his gaze toward the sky. Knock. Knock. "Your Majesty, merchants who have crossed the Atlantic request an audience." "...Let them in." Once again, the King of France straightened his posture and took his seat with majestic bearing and dignified expression. No trace of his previous suffering could be found. Then the door opened, and the merchants dispatched by Henri IV bowed their heads. As he nodded slightly, they sat down respectfully opposite Henri. "Your Majesty, our voyage to Virginia was very successful! They are buying enormous quantities of luxury goods there right now!" "Here is the list! The furs and aluminum we received in return alone are in tremendous quantities!" The merchants smiled as they spoke. Henri was annoyed that they seemed abundant while he was struggling, but he didn''t show such amateurish emotions. "Welcome. You are heroes of our homeland, France." He just quietly smiled and nodded. The merchants chatted away, presenting fur samples and aluminum ingots they had brought from the New World. Indeed, the quality of the fur was excellent, and the precious metal called aluminum shone with a mysterious luster. But what caught Henri''s attention was something else. "Hmm? What is that round object?" "Ah, yes? Oh... How strange. I was wondering why exactly 100 livres were missing from the ledger." A small disc that protruded from among the goods presented by the merchants, sticking firmly to nearby metal. One side was black and one side white. When Henri IV carefully detached it from the metal decoration, he felt a strange resistance. "Does it contain magnetite?" "Ah, exactly right! That is the currency used for trade in Virginia! We tried to replicate it, but we couldn''t identify the nature of the material..." "..." Light, smooth and warm to the touch like porcelain or ivory. Henri IV, not knowing the word "plastic," was unable to identify the chip''s nature, so he took it apart and then reassembled it before putting it in his pocket. He confirmed that inside was a well-processed round piece of magnetite. Henri said to the merchants with his characteristic kind smile. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "It looks difficult to replicate, just by looking at it." "That''s right. We still don''t know what technology was used to make it, but even if we found out, I doubt we could replicate it." "..." Elaborate and strange. Henri IV, unable to forget the feel of the chip he had put in his pocket, looked again at the list of exports to Virginia. Fine marble, colored glass, timber, and... ...Huh? Something feels off. A feeling like I''m missing something obvious... Ah. Henri IV suddenly stands up, realizing something. "Luxury goods... you said they order many luxury goods?" "Yes, that''s right." "What kind of things?" "Mostly religious items. For example, crucifixes, statues of Jesus, and various religious paintings..." "Yes. That''s it!" Henri IV automatically stands up. The merchants, unable to remain seated respectfully, also stand up without knowing why. But the man who changed religions as lightly as changing shoes for the sake of the throne, a monarch who, though inferior to Elizabeth, was no less mad, muttered. "It''s all... either Christian... or building materials?" "Is that so? Let me see... Oh, indeed it is." These fools, if it was going to be like this, I wasted royal budget sending them. Can''t they notice this? This obvious thing? Cold sweat runs down Henri IV''s back. Emperor ruling North America. Honestly... he still couldn''t believe in that existence. Many natives testified to the existence of a being called "Nemo," but he thought that was all. He thought it was either an English scheme or Nemo was a superstitious object of worship among natives. Logically, if there were an emperor who controlled northern America, wouldn''t he have been discovered during the past few decades? But... "Various religious paintings, crucifixes, building materials..." All religious items, all building materials. The English in Virginia, who probably numbered just a few hundred or thousand, couldn''t have requested all those luxury goods. Especially not ordering so many useless building materials. Then... ''At minimum, tens of thousands.'' Yes. There is a huge community there, ruling at least tens of thousands. A community that feels the need to build a large-scale Christian architectural structure. A native emperor, converted to Christianity...? "Could it be... that it''s not just a fantasy made up by the English?" "Yo-Your Majesty?" "Be quiet." My head is complicated enough already. Oh, my goodness. The ''Emperor'' actually exists...? Across that ocean, does a powerful Christian empire really exist? Chapter 160 - 160: Cathedral (3) The main purpose of Henri IV, the legitimate king of France, was nothing else. To rebuild this ruined kingdom. And simultaneously, to place this unstable new dynasty on solid ground. As the first monarch of the Bourbon line, following the collapse of the Valois dynasty, Henri knew that his family''s claim to the throne remained precarious, contested by powerful noble factions and foreign interests who questioned his right to rule. For that, he needed enormous funds. Very enormous funds that would allow him to address the kingdom''s countless needs while also projecting the strength and magnificence expected of a French monarch. The royal coffers had been emptied by his predecessors'' extravagances and the costly wars that had torn the realm apart. Thanks to the excellent fiscal policies and miraculous sale of offices by the Duke of Sully, Maximilien de B¨¦thune (later the Duke of Sully), fortunately, millions of livres began to accumulate in the royal treasury. With that money as his weapon, Henri built up the army, constructed roads, and developed industries. Keeping opposition in check or appeasing them was just a bonus. ...Of course, he had dreams too. ''I must create a new source of funds that belongs to the royal family, benefiting only the royal family!'' Henri believed that dream could be realized in America, and his closest friend and excellent finance minister, the Duke of Sully, opposed his opinion. Henri envisioned France''s greatness extending across the Atlantic, where vast territories could provide timber, furs, precious metals, and exotic goods to enrich the kingdom''s coffers and enhance its standing among European powers. He saw in these distant shores not merely commercial opportunity but the chance to create a "New France" that might embody his ideals more perfectly than the old world ever could. Because establishing colonies would immediately consume enormous resources that Sully had worked so diligently to accumulate. Each expedition required ships, supplies, soldiers, and settlers¡ªall requiring substantial investment with uncertain returns. Sully, ever the pragmatic administrator, insisted that France''s recovery demanded fiscal discipline and concentration on domestic affairs. Colonial adventures, he argued, would drain the treasury faster than it could be replenished, potentially undoing years of careful financial management. Moreover, after several attempts at establishing colonies, they were all either already under the control of the ''native emperor'' or too close to England''s sphere of influence. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. His dream... seemed to be crushed that way. But. "...Do you see? You must understand what conclusion this leads to?" "Th-th-that''s impossible. You know, don''t you? How many expeditions have gone to America over the past 100 years!" "Yes! I know too! Until just 10 or 20 years ago, there wasn''t even a trace of an ''empire''! But look! Now they''re building a cathedral? Who, for what purpose, would construct such a building?" "The English!" "...What?" When Henri was momentarily stunned by that answer, his Chief Minister, the Duke of Sully, responded. "Don''t you know? English people with the Emperor''s permission can freely settle in the Emperor''s territory. Perhaps, contrary to what''s publicly known, tens of thousands of English have already settled there." "..." "Yes. That''s much more convincing than an unidentifiable ''empire.'' This intricately processed magnetite and currency of unknown material... let''s set that aside. There must be another way to explain it." The Duke of Sully speaks to his lord imploringly. "Please... you must come to your senses. American ventures will devour resources like a hippopotamus. If we pour those resources into the kingdom, we can build up the artillery more, expand roads more, and extend Paris more!" "...Then, what about the future of the kingdom and the new dynasty?" "The future is here. Not across the Atlantic. My lord, please..." "Well... that is certainly more realistic." "Yes, my lord!" "But realistic assumptions aren''t always correct." Henri IV grabs Duke of Sully B¨¦thune''s shoulder and whispers quietly as if coaxing him. "My friend... I will check just a few more times. After that, if this ''empire'' truly turns out to be an illusion created by the English, then I will stop." "Then..." "Not right now." At those words, the Duke sighs, and the King raises his chin high and says. "For now, it''s time to verify these suspicious things. With so much physical evidence, how can I deny its existence outright?" For now, there is overwhelming physical evidence before their eyes that the ''empire'' must exist. Conversely, there is also overwhelming circumstantial evidence that the ''empire'' must be an illusion. Yes... Just one more time. I need to find out about this mysterious empire just one more time. "Think about it, Maxime. If... if we assume there really exists an empire of natives there." "I am thinking about it." "Good. Yes. Imagine their numbers are at least hundreds of thousands to millions, and they''ve just converted to Christianity!" Snap! Henri snaps his fingers and says. "What would they need most?" "First of all, educated missionaries." "We can''t send missionaries. I am nominally a Catholic monarch, and wasn''t the Emperor converted by priests sent from England? Then he would be Protestant. Anything else?" "Then, perhaps wine for communion..." "Yes! That''s it!" A look of delight comes over Henri IV''s face. "We''ll send wine across the sea! They may grow grapes, but do they know how to make proper wine? The English don''t even know how to grow grapes properly or make wine. What if we send them properly made wine? If there really is a proper Christian empire and emperor?" They couldn''t possibly refuse. At the excited words of the French King, Duke of Sully Maximilien de B¨¦thune strokes his mustache and contemplates. Yes. For some reason, demand for Bordeaux wine had decreased among the English upper class, causing concern. In this situation, finding a new market for surplus wine would not be a bad choice. The Duke of Sully carefully nods and responds. "Very well... Let''s contact the wine merchants for now. The next merchant ships heading to Virginia will carry wine." "Good. Well chosen! Just wait and see!" Henri IV lightly pounds his chest and bursts into hearty laughter. "They will all become customers of our French wine. I look forward to seeing how much wine they will buy in the future...!" Chapter 161 - 161: Cathedral (4) And so, the French merchants began an unexpected wine trade. On one side, loading various artworks and building materials ordered from Virginia. On the other side, loading wine produced in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Provence. And. ... ... ... "This has gone bad. Can''t buy it. Why did they suddenly bring so much wine?" It was all disposed of. == Let me say it again. The beginning of long-term wine preservation is divided into two main developments. First, the emergence of fortified wine, which increases alcohol content by adding spirits. These wines have a much higher alcohol content than regular wines, making them much more advantageous for preservation. Second, the emergence of a method that prevents wine from turning into vinegar by adding sulfites. Sulfites prevent bacteria growth in wine containers, keeping wine fresh for extended periods. And these preservation methods developed from the 17th century when Europeans began to venture outside Europe in earnest. The addition of sulfites only became widespread in the 20th century. So what does that mean... "Ptui, ptui, this tastes spoiled. To think they really believed we would buy such things." It means that wine from this era mostly turns into vinegar after a short time. If they had used clippers, maybe, but this is wine that came across the water in the conventional way, taking 2-3 months. There''s no way it could still be in good condition. "Well, don''t be too harsh, Eleanor. If we didn''t have our own wine, we would have had to buy and drink this." Anyway. Wine is an inseparable element of Christian life. Just before Jesus was arrested, he shared the ''Last Supper'' with his disciples, declaring bread and wine to be his body and blood before being crucified. Since then, Christians regardless of denomination have performed the Eucharist or communion ceremony with bread and wine at least once, reflecting on the meaning of Jesus''s suffering and death. Among them, in Catholicism only the priest drinks the wine used in the Eucharist, while Protestants share the wine among all believers... "It''s terrible... If we held communion with this, the Lord would be angry." "...Is it that bad?" "Would you like to try it?" "Then... ugh." It has to taste good, doesn''t it? We all share and drink this together. These French people who served this kind of wine to us as wine have therefore committed blasphemy against the Lord and should be rightfully condemned...! Phew, I had many strange thoughts. "Walter, please tell the merchants waiting over there that we can''t pay full price for this. It''s a shame to throw it away, so we''ll use it as vinegar, but it has no value beyond that." "I understand. Well, it''s natural for wine to spoil while crossing the Atlantic." "...But our wine doesn''t do that, does it?" "Mrs. Dare, that''s because we''re using Nemo''s mysterious technology. They couldn''t possibly replicate it." That''s right. For them to replicate our wine, they would have to wait more than 300 years. Of course, fortified wine will come out soon, so they''ll soon be able to export wine across the Atlantic, but not yet... "...Wait a moment, Walter." "What is it?" Raleigh stops as he was about to move on my order. I take out Virginia-made wine that I had brought for comparison and hand it to him. "Let them taste this." "Pardon?" "Let them try it. Then something incredible will happen." "Ah... I understand." Looking bewildered, Raleigh takes the wine I handed to him and leaves. It is said that wine is 90% terroir (soil) and 10% production technique. In that sense, wine made in Virginia is thoroughly beaten by France from the start. But this wine, this ''Chesapeake wine'' is different. ...Yes. Just by the name, it sounds really insignificant. In fact, by 21st century wine industry standards, it is very insignificant. But now is different. Because... Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "My God! How, how can it be this intense!" "How can wine be this sweet? What, what technique did they use!" This is the world''s first fortified wine. The primitive 17th century French people did backflips over ''American'' wine. == Gulp. Gulp. "Yo-Your Majesty... if you drink it down like that...!" "Cough! Im-impossible...! Is this wine really from across the Atlantic!" "Y-yes! Look here, doesn''t it say ''Chesapeake''?" ''Chesapeake Scuppernong 1592, Imjin War Edition''. ...Imjin War (Guerre d''Imjin)? What''s that? Anyway. Henri, his face slightly flushed, stared intensely at the wine from that distant new world, in shock. That wine could maintain this quality even after crossing the Atlantic was shocking enough, but... It had a taste he had never thought to experience in wine. Sweet, with a very high alcohol content. He had never even heard of such wine before. ''...How is this possible?'' Did the English teach them winemaking? That can''t be. How could people who struggle even with grape cultivation, let alone winemaking, teach anyone? If they knew how to make such a product, would the English have any reason to import large quantities of wine from France every year? Then, how did such a product come about? And 1592 is... already 10 years ago, isn''t it? Does this mean that it was made with grapes harvested 10 years ago and is still fine? "..." "Your Majesty? Are you alright? Is it perhaps poisoned...!" "Maxime, you try it too." "What? Just a moment... Wh-wh-what!" 10 years ago. Wasn''t that when the English Virginia colony wasn''t this large yet, just a few hundred people? They made wine with the help of the English at that time? How could that be possible? "Th-they... already knew how to make wine..." Henri''s words fail him. The fact that they already knew how to make such wine 10 years ago means they had already had contact with Europe before, or at least knew how to brew wine. And the fact that, 10 years ago, their wine production and preservation technology was superior to France''s. "They... have known Christianity longer than we thought...!" There''s no other explanation. For what purpose and how would they make wine if not for Christian purposes? Only then do numerous pieces of information fit together in Henri''s mind. Europeans didn''t know the identity of this ''Christian empire'' all this time. A Christian civilization that had developed metallurgy, jewel crafting, farming methods, and winemaking techniques superior to Europe''s had been invisible to their eyes until then. And only about 10 years ago, it suddenly appeared to the world, majestically displaying its power. Making Spain and England tremble at its might. Their intentions... their identity... Henri couldn''t even guess. ... ... ...More than anything, what does ''Imjin War Edition (¨¦dition de guerre d''Imjin)'' mean? He would never know. Chapter 162 - 162: Voice-less Emperor (1) "I''m concerned you might be expecting too much. Henri IV is currently trying to reduce the importation of foreign luxury goods to minimize the outflow of national wealth..." Ah, I''ve already heard this several times and seen it in the catalog. Henri IV is the king who ended the Huguenot Wars that spanned decades and inherited a ruined France. With his trusted advisor Maximilien de B¨¦thune, he implemented reforms and had to frantically raise funds in various sectors to rebuild France. As such, he was very vigilant about unnecessary expenditures and wouldn''t welcome luxury goods from foreign countries. But that''s not important. "Walter, the specific quantity isn''t important." What matters is only the ''symbolism''. The symbolism that wine made from grapes I carefully cultivated is now making the French king tremble is what mattered most...! This is the moment American wine finally makes its global debut...! Of course, I couldn''t say such things to Raleigh, so I just vaguely mumbled the rest. "I see, so it''s primarily about letting the French know that we too belong to Christian civilization." "Also, for now, just making them aware of our wine''s existence and characteristics might be enough! Since it''s a wine that can be preserved long-term, it would be hard to replace!" Then, whether it''s Raleigh or others, they conveniently invent deep strategic intentions that never existed. I just nod appropriately and smile. And others also turned their attention elsewhere, as there were more pressing topics than my words at the moment. "The amount of incoming luxury goods has increased?" "That''s right, Hewett. Thanks to that, we''ve reduced a lot of effort in building the cathedral." "The stonemasons told me the quality of marble has improved significantly." The attitude of French merchants... has somehow changed from before. They''re much more cooperative, you could say. Or perhaps they''re trying harder to make a good impression. I tried to infer what changes might have occurred within France, but the sea of the 17th century was too vast to discover affairs across the Atlantic. So that''s on hold for now. "Isn''t it important that the cathedral is being built well because of that?" "Well, that''s true." I nodded appropriately at Raleigh''s words and looked up at the cathedral building where columns were rising one by one. Naturally, this cathedral is expected to take decades to complete. But we plan to quickly build spaces that can be used adequately first, so the area won''t remain idle in the meantime. Plus, with the help of excavators and various equipment, the pace will accelerate. Still, among the apostles here, probably none will see this space completed... Maybe Eleanor has a chance. ...Suddenly my mouth feels a bit bitter. As I frowned, Raleigh approached to check my expression. I waved my hand casually and made an excuse. "What''s wrong?" "Nothing... Ah, I just realized, aren''t we officially Church of England? I wondered if we should invite a priest." Of course, it''s an unnecessary worry. It''s not like we''re going to spread rumors everywhere about building this. And England, with its many Puritans, wouldn''t particularly care either. But after hearing my words and contemplating briefly, Eleanor made a suggestion. "Well, since she''s nearby, how about inviting Her Majesty the Queen? She is the head of the Church of England..." "I''m not sure. We don''t know how she''ll react upon meeting Nemo." Raleigh replied while stroking his beard and looked at me. "Ah! Her Majesty has been expressing a desire to meet Nemo. To be precise, she seems to be feeling bored with life on Roanoke..." "Please explain in detail, Walter." Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "She''s confined to Roanoke Island without knowing why, isn''t she? She seems quite frustrated." "..." "...Yes, of course it would be difficult to meet her." "No. Actually, it''s problematic not to meet her as well." It''s troublesome to give the impression that we''re detaining Elizabeth. The alliance with England is still important. Plus, a foreign monarch has entered my territory, and I haven''t shown my face at all? This is extremely rude in its own way. Elizabeth is being patient with me. After thinking for a moment, I asked Raleigh. "Hmm... How is the Queen these days?" == It had been truly a turbulent life. Born as the daughter of the hated queen Anne Boleyn, and watching her be beheaded. From being heir to the throne, to falling to a mere prisoner. Living in fear, experiencing mortal danger several times. And. She had triumphed in a lifelong struggle. Now it was she who lay peacefully, reclining in an armchair. Not her damned sister Mary, not her sickly brother Edward. It was she who reigned as Queen of England, Ireland, and Scotland. The irritating Spain was also being tormented to the maximum extent, so it couldn''t be more satisfying... ''...or could it.'' Elizabeth frowned at the sudden thought, her delicate brow furrowing as she absently tapped her jeweled fingers against the polished oak of her writing desk. Her attendants, keen observers trained to anticipate her every need and mood, exchanged subtle glances before quietly slipping from the room, the rustle of their silk gowns barely audible as they retreated to the antechamber to await her orders. The heavy door closed with a soft click, leaving her alone with her contemplations. Some might call it reckless for the head of the church and ruler of the kingdom to be abroad, venturing beyond the protective walls and vigilant guards of her own palace. Especially in a land where an enemy colony was within reach, where Spanish sympathizers might lurk in shadowed corners or behind courteous smiles, their loyalty pledged to a foreign crown that had long contested England''s power and prosperity. But her judgment was clearly rational and cold, honed by years of political maneuvering and the constant threats that surrounded her throne. She analyzed risks with the precision of a master chess player, several moves ahead of her opponents. As long as the Spanish king had a minimum of common sense¡ªand despite their differences, she knew him to be no fool in matters of statecraft¡ªshe was in no danger at all. The diplomatic consequences would far outweigh any momentary advantage. Chapter 163 - 163: Voice-less Emperor (2) First of all, Spain had nothing to gain by threatening her. The delicate balance of power that had been established would not tilt in their favor through such a brazen act. They couldn''t induce political chaos in England since there was a separate joint king, whose authority would remain undiminished even in her absence, ensuring continuity of governance and a swift, terrible retribution should any harm befall her. Moreover, by now Spain must be yearning for peace, if only from exhaustion. The country''s treasury had been drained by years of costly conflicts across multiple fronts. They had many enemies more important than England¡ªthe Ottoman Empire pressing at their Mediterranean territories, rebellious provinces in the Low Countries consuming resources and manpower, and rivals circling their colonial possessions like hungry wolves. A provocative move against her would only serve to unite their opponents and further isolate Spain in European affairs. In such a situation, they wouldn''t choose to prolong the war with England by capturing her, killing her, or doing anything else to her. Therefore, Elizabeth was safe. Therefore, there was no reason for Elizabeth''s actions to be restricted. Therefore, there was no reason for Elizabeth to be confined to this island. Like some prisoner... "..." ...Yes. Like a prisoner. Unpleasant memories briefly surfaced. Memories of being treated like a prisoner before. Just as Elizabeth was revisiting the bitter past, recalling past pain and past hatred. Knock. Knock. Knock. "Your Majesty, Sir Drake requests an audience." The attendant''s voice. "Let him in." And as she responded, the door opened and a man with a cheerful countenance walked in. "Your Majesty! I have come at your summons!" As Elizabeth gestured with her chin toward the chair across the table, Drake sat down and immediately addressed the Queen. "Your Majesty, may I speak directly?" "Go ahead." "Meeting the ''Emperor'' is madness. You must stop immediately." "...What?" Elizabeth tilted her head. What is he saying? After claiming he had met him himself? Thinking it might be another of his typical nonsensical ramblings, she looked up to meet Drake''s eyes, but... "..." "..." His unusually serious eyes left her speechless. Drake did not speak at length. "There... is a secret there that I cannot explain in words. You must neither set foot there carelessly nor speak to the people there recklessly." "...And you?" "I''m fine since I''m a hardy seafarer." "...What about Raleigh?" "Similar to my case. You could say he''s already accustomed to the sea''s pranks." "..." "..." Silence again. I summoned him thinking I might seek advice before meeting the native emperor, but he just says strange things. "You mustn''t take this lightly. You absolutely must be careful." "What exactly is happening?" "I, I really didn''t want to tell you this but..." "..." "The Emperor''s true identity is... probably...!" "Probably...?" "He must be a sea monster." Ah. No. Until just now, he was speaking quite sensibly. "..." "After meeting him, you will have bizarre experiences that are difficult to describe in words. Even I have been seeing hallucinations more frequently since meeting him!" Of course, that''s due to vitamin deficiency from happily sailing around without going to England. "Then after he gave me some strange medicine, those visions dispersed instantly. Perhaps the mystery of the sea was testing me..." It was a vitamin supplement. "Anyway, you must be careful. Your Majesty, I don''t want to lose you! Aren''t you the one to whom I''ve presented numerous treasures and offered affection and respect all this time?" He means he''s paid a lot in tribute, so please live long enough to be worth it. After that, England''s proud naval leader Francis Drake passionately expounded for 30 minutes on all sorts of mysterious dangers one might experience at sea. Thanks to that, Elizabeth was able to vividly see how far the human mind could deteriorate due to causes such as vitamin deficiency or excess adrenaline. "..." "..." "I understand your words well." "...Then!" "However, am I not a monarch of a nation? Whatever dangers may come, whoever the counterpart may be, if I must meet them, I shall." "..." "You may go now." Elizabeth quickly gave up on the idea of having a proper conversation. Indeed, one shouldn''t attempt to converse with someone who''s slightly off... It felt like common sense was crumbling. The Queen shook her head, and Drake left the room with a regretful expression. And he thought to himself. The Queen is indeed a strange person... After all those warnings, she still wants to meet the mystery of the sea...! There''s no point in a sensible person like myself having a lengthy conversation. Thus, the most nonsensical man and woman in England shook their heads thinking about each other. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. While Elizabeth and Drake were filming a farce thinking about each other. "...Why not capture the Queen?" Another farce was unfolding across the Atlantic. == As mentioned earlier, Elizabeth''s safety is guaranteed despite being far away. Spain has many enemies, and as such, England is pushed down the priority list, and attacking a queen who isn''t even on English soil should have been even further outside the priorities. "The... Queen is on Roanoke Island, you say?" "Y-Yes, Your Majesty." "Then wouldn''t the war end if we captured the Queen?" "...Pardon?" That''s why the ministers were shocked when Philip III spoke. "Your Majesty, the Queen may not have many days left to live anyway. But if we threaten England''s Queen in this situation, England will never be able to surrender!" "Who said anything about killing her? Didn''t I just say to capture her as a prisoner?" "..." "..." Things wouldn''t proceed so easily. From the perspective of England''s joint king James, Elizabeth is a thorn in his side. Even if she were captured as a prisoner, he would have no reason to be concerned for her welfare. If Elizabeth were to die of old age, England would have changed dynasties, so various conditions could be attached to bring about the end of the war. But now a kidnapping? An attack? It''s a foolish idea. It needed to be stopped immediately. But there was not a trace of hesitation or retreat in the king''s words. "Duke of Lerma, what do you think?" "Ah... Of course it''s reasonable! It''s not wrong to see this as the last opportunity to end the war with England advantageously!" And the king''s final brake, the Duke of Lerma, Francisco de Sandoval y Rojas, also moderately agreed, bringing despair to everyone. The Duke of Lerma... was more urgently concerned with the immediate capital relocation project (and real estate hoarding). "We must strike now when we''re gaining ground in Ireland! Prepare the fleet and soldiers to capture her immediately!" And Philip III, having received confirmation from his favorite, became even more jubilant. "In the name of the Lord! We shall bring divine punishment upon that heretic queen!" ...There''s no way things would go like that. Everyone trembled with anxiety. Chapter 164 - 164: Voice-less Emperor (3) We began to take steps to face Elizabeth. "The point is to greet the Queen with proper courtesy, isn''t it?" "That''s right." "And it''s important not to reveal my true identity." "Exactly." Of course, the moment my ''identity'' is revealed to the outside world, everyone here would not only be excommunicated but might become public enemies of European society. A living angel and his followers - it''s impossible to gauge how existing religious authorities would react. ...Ugh. Anyway, since Elizabeth, who claims to be the head and defender of the Church of England, also belongs to those ''existing religious authorities,'' there could be no greater foolishness than revealing everything honestly. Yet she''s also not someone who can be simply confined or released like other exploration parties or merchants. The issue regarding Elizabeth was much more complicated than I had thought. Eventually, I had to meet Elizabeth. And ''how'' to meet her was the important question. "Ahem, ahem..." "Would you like to try speaking once?" ''Like this?'' "Yes! Keep writing for now!" Above all, the Queen is fluent in Latin, French, Spanish, Italian, Greek, Dutch, Welsh, Gaelic... and so on. Her hobby was even translating classics, which says it all. If I uttered even one word in front of such a Queen... it would be over immediately. Therefore, from today, I am ''an unfortunate man who recently suffered from a high fever and sadly lost his voice.'' Although my ability doesn''t apply to what I write, fortunately, it''s been over 10 years since I fell into this era. By now, I can speak English and Latin without much difficulty. So, communication between me and Elizabeth can be done through written notes. That''s how I solved the most complicated issue of direct confrontation, and just in case, I instructed Raleigh to subtly probe Elizabeth. "Your Majesty? Come to think of it, didn''t the saints receive revelations from an angel in this area?" "Well, it''s a made-up story, but yes. I was quite surprised at how skillfully both of them fabricated the story." Of course, because it wasn''t a made-up story. "That ordinary young women could lie so deftly. Haha! Perhaps they would have done well as actresses!" Of course, because it wasn''t a lie. Anyway, Raleigh says he entertained the Queen while sweating nervously. "Y-yes. I was also very surprised. How well they made up stories about a fictional angel..." "Indeed. An angel - I''d like to see one myself, or even a demon, for that matter." "...Is that so? Even a demon, not just an angel?" "Aren''t you curious? Whether such beings actually exist?" "Good heavens... for the head of the church to utter such atheistic words. Just don''t let such remarks leak outside." Then, Elizabeth reportedly responded with a laugh. "Ha! You just need to watch your mouth. Although... I''m sure my Walter wouldn''t do such a thing..." "..." Anyway, Raleigh''s conclusion from his conversation with the Queen: "Her Majesty... uh... was quite outspoken. Well, if she''s willing to fabricate stories about angels and saints so freely, that goes without saying." "..." "..." "..." "Anyway, I don''t know if she has such tendencies, but... she didn''t seem likely to sacrifice political interests for religious beliefs. Her Majesty is very... secular..." The head of the church... secular...? Is that allowed? Charitably speaking, is she modern? ...No. Even in the 21st century, if the British monarch were such a skeptic, it would make front-page news. What''s modern about that? Let''s just say she''s somewhat free-spirited. Anyway, we were gradually completing our preparations. "Should we hide the tractor?" "Hmm... is that necessary? Rather, having such things might make Her Majesty think, ''Ah, this much is necessary for a native emperor.''" To maintain the fantasy of a ''native empire with overwhelmingly superior culture compared to Europe,'' we don''t hide the steam tractors and various equipment. Rather, we display them prominently. "But still, the setting is supposed to be the emperor of a great empire, and going like this..." "It would be stranger if Europeans hadn''t discovered such structures until now." Also, it''s forbidden to hastily construct or fabricate something like ''the Emperor''s palace.'' Trying to deceive clumsily might only arouse suspicion. The important thing isn''t how plausible it looks to Elizabeth''s eyes... Even if Elizabeth thinks, ''Huh? Aren''t these just barbarians?'' it doesn''t really matter. I''ve already given her enormous treasures, and the Queen would be satisfied with that. What''s important is to prevent statements like ''These Satan-followers must all be burned!'' ...I just want to live comfortably too. == Elizabeth had been experiencing many strange things lately. "Sir Drake, I hear that the Emperor recently suffered from a severe fever and lost his voice. Please convey my sympathies to him." "I-I cannot communicate with the mystery of the sea for long, so... I''ll ask Baron Walter Raleigh to do it instead." "...Hmm?" "By the way, did you know that Spaniards saw a giant squid in that sea? It..." When the Emperor''s story came up, for some reason, Francis Drake would sweat profusely and change the subject. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The Queen felt perplexed by his attitude but didn''t make much of it. After all, seafarers are all strange people. "Ah, come to think of it, didn''t you say last time that you''d like to confirm whether angels or demons exist?" "Huh? Suddenly?" "It just came to mind. If a being appeared that was difficult to distinguish whether it was an angel or a demon, what would you do?" Then she felt a similar bewilderment from Walter Raleigh. She knew that Walter Raleigh was a devout Protestant. But he hadn''t actively shown that aspect in front of her many times before, had he? Didn''t he even keep atheist friends close? "For example, if someone''s behavior and character are like an angel''s, but their powers are similar to a devil''s, what would you do? Like the ''beast'' in Revelation that was wounded by a sword but lived..." "You''re asking quite strange, fanciful questions, unlike yourself?" "I... apologize." "Not at all. That''s an interesting question. But since I don''t think I''ll ever meet such a being, it''s hard to gauge..." "Ah." "Still, well, I''d prefer any being I meet to be an angel, wouldn''t I? Meeting a demon would mean hell for me." "..." "Though I''m not sure if I could meet an angel." Still, since it was her lover''s question, she answered sincerely. Hmm... Chapter 165 - 165: Voice-less Emperor (4) Drake, who was always strange but suddenly became stranger, and Raleigh, who suddenly seemed devout and asked peculiar questions. The timing overlaps; could there be a connection? I don''t know. Anyway, Elizabeth returned to her peaceful daily life. "Tell James. Tell him not to touch the royal property." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Ah, one more thing. Tell him not to do anything strange. The information coming to me is oddly contradictory; it must be his mischief." "..." She also freely gave advice to James, who must be struggling now. "Ugh, uggh, uwaah! I-I got it!" "Well done! Didn''t I tell you? You''ll improve at bowling with some practice!" She also enjoyed leisure sports with the so-called Saint Margaret. "Tell them to extend the room more to the left. And I''d like my emblem engraved here." "I''ll relay that exactly, Your Majesty." She also diligently modified this cramped (by the Queen''s standards) mansion in Roanoke according to her taste. She had returned to such a quiet, comfortable, and cozy daily life. "..." It was something she had been longing for since her teens, after about 50 years. A completely safe life. Living in a house where no one within hundreds of miles wanted to kill her, with people who had no sharp ambitions or thoughts of using her, without the need to exhaustingly hide her emotions. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Such a life. Finally... she had attained it. Only in her old age, only after fleeing across the Atlantic, had she barely achieved it. "..." The result was slightly boring and empty. Here... there was no... ''thrill.'' That feeling when someone held a knife to her neck, and she precariously reigned over everyone else, avoiding that knife as if performing acrobatics... that kind of pleasure? In the court of London, such heart-pounding fear and euphoria always flared up like flames. Like breathing in and out, she inhaled all sorts of desires and conspiracies and exhaled victories filled with joy, and that sensation dominated her entire body. ...Had she always liked this? It doesn''t seem so. Just to avoid death, as she was chased and chased others, such a life had transformed her. Being pushed into situations where she had to kill to avoid being killed, where she had to win power struggles by any means or die, she changed herself to survive. Perhaps... a change that began when she was very young. Desires that now felt as comfortable and natural as skin covered her soul. No, let''s be more direct. She enjoyed killing and being killed. Naturally, the ''killing'' part was more enjoyable. Especially crushing those insolent ones who tried to kill her under her heel brought pleasure that dominated her entire body. "Still, well, I''d prefer any being I meet to be an angel, wouldn''t I? Meeting a demon would mean hell for me." It was a lie. Elizabeth wished to meet nothing at all. In a world without God, angels, heaven, or demons... There would be no hell either. Elizabeth suddenly wakes from drowsiness and opens her eyes. Margaret Lawrence was quietly sitting beside her, preparing nutritional supplements for her. "...Margaret." "Yes, Your Majesty." "Do you want to meet an angel?" "...Pardon?" "Just as I said. No, a strange thought just occurred to me." Elizabeth looked at Margaret with a nonchalant face and said. "Do you ''really'' want to meet an angel?" ''Really.'' Having read the implied meaning of that word, Margaret''s slightly stiffened face relaxed into a small smile. "O-of course. Don''t they say that people will eventually become like angels? Surely, seeing an angel would bring joy..." "''When they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.''" Rip. The Queen watches as Margaret tears open a packet to extract medicine and then says. "That''s a verse from Mark 12." "...Indeed it is." "So you believe that you will rise from among the dead..." The Queen''s tired and languid eyes close and open, capturing Margaret''s face. "How nice." "Pardon?" "I... will go to hell." The Queen thinks with a smirk. Yes. She is someone who enjoys slaughter and has thrown hundreds, thousands of lives into flames. She would surely go to hell. If she had only killed Catholics, perhaps it would be different. But the violence and death she bestowed were fair to all who opposed her power. Daggers, poison, gallows, and stakes were her weapons. ...But what could she have done? "If I hadn''t... I would have died..." The father she remembered was a lustful and neurotic madman. He changed churches to obtain a beautiful new wife, and when it seemed that new wife couldn''t bear a son, he killed her. That new wife was Elizabeth''s mother. Elizabeth was hated by the public from birth, checked by her siblings, and the target of numerous conspiracies. After her mother died, the husband of her stepmother tried to touch her body. Because she was the heir to the throne. Her sister tried to kill her, and she waited, holding her breath, for that hateful woman to expire. There was no fantasy as absurd as the bond between blood relatives. Morality, law, faith, love - all were mere jokes. Only power obtained by spilling blood was steadfast. So she sought power. Was that a sin? Was it wrong? ...Perhaps, it was. So if there is a God, she would go to hell. The Queen is already 68 years old. It won''t be long. "..." If only she could grow old forever. If, instead of eternal punishment awaiting after death, only this boring life continued forever. Even if her body became weaker day by day, even if the beauty of the Virgin Queen that everyone praised disappeared. Just one question she wanted to ask. Is it a sin to kill in order to live? If so, why was I thrown into such a life? "Perhaps... I should have died long ago..." Without being corrupted by power. Without ascending to the throne, if she had died as she was, she could have gone to heaven. Like Jane Grey who died just 9 days after ascending the throne, or the foolish Mary of Scotland. Like that... Snap. Margaret flicks her finger. The sound wakes the Queen from her contemplation. "No one can know whether a person will be saved or not. Everyone just follows the Lord within them to be saved." "..." "Besides, Your Majesty going to hell? I don''t know, it''s beyond my realm of knowledge, but... I don''t think the Lord would abandon Your Majesty." The startled Queen stares intently at Margaret. Then, belatedly blushing, Margaret pretends to pray with her hands together and avoids eye contact. "...If you like, I could pray for Your Majesty." "..." "..." Elizabeth smiles at Margaret''s demeanor and pokes her side. "Don''t act as if you really received an angel''s revelation. You''re too immersed in your role." "..." "...Well, I''ll at least say thank you." Since I''m a person with that much decency. The Queen let out a laugh that sounded like a cough. For a long time, such a laugh, whether bitter or otherwise, remained like a scar on the Queen''s lips. Time passed like that. "Your Majesty, an invitation from Nemo has arrived." "Nemo...?" "It''s the ''Emperor''s'' name." The Emperor and she were ready to meet. Chapter 166 - 166: Leading the Flock (1) The orders of Spanish King Philip III were immediately transmitted to the Council of the Indies (Consejo de las Indias), the most important administrative body exerting influence over Spanish America. And the council made a judgment regarding the royal command. "Nonsense." More precisely, "Bullshit! How are we supposed to capture the Queen!" It was as stated above. All the Council of the Indies and its subordinate officials screamed in unison. It was a foolish judgment even to those ignorant of the local circumstances in the American colonies, but to them it was... A disastrous decision. To others, all that was visible was the international diplomatic stage surrounding Queen Elizabeth and the internal political circumstances of England. But they had detailed maps and exploration records of the area near Roanoke Island where Queen Elizabeth resided. Therefore, their conclusion was clear. "Sending soldiers to Roanoke Island now is no different from sending them to their deaths." Even setting aside everything else and looking at it purely geographically, Queen Elizabeth''s residence on Roanoke Island was extremely difficult to attack. The island, situated inside Pamlico Sound, was protected by complex rapids and reefs, and was surrounded by other islands like a barrier. In such an environment where simply landing was difficult, what if there were troops constantly monitoring and defending the place, along with various defensive installations? The difficulty of conquest would increase exponentially. In other words, there was a high probability of wastefully spending many troops and warships without even capturing the Queen. "But what choice do we have? These are royal orders. Commands issued by the most noble and exalted authority in this kingdom. We cannot disobey." "True. We can''t disobey. But wasn''t this council established to advise His Majesty? Perhaps we could try to persuade him somehow..." "Already failed." "..." "..." "..." It was a bleak situation. The military conquest of Virginia had already been concluded to be ''virtually impossible without mobilizing substantial forces.'' In such a situation, to carry out the king''s orders? They would have to prepare for massive loss of life and property. That couldn''t be done. "For now... while following His Majesty''s orders, we need to approach this differently. Since success is unlikely, we should first think about how to show our sincerity rather than achieving the objective itself." Thus, the goal of ''capturing the Queen'' was shipwrecked from the start. Failure was already predetermined. Instead, they set a target to present to the king as an excuse. That is, when saying, ''Everyone fought valiantly, but we failed to capture the Queen of England this time. However, we achieved these subsidiary accomplishments...,'' those ''subsidiary accomplishments.'' They could easily think of them. "We should focus on checking the Virginia colony and breaking its growth momentum." "Everyone, be tense. What we are about to discuss must not leak out." Thus, the conference continued for several weeks. They reached a conclusion. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Soon, the council''s orders were delivered to the Viceroyalty of New Spain. == N. E. M. O. Having written those four letters on paper, Elizabeth stared at him blankly before smiling slightly. "...Nemo." An interesting name. "Did he perhaps receive a new name when baptized?" "No. I heard he originally had that name." "Really? ''No one.'' How peculiar. Truly peculiar..." At Margaret''s words, the Queen stroked her lips. "I don''t remember exactly, but what''s the plan ahead?" "Yes, first, he will come directly to Roanoke Island to escort Your Majesty. Then after guiding you to Chesapeake Bay, the formal talks will begin..." "You said the Emperor has lost his voice? And that conversation must be conducted through written notes?" "...Yes." "Hmm, that''s unfortunate. A native who has learned Latin and English must surely possess tremendous intellect..." Elizabeth murmured thus and then asked Margaret. "You said you''ve met the Emperor before." "...What? Ah, yes." "What was your impression? Please tell me in detail about his appearance, manner, and so on." "..." As soon as the Queen asked that question, Margaret seemed to pause momentarily, then spoke as if reciting. "He is... hard to express in words..." Ah, not again. This isn''t the first time she''s asked this question. The native Emperor has been a crucial ally who played a key role in expanding her royal authority over the past decade. Naturally, she had asked Margaret, Raleigh, and others several questions about him. And every time, those who heard the questions invariably showed the same expression. "Ah... he is, noble and..." That expression. A reverence for the unknown is glimpsed in their eyes. Unconsciously, they adopt a respectful posture and modulate their voice. As if ''he'' were watching from nearby. "The Emperor''s true identity is... probably...!" "Probably...?" "He must be a sea monster." Suddenly remembering the foolish conversation with Drake, her interest wanes. In the end, the facts the Queen knows about this Nemo are only two. That he exudes an atmosphere ''hard to express in words'' and that he ''might be a sea monster.'' ...Come to think of it, it seems there''s only one fact she knows. The Queen lightly touches Margaret, who still has a dreamy expression, to wake her up. "...Oh, where was I?" "You haven''t said anything yet except that he''s noble. Phew, never mind. At least tell me about his attire. He doesn''t walk around half-naked like other natives, does he?" "..." "What''s wrong? Does he also walk around half-naked?" "Ah, no. That''s not the case. However..." "This can''t also be difficult to express in words, can it?" "...You''re right. It''s difficult to express in words." "..." "..." It''s always like this, so it''s bound to be perplexing. They are now near the port of Chesapeake Bay. That means they will meet the Emperor soon. Yet she still knew nothing about the Emperor. Due to those strange reactions people show whenever she asks about the Emperor. Elizabeth sighed and touched her forehead. "...Very well. If both atmosphere and attire are difficult to express, what choice do I have? Anyway, at least I know he doesn''t walk around naked." "I-I''m sorry." "Not at all. Just tell me about the Emperor''s appearance. That shouldn''t be difficult to express in words, should it?" "Ah, o-of course! First... he has slightly curly black hair and deep brown eyes." Margaret stands up, stretches her arms upward, and says. "And his height is about this much!" "That''s quite tall." "Yes! Additionally, his skin was clean, and his body was moderately slender but muscular..." "What about his beard?" "Pardon? Ah, he doesn''t grow a beard. If he were smaller in stature, he might have been mistaken for a boy." "Mistaken for a boy? Exactly how old is the Emperor?" "Uh... that..." "..." "..." "...Perhaps, he seems to be in his twenties." "Then when you first saw him, was he a teenager?" With that casual remark, Margaret suddenly hesitated and stopped speaking. No, if he''s in his twenties now, he would have been a teenager about ten years ago, wouldn''t he? Isn''t that obvious? "Well... thinking about it again, he could also be in his thirties." ...I wonder what she actually knows. As the awkward silence continued, someone knocked on the door. As the two went out of the cabin and onto the deck, everyone was busy. Approaching the railing, thousands of people had gathered around the port. Through them, one person came out and entered the gangway, stopping right in front of Elizabeth. "Walter." "Your Majesty." It was Raleigh. Margaret had already moved away from her side, hopping onto the gangway and mixing with the people. In the distance, people welcoming her could be seen. Thus, with just the two of them left, Raleigh bowed to the Queen. "Let''s go. ''He'' is waiting." "Yes. The man called ''Nemo.''" "Yes, Nemo is waiting." "What a curious name, isn''t it? Like Odysseus trying to capture Polyphemus. I hope he doesn''t stab my eye and tell me his real name when I enter his dwelling?" The Queen made this joke with a quiet smile. And as she looked at her lover''s face again... "..." "...Water?" His expression was strangely rigid. For a moment, keeping silent, he soon seemed to realize his mistake and spoke again with a gentle smile. "Don''t laugh too much. Can''t you see his humility in that name?" "Humility...?" "Yes. The natives here often change their own names. He too, probably named himself thus to signify that before the Lord, he remains a being of nothing, a being of no one." "...Hmm?" "Did he perhaps receive a new name when baptized?" "No. I heard he originally had that name." "Why do you ask?" At Raleigh''s words, the Queen recalled the conversation she had with Margaret in the cabin. "According to what I heard from Margaret, the name Nemo was definitely originally his... that its overlap with Latin was just a coincidence." "..." "...Walter?" "Margaret must have been mistaken. As far as I know, he chose that name to draw closer to the Lord." This is truly strange. Neither age nor the circumstances of naming - nothing is certain. Chapter 167 - 167: Leading the Flock (2) As the Queen walked off the gangway with a puzzled look, native soldiers pushed back the onlookers. The English cheered and stretched out their hands toward her, while others blinked curiously as they looked at her. The Queen and Raleigh walked along the path made by soldiers through those crowds. After boarding a carriage and moving, the following crowd gradually diminished. The village of green-roofed houses gradually disappeared behind them, and neatly divided farmlands came into view. Elizabeth asked Raleigh, who was sitting beside her. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Did you say we''re going to where the cathedral is?" "More precisely, we''re going to where the cathedral is being built." "Is it still under construction?" "Yes. We''re building it by importing materials from England and France. Many others are also generously contributing donations and service. Look! Those farmlands over there belong to the English. All that vast land was given freely by him. The wheat and potatoes from there feed the poor in England!" "It seems exactly as was advertised." After hearing more explanations about this community, the carriage soon stops in front of the cathedral. Then, Raleigh quietly opens the carriage door to help her alight. Through the open door, a corridor covered with fur pelts can be seen. With long benches arranged on both sides, it looked like a chapel. Though still small in scale and with the roof not properly built, leaving the sky exposed... Inside, people were gathered densely. Upon seeing Elizabeth, they all quickly rose and awkwardly bowed to her. Recalling what she had just heard from Raleigh about the shoddiness of this ceremony, Elizabeth remembered that here, the right to become a member of parliament is given regardless of status. Those gathered here were the ''members'' and ''parliament'' leading this community. And beyond those members, at the end of the corridor, there was a platform. One person was standing on it. Her aged eyes could only show a blurry outline of that person standing in the distance. Nevertheless, Elizabeth could guess who he was. As she approached the platform with Raleigh''s guidance, the previously blurry image gradually became clearer. Slightly curly black hair. Deep brown eyes. Clean without a beard... A boyish face. Upon seeing that face, Elizabeth momentarily paused. In his gaze, there was a mineral-like calmness. His firmly closed lips and straight nose solidified an impression of composure and firmness. A distinctive resilience of someone who has lived through long years emanated like a body scent. ...And all those elements created a perfect disharmony with his boyish face. Elizabeth was momentarily flustered by that strange sensation and looked around. Looking closely, everyone here was holding bread and wine. Come to think of it, today was Sunday. The Emperor distributed the bread and wine he was holding to everyone, then offered it to the Queen as well. Of course, Elizabeth declined. She is the head of the Church of England. She couldn''t receive the Eucharist from someone who hadn''t received the sacrament of ordination in the Church of England. Fortunately, the Emperor didn''t seem to feel any displeasure at being refused and after sharing bread and wine with everyone... he approached her. During this time, Walter Raleigh stepped forward as the Queen''s vassal and spoke. "Elizabeth, the rightful Queen of England, France, and Ireland, and Defender of the Faith, has visited the territory of Nemo, the sovereign of the Virginia community." To this, the Emperor smiled and slightly bowed his head. At his gesture, the woman beside him brought a notebook and handed it to him. She was a woman the Queen knew. Eleanor. The Emperor scribbled something in the notebook and handed it to Eleanor. Then Eleanor spoke on behalf of the Emperor. ''Our community welcomes Your Majesty, the Queen of England, France, and Ireland.'' Then all the members gathered here simultaneously bowed to Elizabeth. Elizabeth looked around and... opened her mouth. "Emperor, I hear that this is a cathedral still under construction. Is this a temporary chapel?" At her words, the Emperor nodded and wrote down more sentences. Reading those words, Eleanor stumblingly continued. "That''s right. The community plans to gradually expand the chapel from here and increase spaces for the choir to settle and so on... but it''s still too humble to show you." He looked around at the narrow space enclosed by brick walls and slightly bowed his head as if embarrassed, concluding his words. He nodded and quietly gestured. Then the members all moved from their seats and bustled out of the chapel. Suddenly, only four remained: the Emperor, Eleanor, the Queen, and Raleigh. As the Emperor took a seat at an appropriate place, the Queen also sat down on one of the benches. The Emperor eagerly scribbled something and then tore off the page to hand it to the Queen. ''Queen of England, I heard you wanted to meet me. You must have had a hard time on Roanoke Island while I was unable to do anything due to illness.'' "...Not at all. I''m just grateful for the invitation, even if belated. It''s quite... cozy here." As Elizabeth looked around and spoke, the Emperor again smiled and wrote something down. ''I had no other suitable place to receive you. We don''t have many dignified spaces.'' Meaning there are no larger palaces or mansions here than this. Perplexed by this fact, Elizabeth asks. "No, from what I''ve heard, your empire is vast and your wealth is almost infinite. You''re saying you don''t have a separate palace?" At those words, the Emperor shook his head. He had no separate palace. "Isn''t that dangerous? If there were someone threatening you..." At those words, the Emperor again just smiled slightly and wrote something. ''Our community is safe.'' "..." Such unconditional faith. Suddenly, the Queen had to suppress a bitter smile that was about to emerge. After all, hadn''t someone fled across the Atlantic, chased by rebellion, despite possessing one of the grandest palaces in Europe? Perhaps, if one trusted one''s people sufficiently and if one''s authority wasn''t low, palaces and guards might not be necessary. ''Of course, this is our story. Rest assured that separate accommodations have been prepared for you in the community. It''s been set up right next door.'' "Right, next door?" "This way." When the Queen asked, Raleigh stood up and guided her. The Queen, somewhat bewildered, followed him, concluding the early meeting with the Emperor. Following Raleigh, there was indeed a quite large mansion built of brick right near the cathedral. "As I mentioned, the cathedral is still under construction. For now, since Your Majesty was coming, we completed just a part of it to serve as a mansion." "Is that so? Truly... the Emperor doesn''t have a separate palace or something?" "Yes, that''s right. When he stays in Chesapeake, he lives in a house similar to those of other citizens." "...Like a benevolent king from an old tale." Elizabeth delivered those words like a jest and laughed... Raleigh also laughed in response and said. "I... think so too." Raleigh quietly looked around at the doorway and smiled. "If there''s anything uncomfortable, please ring the bell here. Those waiting nearby will bring whatever Your Majesty needs." "Thank you, Walter." Creeeeak. Thud. So the door closed. Elizabeth threw her old and tired body onto the bed and fell into thought. ...It was a strange meeting. Meeting in the cathedral was probably to emphasize that he is a Christian monarch. Gathering members at the seat was to display his influence. There wasn''t anything else particularly noticeable. And yet... the Queen frowned and kept repeating the same thought. ''It feels like... I''m missing something.'' I don''t know. The Queen shook her head and looked around the room. In contrast to the crude and simple exterior, the interior was filled with all sorts of luxurious furniture and items. The Queen absent-mindedly approached a table made of ebony and picked up the wine on it. She was thirsty. As she opened the lid and was about to pour it into a glass to drink... ''Wine''. ...She felt something chilling crawl up her spine. The Queen quickly put down the glass and rang the bell that Raleigh had mentioned. Then, just a few minutes later, an attendant appeared, opening the door. The Queen urgently asked the attendant. "Answer me according to what you know." "What is it that you want to know..." "Were those people gathered with the Emperor just now in the chapel, the members of parliament?" "Y-yes, but..." At that, the Queen''s face hardened. The Queen sent the attendant outside again, closed the door, and retraced the scene just now. In the cathedral, the members who govern Virginia were gathered. And among the chatter, there were clearly... English and Spanish mixed. English people and Spanish people were mixed as members. To them, Nemo distributed bread and wine to ''all of them.'' Even to Raleigh. Some didn''t drink the wine, some ate both, but the conclusion was the same. Everyone performed the Eucharist with the wine and bread distributed by Nemo. For a moment, a possibility flashes through the Queen''s mind. She opens the door again, grabs the attendant, and asks. "Is the Emperor here a Church of England adherent? Why does he personally distribute the holy blood and body to Catholics and Puritans? Even though he''s not a priest? Is he perhaps a Puritan?" Then, the attendant who clearly appeared to be English... "Pardon? If you mean the ''Emperor,'' Nemo..." After tilting his head as if wondering what she was saying, he soon seemed to realize and said, clapping his hands. "...Ah, he doesn''t belong to any denomination!" "...What?" "Sometimes he distributes the holy blood and body to community members as a priest, and if that''s what you''re referring to, since it''s an event where everyone participates, whether Catholic or Church of England..." ...Nonsense. Catholics would rather die than choose to receive the Eucharist through someone who is not a Catholic priest. Puritans would choose to be burned at the stake rather than acknowledge the Emperor as a ''priest'' while taking the Eucharist together with Catholics. How can they... The boyish face of the Emperor flickers before her eyes. The mineral-like calmness in that gaze, the composed yet firm impression flowing from those firmly closed lips and straight nose, the distinctive resilience that emanates from those who have lived through long years. That united the Catholics, Puritans, and Church of England adherents of this community. English people heeded his voice, and African Catholic adherents followed his gestures. She had met numerous monarchs. She had met numerous priests and bishops. But he was neither like a monarch nor like a priest. Though it was a very brief meeting, she could be certain. Like Abraham or Moses, he led his people. He... like... yes. He was like a shepherd leading the flock of Virginia. Chapter 168 - 168: A Tractor in Virginia, A Letter From Florida (1) A wooden crucifix hanging in a hut. Under the tent spread in front of it, people are buzzing and intently watching something. "Anthony Cage! Anthony Cage again! This time... Hugh Taylor!" As someone pulls out notes one by one from a perforated barrel and calls out the names written on them, others mark a tally next to those names, recording the number of times the name was called. It was an unremarkable election. The number of participants was a modest scale of only about 70 people, and those gathered around were not people with great power or wealth. But they themselves were approaching the election procedure more seriously than ever before. Each time a slip with a name appeared, they clenched their fists, prayed, and concentrated. "Currently, Anthony Cage has 53 votes, Edmund Grand has 11 votes, Hugh Taylor has 9 votes... Anthony, Anthony Cage, has been duly elected as our spiritual representative on March 12, 1603!" And when the results came out, the winner climbs onto the platform and raises both arms. Then, all who participated in the voting welcome him with applause and cheers. "Is there anyone who wishes to challenge the results?" There was no one. As the election results were confirmed, the winner humbly offers words of consolation for the losers and sings a hymn. Everyone followed his hymn. As just mentioned, this was an unremarkable election in Virginia. But not for Elizabeth, who was watching from afar. "Anthony Cage has been elected as our church priest and pastor, and within three days, he will select deacons to assist him in his duties. Let us gather again next Sunday, amen." That was it. At this ''unremarkable election,'' a ''priest'' was elected. Certainly, if Catholics saw this, they would foam at the mouth and set out to overthrow these heretics, and even Church of England adherents would express concerns about restraining these radicals. But here, it was everyday life. "...Good heavens." Elizabeth chuckled and looked at the scene before her, then turned away. In her country, there were plenty of radicals who wanted to elect pastors by vote. In this Virginia, there were so many things to see besides this that there was no need to spend more time here. She walked along with Raleigh, listening to various explanations. "Roughly, when those who pledge allegiance to him send gifts..." "He returns more gifts? Is that why there are no taxes?" "Correct. It''s a somewhat strange system, but it''s working well enough." Elizabeth was already experiencing countless amazing things while touring every corner of Chesapeake where 70,000 people live. For example, there were no taxes to be paid to the Emperor in this land. Only ''gifts''. The more she learned about this place, the stranger it became. It was like a fantastical country from Thomas More''s work. The Queen mounted a horse with Raleigh and looked around from the elevated view. Looking to the left, she saw the green-roofed houses clustered together that she had already seen. "Roughly... I seem to have seen how people live, is there anything more?" When Elizabeth asked Raleigh, he lightly kicked the belly of his horse to increase speed. Running ahead of the Queen, Raleigh shouted. "How about viewing the farmlands? There are tobacco fields and many other sights!" "Aren''t I growing tobacco in my garden now? Is there nothing else?" "Aren''t you curious about how potatoes grow?" "We eat potatoes every day here, what is there to be curious about?" "...Hmm." Raleigh, who was ahead, stops at a fork in the road, seeming to contemplate which direction to go. The two stood there for a moment, lost in thought, and then... "...Ah! You wouldn''t have seen that! You might faint when you see it directly. I nearly did." "What great thing exists now that you''re making such a fuss?" "Rather than great, it''s strange, and rather than strange, it''s bizarre. It''s certainly something Your Majesty hasn''t seen before." Elizabeth smiled at Raleigh''s exaggerated reaction. Of course, seeing priests elected by vote, techniques for long-term preservation of grapes and wood, these things were indeed fascinating. But that''s it. She had mostly heard of similar things before. Whatever it was, nothing in this American land could surprise her anymore... WOOOOONG! ...or so she thought. At that moment, a steel monster flashes past before her eyes. Something larger than several cows combined, and taller than her height, though she was tall herself. Continuously emitting vapor, it was rushing forward. Black smoke darkened the air wherever it passed. At that sight... she approaches as if entranced. Though the horse was frightened, she gripped the reins tightly and urged it on. "My goodness... What... what on earth is that?" "Be careful! If you get too close, the horse will be startled...!" "Oh, oh..." "Whoa! Whoa! Your Majesty, grip the reins tightly!" "Oh, ohhhh...! Stay still!" She almost fell off the horse. There was no need to think about how dangerous a fall would be for an old woman approaching 70. The Queen urgently calmed her heart and watched the rear of that monster that had just swept past her. It was crushing and collapsing the soil like voracious teeth. Though not very fast, its size and thunderous noise were enough to frighten the horse. "Are you alright? Whoa, whoa... Indeed, horses recently brought from England are easily startled by ''that.''" "Th-that, that thing that looks like Satan''s chariot, what on earth is it...?" "Ah, didn''t you ask before? How farming is done after distributing so much land. If everyone is a landowner, and there are no slaves or tenant farmers, who cultivates that vast land, you asked." Raleigh pointed to where the monster had just passed and said. "That... ''tractor'' is the answer." "..." "One of those machines does the work of dozens, hundreds of people in a day." That strange iron monster... performs hundreds of people''s worth of farm work? "Don''t worry too much. There are great limitations to using them to harm people. They''re slow and hard to steer." "B-but..." "Of course, without that fellow, our community would have collapsed from hunger long ago, and then we couldn''t have sent wheat and potatoes to England struggling with food shortages." "..." Elizabeth, having dismounted, blankly watched the tractor pass by and then her legs gave way, causing her to sit down. That... that thing is the foundation of Virginia agriculture? The driving force that feeds all these tens of thousands of settlers and still sends enough food for thousands or tens of thousands in England to eat? That strange monster? Seated, she endlessly watched the tractor plowing the field. "...G-good heavens." "Your Majesty? Are you alright?" "Ah, no, I''m fine. Just a little surprised..." "Let me help you up." Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. As the Queen staggered to her feet with Wally''s help, the tractor had already disappeared as a dot on the horizon. Watching it, the Queen asked Raleigh. "Is... there also ordinary cattle or horses here?" "Yes, there are." "Not with horns made of iron or anything..." "..." "...No. Foolish talk. I spoke nonsense, like talking about a beast that eats rocks." "Ah, that machine does run on coal and water." "..." "Don''t be too surprised." Raleigh helped the Queen back onto her horse with a careful hand. Raleigh smiled gently and brushed off the soil from the Queen''s skirt. "There are countless things left that will surprise Your Majesty." "...Good heavens!" "Wait. I''ll fetch you a glass of water." "No, no. I just... want to rest... for a moment." Chapter 169 - 169: A Tractor in Virginia, A Letter From Florida (2) The Queen trembled, realizing that the shock she had received was greater than she thought. She recalls when Manteo first entered the court in London, how he looked around at various cultural artifacts with wide, round eyes. Honestly, she thought it was a bit funny then. She even felt superior when he asked if England''s cultural artifacts were really made by humans, not crafted by gods. But now... she could understand him. There''s no way such a thing could have been crafted by human hands. She couldn''t even imagine how such a machine could be rolling around in a land without a proper palace or a huge city. "Your Majesty? Are you alright?" Looking up, Raleigh kindly wiped the cold sweat that had formed on her forehead. The Queen nodded vaguely, got back on her horse, and said. "I''m fine, but... I need to rest for a moment." "There''s a sandy beach nearby, let''s rest there for a while. You''ve been through a lot." So the two strolled along the coast for a while. Then the Queen pointed to a corner in the distance and said. "Why are there so many broken planks?" "...Pardon?" At her words, Raleigh stepped out to the shore and looked around. Then, strangely, many debris of something caught their eye. Thinking it might be traces of a naval battle fought in the past... the two soon discover something. The French royal flag. "Has a ship... been wrecked nearby?" As the Queen muttered with curiosity and looked towards Raleigh, his expression was unusual. He seemed to be having some ominous imagination. == BOOM BOOM BOOM! As the port side cannons all roared at once, the sailors also let out cheers. As the targeted enemy ship staggered and quickly turned, its side was exposed again. Without missing that moment, the captain ordered to reload. The Spaniards on the ship moved urgently, reloading and firing the cannons. BOOM! As the shell directly hit the mast, cheers continued. The enemy ship, with its sail broken, had now lost both its ability to move and its fighting spirit. And then... KABOOM! BANG! "..." "..." "..." An explosion occurred from inside the ship, splitting the hull. Sailors who were on the enemy ship scrambled and jumped into the sea. It seemed that a shell had reached the powder magazine, causing a chain explosion. As the targeted ship completely exploded, at that moment, sailors and the captain alike could only helplessly watch the rising flames. They had just lost the most valuable looting item and trophy, the ''ship.'' "Ca-Captain, what should we do now..." "...Now that we''ve eliminated the escort ship, let''s focus on capturing other merchant ships. For now, that alone would be a significant achievement." After looting all the other French merchant ships nearby, the vessel returned to the port of San Agustin. The captain immediately headed to the governor''s office in Santa Elena to report, and the clerks of the governor''s office organized the data and talked among themselves. "Is this all we report to the colonial government and the council?" "Yes. Since the first stage of the blockade is already being realized, we''ll move on to the next stage..." Creak. As the door opened, a pale-faced man in priestly garb passed by them. "...Who came in here?" "Ah, it''s Father Alonso Garcia. He works under Bishop Sebastian and seems to have come for diocesan business..." Alonso stored their conversation neatly in his mind and left the governor''s building. Then he waited in his quarters until nightfall and... After midnight, he went outside. Some people were following him. "Father Alonso... I..." "Shh. You must trust the people we agreed to meet here." "But, wouldn''t it be dangerous to take a ship?" "Recently, the pace of Florida''s development has accelerated, so even if I evacuate you to a safe place, you might be caught again. It would be faster to escape by sea..." "Here." At the voice that suddenly rang out, Alonso and the slave family following him held their breath. A small lamp flickered, focusing their attention. "Are you Alonso Garcia who contacted the organization?" "...Yes. Are you the organization''s... ''bishop''? The one who sends slaves to Virginia?" "That''s right. This isn''t a trap, is it?" "In the name of the Lord, it is not." At those words, the man called ''bishop'' slowly revealed himself, holding the lamp. His face was covered with cloth. "These days, the Lord''s name has become like a joke. It''s hard to believe..." "..." "You might be under surveillance from our side for a few days, so keep that in mind." At the ''bishop''s'' words, Alonso nodded and gave a signal to the families following him. They quickly rushed into a warehouse-like building the ''bishop'' pointed to. "They now..." "Now, they will board a ship disguised as a French merchant vessel, mixed among various goods. And head to Virginia." "...What did you say? A French merchant ship?" At the ''bishop''s'' words, Alonso recalls the conversation he eavesdropped on at the governor''s office. "Be, be careful. They''re planning to blockade Virginia. To avoid Spanish privateers..." sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Spanish privateers? Surely Spain and France have signed a peace treaty?" "In this vast Atlantic, how can one confirm whether it''s pirates or privateers rampaging? Moreover, they mentioned something like ''the next stage''..." "I understand. I''ll relay it. Thank you for your hard work." "Wa-wait! At least your name..." "Teyan." As ''Bishop'' Teyan gestured, the disciples beside him blindfolded Alonso and took him far from the meeting place. Teyan also quietly entered the warehouse building where the slaves had just gone, then gave instructions to the Spaniards and Africans there. "Can one more letter be loaded?" "Of course. The letter is where..." "Here, I''ll give you paper, so write it down now. This information will be delivered directly to ''Him.''" Teyan left a letter detailing the information he had gathered as comprehensively as possible. He was soon loaded onto the ''French merchant ship'' leaving San Agustin and headed to sea. And that ship, which seemed to be crossing the Atlantic... "Turn the direction! We''re heading to the land of the Nameless One!" Quietly headed for Virginia. Thus, liberated slaves and a letter reached Virginia. More precisely. "Nameless One, a report from Florida." "...Leave it." To Kin Issei. Chapter 170 - 170: Shadows at Core Banks (1) Long ago, we planted an underground organization inside Florida. Initially, dozens of Africans infiltrated disguised as slaves, and subsequently, numerous Africans and Europeans were additionally dispatched and recruited locally. Many "dioceses" were established, and likewise, many "priests" and "deacons" were selected, and I was recently informed that they are now spread throughout Spanish Florida. Of course, since the secret escape of slaves and intelligence gathering are the most important roles, I''m told the organization is structured in a way that makes detection difficult. They maintain the organization by identifying and contacting each other through complex yet easily overlooked codes, secret passwords, and symbols, I''ve heard. "...as reported," "...I''m told," "...I''ve heard." Yes. Even I don''t know much about this organization. I''ve only been briefed and confirmed about the most important aspects, but as an organization that needs to operate with utmost secrecy, beyond the occasional reports and support, the organization itself remains obscure. That''s the fate of a cell organization. Moreover, it''s already been 6 years since the underground organization began. It''s an organization almost isolated in enemy territory. Furthermore, most members must remain constrained in unfree statuses such as slaves. In such a situation, while the organization has matured and certainly follows my orders and serves me... it''s difficult to say it''s entirely under my control. However, all uncontrolled things have their own explosive power and vitality. "Nameless One, a report from Florida." "...Leave it." A ''report'' from those who infiltrated throughout Florida. It usually contained information about the movements of various Spanish ships around Florida, the Spanish colonial government''s attitude toward Florida, and the progress of Florida''s expansion project. If I had tried to bring this organization completely under my control, it wouldn''t have reached such deep areas that would otherwise be unreachable. I removed the seal attached to this report and examined its contents. As expected, reading while decoding the cipher, the content is digested one sentence at a time. With each page turned, the image of the Florida colony, which I''ve never visited, begins to appear through a distorted lens. Unfortunately, it''s progressing smoothly. Those newly migrating to the colony are increasing day by day, and the number of slaves being moved there is also growing. But since our underground organization is also expanding rapidly in proportion, not all the news was bad. I took comfort in that fact and turned another page of the report. "Spanish colonial government''s movement... regarding Virginia?" My eyes were fixed on that phrase. == The Viceroy of New Spain, Juan de Mendoza y Luna, was a diligent nobleman. Having secured the position of Viceroy of New Spain, moving on to become Viceroy of Peru would be no challenge at all. And once settled as Viceroy of Peru, silver would flow in on its own, and based on that enormous silver, he could vigorously ascend in central politics. Such thoughts were embedded in the mind of the youngest Viceroy of New Spain. "The Council of the Indies... has sent down orders to check Virginia." In this situation, the Council of the Indies sent an order. Clearly, in one part, there was a royal command to "capture Queen Elizabeth, who is in exile on Roanoke Island." But... Through all the context before and after, the Council was screaming, begging not to do that. Yes. This meant that even the Council of the Indies, which should act as the representative of royal authority to check the local viceroy, was struggling. Normally in such a situation, this Council of the Indies would soon be replaced by those close to the Duke of Lerma, the king''s favorite, but until then, even the Council had no choice but to rely on him. Various checks and yokes given to the Viceroy of New Spain were momentarily released. He knew well what he needed to do to avoid bloodshed while staying on his path to promotion. First, he needed to give an indication that he had adequately, diligently, and properly carried out the king''s orders. At the same time, to avoid being evaluated as incompetent, he needed to establish appropriate merits. ...Juan de Mendoza began to devise a plan as carefully as possible, in a way that wouldn''t create any self-inflicted wounds. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "According to recent records from exploratory parties sent from France, Denmark, etc., the domain of that ''Emperor'' is very wide and vast. However, it seems their control is not high." Meaning their defense and surveillance networks are inevitably spread wide and thin. "Then, we can proceed a bit more radically. Virginia is currently making huge profits by trading with England and France. To wither them, we must cut off that trade route." No matter how incompetent and irresponsible the king might be, no matter how corrupt his favorite might be. The bureaucratic organization built by Philip II throughout his lifetime had not yet collapsed. The sophisticated state system he had created with blood and sweat was still rolling, guiding the state of Spain to move on a rational path. The Council of the Indies and the Viceroyalty moved in that way. The reason, wealth, and system of the great empire operated that way, interlocking like gears. Even if the king''s irrationality loosened the tightening of those gears and inserted foreign matter into the seams, that huge machine didn''t break down immediately. Deliberately shoddy privateering licenses were issued in large numbers. The shipowners who bought them immediately led fleets toward the Caribbean, the eastern coast of North America, and as far as Greenland and Ireland, beginning to plunder English merchant ships. Additionally, even French ships with which they had signed peace treaties. Thus, the Atlantic trade networks of England, Scotland, and France began to be disrupted and collapsed. Among them, the young Viceroy of New Spain particularly dispatched colonial government warships to the waters near Virginia and several points. "Remember. Their colony is self-sufficient. To pose a definite threat to them..." "I understand, Your Excellency." With a ''special purpose.'' == ''Widespread attacks and looting of English and French vessels from Spain in progress. Aim to contract trade with Virginia.'' ''And mentioned ''the next stage.'' Pay attention.'' "..." The most important conclusion of this letter, ships near Virginia are being attacked regardless of nationality. As a result, French merchants coming to Virginia have greatly decreased. Chapter 171 - 171: Shadows at Core Banks (2) It wasn''t for nothing that there were disruptions in the supply of materials for the cathedral construction. This letter was written at least a few weeks ago. ''Come to think of it, Raleigh recently... ...said he saw debris from a French ship washed ashore. There must have been a battle nearby. The French might just think it was the work of pirates, but it was more likely due to systematic interference by the Spanish. France is a country that has signed a peace treaty with Spain. If France learns the truth and Henri IV lodges a formal protest, it would become difficult for them to continue such attacks. But they must know that too? Moreover, what is the ''next stage'' mentioned in the letter... Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Thump. Suddenly, footsteps are heard from outside. As I rise, someone urgently opens the door with a knock. It was Manteo. "It''s serious. Just now, merchants from the port of trade were whispering news..." "What is it, Manteo?" "The Spanish are setting up a base at Core Banks!" "What? When did you hear this?" "Just now! A passing French merchant ship confirmed Spanish flags flying at Core Banks!" "What''s the scale?" "At least 200 people... to be precise, it was in the direction of Cape Lookout." "Contact Vicente immediately." Core Banks is less than 100 kilometers from Croatoan Island. 200 Spaniards are starting to build a base in such a place? Can we stop them immediately? "Exactly what did they see? Did you ask whether their base is well-constructed, if they are really Spanish, things like that?" "Of course. They seem to have just started fortification, so to proceed with landing and attack now..." ...It''s too late. If the enemies number around 200, we''d need to mobilize hundreds of troops too. To think we noticed so late that an enemy base was being built right in front of us. It''s because all the natives around wanted to settle near Chesapeake Bay, leaving the land empty. Additionally, with most ships redirected to gift trade, there were gaps in the surveillance network. They''ve squeezed through that gap. "...For now, let''s send a ship to the area to check. The warship we currently have is?" "We have the Nautilus. Vicente returned with the Voyager not too long ago..." "Then tell Vicente to take the Nautilus and go check. It''s an urgent situation." I skimmed through the report from Florida again. ''And mentioned ''the next stage.'' Pay attention.'' ''The next stage'' has arrived. I don''t know what its ultimate purpose is, but... the uneasiness wouldn''t subside. Trade with England and France was the bridge connecting us with both countries. Especially with France, when we haven''t even established formal diplomacy yet... ''Wait.'' "Manteo." "...Yes?" "You and Hewett take turns managing the port of trade, right?" "Yes, that''s generally the case, but..." "Let''s go to the port of trade together. Please gather the merchants from France. Call Oitotan too." "What''s happening?" I recall the reason England and Scotland established diplomatic relations with us. And I consider what situation Henri IV is under. "...A French ship has come here, but our ship has never gone to France." "Pardon? Well, that would be natural..." Manteo asks as if it''s obvious in response to my words. I nodded to him and answered. "Then, let''s send one this time." "Th... what?" Perhaps this was an opportunity. == After reaching a very important conclusion about the New World last time, Henri IV was smiling gleefully as his strategy proved right. ''Surely there is a powerful Christian empire beyond there.'' Perhaps, the history of Christianity being spread there might not be short. The more he thought about their mature wine production and preservation techniques, the more it seemed so. Plus, looking at them importing crucifixes and various artifacts? It was clear that the possibility of this ''Emperor'' being a staunch Protestant was not high. An empire outside Europe with a long history of Christian dissemination... "Hu, huhuhu..." "...What are you thinking about?" "I''m thinking pleasant thoughts, Maximilien." Henri IV''s genius brain quickly surmised that after the Emperor of that place contacted the European world, he was building a European-style cathedral, and ordered his royal merchants. ''Put building materials and various decorations on the sales list immediately! No, just put those on it!'' Tick. "I''m thinking about ''this.'' This curious coin of black and white." As a result, dozens of Othello chips were placed before him. The exquisite wine exchanged for the remaining chips was in his hand. And flawless, shining fur was draped over his shoulders. Though it was not cold weather at all, Henri stubbornly wore fur. It wasn''t simple ostentation but for promotion, just as Elizabeth once did. Similarly, as a result of showcasing that "Chesapeake Scuppernong" wine at every banquet, it came to be known in France by nicknames like ''the King''s Banquet Wine'' and enjoyed popularity. That''s all money. Elizabeth might have made a fortune selling Shine Muscat and various grapes to the nobility, but that was just a seasonal business. But this wine was different. The charm of this uniquely intense and sweet wine was that it could be distributed at any time. The royal merchants sent by Henri IV were making enormous profits by hoarding Virginia''s fur and wine with funds received from him. Additionally, by taking hefty navigation taxes from ships heading to Virginia across the Atlantic through various decrees and bills, this too was a decent side income. Of course, since he wasn''t exclusively distributing and selling New World products like Elizabeth, there was some leakage in revenue, but... This was good enough. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Quite a lot of resources were consumed in newly establishing distribution networks and supply contracts for materials from various regions to send large quantities of building materials to the New World. But that''s fine. Soon, that deficit will be filled. If only there isn''t an absurd situation where all the merchant ships he sent are captured by pirates without exception. "Huhu, huhuhuhuh." "Are you that pleased?" "Of course. Isn''t our long-standing financial problem about to be resolved!" Henri IV believed so without a doubt. And several months later. He lost the world. Chapter 172 - 172: Royal License (1) "Yes, I''ve gathered all the French merchants. However..." "Please tell everyone. Regardless of their individual destinations, they must definitely go to Le Havre with our ships." "...What? But some have just arrived and started trading?" "Still, that would be safer. Isn''t it better to wait a few months for those who arrived early than to lose everything to pirates?" "That''s... true." Hearing my words, Manteo nodded and called out to the merchants gathered at the port. When commotion arose, Manteo handed them an appropriate amount of chips to ease their concerns. "Don''t worry! This is for your safety during travel! One of our ships will depart, so please follow that ship to Le Havre!" Le Havre is a port city located at the mouth of the Seine River, treated as an important French port serving as a gateway connecting Paris and the Atlantic Ocean via waterways. In other words. "We are going to Paris! We are going to Paris to meet His Majesty the King of France!" We are going to Paris. And Oitotan, who heard Manteo''s announcement, turned to look at me with wide eyes. He seems surprised because I suddenly called him to the port and now we''re crossing the Atlantic. "Didn''t we go to London last time to meet the Queen of England? This will be similar." "But I won''t be able to speak the language of those people. Will that be alright?" "They will know English, so don''t worry. I can''t send Englishmen or Spaniards, so I''d appreciate if Oitotan could help us again this time." "I-I am honored to serve our community, but what should I do when I get there?" == Henri IV of the Bourbon dynasty, famous for his legendary promise to provide chicken to all citizens every Sunday. And his trusted advisor Marquis de Rosny (later Duke of Sully) Maximilien de B¨¦thune, who led France''s tax reforms. The two would go down in history as a great king and minister who rebuilt a kingdom devastated by long wars... "Why, why aren''t they coming? Why?" And right now, that Henri IV was trembling and pacing anxiously. The Marquis de Rosny pointed out that his lord had already circled the table 164 times, but Henri wasn''t listening. His mind was already in disarray. "Why? Why haven''t the merchant ships I sent to Virginia returned! Most of the ships I sent!" "...That''s indeed the question." It had been months already. For citizens of developed countries living in the 21st century, the "backwoods" typically refers to places without internet and telephone connections. Places where you cannot communicate instantly with the outside world. That is, isolated places. That''s why classic detective novels set in the 21st century all take place in "backwoods areas without internet," and when the "only telephone line" connecting that place to the outside world is cut due to heavy snow or other reasons, people start dying one by one. "Is it really infested with pirates? Or did they collectively take the money and flee to another country? What in the..." A place disconnected from the outside world is indeed optimized for killing people without being caught. And in this era, the true backwoods would be islands in the vast sea or aboard ships. Therefore, once people are sent off on ships, one usually cannot know whether they''re alive or dead until they return on their own. Perhaps never. That fact struck the rightful and legitimate King of France, Henri IV, as a tragedy. "Oh, Lord! Do you know how much wealth I''ve poured into that place? Do you know how much..." Unable to bear watching Henri IV now even gesturing accusingly toward the heavens, the Marquis de Rosny spoke. "Your Majesty, maintain your dignity. The ships that have returned already cover our losses and then some." "That''s easy for you to say since the ships you sent with your personal fortune returned! How can just covering losses in a business that should have yielded massive profits make any sense!" "..." "Oh, please. Lord..." The Marquis de Rosny sighed and shook his head. A servant entered the room where the two were seated, then flinched at the half-crazed look in the king''s eyes and stepped back. "Y-Your Majesty? Forgive me, but I have something to tell you." "What is it!" "A-A ship has arrived..." "A ship?" At that moment, the king''s face brightened. While the Marquis de Rosny was finally feeling relieved, the servant continued. "It''s a foreign ship..." "..." The king''s face scowled again. "It came from Virginia..." "Is it an English merchant ship?" The king''s face brightened again. "No, it''s not that..." "..." The king''s face crumpled again. Unable to bear watching this farce, Maximilien de B¨¦thune was about to dismiss the servant. Then the servant desperately called out. "An envoy has been sent from Virginia with the ship! They''re currently on their way to Paris!" At that moment. The servant observed that the king''s face could shine brighter than the sun. It was truly an astronomical discovery. Anyway, after that news, Henri IV, seemingly having perfectly recovered his former dignity and (wealth and) decorum, diligently prepared day by day to welcome the envoy from Virginia. After several days passed. "The honorable... sacred... member of the Virginia Assembly... Chief of the Chesapeake tribe... and representative of the great Your Majesty... Oitotan requests an audience with His Majesty the King of France." A Native American speaking quite fluent English set foot in the Parisian court. Henri had already collected all information about Virginia through England. He swallowed hard, knowing that this man Oitotan was the same one who had caused a commotion during his visit to London. "It is an honor to meet an envoy from such a distant land. I hope my hospitality will satisfy you." Yes. That man reportedly caused a major scandal by saying "you are poor" directly to Elizabeth''s face. As such, Henri was careful in his treatment of Oitotan. "No... it is. I am pleased... to be in this splendid palace." Fortunately, Oitotan seemed to have gained a better understanding of European society, as he simply displayed courtesy without making any controversial statements. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. With that, Henri IV and his courtiers were finally able to breathe easier inside. "What brings you all the way here from such a distant place?" So Henri asked with a gentle smile, and. "Pirates." With that single word, Henri''s face nearly... collapsed again, but he barely maintained his composure. However, the Marquis de Rosny could observe the king''s hand trembling slightly. "Pirates are raiding French ships entering our territory." Oitotan continued his story in a more comfortable and rougher tone. "Pirates are killing the French people." "We are also aware of that fact, but regrettably we cannot respond..." "You can." Chapter 173 - 173: Royal License (2) By this point, not only the king''s hands but the entire throne began to shake slightly. The Marquis de Rosny secretly held the throne from behind to counteract the vibration. Meanwhile, Oitotan took something out from his chest and held it out. A nearby servant hurriedly received it and presented it to Henri. On it was written in Spanish: ''Letter of marque.'' After mentioning pirates, he presented a letter of marque written in Spanish. Henri IV could easily read its meaning. His brow twitched as if an earthquake had struck... then barely regained composure. His mind began to rotate rapidly. He came all this way to inform us that the pirates are Spaniards? Why? Obviously because it''s inconvenient for their trade with us to be disrupted. Why can''t they ask England for help? It''s crystal clear. Currently, all of England''s navy is focused on concerns about a mainland invasion from Ireland. Even Sir Drake, who was plundering the Caribbean until recently, reportedly headed to Ireland lately. Who is in urgent need? Us? Or Virginia? ... ... ... Having finished his calculations, Henri speaks with a smile. "''The bearer of this license has the right to plunder and seize enemy vessels and all vessels trading with enemy countries...''. Ah, I see. You mean we are trading with their ''enemy countries''? I see. However, there''s nothing we can do. We can lodge some protest with Spain, but the problems of private individuals who got caught up while trading privately are their own." The meaning of those words was clear. ''We won''t act for free.'' Of course, most of Henri IV''s personal fortune is tied up in this trade right now. He desperately wanted to get rid of those pirate groups right now. He wanted to tear Felipe III to death right now... But he maintained his poker face with superhuman patience. Now, let''s see how they respond... Thinking this, Henri IV adjusted his posture. And watched Oitotan''s attitude. And. Oitotan continued speaking without showing the slightest agitation. "Is that so? Then, there''s nothing to be done." Henri IV, impressed by that composed demeanor, did not understand what thoughts were hiding behind that unhesitating attitude. "Oitotan, remember. They definitely won''t help easily." "This Henri IV will be a very shrewd person. You must never show any weakness." "If he shows an ambiguous attitude, say this." So... what kind of deal Kin Issei had prepared. == "Oitotan, they won''t help us for free, you can count on that." At my words, Oitotan tilted his head. "Why? How can they remain idle when their own people are being attacked?" "Yes. Because he has signed a peace treaty with Spain. Besides, he probably doesn''t have the resources for an immediate conflict." Right now, our community''s main enemy is Spain, and England is at war with that Spain. But that doesn''t mean England had any reason to become this close to us. After all, this place isn''t important enough to respect a community of just a few thousand or tens of thousands of people. Even so, England formed an alliance with us. The fact that ''the enemy of my enemy is my friend'' clearly influenced their motivation. But there was a more important factor. "This time, we need to make France our firm ally. And to make them a firm ally, we need to win over their king." We won over England''s monarch. Through Raleigh. When Raleigh exclusively distributed Virginia''s luxury goods to Elizabeth, Elizabeth resold Virginia''s fur, grapes, and aluminum at high prices, reaping enormous profits. With that money, Elizabeth was able to avoid begging the nobles for help in the war against Spain. She gained a strong monarchy and eventually even the power to manipulate James VI of Scotland. It''s the same. We need to win over the King of France. We must help Henri IV achieve the expansion of French royal authority that he so desperately craves, and help rebuild France. "...so just tell him this." "I understand." "And don''t make mistakes this time. A person isn''t poor just because they don''t throw away aluminum." "...I understand. I''ll keep that in mind." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Oitotan nodded to me and. Recited in English the lines I had taught him. == "Royal license." "...What did you say?" "We find it troublesome when pirates infest the coast. We want only verified French merchants to come." Ah. Henri, realizing what he was trying to say, clenched his fist tightly. His fist was soaked with sweat. "Therefore, among the merchants, we will only accept those verified by the King of France." Ahh. Henri IV finally couldn''t hold back and jumped to his feet. Everyone in the court was startled and stood at attention. "You mean... from now on, among merchants going to Virginia, you will only accept those with royal licenses?" Henri asked, suppressing his trembling heart, and. "That''s right." At his single word, Henri internally let out a victory cry. Finally... Finally...! Now I too can monopolize New World resources like Elizabeth! "Envoy from a distant land, we shall take your proposal seriously. Also, we are sorry to have made you travel so far because of our problems." In other words, he would gratefully accept the royal license and do his best to pressure Spain. Hearing those words, Oitotan smiled slightly and. Henri smiled broadly and. The Marquis de Rosny also clenched his fist in victory behind his back. Drunk with joy, Henri looked around while trying to steady his trembling hands with effort. Amidst various reactions bursting from all corners of the court, he exclaimed. "Today is a joyous day! We have welcomed a Christian ally from afar! Oitotan of Virginia, please enjoy our hospitality!" So they headed to the banquet hall, and Oitotan sat at the right side of Henri as an honored guest. After saying grace before picking up his cutlery, Henri smiled and said. "I once pledged to my people who have been starving due to long wars that someday I would give them chicken once a week. But I felt guilty enjoying a feast among ourselves, so I prepared something modest." "Oh my..." Oitotan''s expression showed genuine sympathy and regret. Henri responded with a smile. "Ha, haha! Don''t worry too much! As a result of our steady efforts over the past few years, my people can now at least once a month, if not once a week..." "I too, as a chief, would be sad if I could only feed my tribe members one chicken per week." Oitotan spoke with Nemo''s command etched in his heart. Don''t make mistakes. Speak according to the context of the other person. "...What did you say?" "Not being able to eat one chicken every day. That''s sad. Are there so few chickens here too?" "...That in front of you is chicken." "Uh... this is chicken? I thought it was a chick." "..." "..." Chapter 174 - 174: A Chicken, A King, and Spains Cowardice (1) "Not being able to eat one chicken every day. That''s sad. Are there so few chickens here too?" "...That in front of you is chicken." "Uh... this is chicken? I thought it was a chick." "..." "..." With a rather sour expression, Henri IV put down his fork. A silence pervaded the gathering. "Suddenly insulting me to my face during a meal?" "Such an absurd complaint, I''ve never heard in my life..." The murmuring that could be heard represented Henri''s own feelings. What is this? Does this barbarian not know dining etiquette, or even basic courtesy? Thinking this, he raised his head with the intention of delivering a sharp rebuke... "Excuse me if this is rude, but perhaps..." "Oh! It really was chicken! How fascinating. How did you raise it like this? Did you deliberately make it smaller? The taste is a bit lacking, but interesting!" ...he realized he had been misunderstanding something. After the banquet ended, rumors spread throughout Paris about "a wealthy empire where all citizens eat chicken daily" and. "Did, did I make a mistake?" "...Yes. It seems you made quite a significant mistake." "It wasn''t that big a mistake, was it?" "...No. It was indeed that big a mistake." "..." "..." Oitotan, who belatedly realized something had gone wrong, and the support staff who followed him just in case, whispered like this but. "Maximilien, prepare." "Yes, Your Majesty. Shall we immediately place small aluminum foil coverings on the palace statues?" "And instruct all palace servants to cease wearing aluminum ornaments. Aluminum shall be exclusively for the king and his guests." "An excellent idea." Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. The rightful King of France, Henri de Bourbon, didn''t care in the least about such trivial happenings. "No... It would be better to increase the scale. Replace all the furred items used in royal attire with furs from the New World! Even the fur used in my crown! Let all those crazy about luxury furs follow suit!" What Henri saw was not the minor discourtesy committed by the empire''s envoy. Similarly, he didn''t care about all the commotion engulfing Paris. What he looked at and cared about was just one thing. "Now, trade with Virginia will be our exclusive stage!" Wealth. The enormous wealth that would flow from the New World. The cute outburst that this man Oitotan blurted out was actually a stroke of good fortune for him. After enduring a moment of embarrassment, rumors about the "wealthy New World" began spreading throughout Paris and France. The clothes worn by the envoys from the New World, their ornaments, their modest utensils, and the enormous gifts they brought all became his promotional tools. Yes. From now on, all interest, all ambition, all expectations regarding the New World would be converted into gold coins for Henri IV. Only those authorized by Henri IV would be able to sail to the "Emperor''s" territory, and only those with Henri IV''s license would be able to trade in the "Emperor''s" territory. All luxury goods from the New World had fallen into Henri IV''s grasp. Aluminum. Sweet wine. Soft fur. Seedless grapes. All of it. Was now his. Luxury, luxury goods are not simply enjoyed for the pleasure of eyes and ears. Luxury is authority and prestige. It''s the most intuitive way to display the wealth one can spend and the authority one has built. Therefore, monopolizing luxury goods is essentially the same as monopolizing authority and prestige. By releasing luxury goods to nobles who desire such authority more than anyone else, Henri could devour their enormous wealth. In other words, Henri had gained authority that was entirely his own. Additionally, he had acquired a funding source that was completely his. Across the sea, Elizabeth had used this to suck enormous wealth from England''s upper class. And Elizabeth had used that again as a foundation for her powerful monarchy. He too could now do the same. He could slip away from the complex tug-of-war entanglements domestically and obtain a sword to cut through that Gordian knot in one stroke. He now felt as if he had truly become the King of France. "...Your Majesty, you must be more prudent at times like this. Rather than being intoxicated by immediate victory, you should think about the price it will bring." "I am already thinking about the price, Maximilien." Henri IV said to the Marquis de Rosny, Maximilien de B¨¦thune, as he sat down on the sofa as if collapsing. "Is it ultimately about Spain?" "We need to determine the level of conflict we will initiate with them immediately." "...Calculating change is always the most troublesome part." "If we were to go to war with Spain again, it would be far beyond the level of mere change." "..." "..." It had only been a few years since France emerged from war. Until recently, traces of Spanish troops ravaging the country remained throughout the territory. Moreover, extreme Catholics across the regions do not consider Henri, who discreetly converted at the end of the war, as their true lord. They lean on Spain and hope only for the day they can kill Henri. Given this situation, armed conflict with Spain is difficult to even dream of "yet." It''s infuriating, but looking only at the result, just a few merchant ships have been plundered. Going to war "again" with the most powerful country in the world because of this level of damage? Rashly taking a confrontational stance? Foolishness. But in such a situation, an offer they couldn''t refuse had arrived. "For now, sending several envoys and concluding with a ''strong protest'' is the best we can do..." Snap. When the king snapped his fingers, the Marquis de Rosny frowned and looked up. The king was smiling with a natural expression. "No." "What do you mean? Do you intend to go to war?" "Not that, but would the emperor of that New World be satisfied with just that? The trade monopoly is a great gift. To match its value, we must adopt a more radical alternative." A radical alternative. At those words, the Marquis de Rosny unconsciously trembled. He knew well how his lord had ended the civil war until now, how he had taken this country in his grasp. That excellent insight and decisiveness. A man who seemed to possess the stomach and heart of a lion. "If I miss this opportunity, I would be a coward." He rose with a light clench of his fist and a smile. "And a coward doesn''t deserve to be the King of France." With just that brief declaration, the Marquis de Rosny found himself unknowingly persuaded and nodded. What followed was not "discussion" but "orders." "Send an envoy to Spain immediately. Also contact our ambassador to Spain, who should be in Valladolid, in advance. Use the strongest language possible to protest! Let''s show such a fierce face that Felipe wets himself!" "Is that... enough?" "Of course. I am not a coward, but..." Henri IV said with his neck held stiffly upright. His eyes shone like those of a fierce beast. "That bastard Felipe is a coward." So as Oitotan left Paris, another envoy departed from France and. As soon as Henri''s envoy reached the court in Spain''s new capital, Valladolid, he growled in a fierce voice. "Toward another nation not at war! And toward fellow Catholics at that! This shamelessness that condones heinous and immoral crimes! We French will never forget this!" "..." "..." Chapter 175 - 175: A Chicken, A King, and Spains Cowardice (2) At such a high level of harsh statements and clearly intentional discourtesy, everyone in the court was shocked into silence. They all looked toward the throne. Then Felipe looked toward his trusted advisor, the Duke of Lerma, and when he nodded, the king rose from his throne and exclaimed. Everyone, and especially Henri IV''s envoy himself, wondered how much dignity and anger the King of Spain would display toward this Frenchman and. "Th-this is... what insolence! I, I have... not... condoned such crimes..." Here, Henri IV''s judgment was proven precisely correct. Felipe III, dripping with cold sweat, glanced toward the Duke of Lerma again. Then the duke spoke. "...I too know nothing about this." "R-right? If you don''t know, how could I possibly..." "But look at this shabby letter of marque that the envoy has presented as evidence. It clearly bears the signature of the Viceroy of New Spain." "In-indeed it does!" "We ourselves know ''nothing'' about this, but it''s possible that this situation unfolded due to mistakes by our colonial officials. Or those who received the license may have over-interpreted its contents." "Indeed.... L-look! We in Spain know nothing about this matter!" "..." "..." "..." "We, we bear no responsibility for this situation!" Thanks to the duke''s help, the king managed about half his duties. He denied responsibility for the situation, and protected the national officials who carried out the plan... "How can there be no responsibility for what happened in Your Majesty''s government!" "I, I, didn''t I say I don''t know! Ah, th-the Council of the Indies! Summon the members of the Council of the Indies immediately! It''s all their responsibility!" ...Or not. So the Council of the Indies was summoned and. "You are all dismissed! Duke of Lerma? Quickly, promote the personnel you recommended. Is everyone fine with that?" "Of course." A purge was carried out. "...To the Viceroy of New Spain, be it known. You are to take responsibility for the meaningless plundering of third-country vessels and resolve the situation. Your responsibility is heavy... ...Is this really an order sent from the home country? Are you perhaps an English spy? Did His Majesty really send something like this..." "..." "..." And the newly purged Council of the Indies then put pressure on the Viceroyalty of New Spain. Juan de Mendoza y Luna, the Viceroy of New Spain, stood dumbfounded for a moment with his mouth open, unfolding the order. No, he never dreamed that rather than protecting the officials who carried out his orders, they would put pressure on them. Is the Duke of Lerma actually an English spy? ...No, at this level, the king himself might be a spy. If he had told him to pressure Virginia, and given him this much autonomy, shouldn''t he at least show an attitude of taking responsibility? Even if not, wouldn''t stepping forward to protect his servants when criticized by other countries be the way to show dignity as a monarch? But... ''They''re just throwing me as diplomatic food...!'' Cutting off the tail? If you proceed like this, will there be anyone left who will be loyal to you later? No, do they not even think about that? The Council of the Indies seems to have just been purged with the Duke of Lerma''s connections. Don''t tell me they''re trying to cut down the nation''s dignity just to behead a few annoying people? Is this the thinking of a king of a country...? Juan de Mendoza, with trembling hands, tightly gripped the order... and with great difficulty suppressed the desire to crumple or tear it, returning it to the envoy. France is angry. His Majesty the King pretends not to know. The Council of the Indies pressures me. If this continues, the picture of making a show of moderately implementing the king''s orders and being promoted to the Viceroyalty of Peru within a few years would be completely disrupted. At this rate, he would simply be dismissed. ''If this continues... only I will sink!'' He must establish achievements somehow. While pressuring Virginia, he must simultaneously avoid the clutches of the English spy (the king) attacking from behind! "Ac-actually..." Juan de Mendoza, with trembling hands, searched through his drawer and pulled out several documents. ''Letter of Marque''. "W-we too have frequently observed ships with such things plundering French merchant ships off our coast. Upon investigation... wasn''t it the mischief of pirates who forged my signature?" The crooked signature on the license, deliberately written with the left hand, was certainly quite different from the viceroy''s usual signature. He had deliberately made the letters of marque shabby for times like this. ...Of course, he never expected the king to pressure him like this, though he had anticipated French merchants coming to protest directly. Anyway, the viceroy thanked his past self for wisely preparing countermeasures. The king''s envoy standing before him carefully examined the letter of marque handed by Juan de Mendoza before putting it down. "Is that so? But as that sea area is under your jurisdiction..." "Are you telling me to monitor the movements of all pirates in my jurisdiction? Is there a guarantee they''re all Spanish? Where is such an unreasonable demand heard?" "That''s true, but clearly His Majesty..." "Are you the only servant of His Majesty! I too, as His Majesty''s servant, am carrying out orders to pressure Virginia and capture the Queen of England!" Juan de Mendoza spoke, deliberately raising his voice. "Is it alright if His Majesty''s grand design is disrupted because of you!" His Majesty''s grand design. ...Is there even such a thing? Probably not? Anyway, that wasn''t what was important. "If that happens, do you think His Majesty will leave you be?" "...I, I am merely an envoy! His Majesty wouldn''t do anything to..." "His Majesty." Juan de Mendoza snatched the king''s order that was still in the envoy''s hand and waved it in front of his eyes. "Will he leave you be?" Was I going to be left alone or not? "..." "..." Having received that implication, even the envoy could only harden his face without being able to respond. Of course. The person right in front of him not only holds the title of marquis but is also the Viceroy of New Spain, essentially an emperor in the New World. Yet they''re trying to dismiss him without proper procedure. What about himself then? "...I, I will look into this again." The envoy who said this immediately left the office. The viceroy, who had been waiting until the envoy disappeared at the end of the corridor, let out a sigh of relief. He had survived for now. The Atlantic is a wide and rough sea. It would take at least several months, even at the shortest, for that man to return to the mainland and then come back again. He just needed to buy time while the gullible and spineless king vacillated between the nagging of the French ambassador and the justification he had put forward. ''...Until then, I just need to solidify the bridgehead near Pamlico Sound...!'' I heard there were no natives around there. I heard it wouldn''t take long to settle and fortify. All of these are opportunities given by God. What if he dragged out the dispute with Virginia near that bridgehead? At the very least, he could greatly pull the border of the Florida colony northward. If not that, considering a bigger picture... through that bridgehead, he could destabilize the entire Pamlico Sound region and threaten Virginia. ''They too will find it difficult to take significant military action!'' Starting with the questionable existence of the native emperor. The English settlement would be at most a few hundred to a few thousand people in size, so it wouldn''t be easy to conduct military activities on the scale of hundreds of men. That cursed Drake and his terrible friends are in Ireland now, so they won''t have time to pay attention to this side. Everything is a race against time. Just until the chaos between England and Ireland subsides. Just until the king does something foolish again. If he succeeds in solidifying the bridgehead by then, it''s a big step toward overwhelming Virginia. And if he succeeds in shaking Virginia, that would be even better. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. ''Privateers alone won''t work anymore. It''s time to use the fleet in earnest.'' The viceroy unfolded something only after confirming no one was around. It was a map of the Pamlico Sound and Chesapeake Bay areas. Now that the path of moving while distributing letters of marque was blocked, another method must be used. The fleet must be mobilized. The plan will proceed without a hitch. Chapter 176 - 176: Bronze Cannons (1) "First of all, the chickens were extremely small. And even those, they could only afford to feed people once a week or so¡ªit was such a poor country." "I see, Oitotan. You didn''t blurt out that impression..." "I didn''t speak first. They asked, so I answered." "...Pardon?" "...What?" What on earth happened in Paris...? Anyway. Based on what Oitotan said after returning from Paris, the negotiations in France seemed to have proceeded successfully. Additionally, he received a considerable amount of gold and silver as gifts from the French king. "They''re very favorable to us! Such unexpected gifts!" "Indeed! The King of France must truly consider Virginia important!" When Hewett and Eleanor said that, Raleigh responded with a bitter smile. "Well. Perhaps it''s just for show." "For show? What do you mean by that, Baron?" "It means France can''t directly intervene here right now. Henri IV''s situation is precarious, we''re across the Atlantic, and the opponent is Spain, isn''t it?" "...Well, that''s true." Raleigh approached me as I was examining the gifts Oitotan had brought, bowed his head, and reported. "For now, it appears Henri IV cannot provide direct assistance. If that weren''t the case, he would have responded with warships and cannons instead of these gifts. Of course, French assistance will continue, but it seems difficult to expect immediate effects." "...I understand." Still, we had secured friendly relations with France. Even if it wasn''t a mutual alliance with automatic participation in war, we promised each other various benefits equivalent to that. The treaty contained clauses for military consultation, intelligence sharing, and preferential treatment in matters of trade and diplomacy¡ªbenefits that would serve both nations well in the uncertain political landscape. Above all, giving Henri the trade monopoly was significant. For us, it was a no-loss deal since we would have had to implement procedures to prevent just any merchant from entering anyway. The monopoly granted his merchants exclusive rights to our ports and marketplaces, eliminating competition while allowing us to concentrate our security measures and customs protocols on a single, trusted partner rather than dozens of unknown vessels from various origins. Indeed, as time passed, French merchant ships began returning to the port one or two at a time, their holds laden with goods from across the continent. The white sails dotting the horizon brought not just commerce but a sense of normalcy that had been absent during the tensions. It was clear that our efforts with France were having an effect, both economically and in the renewed confidence evident in the faces of our citizens as they watched the ships dock. Thus, Virginia soon regained peace, and we were able to normalize the supply of luxury goods with peace of mind. The markets once again bustled with activity, filled with exotic fabrics, fine wines, and intricate craftsmanship that had been sorely missed during the embargo. Pillars were raised again in the cathedral, their towering stone forms a testament to our renewed prosperity and faith in the future. The construction crews worked from dawn until dusk, the rhythmic sounds of their tools becoming a comforting backdrop to city life. Spices returned to people''s tables, transforming simple meals into aromatic feasts that reminded everyone of better days. And I was able to enjoy coffee again during camping¡ªthat rich, dark brew that cleared the mind and warmed the soul on cool mornings in the wilderness. It was around the time when such daily life had returned and I was about to invite people over with my camping gear¡ªa celebration of sorts, to mark our successful navigation through troubled waters. I had selected a picturesque spot by the lake, where the trees provided shade and the view of the mountains reminded us all of the grandeur that surrounded our humble settlement. "Huh?" "What''s wrong, Eleanor?" "Ah, no, it''s just, strange. Don''t you see something on that horizon?" "...I see it. It looks like a ship." "There shouldn''t be any ships coming to Croatoan at this time, so why suddenly there..." "Eleanor?" "Yes? What is it?" "Get away from the coast immediately with Virginia. It''s dangerous." "What?" "And notify the nearby outpost. Ah... no. I''ll do it." "Wh-what''s happening? I can''t see clearly... Whoa!" sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. I pushed Eleanor toward the inside of the beach and started running toward the nearby outpost. And I shouted. "That ship has a Spanish flag on it!" Moreover, according to what I learned from Raleigh, judging by its shape, it was definitely not a merchant ship. A Spanish warship had arrived right near Croatoan. == "That''s Chesapeake Bay! According to our explorations, it appears to be one of the main strongholds of the English faction!" "...Gradually, others besides us would have reached near Croatoan Island or Roanoke Island." The captain had a habit of talking to himself during the tedious sea life. The adjutant stood stiffly when the captain asked a question in a proper voice. "Adjutant, where are their battery positions?" "Watchtower! Where are the enemy batteries!" "That... Good heavens, they seem to be spread all over the coast!" "...They''re mad." The captain clicked his tongue at the sound coming from the high watchtower and looked out at the sprawling Chesapeake Bay. As he frowned, the image became clearer, and he began to see black shapes moving around the coast. ''Black shapes.'' Those notorious English-made cast iron cannons. Several times cheaper than bronze cannons while still of decent quality, these cannons had been a headache for Spain. Not only the English but also the Dutch imported and used them, causing significant difficulties for Spanish soldiers on land and sea. However, now the captain whistled lightly upon seeing those cast iron cannons. That''s right. They wouldn''t have installed expensive bronze cannons all the way to this distant colony. The only reason cast iron cannons could annoy the Spanish forces was simple: quantity. Because materials were easy to obtain and prices were cheap, the English had threatened Spanish forces with numerous ships and armies armed with cast iron cannons. But now they were the attackers, and the others were the defenders. They could move freely on the sea, while the others stood fixed on the island. Chapter 177 - 177: Bronze Cannons (2) In this situation, if they fired with bronze cannons, superior in both range and rate of fire, from outside the enemy''s range? They could retreat without a scratch. The captain had no intention of landing at Chesapeake Bay right now. He hadn''t received such orders either. The English and their allies there might number in the thousands, and a rash landing attempt could backfire. His life was precious, and. Even more so to the Viceroy of New Spain, who couldn''t afford to lose many resources here. Therefore, their strategy was simple: Harass the enemy coasts while isolating their colonies. Detailed investigations had revealed that the enemy territories were scattered in various places, with massive volumes of goods moving between them. So, just by blocking their logistics, the enemy would fall into great confusion. As he nodded with certainty of victory, the soldiers began loading the cannons. And... Boom boom! The earth shook. The unexpectedly sturdy enemy battery didn''t easily collapse, and it seemed there were no casualties among the enemy. So the Spaniards carefully gauged the effective range of the enemy and penetrated deeper. And when they were confident that the enemy''s return fire wouldn''t hit them... "Fire!" Boom boom boom! They fired their cannons again. Seeing some batteries destroyed and some cannons damaged, they cheered and returned to their base. Though the enemy''s response was so quick that they couldn''t force human casualties, their victory was still solid. The Spaniards returned, firmly believing that the reason for their victory lay in their superior cannons. But they were wrong. They knew nothing. For a modern person who might be possessed or transported anytime and anywhere, they didn''t know about the existence of "alternative history novels," which should be read as essential liberal arts. They were ignorant of the fact that all sorts of useful and excellent knowledge, such as iron and steel making methods, flintlock firearm manufacturing methods, and black gunpowder manufacturing methods, were equipped in them. Therefore, they had no way of knowing the 21st-century common sense that those who are decent, cultured, overflowing with intellect, and personally excellent generally enjoy reading alternative history novels. If Kin Issei had had enough time and opportunity... Then he could have known the ideal material mixing ratio of black gunpowder: 75% potassium nitrate, 10% sulfur, 15% carbon. Then Kin Issei might have been able to produce black gunpowder of much superior quality than now. Moreover, he already had high-quality potassium nitrate, sulfur, and pure carbon extracted with 21st-century chemical engineering techniques. Therefore, he didn''t need to go around turning over human and animal excrement like others. If he, Kin Issei, had bought and read just a few more "alternative history novels," today''s painful defeat wouldn''t have happened. It would have been the Spaniards, not the Virginia community residents, who were surprised and scattered by the enemy attacking from outside the range. Yes. Although no modern person living in the early 17th century would think of it. Virginia''s fault lay precisely in alternative history novels. == "Vicente, how many people are currently staying in Croatoan?" "A total of 213 people. The rest are probably scattered on Roanoke Island and around Chesapeake Bay. Ahem, we can only know that everyone is safe." "It''s fortunate that the enemy is being cautious. If they had decided to land, accepting casualties..." "Don''t worry. They absolutely can''t do that. Look, most of them are privateers and armed merchant ships, aren''t they? Their lives are precious, so why would they charge in?" The apostles present here are only Hewett, Eleanor, and Raleigh. It couldn''t be helped. The enemy attacked while taking advantage of the gap when only we were gathered on Croatoan Island. With the enemy threatening reconnaissance, important personnel couldn''t freely move around by boat. "Still... it''s fortunate that communication with the outside hasn''t been completely cut off. Will that continue?" When Eleanor spoke with a sigh, I looked toward Raleigh. Raleigh fiddled with his mustache and removed the tobacco he had in his mouth. "Nemo, in my opinion, it probably will. If they weren''t being cautious, they would have proceeded with a landing in the first place. But for now, communities everywhere, and even Her Majesty the Queen, are safe." Of course they would be. How thoroughly have we prepared our coastal defenses? Moreover, with at least one musket distributed per person, a bloodbath would ensue the moment they land. I''m not sure if the enemy knows that though. "Similarly, the enemy doesn''t attempt an attack when our ships are gathered more than five at a time. The enemy basically avoids direct damage. Their purpose is to isolate us, constrain us, and let us wither away." "...If that''s the purpose, aren''t they succeeding?" "No, Thomas. Aren''t we all self-sufficient? We''ll never wither away." "Ah..." "However, Nemo, as long as our settlements are connected to each other through the sea, we cannot leave this situation unattended forever. We must find a way somehow." Raleigh summarized the opinions. I nodded at his words and fell into thought for a moment. "...Raleigh? Perhaps when Vicente returns from trading in the north, the enemy won''t be able to attack. There will be several armed ships lined up." "That will certainly be the case." "Then, what would Vicente do if he arrived at Chesapeake Bay and knew our whereabouts?" "Hmm... he would come to Croatoan." "Let''s move from that point." "Ah, good! I like the quick conclusion. Then let''s move to a different place and think about how to destroy Core Banks first." "Let''s do that, Raleigh." "Pardon? Ah, do you mean Outer Banks?" When Raleigh and I stood up, Eleanor and Hewett, who hadn''t been on many boats, tilted their heads. I explained to them. "Look, the enemy is monitoring this area by rotating about a dozen ships. To regularly monitor a distance of over a hundred kilometers like this, there must be an intermediate stopover point." S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "An intermediate stopover point... ah." "That''s right, Eleanor." I nodded to Eleanor. "The fortress the enemy built to the south was probably for this purpose." A place the enemy recently fortified with about 200 people. Cape Lookout on Core Banks. "Let''s find a way to destroy that place from now on." A little later, Vicente arrived at Croatoan and. "A way to destroy a well-fortified place? I hate to say this, but couldn''t we just do it the way I experienced?" "Vicente? The way you experienced... uh..." Getting massacred after invading someone else''s land? Or switching sides very quickly, abandoning one''s country? "It seems... there''s some misunderstanding, um, you know?" Vicente whispered to me, watching my expression become strange. "...Oh, quite crude and simplistic." "But it would be effective, wouldn''t it?" "Well... it seems so." Having heard the plan, I reluctantly accepted it. So before long, we headed toward Core Banks, towing barges. Chapter 178 - 178: Satans Chariot (1) "Hmm." Elizabeth clicked her tongue repeatedly as she strolled along the shore. Margaret, who was following close behind, carefully approached her side. "What''s the matter, Your Majesty?" "Ah, Margaret. I don''t have much else to talk about right now. It was about that." Elizabeth pointed with her chin beyond the coastline. There, several kilometers from the shore, another sandbar hundreds of meters wide stretched out like a barrier protecting Roanoke. And on top of that long-stretched sandbar, magnificent coastal batteries were installed. Above them, fully armed soldiers stood guard in all directions, and expensive bronze cannons brought from Scotland at great cost gleamed. That was the reason the Queen of England could leisurely stroll along the shore. Roanoke Island was completely safe. It would be the same even if enemies somehow broke through that barrier island and rough waters into the bay. They would still have to face the coastal batteries and guards of Roanoke Island. The Spanish didn''t have enough troops to withstand such rough landing battles twice. Nevertheless, Elizabeth sighed and merely pointed beyond. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Beyond that barrier island, at a distance just out of range, Spanish warships were passing by. To isolate this island. "I don''t know if we can resolve this issue. Until the English navy arrives, I don''t see a solution..." The problem here was that the English navy had crossed the Atlantic for the battle in Ireland. Drake too, and Hawkins... ah, that man died of the plague. Anyway, that''s how it is. We can''t just stay here waiting for the English navy for weeks or months on end, can we? Especially if the queen of a country and the emperor of a continent are here. As Elizabeth sighed again, Margaret quietly smiled and leaned on the queen''s shoulder to speak. "Don''t worry too much, Your Majesty. ''He'' won''t let the problem grow too large." "...Hmm? By what means? Sometimes you all have too much faith in the emperor." As Elizabeth said this and met Margaret''s eyes, she shuddered slightly. As always, those eyes bothered her. Until meeting the emperor directly, the queen didn''t understand why Margaret showed such fervent faith. She couldn''t understand the reason for that reverence, that affection, that passion. What had the emperor given them? What benefit had he provided to make them act that way? People never give something without reason. So-called ''gratuitous'' favor is followed by a price. That was how she viewed people as a monarch, as a ruler. But those around that emperor acted as if they could offer even their hearts. And without any compensation. She had been trying to find the reason that made this possible. She even thought the emperor might have promised them enormous wealth, power, and glory. And she reached a conclusion. He is a type of ruler she had never experienced before. No, he is not even a ruler. Just as Moses was a prophet and God''s representative, not a ruler, when he led his people. He was not a ruler. Not a ruler. Perhaps he should be described as a prophet, seer, teacher, or something similar. ...No, even all those words couldn''t fully describe the strange charisma she felt in each of his breaths then. The queen saw a piece of divinity in him. == "Uh... uh, uh?" "What''s wrong, Benjamin?" "Ah, no, th-there, there...!" "What''s there... huh?" Upon hearing Benjamin''s words, Alejandro turned his head and saw several ships approaching from beyond the horizon. However, Alejandro, with his poor eyesight, could only see their silhouettes even after furrowing his brows. As Alejandro couldn''t see clearly, Benjamin corrected his line of sight. "No, not that! Look at the mast! Those ships don''t have our flag!" "Hmm?" Upon turning his head again at Benjamin''s words, Alejandro''s eyes soon revealed the strange emblem drawn on the sail. The figure of an angel holding light in one hand and a toothed sword in the other. What that figure symbolized was clear. "Vi-Virginia...!" "Yes! Virginia''s ships have come all the way here! Aren''t these bastards doing their job properly!" Of course, the Virginians had observed the enemy ships'' positions with a telescope and avoided them, but they had no way of knowing these circumstances. Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding! They immediately rang bells and shouted to alert about the enemy approach. Everyone was tense watching several ships coming down along the coast from the north. Eventually, they anchored just out of range of the fortress''s cannons, then began disembarking soldiers one by one. And... "...Huh? What''s that now?" "What are you talking about, Benjamin?" "No... some kind of yellow cart-like thing is being unloaded from a wide platform? What is that?" "Hmm? That''s, really? What is that..." Woong. Suddenly, the Spanish chatter stopped at a roaring sound from afar. It was a low tone that sounded like a giant beast growling. Woooong. At the sound that came again, they stopped talking and breathing one by one and headed toward the northern wall. The identity of that noise was gradually revealed. The source of the noise was getting closer. No, not ''gradually''. "Wh-what? What''s so fast!" "Q-q-quickly load the cannons first!" The Spanish soldiers, who had been taking it easy because the troops that disembarked from the ships were standing still, started moving frantically. That strange, cart-like something was rushing madly toward them. At a speed faster than a horse, directly toward this fortress. While all the other Virginia soldiers were still quietly waiting back there. Wooooong! "Shoot! I said shoot!" Bang! Boom! Dozens of shells started flying toward that mysterious vehicle. Suddenly, that yellowish monster began moving, constantly changing direction in a zigzag pattern. Boom! Bang! Boom boom! Naturally, cannons are designed to destroy large castles or ships, not to chase something moving faster than a horse. While all the shells fell to the ground, that monster alone smoothly avoided the barrage of shells and rushed forward. The soldiers who kept attempting to reload following its moving position soon became exhausted. As they turned the hundreds-of-kilograms cannons back and forth, soldiers everywhere collapsed and fell. Rat-tat! Rat-a-tat-tat! Soon, they wisely gave up on the cannons. They then grabbed their muskets and began firing. However, this time it was even more futile. Wooooong! The monster, as if it no longer had anything to fear, began accelerating in a straight line as soon as they abandoned the cannons. Its intention not to care whether bullets hit or missed was clearly visible. The soldiers who first saw it were shocked, and after a little time passed, they began to panic. Chapter 179 - 179: Satans Chariot (2) "...Uh, uh? Why doesn''t it get hit? Why doesn''t it get hit!" "It keeps coming even when hit! Wh-what, what is that! What is it!" "It''s Satan''s chariot! Satan''s chariot, I tell you!" And as time passed, they began to scatter in panic. Those who were standing on the fortress walls soon jumped inside and fled in a hurry. It''s a very obvious story, but whether it''s a horse or a person, when there''s a possibility of collision with the opponent, they normally slow down and change direction. But that monster, that steel monster was different. ''That thing'' ran straight toward the fortress. And it accelerated even faster. Now its speed had become so fast that it couldn''t even be compared to a horse. That unidentified object, which looked heavy just by looking at it, was rushing as if it would devour the wooden stockade that had been cut and erected from nearby inland trees, in lieu of rocks which couldn''t be found. The conclusion was clear, and. That conclusion would come within seconds. "R-run..." BOOM! The stockade was torn to shreds. The narrow moat dug in front of it was equally useless. As if something had exploded, wood fragments flew in all directions, and people trembled, frightened, curled up, and covering their heads. So. The Spaniards, who were momentarily frightened, soon realized what had just happened. Cold sweat ran down their backs. One side of the fortress had collapsed. They had lost one absolute advantage of the defender. In other words. "Uwaaaah! Virginiaaaa!" "For the Nameless One!" From the attacker''s perspective, it was the optimal moment to start the battle. "E-everyone, grab your guns! I said grab your guns!" The Spaniards, finally coming to their senses, hurriedly picked up the spears, knives, and guns they had abandoned and got to their feet. Similarly, hundreds of Englishmen and natives rushing madly from afar also loaded their muskets and crossbows while shouting slogans. "Long live Felipe! Long live Habsburg!" S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "In-in the name of the Lord! So that we may sweep away th-those pagans, heretics...!" The Spaniards didn''t back down either. They were battle-hardened soldiers of the New World. Though they had momentarily panicked, they quickly recovered, loading bullets with trembling hands and lighting fuses with flints. Muskets spewed fire from outside the range. No one was hurt. Thus, hundreds of people, about 1 kilometer apart, were preparing to kill each other. Step. And. At the small sound that was heard, all the Spaniards turned their heads in astonishment. From inside the ''monster'' that had torn through the fortress wall and was embedded there, scattering sand and soil everywhere... Someone carefully walked out. A man emerged from the distorted innards of the monster. He looked surprisingly fine, as if it was hard to believe he had been riding inside that monster. == Lucas Pastor barely controlled his trembling body as he picked up his hat that had fallen to the ground. He instinctively took his eyes off the Englishmen rushing beyond that collapsed wall. Instead, he turned his head toward where acrid smoke and a piercing smell rose. And he raised his spear tip toward him. Imagine a wooden building standing perfectly intact in the middle of a city on fire. Recall a precarious stone tower that is the only one not collapsed in a world hit by an earthquake. Look at wool that sits alone, not wet, when all the land is raining and soaked with water. As a human being, one feels two emotions in such unnaturalness. Lucas felt one of them. Bizarreness. A person with three eyes, a deer with ten horns, a dog wagging a snake-like tail. And a person who is still uninjured and intact despite hitting the fortress with all his might. Beings that make people shudder just by imagining them, making them realize something is wrong. Such beings are not usually seen in ordinary people''s daily lives. They only appear briefly in a midsummer night''s nightmare or fleeting fantasy before scattering. That''s why Lucas unconsciously blinked. As if the being his spear tip was pointing at might scatter like a daydream. But it wasn''t so. He was smiling at him. Even that seemingly warm smile made his skin crawl. A being fundamentally different from me stands there, taking a form similar to mine. Fearful. Being overwhelmed. I become small before him. I become insignificant before him. Before him, I, I... He could feel that such emotions were being shared not just by him but by everyone else. He felt it so intensely that his skin stung. And the sense of duty felt there barely raised his body and opened his eyes. ...A sense of duty to kill. A sense of duty to kill the being in front of him, to kill that being absolutely different from himself, to banish it from this world. "Ugh, uuugh..." But his trembling hands wouldn''t budge. No matter how endlessly he cursed inside, how endlessly he swallowed tears, and how much strength he put into his hands, they only trembled and wouldn''t move an inch. Toward him, the man walked. Step. "D-don''t..." Step. "Don''t... come..." Step. And the man smiles. Finally, fear devoured all reason and will, bringing him to his knees. All of Lucas''s struggles, all his shouts, all his screams were consumed by his sobbing. Hundreds of people surrounded him. Yet none of them moved to save or help him. Everyone was frozen with the world. From far away, the sound of Englishmen and natives walking could be heard. The man gestured toward them to stop. Behind his back, the smell of terrible things burning still crept up. Distorted metals shriveled like the skin of a dead demon. "...You fear that." Tienes miedo de eso... You''re afrai... Vaguely, strange sounds were heard, but his hearing seemed paralyzed and wasn''t working properly. His whole body was trembling. And, as he snapped his fingers. Swish. Behind him, that metal monster melted away. That bizarrely distorted monster, that metal object that had been emitting smoke... Slowly... What couldn''t melt was melting. Like a pile of snow in the sun quietly vaporizing and disappearing. Just, like that, it was disappearing. After everything disappeared, only the mark of blackened ashes remained. "Wh-who... what on earth... are you..." Lucas squeezed out the words, and. The man answered briefly. "Fear not." Only then did his ears open. No tem¨¢is. N?o temais. Nolite timere. Fear thou not. Ne craignez point. ... ... ... Thus, that phrase repeated over hundreds of times in holy scriptures. That command echoing endlessly from an angel''s tongue. That command came to him as it came to Hagar, to Mary, to Joseph, to Zechariah. Lucas could not obey that command. He was afraid. Chapter 180 - 180: Melting Steel (1) Lucas Pastor, sitting on the ground, stared blankly up at ''him''. Then that human... no, whatever it was, whether human or not, met his gaze. ''Its'' gaze seemed to pierce through his pupils into his brain. His entire head felt hot, as if a burning spear had been thrust into it. And his body was frozen cold, unable to move. All he could do was tremble violently, as if convulsing. He couldn''t manage any movement beyond that. For a moment, Lucas thought that man had put a curse on his body. With the power he had demonstrated so far, couldn''t he easily achieve that too? And a little later, he realized. What stopped his body was purely his own fear. The man''s mouth opens. "Do not be afraid." Immediately, Lucas hears whispers in all the languages he knows. This is like, this is like... "Why should you and I become bloody here?" ...it was as if the Holy Spirit had descended upon his lips. "He-heretic..." Lucas utters words that even he doesn''t believe. The man quietly smiles and whispers in his ear. "You are the commander here." "..." How, how did he know that? I wasn''t wearing armor, I wasn''t dressed more elaborately than others, I just approached him first... but... The man grips Lucas''s shoulders, who couldn''t even stand up. And as he lifts him up, Lucas''s body, which had been frozen until just now, rises easily as if it had all been a momentary prank. His eyes widen at the discrepancy. The man whispers in Lucas''s ear. "Surrender." "..." "And save everyone." As Lucas raises his head, the man smiles. No. I must not fall for that smile. I must kill the intruder right now. "If I had wanted to kill you all, you would already be dead." "..." "I did not come here to kill. I came to save." "Li-liar, lies, here-tic..." "The Lord hates a man of bloodshed and deceit." Proverbs 5:6. At those words, Lucas felt as if all the blood in his body had turned cold. The man continues. "Why do you speak words you don''t even believe yourself?" If you truly believe I am a heretic, if you are truly afraid and terrified of me, then kill me. But you know the truth. What do you think I am? Did you not just witness all of that? Must you really kill all your people here? Why do you deny what you have seen and heard? Why do you deceive your own soul? Why do you hesitate? How can you wish to see meaningless blood, worthless death? Do you not see me? Do you not fear me as people fear the truth? I am the messenger of truth, the messenger of the righteous One, so rise and listen. Listen. You shall not kill anyone here. I, too, shall kill no one. No one''s blood shall flow here today. He will judge between the nations, and will decide concerning many peoples. They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. You, I, I, we... "We..." With unfocused eyes, shedding tears, Lucas spoke. At the end of his gaze, another gaze was directed toward him. That gaze says: Why do you want to fight? Thus Lucas answers: I am one who came to fight and a servant of Felipe who received authority from the Lord The viceroy whom He raised up said to me, Lucas, build a fortress and watch over Virginia land as a guard watches over a prisoner I merely follow him. Then that gaze asks again: Do you prioritize the words of the Spanish man Felipe over those of the Lord? Do you pursue earthly authority and cast aside heavenly authority? Have you forgotten the commandment "Thou shalt not kill" that the Hebrew man Moses brought down? Lucas answers again: The commandments do not apply during war; if you are your Lord''s messenger, how do you not know this? Do you not know that Joshua struck and killed the Canaanites, Gideon struck and killed the Midianites, and Samson struck and killed the Philistines? Finally, the gaze says: So you wish to kill your people. In vain. "..." Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "..." "..." Silence pervades. Lucas painfully turns his stiffened neck to look around. He sees everyone''s hands and feet trembling. He sees people who are so afraid they look like they might wet themselves and faint at any moment, let alone properly shoot guns or swing swords. With such people, fight those Englishmen. Fight the man before him. Could they win? "..." The man bows toward Lucas, bringing their eyes to the same level. Lucas feels reassured seeing that the man''s pupils are a deep brown, like the earth. And the man says: "...Do not fear doing what is right." Clang. Hearing those words, Lucas unknowingly let go of his spear shaft. As if his hands had lost strength and dropped it. As if that was a signal, the sound of metal falling and clattering on the ground echoed from all directions. And, the battle ended. Without anyone dying, without anyone killing. == "Are, are you alright?" As Vicente, who had arrived belatedly, handed over a towel, Kin Issei smiled and wiped his face. He hid the feeling that he might collapse at any moment and showed a bright smile. "What is there for me to be alright or not?" "..." "It''s fortunate everything went well for everyone. It''s incredibly fortunate there were no casualties." ...In fact, it was a precarious situation even for Kin Issei. In all the battles the Virginia community had experienced so far, no one had died. It was like that when Vicente invaded Croatoan Island. It was like that when they engaged in naval battle with Spanish forces near Trinidad Island. Similarly, it was like that when Spanish warships fired their cannons during the naval blockade. All those battles had something in common. They were all defensive. When blocking Vicente''s attack, they had conducted thorough military training beforehand, and Kin Issei himself had physically blocked the enemies. During the naval battle, while he confronted the enemies with an electric saw, others were safely positioned behind Lexan shields, merely covering him. Finally, when the coast was bombarded... the enemies weren''t aggressive in the first place, allowing them to pass safely. But this battle was different. Chapter 181 - 181: Melting Steel (2) This battle was an offensive, and a siege at that. It wouldn''t have been strange if many people had prepared to kill and be killed. However... He deliberately crashed the excavator into the fortress wall where there were few defensive troops. That way, the impact he received was much greater and the chance of success for the operation was lower, but he did it that way. So that the fortress would collapse without casualties. He calculated precisely the timing when things would break and rebound. Thus, the excavator disappeared precisely when he snapped his fingers. As if an angel had removed it with divine power. And he had learned how to identify commanders among soldiers by their attire and atmosphere. That way, he immediately picked out Lucas from the crowd. As if he had read Lucas''s mind. Numerous ''powers'' were created through countless practice and effort. Vicente quietly looked up at Kin Issei. He hung the towel on his shoulder and changed clothes as if it were nothing. That practice and effort saved hundreds of Spanish soldiers and Virginians. == "No-not a single one...?" "Yes. There were no remains left, and not many traces of battle. It seems all were taken prisoner." When Core Banks fell, ships lost their stopover point for receiving supplies and conducting reconnaissance. It wasn''t just captured. The stopover point simply ''disappeared'' without a trace. Although it was a fortress hastily built with timber in a short time due to lack of stone, it was still a place where hundreds were stationed. It certainly wasn''t a place that could vanish futilely like smoke. "Wh-what method did the Virginians use? Were there other survivors hiding nearby...?" "No. All 200 or so soldiers disappeared like ghosts, so we have no way of knowing." "..." "..." Not a single person left. Not a single grain left. Even the couple of ships that were docked. They all had gone somewhere. Probably to Virginia. But, how? The Viceroy of New Spain, Juan de Mendoza y Luna, turned pale. He had two strategic objectives: To pretend to carry out the absurd order of kidnapping Elizabeth so as not to displease the king. Simultaneously, to achieve moderate success with minimal losses and conclude the situation smoothly. "Currently, the warships are returning to the ports of Florida. It seems it became difficult to continue operations there as supplies became challenging." "..." But the king was going mad, questioning why he had provoked France. And with that, he had suffered massive losses, evaporating hundreds of soldiers and several warships. All failures. Already the word ''downfall'' was floating in his mind. It was absurd that after all that effort, the tower he had built would collapse. "For now, let''s set up a new stopover point! The losses aren''t as great as we thought, so for now..." "Your Excellency, there''s not enough time to set up a stopover point right away." "I''ll make time! Haven''t we done it once already?" "It was possible when their vigilance was loose, but after being threatened once, it will be difficult to implement the same method again..." "Then can''t we start from a more distant place! So-somehow, we could recruit the local natives and... We must..." Knock. Knock. "..." "..." Here it comes. "...Enter." "Your Excellency, I heard the news that reconnaissance and blockade toward Virginia failed." "..." "Anyway, with this level of failure, the homeland will find it difficult to continue Your Excellency''s term. You failed to capture the English queen, and even caused diplomatic friction, so regrettably..." "W-wait!" "..." Juan de Mendoza signals to the admiral with whom he had been conversing until just now. The admiral quietly slips out of the office, closing the door. Thus, only the Viceroy of New Spain and the envoy of the Spanish king remained. The viceroy carefully asked the envoy: "...Who sent you?" "Pardon? What do you mean? Weren''t we just talking? Of course, His Majesty the King..." Thump. The viceroy strikes the desk, rises to his feet, and looks down at the envoy. "Who. Sent. You?" "..." "..." "...His Grace the Duke does ask me this and that." That answer was sufficient. There was only one person in Spain who could be called ''the Duke'' without any qualifier. The Duke of Lerma. The viceroy desperately racked his brains and chose his words. He mentally pieced together the snippets of news from the homeland that he had heard. What does the Duke of Lerma, the de facto highest power in this country, want? "Tell His Grace the Duke... to give me one more chance." "I don''t understand what you mean..." "His Grace the Duke." The viceroy painfully squeezes out each word. And whispers in a low voice: "Ask him if he''s pleased with attention being drawn to the New World." "..." "..." At those words, the envoy''s eyes sharpen for a moment. He unnecessarily checks if footsteps can be heard nearby or if someone is watching through that window, then quietly nods. "Come to think of it... I don''t have the authority to immediately criticize Viceroy''s governance. I''ll return to the homeland first and inquire again. His Majesty..." "..." "...No, His Grace the Duke might reconsider." So the envoy closed the door and left. The viceroy collapsed into his chair with a sigh, and. Soon, a letter from the viceroy would be delivered to the Duke of Lerma. The duke burns it in the fireplace and falls into deep thought. ''That''s right. If the viceroy changes and things become turbulent, the king''s attention will be completely drawn to the New World.'' Looking at the situation broadly, it seemed remote to actually realize the plan of capturing the queen in Roanoke. It appears to have been a more challenging task than initially thought. In such a situation, if the king''s attention drifts away from the development projects in Valladolid, the newly established capital... ''...That won''t do. I''ve invested so much here.'' Then, his plan to amass huge profits by buying up lands around Valladolid would be disrupted. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. Perhaps... it might be a better option to keep the viceroy in office for now. If he could divert the king''s attention from New World affairs and make him focus on developing the new capital during that time? That would be the best for him. The Duke of Lerma''s top priority wasn''t the national finances being depleted by war, the complaints erupting from various places, the shaking royal authority... and so on. Right now, he had bought real estate, so it was time to raise its value. "Tell the viceroy." The Duke of Lerma finished his judgment and said to the envoy. "It''s not difficult for me to persuade His Majesty. He will remain in office." "Understood, Your Grace." "However, there must be no disturbance from the New World!" The Duke of Lerma narrowed his brows and articulated clearly. "Tell him to ignore Virginia or whatever and stay dead quiet! Tell him his term ends the day anything happens!" Thus, Juan de Mendoza breathed a sigh of relief after hearing the story from the returned envoy. He had escaped the crisis. And, for the time being, Virginia was safe again. Felipe''s foolishness and the Duke of Lerma''s greed had made them safe again. Chapter 182 - 182: The Cross, The Crown (1) It was quite a lengthy operation. It dragged on because the patient stubbornly insisted there was nothing wrong with him. The man with the cross immediately cleared away the instruments spread across the table. Though they were stained with blood and fat, he swept them into his bag without cleaning them. The surroundings were slightly dark, and being underground, the air was heavy and stagnant. But it couldn''t be helped. If not for such a place, patients would escape. He looked down at the ''patient.'' A man trembling, with fingernails and teeth partially pulled out. The man with the cross had damaged his body but healed his soul. This patient''s diagnosis was treason against the king and disobedience to his master. However, he had somewhat washed away his sins by leaking information about the cult he belonged to. Of course, it wouldn''t change the fact that he would be hanged. "...You did well." The man with the cross quietly rose and muttered to himself to the patient who had not yet regained consciousness. The gilded crucifix hanging from his necklace swayed back and forth. As he stepped into the corridor, he heard shouts and banging on bars from all around. The man briefly stuffed cotton into his ears to block the piercing noise as he moved. After walking for a while, the man with the cross finally found himself in silence. He removed the cotton from his ears, opened and closed several doors, climbed stairs, and suddenly he was outside. "...How was it?" An aide waiting outside asked the man with the cross. The man with the cross threw off his blood-soaked cloak and replied. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "Indeed... they all mentioned the name ''Nemo.''" The man with the cross carefully handed over a note and said. "I''ve roughly summarized the information obtained from the prisoners. They all refused to talk easily, so I used rather rough methods, but when returning them to their masters, how should I..." "You don''t need to worry about that. Most of them will die for treason, and only a few will return to their masters." The aide replied, taking the note that the man with the cross had handed him. "It''s unfortunate... Still, try to keep their limbs intact from now on if possible. So that more of them can return to their masters." "Pardon?" "Well... isn''t it pitiful?" "But they all refuse to talk easily. As I mentioned..." "Yes, yes. You said they were part of some strange cult. Such fellows never open their mouths easily. Well, it can''t be helped then. Do as you see fit. They''re going to be hanged anyway." The two men parted ways after casually shaking off their compassion. The aide, who had received the note, shuddered at the smell of blood on his clothes, quickly brushed himself off, and headed to the governor''s residence. After crossing several gates, corridors, and stairs again, the aide finally reached the office door. After knocking a few times, he heard a cough from inside and entered. And there, the aide faced Governor Pedro de Ibarra. He was exhaling with a sigh while tackling a mountain of paperwork. "...What is it?" When the governor asked, the aide handed over the note and replied. "Documents from the prison warden. Let''s have a look." Spanish Florida, centered around St. Augustine, was growing larger. This was because investment in Florida had consistently been maintained through various viceroys. Already tens of thousands of Spaniards were living on this vast peninsula. As the native population gradually decreased due to epidemics, various pioneering farmers settled in the empty lands. And the base of this vast colony was right here, St. Augustine. Thanks to exceptional support policies over the past decade, just as tens of thousands of Spaniards had filled in, a large city with thousands of Spanish inhabitants had been built here. And saying that thousands and tens of thousands of Spaniards were living meant the same as saying that tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of Africans were living to support their lives. Governor Pedro commanded these hundreds of thousands of people. And the note held in Governor Pedro''s hand contained information about those among that population... who held somewhat treasonous thoughts. Pedro unfolded it and frowned. "...''NEMO.'' Yes. It matches. Isn''t Nemo the title of the Indian emperor that we hear about from England, France, and elsewhere?" "It seems that Virginia, or perhaps England behind it, is in contact with the slaves." "Damn. Those bastards again." In a way, it was a strange contradiction. In the original history, just a few decades from now, a militia composed of free Black people would defend this place from England. There were no slaves in St. Augustine, which had no plantations as a military base, and thus runaway slaves from English colonies like Virginia were often liberated here. However, no one was able to appreciate the historical irony created by the arrival of a grape farmer here. Pedro merely rolled his eyes with an irritated gaze. "They worship this Nemo as an angel, or think of him as a magician or spirit and revere him... Damn, are the English using such vicious tactics to shake the minds of the slaves?" The English. Yes. It could only be their tactics. Although the reality of the Indian ''empire'' located in Virginia was gradually being revealed, they couldn''t extend their influence all the way down here without England''s help. They probably inserted Virginia into the narrative so they could deny it was their doing if this matter became public. Pedro gritted his teeth at such cunning. That wasn''t the only problem. "This is a matter where Viceroy must take some action. This is..." "No." Pedro cut off the aide''s words. He pointed upward with his finger and said. "There are orders to cover up everything related to Virginia for now." "But we can''t just leave it alone, can we?" "I suppose not." Saying this, Pedro twirled a pen in his hand, then took out a sheet of paper and began writing something. These aren''t just a naturally occurring cult or group. There was clear external intervention, and simultaneously, they had an ''organization.'' One that presumptuously used priestly titles as position names. And at the same time, they were helping slaves escape to Virginia, so they must have contact points with the outside. If it were the movement of a formless cult, nothing could be done, but if there was a clear entity... That entity could be struck down, its breath cut off. Chapter 183 - 183: The Cross, The Crown (2) "So we''ll resolve this internally. Announce this fact to the citizens of St. Augustine and all plantation owners in Florida." ''Demonic worship tendencies are intensifying among the slaves. This is not simply from the uncivilized customs peculiar to barbarians but has been injected by enemies of the kingdom.'' ''Therefore, all slave owners in Florida, as loyal subjects of Spain and as people serving the Lord, should guide them and, if possible, punish them firmly.'' ''Also, quickly report to the authorities if movements of devil worship are detected. Prohibit or thoroughly monitor collective activities of slaves.'' ...Under the governor''s orders, such documents were distributed to numerous settlements. For the first time, Virginia''s underground organization was surfacing. == Virginia. Land named after the Virgin Queen. Land where the mysterious emperor''s empire is established. Land where brilliant wealth and opportunity await. "And there, we finally found a place to poke into..." "I thought the Queen of England would at least check it." "The Queen is not that stupid. Her power wasn''t won in a card game." Henri IV was savoring the fact that he had finally secured a place for himself there. Normally, England would have checked him. Because luxury goods from Virginia always came to Henri IV through Elizabeth. The profit margin Elizabeth gained in between was quite substantial, and even without considering that, the mere fact that England held the purse strings of Henri IV was a significant pressure. But... the Queen remained still. Because the trade monopoly no longer held meaning for the Queen. Anyway, now that James of Scotland had ascended to the joint throne, her monopoly had essentially collapsed. She doesn''t waste resources on matters that won''t benefit her. Even if it would help the power of the kingdom. The continuation of the dynasty? As long as Elizabeth is the "Virgin Queen," the Tudor dynasty is over. Therefore, she only needs to care about her happy retirement. The kingdom''s prosperity or her own happiness. Elizabeth Tudor, the greatest monarch of England and the greatest monarch who will be remembered as such for the next few centuries... As if it were obvious, chose the latter. Oh. "...That woman is quite something." It must have been a decision she could make because she had no heirs to pass anything down to. Thinking this, Henri IV shook his head slightly with internal envy. "Well, we''ve reaped our benefits in our own way. Now, isn''t it time to think about what''s next?" ''What''s next.'' One thing became certain due to the last incident. That the new king of Spain is a fool. "Your Majesty discerned Felipe''s weak inner nature and shook him up. It''s an impressive feat even in retrospect..." "...In fact, I didn''t know." "...Pardon?" "No, I knew he was incompetent, but I didn''t know it would be to that extent. I thought there would be more give and take... but..." "..." "...Anyway, the result was good, so isn''t everything fine?" The Marquis de Rosny, Maximilien de B¨¦thune, once again reminded himself that his lord possessed the heart of a beast. After all, to continue being king after surviving so many assassination threats, one must have unusually swollen courage... Anyway, both men knew what had to be done next. "We should seize the moment while Spain is so withdrawn." "Yes. We must solidify the friendly relationship with Virginia." "Even if sending an ambassador is too much, we must send a key figure as an envoy! And if we apply appropriate diplomatic pressure on Spain..." "Perfect." Henri IV clapped his hands and said. "To show my friendship to the emperor of the New World, I should send my most treasured subject." "...That... would be right." "And, it would be good if it''s someone who has some understanding of this situation." "..." "...Can you cross the Atlantic?" That was how Maximilien de B¨¦thune came to arrive across the Atlantic. == "Indeed, France has sent an envoy. And it''s the Marquis de Rosny, said to be the king''s most favored subject." "...Is he such a great person?" "Of course, Manteo. It''s no exaggeration to say that this man is currently supporting France." "Go-go-good heavens... wh-what, that chunk of metal, what on earth is that!" S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "That''s a tractor. It''s used for plowing fields." My apostles and I watched the Marquis de Rosny through the window as he looked around with wide eyes. Oitotan was guiding him. He would control things so that the marquis could only see a very small portion of Chesapeake Bay. Anyway. Until just now, he had met with me and implied various matters. He expressed willingness to trade with Virginia even at some loss. He also proposed sharing the revenue generated from issuing royal licenses. But more than such trivial money games, I was concerned about the last part. "Although it''s written communication, your Latin is truly fluent!" "For Spain to threaten an empire ruled by such civilized people, true Christians, is a disgrace to Christendom. If they cross the line... the monarchs of all nations will punish them." He hinted at the willingness to take military action if Spain threatened Virginia beyond a certain level. That was enough for me. I already knew their difficult circumstances anyway. "But then, what should we give in return? Don''t we have nothing more to give them?" "...Hmm." "I''m not sure if simply opening up trade a bit more would be sufficient. I''m not even sure if that would be beneficial to our livelihood." "..." As White brought up the community''s internal affairs beside me, I also became reluctant about expanding trade. Hmm... so, what should I do? "Oitotan! I''d like to see those chickens you boasted about. Where is the chicken coop..." "..." "..." "...That Marquis de Rosny person seems quite petty." "No, he''s doing it deliberately. Diplomatic rudeness is also a form of debt. He''s reminding us of that debt." "Diplomacy is quite gloomy." "...Ah." "What''s wrong, Nemo?" When Eleanor asked me, I snapped my fingers and said. "I''ve got it." A reciprocation that would give France great benefits without us suffering much loss. I watched Oitotan sweating profusely as he explained that the place where chickens were raised was off-limits. Once again, Oitotan would have work to do. Chapter 184 - 184: The Kings Chicken (1) Henri IV, the rightful, legitimate, and only king of France, was enjoying each day lately. Listen to those greedy cheers and moans coming from all over France. "How many... francs is this?" "Nothing special... altogether 3,000 livres." "Oh, Lord. Look at this quality! It has a different charm from Russian fur!" The fur trade was flourishing. As a traditional European luxury item and necessity, it lived up to its reputation as a product that had always been a source of funds for Northern Europe and Russia. Once New World furs were released in various types and price ranges, the margins obtained in between were not to be taken lightly. "Now we can get aluminum directly without importing it from England? Why is it so difficult to find a decent brooch..." "Well, the amount brought by licensed merchants is this much, but all the nobles in Paris are obsessed with getting it, so isn''t that natural? When the same item is resold again and again, the price jumps several times in no time." Moreover, with the timely trend of the New World''s white gold, aluminum (of course instigated by Henri himself), Henri once again seized the supply chain and reaped enormous profits. His strategic foresight had allowed him to monopolize this revolutionary metal before his European rivals fully grasped its potential. The lightweight yet strong material quickly became essential for both practical applications and as a symbol of wealth, commanding prices that rivaled gold. Savvy merchants under Henri''s patronage established exclusive trading routes that funneled the precious resource directly to French ports, bypassing traditional trading hubs and their associated tariffs. On top of that, it was revealed that seedless grapes from the New World were not just English boasting or legend. These remarkable fruits, previously dismissed as tavern tales or exaggerated reports from dubious explorers, proved to be genuine agricultural marvels. French viticulturists, initially skeptical, soon became enthralled with the possibilities these unique cultivars presented, experimenting with cross-breeding them with traditional French varieties to create entirely new strains that thrived in the diverse regions of France. Their sweet wine also became an indispensable entertainment at banquets, selling like hotcakes. The distinctive flavor profile ¨C a perfect balance of sweetness and complexity with notes of exotic fruits unknown to European palates ¨C captivated the nobility across the continent. Courtiers and diplomats would specifically request these New World vintages, elevating their status from novelty to necessity at any gathering of importance. Merchants who secured even small quantities found themselves besieged by wealthy patrons willing to pay extraordinary sums. And the flow of all this trade rolled in Henri IV''s hands. The debt that had seemed impossible to repay in this lifetime was gradually being cleared, and the empty royal treasury was slowly filling up. His desired rebuilding of France and the French monarchy was no longer a dream. Everything was thanks to exchanges with the New World, the mysterious native empire of Virginia. He couldn''t help but think that things were going smoothly as they became allies. However. "I too, as a chief, would be sad if I could only feed my tribe members one chicken per week." "Not being able to eat one chicken every day. That''s sad. Are there so few chickens here too?" "Uh... this is chicken? I thought it was a chick." "Oh! It really was chicken! How fascinating. How did you raise it like this? Did you deliberately make it smaller? The taste is a bit lacking, but interesting!" "..." This was slightly too much. Of course, he understood the intention. By boasting of Virginia''s overwhelming wealth, they sought to gain some advantage in future friendly relations. Such a move wasn''t all bad. No, it was rather beneficial to him. Thanks to the narrative that a ''naive native chief'' ''inadvertently flaunted his prosperity,'' attention focused on Virginia. And the phenomenon of attention focusing on Virginia was very beneficial to him, who was increasing his wealth through Virginia''s luxury goods. But. ''To go so far as to diminish my authority with exaggeration...'' Honestly, it was difficult to understand the intention. Anyway, isn''t it like mocking and insulting his governance to his face? They have no idea how much effort he put into preventing rumors from spreading that Virginia''s envoy had insulted the king. ''It couldn''t have been an unintended action.'' Many who explored the New World said there were no chickens there. That''s the conclusion reached by numerous people of various nationalities and statuses over the past decades¡ªSpaniards, Frenchmen, Englishmen, Dutchmen, and so on. ...Of course, since they failed to discover the ''empire,'' their reliability should be reconsidered, but it was also uncomfortable to completely ignore their exploration results. ''Why on earth did he?'' Clearly, they were in trouble and in a position to ask for France''s help. Could it be... "The ''Emperor''s'' intention?" As his thoughts reached there, Henri IV''s face hardened. Yes. The Christian monarch, fluent in Latin, French, and English, had spoken through Oitotan. Then, that sudden diplomatic breach of etiquette, and those absurd statements about feeding everyone chicken every day, all make sense. ''Don''t think you''re above me even if I temporarily ask for help.'' ''I am in the position of bestowing my enormous wealth upon you.'' Thus, that native emperor was whispering in Henri''s ear. "Is he being bold because the Atlantic serves as a barrier between us..." Or is there really something else? Thinking about the latter possibility, Henri IV suddenly shuddered. That powerful emperor who repelled Spain and wielded influence throughout the eastern coast of North America. He must have other powers. He had extended his hand to Henri IV while simultaneously warning him. ...Not to underestimate him. "Your Majesty, the Marquis de Rosny enters the palace!" "Finally... he returns." Just then, a servant opened the door and announced the return of Maximilien de B¨¦thune, who had been sent to Virginia. Henri IV nodded to himself, steeling his resolve. The relationship with Virginia is important. But the king''s dignity is equally important. This time, he wouldn''t yield. Whatever story the Marquis de Rosny brought, he would not be shaken. With that in mind, he proceeded to the court, and. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. "...I didn''t expect you to return?" He was momentarily taken aback upon seeing Oitotan standing beside the Marquis de Rosny. Oitotan laughed awkwardly, and the marquis explained on his behalf. "Your Majesty, uh... they have apologized for the previous diplomatic breach and have sent a gift to foster our friendly relations..." Chapter 185 - 185: The Kings Chicken (2) Somehow, the marquis''s face was also covered in cold sweat. Between them was a cloth-covered box that kept rattling, suggesting something alive was inside. Due to the marquis''s strange demeanor, Henri tried to make eye contact with him a few times, but... Whish. "..." "..." ...for some reason, he avoided eye contact. Henri sensed something ominous in the increasingly strange atmosphere. What on earth is making everyone act this way... "A gift, of friendship." Flutter. As Oitotan gestured, other natives around immediately lifted the box and removed the cloth. Henri bent forward to see the contents up close, the marquis hung his head, and Oitotan seemed somewhat proud. And. Flutter. Cock-a-doodle-doo. "..." "..." "..." Everyone in the court fell silent. Inside the box was a chicken. It was several times larger than an ordinary chicken, as if it had devoured a whole pig. And. "This is, a gift, sent by our Emperor. I was ordered, to teach how to raise these..." "Enough." Henri IV''s face trembled and turned crimson. "This... goes too far." This is unacceptable, no matter what. To openly present one superior chicken and mock him like this. The talk about feeding chicken once a week wasn''t a simple declaration but a major proclamation supporting his public popularity. He was being ridiculed. Now was no time to worry about friendly relations or anything else. If he didn''t respond here, his authority would be in danger. And even without weighing gains and losses. "This joke... isn''t funny at all." Henri IV was barely containing his anger. "As far as I know, there were no chickens in the New World until Europeans arrived. Thus, for your chickens to be so large as to regard our chickens as chicks is..." He raised his trembling hand to point at the chicken and spoke quietly but distinctly, and. Creeeaak. The audience chamber door opened again. Amid the commotion, a large cage suddenly entered the palace. Inside, dozens of chicks were running around everywhere. They were all about the size of ordinary French chickens. "These are, chicks about 2 weeks old. They hatched on the ship." "..." "..." "Uh... I didn''t quite hear what was just said. The chicken''s clucking was too loud." Oitotan spoke, and the murmurs in the court momentarily ceased. All eyes focused on Henri IV. Henri IV was momentarily dazed, then... Ahem, clearing his throat. "...Welcome back to France!" He spread his arms with a somewhat awkward smile. == Since there were originally no chickens on the North American continent, Kin Issei sayeth unto them, children, lay many eggs and grow robustly. After the original two mothers, Koke and Kokko, laid eggs like mad, and their children laid eggs, then hatched offspring, and kept repeating this cycle... Cluck. Cock-a-doodle. Cackle. Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. Cluck-cluck. Gurk. Cluck. Cackle. Cack. Cluck-cluck. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. Cluck-cluck. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. Cluck-cluck. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. Cluck-cluck. Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. Cluck-cluck. Gurk. Cackle. Cack. Cluck-cluck. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. Cackle. Cack. Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. Cluck-cluck. Cackle. Cluck. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. Cluck-cluck. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Thousands, tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of chickens were growing everywhere. At one point, there was a crisis of food shortage, and we tried to reduce their numbers as much as possible to also reduce the amount of grain for feed, but... The reproductive capacity of chickens was so great that it made all those efforts seem like a mere ''happening.'' With exponentially increasing numbers, some tribes have established rules like eating eggs daily or chicken meat daily to control the chicken population. And those who were initially in charge of raising and breeding all these chickens... were Oitotan''s tribe. It was just right. Cluck-cluck. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. Cluck-cluck. Taking just a few hundred from these numerous chickens wasn''t particularly disadvantageous to us. It even helped control the population. People were starting to get tired of chicken meat. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cackle. Cack. Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. If such light assistance helps improve relations with France, that''s more beneficial. At the same time, showing off our wealth and abundance, what profit our friendly relations will bring in the future... Cock-a-doodle-doo. Cluck. Cluck-cluck. Cackle. Cluck. Cack. Cackle. Cack. ...It''s noisy. I stuffed cotton in my ears and looked around. Generally, the first month of growth is most important for broiler chickens. That''s when chicks become chickens. This place maintains a warm temperature of over 30 degrees Celsius year-round, continuously raising and breeding chickens. Because chickens don''t handle cold well, they breed vigorously and lay eggs in summer. As I walked a bit and left the chicken coop, I soon saw boxes being kept warm with straw and cloth. Despite winter approaching, they''re kept warm by burning fuel. Because each of those boxes contains eggs. And after 21 days, chicks will hatch inside. It''s a simple incubator. ...By the way, were there incubators in this era? Hmm. There''s no way to know since the invention date of artificial incubators isn''t listed in the catalog. Well, I''ve left it to Oitotan, so he''ll handle it well. ...This time. == A simple "Virginia-style chicken farm" was soon built in France, and Henri went to visit it on his land. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. When he encountered Oitotan who was managing the place, he asked with a somewhat ominous feeling. "What... is this?" Henri IV immediately regretted asking. It felt as if Oitotan''s expression changed to that of a teenager from some peace-loving island nation in the east that he had never visited. It was somehow an unpleasantly arrogant expression. It seemed like Oitotan might mutter something like "Ah, so this doesn''t have yet?" in a low voice, and if Henri asked what it was, he would reply, "Oh, it''s nothing." Of course, that didn''t happen, but. "Hmm... I see you don''t know." "..." "This is something called an incubator. It''s used to hatch eggs." "..." For some reason, he felt like he should respond with "Hey! Amazing, right? Have you never seen something like this?!" Naturally, Henri didn''t say that. But he continued to feel uneasy.