How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 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?"

"..."

"..."

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"..."

"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.

"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.