How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 21: Exchange (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!

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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."

"..."

"..."

"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?