How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony

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.

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.