How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony

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.

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.