How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 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 François Gravé.
'...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.
'...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—all 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.
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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—everything 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!
