How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 74: Delegating Authority (2)

"Now we can export wheat to England too!"

"Finally, we can help with England's food shortage!"

"Walter, bring some spices and sugar this time. It would be nice if we could make jam with the extra grapes."

"Of course! I'll bring enough sugar to build mountains!"

Harvests also... increased.

Ah.

I should have done this earlier.

Of course, there are still various problems remaining.

The population is constantly growing, and the arable land that needs to be reclaimed and forests that need to be cleared are rapidly increasing, but there are limits to what can be done with just one cultivator, one excavator, and chainsaws...

Well, those are problems to solve later.

Anyway, the urgent issues were mostly resolved, and harvest season had arrived, so it was time for other tasks.

"Walter, the freshness of the grapes is of utmost importance. Can you reach England within a month?"

"Of course."

If you make it, you have to sell it.

I'd like to be self-sufficient in most things, but there's still too much we lack in our settlement.

From residents' clothing to muskets and various equipment for hunting wildlife, to tools for blacksmiths and various craftsmen.

We cannot stop trading with England, even to secure such things.

We load up grapes packed in styrofoam boxes, and next to them, wine that has been aged for 2-3 years. Sending wine without fortification across the Atlantic. What a remarkable achievement.

Naturally, just as White originally planned to grow food crops to sell to England, we also load wheat and potatoes.

Finally, jewelry made by our settlement's precious metal and gemstone craftsmen with the aluminum and various gemstones I provided are carefully wrapped in cloth.

The ship departed, loaded with various medicines to be delivered to Margaret as well.

Across the Atlantic to England.

==

Knock! Knock! Knock!

"Saint? Saint! It's time to wake up!"

"Mmm... is it 6 o'clock already?"

As "Saint" Margaret Lawrence says this and opens her eyes, bells ring in the distance. It is indeed 6 o'clock sharp.

As she rubs her eyes and gets up, maids immediately surround her in her nightgown, changing her clothes and grooming her.

They had adamantly refused when she originally said she would do it herself, and that's how it turned out. Margaret had realized over the past two or three years that further argument was futile, so she didn't try to stop them.

That's how... a court dress, still unfamiliar to a woman from the slums who had no family, is placed on her body. Margaret steps out the door, walking awkwardly.

"Where is Her Majesty?"

"She has already risen, completed morning worship and breakfast. We're just waiting for the Saint to arrive."

"Thank you."

Receiving care from the maids who came with her when she moved to Whitehall Palace, Margaret stands before the door to the Queen's chambers.

Soon the door opens, and the Queen, wearing a wooden corset and a black and white dress, was waiting for her.

Maids were moving around, dabbing her cheeks and neck with sponges covered in something called "foundation" and "concealer."

Originally, the Queen used whitening cosmetics mixed with lead and vinegar, but when Nemo heard about it, his face literally turned white, and he brought these new cosmetics.

They mix "moisturizer" and "foundation" for the dry parts of her skin, then dab a mixture of "pearl" and "blusher" on her cheeks and forehead.

Then after applying various cosmetics matched to the Queen's "personal color," the complexion of the woman in her 60s brightens like magic.

Elizabeth, seemingly gaining confidence from the mirror, turns to Margaret with a happy face and says:

"Today... you're a bit late."

"Ah... I'm sorry."

"I'm not scolding you, come here. My teeth have been hurting lately..."

"Have you been brushing your teeth?"

"After every meal."

"And toothpaste?"

"...The taste is unfamiliar."

"That won't do. You must use it."

After prescribing mild painkillers (drugs with exotic names like "Ibufen*"* and *"*Tyleol") and various supplements to the Queen who suffers from toothaches due to her love of sweets, Margaret changes from her dress into comfortable work clothes and steps out.

Soldiers guarding the palace immediately surround her carriage. As Margaret leaves the palace, citizens who were always waiting send her cheers and gestures.

Her destination is Southwark, London's largest area where pleasure districts and slums mix.

Originally, filth filled every street, but thanks to Baron Raleigh mobilizing even the royal guards to clean slums all over London, the hygiene conditions had improved greatly.

As she reaches the clinic near the docks, her day finally begins in earnest.

"Argh! I-I feel like I'm dying!"

"This doesn't seem like the plague?"

"Disinfect the wound area and apply ointment around it!"

The clinic, now treating various diseases besides the plague, had become more complex and busy even though the number of patients had decreased.

Only after Margaret sweated profusely all morning did the line of patients disappear, giving her some respite. But Margaret's rest would only come after evening.

"The soup kitchen is open!"

"Q-quickly, get in line!"

This was because the free soup kitchen that had been operating recently opened after lunch. The principle was that one-tenth of the profits from England would be used to operate clinics and soup kitchens like this.

Today's menu was again soup with potatoes and onions. Volunteers were carrying and peeling potatoes brought by Baron Raleigh who had recently returned to London, while others were busy boiling soup and serving.

"Miss Lawrence."

"Baron? When did you arrive?"

"I've been peeling potatoes right next to you for 47 minutes. Didn't you notice?"

"..."

"I guess not."

Margaret was so busy that she didn't even notice Baron Raleigh approaching. Raleigh puts down the potato-peeling knife and says to her:

"So, not coming today either?"

He was talking about the banquet at his mansion. Margaret shook her head and said:

"I... I may be staying at the palace, but I still don't think such a fancy place suits me."

"If you came, there would be more people at the banquet who would pledge donations just because of the mood. Tsk, that's unfortunate."

"I-I'm sorry!"

"No, no, what are you sorry for? I'm the one putting pressure on you. Well, I should go now to prepare for the banquet."

"G-good luck!"

So Raleigh takes his carriage and leaves for his mansion, Durham House... and evening falls.

But the area around Durham House is still brightly lit. This was because of the many dignitaries gathering for the banquet.

All sorts of notable nobles, wealthy merchants, and gentry from prestigious families gathered, all wearing dazzling ornaments.

All of them... wore aluminum brooches and necklaces that had been fashionable in London for several years. They gathered in Durham House's splendid banquet hall like statues, whispering among themselves.

"Thank you for waiting, everyone! Today's ingredients are coming out!"

Then, along with the host of the banquet, all kinds of fish and meat are displayed in the banquet hall. The guests cannot help but be amazed at that moment.

"My goodness... do you see that?"

"How many of those are there?"

It wasn't because of the fresh vegetables, fish, and meat sourced from all over England.

It was because of...

The styrofoam boxes filled with ice that contained them.

"Even the Duke of Norfolk could only gather 50 styrofoam boxes!"

"Goodness... it's as if all the styrofoam in England has been gathered here!"

The reason why ice vendors around London increased rapidly, the cause of the culture of showing off fresh ingredients before banquets.

Thanks to styrofoam boxes, the freshness of high-end ingredients distributed in England had skyrocketed.

Styrofoam boxes were also preciously distributed as a symbol of prestige, showing that one enjoyed eating rare Shine Muscat, Ruby Roman, and Black Sapphire grapes.

The gathered nobles sat in their respective seats, holding aluminum cutlery, eyeing the ingredients in styrofoam boxes with greedy eyes.

"Here, today's wine has been substituted with Virginian instead of Bordeaux! Everyone, have a taste!"

"Not Bordeaux? You're saying it was transported across the sea?"

"No matter how fast Lord Raleigh's ships are, that's a bit..."

Gulp.

"Ooooh!"

"I-I-I've never experienced such flavor!"

Aluminum cutlery instead of silver... American wine instead of French... styrofoam boxes on the dining table...

"Where is Sir Drake now?"

"Probably happily plundering Spaniards along the Caribbean coast again!"

The source of this c𝓸ntent is frёeweɓηovel.coɱ.

Margaret avoided this banquet, saying it was too lavish.

But in a way, it was actually the most frugal banquet in London.

At least, that's how it was.