How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 142: Heretics (3)

"Of course those people should be expelled from the community!"

"No, expulsion seems too harsh. Perhaps we should choose an appropriate punishment..."

"Isn't it wrong to punish them without any established laws?"

"Are you suggesting we leave them be? When they've committed blasphemy against the apostles and Nemo?"

"That's... true..."

People were murmuring even though I hadn't even disembarked from the ship yet.

They were bickering among themselves about how to deal with those 'heretics'...

For now, I kept my mouth shut.

I didn't utter a single word.

My instincts, my entire body was screaming.

If I said even one wrong word here, everything would fall apart.

"What are you all doing? Nemo has returned, yet instead of focusing on welcoming him, you're causing discord and disturbing his peace!"

...Well done, Raleigh. You're doing very well.

Only after the atmosphere had calmed somewhat were we able to board the tender and disembark properly. Finally stepping onto land that felt like home...

"..."

"..."

"..."

But I didn't feel comfortable at all.

Anyone would feel that way with tens of thousands of eyes fixed only on them.

"...So what happens to those traitors? Heretics? Whatever they are?"

"They'll be punished, of course! The question is how to punish them..."

"I remember there was talk of expulsion. Will it go that far?"

"Well, they defied the apostles' orders, so they're heretics. And heretics shouldn't get off with just expulsion, right?"

I heard it all—everyone cautiously exchanging glances while discussing these matters. They might as well have spoken openly...

Among these conversations, what particularly concerned me:

"Those guys aren't just traitors but heretics—should we prepare some firewood...?"

"How do we re-educate those infidels?"

Heretics, infidels, heretics, infidels, heretics, infidels...

Ominous words were being spoken.

From 'These people betrayed the community, so they're traitors,'

To 'But this community is the Lord's community,'

Leading to the conclusion: 'Therefore, these people are traitors to the Lord.'

Traitors to the Lord.

Shortened to 'heretics' or 'infidels.'

That smoothly flowing logic, as if oiled, kept bothering my ears.

And with everyone nodding in agreement to this watertight logic, my mind became unnecessarily complicated.

Yes. The issue isn't whether to punish them or not. Of course they should be punished—they stole weapons and did all sorts of things.

The issue is 'how' to punish them.

I have several non-negotiable premises:

'Nemo (Kin Issei) is God's representative, sent to earth by God's command.'

...Right. That's what I've already told the 'apostles' and the people.

'Nemo is the leader of the Virginia community.'

This can't be abandoned either. This community protects me from external threats, and this peculiar community is maintained because I am its leader.

'Nemo established doctrines and denominations by God's command.'

This is the same. If I claimed to be an angel and established new doctrines and sects without God's command, that would make me a heretic... no, just a cult leader.

So let's look at these premises from the Virginia residents' perspective:

1).Nemo came down from heaven by the Lord's will.

2).Established the Virginia community and governed it with apostles.

3).Spread new doctrines to the community.

The conclusion naturally drawn from this:

'Ah, the Virginia community is a holy community established by the Lord!'

That's it! This is the biggest problem!

There is no separation of church and state in this community.

For convenience, I assigned administrative duties to the so-called 'apostles,' gave them religious authority, and didn't separate the two, so Virginia has become a theocratic community!

Of course, it's hard to say 'this is wrong!'

According to the catalog, many early American pioneers came for religious reasons.

As a result, many communities constituted theocratic societies, so historically it's not far off.

...If there's a problem.

It's that my will becomes the community's will, and the community's will becomes God's will.

At first glance, this seems extremely dictatorial and convenient.

I can package whatever I do as God's will! Indeed, Nemo is the absolute power of the New World! One might think.

But let's look at it in reverse.

If my will is God's will.

Then God's will must be my will.

If people see inconsistency in my words, or if my behavior is not sufficiently 'divine'...

This community would immediately be shaken to its foundations.

...Of course, that wouldn't happen easily. Most people would follow my words.

But that's equally terrifying. A closed society that reveres the leader's words as God's will? I've seen that many times in newspaper social sections.

Yes. The moment I condemn Oitotan and his bumbling friends as heretics, this community faces the hellish binary choice of destruction or cult status.

That path cannot be chosen.

But on the other hand... if I don't punish them as heretics here?

I would overturn the belief held by most community members that 'Ah, the Virginia community is a holy community established by the Lord!'

What happens then?

This community becomes one created by an angel acting independently of the Lord's will.

That's right.

This entire community could become heretical. Would the Europeans in this community want to remain in this 'heresy'?

Oh.

I can almost see the stake before my eyes. To the Old World people, this is already sufficiently heretical.

So whether I punish Oitotan, who's trembling beside me, as a heretic or not, either choice carries an absurd risk.

"Nemo, what do you think? Aren't they heretics? If they are heretics, what punishment should..."

Please don't ask me.

"You! Is sorting out such trivial disputes more important to you than welcoming Nemo who has endured hardship?"

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Fortunately, Raleigh was handling it well, but...

I cannot show any sign of wavering here.

I must always be ready to provide the right answer without hesitation.

Because I'm an angel.

Raleigh was reprimanding the man who had asked me if the heretics should be punished. I lowered Raleigh's arm, which was pointing at the man, and said:

"Thank you for your concern, Walter. But would you please step aside?"

"You don't need to waste your time."

"No. Doesn't he have the right to question me as well?"

I slowly walked toward the man. As soon as I stepped forward, people parted to the sides, leaving nothing between the man and me.

"I..."

Step.

"I dare ask for your opinion..."

Step, step.

"...uh, um."

"..."

Without saying a word, I approached him with just a smiling face.

The nutrition and height of people 400 years in the future basically overwhelm those of this era. As I stood close to him in silence, the man closed his mouth and just stared up at me blankly.

It was then that I spoke.

"You're... Mr. Hardy? From England?"

"Y-yes! Now about those heretics..."

"And you were a member of the assembly."

"...Yes?"

"Then, my answer to your question."

I raised my hand, pointing to the distant assembly building, and said:

"I will give it at next week's assembly. Isn't the assembly where we mediate conflicts and establish rules? If we don't follow rules, how are we different from beasts?"

"...Ah, ah, I understand."

"That's right, Mr. Hardy."

I patted the man's shoulder and said:

"In the assembly, I will tell you my will."

Hardy nodded nervously.

I walked toward my lodging in Chesapeake with a face as composed as possible.

I could feel everyone quietly watching my back.

...Ugh, I'm so nervous I feel like throwing up.

==

James Hardy was an ordinary middle-class man from England.

Not quite a gentleman (gentry), just a commoner who was somewhat well-off.

His life changed completely when he saw...

'Recruiting settlers bound for the New World'

The Virginia Trading Company's announcement.

"Th-they're giving away 50 acres of land each...?"

"If we go as a couple, that's 100 acres! Darling... we can live well too!"