How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 212 - Winter’s Bite (2)
212: Winter’s Bite (2)
212: Winter’s Bite (2)
…Such rumors mixed in played a big part.
These were stories that would make James foam at the mouth and have a seizure if he heard them.
(Of course, it’s true that he tried to join hands with the rebels and tried to kill the queen.)
They moved around in thousands, burning gentlemen’s houses and destroying the fences they had put up on common land to show their strength, and were finally suppressed only after mobilizing that many troops.
Considering what could have been done by sending those troops to Ireland, it would make James shed tears of blood again, but no one cared about that.
Finally.
“Shh, be careful.”
“Is everyone here?
Let’s start the meeting.”
Catholics gathered from various places.
It was a natural phenomenon.
After all, their allies, the Spanish, had landed in Ireland and achieved tremendous results.
Even if the Spanish were too busy mediating conflicts in Ireland to support the Catholics within England, they naturally and gradually increased their influence.
“What do you all think about the current situation?”
“Elizabeth or James, they’re both just oppressors!
We need to put another pro-Catholic figure from the House of Stuart on the throne!”
“Right!
Now is the opportunity, when kings have lost their grip on England!”
Their gatherings were secretive in one way and public in another.
In secret alleys, basements, and inner rooms, they secretly gathered allies, drew blueprints for various conspiracies, and prepared resources for terrorism.
“There, Protestants!”
“Catch them!”
And in public squares and main streets, they alerted citizens to their presence and gathered support through minor riots and defiance.
Incidents of Protestants being killed or lynched became frequent.
It seemed as if a complete state of anarchy had descended upon England.
At the same time…
“What do you think, son?”
“Uh…
well…
everyone’s confused, right?
We need to establish order.”
“That’s right.
At times like these, we need to grow our influence.
For our family’s sake too…”
Extreme Protestants began arming themselves across the country using this as justification.
The rebels in London were playing house by holding their own parliament and court amid the chaos, and James, who should be checking and overthrowing them, didn’t have the capacity to do so.
In that chaos, a father and son from a wealthy gentry family in Huntingdon whispered something to each other.
Their names were Robert Cromwell and Oliver Cromwell.
And so.
The ambitions, aspirations, anger, and interests of countless people became thoroughly entangled.
In the midst of that, a terrible political labyrinth that no one could touch was created in England.
It was unrecognizable as the country that had been thriving while engaging in a somewhat even battle against Spain, Europe’s strongest country until just recently.
In the midst of all that turmoil…
“Your Majesty, Queen Elizabeth has released more furs again!
Fur prices are fluctuating!”
“Wine exports have plummeted since France started trading independently.
We need to redirect trade routes to the North Sea region immediately…!”
“Urgh…!
Ugh…!”
James VI of Scotland gritted his teeth and was buried in administrative work pouring in from various places.
The commotion Elizabeth was causing from across the continent.
The commotion happening as Virginia moved.
The commotion as Scottish lords joined hands with Elizabeth and sharpened their knives against the royal family.
And the commotion happening as all kinds of troubles in England became entangled again.
He reached the point of collapse every day trying to handle all of these things.
He cursed Elizabeth, who had given him these trials, day and night.
And he told his young son:
My boy.
In the end, administrative ability is most important for a king.
And don’t neglect Scotland.
In the end, those English can’t be trusted.
“…Yes, father.”
Charles Stuart, who would later become Charles I of England, thus learned important life lessons.
Considering that he was hit with a rebellion for ignoring Scotland, and then hit with the Parliamentary rebellion while dealing with that, ultimately losing his head…
They were truly valuable lessons.
==
…It’s chaos.
Terrible chaos is occurring all across England, Scotland, and Ireland.
Especially in England, oh my, it’s commonplace for Catholic and Puritan mobs to occupy the streets in broad daylight and fight wildly.
It’s questionable whether it can even be considered a country anymore.
In the midst of this, even if I were to tip them off about the coming cold wave, what could they do?
No, if suddenly during the Keian Uprising, the Emperor of Australia (self-proclaimed) told Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu “Prepare well for the cold wave!” would that be believable?
Wouldn’t it feel like a conspiracy of the rebels?
Especially if I’m an ally of Elizabeth, who has become James’s political enemy?
…So the “prevent disaster by warning in advance” operation was put on indefinite hold.
We needed to find another alternative.
But we don’t have enough food to feed the millions of people in England and Ireland.
We also don’t have a way to suppress that chaotic situation.
Yet we can’t leave them to die, so we must do our best.
Under that principle, we made plans, stockpiled resources, and gathered ships.
Of course, when ships suddenly fill the port and various things are loaded onto them, rumors are bound to spread.
And.
“…I heard you’re preparing something of considerable scale.”
“…”
“In Ireland.”
“That’s correct.”
Naturally, the news couldn’t fail to reach Elizabeth, who freely roams the area.
I felt unnecessarily tense.
I wondered if this unpredictable person would put some brakes on our plans… freёnovelkiss.com
“What do you think about increasing the scale?”
“…What does that mean?”
“Exactly what I said.
You’re doing this to save human lives.
It would be better if you could operate not just in Ireland but also near England.”
“That’s welcome news.
But we didn’t have a good method…”
“I have a method.”
…Huh?
“What is it?”
I asked.
“…Me.”
The queen answered.
“…”
“…”
“…Hmm?”
“Yes.
I will personally cross the Atlantic.”
“…Why bother?”
What’s this?
“Well…
because I can make things difficult for all the people I dislike.”
…What on earth is this person?
The queen smiled somewhat maliciously.
