How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony

"You say Her Majesty the Queen has volunteered to help."

"Yes."

"And personally at that."

"Yes."

"..."

"..."

Raleigh stiffened his face upon hearing my words.

"Did she propose anything in return?"

"No. She said she could make those she dislikes suffer and offered to help us without any conditions."

"...That's strange."

"Is it?"

"...Hmm."

"Why do you say that, Walter?"

Raleigh tilted his head for a moment and said.

"No, it's just strange."

"What is?"

"Her Majesty... truly offered help without any conditions?"

"..."

"..."

Uh... now that you mention it?

"Her Majesty is someone who ruthlessly extracts something when there's an opportunity to gain from the other party. Knowing this, Sir Drake offers most of his piracy profits to Her Majesty, and I too share a significant portion of my trade income with Her Majesty."

"I'm well aware she's that kind of person."

"Then why would Her Majesty do this?"

"Perhaps the queen felt a sense of responsibility to correct the chaos in England and that's why..."

"..."

Raleigh looked at me with an expression that seemed to pity me.

"People... are not like you, Nemo."

Um... did I just get misunderstood again as an "angel who doesn't understand people's selfish hearts"?

"..."

"..."

I guess so.

While I was in a daze, Raleigh continued with a sigh.

"To begin with, these matters should be handled by Co-King James. If Her Majesty returns to Britain, it's obvious that he will try to kill her or check her power. Then what can she do? She'll have to endure it alone."

That's... also correct.

Right. Elizabeth was originally fleeing from the rebels. She left because her safety was uncertain even in Scotland.

So James should be responsible for stopping this chaos, but...

"...Can he do it?"

"He can't."

Right.

That's why we're pushing this initiative.

"Anyway, I'll try to find out if Her Majesty has any hidden intentions."

"Good, Walter. I'll leave it to you."

And so we ended our conversation.

Then October came.

The sea water began to get cold.

November arrived.

People catching colds notably increased.

And.

December 1607.

The sea froze over.

"Let's begin the plan."

Dozens of ships thus set sail toward the eastern Atlantic.

I saw the queen staring at the horizon from the lead ship.

She easily found me among the crowd and gestured...

offering a light bow.

"Nemo? What's wrong?"

"No, that... it's nothing."

I was confused, not knowing what that meant.

==

"Wh-what on earth is the homeland doing!"

"Damn it, those Spanish bastards and rebels are running wild out there, what are they doing!"

The English in Ireland were trembling with fear.

It was a natural result since the "rebels" had swallowed most of Ireland, and military support from mainland England was sluggish.

Of course, James, the king of England and Scotland, had no choice. How could he spare troops for Ireland when rebellions and disturbances were frequent within England itself?

Meanwhile, despite their divisions and chaos, the Irish-Spanish allied forces were gradually defeating the English forces.

Conversely, the English forces were mostly losing occupied territories while showing a passive and defensive attitude.

They all trembled with fear.

They trembled with the fear that before long, no, before the end of 1607, all English in this land who weren't Catholics would be expelled or massacred.

However.

"Sn-snow! It's snowing!"

"The well is frozen? Then where are we supposed to get water from!"

"Bring firewood! We'll melt snow for drinking water!"

Their expectations were wrong.

The unexpected severe cold and heavy snow swept in, causing both armies to cancel military operations and stay in their respective positions.

The English initially felt relieved and offered prayers of thanks to the Lord.

And after a few weeks...

"Th-the roads, the roads are blocked..."

"The port is frozen too! What should we do about this!"

"Gather the injured! Right now!"

They cursed the name of God.

This severe cold.

And the famine.

Everyone was half-frozen, locked up in their homes and starving.

They just wished for this cold to end.

They prayed to let the cold end so they could surrender to the Irish.

But God was silent.

England proper was also silent.

They quietly... faded away... as if abandoned by the world...

"Wh-what?"

"What's wrong?"

"There's a ship coming! There, a ship, a ship is coming! No... a fleet is coming!"

Dozens of ships docked at a port under English control.

They suspected these mysterious ships might be enemy vessels, but soon cheered at the sight of an angel holding a toothed saw painted on the sails.

And.

"It's, it's Her Majesty the Queen..."

"What nonsense? Her Majesty is across the Atlantic... you're... huh?"

"It really is Her Majesty the Queen! Her Majesty has arrived!"

"Woooooah!"

From the center of the fleet, an elderly woman walked down and set foot on land. She shouted in a booming voice that made one doubt her age.

"My people! I have not abandoned you, so come out and receive food!"

"Your Majesty! It's Her Majesty!"

"Her Majesty Elizabeth has arrived!"

"G-good heavens... in this cursed land...!"

Instantly, thousands of people rushed over, hurriedly receiving barley and wheat distributed by soldiers, shedding tears of gratitude. The port was instantly crowded with people, and the cold wave seemed momentarily subdued by the heat.

Before them.

"...You came to this land seeking new land, opportunity, but now only death and despair remain."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"As your lord, I cannot simply watch this. So I want to give you an opportunity."

"O-opportunity...?"

At the words of a bowing farmer, the queen raised her head again and shouted.

"Virginia!"

"...Wh-what?"

"I will give you all an opportunity to go to Virginia! The 'Emperor' has approved this, so all that remains for you is to choose..."

This time, no one listened to the queen's words to the end.

Everyone was rushing toward the transport ships, shouting cheers.

The soldiers had quite a hard time controlling people to prevent them from being trampled.

Thus, thousands of people crossed the Atlantic toward the promised land of hope.

To Virginia.

And the queen remained briefly in Ireland to summon her close advisor, the Earl of Salisbury, Robert Cecil.

"Earl of Salisbury?"

"Yes, Your Majesty."

"Distribute this food... to those Catholics over there as well."

"To the Catholics as well? But they are traitors who are hostile to Your Majesty..."

"Distribute it."

"..."