How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 120: The Race (5)

Henry IV, King of France and Navarre.

A possessor of flexible thinking who changed his faith like changing shoes in order to become King of France.

Once he declared "I am Catholic" and seemed to be somewhat winning the civil war, the papacy, while grinding their teeth, canceled his excommunication and recognized him as the true King of France.

The Spanish also signed a peace treaty and gradually withdrew their troops from his territory. Although pro-Spanish factions still remained and operated secretly throughout society.

For now, the war within France had ended.

At last, he had become the one and only monarch of the French land and its people.

"Henry IV, by the grace of God, King of France and Navarre."

The corners of Henry IV's mouth lifted into an arc. He looked at the courtyard of the Palace of Fontainebleau where he stood.

I should decorate this place to my taste. I'll build pavilions to the west, and completely rebuild the east.

I will build a magnificent and elegant garden, establish canals, and create ponds where all kinds of fish frolic.

This is my palace.

Mine.

My kingdom.

...As his thoughts reached that point, Henry IV's smile slightly cracked.

It was because he remembered the fact that rebels were stirring everywhere and people he needed to be wary of were all around.

He had to take good care of his Protestant comrades who had followed him until now (though he had stabbed them in the back).

He also had to somehow embrace the Catholics who newly came to serve him.

And somehow he needed to drive out those Spanish spies... but he didn't even hope for that much.

He wished that a source of wealth would emerge for the royal family to use exclusively, like in England.

Then he would be happy.

Yes.

Last time, he had failed to properly make contact with Virginia. He had been too concerned about England's reaction.

And those he sent again eventually couldn't properly withstand the rough terrain and endemic diseases.

But now he had some leeway again.

So wouldn't it be okay to prepare a bridgehead in an appropriate place in America and slowly prepare to trade with that native Emperor?

At that thought, Henry's eyes sparkled again.

I am the King of France. This kingdom should be entirely mine.

The achievements of the last expedition were... well, not bad. For now, I can leave it to them.

Hmm, not the uncle's side. They were too skeptical about the existence of England and the native Emperor.

Instead, it would be good to send that seemingly soft-headed nephew...

With that thought, Henry de France summoned Samuel de Champlain.

Soon, a ship departed for America.

A bit... to the north.

Quite far to the north.

This was because of what was written in the letter from His Majesty the King of France delivered to Samuel de Champlain.

"Avoid moving through areas known to be the territory of the native Emperor."

That's what it said.

After all, as England was taking enormous profits from exclusive trade with that Emperor, it was right to avoid approaching the Emperor carelessly, if only to avoid provoking England.

Also, even without considering England, it was questionable whether the Emperor would welcome French people who came near his territory.

Samuel headed to the New World with the important mission of building a trading post to conduct fur trade with American natives (Natifs américains, a term popularized from England) and establishing a foundation for future diplomatic relations with the native Emperor.

And.

"We... are servant of Emperor Nemo! We do not with Urop people..."

"European people."

"With European people trade... or land to them not. Give!"

"..."

"..."

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"W-we..."

"I understand."

"U-uh?"

He encounters a native tribe repeating poor English sentences.

Suspecting it might be an English trick (which is often likely when things go wrong), he stayed for a long time and tried to communicate with gestures, but.

It was clear that they clearly understood the meaning of the sentences they were saying.

"W-what's going on here? Surely when we came here last time..."

"Shh. Wait."

"..."

"I-I need to think about this for a bit."

This is quite far from where they previously encountered Ousamequin, that is, the chief who claimed to be Nemo's subject.

But... has this place also become 'his' territory?

"..."

As his uncle and other fur traders had been crying that the natives' attitudes had suddenly changed, could it be...

"L-let's go north for now!"

"From here, sir?"

"The king's order was not to cause friction with England or the native empire! If anyone has objections, I'll personally arrange for you to see His Majesty later!"

"..."

"..."

"We're heading north!"

But.

"T-this is Nemo's land..."

Here too.

"We are Emperor's... subjects... is this right?"

There too.

The same message was heard everywhere.

Tribes that had been fighting each other for a long time, tribes that were so far apart that they had no contact with each other, all spoke the same name.

Nemo.

Nemo.

Nemo.

"...Captain, what should we do?"

Samuel looks around with blue lips.

This place is... covered in snow everywhere.

"Ne...mo?"

"Yes. Is that a name you've heard before?"

An Inuit man watched the shivering French people looking around, then snapped his fingers and spoke.

"Ah, you mean our Great Chief?"

"..."

"...Captain, what do we really do now?"

"..."

H-h-h-how.

For territory to expand this far.

Samuel's face turned pale.

He couldn't tell whether it was due to the cold or some other reason.

==

"...How far has it spread?"

"The last time we checked... uh... it was up to here."

"..."

The area Vicente marked on the map was the entire northeastern coast of North America.

That's why... Raleigh was now constantly traveling north and then to England without rest.

Because there were too many "members" to deliver gifts to right now.

Well, thanks to that, the trade deficit was resolved in one go, but... uh... hmm...

It's "much" more successful than expected.

No, it's too successful.

Right now, I can't even grasp how much in gifts should be delivered to whom.

There are already three tribes that have reached 'Diamond rank.'

W-what is this.

What is it.

"Indeed... amazing! This..."

I didn't know either.

I must have unconsciously thought by modern standards again.

In the end, whether it's social games through Faebook that were wildly popular in the 2010s, or various malicious multi-level Ponzi schemes that will never be eradicated from around the world, it's like a very intense epidemic.