How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony

The problem lies in Florida being the gateway between Virginia and the Caribbean Sea.

If this continues...

"Eventually, it might become difficult to even enter the Caribbean Sea."

"Correct. And in my view, Florida is just the beginning. The will of the Spanish is extraordinarily strong. As I see it, soon the defenses of the entire Spanish colonies will be incomparably thorough."

"..."

"..."

I'm an ordinary farmer, and Raleigh is a pirate boss (that's a fact), so he probably knows better.

Anyway, if what he says is true... it's a predicament.

More than anything, the strengthening of Florida's defenses means they've explicitly declared their intention to check us in eastern North America.

That is, this settlement becomes endangered.

It means we will inevitably clash with Spain someday.

Moreover, what about the slaves in Florida...? No, it's the same elsewhere.

How should they be liberated? No, can they even be liberated?

Naturally, casting such questions, Raleigh and I continued our deliberations for a long time.

Thud.

While we were spending time like that, someone entered the church building we were using as a meeting room. As the two of us turned our heads...

"...Ah, Vicente?"

"Were you in the midst of discussing that topic again? Should I leave?"

"No. It's fine. Please sit here."

"..."

"..."

"..."

Since Vicente also roughly knew the situation as a captain, it wasn't difficult to include him in the conversation. The three of us put our heads together and wracked our brains over the current problem.

Hmm... what should we do?

The Spanish colonies are becoming increasingly fortified. It sounded like a signal that they wouldn't lose their advantage in America even if it meant accepting a large temporary disadvantage.

And to be honest.

If Spain properly concentrates its capabilities, there's not much we can do.

In the distant future, England, or Britain, will hold world hegemony. And they'll beautify the era of Elizabeth I and spread various propaganda.

Like falsely claiming they won the England-Spain war that's unfolding right now, or asserting that their 'victory' in this war caused Spain's downfall and gave them Atlantic hegemony.

Of course, that's nonsense. Spain will continue to do well from now on.

Until they can no longer extort more gold and silver from the New World.

Yes. The Spanish Empire is now a hegemonic power shaking the world, and England is just an obstacle on its periphery.

And the reason Spain has become such a great hegemonic power is precisely because of the numerous luxuries obtained by exploiting natives and black slaves.

So even if Spain doesn't put its full effort into the Caribbean fight, there are enough reasons to deliver a sincere blow once.

What we're seeing now was exactly that sincere strike.

...This won't do. We can't stop here, and we can't lose here.

There's a reason for the safety and prosperity of this settlement and community, but the immediate reason that concerned me was different.

"For now, as Sir Drake suggests, finding methods while taking tactical advantages elsewhere..."

"No. If we retreat like this, everything we've fought for will become meaningless."

"..."

"..."

"Walter, didn't you say the Spanish exploitation of slaves is getting worse?"

"...That's right."

"Then wouldn't our fight have merely made their exploitation more intense?"

Let's look at it coldly.

Spain cannot stop the slave trade.

Because the empire's wealth comes from exploiting slaves.

Nor can we achieve the miraculous feat of driving Spain out of all of America. Driving out the Spanish from Mexico, and from the distant lands of Peru and Argentina? That's nonsense.

I've never thought that far. I'm well aware that the Atlantic triangular trade will continue for hundreds of years.

Even my actions so far have been for my moral self-satisfaction, not considering such complicated circumstances.

I've never thought I could solve all the problems alone.

But... if, as a result, some people's lives have become more cruel, shouldn't I take responsibility for that?

Shouldn't I try what I can do?

I pound the desk as I think. If only there was a way... a suitable method to attack the Florida colony...

"First, I wish there was a way to appeal to the conscience of the Spanish. Walter, can you contact conscientious Spaniards?"

"Hmm. As if Spaniards would have a conscience..."

"Bartolomé de Las Casas was also Spanish."

"...That's true."

Suddenly talking about conscience out of nowhere. It might sound nonsensical, but it's one approach.

About half a century ago, conscientious Spaniards who couldn't bear the violence against natives, a king who wanted to check those who had gathered native slaves to form small kingdoms, and a church trying to evangelize the natives collaborated to bring about the result of native slave liberation.

Las Casas, whom I just mentioned to Raleigh, was also a priest who led the native liberation at that time.

Of course, as can be seen from the explanation above, native liberation didn't rely solely on conscience.

Therefore, to draw out movements from within Spain, information about internal conflicts and interests is needed.

"And I wish there were people knowledgeable about the internal affairs of Spain and its colonies. Not knowing how things work inside, we have no methods."

"...Hmm?"

"Additionally, if we could help slaves escape on their own..."

"..."

"..."

"Well, think about it for now. I'll also think separately."

But no method particularly emerged from struggling alone.

I sighed deeply and stepped outside.

My neck is stiff, and my head is throbbing.

...I don't even have a clue on what to do.

==

"Did you hear?"

"I heard. It seems even Nemo has no solution..."

"That's not it."

Raleigh cut off Vicente's words and shook his head.

"He sees the situation more clearly than anyone."

"Pardon? What do you mean?"

"Didn't he ask to find ways to collaborate with 'potential helpers' inside Spain?"

To Raleigh's ears, 'conscientious Spaniards = internal helpers' because any person of conscience would naturally yearn for the free Virginia that had escaped from slavery and Catholic barbarism.

"Moreover... he said he wished for someone knowledgeable about Spanish internal affairs?"

Raleigh is a man who has moved in step with Europe's first intelligence agency. The meaning was clear.

He desires an 'information network.'

Finally, if possible, he wants Moorish slaves to be able to escape on their own?

In other words, he desires an organization to systematically incite and move slaves?

Isn't that what European intelligence agents often did?

"Right away, gather Spanish people and liberated Moorish slaves to receive volunteers. Then..."

Thud!

"..."

"..."

"Ca-can I also participate?"

In the direction where Raleigh instinctively pointed his pistol, a frightened Moorish man had collapsed in front of the wide-open door. He had probably been caught eavesdropping with his ear to the door.

"I-I'm sorry for eavesdropping, but my wife is still not liberated! My wife... is across that sea! If you send me to the Spanish colony...!"

"..."

"..."

A desperate cry.

Raleigh strokes his chin for a moment and says:

"...You, you're good at hiding your presence."

"Yes. For that, I'm confid..."

"And you speak Spanish well."

"Well, I was born in the colony."

"Ah, is that so? What's your name?"

"Teyan... Oh, I also have a Spanish name. It's Martín."

Raleigh snapped his fingers.

"You're hired."