Chapter 80

There was one issue from the last meeting that hit quite close to home for me.

—“Lately, as the farmland in our settlement has expanded, the agricultural equipment operators seem to be struggling, having to go back and forth between various places. There are also problems with the tractors’ ranges of activity overlapping.”

That applied to me, too. When I was out driving the Porter or the rototiller, I’d often finish my work only to find the sun was already setting. With nothing but farmland around me and no proper lodgings, I often had no choice but to sleep in the back seat of the Porter. In the summer, I’d sleep with the AC on. In the winter, I’d pitch a tent next to a field and sleep with a heater and a circulator fan running.

In other words… I was roughing it a lot of the time. The tent had no shower and no toilet, so after a few days of that, it was hard to avoid looking like a beggar.

Hrmmm. This was definitely a problem. No matter how you slice it, I’m ostensibly an ‘angel’ (not really), so shouldn’t I avoid brushing past my followers looking so grimy? I did try. On days when I’d been working for a long stretch, I’d take a bar of soap to a nearby stream and scrub my face raw. Of course, I couldn’t really hide my bird’s-nest hair, but by 16th-century standards, that level of hygiene was probably in the top one percent.

In any case, putting all that aside, I really didn’t want to sleep out in the elements…! That’s just a given…! I’m a man who transmigrated to the 16th century with his entire house intact. After living in a home with an air conditioner, a shower booth, and a robot vacuum, sleeping out under the dew is a penance like no other.

The point is, I also needed a place to stay when I was away from home. And there’s a limit to how much you can enjoy a “camping” mood with the tent and various gear from my house. After a long day of work, when it’s already late, you can’t exactly set up a tent in a romantic mood, gaze at a fire, and grill some meat every single time. I just wanted to finish work and flop onto a bed without a second thought.

Conclusion: I hate sleeping in the back of my truck. The sleeping arrangement is uncomfortable, and when the vehicle is parked, the performance of the AC and heater drops, so it’s either hot or cold. I hate tents, too. They have their romantic appeal, but setting one up and taking it down is fun once or twice; when it becomes a routine, it’s just a chore. And the fact that it gets insanely hot in the summer is a bonus.

…Ugh. 

Kim Lee-sang, after eleven years away from the Republic of Korea, you’ve completely adapted to the mild climate of North Carolina and Virginia. But what can you do? Hot is hot, and cold is cold. Anyway, if I don’t like the car because it’s uncomfortable and I don’t like the tent because it’s a hassle, there’s only one answer.

A house.

“A camper van…”

But one I can carry with me. After watching my tent get blown away by the wind on my fourteenth business trip, I stopped hesitating. I went straight back to Croatoan and started tearing out the fixtures in my house.

‘An air conditioner and a heater are absolute necessities.’

Fortunately, my house was full of heating and cooling appliances. For some reason… people who live in cities, especially in apartments, might not understand. There’s a common mistake made by people who, like my parents, harbor grand dreams of returning to the farm and ambitiously build a country house in an area where they have no connections. It’s a phenomenon that occurs because these people have been accustomed to the representative housing space of the Republic of Korea, the ‘apartment,’ for decades.

Apartments have ‘overwhelmingly’ better insulation than detached country houses…! Because the unit in front, the unit next door, and the unit behind all act as insulation for your own home! For that reason, many people design their country houses with a soft mindset of, ‘Thiiis much should be enough,’ only to see blood. In a country house, every room needs its own air conditioner and heater. Because there is no ‘next door’ to block the cold in your room.

And among the poorly insulated rooms in our house, which was modeled after Green Gables, was the second-floor room where Anne Shirley would have probably lived. A room connected to the front window, not on the first floor, but the second. A damn inconvenient place to get to. In other words, the place that became a storage room in my mom’s old room after my parents abandoned me with this house and farm.

I tore out the window-type air conditioner that had been stashed there and measured its dimensions first. Hmm, good. This thing is essential. Spatially, I mounted the window AC on the ceiling. I made arrangements so it could be covered with a lid on rainy days. The rest of the space had its uses.

First, the plan was simple. I don’t like cramped spaces. Therefore, I would design it to maximize the use of the external space, except when sleeping. The two side walls would be designed as externally exposed storage cabinets, with a bed installed in the space between them. I would then drill a window into one wall and one into the ceiling, install the window AC in one, and cover the rest with a transparent polycarbonate sheet. Finally, if I placed an electric blanket on the floor, the sleeping space would be complete.

With the rough spatial design finished, I moved on to the actual construction. For the wood, I decided to use leftover scraps of a moderately dark-colored timber that were originally intended for shipbuilding. I treated the wood with a suitable oil stain and applied varnish to prevent mold and deterioration. The color of the wood deepened, and its grain came alive.

While the planks were drying, I assembled the wooden frame on top of the Porter. Next, I partitioned the storage compartments to be placed on either side of the bed. The plan was to make the left side a kitchen space and the right side a workshop space. On the left, after partitioning the space to perfectly fit a worktop, a cutting board, kitchen knives, a vegetable peeler, a spatula, and a gas stove, I cut the planks and assembled them.

On the right, I installed large cupboards. The main reason was to store a lot of tools, but a bigger reason was the need to carry the batteries for those tools. My electronic devices, like the tablet, all recharged their power every 24 hours. But my power tools often ran out of battery long before those 24 hours were up. And so, with the feeling of partitioning a large toolbox, I nailed boards to the wall and pushed the toolboxes in. The tools fit perfectly into the custom-made dimensions with a satisfying thunk.

“Oh, ooooh…”

Wow, that felt extremely good just now. 

The sight of the perfectly sized items fitting snugly into the storage compartments I designed myself was… fantastic. And just like that, it was more or less complete. Inside the dark brown, almost black wooden box on top of the Porter, kitchen utensils and tools were packed tightly, with a bed nestled neatly in between.

I tried sleeping in it once as a test. It felt as if the stars were pouring down through the skylight. When I woke up, sunlight was seeping in through the gap in the skylight. It was morning.

I went outside, assembled the camping shower booth I had stored in the kitchen area, and was washing up when I heard footsteps in the distance. I grabbed my clothes, got dressed, and turned my head to see…

“Uh, Sir Nemo?”

It was Raleigh. He looked less worn out than the last time I’d seen him, so he must have gotten at least a little rest. “Ah, Walter? Perfect timing. I’ve just finished this mobile home.”

“…Yes, well, the carpenters loitering around here told me you would be here.” 

“Ah, I had their help. What’s on your mind?” 

“Well… it’s a bit complicated to explain. It seems the story will be a long one.”

Hm?

“We… that is, Vicente and I, seem to have made a great mistake. No, strictly speaking, I am the one in charge, so the responsibility is mine.”

For some reason, Raleigh looked anxious. He also seemed a bit troubled and impatient. Through experience, I had a rough idea of what to do in times like these.

“In any case, I must tell you… I hesitated because you might find it rather unpleasant, but it is a matter that must be reported with some urgency…” 

“Walter, don’t be so hasty.” 

“…Pardon?”

Raleigh’s still slightly bloodshot eyes were darting about. I quietly unfolded the workbench that also served as a dining table, then took out and assembled two folding chairs. 

“Let’s sit down and have a cup of coffee first.” Then, with a gentle smile that was hopefully not too burdensome, I said, “Yes?”

“But…” 

“Did this happen during your voyage?” 

“…Strictly speaking, yes.” 

“Then it will probably take a few months to resolve anyway.” 

“…”

I took out the coffee machine, put some oil in the gasoline generator that every farmhouse has, and plugged it in. “We have enough time for a cup of coffee.”

While Raleigh hesitated, I had already finished making the coffee, sat down, and offered him a chair. Raleigh cautiously leaned back in the chair and lifted the coffee cup from the table. 

“…Haaaah.” 

At last, a bit of warmth returned to Raleigh’s face. I could feel his speech becoming a little softer, his expression relaxing. As his tension seemed to have eased somewhat, he gazed out the open door for a moment before… opening his mouth.

“…Actually, the tribes who are newly participating in the trade wish to see you, Sir Nemo.” 

“Me?” 

“Ahem… Yes.”

What is this? An MLM guest lecture? A commemorative speech for the head office president’s visit?

“Why, of all people, do they want to see me?” 

“Well… from the natives’ perspective, it seems they are curious about this ‘Great Chief’ they have never seen who possesses such immense wealth.”

See? It’s an MLM guest lecture.

“And…” 

“And…?” 

“…”

As I was tilting my head, Raleigh let out a sigh. “The situation is… a little complicated.”

***

In the early days of the MLM, Raleigh and Vicente worked hard to expand the trade.

“We have seen people from across the sea many times. Most of them come saying they want to barter goods.”

But now, the 16th century was drawing to a close, and the sun of the 17th century was about to rise. This meant that many native peoples had already encountered the European merchants and explorers who were loitering around here. To them, the sight of a mixed group of natives and Europeans from across the sea might have seemed quite strange, but the appearance of the Virginians themselves often failed to make a big impression.

“But… you people are different.”

However, from the moment the Virginians brought out their goods, everything changed.

“You people truly know how to give a ‘gift.’ You are a people who know how to show respect.” 

The Virginians understood the ‘gift.’

“And… to give so many steel axes, that is also surprising.” 

The Virginians were far more generous with their compensation. Of course, this was only possible because they were on the same continent and had the clippers, which reduced distribution costs, but the natives had no way of knowing that. The important question was whether it was worth setting aside their trade with the Europeans to trade exclusively with Virginia.

“Very well. I am now a vassal of this one called Nemo. We will serve him as our Great Chief, so may he also look kindly upon us.” 

“Thank you, Great Chief! Thank you!”

The answer was ‘yes.’ But it’s not always the answers to the important questions that spark curiosity.

“…By the way, how wealthy is this Great Chief of yours, to have all these things?” 

“Ah, well…” 

“Where does all this wealth come from?”

The leader of a strange group that commanded both Europeans from across the sea and the inhabitants of the coast. A being who held a seemingly endless supply of wealth. Moreover, a great chief was not originally such a high and mighty existence. But to the natives, it seemed as if Vicente and Raleigh were worshipping the great chief they served. All these aspects piqued the natives’ curiosity.

Vicente and Raleigh, after much deliberation, finally came to an agreement on what to say. “He is… a type of powerful spirit. He is one who serves the most powerful God in the world.”

“Uh… uhh?”

“He… uh… wields a screaming sword to defeat his enemies, and cultivates the land by driving a machine made of steel.” 

“…” 

“Does that explain it?” 

“Uh… no. Tell me more.”

He had only asked a quick question, but the story he heard was one that he couldn’t help but ask more about. And so, this chief came to hear the rumor of the ‘one who does not die.’

***

And he, in turn, went to another tribe to introduce the innovative distribution method he had been taught.

“What brings you here?” 

“What, haven’t you heard the rumor? About Nemo!” 

“Ne…mo?” 

“Hah, it’s a pity you remain so ignorant. My tribe is already at the Ruby tier, so I suppose I should help you lot raise your tier first.” 

“Ruby? Tier? What is that all of a sudden… Explain.” 

“…” 

“…” 

“…And that’s the gist of it.” 

“So you’re saying that if we just serve this Great Chief named Nemo, tell other tribes about him, and exchange gifts, we get special items?” 

“Yes! Just like this…”

CRACK!

“…axe I got.” 

“Good heavens.” 

“Isn’t it amazing? I hear that the tribes in this area, no, all along the eastern coast, are already participating in the assembly. You should join quickly, too…” 

“No, but how does the Great Chief distribute wealth to so many tribes? I need to hear this…” 

“They say he’s a spirit.” 

“What? Does that even make sense…” 

“They say he defeated countless enemies while wielding a screaming sword. Doesn’t that make sense? He must have conquered numerous tribes and taken their wealth.” 

“…”

This newly joined chief remembered about the ‘one who does not die,’ the ‘one who wields a screaming sword.’

***

In any case, the newly joined chief went to the land of another tribe and repeated the same process.

“W-what’s in it for him, to give away so much? How rich is this Nemo person? Where did he get an axe like this? It’s not a lie, is it?” 

“What? Are you doubting me!” 

“No, it’s just that it’s suspicious, isn’t it? I was just asking…” 

“They say he’s a spirit!” 

“Are you mad?” 

“No, he wields a screaming sword…” 

“Is it similar to this sharp axe? Anyway, it’s still not very believable.” 

“Th-they say he doesn’t even die! That he lives forever as a spirit!” 

“Well, I suppose that would be so.” 

“And that screaming sword… did they say it had teeth of iron? Or that its own teeth grow?” 

“Hm?”

The ‘one who does not die,’ the ‘one who wields a screaming sword,’ now had a new nickname: the ‘one with iron teeth.’

***

“How can a person have teeth like that!” 

“I’m telling you, he’s not a person! He must be a mighty spirit! Probably the size of a house-sized beast!”

***

“A house-sized beast Great Chief? You have to make sense…” 

“Then do you have any other way to explain how one person can be so wealthy?” 

“Well…” 

“…” 

“…You’re right.”

***

“They say he’s a spirit who conquered numerous tribes and slaughtered countless lives, creating a river of blood. That’s why…”

***

“…He wields a screaming sword, and if he waves a handful of light, lives are extinguished in an instant…”

***

“…This axe was made by grinding down one of his house-sized teeth. That must be why there’s an endless supply, right?” 

“Then do his teeth keep growing back?” 

“Probably? I guess so? That’s what I heard.”

And so, the rumor continued to grow.

***

“Believe in Sir Nemo. He can give you many gifts…” 

“Y-your name was Raleigh, was it not? I have already heard the rumors about him.” 

“Is that so? That’s a relief. Then…” 

“Is it true that he has hundreds of teeth?” 

“…Pardon?”

The rumor came back to Raleigh.

***

Not long after the rumor had come back to Raleigh, trading posts and churches were being built in various places.

“What is this?” 

“Ah, this is… a sort of holy place for you all.” 

“A holy place? Then do you serve that spirit Nemo here as well?” 

“Uh… we do not worship him. We can show reverence, perhaps… Where are you going?”

The natives who had left for a moment returned, covered in blood and carrying something.

“Wh-what is that?”

The blood-covered man the priest was pointing at was spattered with blood, meat, and bits of organs. He looked for all the world as if he had just been in a violent battle.

“Deer meat and blood.” 

“Uh… yes?” 

“Get out of the way. We must offer a sacrifice to the spirit Nemo.” 

“Uh, uh uh uh…!”

And so, a fire was lit. The priest fainted.

***

“I’m not sure where it went wrong, but it seems a strange rumor has spread that Sir Nemo is a monster.” 

“…” 

“The fact that the natives believe it is not a big deal in itself, but when we later built trading posts and churches, people flocked to them shouting, ‘Let’s offer a sacrifice to the great spirit!’… If they were skilled pastors, they might have handled it appropriately, but most of the candidates selected as priests this time were at a loss, flustered. I don’t know if I should be relieved that people came without any special proselytizing.” 

“…” 

“Uh, and I’m asking this out of pure curiosity, but did you, in fact, ever send a prophecy through a native shaman saying, ‘If you do not offer me sacrifices, I will devour you.’…?” 

“Of course not.” 

“Uh… I see.” 

“…” 

“…”

I see why Raleigh is freaking out. It’s idolatry.

“N-no, well, anyway, so there are many who wish to see the ‘great monster and great spirit, Sir Nemo’.” 

“…” 

“Sir Nemo?”

Uh, well, right. This is baffling.

“Is that so? It’s not a big deal.”

I answered, trying not to show it. Our Raleigh, though he may not look it, is a very devout man. Even though he does all sorts of un-Christian things as the Queen’s bedfellow, he is, at any rate, a devout Christian. The issue of idolatry must have seemed very serious to him. Yes.

Hmm…

“Sir Nemo? In any case, I thought it would be good to think about what to do. For now…” 

“What do you think about me going for a visit?” 

“Pardon?” 

“It’s something I’ll have to do eventually, isn’t it? It would be good to tour the various regions and solidify our influence. And clear up any misunderstandings.” 

“Hmm…”

Raleigh nodded, as if considering it. I turned my head and looked at the camper I had built. I didn’t think the day to use this thing in earnest would come so quickly.