I’ll be the first to admit it… I’ve been through hell and back lately.
I bore witness to a massive explosion from the literal epicenter, and as if that wasn’t enough, I woke up only to perform an inadvertent and humiliating strip show. Since then, it’s been a non-stop sprint: reigning in a pack of delirious knights, mediating sudden tribal skirmishes—I haven’t had a moment to breathe since the fighting in Florida stopped.
I thought, finally, I might be able to catch a break. I truly did.
“Reports are flooding in regarding whether the Knight Order should operate within the Bishopric of Florida!”
“That’s not all, my lord. Regarding Sir Skinner’s recent conduct, the Archbishop of Florida has—”
What is this? My workload just doubled?
In hindsight, this was entirely predictable. Our influence had doubled in size; it would have been stranger if the work hadn’t increased. And we weren’t just talking about a larger patch of dirt. Tens of thousands of liberated Africans and an even greater number of Native Americans were now technically under our wing.
…No, wait. Not “our” wing. They were under my wing.
The relationship between Virginia and Florida was as ambiguous as it was bizarre. The government and church of Virginia revolved entirely around my authority, while the Archbishop of Florida had sworn fealty to me as my vassal. Yet, I held no official rank or title within Virginia itself.
Was it a personal union? Too murky to say. An alliance? We were far too integrated for that. A suzerainty?
Hmm. Mmmmmm.
“…”
To be perfectly honest, the third option felt the closest to the truth. Florida was economically dependent, our military was stationed there, and their head of state had literally sworn an oath to me…
…No, stop it. I am not a wicked imperialist. Even if five out of my six Apostles are from England and Spain, I am absolutely not an imperialist.
I took a deep breath, purging those idle thoughts, and began to scrutinize the problems at hand. The list was daunting. There was the matter of the Knight Order’s blunder in Florida, the trade deficit, and the integration of the Floridian natives.
Then there were the structural issues. Both nations shared a common enemy in Spain, but how were their militaries supposed to coordinate? If the Knights were to operate in Florida, what was their nationality? Were they Virginians? Floridians? Should the order be split? If a Virginian lived in Florida, or vice versa, under whose legal system would they fall?
These issues cropped up in different fields and at different points, but to my eyes, the root cause was singular.
Is this not simply because the relationship between Virginia and Florida is undefined?
It wasn’t a simple alliance, nor did it fit the traditional European mold of a personal union. There were zero established protocols for how Virginia and Florida should interact or process administrative affairs.
Therefore, we had to define it.
Once everything was clarified, the anxieties of the Florida natives would settle, and these minor friction points wouldn’t be able to fester and swell into full-blown crises. We had to provide reassurance. We had to make it clear to the people that Florida would stand as an equal to Virginia.
And…
“Lord Nemo?”
“What is it?”
“The Archbishop of Florida has arrived.”
It seemed I wasn’t the only one thinking along those lines.
The Archbishop of Florida had traveled to Chesapeake with a dozen retainers in tow. I briefly considered inviting him to Croatoan, then thought better of it.
“Nameless One, I have much to discuss with you.”
“Yes… I’ve read the reports, I’m aware of the situation. So—”
“No, my lord. The situation is far more dire than when I last wrote. The natives have begun gathering in protest, and they’ve started blocking the supply routes used by the Knights.”
“…”
The gravity of the situation exceeded my expectations. If things were this volatile, I needed to stay in Chesapeake to maintain rapid communication with the Assembly and the Council of Six.
“What we need right now is faith,” the Archbishop urged. “We must instill in them the belief that Virginia’s goodwill will make Florida healthier, and that there is absolutely no hidden malice.”
Faith, huh.
I pondered this for a moment, my mind drifting to the countless events of history I knew. Would this be a one-time issue limited to Florida? I doubted it. We couldn’t simply annex all these Native American tribes into Virginia; they possessed their own distinct political structures and territories larger than most European powers. We would inevitably face similar issues with them down the line. This was merely the first, not the last.
So, I spoke.
“…When the people of the earth wish to bestow faith upon one another, they swear solemn oaths and make promises.”
“Pardon?”
As usual, I played the part of the Angel who was somewhat unacquainted with the intricacies of mortal culture.
“Therefore, let us do the same.” I clapped my hands, rousing Alonso from his thoughts. “Let us establish a ‘Covenant.’ Between Virginia and Florida.”
“…An ‘Alianza,’ you mean?”
“Yes.”
A covenant that would one day encompass many other nations beyond Florida. At my words, Alonso nodded and took his leave. I immediately summoned the Assembly and the Council of Six.
They set to work at once.
***
The Virginia Assembly House.
The spacious chamber was thick with tension. Those gathered sat in absolute silence, their eyes fixed on the table before them. They too felt a vague sense of the history they were about to make. It was a monumental moment.
And at the center of everyone’s focus, resting upon the table, was a thin booklet.
It was the fruit of weeks of tireless labor by many hands. Though the content was brief, every single word carried the weight of countless hours of deliberation. Yet, the booklet was still unfinished. It required one final procedure to be complete.
And for that procedure to take place…
Click.
Someone had to be present.
As that person entered the Virginia Assembly House, everyone in attendance rose as one. He walked to the center of the hall and lifted the booklet from the table.
“There is no turning back now.”
The words were a solemn declaration.
“You have gathered here as representatives of the citizens of two communities. The words you have penned here will represent the will of tens of thousands and decide the lives of millions to come.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
The lives of millions.
The population currently under their direct influence was just over three hundred thousand, even combining Virginia and Florida. Yet here he was, speaking of “millions.” Those in the room could easily guess the thoughts dwelling in his mind. He was discussing a future where this political entity would become something vast and magnificent.
And that future wasn’t hard to imagine. It felt almost within reach.
Their trade networks were expanding rapidly. Countless Native Americans were being drawn directly to Virginia, being absorbed into the community. Their territory was stretching westward. Simultaneously, from across the eastern ocean, thousands of immigrants were arriving from the British Isles every year. Those suffering from endless wars and overpopulation came dreaming of the prosperity found here.
Within ten years, the population of Virginia and Florida would easily surpass four hundred thousand. In the decade after that, it might well exceed six hundred thousand. As the decades passed… they would hit a million, then two.
One day, this small political entity would be larger than England or France. The entirety of North America might become their land—a domain larger than Europe itself. When that day came, how would this moment be remembered?
Those who reached this realization found themselves unable to even swallow, staring intently at “Him.”
The Nameless One slowly turned the pages of the booklet. He began to recite it, line by line.
“All those reached by this Covenant are free and equal. Is there anyone who disagrees?”
There was no one.
“Slavery is prohibited in all lands where this Covenant holds power. Is there anyone who disagrees?”
Again, silence.
“…All nations reached by this Covenant shall maintain liberty, independence, mutual fraternity, cooperation, and peace. They shall fight together, maintain sovereignty together, trade together, and exist together. Is there anyone who disagrees?”
Silence followed silence, growing heavier with each word.
“The Knight Order and the various organizations and groups described hereafter all owe their loyalty to this Covenant and belong to no single nation.”
And then:
“All individuals reached by this Covenant shall enjoy equal rights and freedom of movement within all member nations.”
The silence took on a profound weight.
“Every nation reached by this Covenant shall dispatch one representative with a four-year term to form a Continental Congress, through which they shall enact common laws and mediate conflicts.”
The lines of text intertwined like bone, vessel, and muscle, conceiving a single living organism. Under these protocols, Virginia, Florida, and the many nations that might join in the future would cooperate in defense, economy, and industry. They would face common enemies, solve common problems, and march toward a common goal.
This was what it meant to be a “Commonwealth.”
An artificial lifeform called a state was being born here, clothed in the sinews of text. The lifeblood of mutual consent and trust was just beginning to flow through its veins.
And then.
“Does anyone disagree with this Continental Covenant?”
The organism had just taken its first breath.
Kim Lee-sang looked around the room for several seconds. He checked meticulously to see if some madman would suddenly jump up and shout, “I object!”
Relieved that no one committed such an absurdity, Lee-sang closed the booklet. The process was complete; only the final declaration remained.
“Very well. Then, now—”
“Wait, one moment!”
Someone shouted.
All eyes turned toward Walter Raleigh. As the man who had poured the most effort into drafting this covenant, his sudden interruption left Kim Lee-sang stammering in confusion.
“W-What is it?”
“Lord Nemo… no, we have missed something truly vital. The most important thing of all. How could we have forgotten? How could hundreds of people be here and not one person raised the issue?”
Lee-sang tilted his head at Raleigh’s words. What could we possibly have forgotten?
The rights of individuals, the powers of the nations, the authority of the collective government—nothing had been left out. He had literally thrown everything he knew from the South Korean Constitution, the US Constitution, and Native American protocols into the mix. There was no way he missed—
“We haven’t decided on a name for the country.”
…Ah.
The name. The most important part.
The room erupted into a low clamor. “Now that you mention it…”, “Wait, why didn’t we realize?” The solemn atmosphere dissolved into instant confusion.
Then.
“Then, do we have to rewrite the covenant from the beginning—”
“Enough! Do you still not see it?”
“…”
“…”
“…”
This time, it was Thomas Hewitt who spoke. Lee-sang listened intently, bracing himself for whatever strange direction this would take.
“Lord Nemo, in his humility before the Lord, called himself ‘The Nameless One.'”
I actually took that from ‘20,000 Leagues Under the Sea’, but okay.
“Furthermore, our church followed his will and called itself the ‘Nameless Church.’ Are we not gathered here to build a political entity solely to elevate the name of the Lord? We are here to construct a nation that is truly just, equal, and eternally radiant—a tool for the Lord’s work.
Does such a nation need a name? What name could possibly suffice?
‘And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field!’ Genesis, chapter two, verse twenty! The Lord gave Adam the right to name things, making him the king of the world!
Therefore, we dare not name this political entity! For it shall become greater than us all! It shall be the greatest community, realizing the will of the Lord!”
The representatives of the two nations, who had seemed lost a moment ago, began to look at Kim Lee-sang with expressions of profound realization.
“Look… even during this commotion, the Nameless One remains completely unshaken.”
“Indeed… it was intentional…”
Of course, Kim Lee-sang had maintained this position through misunderstanding and deception for over twenty years. With acting skills that no ordinary human could hope to match, he wore an expression that seemed to say, ‘Ah, it was so obvious I simply overlooked it. Thank you for mentioning it, Hewitt.’
Everyone was convinced by the sheer power of his emotional delivery. Seeing confirmation in Lee-sang’s face, Hewitt continued with renewed fervor.
“If there is anyone who can name this community… it is only the Lord himself!”
“For humanity! To make mankind like the angels!”
“Hallelujah!”
At Hewitt’s passionate speech, the room erupted into joyous applause.
And Kim Lee-sang, nodding silently, thought to himself:
…No. Seriously, we really need a name.
Of course, he couldn’t say that in this atmosphere. So he simply stood there with a look of stoic reliability and perfect posture.
Regardless of how it happened.
“Long live the birth of the Continental Covenant!”
“Hallelujah! We are forever the people of the Covenant!”
“Long live the Covenant! Long live the Union!”
History would record this solemn moment as the ratification of the “Continental Covenant.” A holy, glorious, and magnificent moment.
Amidst the rapture of the crowd, Kim Lee-sang alone continued to break into a cold sweat, thinking:
…We really should have a name, shouldn’t we? Maybe… U.S.A.?
In any case, the union that had been so haphazardly brought into existence agreed to share a common military, common laws, and common economic rights.
The articles of the covenant began to take effect immediately.