Chapter 76

“Hrmm, it has been a long time since I’ve taken the Nautilus out this far.”

The last time they had headed north in the Enterprise, it had primarily been to test the performance of their first newly-built clipper. And what they had confirmed then was that clippers were poison for traveling along the coast or sailing against the wind. For that reason, the Enterprise, the Voyager, and the newest clipper, the Defiant, were excluded from this voyage, leaving only the Nautilus.

Vicente stroked the ship’s railing, an expression on his face like he had returned to his hometown after a long absence. “Aaaah… a very familiar feeling. Yes. How many times have I wandered this coast aboard this ship? I’ve made so many memories with her.”

Raleigh was about to ask if those memories included trying to kill Sir Nemo, but he held his tongue. Vicente’s eyes were too full of emotion.

“To think that, after so long, this old girl and I are once again moving with the duty of exploration…”

As was just mentioned, the last ‘exploration’ of the Nautilus and Vicente was when Nemo was stabbed for the first time.

“…Strictly speaking, this is a trade mission.” 

“I know. Is the hold not already filled with countless gifts?”

The cargo crammed into the ship was divided into two types. One consisted of glass beads, all sorts of metal goods, and various toys and luxuries—in other words, items for trade with the native peoples. The other type consisted of the various gems and furs they had acquired in exchange for those items. They were able to travel without much worry, despite moving with such a large quantity of treasure, because they were being followed on both sides by other caravels, each equipped with a dozen or so cannons. Of course, those ships were also filled with a massive amount of treasure.

Like stones skipping across the water’s surface, they had repeated their adventure, landing and boarding time and again. Perhaps because they had already been through the process, it didn’t take very long. After a month of this repetition, they had reached the land they had once visited, ‘Massachusetts.’ The northernmost point of America they had visited last time. Beyond it still lay uncharted territory.

Raleigh and Vicente, filled with an unidentifiable sense of excitement and anticipation, landed on the familiar coast once more, laden with various treasures to deliver to the chief here. The vast coniferous forests stretching in every direction made a visitor feel as if they had entered a grand and silent temple. As they advanced, birds flapped away in all directions, scattering their boisterous cries. Raleigh, who had been swinging his sword while taking deep breaths of the clear, fresh air…

“…Hold a moment.” 

“What is it, sir?” 

“There, a sign of people. Halt.” 

“Of course there’s a sign of people. Don’t we already know whose land this is? I just want to get to the village and eat some proper food…” 

“…”

In response to Vicente’s words, Raleigh quietly parted the bushes to reveal the mud below. A human footprint was pressed into it. That in itself was plausible enough. Not particularly strange. This wasn’t an uninhabited land. But the fact that the footprint was in the shape of a European-style shoe? That was not possible. That should not have been possible.

Holding his breath, Raleigh raised the gun he had slung over his shoulder. Vicente and the other soldiers also grew tense and scanned their surroundings. And then.

Rustle.

They slowly crouched down, silenced their footsteps, and advanced. As they did, they began to hear a mumbling sound, and soon that mumbling became a conversation.

“…We do not engage in that ‘trade’ with others. Go to our Great Chief.” 

“Så lad os bytte denne perle med den pels?” (So let’s trade this pearl for that fur?) 

“…I have no idea what you’re saying. We have no more furs to give you.” 

“Lort! Det her giver ikke mening!” (Shit! This makes no sense!)

The voice of the chief, familiar to them, was mixed with a voice speaking a language unfamiliar to Vicente’s ears. Before Vicente could even ask what language it was…

“Danes,” Raleigh muttered, narrowing his eyes.

At that one word, everyone raised their guns and gripped the hilts of their swords. Of course, Denmark was a Protestant nation, just like England. The relationship between the two countries was not particularly bad. However… if they were here, that was a different story. Raleigh signaled for the others to wait, then stepped out from the bushes alone and shouted.

“This is the land of the Indian Emperor!”

Blades glinted from all directions. Raleigh raised both his hands. “And you have not signed a treaty with the Emperor.”

At that, Vicente and the others emerged from the bushes, their own blades glinting. The Danes, flustered at being outnumbered by the Englishmen, retreated.

“Kejser…? Traktat?” (Emperor…? Treaty?) someone among the Danes muttered. 

Raleigh nodded. “That’s right. That is why they refuse to trade.” 

“…” 

“You seem to know English?”

The Danes then huddled together, whispering amongst themselves, before sending one man forward. “Y-yes, I speak English. My name is Jannik. And you?” 

“Walter Raleigh.” 

“…S-Sir Raleigh?” 

“It is Baron of Roanoke now.” 

“…”

Upon hearing that name, the wariness instantly vanished from the Danes’ faces. They sheathed the swords they had drawn and bowed to Raleigh. “L-Lord of Roanoke. Then what are we supposed to…” 

“Return. We, as allies of His Majesty the Emperor who rules this region, will stop your coercion, by force if necessary.” 

“…” 

“…” 

“Next time you come… it will not be without the permission of His Majesty the Emperor, the protector of Virginia. Unfortunately.”

At those words, the Danes’ expressions hardened, and their eyes darted about as if they were trying to think of something. But no matter how they looked at it, they were clearly at a numerical disadvantage. The natives were now standing by Raleigh’s side, so it didn’t seem his words were a lie… They all turned away with a sigh.

Only after confirming that they had completely disappeared from sight did Raleigh relax his guard and turn to the chief. 

“Ousamequin.”

“…You have returned. Yes. We have plenty of furs to give you. Welcome.” 

“After us… were they… the first?”

To Raleigh’s stern question, Ousamequin, chief of the Wampanoag Confederacy, answered. “No.”

“…” 

“Some people called Frenchmen came.” 

“A-and to them? What did you say?” 

“Of course, I responded just as you told me to. I showed them the crown and scepter and said that I am a vassal of the one called Nemo.” 

“Uh…” 

“Is there a problem?” 

“No, sir. It’s not that…”

Raleigh turned his head, the color draining from his face. Vicente and the other sailors, likewise, began to hastily pack their things. “W-we’ll just finish the gift exchange and go. We must report this immediately.”

True to his word, they ran like madmen back to the ship and canceled all their future voyage plans. They had to return to Virginia at once. A few weeks later, they returned and immediately gave their report to their noble master.

And their noble, great, and ever-benevolent ruler said: “Well, shi—.”

***

It was another peaceful day. 

“Sir Nemo! Ah, hello!” 

“A pleasure to see you, haha.”

Since the development of the tractor, my workload, which had already been slowly decreasing, had plummeted. Now, all I had to do was drive the excavator around all day, felling and moving trees. In one day, I could clear enough land for dozens of people to make a living. With my worries about farmland and agriculture slowly being resolved, the world seemed very beautiful. The spring days of the 16th century are truly dazzling…

“Sir Nemo.” 

“…Yes, Walter.” 

“We have a problem. Who would have thought they would be eyeing the New World this early?”

Right? According to the original history, we still have a long way to go. The first permanent French settlement was established in… wait.

1608: The year Philip II died. 

1598, Exactly ten years. Is it… already 1599? The 16th century is almost over. And there are only nine years left! The Huguenot Wars are over, too! And literally, the ‘permanent’ settlement was established in 1608. Temporary settlements that came and went existed long before that.

It is now, precisely, May of 1599. The year France tries and fails to establish a trading post in Quebec?

***

“Ugh… huff… We won’t be able to establish a trading post here.” 

“Let’s return to the home country for now. We will come back after continuing our search.”

+++

1599: The year Basque fishermen settle in Chaleur Bay?

+++

“You lot! How about just settling in this area?” 

“Eh… How can we?” 

“Let’s look around a bit and think about it.”

***

Right after that. Y-yes, it’s entirely plausible for Europeans to be coming.

I felt a cold sweat run down my back. Another European colony. Another threat. More than anything…

‘They cannot find out the real situation here!’

No more Europeans can come here…! I have to stop them, somehow. Th-the catalog, if I look at the catalog…

Flip. Flip.

The current King of Denmark is Christian IV… an ambitious king who spearheaded mercantilism and the strengthening of the navy… tried to colonize Ceylon in India in 1618 and Greenland in 1619. Their political situation isn’t particularly unstable either. And France, likewise, is regaining stability now that the Huguenot Wars have just ended. Come to think of it, they sent an expedition last time, too. The Netherlands hadn’t even properly gained independence from Spain, yet they established the Dutch East India Company in 1602 and sent an expedition to North America. Wow, 1602! Three years from now!

What must they have thought, seeing Elizabeth earning an absurd level of profit from her North American colony? In other words, now is a time when all the formidable powers of Western and Northern Europe on the Atlantic are regaining their stability. Even the small Italian city-states, which are slowly becoming has-beens by now, will start trying to build colonies in the Americas. And right at that moment, Philip II dies. Right at that moment, Philip II had to die…! Exactly as in the original history!

“S-Sir Nemo…?”

Without realizing it, I clasped my hands and offered a prayer. Oh, God… th-thank you. That was a close one. While I was worrying about a Spanish invasion, stupidly looking only ahead, I was about to get clubbed from behind.

It’s crude to put it this way, but America is now the hot new restaurant that everyone’s talking about. The Shine Muscats, the aluminum, and the furs we’ve been exporting like mad from this area must have played a part. In other words, it’s my fault.

An image of myself, being called a demon and thrown in prison, flashes through my mind. As does an image of the various great powers of Western Europe dividing up the rights to the various resources that come out of my house. …No.

Mystique. 

This has been my most fundamental method of survival. It’s the same principle that allowed me to survive among the Englishmen in the very beginning. I must continue to be the emperor of a ‘mysterious native empire.’ Even the most morally bankrupt European isn’t so far gone as to mistreat a foreign monarch who has converted to their religion. And most importantly, they can’t act rashly because they have no way of knowing if that foreign monarch commands an army of a million, or if he’s just the neighborhood bully.

What if I had no mysterious aura? I would have been treated as just another savage monarch. And we all know how ‘just another savage monarch’ is treated by looking at what happened to the Inca and Aztec emperors. I… will not end up like that. I’d rather meet Moctezuma and Manco Inca in the afterlife and lament with them. To suffer, in a body that cannot even die? Unthinkable.

“…Walter, Vicente.” 

“Yes, Sir Nemo.” 

“Speak.” 

“Your response… was truly excellent. You have both rendered a great service in protecting this holy community.” 

“It was nothing…” 

“No, it was something. So please, listen.” 

“…” 

“…”

Get a grip. Is this really a situation to be worrying about an invasion or threat from Spain? No. Absolutely not. It hasn’t even been a year since the Spanish king was replaced. There’s almost no chance their political situation has stabilized. So, let’s calm down. Let’s be grateful that we can act right now.

“From now on, our goal is…” 

“…” 

“…”

Let’s be grateful that the capable Philip II is dead. Let’s be grateful that Philip III is an idiot.

“…to receive a pledge of allegiance from every tribe in the eastern part of North America.”

Let’s be grateful that we can attempt this absurd feat right now. 

“…Huh?” 

“Pardon?”

Yes. Before others come, I will go first!

“Walter, do you remember what I said when I first saw you?” 

“I-I-I remember. I remember every verse! You said that blood would flow in this land! That you would use me greatly to prevent that future…!”

Wow. That was years ago, and he remembers all of it? Impressive. I barely remember it myself. In any case.

“…All of you, bear this in mind.” 

“…” 

“…” 

“Those who are blinded by wealth and glory are capable of anything. Think of what those who claim to serve the Lord are capable of doing to people who know nothing of metal weapons or gunpowder.”

Yes. Let’s just say this isn’t a problem just for my own survival.

“Everything from now on is for the protection of the people of this New World.”

Now that I’ve spoken of the great cause, it’s time to talk about the practicalities.

“Do not allow any power to infiltrate the eastern coast of this continent. Bring them all into our sphere of influence.”

I can’t believe I went out to balance our trade budget and ended up in this mess… but to survive, there is no other way.

A few days later, Vicente and Raleigh were set to depart on another long journey.

“S-Sir Nemo? What is it?” 

“May I offer one last piece of advice?” 

“Ah… yes. Of course. I will gladly listen to any advice you give.” 

“Then…”

I gave them a few pieces of advice before they left. I had no idea that it would change the destiny of the New World.