How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony-Chapter 270: Thoughts on the Future (1)

The legitimate king of France and Navarre, who was destined to be assassinated in 1610, was still alive and breathing.

Rebuilding France and restoring royal authority much faster than in the original history.

The starting point of this historical inflection was clear.

Trade with the New World.

The emergence of enormous rights held solely in the king’s hands.

Through this, Henri IV could wield vast monetary power, distribute privileges to his supporters, and manipulate public opinion to easily seize power.

That was his good fortune.

In 1610, a mad Catholic fanatic named François Ravaillac jumped into the king’s carriage but was easily subdued and executed. Now, his glorious reign was entering its 25th year.

In the court of such Henri IV...

"..."

"..."

"..."

There was one person who made everyone sink into tense silence.

The conductor who held the kingdom’s finances in one hand, Maximilien de Béthune, who became the Duke of Sully, and the king’s favorite Hercule de Rohan, Duke of Montbazon, and even Henri IV himself, were watching that one person with sweaty palms.

...There was also a nickname secretly given to him.

"It has been a long time since I saw you."

’The Mouth of Hell (la bouche de l’enfer)’.

Oitotan.

In the tense atmosphere, Henri IV tried to smile and extended both arms to welcome Oitotan.

No, why do they always send the same person as an envoy? What did this man do so well for the ’Emperor’ to secure such an important position?

Even the titles and positions the chamberlain had just announced for him were extraordinary. Chief of the Chesapeake tribe, Knight Commander of Agriculture, Member of the Council of Six...

I understand what a chief is, and I understand that the Council of Six is the head of government after explanation, but... why is the name of the knight order like that? ’Agricultural’ Knight Brigade? Do they farm?

Henri IV briefly imagined knights sweating profusely while scything in a wheat field, then blinked away the idle thought.

Anyway, this time, I need to figure out what he’s trying to do...

"Port of trade, want to increase."

"..."

"That’s all."

Despite not having seen him for years, Oitotan still spoke in rough English and nodded as if to say ’You understand, right?’ He seemed to have no intention of improving his English or French conversation skills.

It’s embarrassing how brazenly he assumes others will understand him.

Anyway.

Henri IV couldn’t help but feel his lips curling up after hearing what Oitotan had said.

Oitotan had his tribesmen spread out a map of North America for everyone to see, then marked a point in the middle.

"One in the land of the Wabanaki Confederacy."

It’s much farther north than the existing Virginia ports of trade. Then another marked point...

"And... one in the Florida Archbishopric."

"Florida? Did you just say Florida?"

Henri IV blinked for a moment, wondering if he had misheard. But upon checking, his thoughts were correct.

"Is that where the slave revolt occurred?"

"Wrong. Not slave ’revolt’ but slave ’uprising’."

Oitotan snorted at Henri IV’s words and answered with pride.

"I led the Knight Brigade, helped the uprising."

The implication of Oitotan’s words was clear.

They were behind the rebellion that had stirred the Viceroyalty of New Spain.

And they had defeated the suppression forces sent directly by the Spanish Empire and finally conquered the place.

As that fact became certain, the king’s court fell silent.

From those who claimed the ’Emperor’s’ existence was false, to those who said that ’Empire’ did exist but was ultimately a dependency of England or just a small village.

Even those who already believed in the existence of an emperor and empire in the New World.

Everyone shut their mouths.

None of them had assumed the existence of an ’empire capable of facing Spain.’

But they not only faced them in battle but won and even conquered their lands?

A sense of awe briefly flickered in their eyes as they looked at Oitotan.

...While Oitotan enjoyed that gaze and slightly raised his chin, Henri IV spoke.

"Anyway, I understand. Your lord has come here to open new ports of trade? What compensation do you desire?"

"None."

"W-what...?"

"We just came here to announce two facts. One is that we’re establishing new ports of trade." ƒгeewёbnovel.com

Oitotan said, raising two fingers.

"And the other is that we’re inheriting the previous treaty."

"Inheriting?"

"Yes. Not in the name of Virginia, but in the name of the Union."

"The Union? Today is full of things I don’t understand. Tell me. What is the Union?"

As Oitotan clapped his hands, his tribesmen took out prepared papers and brought them before Henri IV. When the chamberlains received and unfolded them before Henri IV... a treaty document appeared.

"Same content as before. Except that ports of trade increased to three."

"..."

Henri IV, reading through the familiar treaty clauses, suddenly returned to the very first sentence.

And there he saw an unfamiliar phrase.

"For the promotion of mutual peace and justice, the Kingdom of France and ’the Continental Covenant’ before the name of the Lord... ’Continental Covenant’? Is this your new national name?"

Those who rule the ’continent’ have united through a ’covenant.’

Henri IV quickly calculates in his mind.

Ah, so that’s why there’s no compensation for the ports.

They are a federal state united by a covenant. The ’Wabanaki Confederacy’ and ’Florida Archbishopric’ mentioned earlier must both be member states under them.

That’s why they need to inherit the treaty. Because now the contracting party is not ’Virginia’ but that ’Continental Covenant.’

And that’s why they’re opening ports without any compensation, because those new member states requested the Emperor to open ports.

Henri IV, having quickly deduced the situation in the New World from the few words Oitotan had dropped, smiled and guided him to the banquet. The atmosphere of the banquet was excellent due to the unexpected gift.

And Henri IV was also immersed in happy anticipation.

’A gift without compensation. Well, I’ve gained profit without doing anything. Then to whom should I distribute the royal licenses for the new ports of trade...’

Slurp slurp.

Gulp. Gulp.

"...Ah, the vanilla scent is indeed strong."

"..."

"..."

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