How to Survive in the Roanoke Colony

February 14, 1608, I put on a coat against the cold that still showed no signs of lifting and went outside.

Is Elizabeth doing well?

Providing relief to Ireland, which was facing famine due to war, and simultaneously rescuing refugees from England. That was the core of our plan.

There were other subsidiary operations, like giving cold-resistant potatoes to French merchants, but for now our influence could only extend to England.

Anyway, this isn't an era where internet cables cross the Atlantic and Pacific. It will take quite a while to find out if our plan was completely successful.

To confirm whether she successfully relieved people in Ireland as she promised, and whether she succeeded in bringing refugees not only from Ireland but also from England?

Considering they need to prepare for the voyage there, and the time it takes for refugees to come here...

It would take 3 to 5 months as expected.

Well, I have to believe the queen will do well. There's no other choice.

We have work to do now, too.

Creak.

"Ah, Nemo? You're here? Please sit by the fireplace."

"It's fine. Sorry to keep you waiting. The road was icy on the way..."

"Not at all. Hey, Manteo. Let's move seats together."

As the severe cold approaches, we need to pay attention to the supply of fur and firewood, and respond to the damaged water transport as rivers and the sea freeze over.

And more than anything else...

"I thought about new products all day yesterday."

We need new products.

What generates the largest income for our community?

Grapes or wine from our community? Wheat and ships? They sell well, but that's not it.

Aluminum pouring out of my house? It's difficult for precious metals to become the main export.

To begin with, considering that our community's population is only about 100,000, what we produce directly is slightly insufficient to be our main source of income.

That is, to put it nicely, it's intermediary trade...

"According to Vicente's report, the number of Sapphire-grade tribes has increased significantly. We should also consider that more Emerald tribes will appear soon..."

"Our influence has greatly expanded around the Great Lakes! The number of Bronze-grade tribes has increased a lot!"

Uh... right.

Our main source of income is multi-level marketing.

Following the traditional gift exchange method, we give iron tools, cats, glass crafts, and various accessories and receive fur in return.

When we receive fur, we sell it in bulk to Europe, and the income earned from there accounts for about... half of our community's income.

This has decreased. Until recently, it was almost two-thirds.

Anyway, our more moral, less exploitative, more mutually beneficial multi-level... no, "network gift exchange" follows the system of "GREE for LINE" type social games that dominated an era.

'If you want luxury goods of the next grade, gather more "friends (affiliated tribes)"!'

'You, if you want more gift exchange opportunities, introduce our community to more friends!'

...

...

...

For a moment, I frowned, recalling the barbaric era when about 120 messages like "Log in now and receive hearts!" would fly in every day.

...Well, we probably don't have such message pollution.

==

"Welcome Nemo and exchange gifts right now!"

"..."

"This year is a special event period! If not now, you'll only get one ax instead of two..."

"..."

"If you recognize Nemo as the Great Chief now, you'll get a free iron ax...!"

"Aaaargh! Sending envoys 80 times a month doesn't make sense! Fine! I, I'll recognize it!"

"Great! Now we're Sapphire grade too!"

==

Anyway.

Social games were fine except for being somewhat annoying, so our multi-level marketing should be too.

Since we're excluding the product dumping, rigid class system, and debt-inducing aspects typical of traditional multi-level marketing, no major problems should arise.

However.

There is one problem we share with multi-level marketing.

"By the way, didn't you call me because you developed new products?"

"That's right. Now we need to consider gifts to distribute to the Emerald, Sapphire, and Diamond grade tribes."

"...That's right."

What is our gift exchange? We give gifts to tribes directly affiliated with us, then they give gifts to their affiliated tribes, and so on, as items are distributed.

It's similar to multi-level members buying and selling items without intermediate distribution or separate marketing stages.

At least in that exchanges continue endlessly. Without the process of being deceived or forced to buy.

'Isang's mom, see? You use things like toothpaste and soap every day anyway, right? Even if you just buy what you use, you get returns, isn't that a profit?'

'Oh my, that's right?'

'Mom, there's no way you can use all that toothpaste alone...'

'Then you can take some and share with your friends!'

'Uh... huh?'

...Then, what kind of product should the "headquarters" in multi-level marketing distribute?

Something used endlessly.

Something used daily.

Something needed daily.

Precisely small daily necessities like toothpaste and toothbrushes.

We offer those as our new products!

"Look. Instead of the existing firewood, using charcoal made in our kiln produces less smoke, so it's good for health, lasts longer, and the temperature is higher..."

"..."

"..."

"And, if you put bleach and water in an empty plastic bottle like this and hang it through a hole in the ceiling, the indoor space becomes bright...! It's good for eye health, and installation is simple..."

"..."

...Huh? Why? Why isn't the response to my brilliant 'health charcoal' and 'PET bottle skylight' good?

"The charcoal doesn't seem that great."

"Why not?"

"..."

"Why do you need charcoal?"

"Well... to make a fire last longer, burn hotter..."

"If you just put charcoal in a bonfire, the effect wouldn't be that great, would it?"

"Ah."

A fireplace where smoke doesn't easily escape is needed for low-smoke charcoal to be meaningful, but natives don't have fixed structures like fireplaces. They're not completely settled.

"The skylight doesn't seem that great either."

"...Why do you think so?"

"Americans don't stay home for long in the morning. And it's awkward to install in a tent."

"...Huh?"

Indoor lighting isn't that important either. Similarly, as natives lead a semi-nomadic life and move around, home isn't such an important space.

Therefore, both rejected.

"Were those two the only new products you had in mind?"

"...For now, yes. That was it."

"Hmmmm. It's a worry. What on earth should we make..."

There's no reason to gift furniture or other equipment to natives who move around all the time. Rather, portable tools... but we've already given out iron axes and iron knives.

Tools don't break easily, so after exchanging them a few times, people don't welcome them that much. They say we're giving them things they already have enough of.

"Hmmmm, it's difficult to think about gifts for people who live on the move. A life with just a body and light luggage to move around..."

"..."

"..."

Then... what on earth should we give...

"Ah!"

"...Why, Oitotan?"

"No, didn't you just say it? That they move around with just their bodies and light luggage."

"Yes, I did say that, but..."

Oitotan snaps his fingers and smiles somewhat meaningfully.

"Then, why not give gifts for that body?"

"We've already given many accessories..."

"I'm not talking about accessories."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...Ahem, something like 'vitamin supplements' that come from Nemo's mansion."

"..."

"Or snacks, or food that's good for the body, or simple medicines..."

"Aha."

Health foods, simple medicines, nutritious snacks.

It's as if an AmXay gift set catalog is unfolding in my mind.

Can it be used every day? Yes.

Does it run out after use? Yes.

Would natives be interested? Yes.

Oh.

"...We sell things like 'vitamin supplements' produced in our community, or things like Shine Muscat jam!"