6 days later.
Seated at my desk in the main office of the stone manor, I felt the weight of the meeting about to begin. It was a different kind of tension than the first few times, less about curiosity and more about power.
Seated before me were the protagonists of this encounter: Columbus and the Pinzón brothers on the Europeans' side, and Zasaba, Foza, and Sogeking from my Kingdom. The translators sat beside us, ready to build the linguistic bridges that were still so fragile.
"A pleasure to have you here," I said, my voice resonating with a calm that I did not always feel. "I would like to begin with formal introductions, as today we are not just ourselves, but the representatives of two worlds."
I gestured to my companions.
"This is Zasaba, my counselor and director of the Simte Academy. Beside him, Foza, governor of the Islands of the Rising Sun. And, of course, Sogeking, the naval captain who accompanied you on your arrival."
Afterward, I turned to Columbus.
"Allow me to introduce Admiral Christopher Columbus, the leader of your expedition, the brothers Martín Alonso and Vicente Yáñez Pinzón, captains of your ships, and the royal notary."
Columbus nodded with a smile, though I noticed the discomfort in his gaze. The greetings were brief, filled with a cautious respect. There was nothing to be done; both parties found themselves at a crossroads and knew it.
Once the greetings were over, I moved directly to the meeting's key point.
"We have discussed the situation of your voyage in depth. We have inspected your ships and the state of your crew, and we have reached an agreement. We believe it is time for your expedition to continue its journey back to your Kingdom to report on your meeting with us… For our part, we would also like to reach an agreement of mutual friendship that benefits our two realms. We believe that a commercial and cultural exchange will enrich us both."
The atmosphere became tense. There was no apparent issue with my proposal; however, General Foza, a man who cared about his people and had seen the behavior of the Europeans firsthand in the port, immediately objected, his voice louder than I had expected.
"Young Chuta, we cannot allow them to leave so easily," he said, his gaze fixed on Columbus. "Their crew has caused trouble in the city, they did not respect our laws, and they were arrested on at least three occasions. Their behavior has shown that they are a danger to our people. How can we trust them to report on our friendship agreement when they have a history of not respecting rules?"
I saw Columbus flush with embarrassment. The royal notary, at his side, tried to say something, but Columbus stopped him with a hand.
"Young Chuta, allow me to explain," Columbus said, his voice somewhat shaky. "I deeply regret the behavior of my men. Many of them are not experienced sailors, but low-ranking criminals who were assigned to us. Their conduct does not represent the behavior of the Spanish people or the rest of the people of my Kingdom."
The room was filled with an uncomfortable silence. I raised a hand to calm the situation, acknowledging the sincerity in Columbus's words.
"I understand your concern, Governor Foza, and yours as well, Admiral Columbus," I said, my voice firm but calm. "Therefore, your expedition will not depart alone. My Kingdom will escort you on your way back."
With that phrase, a collective sigh of relief was heard in the room. I signaled to Sogeking, who, with a smile on his face, immediately offered.
"Admiral Columbus, it would be an honor for me to accompany you on your return. My crew and I know these waters well."
Everyone seemed to relax a little, but before the conversation could take a different turn, I decided to put the final condition on the table, the most important one for the safety of my Kingdom.
"And as an additional measure, to keep the location of my Kingdom unknown, at least until the Catholic Monarchs confirm their intentions of a friendly approach, all your navigation charts and instruments will be removed from your possession. We do not want this information to fall into the wrong hands or for others, with less peaceful intentions, to find it."
I had realized, during the initial impoundment of Columbus's ships, that his navigation logs were a mess. Most of the time, they were lost, following erratic currents and arriving near the Kingdom's territory by sheer luck, as if the currents and the wind had led him directly into the trap he had created for himself.
Silence returned to the room. The faces of the Spaniards paled. The Pinzón brothers and the notary seemed annoyed and offended, while Columbus appeared resigned, as if he had already anticipated this measure.
"This is a temporary measure, of course," I continued, my voice unwavering. "Once we have a positive response from your Kingdom, all of this will be returned to you. And, of course, we will guide and protect you on your way back. So, your navigation tools will not be necessary anyway."
My plan was simple: to ensure they could not find their way back without our help, while I patiently awaited their Kingdom's response.
"I hope this buys me even more time," I thought, looking at the slightly embittered faces of the Spaniards.
[A/N: From here you can read the missing part]
The next day.
The morning sun filtered through the windows of my office in the stone manor, illuminating the dust that floated in the air. The last two weeks had been exhausting, full of meetings, decisions, and, above all, a constant tension that would not dissipate.
Despite the tiredness, I found myself before the sharpest mind in the Kingdom: Zasaba. His presence was always a comfort, even though I knew that meetings with him were usually the most demanding.
"Good morning, Young Chuta," Zasaba said in his usual respectful tone, but there was a spark of urgency in his eyes.
"Good morning, Zasaba," I replied, my voice sounding more tired than I intended. "I am glad to see you, although I know that if you are here, it is because we have much to discuss. Let's get straight to the point. How is the plan to support a group of Spaniards progressing?"
Zasaba nodded, his face impassive.
"The plan to recruit the men who will support our agents is already underway. We have investigated several Spanish men of different backgrounds: fallen nobles, prisoners, orphans, and deserters. They have already been instructed in the basics of our plan for the first deployments in Spain."
His report was concise and direct, as was expected of him. I leaned forward, interested in a detail that was crucial for the operation's success.
"Did you find any common pattern among the men who decided to 'support' our Kingdom?" I asked him.
Zasaba thought for a brief moment, as if mentally organizing the vast amount of information he possessed.
"The vast majority are people who have nothing to lose. They lost their families in wars or illnesses, they did not live very well in their respective places of origin, or they simply did not see a future for themselves… But there are some cases that surprise me. Some have a life made, even families, and yet they decided to support us due to personal problems with nobles or important people from the Catholic Kingdoms."
I feigned surprise, although I already knew this internally.
My knowledge of the future, old films, and historical events had taught me that revenge is one of the most powerful motivations in human nature. People who have been humiliated, betrayed, or stripped of their honor are capable of doing anything to regain what they lost, even if it means betraying their own nation.
"That is a concern," I commented, my voice serious. "The loyalty of these people could be questionable. How can we be sure that they will not turn against us?"
"We are not, Young Chuta," Zasaba replied without hesitation. "And that is why, just as they are taught in the Shadows, these people are used with caution. Those who can offer information or help, but who also represent a risk or a weakness, are used for unimportant things or in situations where we can dispense with them without any problem."
I was silent for a moment, a little surprised by the coldness with which he spoke of abandoning these 'double agents.' It was something I myself had pushed for, but hearing it from his lips, so raw and direct, reminded me of the harshness of the world in which we lived.
We continued the meeting, discussing the details of the deployment: the agents would pose as sailors who were left behind, or as merchants seeking new routes. They would maintain communication with the Kingdom through trusted messengers and through coded messages that only they could understand.
Once we had everything planned, I moved on to the next topic, one that concerned me more in the long term.
"Zasaba, what do you expect to happen when the Catholic Monarchs find out about our existence? How do you think they will react?"
"Young Chuta, I believe the approach will be cautious, at least for the first three to five years," Zasaba replied, his voice grave. "Both Kingdoms will size each other up, they will investigate, and time will pass in a state of tense peace. But once they have measured and investigated each other, both sides will attack. Or, at least, the Spanish side will."
"Why do you think they will attack?" I asked him, although I already knew the answer.
"Because of the wealth. Not just ours, but that of this entire continent. They will realize the vast amount of gold and silver that exists in these lands, and greed will blind them… They will see our people as a source of slaves and resources, and they will not stop until they get what they want. As much as we may be allies for a time, their ambition is insatiable."
His analysis was impeccable. It was exactly what had happened in my previous life, and it pained me to know that I could not change it. I could delay it, I could prepare for it, but I could not prevent history from taking its course.
"Zasaba, what do you think of Rodrigo?" I asked him.
"I think his intentions are very unexplainable… He is a person who has nothing to gain from us. His position in his kingdom seems to be important, and I do not entirely understand his decision to stay in Dawn City."
I was left thinking about his words. This man, of whom I could not remember any details, might not be important or perhaps he was an important piece of this rapprochement.
A few hours later.
A farewell, in our culture, often carries a mix of melancholy and hope. We toast to the journey of those who leave and wish them a good return. Today, in the great hall of the stone manor in Dawn City, the air was charged with a much more complex mix of feelings.
It was a formal farewell, but the formality could not hide the subterranean tension. Columbus's sailors, along with the first envoys from our Kingdom who would cross the vast sea for the first time, mingled at a simple, yet abundant banquet.
I looked around, observing the guests. Although these were simple dishes for us, for them, it was a feast of the gods. I saw the fascination in their eyes, the way they devoured the fish, the roasted corn with spices, and the exotic fruits they had never tasted.
It was an image that contrasted sharply with the familiarity and disinterest of the local citizens, who had already tasted superior dishes at my mother's restaurant, 'Za's Home.' For them, this meal was not a surprise, it was the norm. That simple difference reminded me of the chasm that existed between our realities.
The atmosphere was lively, conversations echoed in the hall, and the anticipation of departure was palpable. Beside me, Sogeking, who had been silent for most of the afternoon, glanced at me and nodded.
It was a discreet signal, a tacit agreement between us. We knew what was at stake.
We had talked at length about the naval maneuvers that the Explorer Division would carry out. They would not only escort the Spanish ships, but also maintain constant surveillance of possible routes and carry out reconnaissance and infiltration missions in the ocean itself.
The plan was complex, but Sogeking was an exceptional navigator, and I trusted his ability to carry it out. His nod was a promise of success.
After a few minutes, the crowd moved toward the port in a joyful procession.
The sound of instruments and the songs of our people filled the air. It was a festive march, as if the departure of the ships were an event of celebration. In a way, it was. It was the beginning of a new era; a bridge forged between two worlds that would soon collide.
Once at the port, I approached Columbus for our final conversation. The sea breeze whipped our faces, and the smell of salt and wet wood filled my lungs. Columbus seemed exhausted, but his eyes shone with a new hope.
"Young Chuta," he said to me, his voice grave and respectful. "Thank you very much for this farewell."
"I hope your next visit will be formal, but friendly," I said, with a tone that left no room for doubt.
He understood the message, the weight of my words, the warning disguised as cordiality. His smile tightened a little, but he nodded.
"I promise you, Young Chuta, that we will do everything in our power to ensure that is the case. The gift and the goods we carry to establish the first contact will be more than enough to convince the Catholic Monarchs of your intentions."
The final preparations were completed and the ships moved slowly out of the port. The crew and the locals cheered, their voices mixing with the sound of the conch horns and the drumming of the drums.
I looked at the scene and a deep emotion took hold of me. This was the moment. This was no longer a simple event, it was history. And I was an important part of the history that would be told centuries later. I had managed to change the course of events, even if only in a small way for now.
As the ships moved away and became small points on the horizon, I felt a presence behind me. I did not need to turn to know who it was.
The notary, Rodrigo de Escobedo, approached, his gaze cautious and curious. The personal guard that surrounded me was on alert, their hands on the hilts of their weapons. Rodrigo noticed it, but did not flinch.
"Señor Rodrigo de Escobedo," I said, turning to him with a mysterious smile that I hoped was enigmatic, not threatening.
I took a step closer, my voice dropped a tone, and I told him: "I hope your stay in the city is pleasant. There is much to see and much to learn."
I gave him no time to reply. I walked away, leaving the notary stunned under the gaze of my guards.
My steps led me back to the manor, the echo of my smile still resonating in my mind.
Rodrigo de Escobedo, a character who must have been important, but whose fate I did not know.
"Was he really important?" I wondered, confused, as I tried to recall some detail from history that had unintentionally gone unnoticed.
.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
Now the chapter is ready.
Chuta bids farewell to the Spanish expedition and also to the Kingdom. There are many plans that haven't been discussed, but they have already been put in motion.
Unnecessary Fact of the Day: On Columbus's first voyage, I know that 39 crew members landed in America, among them Rodrigo de Escobeda. He was a notary and scribe in the navy, who had connections with the Crown of Spain.
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Read my other novels.
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future (Chapter 79)
#The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis (Chapter 27)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 9) (PAUSED)
You can find them on my profile.]