PREVIOUSLY.
["It appeared everyone was concerned that we might advance on our own... perhaps even as enemies," I thought, noting their instantaneous reactions.
I allowed that exchange to settle before closing the matter.
"The Suaza Kingdom accepts the proposal, incorporating the final points discussed," I said at last. "However, specific conversations and details depending upon each Crown must be addressed directly with their respective monarchs."]
Year 13 of the SuaChie Calendar, Third Month (May 1495).
Dawn City (Cuba), Federal Region of Floating Islands (FRFI).
Meeting Hall, Council House.
I rose from my seat, feeling the weight of the decisions I bore upon my shoulders. Before me, the expeditionaries—among them the European nobles, including Columbus, Norrington, and Cortizos—nodded with a mixture of relief and an ambition barely contained following my final words.
The air in the Council House Meeting Hall was heavy with the scent of sandalwood and the sea dampness filtering through the limestone windows.
"The Suaza Kingdom shall always value audacity," I added, maintaining a firm voice that projected a maturity my thirteen-year-old body should not have possessed. "Those expeditions born of the initiative of your Crowns shall find in us a partner, provided that respect is the first language spoken."
After the customary salutations and promises of correspondence, I watched the European retinue depart the hall. Their leather boots resounded against the polished granite, a metallic echo that clashed with the solemn silence of my own guards.
When the last cloak vanished through the threshold, the atmosphere shifted immediately. Diplomacy is an exhausting theater.
I slumped back into my chair and exhaled a long sigh, rubbing my temples.
Zasaba, who had remained like a shadow at my right, stepped forward. His eyes, ever analytical, sought mine.
"Zasaba," I said without looking at him. "I want our people here. Everyone who stood upon the European decks and slept within their ships. I need the truth of the voyage from their perspective... Furthermore, prepare a full report for me on what your agents have uncovered."
He nodded with a brief bow and departed.
For the next half hour, the hall remained in a state of tense calm. I occupied myself by observing the maps spread across the cedar table, tracing with my finger the route our vessels, the Tequendama II, had charted across the Sunset Ocean (Pacific).
Slowly, the hall began to fill once more, but this time the air felt familiar.
General Umzye, who had exited earlier with the European captains, re-entered the hall, now clad in his reinforced leather armor and possessing that imposing presence that made him seem an extension of the seas themselves.
Behind him came Quihicha and the second officers who had served as liaisons on the ships lent to Columbus, the English, and the Portuguese. Their faces were weathered by the salt and the ocean sun, yet their eyes burned with the intensity of those who have seen the edge of the world.
"General Umzye, Officers," I began, interlacing my fingers upon the table. "Welcome home. On behalf of the Kingdom, I thank you deeply for your service... I trust the voyage was revealing and free of misfortune for you."
Upon hearing my words, all present stood at attention, though their faces betrayed a genuine happiness at the recognition. It seemed they had not expected such a gesture, yet I deemed it appropriate for the courage they displayed in crossing so vast an ocean—especially when this voyage was the first of its kind, where every destination was an unknown.
In addition to this gratitude, everyone involved in the expedition would be rewarded for their achievement and receive compensation worthy of the feat. This was intended to demonstrate to both our people and the foreigners that the Kingdom valued such acts of dedication. However, it was also a measure to curtail potential foreign influence over the citizens of the realm.
After all, the Kingdom was beginning to show clear signs of great material wealth and economic growth, particularly in foreign trade—something that could draw covetous eyes, both from without and within.
"Greed is something that could also harm the Kingdom... though it does not seem to be the case for now," I thought as I looked at those gathered and noted their expectant gazes.
"Now, tell me: what did you see when the stars were the only things watching you? How did our 'allies' truly behave?" I asked, drawing everyone's attention.
Umzye took a step forward, crossing his arms over his chest.
"To be honest, Young Chuta, the Spanish and the Portuguese are creatures of habit. As soon as they lost sight of the coast, the rules of the joint expedition became... suggestions. They attempted to push the sailors beyond what was proper, and there was friction regarding the hygiene discipline we imposed. However," he paused, measuring his words, "their behavior was within what we anticipated. They are ambitious and careless, but predictable."
"And the English?" I asked, recalling Norrington's inquisitive gaze.
Umzye frowned, an expression of genuine concern crossing his face.
"They are different. They did not seek immediate riches, nor did they complain about the rations. They were like scribes disguised as sailors. We saw them taking constant notes on the internal structure of the Tequendama II... They studied our astronomical navigation techniques and how we manage to make our sails catch the wind at angles their caravels cannot even dream of. They were friendly, almost too much so, offering help in auxiliary tasks only to be near the key parts of the ships. Their respect seems real, but it is the respect of an apprentice who plans to surpass his master."
Umzye explained everything he and his men had observed on the Tequendama II used by the English, but he held back a personal thought. I noticed it in his expression: "Continue."
"They seek their own naval development, and they are using us as the blueprint to build it," he clarified upon noticing my look.
I nodded slowly without asking for further explanation; I already knew what he meant.
Knowledge is the most valuable currency we have introduced. The Kingdom knows its value well, and the English—based on what I knew of their history—have always known how to save.
Then, I looked at Quihicha. He had been at the heart of the Spanish project, seconding Admiral Columbus himself.
"Quihicha, you were with Columbus. What happened aboard the Spanish ship?"
Quihicha stepped forward, adjusting the baldric of his sword. His eyes narrowed as if recalling the sun's glare over the Philippine Sea.
"Columbus is a man of visions, Young Chuta, as we have noted on previous occasions. He often spoke with a kindness that bordered on the paternal, marvelling at our technology. But his men..." Quihicha shook his head. "His captains and sailors looked at us as if we were an anomaly of nature. They were surprised we were not in wooden canoes, but that surprise quickly turned to caution. On calm nights, I felt their eyes on my back. Columbus may be a dreamer, but his people see us as a threat that walks upright."
Quihicha, like Umzye, also seemed somewhat reluctant to express his inner thoughts, but I knew it was more a matter of protocol, so I merely gestured for him to continue.
"They are kind as long as they need us to avoid getting lost in the immensity, but I doubt that kindness would survive if we ever ceased to be useful to them," he opined.
I leaned back in my chair, feeling the chill of the wood and its carvings against my back. The image was clear: a paper alliance held together by mutual necessity.
"So, they study us while we lead them," I murmured to myself, though everyone in the room heard me. "This was something we already foresaw, and thus we are prepared. However, I want this to serve as an example to everyone. Not all kingdoms share our respectful and diplomatic attitude; we may even encounter realms with motivations dangerous to our own. You must remain vigilant."
I looked at Zasaba, who was already recording every detail. Then I turned my gaze to the rest of the officers and Umzye. While their expressions were more serious following my words, I could also see a trace of confidence mixed in.
"I hope it serves as an example," I thought, and then my mind drifted to another point I might have overlooked. "Should I limit my contact with the English? Or should I seize the opportunity and accept the engagement with Margaret offered by Henry VII?"
The meeting room fell into a heavy silence, laden with the weight of what had just been revealed. Furthermore, they seemed to be waiting for my next point of discussion, but my mind began to wander as it always did.
I leaned back slightly, letting my gaze lose itself in the grain of the wooden table.
As I processed the analysis from Umzye and the officers, I could not help but interpolate it with the patterns I knew from my previous life.
The attitude of the Spanish and Portuguese was an echo of what history books called 'maritime sovereignty'—that mixture of religious pride and military authority that drove them to claim every scrap of water their hulls touched. But England was different.
Their ambition was not a roar, but a constant whisper; a sponge absorbing our every technique to strengthen their own island. Something they would have done in the original course of history.
"It is the birth of the Invincible Armada," I thought with a pang of concern.
If I allowed the English to replicate our naval technology and the Spanish to impose their will, the Great Quyca—our home—would once again be in the crosshairs of a voracious colonization.
However, there was an opportunity within that risk. If I could make their greed dependent on our routes and ensure their technology remained a step behind our own, I could turn these predators into the guardians of my eastern borders.
The trick was not to halt their ambition, but to channel it so that it served the stability of the Suaza Kingdom.
I emerged from my reflections and straightened my back. The atmosphere of the meeting shifted from caution to expansion.
"General Umzye," I said, reclaiming my commanding tone, "let us set the Europeans aside for a moment. Tell me of our own foundations. How do the settlements in the archipelago stand, and what is the state of our diplomatic missions to the west?"
Umzye stood and spread a map of vegetable-fiber paper across the table, pointing with his calloused fingers to the marks representing the archipelago of the three islands.
"My Lord, the foundations are solid," Umzye began with pride. "In the region the locals call Ma-i, we have established a shared settlement with the Europeans to maintain the appearances of the treaty. However, far from their sight, the officers under my command founded four exclusively Suaza outposts. They are not merely military camps; they are hubs of production and starting points for future permanent settlements."
The General paused, looking at the officers accompanying him.
"The most encouraging factor is the human one," he continued. "The personnel we sent have not only maintained friendly relations but have integrated. We have even received groups of refugees from smaller islands fleeing local conflicts, who are now settling in our territories as inhabitants, swearing fealty to the Suaza Kingdom in exchange for protection and medicine."
I looked at Zasaba. The Chancellor returned an almost imperceptible nod—a sign that the Shadows already had their ears to the ground in those distant lands, watching both the locals and our own men.
"And regarding Ryukyu and Cipango?" I asked, interested in the more organized powers of the west.
"The diplomats were received with immense curiosity, Young Chuta," Umzye continued. "In Ryukyu, our silver and our fabrics were seen as treasures. They view us as a kingdom coming from 'beyond the horizon where the sun rises,' and that mystique has made it easier for our envoys to establish themselves permanently in their coastal cities."
"Cipango is more cautious," he added, "but respect for our naval organization has opened doors. There is a friendly disposition we did not find with the Europeans; they do not seek to conquer; they seek to understand the flow of trade we can offer."
Umzye smiled slightly before touching upon the most delicate and, perhaps, the most vital point for the future.
"Lastly, just as you suggested to strengthen our presence, the blood bond has begun," the General continued. "Many of our volunteer sailors, after months of coexistence, have established marital ties with local women from the islands. Some have requested permission to remain there and form families in the new territories, but the great majority have returned today with their partners... Suaza Kingdom is growing and integrating into other places, My Lord, exactly as planned."
I remained silent, letting General Umzye's final sentence resonate against the limestone walls of the meeting hall.
Looking at the officers, I saw that their previous gravity had transformed into a vibrant confidence. They looked radiant, almost intoxicated by the success of the expedition.
They knew that while the Europeans took notes on our ships and planned their own commercial moves, we were sowing a human empire they had not even begun to imagine.
But my mind, fed by memories of a future that would no longer exist the same way, operated on a different frequency.
I observed the sketches of the northwestern coasts of what, in my other life, was called North America—our Northern Quyca. The Europeans had set foot there because of this joint expedition, much earlier than they should have. They had traded trinkets with local tribes and observed the vastness of the coniferous forests. However, to my relief, their greed had only one compass point: the spices, ceramics, and silk of the Orient.
"It is a silent victory," I thought, tracing the coastline on the map with my finger.
The Spanish and Portuguese sought jade palaces and mountains of cloves; to them, the northern lands were nothing more than a geographical obstacle not worth a tenth of what a single voyage to the Moluccas promised.
As long as they kept their eyes fixed on Asia, the Suaza Kingdom would have decades to consolidate its presence in the north without significant colonial interference. We had succeeded in making the 'New World' seem dull compared to old Cipango. However, all of this was due to the current strength and presence of the Suaza Kingdom.
But that diversion came with a price: we were now at the epicenter of the Asian storm. Commercial expansion in Southeast Asia was not just a matter of ships laden with silver and silk; it was the beginning of a cultural mechanism.
If we could ensure the Suaza Kingdom was seen in Ryukyu and Cipango not as foreigners, but as indispensable long-term partners, we would be the bridge upon which the world would walk in the 16th century.
However, my gaze drifted toward the naval officers accompanying Umzye. Their confidence unsettled me. They had seen the Europeans fight, they had sailed alongside them, and although our ships were slightly superior, I knew something they did not: the European capacity for adaptation was a virus.
"They must not be underestimated," I reminded myself.
The Suaza armada now knew the Europeans were not gods, but they were not minor barbarians either. While an ocean separated us from their kings, their ambitions were steel cables that would cross the Dawn Ocean (Atlantic) sooner or later.
"I must ensure that by the time they decide the Suaza Kingdom is a problem, we are already too large to be devoured," I concluded as my nose caught a scent.
A faint aroma of damp wood and new spices floated in the room, coming from the sample chests they had brought back.
For a moment, I allowed myself to feel the enthusiasm of the farmer.
During the previous meeting with the Europeans, Zasaba had subtly handed me a report of what we had obtained from the voyage—specifically, something I had personally requested: crops.
We had acquired rice, sugar cane, and varieties of citrus that would transform our people's diet, eliminating famines and diversifying crops in the most difficult zones of the Great Quyca.
It was the bright side of the exchange, the progress I had sought so earnestly.
But internal conflict struck me like a cold gust of wind. By connecting the worlds so soon, I might have opened Pandora's box. My fingers tightened on the wooden armrest.
"How many invisible bacteria had traveled on those ships? What ideas of oppressive hierarchies or religious fanaticism would begin to seep into our schools?"
I had united cultures that the original history kept isolated for centuries.
The integration of Suaza sailors with local women in the archipelago, or in Cipango and Ryukyu, was a triumph of planning, yes—but it was also the beginning of a biological and ideological cross-breeding whose control was slipping from my hands.
I had accelerated the clock of history, and I could only hope the Suaza Kingdom was strong enough to survive the influence of a world that was no longer fragmented.
"Zasaba," I called softly, without taking my eyes off the map. "Ensure the physicians analyze every seed and every cargo that leaves the ships. And have the Shadows watch not only what the Europeans say, but what our own men now believe of them. Growth must not come accompanied by disease, neither of the body nor of the mind."
Zasaba nodded, his face a mask of efficiency, while the rest of the room continued to celebrate a future that only I viewed with caution.
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[A/N: CHAPTER COMPLETED
Hello everyone.
First, thanks for the support as always, and for a change, we'll start with the chapter comments and then my complaints, haha.
The chapter, as you saw, shows a bit of what happened on the Suaza side of the expedition.
As I mentioned in the previous chapter, Columbus's chapters show his version of the voyage, but here we see some details that are clearly not mentioned in those chapters.
I really wanted to fill in the gaps, I mean, tell Umzye's perspective on this voyage, maybe with some flashbacks or simply by dedicating one or two chapters to him.
However, I thought it was much better to assume some things, or tell them indirectly.
On another note, just to clarify, there's only one more meeting, and it's with Zasaba, regarding political matters studied by the Shadows who were on the same expedition.
Now for my complaints and personal comments.
The truth is, I don't have much to say, except that I noticed that every time I use the AI to translate, the result is different, even though the prompt I use is the same, as is the text.
I noticed this when I included the end of the previous chapter at the beginning and reviewed it in its own chapter.
While the idea is the same, and I understood it with my intermediate English, I don't know if this affects translations into other languages.
In my case, the Spanish translation is fine, but I don't know about the others.
On another note, regarding the writing rules, which are also related to the AI:
I noticed that the translations always leave internal thoughts in italics, something I had changed to quotation marks because I always add clear parenthetical remarks or asides (perhaps it's very basic, but it's a light novel, not a book).
And I've decided to leave it as the AI determines; this will be the last chapter where I change that. Also, I noticed that this is the case with italics in several other novels. Although it could be due to the use of AI (I hope in the others it's just a translation like in my case, hahaha).
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Read my other novels.
#The Walking Dead: Vision of the Future (Chapter 91) (ON HOLD)
#The Walking Dead: Emily's Metamorphosis (Chapter 34) (ON HOLD)
#The Walking Dead: Patient 0 - Lyra File (Chapter 14) (ON HOLD)
You can find them on my profile.]