The Kingdom had never found a reliable ally, and now all it could do was place its hopes in the King’s plans. Of course, if the opportunity arose to embroil the Spaniards across the Strait, or in some other quagmire they couldn’t extricate themselves from, the Kingdom would gladly interfere in secret, wishing that our dangerous and greedy neighbors to the East would encounter even more trouble...
Having listened to this, Diogo slowly exhaled. He devoutly looked towards the East and with his thumb, traced small crosses on his forehead, lips, and chest, praying fervently in Latin.
"Per signum Sanctae Crucis, de inimicis nostris, libera nos, Domine Deus noster... Dias, it seems that currently, the only one willing and able to help us face the Spanish threat is..."
Dias nodded affirmatively.
"The esteemed Pope Sixtus has always been friendly towards the Kingdom. Four years ago, the Pope signed a decree, approving the ’Treaty of Alcaswash’, which clarified the Kingdom’s dominion over the seas, and also allowed us to end the Spanish War of Succession with some dignity. However, since this year, Pope Sixtus’s health has not been good, and I fear that he will soon... This is also why the Archbishop of Portugal reported the news of Elder John’s Kingdom to the Holy See immediately, sending the Coptic Cross."
Upon hearing this, Diogo nodded in understanding. He clenched his fist to his chest, his emotions fluctuating, as he summarized each word.
"Once the Pope is called by the Almighty, how the attitude of the new Pope towards the Kingdom will change is unpredictable... Only by finding traces of Elder John’s Kingdom and mastering the routes of contact with our Eastern brethren can the Kingdom truly have lasting influence in the Holy See!
And only by occupying the unclaimed lands by the sea and establishing key coastal strongholds to control the trade routes of the East can we, the Portuguese, have a future of strength and prosperity!
Holy Mother bless! On this voyage, I will not stop, I will explore straight unto death!"
Dias looked at his resolute friend, hesitating to speak. A faint premonition of ill fortune crossed his mind. After a while, he took out an ancient silver crucifix and carefully handed it over, saying softly,
"Diogo, in the southern lands of the Demon, there are many irresistible evils! They enter our bodies unnoticed, stealing the lives of the Lord’s Citizens. This is the Holy Relic left by my grandfather, take it with you. I hope it will grant you the Almighty’s blessing on your journey into the heart of evil!"
Diogo nodded gratefully, accepted the crucifix, and solemnly put it away. After thinking for a moment, he said in a serious tone.
"Dias, during the last voyage, I wrote a journal, which detailed the course and landmarks after heading south from the Gold Coast. At the Equator, there’s a difficult calm belt that requires ample paddlers and provisions. And in the deep sea far from the coast, the wind often changes; we need a new design for triangular sails... when I head down to the captain’s quarters later, I’ll give you the journal. If I don’t return this time, the exploration beyond will be up to you!"
Dias looked at his friend for a moment and then nodded slowly.
"Fine! Diogo, on this voyage, the King has especially sent a new court advisor, a noble scholar and skilled cartographer from Nuremberg, Martin Behaim. He will accompany you to calculate latitudes with Jacob’s staff and record the detailed southern route. If you are unfortunate... I will continue the exploration and search for the route to the East!"
The sea breeze blew silently, carrying the moist air. Both men were heavy with thoughts, and for a while, neither spoke. After a bit, Dias spoke with a smile.
"Diogo, the benevolent Almighty always protects us Portuguese. King Joao is wise and insightful, and the future of the Kingdom is always bright! During the two years of your last exploration, His Majesty has revealed the stature of a great King. Apart from valuing navigation and restarting the exploration plans, the King has promoted talents, appointed advisors, and made great efforts to revitalize the Kingdom, indeed accomplishing two major feats!"
Upon hearing this, Diogo pondered briefly and asked in a low voice,
"Two major feats? Dias, you are the King’s confidant... When I returned, I heard that last year His Majesty executed Duke Ferdinand of Braganza and confiscated his lands..."
Dias glanced around the deck and saw that people were chatting away at a distance before saying affirmatively,
"Yes. The Duke of Braganza was dissatisfied with His Majesty’s interference in noble succession rights and had secret correspondence with Queen Isabella. He was the most powerful noble in the Kingdom, and his fief was the largest... Centralizing the royal authority is the foundation of the Kingdom’s strength. We cannot emulate the way of the Wall of Christ; it’s probably also unsustainable.
His Majesty is determined to centralize the royal family’s power like the Kingdom of France. Next, there are still many real power nobles to handle in His Majesty’s plan... Of course, navigating families like ours are most trusted by the King and need not worry about this."
Upon hearing this, Diogo fell silent, his heart chilled. He pondered for a moment, then asked again,
"During my audience with His Majesty, he inquired in detail about the gold production around Elmina Castle and the Gold Tribes nearby. He also asked about the military capabilities of the Songhai Kingdom and the Congo Kingdom, whether they are rich in Gold... is this second major act about minting coins?"
"Diogo, my old friend, you do have the keen intuition of a Navigator!"