Aztec Civilization: Destiny to Conquer America!-Chapter 1529 - 1070: The Voyage of 1492, Columbus’s Second Proposal for a Sea Expedition

"Almighty Lord be my witness! The Earth beneath our feet is a perfect sphere. Through calculations by myself and the great scholar Toscanelli, the circumference of the Earth should be 12,000-13,000 kilometers. The length of the Eurasian continent is approximately 8,000 kilometers… Therefore, the new route from the westernmost side of Europe sailing towards the easternmost side of Asia is only 4,000-5,000 kilometers!"

"Merciful Lord protect us! The landmass of Eurasia and Africa is the only land created by the Lord. Between these lands lie countless scattered islands… As long as one sets out from the westernmost Canary Islands of the Kingdom of Castile, passing the Antillia Island mentioned by Aristotle, you can sail up to 3,000 kilometers across to reach the mythological Saint Brendan's Island, and then arrive at the easternmost of Eurasia, which Marco Polo referred to as Cipangu (Japan)!"

"And further west from Cipangu lies the land flowing with riches! To the north is the Khitan, land of milk and honey; in the middle is Seris, a land abundant with silk; to the south, filled with spices, is India!…"

In the Hall of Ambassadors at the Alhambra Palace, eight hive-like cupola columns hang from the painted ceiling, sketching out dreamlike angles and curves. This strange aesthetic design originates from the ancient wisdom of Pythagoras' right-angle theorem, further expanded by skillful Arab architects.

At this moment, sunlight cascades down from the top, refracted through the hive-like domes, illuminating the faces of a group of great nobility and scholars, revealing different subtle expressions, like different colors of refracted light. And in front of people with various thoughts, "Navigator" Columbus, filled with excitement, incessantly gestures in front of an upright map, confidently declaring in a Latin accent of the City-State, gazing upon Queen Isabella whom he considers most wise and beautiful.

"Praise the holy Queen! Khitan, India, and Seris are just beyond 4,000-5,000 kilometers of the Atlantic Ocean, and I, the Great Navigator Columbus, will surely discover for you the first direct route to the prosperous Asia!…"

"Pfft…"

A light chuckle echoed through the hall, and Columbus glared angrily. The one laughing was the esteemed Castilian Royal Family scholar, Pedro Martinez de Isco.

"In presence of the Queen! Respected Royal Family scholar Pedro, do you have any suggestions?"

"Oh! Respected Great Navigator Columbus, I very much agree with you and have no suggestions. You spoke well, except for slightly underestimating the Earth's diameter and circumference, and underestimating the westward journey by several times… Hmm, I understand you; having not attended school, calculating to such a degree is quite commendable! Yes, everything else is very good! Please continue!…"

Royal Family scholar Pedro, with a polite smile, waved his hand indifferently. Following his interruption, a buzz of whispers filled the hall, interspersed with undisguised, bold laughter. Yet, when Columbus looked over, the crowd returned with oddly polite smiles as though humoring a stubborn child from the neighboring household.

A month later, this was already the second public proposal from "Great Navigator" Columbus. However, the content of his proposal had hardly changed from before. There were barely a few nobility and scholars in the hall listening earnestly.

In fact, since the King's financial adviser and the Queen's auditor had jointly endorsed this proposal, regardless of how absurd its content or how unrecognized by scholars, it was merely a formality, a formal process understood by those in the know.

"Antonio, sometimes I really don't understand… A leather worker's son from the City-State, a 'Great Navigator' who never attended school nor sailed a ship, could speak so confidently before scholars who have dedicated their lives to the study of navigation…"

Royal Family scholar Pedro, with a smile on his lips, looked at Columbus, who appeared embarrassed and helpless. He leaned toward another navigation scholar beside him, Sir Antonio de Ulloa from Aragon.

"Lord be my witness! Antonio, such ridiculous navigation proposals are even approved… Ha! I truly cannot understand the deeper meaning of the Lord in all this! To be honest, according to my calculations and the consensus of the Portuguese Navy Academy at Sagres, the new route from Europe westward to Asia would be at least 14,000 kilometers! If he prepares according to a 5,000-kilometer journey, he likely won't return…"

"Ahem! Respected scholar Pedro, you've studied at Sagres Naval Academy. Your results must be accurate and align with my thoughts…"

Navigation scholar Antonio lowered his voice, glanced at Columbus who was being observed like a monkey, and then whispered.

"Anyway, whether he comes back is his own concern… Lord be my witness! The Aragon Royal Family initially authorized this exploration without truly expecting him to reach Khitan or India… In actuality, if he manages to find one or two islands in the Atlantic, or discovers the mystical Antillia Island, he far exceeds the King's expectations!"

"Hmm… Finding Antillia Island? The legendary Great Island in the Atlantic where seven Visigoth bishops fled to escape the Crescent Moon Religion conquering the Iberian Peninsula to settle in?…"

Upon hearing this, Royal Family scholar Pedro touched his nose, still somewhat skeptical in his eyes.

"Antonio, Antillia Island is just an ancient legend. The Portuguese navigators have ventured deep into the Atlantic multiple times, even up to two thousand kilometers, but no one ever discovered Antillia Island… According to the consensus of many scholars at the navigation academy, westward exploration is too ethereal and intangible… Only the southward route to the Southern Continent is a realistically reliable journey!"

"Ahem! Pedro, your experience is extensive and your words naturally make sense. But the southward route to the Southern Continent is currently controlled by the Portuguese. According to the Treaty of Alcacovas from over ten years ago, the lands along this route's coast are all Portuguese… We neither have the means to challenge the Portuguese Navy's power at sea nor have found a true navigator knowledgeable of the specific southern route…"

Navigation scholar Antonio looked left and right, then leaned into Pedro's ear and spoke of the Aragon Royal Family's intentions.

"The King's financial adviser, Sir Luis, assures this seafaring exploration… actually for two main reasons, with little relevance to the proposal itself…"

"Hmm? Two reasons?…"

"Yes, Lord be my witness! The foremost reason is that the Royal Family wants to show the true navigators that we are willing to support even a foolish and stubborn fool… And those truly experienced and talented navigators, those who've actually been to the Southern Continent, as long as they are willing to join the kingdom, they will certainly be valued by the Royal Family!"

"Hmm… The real navigators are mostly Portuguese, and those controlling the southern route are almost entirely Portuguese nobility… Attracting them will not be easy. Sir Luis Santangel's idea seems a bit too…"

"Ahem!…"

Pedro coughed once again, glancing toward Sir Luis seated not far ahead. Sir Luis, tilting his head, was chatting with the Queen's auditor, Sir Alonso, neither concerned about Columbus's situation nor noticed the two behind them. Thus, Pedro lowered his voice further, revealing the most secretive insider information.

"Antonio, my friend. The second reason is Columbus's destination. After his previous proposal failed, he planned to, under the guidance of monks from the Monastery of the Lord, head east to France and lobby French King Charles VIII…"

"You must know, the young King Charles VIII is only 22 years old this year, just having married Anne of Brittany! Such a young French King is most easily drawn to the ethereal yet mysterious allure of navigation… But King Fernando does not want France's attention turning westward, let alone onto the Atlantic…"

"Compared to such political considerations, funding Columbus's navigation, even letting him perish at sea, wouldn't be a significant matter!"