"The pearls are great, I've never seen this color and size before. As for the ivory, forget it, it's too long and too big, too conspicuous. Hmm... I'll present it to the King in the name of Baron Ange'er."

"Bruno, you stayed put and knew to come to me first... you're certainly a thoughtful person, worthy of my strong recommendation to His Majesty..."

"Yes! Yes! Nuno Chief, I, Bruno, will always be loyal to His Majesty, and even more so to you! You are like a father to me!..."

Nuno Chief's residence wasn't as grand as imagined. It was the mansion of a Court Viscount, surrounded by a courtyard with a two-story building inside, not at all eye-catching in the bustling Lisbon City. The decor inside was also quite standard, ordinary. There weren't any extravagant, lifelike, expensive Renaissance paintings and sculptures on the walls, only some ancient murals from the Alawi Knight Order, symbolizing the family's ancestral honor.

Tonight, Nuno Chief seemed somewhat aged, his expression rather weathered, even speaking more than usual. Bruno found it peculiar but dared not ask. As for Nuno Chief, he naturally wouldn't tell Bruno about the exhaustion and attention from these past couple of days, and the intense emotional upheaval brought by the discovery of the New Continent, leading to King Joao coughing up blood once again...

"Bruno, the news you brought is of great concern to His Majesty... perhaps too much concern. And your accomplishments are indeed significant, enough to take you further up, maybe even a big step!"

Nuno Chief's expression was pensive, his tone revealing neither joy nor sorrow. As a Court Noble, he understood that his power stemmed from centralized royal authority, from the great monarch himself. And once that great tree falls, replaced by a new, distant one, a Court Viscount without a fief is of no consequence in the Lisbon court.

Presently, King Joao's life was nearing the final countdown in the hourglass. Loyal as ever, he now had to plan a fallback for himself. Meanwhile, Bruno stumbled upon this once-in-twenty-years opportunity, one could say, truly favored by the Goddess of Destiny...

Of course, before representing the Goddess of Destiny to give such a grand "reward," he had to assess this person's nature once more, make one final test...

"Bruno, last year's exploration fleet to the Cape of Good Hope has been silent for more than a year, likely sunk... The storms at the Cape of Good Hope truly are the Almighty's test, only the most devout and brave knights can pass this ordeal!..."

Nuno Chief smiled slightly, glancing at the tense Bruno with meaningful intent.

"According to Knight Pero da Covilha's letter, he has already reached India by land and knows the route to India. From East Africa to India, there's only a short journey... This means that once you pass the Cape of Good Hope, India is almost within reach!"

"Therefore, Bruno. His Majesty intends to form another exploration fleet to India, with you, blessed by the Almighty, to serve as the fleet's Exploration Captain. Just as you have extensive experience exploring the Southern Continent, you have the chance to lead the fleet past the Cape of Good Hope, obtaining the supreme glory of being the first to reach India by sea, opening the Eastern New Route!"

"Ah! What?! You want me to go past the Devil's Curse in Central Africa, past the storm-ridden Cape of Good Hope, and then through the fog-shrouded East Africa to reach the Eastern India?!"

Upon hearing such an exploration task, Bruno's heart was shaken, unable to hide his fear. If exploring the Atlantic New Route seemed like a life-and-death risk, in reality, it was fifty-fifty... then the task of passing the Cape of Good Hope seemed like a nine-to-one risk of death, but in reality, it was ten to none!

In the last decade, he had followed Captain Diogo, experienced the Devil's Curse in Central Africa Congo, barely surviving by chance! He also followed Captain Dias, surviving the killer waves at the Cape of Good Hope in almost capsizing storms!

As for the African coast east of the Cape of Good Hope, the Kingdom of Portugal had sent three exploration fleets following Captain Dias. Yet, two fleets disappeared without a trace, likely buried beneath the sea. Only one fleet barely made it past South Africa, only to encounter the opposing, native Star Moon Tribe on the East African coast, unable to find supplies, forcing them to return...

Such a task of exploring India by sea, from Lisbon to West Africa, to Central Africa, to the Cape of Good Hope, then to East Africa, to India... it amounts to a journey of nearly twenty thousand kilometers! Its danger level is nearly a sum of all the navigations Bruno had experienced, a true sacrifice for the Almighty!...

"Almighty! This is almost using the lives of Navigators and sailors to gradually fill out a new route! And I, Bruno, have struggled for so long just to avoid becoming the cost of filling the sea!"

Bruno's heart surged, trembling all over, filled with bitterness and fear. After a moment of silence, he knelt down with a "thud," paying his respects to Nuno Chief, then struggled to speak.

"Respected Nuno Chief... I wish... I wish to serve the Almighty and the Kingdom on the Atlantic route! I am familiar with the New Continent and Cipangu Sea Area and have experience dealing with the Native Kingdom... I am more suitable for New Continent exploration and colonization, even if only as a regular captain... I beg you! Nuno Chief!"

"Oh? Is that so?"

Nuno Chief smiled lightly, observing Bruno's face for a long time, not detecting anger or resentment. He then sighed long and softly, nodded with a smile.

"Ah! Bruno, I also thought so. You are indeed more suited to lead the second exploration of the Atlantic New Route... Therefore, I advised His Majesty that the exploration of the Indian New Route should be entrusted to younger, braver, and more devout sea captains..."

"Take the Da Gama Navigators, for instance, Vasco da Gama, Paulo da Gama, Pedro da Gama... three young captains, all in their early twenties, in the prime of courage and fearlessness..."

"His Majesty pondered for a long time and agreed. He generously decided to let you lead the second Atlantic exploration, in charge of a fleet of five exploration ships. Furthermore, the larger scale second Atlantic exploration will commence again in mid-September, in a month and a half!"

"Ah! Let me lead the second Atlantic exploration?!... Thank you, truly thank you! Respected Nuno Chief!"

Upon hearing such an arrangement, Bruno's mood seemed to leap from the valley of the Valley of Death to the starry sky of the Estraleira Star Mountain! His face full of gratitude, he once again knelt to Nuno Chief, only to be gently supported by Nuno Chief, who kindly said.

"Bruno, there's no need to perform the ceremony. I still have a really good piece of news! Just, before telling you this good news, I need to ask for a return favor. After all, I've exerted great effort for your matter, nearly exhausting my favor before His Majesty..."

"Ah? Nuno Chief, whatever I can do for you, please just say! The Almighty witnesses! Promessa é dívida. My promise to you is my debt to you, and I will never waver!" 𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"A promise is debt? Good! Good! It truly is so!"

Upon hearing this classic Portuguese proverb, Nuno Chief nodded with a smile. Then, he drew out a scroll of parchment contract he had long prepared from his arms, handing it to Bruno.

"Come on, Bruno, it was you who said it yourself. Sign this contract for five thousand gold ducats' investment and you'll owe me nothing anymore!"

"Five... five thousand gold ducats' investment contract?!"

Upon hearing this, Bruno's fingers trembled as he took the roll of parchment, quickly reading its contents. This was the investment contract of the Nuno family in the Bruno family's maritime enterprise, with a principal of five thousand gold ducats, in exchange for thirty percent of the Bruno family's future maritime expansion returns. And if Bruno's maritime enterprise fails, these five thousand gold ducats need to be fully repaid by him or his descendants...

"Ah! Such a contract? Five thousand gold ducats?!"

Bruno's heart was violently shaken, his eyes flickering uneasily. He knew very well that the so-called "five thousand ducats," the so-called Nuno family's investment principal, was nothing but a sham, where not even a single gold coin would be produced! This was indeed the sought five thousand gold coin remuneration!

And to avoid going to the Cape of Good Hope for Indian exploration and to gain the position of captain of the second Atlantic exploration, signing such a contract debt for five thousand gold coins? Such...!

"Bruno, you might want to look more closely, check the names above. The Almighty witnesses, my dealings never undermine you. On the contrary, this contract could be your biggest opportunity in life!"

Upon seeing Bruno's hesitation, Nuno Chief was composed and pointed this out lightly. Bruno widened his eyes, looking at the contract's party names, trembling once more!

"Count Nuno... you've been promoted to Court Count?... Ah! Together with Baron Bruno?!"

"Baron! Almighty! In my lifetime, I can't believe I can leap over a Knight to become a Noble Baron?! Even if it is a Court Baron, that is leaping beyond two generations' accumulation..."

"Sign! Esteemed Nuno Chief, my respected father! I will sign now!"