Count Aranda displayed a relaxed expression: "Your Majesty, if New Granada is attacked, it would indeed be very dangerous.
"But since we have made arrangements in advance, the situation is entirely different."
His finger glided over the green triangle on the map representing the rainforest: "Setting off from Manaus, the Portuguese need to follow the Negro River all the way westwards, with only the small town of San Carlos offering a limited supply en route.
"Afterwards, they will enter the Orinoco River from the Cassiqueiare Canal, then proceed northwards..."
He lowered his head to calculate, adding: "Over 350 kilometers, only then can they reach the territory of New Granada."
It was only two years ago that Spain began to comprehensively promote metric units, that is the French standard measurement, so there was still some unfamiliarity with the actual distance of a "kilometer."
Charles IV looked at him: "So?"
