Luis remained silent for a few moments.
His eyes were still fixed on the letters on the table.
But unlike before, there was something else there now.
Coldness.
Resolve.
He then lifted his gaze and said, in a serious and firm tone:
"If they want to destroy our family… I swear to God I will destroy them first."
The silence that followed was immediate.
Augusto and Miguel exchanged a quick glance.
Both were… surprised.
For a brief moment, neither of them said anything.
Then Augusto let out a short laugh.
It wasn't mockery.
It was more… an attempt to ease the weight of those words.
"Your words are strong, son," he said with a slight smile, "but you shouldn't say them out loud in the future."
He then became serious again.
"Especially around people you don't trust one hundred percent."
Luis did not respond.
But he understood.
Miguel simply nodded discreetly, as if confirming every word.
Augusto continued:
"As for this situation… you and I are going to the city."
Luis lifted his chin slightly.
"We will speak with your grandfather. See what can be done."
The name Eduardo Vasconcelos de Albuquerque now seemed to carry even greater weight.
He was not just a distant relative.
He was… a central piece in that game.
That same afternoon, the group departed.
Luis, Augusto, Miguel… and, to no one's surprise, Matheus went along as well.
Alongside them, three guards accompanied the party.
Their destination was the region of Botafogo, near the center of Rio de Janeiro.
The journey would be made on horseback.
Faster than a wagon…
But still exhausting.
If they had chosen heavier transport, they would have had to stop along the way and spend the night elsewhere.
Even so, on horseback, it would take around five hours.
Five long hours.
After some time on the road, the discomfort began to set in.
The heat.
The uneven terrain.
The constant rhythm of the horses.
Luis held himself steady, but inwardly…
He was frustrated.
For the first time since arriving in that era…
He truly felt the weight of technological backwardness.
Rio's geography was a challenge in itself.
Hill after hill.
Endless curves.
You would go around one…
Only to find three more ahead.
No tunnels.
No modern roads.
No efficient infrastructure of any kind.
Luis let out a quiet sigh.
In his mind, a thought arose strongly:
"Everything would be so much easier…"
More advanced trains.
Motorized vehicles.
Or… anything beyond this.
He almost laughed to himself.
At that moment, what he wanted most…
Was to be able to fly.
The group continued their journey.
The sound of hooves echoed along the uneven path.
The sun slowly began to sink on the horizon.
And with every meter traveled…
Luis was drawing closer not only to the city.
But to something much greater.
A conflict that could not be avoided.
And perhaps…
An opportunity to change everything.