Chapter 188: Commission — A Request from an Old Acquaintance
That’s all the book records about Juan. What follows is entirely about other royal affairs, so there’s no need to keep reading.
After going through it carefully, this passage is actually quite useful.
First, it answers what “Pavuka Oris Ananino” really is—just as suspected, it’s the name of the island that holds the Fountain of Youth.
Second, it helps Everly narrow down the possible location of the island. The Winton people said it lies in the ocean south of Dalifer State, while the historical record adds that it is northwest of Hispaniola. Although the range is still quite vague, it’s at least far better than dealing with an area spanning tens of thousands of square kilometers.
Finally, there’s a hypothesis—not necessarily correct. Everly believes that the “support of the Church” mentioned in the book likely refers to obtaining witches from the Church.
In 16th-century Spain, although witch hunts were not as intense as in some other countries, the Inquisition still captured witches from time to time and subjected them to execution by fire.
Juan was desperate to find the Fountain of Youth, but faced with a vast ocean and countless islands, he had no way to eliminate them one by one. When human means fall short, people often turn to supernatural forces. Perhaps his desire to locate the island became so urgent that he conceived the idea of “borrowing the power of witches.”
Ferdinand was equally eager to use the Fountain of Youth to preserve his youth. He agreed to Juan’s request and, through certain exchanges of interests, acquired several witches from the Church. They were the women mentioned in the historical record—hooded in black cloth, escorted by the navy into Juan’s custody.
Witches are individuals favored by nature, each possessing unique and exceptional abilities. One or more of them likely used their powers to determine the island’s precise location for Juan.