I really underestimated Spain's alcoholic beverages.
I've always loved historical games, solving puzzles and 4X grand strategy video games in general. Sometimes I like to play as an underdog, who goes from a really small country to the largest empire on the map. It's not common for me to play a well-established country and keep its dominance throughout the game.
That was until I knew Spain's history.
See, Spain's is quite the special case because once they lost their hegemony, they never really kept it at a certain strong level. For example: While the United Kingdom was the undisputed world power in the XIX century and lost its hegemony and colonies, to this day it is still part of the G7 and was part of the "Big Four" after World War II. France has multiple times been the dominating power in Europe and while their power may decline they can still be considered a dominant power. Germany is an expert in getting back up, same as Russia.
But Spain is different: its story is more similar to that of the Roman Empire. Once it reached its peak, it followed a slow but steady decline over the decades and centuries, never to recover its former glory. Sure there were sparks of success from here and there, and all empires come to an end... but not quite like Spain.
While the decline is slow and can be attributed to different geopolitical factors, it could well be argued that it all started with the "Peace of Westphalia".
This peace was the result of a couple of treaties after the Thirty's Years War (1618 - 1648) and the Eighty's Years War (1568 - 1648) that shifted the balance of power towards France, and while they did not take away the great power status that Spain had, it did just enough to begin showing the future problems it would have.
The War of the Spanish Succession (1701 - 1714) could be argued to be the definitive proof of just how weak Spain had become compared to the previous centuries. Every single great power in Europe involved itself in this conflict in order to meddle with Spain's internal affairs regarding its succession.
After learning so much about their story, I decided to take a vacation to Spain. It felt right to visit the country that I had spent so much time reading about and playing as throughout their tumultuous time. My trip was your average tourist trap route. I went to the most iconic places I could think of, and I even visited El Escorial just to see with my very own eyes the magnificence of what once was the Spanish Empire. After spending my day being the most basic tourist you could think of, I went to a small local bar close to the hotel where I was staying.
The receptionist told me the service was good and the beverages over there would really make me feel the Spanish culture, so of course I went there.
I was greeted by the bartender immediately.
"Hello! What can I get you?"
It seemed pretty obvious I was a foreigner.
I asked for the best drinks that could make me "feel the Spanish culture" just like the receptionist told me, and with a chuckle he gave them to me.
I started to feel more relaxed and explained to him why I came to visit, and surprisingly, he always smiled at me with a friendly expression. Maybe that was just him trying to get a larger tip, but it really made me feel more comfortable while talking.
"So... If you could go back and change history, where and when would you go?"
I stopped for a moment at his question. Surprisingly, I had my answer prepared, as if I were begging him to ask me that.
"I would prevent the death of Philip IV's son, Prince Baltasar"
He looked at me a little bit stranged and surprised.
"Why?"
"Well, while Westphalia was the beginning, the war of succession seems to be avoidable if Baltasar lived a long and healthy life. Depending on his choices as king, he could've restored what was lost at Westphalia"
He stopped for a few seconds to analyze my answer. Was I just a crazy guy to him? Maybe, I'm still paying my drinks so he should still like me enough.
"Well..."
He handed me another drink.
"... That just might do it"
I chugged the drink as if it were a challenge.
"Your highness, are you all right?"
My head hurts as if my brain was as dehydrated as a plant in the desert.
"... Water"
I hear footsteeps getting away, a few minutes later they come back.
"Please, drink"
I took the water and could feel life flowing through my veins. The sigh of relief was just the reflection of my satisfaction.
I start to notice that this is not the bed of the hotel. Nor do I have a service so good to be asked in my door what I want or to be called "highness" at that.
I look at the person who brought me the water. His clothes are weird, and the place, while magnificent, is unfamiliar and extravagant for me.
I try to go to the closest mirror without falling due to my dizziness.
My reflection does not lie. I'm now a teenager with brown hair and pale skin.
"... Where are we?"
"We are at your room, your highness. At the Royal Alcázar in Madrid"
"... What day is it?"
"It is still Sunday, but it's already noon, your highness"
"No, I meant as 'date'. What date is it?"
He looked at me with a strange face, but couldn't and shouldn't express it in words.
"October 18, your highness. The day after your 16th birthday"
Royal Alcázar. Teenager that was born in the 17th of October. It all makes sense.
I've become Prince Baltasar!
If this is my 16th birthday, then this is my last birthday before I die of smallpox. But that is when I'm about to be 17, so I still have around 1 year before that.
My heart starts pumping fast. Cold sweat starts to fall down my face.
"Should I call the medic, your highness?"
"Eh? No! ... Wait..."
The face of the butler was filled with concern. I was acting erratically, and for good reason. Still, this might be my best chance to get important information.
"Yes, please call him up. And please, bring more water"
Without saying a word, the butler left and I was all alone with my thoughts.
I start to think about my conversation with the bartender at that local bar. How this might actually be just a dream because of how much I was thinking about this scenario. But if it wasn't, then I had to save my life in less than a year from a virtually fatal disease that I don't even know how I contracted it in the original story.
One thing was for sure though.
I really underestimated Spain's alcoholic beverages.