discovery. The opening of the novel introduces Jean Loubeyrac, a man in his fifties living a quiet life in the Périgord, who grapples with the concept of chance as he recalls his youth spent with his adventurous friend Jérôme Carvès. The narrative shifts quickly, revealing their fateful meeting on board the "Mariquita," a ship headed to Puerto-Leon, a place tied to a legendary quest for treasure. As they interact with a colorful cast of characters—such as Captain Cupidon and Mr. Wang, the Chinese circus owner—underlying themes of adventure, danger, and the complexity of human relationships start to unfold, hinting at the transformative journey that awaits them in the exotic and perilous lands they are about to explore. (This is an automatically generated summary.)