Holy Roman Empire

Kenya is located in the tropical monsoon region, with a coastal plain featuring abundant rainfall, central highlands, and a desert in the north.

Due to its rich mineral resources, Kenya was brought under the rule of the Austrian colonial government several years ago. However, development has primarily focused on the coastal plains, with the rest of the region only nominally controlled.

Kenya borders Somalia to the east, Tanzania to the south, Uganda to the west, and Ethiopia and South Sudan to the north. To the southeast, it faces the Indian Ocean.

Thanks to its unique geographical location, Kenya’s local trade and commerce flourished after the outbreak of the Second Ethiopian War. Every day, large quantities of goods flowed from Kenya into Ethiopia, making this trade route crucial for the Ethiopian army’s ability to persist until now.

New Saltu, originally just a colonial outpost on the Kenya-Ethiopia border, has begun to take on the appearance of a small city thanks to the trade boom brought about by the war.

In the eastern part of the city lies a modest estate, which serves as the base of operations for the Austrian arms dealer, Mr. Saint Dels.

At this moment, a young man rushed in, gasping for breath, “Mr. Saint Dels, something terrible has happened! News just came in from the country. The British are attempting to use diplomatic means to cut off our trade with Ethiopia!”

The well-dressed middle-aged man’s expression darkened briefly before he collected himself, “Maus, slow down. The sky hasn’t fallen yet.”

After calming down a bit, Maus continued, “Apparently, it’s because of setbacks on the front lines. The British army has been unable to make any significant breakthroughs, and the domestic public opinion pressure has become unbearable.

About a week ago, those despicable British sent a diplomatic note to the Austrian government, requesting their cooperation in cutting off Ethiopia’s trade routes.

And to think they still call themselves the defenders of free trade! The moment they encounter some trouble, they’re ready to abandon the principles of trade freedom. It’s simply…”

Saint Dels interrupted, “Alright, I understand what’s going on. Sit down and have a cup of coffee. It’s not as serious as you think.”

Maus, still puzzled, asked, “Why, Mr. Saint Dels? If the Austrian government agrees to the British request, we won’t be able to continue our trade!”

Cutting off someone’s income is like taking their lifeline. By blocking the trade route, the British would be severing their financial pipeline.

In a world already divided among colonial empires, arms dealers were having a tough time as it was. A major war like this was a rare opportunity to make a fortune, so it was no wonder Maus was angry at the prospect of losing it.

Saint Dels patted Maus on the shoulder and said, “Calm down, Maus. Remember, to be a competent arms dealer, you must always stay composed, no matter the circumstances.

Things aren’t as bad as you imagine. Even if the Austrian government agrees to cut off trade with Ethiopia, do you think our trade routes will be completely severed?”

Maus hesitated and asked uncertainly, “You mean… smuggling?”

Compared to regular trade, smuggling undoubtedly carried much greater risks. Getting caught could result in severe penalties, often wiping out one’s entire fortune.

Saint Dels responded coldly, “You know the answer, so why say it out loud? With such a long border between Kenya, Somalia, and Ethiopia, how could it possibly be sealed off completely?

Even if the government could achieve that, why would they want to help the British?

My guess is that the Austrian government would be more than happy for the Ethiopian conflict to drag on for ten years or more. As long as that’s the case, the colonial government will surely turn a blind eye. Do you think the British can come to our territory to crack down on smuggling?

What concerns me more is whether the Ethiopian government has any money left. In the last two trades, they provided a substantial amount of collateral in goods, which says a lot about their financial situation.”

Smuggling is merely standard practice for arms dealers. Truly legitimate arms dealers are rare and typically have government backing.

Ordinary arms dealers who don’t engage in smuggling simply can’t survive in the brutal world of international competition.

As a standout in the arms trade, Saint Dels knew perfectly well when to conduct legal transactions and when smuggling was necessary.

Maus asked uncertainly, “Mr. Saint Dels, do you mean our trade with the Ethiopians is about to come to an end?”

As a business partner, Maus fully understood how hard it was to find a buyer with solid purchasing power.

If the Ethiopians ran out of money, this business would naturally come to an end. Arms dealers weren’t in the business of charity, everything was dictated by profit.

Saint Dels nodded and replied, “From the current situation, it looks like we can keep going for a few more months. In theory, we could also accept land as collateral from the Ethiopians, though the risk would be considerable.”

Using territory as payment was a common practice employed by European colonists in the early days of colonial expansion when their own power was insufficient.

Maus immediately grasped the implication. Being sent by his family to engage in the arms trade, he was no fool, otherwise, he wouldn’t have been qualified to partner with the cunning and experienced Saint Dels.

After hesitating for a moment, he asked, “Mr. Saint Dels, are you planning to transition into being a colonial merchant?”

The arms trade wasn’t as wildly profitable in this era as it would be in later times. Arms dealers were far less devoted to the trade itself and would typically pivot to whatever business was most lucrative.

In addition to engaging in the arms trade, Saint Dels also conducted overseas commerce, such as transporting African specialties to the mainland for sale or bringing industrial and commercial products from the mainland to sell locally.

These ventures faced stiff competition and didn’t yield nearly as much profit as the arms trade, so they were more of a side business.

Saint Dels chuckled, “Why not?”

“It’s not that, it’s just a bit unexpected. Colonial merchants aren’t having an easy time these days, especially in inland colonies. Many are even operating at a loss,” Maus explained.

Saint Dels shook his head and said, “It’s precisely because they’re losing money that there’s an opportunity. If these ventures were hugely profitable, the big players would have scooped them up, leaving us with nothing.

Originally, I was planning to purchase a piece of colonial land, but those colonial companies were too cunning. Even for barren land, they demand exorbitant prices.

So, I’ve decided to take a gamble in Ethiopia. My ambitions aren’t too grand—just a few thousand square kilometers of land would satisfy me.

With such a small piece of land, I doubt the British will bother to compete with us. The local natives aren’t an issue either. The biggest challenge will be making it profitable.

But that’s only temporary. Land is a non-renewable resource, while populations keep growing. Sooner or later, the value will become evident.

Take Kenya, for example. Ten years ago, it was still a wilderness. Now, it boasts a population of 800,000 immigrants, growing at an annual rate of 13%.

Of course, that’s due to the large-scale immigration policy. This growth rate will only last for four or five years before it begins to taper off.

Even so, it’s enough. In ten years, Kenya’s population could surpass two million, which is very likely.

By then, neighboring regions near Kenya will also benefit. As a crossroads of British and Austrian colonies, simply smuggling some goods into British territories would be enough to cover the operating costs of a colony.

So, Maus, are you interested in joining in? If a future Anglo-Austrian conflict arises, we might even find ourselves becoming nobles.”

Maus furrowed his brow, inwardly voicing countless complaints. Situated at the border between two colonial powers, such areas would immediately become battlefields if a conflict erupted.

Make money? Surviving would be the first challenge! Most adventurers who tried their luck in such scenarios ended up losing everything.

Back during the peak of Anglo-Austrian conflicts, thousands of people on both sides lost their lives annually. It only ended when the British, facing a population shortage, couldn’t sustain the fight.

Even now, border areas between the two colonial powers remain the most dangerous zones. Crimes like robbery and murder abound, and perpetrators often escape by fleeing across the border. Cross-border crimes are even more rampant.

Maus declined politely, “I’m sorry, Mr. Saint Dels. This venture requires significant resources, and I am not in a position to make that decision.”

Saint Dels wasn’t disappointed. He was targeting the family behind Maus, not just the young man himself.

Even if this partnership didn’t work out, it wasn’t a problem. Austria was filled with ambitious second-generation elites, and Saint Dels was confident in his persuasive abilities. Convincing a few collaborators wouldn’t be an issue.

This was the plight of commoners. Saint Dels had worked tirelessly for over twenty years to amass the capital needed to join the colonial tide, but the best opportunities had long passed.

Even now, he had to seek partners. His own resources were barely enough to manage established colonies. In volatile border regions, adequate military power was indispensable.

The same principle applied to the arms trade. His collaboration with Maus was also about leveraging the latter’s connections.

With a magnanimous tone, Saint Dels said, “No matter, it’s not urgent. To acquire colonies from the Ethiopians, we must wait until they’re completely desperate. That time has yet to come!”