East Indies Company

A mosquito landed on Felipe's forearm; it had white and black stripe markings on the legs that would stick out of its body.

Pah.

Felipe just struck it down as he didn't want to get Malaria. One of the most giant killers of the 19th century and anyone that dares to venture into jungle-like environments where mosquitos can transmit. Yet, he looked at all the black men working to clear the jungle.

It was hard work, literally life-ending work.

He feels neutral about slavery, unlike his past self. He just saw slavery for what it is, a financial resource. In a time when hard work and labour were needed, and the treasury was drying up, slaves were used. Plus, they were not everyday slaves. They were imperial slaves. In other words, they will be free after 7 years of serving the Empire.

In the past 7 years, multiple have been freed and allowed to keep their work in exchange for a salary. Many took it and went back to slavery, but just with extra steps. Plus, they should have been taken care of. They will be given a place to sleep, food every day and light working shifts in a time when a free man would struggle to find that.

He already has stated his attitude towards slavery towards the world and all his realms. There is not even an argument for changing it. Slavery trade is entirely illegal, all humans are born free in any of their realms, and the further enslavement of people is completely prohibited. Nonetheless, he was not prohibiting slavery altogether. After all, he knows that is what happened to the USA and The Brazilian Empire before a vast civil war.

Many opposed such declarations, as many were still pro-slavery. Still, they were in a revolution. They were in a dictatorial revolution where anyone that does not agree lost their head; that is what happened.

All the nobles that would be on the opposite side of the war would lose their slaves to the Empire, making them imperial slaves who are meant to take fix everything immediately after a war. As a matter of fact, Simon Bolivar was the heir to a massive fortune even before the war, having hundreds of slaves. All of them are free after spending their term as imperial slaves, most of them are dead thanks to fighting, but they died as free men as any slave that puts their life on the line for the Empire will obtain freedom.

Right now, Felipe oversees the creation of what he fought so hard for, an iron ore mine. In all of his father's realms, the south of Venezuela is the only place where there are considerable deposits of Iron Ore. Everywhere else, there is only gold, silver and copper. And even though the world runs with gold, wars are won with iron steel.

"Your majesty! Your majesty!"

His interest picked up as he looked at the free black man who decided to keep working for the Empire. His name is Jesus, but he has no last name.

He brought him a rock covered in dirt. The efforts of cleaning it could be seen due to the finger marks on the remaining soil. Felipe couldn't care less and was happy to finally find another vein.

The rock was black and red at the same time. He took out a magnet from his pocket and just put it close to it and saw its intense attraction towards it. He was now all smiles. With Iron, all his plans will work.

"Great, God has given us his blessing." Felipe was too happy to think of anything else, "Jesus, be sure to bring anyone that falls ill of malaria to Caracas."

"Understood, your majesty." Jesus had already given that order, but he just nodded at the fact that the crown prince was telling it to him again.

Felipe is not a monster. Plus, very cheap labour mixed with usually paid labour is a massive advantage to a country in development, such as the Colombian Empire. He now has to worry about how he will create permanent bridges that cross the stupidly wide Orinoco River with constantly changing currents; it is changing into winter, and the river's height will increase tremendously.

The first extraction of iron ore will be carried out by boats, of course, but such a plan is not sustainable in the long run, 'I am getting ahead of my time.' Felipe thought to himself as he realized how much engineering such an undertaking would require. During his time alive, he has been saying that sentence multiple times as he understands that he can not put forward the technologies of automatic rifles or something simple as the rifle bullet without enough strength.

"I am going back to Caracas. I have to catch a ride to North America."

--

As Felipe cruised through the Orinoco River on a quite large wooden boat with sails, he could see Orinoco crocodiles on the surface quickly go down in the turbulent brownish waters of the river. "Iron, all the way across a river."

He felt as if there was some divine justice or an obstacle created by nature itself. A barrier that would not let humans develop at a fast rate. Just like Egypt. The overlord of the known world would build pyramids so well that they would be seen with amusement thousands of years after their construction, only to be constantly defeated in battle by iron weapons by different civilizations.

The strong winds that flow above the river's water quickly swayed the boat from side to side, making all the loose things move to the other side. Felipe was already accustomed as he had just changed his body position to counteract the boat's sway, which has a shallow haul.

Remembering what he had made on the international stage, he shook his head as he enjoyed the peaceful view.

It is not all the time when he feels so little and so insignificant while at the same time being so powerful in a political sense of a country able to mobilize thousands upon thousands of people for war. What is he but a small animal whose death would have cero effects on the course of a river or the size of a mountain.

"Oh, Greece, Rome, Byzantium, Constantinople, your glory shall again shine under your last dynasty." Feeling energetic after contemplating how inconsequential he was, he thought he could take on the world.

He has gone somewhat insane, or rather not an average person. Still, then again, all the impressive figures in the world have been crazy. Some in a wrong way and some in a proper way, but crazy nonetheless, and his crazy is the one that makes a person conquer Europe.

But instead of Europe, Felipe is going for more areas than anything. The world is up for grabs, Africa is up for grabs, South Indies is up for grabs, India is up for grabs, Asia is up for grabs, old empires are dying off, and the wind of change flows strongly. He only needs strength to take on the French, Germans, Russians, English and Duch, which would generally be the takers of such empires.

He has already taken upon the Spanish, and they have really done a big deal about it. They have comprehensively defeated a former superpower, which brings a lot of prestige, small but prestigious nonetheless.

'The strong eat the weak, and I can become the strongest of them all. I can become so strong that no one can touch me. I need some time and will nominate this world.'

--

After a few days of travel, Felipe finally arrived in Caracas, but unlike what was expected, which was a calm week after going down the Orinoco River Basin, but rather with a letter before arriving in Caracas telling him that problems had come from another side of the pond.

Before leaving to inspect the mining site, he made Bolivar in charge as a defacto dictator of the Gran Duchy of Venezuela. He can not stay in Venezuela or the Colombian Empire. He has to go and settle things in the States, or it might all go out of control; the lifeblood of the Empire comes directly from the matches monopoly he has over everywhere there is a legal system.

However, he never thought the biggest bully had arrived on the Empire's coast, demanding influence as if they were some backward kingdom in Africa.

Indeed, the weapons used to create his Empire were Napoleonic wars from the French and the British. The English sold them all to the Colombians at a debt they have constantly been paying without much delay.

Nevertheless, they have come knocking for payment.

Felipe entered the room and looked at the people in their own suits; he had to pass a bunch of red coat army soldiers to enter the place it was supposed to be, the governance building of Venezuela. Funny enough, Bolivar didn't move from Maria's house, which Felipe had used for months.

There is an English Ambassador that would generally be in Bogota. Still, now he is in Caracas alongside some gentlemen.

Felipe slowly arrived at a room converted into a meeting room. He there saw Bolivar trying tea in white porcelain set.

As soon as he arrived, they got up, including Bolivar himself.

"Your majesty." The gentleman said in unison, and Bolivar only bowed.

"…" Felipe didn't say anything but looked at every one of them like a hawk looking its prayed. "Speak your business."

"…" The men looked at each other and finally sat down, not waiting for the crown prince to sit down.

"Your majesty, we are from the honorary east indies company." As soon as they said that, Felipe opened his eyes so wide that it looked like they were about to fall off.

"What does the East Indies Company do with the Colombian Empire? Have they decided to colonize us? If that is so, I would have quite the pickle to pick with you all." Felipe said he looked at the man who should be in Bogota, being an excellent British ambassador. "Especially you, Mr. Ambassador."

"We are here to protect the interest of the Honorable East Indies Company." The man dressed in dress attire explained. He looked like he was sweating even though it was not hot; the room was ventilated by a gentle breeze.

"What interest the East Indie Company might have with moi country?" Felipe was raised for 5 years in England. He is a known genius boy who speaks perfect English, so they were not impressed.

The men slid some papers across, and so Felipe Took it. It was a transfer of debt from the Bank of England to The East Indies Company.

Felipe couldn't say anything as he reviewed the documents; they were technically accurate. The Aragon Imperial family is stupidly wealthy, but no matter how rich a family is, there is no way they can alone fund a war in a country as massive as the Colombian Empire.

They had to create loans to thin out their money as much as they could to afford such endeavour. The Imperial Colombian War was founded through matches and gambling in major European wars.

"What is there to think about, gentlemen? The Aragon Imperial Family has always paid their debts even during adversity." Felipe said as he loudly sighed as he put the papers on the table.

"Indeed, for the time that the Aragon Family have been active debtors, they have not missed a payment. But recent developments have worried the Company of the prospects of the newest acquisition of the Company."

"These documents are a week after our problems in New York. If you were concerned about our financials, you would not have bought our debt." Felipe explained without a care in the world.

"The only reason why we were able to buy your debt a discount rate is due to said problems." The man in the suit explained.

"That is good to know. You then have full confidence in our ability to make money."

"We are not talking about the burn of the New York factory. We are talking about the white phosphorus matches that have been entering the market at a lower price, fully threatening the monopoly that your imperial family has created over the years." The man sweating in his suit explained.

"…" Felipe didn't say anything while not caring at all.

"But, the Honorable South Indies Company has heard of your majesty's invention. That is why we decided to take a risk in this investment. The East Indies Company wishes to obtain the patent of your sewing machine."

"…" Still, Felipe was utterly unfazed by the knowledge of the people before him.

He didn't try to hide it that much. He didn't announce it to the world. After all, he has already filed a patent in all the places that matter, the USA, France, the UK, German Empire and Austria. So, no matter how much they want, they can not let them profit from it.

"Excuse me, it is not for sale. The Imperial Textile Company has full ownership of the patent and production rights of the sewing machine. We intend to open a succursal in Great Britain, The USA and Austria. But first, it will be opening here in the Empire that my family has spent every cent of our fortune developing." Felipe explained, still serious as always.

"We are willing to partition away from royalties."

"If you knew about this information before buying off our debt, this means you just saw a cheap bargain. Please be satisfied with your inside information trading gains. I would rather bet on myself, but I would not fully stop our cooperation. I want to negotiate the right of our textile products distributions in Great Britain and Great Britain Alone for exchange of immigrants, Catholic European Immigrants to be exact." Felipe talked as if he was going to make a deal with a slaver.

"…"

"Please, my country has just been through great wars. I need men to work fields to produce food and wealth. You have a company specializing in immigration; if you facilitate the immigration of European Catholic Immigrants to the Colombian Empire, the East Indies Company will have all the distribution rights of the Imperial Textile in Great Britain."

"You are creating a branch in Great Britain. How will this even benefit us?"

"Of course, you will be the mediator. While we will still produce in Great Britain, you will be responsible for marketing, creating locals and selling our products, which I know the East Indies Company is an expert at. Everywhere else, we will hold those rights. After all, we have enough confidence in our product."

"… The USA?"

"No, not even in a million years." Felipe laughed at that proposal. "I should have kicked you out of my country when I realized you were the East Indies Company. Yet, I am cooperating with you a lot. I can give you my final offers, and you communicate that to higher-ups of your corporation. If that is not accepted, I will not accept anything else."

Felipe got up and dusted himself. He cursed inwardly as he felt he had just cut his finger, but at least he had given something to chew on. "If you excuse me." He left without fully acknowledging everyone in the room.