East Africa covered a vast territory and faced both the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. The distances from Rhine City to the East and West Coasts were roughly the same, which instead made Rhine City the best choice. First Town had indeed originally been advantageous for East Africa's control over the Indian Ocean, but in recent years, East Africa's influence in the Atlantic Ocean had also expanded rapidly.
Especially in East Africa's current trade with Europe, cities along the Atlantic coast held an absolute advantage. The East Coast had only one maritime route for trade with Europe—the Suez Canal—but Britain and France restricted that canal during wartime.
In peacetime, the Suez Canal's advantages were stronger than those of the Atlantic shipping routes, but this happened to be wartime, and the Suez Canal was not under East Africa's control.
The British controlled the Suez Canal, which was also an important reason why the three chose to reach East Africa from southern Russia via the Black Sea. Their safety could be guaranteed; after all, the two countries were allies.
Prince Maxim said, "Once we're ready, we can go to the Serengeti Reserve. Actually, I've never been to the Serengeti Plains myself, not from childhood until now."
Crown Prince Alexei asked, "Why?"
Maxim replied, "There's no particular reason. East Africa is huge, and there are many places I haven't visited. The same goes for overseas. For example, it's easy for you Europeans to travel abroad, but so far, the only countries I've been to are East Africa and the Austro-Hungarian Empire."
"East Africa is, after all, relatively remote geographically. It isn't like the European countries, where they can easily exchange what they have and keep in close contact with one another."
There was actually one more thing Maxim did not say: it