I Became a Witch and Started an Industrial Revolution

A few hundred meters outside the city, dozens of armored vehicles equipped on top with twin-mounted Maxim machine guns and heavy recoilless cannons stood at the forefront.

Behind them stretched dense ranks of soldiers and various vehicles, many of which were towing wheeled artillery pieces.

Now, as they halted before Kesh City, seeing the empty battlements and the wide-open gates with not a single soldier in sight—they couldn’t help but feel confused.

If there had been defenders, they would have fired their cannons directly, advanced slowly with armored cars and infantry, and finally completed the occupation a battle procedure they were all too familiar with.

But now, with the city gates yawning open and not a shadow visible within, this kind of “Empty City Stratagem” left them momentarily at a loss.

After a short discussion among several staff sergeants and officers, two mechanized infantry companies were ordered to lead the way into the city.

Yet along the entire route, they encountered no resistance. Every soldier who saw them dropped to his knees, raising his hands in surrender.

They were desperate too—who could’ve guessed that all their superiors, officers, and even the city lord had suddenly vanished? They had searched for half a day without finding a single commanding officer…

Thus, the mechanized troops easily captured Kesh City, swiftly advancing to take control of the major manors, the city lord’s mansion, and the mining-industrial district.

Naturally, the mines fell within that scope as well.

When the mine owner, seeing the Seris soldiers in dark green uniforms and black iron helmets raising crimson flags, came forward with both hands lifted high, he cried out:

“Sir! Sir! I’m not a noble! I’m a law-abiding citizen!!!”

The miners hiding in a nearby tavern and secretly watching could only stare wide-eyed as the mine owner they once revered—who had always stood high above them—prostrated himself on the mud-and-filth-covered ground of the mine, not daring to lift his head for a long time. Something within them seemed to awaken.

A Cat-type All-terrain Vehicle stopped before the mine owner. Four soldiers jumped down, rifles raised, and pointed at him. “Who are you?”

“I—I’m a law-abiding citizen! The owner of this mine! I haven’t exploited my workers! Everything runs according to Seris law!”

The leading soldier glanced toward the nearby tavern. Inside, the miners quickly ducked down. The soldier smirked, then lowered his voice sternly:

“Whether you’re a law-abiding citizen isn’t for you to decide. We’ll detain you in accordance with the law and conduct investigations among the surrounding miners. Everything shall be decided by the People.”

“If it’s proven you’ve done no wrong, you’ll regain your freedom. Of course, the mine will be nationalized.”

“Y-yes, yes… I understand! I’ll cooperate fully with the investigation!”

The citizens within the city spent the entire day on edge, but when nothing happened, some brave souls ventured out. They found that the army, aside from routine patrols, didn’t seem to be committing any wrongdoing.

A full-sized vehicle rolled slowly through the streets. Its rear compartment had been modified, with an enormous loudspeaker mounted on it.

After a burst of static, a thunderous voice boomed out:

“Under the leadership of our great leader, Empress Mitia, this place has been liberated!!!”

“All noble privileges shall be overthrown! Their ill-gotten wealth and lands seized! Commoners and slaves shall enjoy equal rights and status!”

“All rebels opposing the ideology of Empress Mitia shall be crushed to ashes and swept into the dustbin of history!!!”

“Long live the Empress!!!”

Mitia wasn’t sure whether she truly could “live long,” but she knew that if the plan before her were ever made public, she would likely go down in history with eternal infamy~

【The Spring of Cabansia】

The rise of the Seris Federation had become unstoppable, allowing Mitia to devote more attention to the remaining states of the subcontinent.

At present, Seris bordered three countries.

Among them, the Dwarven Kingdom of Sekast was an ally.

With the completion of a land route between Seris and the Dwarves, a continuous flow of weapons was being exported, bringing profit to the Federation.

The Kingdom of Paria, though not weak, was a nation of horsemen—holding a natural disadvantage against Seris.

Their once-unmatched magical shock cavalry were utterly useless before the entrenched Federal positions.

In several brief engagements, whenever they attempted their proud cavalry charges, they were mowed down by the Federation’s heavy machine guns—left crying and fleeing to bully smaller neighboring states instead.

But in Mitia’s eyes, that kingdom was already on a countdown to destruction.

She had a hunch that within a few years, she’d see the young King of Paria dancing for her amusement.

The last, and most recent, bordering nation the Kingdom of Cabansia had caught her particular attention.

Faced with the sudden rise of a new power, its silence felt unnaturally calm so calm that Mitia found it suspicious.

It even made her think of one phrase: “A dog that bites doesn’t bark.”

Yet intelligence operations and infiltration suggested that this “calm” might stem from Cabansia’s own internal helplessness.

This nation had three major ethnic groups as its main body, but counting all the other minor races and tribes, there were easily hundreds.

The Kingdom of Cabansia had originally been a coalition formed by three allied peoples.

As their territory rapidly expanded through conquest, their crude governance sparked constant rebellions among the subjugated.

Forced by necessity, the three peoples deepened their alliance, forming a unified monarchy through intermarriage the United Kingdom of Cabansia.

With the combined might of their armies, they brutally suppressed the conquered races, achieving de facto control.

However, as time passed, one of the three factions rose to dominance, upsetting the balance, consolidating power, and establishing absolute monarchy thus erasing the “union” from the “united kingdom.”

But no dynasty shines forever.

After several generations of kings dying young, power gradually slipped into the hands of the nobility especially those from the other two houses.

After four centuries of existence, the kingdom’s lands had become heavily monopolized. Uprisings and riots flared endlessly among the lower classes, while the three great houses remained locked in political infighting. Who among them had time to concern themselves with foreign affairs?

Mitia sighed. “...What are you, breeding Gu worms?”

And truth be told, Mitia didn’t dare attack them outright.

The country was already in utter chaos if she made a move, they might unite under external pressure, channeling their internal hatred outward toward Seris.

It wasn’t that she feared war, but such a war would be utterly uneconomical.

If their domestic resentment were transformed into national hatred toward Seris, how could the Federation ever rule them afterward? It would be a living time bomb.

Thus, she needed a more peaceful method to dismantle them piece by piece~