I Became a Witch and Started an Industrial Revolution

Within this proposal lay a new concept.

Given that the Main Continent was always coveting the Subcontinent, while the latter’s power was far too fragmented—its strength lagging far behind that of the nations of the Main Continent—

For that reason, the Empress put forward an idea, or rather, a new ideological doctrine: for the entire Subcontinent to unite and establish a Subcontinent Union.

A united government, led by the Seris Federation and guided by National Socialist principles, that would collectively resist the threat from the Main Continent.

Aside from the Federation, none of the other Subcontinent kingdoms could confront the nations of the Main Continent head-on. The moment they clashed, they would shatter—this was an undeniable fact.

The most miserable of all was the Ortu Alliance. At the beginning, they had charged all the way to the Royal Capital of Paria like a roaring storm.

But once the Dmitria Church landed, the Ortu Alliance’s war of vengeance was forced into a defensive counteroffensive, and eventually, it turned into a war of survival.

If not for Mitia’s side launching a hellish bombing campaign that forced the Kingdom of Paria to surrender and annihilated the Church’s elite forces, the Ortu Alliance might well have been destroyed by the Church’s two B-class divisions.

It was said that the Alliance’s high command had already fled collectively to Aikas Port, intending to command the Alliance remotely from the sea.

From this alone, one could see just how vast the disparity between the two sides truly was. And now, the Subcontinentalism that Mitia proposed was a path none of her predecessors had ever imagined.

And it was exceedingly bold.

Yet, upon reflection, it was actually quite feasible. The Ortu Alliance itself was merely a loose confederation—apart from their shared enemy, the Kingdom of Paria, there was little sense of unity among them.

Now that Paria had fallen, it was almost certain that the Alliance would dissolve, each going its separate way. The Dwarven Kingdom never had much territory to begin with.

More importantly, after Seris absorbed Paria, its territory now cut off any potential encirclement of it.

If they chose not to join, wouldn’t that mean turning hostile toward the giant right beside them? Could they really afford to provoke the nation that had driven the Church back into the sea? Would they not risk being forcibly annexed?

The most awkward part was that the common people strongly supported the idea of union. After years of raids and kidnappings, how could they still feel loyalty toward their fractured countries?

Especially in the Ortu Alliance—hadn’t the Church just retreated only a few days ago?

The memories of those horrors were still vivid. They desperately needed a stronger nation to shelter them from the wind and rain—at the very least, they no longer wished to be the front line of war.

To facilitate the unification, Mitia also made concessions. She promised a peaceful transition plan for the High Nobles and Manor Lords of both nations.

There would be no bloodshed, no confiscation of property—though this did not include territorial resources—and no trials. They would simply be expelled from the Seris Federation’s territory.

If they refused, then both sides would see whose patience ran out first.

And she was not one to rely solely on words. Under her subtle direction, the Federation began deploying airships to drop weapons to pro-Federal civilians within the allied kingdoms.

At the same time, field airstrips were built along both fronts, and this was publicly broadcasted for all to see.

Numerous territories erupted in uprisings under the banner of Federalist ideals. Under the watchful eyes of the Seris Federation, many Noble Lords dared not suppress the commoners too harshly.

There were, of course, those who defied fate—those who carried out bloody crackdowns in the morning, only to be hit by Federal precision bombings by noon, and by nightfall, their entire families were beheaded on the public execution stage.

Compared to the kingdoms, dealing with the tribal Ortu Alliance was relatively simpler.

There were large numbers of beastfolk living within the Federation. Mitia organized several large-scale “return-to-homeland” and “ancestral visit” programs.

Even without deliberate persuasion, these beastfolk returning to their tribal homes effortlessly took many relatives and friends with them.

Words were hardly necessary—the sight of beastfolk laden with gifts returning to their villages was already the best advertisement for the Federation.

Moreover, Mitia showed much more goodwill toward the beastfolk’s tribal system. She promised that, in most cases, their tribes would not be relocated or demolished, their customs would be respected, and their traditions preserved.

However, schools must be built within the tribes to teach the Federation’s official language. The Church would be allowed to establish hospitals, and the Federation would send instructors to teach new agricultural methods and assess local resource advantages.

At the heart of each tribal cluster, a new city—a so-called “Alliance City”—would be established. They would fall under the administration of a city lord, retain a portion of their own military forces for self-defense, while the rest would merge into the city to form a Tribal Alliance Army.

In other words, Mitia allowed the tribes to retain a degree of autonomy.

The Dwarven Kingdom’s red transformation also proceeded at astonishing speed. The king was the first to accept integration with the Federation, instantly depriving the nobles of their greatest backing.

Rebellions erupted everywhere, one after another succeeding, and new pro-Federal regional governments were formed. Many High Nobles, seeing the situation deteriorate, fled with their families, while their lands raised white flags to await annexation.

Secretary-General Anna, representing the Federation, convened a grand joint assembly amid the ruins of the Royal Capital of Paria.

Representatives of numerous pro-Federal organizations attended, including the Dwarven King, the Elders and Chieftains of the beastfolk tribes—marking the acceleration of the Subcontinent’s federalization process.

By September of the following year, consensus was reached, and all territories were fully incorporated into the Seris Federation, completing the unification.

At that time, Mitia, in the Federal Capital of Sera, welcomed a group of rather unusual guests.

They resembled humans, yet were strikingly beautiful, with pure azure eyes—and most distinctively, their long, slender ears.

Elves!

To be honest, if they hadn’t come to her on their own, Mitia would have had no idea which forest to search to find them…

And why did Mitia seek them out? To increase grain yields, of course!

Who could be more suited to that than the Elves? Masters of life magic—born farmers and elder sisters of the fields!

In truth, they hadn’t intended to reveal themselves, but the pace of industrial expansion across the Subcontinent was far too rapid. Chimneys of every color rose everywhere, spewing thick smoke that severely disrupted the ecological balance.

The rate of industrial logging had also far exceeded their expectations. Their hidden forests were vanishing at a staggering speed, leaving behind only stumps where trees once stood…

Even the ancient trees that sheltered them were enraged. Thus, they decided it was necessary to have a serious talk with this woman.

“Fine! The Federation can halt all logging operations in that region. We can even replant trees if needed.”

Before the elves could finish their plea, Mitia agreed immediately without even looking up.

In her palm sat a tiny pixie, happily licking a piece of candy as tall as herself.

The little pixie was adorable—her plump body bore two pairs of energy-formed wings. Mitia could sense the faint magical elements radiating from her tiny frame.

The surrounding decorative plants, influenced by that elemental aura, emitted a soft green glow, appearing more vibrant than before.

Seeing Mitia so easy to talk to, the leading elf woman—with a long ponytail and bare feet—blinked in surprise, subconsciously tapping her toes against the floor: “You… how…”

“The little fairy is very cute. I don’t want the children of the future to never see one again.”

Mitia extended a finger and gently touched the pixie, who affectionately rubbed against it.

“But I can only make decisions for your territory. Beyond that, I can’t. Development inevitably requires raw materials—it’s an irreversible trend.”

“That won’t do. Many forests are also home to our—”

Mitia interrupted her with a smile. “Unless,” she said sweetly, “you join us. Submit your concerns to the Parliament as citizens of the Federation. For outsiders and for our own people—we treat them very differently.”