I Became a Witch and Started an Industrial Revolution

The overthrow of the Roshek Tsardom, the Tsar’s escape while waiting for support from the coalition forces—these matters had naturally not reached Wellington and the others far away in Mugelin. They were unaware that the latest telegram rejecting the signing was already on its way.

If they signed, all the efforts of the uprising army would be rendered meaningless. If they refused, they would have to face the imminent intervention of the coalition forces.

They did not know the situation back home, nor whether the people could continue to support the coming war. At this very moment, the fate of the entire nation rested in their hands.

The day of the official signing soon arrived, yet the final decision from home had still not reached the Kingdom of Suria. Wellington would lead the delegation in making the final decision—to sign or to refuse.

The car moved slowly through the pale light of dawn. Wellington looked out the window at the scenery, feeling that everything was bleak—the sky, the silhouettes of trees, the silent streets.

He thought that this day would surely be remembered as a tragic one, etched into history.

Wellington parked the car and walked to the door that, for both him and the nation, was of utmost importance today.

He pushed it open and stepped inside. The members of the uprising delegation, who had been sitting together in a daze, all turned to look at him with dim expressions. The eyes of the two female comrades were still moist. They all believed that Wellington would sign.

Because the price of refusal was simply too great, and the hope of victory too slim. Even the act of signing itself felt like nothing more than a formality, incapable of changing the final outcome in which the coalition would support the Tsar’s return to power.

“Hmm? What’s wrong with all of you? Isis, since when did you start getting a red nose?”

Wellington picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip. “Why is it all cold?”

At his words, Isis wrinkled her nose, but did not dwell on it. Instead, she asked directly, “Did you sign the Mugelin Treaty?”

“...”

The atmosphere froze once more.

The light of dawn streamed in, illuminating the dim reception hall and falling across Wellington’s face.

After a long while, Wellington, who had been lowering his head to look at the tea, raised it and looked at everyone. The corners of his mouth slowly lifted.

They looked at one another, and suddenly, light returned to their faces.

Isis watched them, confused at first, then as if she understood, she also began to smile. As she smiled, tears flowed from her eyes.

Wordless, yet of one heart.

At the same time, the representatives attending the peace conference looked at the two seats reserved for the full representatives of the uprising army. From beginning to end, they had remained empty. Their faces showed undisguised shock and anger.

【The delegation directly expressed its refusal to sign through absence. Even without the telegram, they would not yield. The two empty chairs symbolized a brand-new beginning—one that would never bow its head again.】

Coy Ackerman Astal crossed his arms and looked at the representatives from various nations waiting foolishly in the venue, suppressing a laugh as he left early.

Walking out of the venue, Coy glanced up at the gray sky, then, unconcerned, led the delegation members into the car and set off on the journey back home.

Beyond the gray sky, there would surely be brighter light.

Because the sun would always rise.

The alliance’s departure was also a signal—it meant that this peace conference had completely failed, and the chain reaction it triggered spread in all directions.

First, the Tsar fled into the Britian Empire, and two months later, successfully organized a restoration coalition army through the Six-Nation Alliance.

Meanwhile, after the uprising army completed the occupation of the imperial capital, it accelerated its control over the entire territory. This time, the uprising army left no room for fence-sitting nobles. Any noble with unfavorable evidence was purged.

By confiscating noble property, they temporarily solved the basic survival problems of the people. At the same time, the uprising army formally established a new nation.

Since it transitioned from military to political rule, the country’s name was formed by combining the Soldiers’ Committee with the system it implemented: the Ernesto Republic, abbreviated as Ernesto.

At the same time, the Seris Federation held a diplomatic press conference, officially announcing comprehensive assistance plans for Ernesto in both military and civilian sectors.

Their slogan was: “Give democracy a safe world!”

The Six-Nation Alliance believed that Seris could not provide substantial aid—at most, it would just make a lot of noise. That was a serious underestimation.

After years of research, anti-gravity devices had gradually reached a level suitable for practical application.

The first platform to be equipped with this technology was the heavy long-range bomber that the alliance had been intensively developing—the B11 Flying Fortress.

Bomber crew: 10 (including 5 gunners)

Armament: 13 × 12.7mm machine guns

Payload: 15 tons

Length: 22.66 m

Height: 5.82 m

Wingspan: 31.65 m

Total weight: 18 tons

Engines: 4 radial engines × 1500 horsepower

Range: 3800 km

Cruising speed: 373 km/h

Maximum speed: 583 km/h

Anti-gravity technology reduced the bomber’s weight by over 8 tons, significantly increasing both payload capacity and fuel storage without requiring excessive additional modifications.

A range of nearly 4000 kilometers allowed the bomber to take off from Gorodnoye Airport in the Kingdom of Suria, fly at high altitude across the Church State, and land within Ernesto’s territory.

Being able to land and resupply within Ernesto meant that the regions of the Britian Empire bordering Dmitria and Ernesto were all within the bombing range of the Seris Federation.

Not only did the situation fail to match the empire’s expectation—that the alliance could do nothing—but instead turned into a scenario where they had to worry whether their own supply lines would be destroyed once they deployed troops.

At the same time, the alliance began restricting trade quotas with the Six Nations, deliberately squeezing out shipping capacity and transporting large quantities of grain to Ernesto by sea.

Ernesto’s immediate priority was stabilizing the people’s basic survival needs; everything else could come later.

There was no doubt that to achieve initial industrialization, the alliance’s role could not be small—it had to take the leading position and quickly drive Ernesto’s transformation toward foundational industrialization.

To this end, the alliance made a massive investment. Newly modified B11 long-range bombers were converted into transport aircraft, carrying large numbers of engineers to Ernesto for technological cooperation and transfer, with a focus on military-industrial factories.

They sought to help Ernesto establish basic revolver, rifle, and machine gun factories, reducing development pressure.

As for civilian supplies, Ernesto could not expect to meet much of its own demand for now—most were transported by the alliance through sea, land, and air for distribution within the country.

Meanwhile, the Kingdom of Suria rapidly began constructing large numbers of airports and airship hangars to support future alliance operations.

Weapons and military supplies were also continuously shipped over, aiming to deliver a major blow to the Six-Nation coalition along the border.

Although the continent was in turmoil, all sides remained rational and refrained from declaring war, instead supporting proxy states to fight on their behalf.

However, the disparity in proxy strength this time was stark.

Behind the Tsar stood the Six-Nation Alliance.

Behind Ernesto stood only the Seris Federation.

On paper, the balance of power was completely one-sided.