I Became a Witch and Started an Industrial Revolution

As Natalia asked questions like a curious child, Veronica answered them all. However, whenever Veronica asked her something in return, Natalia would always smile awkwardly and vaguely brush it off.

It was not that Natalia did not want to explain—it was simply that every question Veronica asked was extremely sharp.

For example, why was it that the Ministry of Railways of the Seris Alliance had signed an agreement with them long ago to construct a transportation railway running through the interior of the Tsarist Nation, yet the project had still not officially begun?

According to Veronica’s rough estimate, she had seen that cooperation news several years ago.

But how could Natalia explain it? Was she supposed to tell Veronica that the railway could not be built because of opposition from the nobles?

Thinking about it gave her a headache. In the end, she could only complain to Veronica in a somewhat self-deprecating tone about the situation they were currently facing.

Logically speaking, the construction of railways could accelerate the circulation of regional goods and reduce transportation costs. Naturally, prices would fall to a certain extent, bringing tremendous benefits to both the country and its people.

Yet when it came to land acquisition, no matter how generous the conditions and rewards offered by the kingdom were, those nobles remained absolutely unwilling to agree.

The irritable Tsar had been furious countless times, but he had no good solution either.

As the Tsar’s most beloved youngest daughter, Natalia knew quite a lot of internal information.

The Tsar could restrain the nobles to some extent, but when investigations were carried out, it was discovered that the truly resistant high nobles were actually few. It was not that they opposed it; rather, the Manor Lords within their territories refused, and they themselves had no way to deal with them.

Natalia was puzzled, but Veronica immediately understood where the root of the problem lay.

“You have to bypass the nobles and listen to the demands of the Manor Lords. But I think… well, anyway, the situation you’re facing is indeed very difficult.”

“The Manor Lord class is extremely detestable. Their lives have only three desires: occupy land, acquire slaves, and occupy even more land. If you take their land, they will absolutely never agree.”

“Building railways to accelerate circulation, then constructing factories to develop industry—none of these benefits have anything to do with the Manor Lords. Their wealth comes from the land, guaranteeing stable returns no matter drought or flood. In other words, the only thing they care about is whether slaves will become more expensive.”

“If industry wants to develop, it requires a large number of workers. That indirectly squeezes the number and sources of slaves. If everyone goes to work in factories, who will stay in the fields to be exploited by them?”

“They only want stability. As long as their land does not shrink, generation after generation they can accumulate a little more. Then they will remain local tyrants forever.”

After hearing Veronica’s analysis, Natalia suddenly realized the truth and nodded repeatedly in agreement.

“But how did you solve this problem? I remember your newspapers reported the number of kilometers of railway you built—it was terrifying… Didn’t you encounter opposition from Manor Lords?”

“Solve it? That problem doesn’t need solving. You just solve the group that created the problem.”

Veronica said calmly,

“The Empress said long ago that the Manor Lord class is a tumor. It provides no positive contribution to society or living beings. All they do is occupy land and plunder labor, clinging to the soil beneath their feet like weeds, dreaming of inheriting it endlessly like the earth itself.”

“A qualified government should be like a sharp hoe—dig them out completely and eradicate them at the roots. So that’s exactly what we did.”

Natalia: “......You killed them all?!”

“Yes. If we are to live, then they must die.”

Natalia’s expression became extremely complicated. The Seris Alliance’s solution was something she could only listen to.

In a country like the Tsarist Nation, the largest Manor Lord was the Tsar himself.

Nobles and Manor Lords were two sides of the same coin. Without noble privileges, Manor Lords could not obtain much land at all—and even if they did, it would soon be taken away.

That was why Mitia’s policy back then had been a ruthless, decisive strike. As long as her blade swung fast enough, every slash released vast amounts of land and power.

But there was a prerequisite: the blade must not be knocked back and shattered. Otherwise, what followed would be a counter-purge.

If the strike succeeded, however, the rewards were immense.

Industrial resources could be allocated however she wished. Factories could be built wherever she deemed appropriate. Neither Manor Lords nor nobles would dare say a single word of objection—only silent approval.

Mitoten Port

After the Seris Alliance student delegation departed, the ships took on the exchange students sent by the Tsarist Nation via sea transport. The Seris fleet then sailed away.

With the fleet gone, the previously restrained forces on both sides of the Derro War immediately began fighting fiercely at Mitoten Port.

Dmitria placed great importance on Mitoten.

Geographically speaking, Mitoten Port was the closest contact point between the Roshek Tsarist Dynasty and the Seris Alliance.

If Dmitria captured this place, then future military supplies from the Alliance to the Roshek Tsarist Dynasty would have to take a large detour through the inner sea.

Naturally, the Roshek Tsarist Dynasty understood this clearly as well, so they defended it with absolute determination. Even farm slaves who had been working in the fields for Manor Lords were forcibly conscripted to the front lines.

The farm owners objected?

If you objected, your whole family would go to the front together.

“Crack!”

【Move! The great Tsar has ordered that we must not retreat a single step!】

Yadov stood dazed among a filthy, foul-smelling crowd of slaves. Around him echoed the sharp sounds of whips cutting through the air and the furious curses of the overseers.

Weak cries of pain rose one after another.

The crowd slowly began to move.

Yadov brushed aside his dark gray hair, revealing a pair of lifeless blue eyes as he stared at the long procession ahead.

【The people of the Roshek Tsarist Dynasty will drive away the invaders! Charge! Move!】

Seeing that the whip was not very effective, the overseer supervising the column loaded the long rifle hanging behind his back—one supplied by the Alliance.

Bang!

He fired a shot into the sky, then pointed the rifle at the crowd.

“Move!”

The numb crowd erupted into commotion and began running faster toward the distance.

There stood a large military supply station where they would be armed.

Yadov ran along with the crowd.

As they drew closer, the screams from inside the supply station became increasingly clear. Numerous severely wounded soldiers had been discarded outside the walls, left to fend for themselves.

Yadov hesitated for a moment.

Then he walked over to one of the soldiers lying on the ground whose arms had been blown off. He bent down, pulled the boots off the man’s feet, and slipped them onto his own bare feet before leaving to rejoin the flow of people.

Seeing Yadov merge back into the crowd, the overseer finally removed his finger from the trigger.

Inside the supply station, the situation was even more chaotic.

Large numbers of lightly wounded soldiers gathered together, waiting for nuns and priests from the Church to treat them.

【Those who receive rifles will have one minute on the road to learn how to use them! Remember! Install the bullet, pull the spherical bolt handle upward and push forward to chamber the round, slide it back and pull down to lock the bolt, then press the trigger to fire!】

【One third of you will receive rifles. The rest will receive two magazines of ammunition. Those without rifles must follow those who have them!】

【When he dies in battle, pick up his rifle and continue shooting!】

Very fortunately, Yadov received two magazines.