I Became a Witch and Started an Industrial Revolution

Chapter 11: Steam Train and the New Army.

Time flew by, and five years quickly passed.

Magic Calendar Year 3233.

Videl led a few of his generals and a small squad of soldiers as they walked through Uruk City.

“...The changes here... are really huge.”

“Feels almost like the capital now, tsk tsk.”

“Yeah, every time I come out for a stroll during leave, I always feel a sense of strangeness. It’s like walking into a new city that looks vaguely familiar.”

With his head full of white hair, Videl listened to the whispers of his men behind him.

He too recalled the desolation and grim atmosphere when he first entered Uruk City five years ago.

The sharp contrast between that and today’s bustling crowds and endless cries of hawkers filled him with deep emotion: “Ackerman, you old fellow, your luck really is so good it makes people jealous.”

At the appointed place, after waiting for about half an hour, a carriage escorted by a cavalry team pulled up before them, covered in dust from travel.

Although the carriage itself was nothing remarkable, the eagle crest of the Astal Family on its side caused the passing pedestrians to lower their heads in reverent salute.

At a knight’s movement, the carriage door opened from the side.

A hand in lace gloves stretched out from within.

Videl stepped forward at once, holding it and guiding the person down.

Seeing that it was Videl himself who offered his hand, Mitia, dressed in a plain noble gown, appeared somewhat surprised.

Beneath her veil, her red lips curved slightly into a smile:

“Grandpa Videl!”

Looking at the tall girl before him—only half a head shorter than himself—Videl sighed: “I didn’t expect that the next time I saw you, you’d already grown so much. Time really flies.”

Ovinia III only knew that Videl and Ackerman had fought each other their whole lives, but he never realized that the two were just sharp-tongued.

In truth, their relationship wasn’t that bad.

They were rivals, but not enemies.

When Mitia was only two, Ackerman even once held her in his arms and proudly showed her off to Videl.

Mitia naturally remembered this.

She retained all her childhood memories and understood the tacit bond between the two men.

Otherwise, she wouldn’t have requested Videl’s appointment to the city’s defenses.

After brief greetings, they walked together down the prosperous central avenue, inspecting the people’s living conditions.

Uruk City had once been the front line blocking the Kingdom of Paria’s troops.

No one dared move about freely during the day, and at night curfews were strictly enforced.

Its defenses had been impenetrable.

But now, with trade between both sides growing ever more frequent, this heavily fortified military city had instead become the transfer hub for merchant convoys.

For five years, both sides had tacitly refrained from raising arms.

Large amounts of goods and wealth circulated through Uruk City.

Merchant convoys needed services of all kinds, and thus commerce developed naturally.

Its prosperity was only to be expected.

“I used to think your expulsion of the petty nobles was a mistake. But looking back now, I can no longer be so sure...”

Mitia smiled faintly at his words: “Those estate owners wanted slaves. What I needed was a people. We were never going to coexist in harmony.”

“And besides... the facts proved they couldn’t do anything to me, could they?”

Over the years, those minor nobles expelled from her lands had ceaselessly tried to slander Mitia.

But what good did it do? Even the King could do nothing to her.

The Kingdom of Ovinia was a feudal state where lords outweighed the crown.

The king’s authority was under the scrutiny of the great nobles of the realm.

If he dared move against her, the others would immediately suppress his arrogance.

Because Ovinia had no need for a strong king.

He only needed to stay in the palace and enjoy himself.

Videl shook his head and murmured: “If only your grandfather had thought like you. He was clever all his life, yet made a fool of himself in this matter.”

“Not necessarily as you think...”

Mitia stopped in front of a building still sealed off, looking at the sign above its entrance that read 【Uruk Train Station】 and said:

“The royal family’s kindness to the Astal Family was repaid the moment both my grandfather and father died.”

Still pondering the meaning of her words, Videl followed her inside.

The spacious hall diverted his attention, and he asked curiously:

“What is this place? Why is it so empty?”

Mitia chuckled: “Empty? Perhaps in the future, this will be one of the busiest places in Uruk City.”

They walked deeper until, passing through the final door, their view suddenly opened wide.

An open-air platform, several times larger than the hall they had just seen, spread before them.

Beneath the platform were four steel tracks stretching endlessly into the horizon.

Videl and his men stared at the iron contraptions in confusion, unable to connect them with anything they had ever seen.

“Look! They seem to be trembling!”

A sharp-eyed officer pointed to one of the rails.

Everyone turned their gaze, and indeed saw a faint tremor.

“Woooo!!!”

Before Videl could ask, a sharp, piercing, unfamiliar noise echoed from the distant horizon.

As time passed, the vibration of the gravel-laid tracks grew more intense.

A rumbling, thunder-like roar gradually drew nearer.

At last, the source appeared in their line of sight—something they had never seen before.

From its top billowed white steam.

Its tail stretched too far to see.

With its shaking and thunderous roar, it was like a furious mountain dragon charging toward them.

Someone finally lost his composure and screamed:

“Goddess! A monster!!!”

“What the hell is that thing! It’s charging at us!”

“General, please! Let us get you out of here—it’s dangerous!”

But Videl ignored his shouting subordinates, for he noticed Mitia’s expression remained utterly calm.

Suppressing the fear of the unknown in his heart, Videl stood firm, staring blankly as the colossal beast roared past.

One by one, the boxcars dragged behind it rattled past their eyes.

“Woo!”

Mitia watched the departing engine with satisfaction.

Its fuel was not coal but arrays of magic crystals.

Thus, there was no sooty smoke—only high-pressure steam vented when the pressure grew too great.

A steam train was, in essence, nothing more than a sideways water tank and a reciprocating steam engine.

The true technical difficulty wasn’t fitting the steam engine onto a train—

It was how the rails could bear the crushing weight of fully loaded trains.

Once steel of sufficient quality was achieved, the steam train was naturally manufactured.

There had been no real difficulty at all.

But this wasn’t over.

The familiar rumble sounded again.

This time, the approaching train moved much slower, and its cars looked different.

When it drew near, Videl and the others discovered it was traveling on the track closest to them, allowing them a clear, close-up view.

As it slowed down, they were astonished to see the carriages filled entirely with people! Those inside—some seated, some standing—also noticed the small group outside.

Sharp-eyed soldiers spotted Mitia and immediately stood up straight, fixing their uniforms.

Finally, the train came to a halt, and the men all leapt down.

At once, under the commands of their captains, they formed ranks before Mitia.

Each held a long tubular object upright against their shoulders, with the narrow ends pointing skyward.

“Report to Commander! Shalewill Infantry Regiment, total strength: 602! Present: 602! Requesting inspection!”

Mitia nodded in satisfaction: “Very good. Withdraw and switch shifts with your brothers.”

“Yes! Regiment, attention! Right—turn!”

Watching several hundred men move in unison, their every action orderly—even in running—Videl was left dumbfounded in shock.