I Became a Witch and Started an Industrial Revolution

Chapter 106: The Mine Owner: “Brothers, Don’t Get Me Killed”

While the military weapons were being refitted, the Seris Federation, due to an extreme shortage of government officials, relaxed its entry conditions after a parliamentary discussion, allowing more people the chance to work within the government.

This move had both pros and cons.

The advantage was that the rapid expansion of civil servants allowed government decrees to be carried out more thoroughly.

The downside, however, was that it broke Mitia’s original model of “military-to-civil transition,” causing the overall quality of government personnel—especially within grassroots organizations—to plummet drastically.

To address this, Mitia’s countermeasure was [Loose Entry, Strict Control].

She relied on the large number of officers retiring from the military and, together with a branch split from the Taxation and Security Bureau’s Internal Investigation Department, established a new independent government organization—the Integrity Supervision Department.

This department had the authority to command provincial government guard units and directly investigate, collect evidence, arrest, and interrogate officials at the provincial level and below, as well as factory and enterprise executives.

As regions expanded and developed, local departments would naturally continue to grow, and corruption was inevitable in such a process.

Minor corruption might serve as the grease for smooth policy implementation, but major corruption was something neither the state nor the people could ever tolerate.

And that was precisely why the Integrity Supervision Department existed.

It must be known that the entire Seris nation was now in a period of rapid development—industrial and agricultural goods were all in short supply, and even the slightest underhanded manipulation could yield astronomical profits.

So what exactly counted as minor corruption?

Take factories for example.

In Astar State, the Steel City of Uruk, the industries of ore mining, smelting, and primary processing combined employed nearly a million workers.

There was a nationwide shortage of steel—everywhere lacked it.

So, aside from orders directly from the federal capital, who received the rest of the supply was entirely up to the factories themselves.

That, naturally, brought about many hidden benefits.

The best kindergartens, primary schools, and middle schools in all of Astar State—the top three in infrastructure and facilities—were all operated by these factories.

The finest residential buildings were also built by them.

It was an era where one worker brought glory to the whole family.

Even the factory’s security guards were armed with firepower only one tier below the government guard units—not just guns, but even wheeled armored vehicles.

Though materials were scarce in the markets, factories could barter goods and exchange quotas among themselves, and these benefits would be distributed to workers, with middle and senior management often skimming a bit off the top.

A small cut like that was something people could turn a blind eye to.

But if someone took advantage of the scarcity of industrial products and their position overseeing purchasing and sales accepting bribes and selling factory materials at low prices for personal profit.

Then, sorry, that name went straight onto the execution list. Don’t expect any “internal self-investigation” or procedural maneuvering—the Integrity Supervision Department could arrest and interrogate directly.

It wasn’t that Mitia was ruthless this was a matter of killing the chicken to warn the monkeys.

Astar State’s existence was a glaring sign to everyone that running factories could be a great opportunity.

Naturally, the newly annexed states under Seris’s rule, only about two years in, saw many people eyeing such lucrative prospects competition was fierce.

Handled well, this wave of energy could quickly revive the devastated continents. But if even one or two rats mixed in and grew unchecked, that would be disastrous.

Her plan was to use the mass recruitment of government employees as her eyes and ears, keeping these factories’ growth within reasonable limits.

Meanwhile, the Integrity Supervision Department would serve as the guillotine hanging above the heads of corporate executives and civil servants, forcing the entire nation to advance toward her predetermined goals under layers of control.

In a tavern in Kesh City,

Many civilians gathered, drinking cheap liquor and chatting idly.

As the largest mineral-exporting territory in the Kingdom of Alesia, Kesh had long introduced Seris-made steam-powered mining equipment.

In the past, life for these miners hadn’t been easy. The efficiency improved with mechanical assistance, but their pay didn’t increase if anything, they worked harder than before.

Then, one day, their treatment suddenly improved not only were wages doubled,

but the mines also began providing breakfast and dinner.

They had a proper lunch break, time to drink and gamble at taverns, and for a bit more money, they could even go upstairs for “real combat” with the ladies of the night.

Rumor had it that the mine owner had built these taverns and gambling halls himself but who cared?

As long as they had food, drink, and work, with a bit of leisure on the side, they were content.

“Hey, fellas, did you hear? Our Lord of Kesh City ran away!”

‘Huh? For real?’

“Ha! You’re behind the times. Not just the city lord—those high nobles have all fled too.”

‘Why though?’

Hearing gossip, everyone drinking on the first floor gathered around.

“Isn’t there a war going on? Heard the army’s coming this way, so the nobles all ran.”

‘Then what about us? Will they start killing civilians? And what about the mine owner—did he run too?’

“Nah, I don’t think so. The factory owner ain’t a noble, and that army’s supposed to be targeting nobles…”

“Tsk, first time I’ve heard of an army that specifically fights nobles. Let’s hope it’s true. We commoners got nowhere to run anyway—and I kinda like my job here…”

‘Hey, quit making things up. What kind of army only fights nobles? Their officers must be nobles too, right?’

‘Yeah, sounds like nonsense to me.’

Most didn’t believe such talk. Usually, even if an enemy nation occupied a noble’s land, it wasn’t a big deal—they might demand some money or just exile them.

Because nobles were untouchable. Whether from the same country or not, their status was sacred and upheld.

Nobles were holy and exalted; even across nations, noble laws were nearly identical everyone safeguarded the interests of the nobility.

And nobles held great power in their territories, often commanding private armies.

If one were executed, word would spread fast, and every noble would resist to the death.

No king or emperor would dare take on such a thankless task.

As the gossipers and skeptics argued heatedly, a sudden commotion rose from the mine outside the tavern.

“The Seris army’s here!!! Everyone hide!!”

‘War?!’

“Why aren’t there gunshots? Are they still outside the city?”

Panic rippled through the tavern.

Upstairs, hurried footsteps thundered down the stairs half-dressed men rushing out in a frenzy.

They all dashed toward the exit, wanting to get home and hide.

But as they stepped outside, they spotted a familiar short and plump figure it was the Mine Owner!

“Sir!”

“My lord!”

The mine owner, usually dressed in finery, now wore simple cloth clothes. He was walking briskly, but when he heard the shouts from the tavern, his face changed instantly.

He jogged over and waved his hands anxiously: The source of thɪs content is novel⟡fire.net

“You… you guys! Don’t call me that anymore—just call me boss, got it?!”

“Brothers, I’ve treated you all well, haven’t I? When those soldiers come by later, for heaven’s sake, don’t call me lord and get me killed!”