Chapter 283 : There Isn't Much Time Left for the Allied Nations~

Overwhelming ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍wealth could make people lose their reason, and naturally, it could become a blade that killed.

Midia ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍did not think there was anything earth-shattering about what she had proposed.

Interests ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍were the eternal main theme. As long as one could analyze the other party's circumstances and needs, and if those needs could be satisfied, then today's enemy could become tomorrow's ally.

In ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the past, things had been that way because productivity and administrative capability had been insufficient, forcing rulers to distribute authority. Each family specialized in governing a certain area, and together they formed a privileged class that jointly controlled a nation.

But ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍times were different now. Although the Main Continent had failed to keep pace with the Alliance's industrial development, it had nevertheless completed the First Industrial Revolution for the most part.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍qualitative leap in productivity had not only caused production capacity to explode, but had also created an increasingly sharp contradiction.

That was the fact that land no longer held the same value it once had.

In the past, the value of land ultimately came down to whether it was suitable for growing grain. Fertile farmland was considered valuable, and places where precious metals could be mined near the surface were considered good land.

Areas with poor harvests, unsuitable conditions for cash crops, and few surface minerals were worthless.

But now, with the explosion of productivity and the advent of industrialized mass production, industry demanded everything except food.

That made things very interesting.

Although fertile farmland remained valuable, regions rich in minerals and other natural resources had begun skyrocketing in value, rapidly catching up with—or even surpassing—the productive value of the lands held by the old noble families.

Especially as geological exploration, mining, metal smelting, and synthetic technologies advanced, materials that had once been worthless became precious, while seemingly barren wastelands might conceal oil, natural gas, or massive mineral deposits deep underground.

The lands held by newly established noble families—or weaker houses—had naturally never been as valuable as those of the old aristocracy. The gap in economic output between them had been large enough for the established noble families to maintain permanent dominance and initiative.

But now, many new families—or even impoverished nobles possessing only two patches of barren wasteland—had been handed opportunities to rise overnight simply because of differences in regional resource production.

And rising meant competing for influence.

Because influence determined who established the rules and standards.

If you did not compete for it, then everything you possessed would sooner or later be taken away through various means by those who already held influence.

The old aristocrats had grown accustomed to the benefits that came with influence. Would they willingly hand it over?

Their wealth might have been matched, but their status had not.

Naturally, conflicts between the old and the new would only continue to grow.

In other words, although the Main Continent's nations all appeared to be ruled by privileged classes, that was merely a broad categorization.

If classified more carefully, there were at least four major factions: the old aristocracy, the emerging nobility, industrial entrepreneurs, and the warlords who had rapidly risen amid widespread firearms and political instability.

Although these four groups shared certain common interests, far more numerous were the conflicts created by unequal distributions of benefits.

That gave Midia an enormous amount of room to maneuver.

In truth, she had subconsciously overlooked this issue at first.

That was because, both before and after her rebirth, the greatest objective of her own nation had always been unification.

That had been unquestionable.

No one had ever considered it even slightly wrong.

That unquestionable belief had been deeply rooted within everyone's minds.

To use an example, if the nation itself were removed as a whole, many regions would actually develop better and enjoy more prosperous lives on their own.

After all, the distribution of natural resources was inherently random.

Some places were simply blessed by nature and possessed everything.

For example, suppose there were three unnamed provinces which, when combined, possessed abundant population, oil, mineral resources, grain production, forestry, fisheries, natural deep-water ports, and outstanding strategic positions by both land and sea.

A region like that could easily become a second-rate, or even near first-rate, nation if it existed independently.

But because a nation existed, those advantageous resources would instead be redistributed to support weaker provinces and nurture their development.

Such sacrifices could neither be measured nor repaid through simple calculations of profit.

Nearly every province had benefited from their support in one field or another.

That was why they had earned titles such as the Eldest Son or Big Brother.

Because they were one unified whole, they naturally bore such responsibilities.

If everything were calculated purely in terms of gains and losses, such things could never have been accomplished.

That was why Midia had subconsciously regarded the ruling elites within every kingdom and empire on this continent as belonging to a single unified faction.

Later, however, she realized something.

This place...

Was never her homeland.

Nor were these nations anything like the country she had once known.

Here, not to mention anything else, even nationalism and national confidence were still only beginning to sprout.

Which meant there was an enormous point of breakthrough hidden within all of this.

These countries had always been loose federations from the very beginning.

They had never undergone the centralization brought by a commandery-and-county administrative system, nor had they developed a national identity capable of transcending calculations of personal interests.

She could completely support one faction while suppressing another.

By massively importing raw materials from specific regions, or providing enormous quantities of industrial orders to certain areas, within only a few years the economic disparities between different regions inside the same country would rapidly become apparent.

The imbalance in resource production would inevitably lead to unequal regional incomes.

Unequal incomes would naturally divide the strong from the weak.

And then the stronger regions would inevitably ask:

Why should we keep subsidizing you?

Why should we sacrifice our own interests for your sake?

If you took a smaller share from me, wouldn't I naturally live even better?

Whether they were ordinary people or local nobles, feelings of resentment would inevitably arise.

And resentment would inevitably challenge the existing ruling system.

This problem could not be resolved without one—or even multiple—bloody purges.

Because at its core, it was a process of redistributing interests.

That did not even account for the increasingly fierce internal struggles among the various factions themselves.

Which made the second option appear much simpler and far more practical.

Simply split away.

Stop playing the game altogether.

The resources under my control are already enough for me to live comfortably.

If the rest of you want to keep fighting among yourselves, then go ahead.

I'll simply guard my own little piece of land.

As long as they could withstand the first wave of war triggered by declaring independence and possessed sufficient military strength to make the other side think twice before acting recklessly, then they could achieve de facto independence.

Afterward, through extensive promotion of ethnic and national distinctions to reshape people's identity, even cultural separation could eventually be completed.

Whether economically or militarily, the Ceres Federation possessed more than enough capability to protect any region that wished to become independent.

Stationing troops there would also become perfectly justified.

Once regions truly separated because of economic interests, it would become almost impossible for them to unite again.

There had never been a solution in this world where everyone could win.

If you enjoyed prosperity yourself, someone else would inevitably bear the cost.

If you weren't sitting at the dining table—

Then you were on the menu.

Looking back at the overall strategic map, the fate of the Demetria Holy See had already been decided.

Ernesto's Air Force had also begun operating actively across the battlefield, gradually tipping the balance of victory back in the Alliance's favor.

Suria had likewise escaped the crisis of national destruction.

Meanwhile, the Alliance's Armored Army Group had already broken into the Kingdom of Ixia and the Kingdom of Puelente, pushing the front lines back.

In reality, the Allied Nations' grand strategy had already reached the brink of total failure.

The people of those two countries, having escaped unimaginable suffering, would launch an overwhelming counteroffensive under the Alliance's guidance, carrying boundless hatred with them.

There wasn't much time left for the Allied Nations~