Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

The Port Guard soldiers gripped their guns tightly, only relaxing once the last Mother God believer disappeared around the street corner.  

Though it had only been a few minutes of confrontation, many of their uniforms were soaked in cold sweat.  

These were not fresh recruits who had never seen blood—no, the Prince’s claim over Blood Harbor had been fought for by this very group of guards. But these Mother God believers were enemies unlike any they had ever faced.  

The cultists wore ragged clothes, like beggars who might starve to death by the roadside at any moment. Yet the light in their eyes was something the starving masses did not have.  

Each of them was thin and short, but when they stood together in silence, it was as though they formed a towering wall.  

The moment people met their gaze, they understood—these were not lambs. Not the destitute poor that could be manipulated at will.  

Erwin took a deep breath.  

He had thought more than the others. He had observed everything about that group of Mother God believers just now.  

At this moment, their bellies were empty, and they carried no weapons—only flesh and blood to meet musket bullets.  

But what if they had more than that?  Mira, the Prince, the cult, Blood Harbor—the waters here were getting deeper and deeper.  

“Everyone, the dock is just ahead. Let’s keep moving,” the Prince suddenly said. When everyone turned to look, that warm smile had already returned to his face, as though what had just happened was nothing more than a minor interlude.  

But this time, the eyes the Castel group cast toward him were full of wariness.  

If storming the military camp and taking control could still be attributed to luck, then repelling the Mother God believers had clearly demonstrated his capability.  

Everyone had witnessed Mira’s movements just now. The Prince held only a bolt-action rifle, with just a few bullets, yet he had managed to make the enemy believe he had far more.  

If he had given a direct order, the Holy Guard would never have obeyed. But he had deftly shifted the Mother God priestess’s attention to the bolt-action rifle.  

Its precise shooting had made the other side wary. Naturally, Mira would associate the Holy Guard with the Prince’s power.  

Throughout, he had only guided the situation. Every decision was Mira’s own judgment. The Prince hadn’t even needed to lie.  

The people of Castel looked at the Prince. This man was truly terrifying. Even a rifle given as a gift could be exploited to such an extent. Despite holding the weakest hand, he had won the most in confrontations with each faction.  

The Prince returned their looks with a smile, his expression sincere.  

The group set off again. This time, there were no more cultist disruptions on the streets, and they reached the dock unimpeded.  

At the dock, Castel’s steam-powered paddlewheel ship was anchored in the harbor. A bulging airship was strapped to the deck—there were no facilities for repairs here, so it would have to be brought back to the island.  

The Prince dismounted and shook hands with each member of the Castel group. After a brief discussion, Erwin, Zoe, and Connor decided to split up.  

Connor would return to Castel with part of the Holy Guard, while Erwin, the old woman, and Zoe would remain in Blood Harbor.  

They had originally planned for everyone to leave, but the situation in Blood Harbor had temporarily stabilized. After some deliberation, they agreed it was necessary to leave some people behind.  

Connor had already agreed—he would give Hughes a full report of what had happened here and bring reinforcements. Everyone was in agreement: Blood Harbor held significant value, and Castel needed to expand its influence here.  

These plans had long been formed, so once the decision was made, they prepared to leave and went to bid farewell to the Prince.  

But to their surprise, it seemed the Prince had plans of his own.  

“Galahad, go with them to Castel.”  

When the Prince said this, the group that had just been chatting fell suddenly silent.  

What did this mean? The situation in Blood Harbor was clear—Mira would not let things rest. The conflict between the upper class and the starving masses had not been resolved. This was a ceasefire, not peace.  

And now he wanted to send Galahad, an extraordinary individual, to Castel?  

Galahad was just as surprised. He spoke up anxiously, “Your Highness, won’t you reconsider? The situation is still unstable—I can protect your safety. I have several capable subordinates, why not send them—”  

“Galahad.”  

The Prince’s expression turned stern.  

The tall knight lowered his head and stood at attention, bowing. Though there was still some reluctance on his face, he accepted the order. “I will follow your command.”  

But the Prince showed no sign of satisfaction. He looked straight into his knight’s eyes, his tone more solemn than ever.  

“Galahad, what do you think your purpose here is?”  

“The Mother God believers will return. I can quell the rebellion for you.”  

The Prince shook his head. His gaze grew suddenly complex. “That is exactly why I’m sending you to Castel—the Mother God believers *will* return.”  

He turned to face Blood Harbor, this vast, chaotic, decadent, yet bustling city.  

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“The Mother God believers stole the food. The hungry can eat now. But what about later?”  

“That boy named Tommy is dead, but another Tommy will appear, cutting off a loved one’s head and wearing it on his shoulders. The Mother God believers slaughtered the upper district and brought the food back, but the food in those warehouses will pile up again, until it rots.”  

“Galahad.”  

“I can slaughter all the cultists, but there will always be someone else throwing their flesh and blood at the barrels of our guns.”  

“You followed me here. You should know what I desire—we need to tear it all down and start over.”  

The Prince smiled at his knight, his gaze settling on the bolt-action rifle on Galahad’s back.  

“Go to Castel. It’s the closest place to where we need to go. There is no Church there. Perhaps we will find what we need.”  

Galahad opened his mouth but couldn’t find any words. In the end, he only nodded in silence.  

The Prince turned to the stunned Castel group. “Will Earl Hughes welcome our visit?”  

Connor straightened and nodded solemnly. “Of course, Your Highness William. You are the Earl’s friend—Castel will always have its doors open to you.”  

The Empire’s nobles never refused guests. Even destitute nobles who brought trouble would still be received—at worst, with a few tricks to quietly usher them out.  

But Castel’s situation was even more special.  

What it lacked most now was a chance to demonstrate strength. This world had cognition interference and natural technological barriers. Letting outsiders visit the island brought only benefits, not harm.  

In fact, even if the Prince hadn’t asked, Hughes would have taken the initiative to invite them. Although sending Galahad was a bit unexpected, there was no reason to refuse.