Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

“Gwen-jie… are we really leaving this place?”

Watching the flow of people and the Resistance Army packing their gear, Grisha spoke in a small voice.

“Yes, Grisha, we’re going to Castel. Once we get there, there won’t be any more war. Everyone will have a full stomach, and children like you will even be able to attend school.”

“Really? But we came all the way from White Raven to the Northlands, and nothing seems different… Everyone lives such hard lives, even the lords are equally bad. Will Castel… really be any different?”

Gwen pressed her lips together. She wanted to comfort Grisha, but when she looked into the boy’s clear eyes, she didn’t know how to begin.

Would Castel really be that good?

Would it just be another Northlands? More endless oppression? More battles without end? Forever resisting?

Gwen didn’t know.

She thought for a moment, then squatted down so her gaze met the boy’s.

“Grisha, I don’t know what Castel is like, either. I’ve never been there myself.”

“But I have many friends, and they all said Castel is a wonderful place—our true home. Nora, Isaac, Jeremiah, Kenn… I trust them. I’m willing to trust my friends, just like you’re willing to trust me.”

She gently patted the boy’s head, her eyes filled with longing. “I really want to go to Castel too. I heard it’s already very close. We’ll be there soon. I really want to see it.”

“Gwen-jie, let’s go to Castel together!”

“Alright, together!”

Gwen laughed, and Grisha grinned broadly, happiness welling from his heart.

To look up toward hope within the darkness—this was the happiest moment.

Grisha felt warm inside.

Even though Gwen’s armor was cold and rigid, leaning against it still brought warmth.

“Gwen, how’s the gathering going? How long until we can depart?”

Gwen stood up and looked toward Isaac, who was approaching.

“We should be able to leave today, but when we set off it’ll already be afternoon. It won’t take long before night falls. Are we really marching through the night?”

“Yes. If we’re late, it’ll be too late.” Isaac’s expression was dark. “I just contacted the people of the Ashes’ Alliance in other towns. A military force is heading toward us under the banner of the Grand Duke Dragonfang. Judging from their path, they’re likely coming for us. If we leave tomorrow, we may be trapped here. That would be trouble.”

“Grand Duke Dragonfang?” Gwen pulled a metal canister from her waist. When she twisted it open, there was a thick piece of parchment inside—a finely detailed map of the Northlands.

At the northernmost border of the Empire were the Canary Mountains. One could see their silhouette from Sleddinburg. The Resistance Army was somewhere near there.

To the far south of the Northlands was the Grand Duke Dragonfang’s territory. To the west lay the Principality of Octavia. To the southeast was the Grand Duke Alvarez’s domain—Hunter’s homeland.

“Castel’s railway has already reached the Dragon Fang Grand Duchy. We’re currently in Earl Bazel’s territory. We need to retreat southeast.”

Isaac pointed to the area south of Sleddinburg.

“Grand Duke Dragonfang’s troops are two days away. We will move southeast while they head directly south. If we depart tomorrow, we may run into them halfway. The Northlands are mostly flat plains—fighting on the plains is nearly the worst-case scenario.”

“You said earlier that Castel would send reinforcements. If we fortified ourselves in Sleddinburg and awaited support, what are the chances we could hold out?”

“Very slim.” Isaac’s voice grew low.

“The three Grand Dukes had been nibbling away at Bazel’s land, but at least they claimed it was to fight us. But Grand Duke Dragonfang ordered his troops to march directly into Bazel’s territory—this is extremely offensive. Bazel could declare war outright and no one would object.”

“This can only mean one thing—he has lost his reason in anger.”

Gwen looked at Isaac in surprise. “He holds a grudge against us? Why didn’t I know?”

“It’s said that his youngest son died with the Allied Forces. This sent him into a frenzy, and he decided to come after us for revenge.”

“They attacked us first, people died, and now he’s furious? He wants revenge at all costs?” Gwen said in disbelief. Her face gradually flushed with anger, flames appearing in her eyes.

“Yes. And the Resistance Army didn’t even kill his son. His youngest son and the Allied Forces led by Viscount Frey were eliminated by Castel. But people died, and Grand Duke Dragonfang came demanding an explanation from us.”

“Demanding an explanation? Hah. So many Resistance fighters died at the hands of the Allied Forces. Did he ever care? Now his son dies, and he wants an explanation? His son’s life is a life, and ours aren’t?”

Gwen clenched her fists. The metal plates of her armor creaked under the force. Half a year of suppression and suffering, the blood debts of countless fallen companions—all of it surged into anger she could no longer contain.

Grisha, standing by the side, silently stepped forward. His wooden prosthetic tapped crisply against the stone floor.

“Not just that. Not just that.” Isaac let out a cold laugh. “Not a single member of the Allied Forces escaped. The news shouldn’t have leaked—at least not this quickly. But one particular transcendent path can deduce the cause out of thin air.”

He spoke through clenched teeth:

“【Investigator】.”

Moths Chasing Fire and the Church of Candlelight were true mortal enemies.

Both originated from the same lineage, yet their doctrines were completely opposite. The Church of Candlelight collected and sealed away knowledge, while Moths Chasing Fire explored with their very lives.

The Church of Candlelight had always hunted Moths Chasing Fire relentlessly, with brutally bloody suppression.

Which member of Moths Chasing Fire hadn’t lost friends to the Church of Candlelight?

So even though Granny acted rashly and slaughtered Investigators by the dozens, Isaac only quietly cleaned up afterward, never once forcibly stopping her.

If not for the importance of the mission, he would have liked to test how sharp the Dragon’s Breath Cannon really was.

Isaac and Gwen exchanged a glance, seeing the same blazing fury in each other’s eyes.

“Grand Duke Dragonfang’s forces are vast. If he is determined to attack, we cannot hold.”

Even if the Expeditionary Army fought well, they still had to march on foot. They had to gather first in the Dragon Fang Grand Duchy, then march here—it was impossible to make it in time.

“We can only leave as soon as possible and retreat southeast. The distance isn’t long, but it’s extremely dangerous. Grand Duke Dragonfang will bite at our heels. A moment of delay and he’ll catch up. And we still have to cross almost the entire Alvarez territory…”

Isaac drew a deep breath.

“We need unity. We need luck. We need to move from one victory to the next.”