Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Chapter 540: What I’m About to Say — Please, Don’t Be Afraid

“What?” Grisha’s eyes widened. “You sold out your own family?”

“Nobles’ families aren’t quite what you imagine. My only real family was my father — the rest are closer to enemies. They killed my mother.”

“That’s… complicated.”

“Nobles are complicated — foolish and stubborn. Only when a knife’s pressed to their throats do they sober up a little. But the scones are delicious.”

Grisha nodded in agreement. “Scones really are delicious.”

The two ate scones together, smiling happily.

“Grisha, why did you come to the Northlands? I was sent here by the Lord for a mission, but you’re just a child, aren’t you? Don’t tell me you’re a Transcendent?”

“How could that be? There are no child Transcendents.” Grisha shook his head. “I came to help Sister Gwen — to help her Resistance Army.”

“Didn’t all the Resistance members retreat already?”

“But Sister Gwen didn’t leave. Since she hasn’t, the battle isn’t over, and the resistance hasn’t stopped. I want to help her!”

“But how can you help her? Are you going to find Archbishop Alexei?”

Grisha’s spirit deflated; he lowered his head. “I… I don’t really know how. If I try to find others, they’ll just send me back. Honestly, if I hadn’t met you, I’d probably have been caught by now.”

“No, I think it’s already amazing that you managed to sneak onto the train.”

“That’s because Blood Harbor’s by the sea — the friends in the sea help me.”

“Friends in the sea?”

“They seem like sunken ships or steam engines… things like that. They call them Ship’s Souls? Or Machine Souls? Mm, I don’t quite understand. It’s said to be something unique to Castel.”

“Really?” Hunter scratched his head. He didn’t know much about Castel either. Ever since arriving on the island, he had spent his days shut inside, listening to Yami’s lectures.

But thinking about how they’d stuffed even a Sea God into the Stellar Furnace, it didn’t seem all that strange that something in the sea would lend Grisha a hand.

After pondering a moment, he leaned closer to Grisha and whispered,

“Then… could you take me with you onto the train? I want to see the Front Line myself — I’ve been curious for so long what happens when the Dragon’s Breath Cannon fires.”

Grisha nodded. “I can try.”

Meanwhile, Zoe bit her lip as she walked in small steps down the corridor.

She walked from one end to the other, stopping before a certain door. Hesitantly, she raised her hand — then pulled it back again, pretending to just pass by.

Then she circled around, came back, and passed the same door again — yet still couldn’t summon the courage to knock.

She had been hesitating there all morning.

From a far corner, two heads peeked out cautiously, spying in her direction.

“Do you think she’ll knock on the Lord’s door?”

“No way. She’s always been the indecisive type. She’ll hesitate until noon, and then just happen to ‘run into’ the Lord as he opens the door for lunch — pretending it’s pure coincidence.”

Nini cast a sideways glance at Monica and pouted. “You’re awfully specific.”

“She’s like this every time she wants to buy a newspaper from you.”

“…”

“Speaking of which, the Lord’s been rather busy lately — always locking himself in his room.”

“He is busy. There’s so much going on in the Northlands. I’ve been so swamped treating patients at the hospital I almost collapsed.”

“But it should be over soon. Ash went north these past few days — she and Gwen joined the Expeditionary Army. They’ll probably find Earl Bazel any day now.”

“That’ll be fun.” Monica’s eyes lit up. “Once Earl Bazel’s brought to Castel, we must give him a good scare — then hang his head on top of the chapel roof! Woohoo~”

“I’m more looking forward to Gwen,” Nini said mischievously. “She always acts so proper, but once she’s here in Castel, who knows what embarrassing things she’ll do when she’s scared. I’ll organize a whole War Correspondent Team to film it all — this issue’s paper will sell like crazy!”

“And what about Grand Duke Alvarez? They say he surrendered too quickly — even the Expeditionary Army holds grudges about it. Hmm, I heard Hunter’s family was involved over there?”

“Hunter already wiped out his family himself. But as for Grand Duke Alvarez — I am curious. He’s a legend, after all. Even faced with the Expeditionary Army’s Dragon’s Breath Cannon and heavy machine guns, he emerged unscathed, effortlessly turning their assault aside. Even Archbishop Alexei couldn’t do a thing against him — had to swallow his pride and accept his demands. And now, he’s coming to Castel himself.”

Monica stared at Nini, dumbfounded. After a long pause, she muttered, “You really are a journalist.”

“Hmph! Just wait for my report!”

Monica was about to reply when she suddenly gasped and tugged at the scales on Nini’s tail. “Look, she went in!”

Nini turned around just in time to see Zoe’s figure disappear into Hughes’s office.

“Zoe actually went in? With her personality…” Nini’s brows furrowed. “Could something serious have happened?”

Zoe nervously knocked on the Lord’s door. When a voice from inside said, “Come in,” she carefully pushed it open and quickly closed and locked it behind her.

Hughes scratched his head at her anxious look. “What happened? What could’ve made you this nervous for days?”

Zoe jumped. “W-What? How do you know I’ve been nervous for days?”

“At least five different people have reported that something’s off with you — even someone from the Prince’s side. You’re not very good at hiding your emotions. Anyway, just take it slow. Tell me what happened.”

Zoe sat on the chair opposite Hughes’s desk, head lowered, clutching the hem of her skirt tightly.

“M-My Lord… I’m here to confess.”

“Confess? Confess to what— wait, don’t tell me…” Hughes’s eyes widened.

“You haven’t started writing some nonsense newspapers like Nini, have you?”

Zoe froze, then blushed furiously. “It’s not that bad! I… I do like writing, but not that! Though Nini’s stories are fun to read… Anyway, I have something important to confess!”

“Shouldn’t you be confessing to the Holy Guard or the Tribunal? Why come to me?”

“It’s… it’s something big. Really big. Dangerous — crucial!”

Zoe stood up nervously, lowering her voice. “What I’m about to say — please, don’t be afraid!”

“I won’t be afraid. Go on.”

“I—I think I’ve awakened an Extraordinary Power… I can connect with other people!”

“Pfft—”

“My Lord?”