Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Was ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍it possible that Hughes really was a god? That he himself was truly some kind of prophet? That the Scripture had not been fabricated at all, but was instead a certain resonance that existed in the unseen?

That all of this had not been coincidence, but predetermined fate? That fate itself had used his hands to create the Holy Text of the Cult of the Hidden in the name of coincidence?

Josh hurriedly shook his head, as if doing so could fling those wavering thoughts out of his mind.

That was right. He had wavered.

He had originally only wanted to be a merchant. He had never once thought about wearing a crown, and everything he had done was no more than handing someone a bowl of hot porridge when people were in difficulty.

Lord, please guide the path ahead of me.

Even Josh himself did not notice that, in his confusion, he had subconsciously begun praying to Hughes.

Castel.

The moment Gwen stepped out of the cabin door, she was startled by the cheering outside.

She somewhat dazedly poked her head out, and what she saw was an incomparably lively scene:

  Almost the entire dock was packed full of people. Some of the workers still had wrenches tucked into their pockets, the Church Guard still had Holy Texts hanging at their waists, yet when they saw Gwen, they all let out enthusiastic cheers.

“N-Nora, what’s wrong with them?”

“What else could it be, they’re welcoming you.” Nini said with a grin at the side. “We just went through Mind Resonance, everyone already knows that the Steel Ark and the Soul of All Machines outside were summoned by you. Of course they want to see you.”

“I-Is that so?”

“Of course.”

Gwen scratched her head, her expression somewhat awkward.

What a coincidence. During that Mind Resonance just now, she had been the only one who hadn’t resonated.

That made things a bit embarrassing.

Gwen mustered up her courage and wanted to walk out of the cabin, but the moment she poked her head out and saw the enthusiastic crowd outside, that courage instantly dissipated.

“Nini, can you think of a way to secretly take me up there? This… is really a bit awkward.”

Although Gwen was usually carefree, when facing these unfamiliar yet overly enthusiastic people—already bordering on fanaticism—she still felt a bit stage-shy.

“What’s there to be awkward about, come on, I’ll teach you!”

Nini leaned close to Gwen’s ear and whispered something. Gwen’s eyes gradually lit up.

“Where’s Gwen? Why hasn’t she come out yet?”

“I heard she’s a particularly handsome big sister, tall, with long white hair…”

“Really?”

“Of course, and she’s also the leader of the Northlands Resistance Army, incredibly impressive.”

“Look, she’s coming out, she’s coming out!”

The islanders of Castel saw a steel boot step out from the cabin, followed by a leg covered in skirt armor. Soon, Gwen, clad in armor, walked out.

If it were according to Gwen’s own thoughts, wearing a fully enclosed steel helmet at this moment would have been perfect, to cover up her awkward expression.

Unfortunately, this set of armor of hers did not come with a matching helmet.

Fortunately, she had a better method.

Gwen held Nora up with both hands, blocking her own face.

Nora’s eyes were vacant, swaying back and forth with Gwen’s steps, her face full of utter despair.

Why did it feel like Gwen plus Nini had produced some kind of chemical reaction, with destructive power greatly increased compared to before?

  Especially destructive to her.

  No, she absolutely could not let Gwen meet Monica. Monica’s devious ideas plus Gwen’s execution ability would probably send Castel straight into the sky.

Nora’s eyes regained a bit of clarity. She still did not know that she was the first person to realize this enormous crisis.

Gwen quickly crossed the plank from the ship’s side to the dock, then darted left and right through the crowd, before fleeing the dock area as if escaping.

The onlookers could only let out disappointed sighs. They had not even seen Gwen’s face clearly. Even the people at the very front had only managed to yank out a few strands of Nora’s hair.

“Are all the people here this enthusiastic!?”

Gwen complained to Nini while soothing Nora’s emotions.

“Uh, this should be Castel Syndrome… wait, no… Gwen Syndrome?”

Nini tilted her head and thought for a moment, then recorded it in her notebook.

“Let’s call it Gwen Syndrome then. Congratulations, Miss Gwen, you now have a disease named after you.”

“.”

“And this disease is one that only you won’t get.”

“.”

Recalling the enthusiastic people at the dock, Gwen could not quite tell what she was feeling inside.

These Castel people always gave her a strange feeling.

They seemed very pure—able to yearn for and pursue the things that interested them, able to greet her with the greatest enthusiasm.

The smiles on their faces were deeply imprinted in Gwen’s mind.

She had almost never seen this kind of feeling in the Northlands.

The people of the Northlands always seemed burdened with worry—never enough food to eat, never finished paying taxes, working day and night, and the howling cold wind that carried away the last trace of vitality from people.

Yearning, dreams, passion—these words were not just luxuries there, they were even somewhat unfamiliar.

Yet here, it seemed that everyone could openly talk about these things. People were not trapped by life; they could even muster a bit of strength to challenge fate.

This ought to have been a feeling of happiness. Gwen felt that she should have felt it, but happiness itself was also a word somewhat unfamiliar to her. What she felt was only a kind of warmth.

She could not tell whether it came from the gentle sea breeze around her, or from the emotions surging within her heart.

She had long been accustomed to the wind and frost of the Northlands, and now she had to try to become familiar with the feeling of warmth.

Castel.

  When Gwen thought of this word, her heart would also grow warm, as if a sea breeze had blown into it.

With Nini volunteering to lead the way, the two of them avoided the islanders’ enthusiastic blockades along the way and arrived at Castel’s hospital.

Hughes had originally wanted to name this place Castel Central Hospital, but he had met with unanimous opposition from everyone.

After some debate, the name “Hospital Knights” was finally hung up by the Banshees. After all, the first batch of doctors here had been Banshees, and they indeed deserved the title of a knightly order.

—As long as they charged fast enough and killed all the enemies, no one would get injured.

But charging aside, the Banshees did possess medical skill.

Based on the medical concepts of this era, Hughes had made many improvements, and together with Richard had removed quite a few outdated ideas and concepts.

The primary treatment method had also been improved from force-feeding patients Holy Water to a combination of surgery plus Extraordinary Power.

The Banshees happened to be adept at both, and coupled with their fast learning speed, they naturally mastered medical techniques very quickly.

This entire medical system had originally been quite good. It had even successfully cured many people of Castel, including those from Blood Harbor, after being established, and the entire hospital had become more and more respectable.

Until they encountered the Fathers of the Silent Sanctum.

Unfortunately, the illness suffered by the Fathers of the Silent Sanctum was precisely the kind of disease Castel was the least adept at treating—problems caused purely by Extraordinary Power.