Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

It ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍didn’t take long for the people of the Silent Sanctum to be greeted by the subway.

First, several of the most perceptive Buriers lifted their heads and looked toward the depths of the tunnel.

“What’s wrong?”

“There’s a sound—mm, metal colliding. It’s coming from inside.”

“I think I heard it too.”

“Hey, don’t squeeze forward! The train attendant just said not to cross the yellow line!”

“Oh, it’s fine. What, are we going to die from it?”

Patriarch Ignati narrowed his eyes. He didn’t speak, only cast a cold glance over. The few Buriers who had been eager to move immediately shrank their heads back and retreated.

Buriers were almost immortal. It was easy for them to subconsciously lose their reverence for death.

They weren’t kept waiting long. Accompanied by the “clank–chug, clank–chug” of machinery, a steam train rolled into the platform.

“So this is the train?”

“It’s huge! Bigger than the one we saw before!”

Nini wagged a finger. “Actually, it’s not. The train in the Northlands is still bigger. This kind of subway has been reduced in size to run underground. At the very least, the locomotive no longer comes standard with machine-gun emplacements. Look—I even have to lower my head to get in.”

As she spoke, Nini stepped into the carriage.

Whether in architecture or tools, Castel had always made adaptations for Banshees. The subway that ran through the network paths was likewise designed according to Banshee stature.

Nini entered the subway somewhat cramped. At three meters tall, she could only barely walk inside.

The Buriers followed with faces full of curiosity and astonishment. Back in the Northlands, they had seen steam trains from afar, but never had the chance to ride one.

Later, when they were dragged back, they had all been unconscious. This was their first time personally seeing the internal structure of a train.

“So—so beautiful!”

“It’s actually this spacious inside!”

“Why does it feel kind of familiar?”

Unlike the Northlands’ trains, which focused on freight transport and only incidentally carried people, Castel’s Network Path System had been specifically optimized for passengers.

Although Castel still maintained a high degree of fortress-style construction, it now had the leeway to pursue comfort. In the newly designed network path system, the subway had been completely redesigned. Hughes personally participated in its development—he was quite an authority in this area.

After all, he had actually ridden a subway.

Northlands trains were mostly modular carriages without fixed seating. Subway carriages, on the other hand, were fully equipped with seats. Castel’s subway didn’t pursue high-density transport—after all, the island’s population wasn’t large—so the seating arrangement was closer to that of high-speed rail, arranged row by row.

Just like on Blue Star, the subway seats here were made of metal. The polished steel surfaces reflected a sharp, cold light, carrying a unique kind of beauty.

Nini bent over and moved further inside, casually choosing an empty spot. She reached out and pulled a lever beside the seats, and an entire row of chairs flipped to the side. She turned sideways and slipped in. The space was just right for her use—neither cramped nor wasteful.

This was designed by Hughes.

Even so, despite the cleared space being sufficient, Nini’s head still pressed against the carriage ceiling. The entire carriage height was just over two meters—less than three—so she still couldn’t straighten up.

Nini then reached up and opened the latch on the ceiling. With a push to the side, a panel slid away, and an opening appeared on the roof of the train.

Nini stretched comfortably. Now this was just right.

And it was even open-top.

This was designed by Monica.

It had to be said that Monica’s design solved the problem of the subway carriage being too cramped in a simple and brutal way, while also conveniently letting one catch some wind and breathe fresh air.

When Monica had proposed this plan, Hughes had been utterly dumbfounded. Opening a skylight on a subway—no matter how he thought about it, as someone who had ridden one, it was beyond his imagination.

Opening a skylight did come with safety hazards, but those were for ordinary people. Banshees could handle most of those issues, and those who weren’t Banshees didn’t need an open skylight anyway.

As for whether sticking one’s head out was dangerous, or whether the howling wind would affect riding comfort—none of that was a problem for Banshees.

Gwen looked at Nini with an envious expression. Both were riding the subway, yet hers was open-top.

She couldn’t even experience that even if she wanted to. Gwen was fairly tall, but nowhere near three meters—she couldn’t stick her head out.

Wait—stick her head out?

She cast an apparently casual glance at Nora. But Nora already knew exactly what kind of person she was and immediately launched a shoulder charge with her whole body: “No! You! Are not! Putting me! Outside the carriage!!!”

“No, no, Lady Nora, you’ve misunderstood me. Don’t ram me, don’t ram me—everyone’s watching!”

This was a lie.

The people of the Silent Sanctum didn’t have the time to watch the two of them fool around. The Fathers were busy marveling as they examined the various facilities inside the subway carriage.

“What’s this pillar? A weapon?”

“Probably. You could pull it out to defend yourself during an enemy attack. But why is it nailed to the floor, and why are there so many rings threaded through it?”

“Why does this layout feel kind of familiar?”

“The seats are steel? They’re shiny—looks nice.”

“Why is there a small door in the middle?”

“Look at the words above it. That’s the carriage connection—no smoking.”

“Is there a toilet? Why isn’t there a toilet?”

“How could there be a toilet? Look—Nini has her head stuck outside. The wind out there is so strong. If there were a toilet, wouldn’t whatever gets discharged have a chance of smearing right onto her face?”

Nini shrank her head back inside with a horrified expression.

“Lady Nini, does this kind of carriage have any other uses?” a short Burier girl asked.

“Other uses? What kind of uses?” Nini looked around in confusion and scratched her head with some effort.

“For example… prayer?”

“Huh?”

“Sorry. I just kept feeling that the style inside this subway was very familiar. Then it suddenly occurred to me—this layout is a lot like a church!”

The churches of the Silent Sanctum were always built from the White Raven’s hard stone, at great expense. As a result, they were often somewhat cramped in space.

When outsiders visited, they were often deeply impressed by how narrow those churches were. Even the chapels used for prayer and mass were relatively narrow and elongated.

This carriage was also narrow and elongated, with rows of seats.

Oh—Silent Sanctum churches generally didn’t have skylights.

“In any case, this really looks a lot like our Sanctum!”

Nini looked at the other Fathers. Most of them had sensed that same familiarity, though some hadn’t yet figured out the reason. A few Fathers even unconsciously began to pray.

“Praying in the subway? We don’t have that custom.”

“But I just saw several clergy from this place praying.”

Praying? In here?

Nini blinked, then walked over in the direction the girl pointed.