Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

“Mechanical ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Sanctum? What is there to talk about with them?” The Prince was visibly surprised.

“I ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍need some of the Mechanical Sanctum’s technology.”

“Technology? ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Don’t I know what kind of technology the Mechanical Sanctum has? Forgive my bluntness, but it’s all junk. Yet they treat it like treasure and guard it tightly.”

Disdain ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was plainly written across The Prince’s face.

Hughes ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍almost failed to keep a straight face. Good grief, you are not even pretending anymore, are you?

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Mechanical Sanctum—formerly the Mechanical Society—was also located within the Empire.

The Empire was, in theory, the territory of the Church of Candlelight. The reason the Mechanical Sanctum could remain there was partly because they had no Supernatural System. In theory, they were closer to a mortal organization and not of the same nature as the Church of Candlelight.

The other reason was their close relationship with the Royal Family.

The Royal Family of the Empire had only declined in the past few decades. They had been jointly sidelined by several Dukes of the Empire and, by now, even had to select a successor from the Joanne Family.

But before that, they had always been powerful and formidable.

Isabella’s ancestors had once attempted to stand on equal footing with the Church of Candlelight. The Mechanical Society had been cultivated under their patronage, and thus naturally had deep ties with the Royal Family.

“The Mechanical Society once had its glory,” The Prince suddenly said.

“Rhine in the old days was built entirely by the Mechanical Society with the support of the Royal Family. They bypassed the Church of Candlelight and erected a miracle city from nothing. At that time, the Empire even attempted industrial transformation. If everything had gone smoothly, it might have become the Castel of that era.”

Hughes’ eyes flickered. He remembered that the grand cathedral of the Church of Candlelight had been established in Rhine.

From The Prince’s words, it seemed that decades ago the Empire had confronted the Church of Candlelight—but clearly, the Empire had lost.

“After the death of Great Sage Bruno, the Mechanical Society gradually declined. Still, it retained some of its former foundation.”

“Unfortunately, several decades ago, a catastrophe-level aberration occurred in a western city of the Empire. The Royal Family, the nobility, the Church of Candlelight, and the Mechanical Society of that time were all involved. The specific events were no longer recorded. But after that, the Royal Family declined, the Mechanical Society renamed itself the Mechanical Sanctum, and the Church of Candlelight demolished the factories in Rhine and built churches in their place.”

“Afterward, the Mechanical Sanctum completely became an appendage of the Royal Family. They obsessively worshiped knowledge and prohibited all innovation and research. Rhine’s industry collapsed and only in recent years did a new batch of factory owners begin to rise again.”

The Prince glanced at Galahad, who stood guard at the door, and his expression dimmed slightly.

“Hah, you may not know this, but later even the factories in Rhine had to undergo review by the Church of Candlelight. Those Church knights could carry out ‘purification’ in the factories without any trial!”

Hughes knew very well—he had even personally experienced it, though he had been the one ‘purified.’

“The current Mechanical Sanctum is nothing but a rotting shell. Perhaps some are still trying to revive it, but unfortunately, its soul and will have already been lost. Even if it stands again, it would only be some unrecognizable monster.”

The Prince shook his head.

“As for the Sanctum’s technology… trust me, even if you combined all of it, it would not compare to your Flying Airship that can rain fire and death from the sky.”

On this point, Hughes could not agree. Castel’s war technology was indeed formidable, but The Prince did not know how outrageous the Mechanical Sanctum’s human modification technology was.

It was entirely a different path from Castel’s, merely inconvenient for battlefield application. With those technologies, medical research could avoid many detours.

With Hughes’ current technology tree, it might take decades to achieve the same results. Would that not mean Chloe would have to work overtime for another several decades?

“I still want to give it a try. Coincidentally, I also have a batch of Steam Rifles. I heard they value that quite highly.”

“Steam Rifle? You have such a good thing?” The Prince was startled, then rubbed his hands together. “Quick, let me see!”

Hughes smiled. Moments later, the door opened and Ash entered, carrying a Steam Rifle.

There was one in the Banshees’ duty room. Hughes had simply asked her to bring it over through the Mind Link.

The Prince nearly jumped from his chair, circling the Steam Rifle several times and clicking his tongue in amazement.

“This thing is a holy relic in the Mechanical Sanctum. Just to glimpse it, one must undergo more than twenty gear-consecration rituals—and even then, it’s not guaranteed. The entire Mechanical Sanctum might not even have one functional unit left… and you actually have one. Where did you get it?”

“That is a long story… This one is a gift for you. Delay your offensive for a few days and allow me to send someone to make contact first.”

The Prince ran his hand over the Steam Barrel of the Steam Rifle, his eyes full of love and greed. Yet he still shook his head.

“You should take this rifle to trade with them. Those grease-brains are the most stubborn of all. Without something this good, it is impossible to pry any technology out of them.”

After speaking, as if trying to convince himself, he muttered unwillingly, “Though this Steam Rifle looks good, the Gatling is not bad either—its firepower is even stronger. This thing is just a flashy vase.”

“Do not worry. I have plenty more. Keep this one.”

“Really? That is wonderful. I have long wanted to hang one on the wall, hehe… By the way, where did you dig this up?”

“Oh, I discovered a Steam Rifle vein.”

“???”

Hughes and The Prince continued talking until late into the night. By the time Hughes yawned and pushed open the office door, it was already very late.

“Connor, escort The Prince back to his manor.”

Connor nodded. Security on Hughes’ side had recently been strengthened considerably. Although it was unlikely that Lina had infiltrated Blood Harbor, it was not impossible. And now that it was late at night, caution was necessary.

Hughes looked down from the window as The Prince gradually walked away along the street. Besides several Church Guards escorting him, figures of Night Patrol members lurked in the shadows across the street.

In the past, The Prince would certainly have dragged Hughes into talking all night. But now he had far too much to do—preparing to wage war against the Empire, mobilizing forces, planning specific offensives, and most troublesome of all, handling logistics. All of it required his attention.

Watching The Prince brimming with fighting spirit, Hughes could not help but shake his head with a sigh. These elites felt like monsters—their energy inexhaustible, their enthusiasm perpetual, their fearlessness unwavering.

Perhaps only such people could change the world.

“Guard the door for me.” Hughes nodded to Ash, then returned to the office and locked the door.

“Let’s first go check on Worker Hughes. Let’s see whether our Miss Scepter can finally come online.”