Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

“Lord ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Freyr!”

A ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍shout came from behind. Freyr turned and saw the Untouchables standing atop their massive machines, waving at him. “We’ve beaten these surface dwellers back step by step! Shall we continue the pursuit?”

“Pursue ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what?! Get back underground! Their reinforcements will arrive soon!”

Freyr ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍roared as he strode toward the madmen, fear momentarily forgotten.

Without ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍him watching over them, these people would definitely end up playing themselves to death!

“Lady ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Gaia, I won’t be returning to Castel for now!” Freyr leapt onto the massive machine extending a hand toward him—it was The Big One controlled by Xiao Bu, now approaching their side.

The Untouchables heard Freyr’s shout and reluctantly pulled back their offensive. Though they became crazed once operating machinery, they were still willing to listen to Freyr.

As for the reason—

“Lord Freyr, you understand the surface things better than we do. We’ll listen to you!”

“That’s right, Brother Freyr, tell us what we should do next!”

Freyr felt warmth rise in his chest. Though he had chosen to stay not out of ambition, being acknowledged still brought him joy.

“We’ll charge once more, then withdraw underground together!”

This was Upper Rhine, the very core of the Church. It would not take long for the Mortal forces of the Church of Candlelight to arrive. If that happened, things would become troublesome.

Though Mortal armies were weaker than Transcendents, their numbers were immense. With Investigators assisting them, a head-on battle would surely end in disadvantage.

The Untouchables responded in unison, piloting their colossal machines toward the Investigators. Several severely damaged machines chose to self-destruct directly, while the remaining ones used the explosions as cover and retreated toward the hole from which they had emerged.

Just as Xiao Bu prepared to leap back underground with Freyr, a voice suddenly called out behind them.

“Wait—take this with you!”

Freyr turned and saw a dark object flying toward him. It was thick and heavy, with reinforced corners.

He quickly ducked. When it landed beside him, he realized it was a book.

“Take it with you! This is the Holy Text of The Imperial Truth. The Empire is no longer the Empire it once was, but Truth is still Truth!” Gaia shouted while waving.

The Imperial Truth? Holy Text?

Freyr nodded in confusion, though something felt off. Only after The Big One leapt into the pit did he realize, widening his eyes and shouting up toward Gaia at the opening—

“But I can’t read!!”

Unfortunately, he had already descended into the depths with the machine.

The Big One continued bounding downward, and Freyr’s voice gradually faded underground.

Gaia and Zoe exchanged a glance. “We’re withdrawing too!”

The nearby Investigators had been scattered and left in disarray, but they were still Transcendents with specialized defensive methods. For now they were merely stunned by the successive waves of attacks and explosions. Once they regained their bearings, their sheer numbers would overwhelm the two of them.

The two did not hesitate and turned to leave.

But when they reached the gap in the pipeline, a weak voice called out—

“Wait… take me with you…”

They turned back. Upon seeing the speaker, both raised their brows.

“Beatrice?”

It was indeed Beatrice. Where was the domineering presence she had displayed before? The influx of the Sea of Unawareness had long since ceased. The seawater within her body was no longer a restorative elixir but instead rampaged inside her, leaving her body shattered.

When she lifted her head, both were startled.

She had only one eye left. Black blood flowed from the empty socket. Her face had almost no intact flesh. She looked as though she would be fully eroded at any moment.

Yet the remaining eye shone with terrifying brilliance. Even at this distance, they could feel her resolve.

It was precisely that will which had prevented her from being completely eroded, barely sustaining her to this moment.

Zoe and Gaia exchanged another glance.

“Cough… Her Holiness the Pope, I…” Zoe stepped forward, about to speak, when Beatrice raised her hand and threw something toward them.

The two sidestepped, letting it fall to the ground and bounce a few times.

It was a tightly wrapped package, stained with some of Beatrice’s black blood.

“The technical documents… you wanted…”

Beatrice’s voice rasped like a broken bellows, yet she forced herself to raise her head.

“Besides… what the Sanctum promised… there’s quite a bit more. Cough… I included anything I thought might be useful…”

Saying that seemed to drain her remaining strength. She stood there gasping for breath.

Zoe’s words caught in her throat. She could neither swallow nor speak them, only cast a pleading look toward Gaia.

“What do we do? The two of us probably can’t carry her out.”

Gaia picked up the package. It was still faintly warm.

She bit her lip, about to speak, when Beatrice raised her hand again.

“No need to worry…”

She forced herself to lift her head and look upward.

Following her gaze, they saw the mechanical structure atop the cathedral tremble as though receiving a command.

Gears rotated. Support rods lifted. The heavy cathedral dome split open with a crack.

Warm sunlight poured down, though only briefly, before being blocked by a massive presence.

“An airship?! When did it arrive?”

Zoe and Gaia were equally astonished. They had not called for any airship.

Their gazes fell upon Beatrice. She had collapsed onto the ground, looking up at the airship with a bitter smile.

It could only have been her.

Had this Pope arranged her own escape route from the very beginning?

Beatrice sat on the ground, face smeared with blood. Her injuries had rendered her unable to speak.

She looked at the sky, and a single tear slid from her remaining eye.

For a fleeting moment, sunlight had touched her face.

How long had it been since she had stood beneath the sun?

The airship above grew blurry in her vision. She reached out longingly.

Castel. Freedom. Earl Hughes.

All were things she could see but never grasp—close enough to seem within reach, yet forever beyond her hold.

She knew she was dying.

A rope was lowered from the airship. Erwin gripped the hatch with one hand, shouting for them to hurry up.

Gaia looked at the package in her hand, then at Beatrice collapsed on the ground, biting her lip.

The Investigators had regained their senses and were closing in. There was no time to hesitate.

“Bring her. We’re leaving!”

Gaia shouted as she grabbed Beatrice’s hand.