Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Castel, in the manor.

Beatrice sat at the desk, resting her chin on her left hand while stirring the quill in the inkwell with her right.

Before her lay a sheet of parchment. With the advent of new types of paper, parchment was now used only by some nobles and the Church.

Though expensive, Beatrice loved its delicate texture.

After a moment of thought, she began writing on the paper.

”Uncle Yule, I have come to Castel as you suggested.”

”As you said, this is a peaceful and beautiful little island, with no danger at all.”

”You could never imagine the interesting encounters I’ve had here, Castel’s lord, Count Hughes, is truly an intriguing person. He is elegant in demeanor, humorous, and, most importantly, possesses many marvelous things.”

”Oh, I know, you’ll surely worry about me again, but I hope you can put your mind at ease. Castel is nothing like those dangerous places, it’s very safe. You can relax your tightly wound nerves.”

”I’ve been staying here for a while now. Count Hughes even hosted a banquet for me. He was very warm and welcoming and showed me Castel’s specialty, something called soap.””It’s a small block used for cleaning the body, with an incredibly pleasant fragrance. It is said to be made from olive oil. I can hardly imagine how oil could be turned into such a solid block.”

”I used my ability to check it, and there is absolutely no trace of the Extraordinary, so you can rest assured, I have found no signs of the supernatural on this island.”

Hmm, except for that candy from the Silent Sanctum.

Should she ask her uncle about the Silent Sanctum?

Beatrice frowned slightly, subconsciously twisting her long hair around her fingers.

After discovering the candy, she had subtly inquired with Hughes.

It turned out the candy had been brought by the sister of the Scribe, and that girl had already left by ship.

Perhaps it was just a coincidence?

She had met Scribe before, a Northlander.

Maybe his sister had some connection to the Silent Sanctum.

But Beatrice had asked, and Alexei was not a follower of the Silent Sanctum, he had grown up in Rhine.

That should mean there was no issue.

Beatrice clenched her fist and nodded as if giving herself encouragement before turning back to her letter.

”That Count Hughes even set off fireworks. You might not know what fireworks are, he modified firearm powder to make it bloom like flowers in the sky. How romantic, turning a weapon meant for killing into something so beautiful. That Count is truly a kind-hearted man.”

”I also heard he developed a medicine for treating heart disease. What a compassionate person.”

At this point, Beatrice couldn’t help but feel a little ashamed.

She was already an Extraordinary, and not just any, but an Investigator, one with the easiest access to knowledge. Yet, she was not as erudite as the ordinary human, Hughes.

Every conversation she had with him made her feel the depth of his knowledge.

Beatrice glanced at the other side of her desk, where an exquisite gift box sat, containing several bars of soap.

She understood Hughes’ intentions.

Castel was a remote island, and even though it had unique products, no merchants were willing to come here for trade.

Hughes probably wanted her to take these to the noble circles in Rhine.

This thought made her feel a bit despondent, a slight unwillingness rising in her heart.

Was her only value as a noble lady?

Beatrice tightened her grip on the quill but, after a moment, slowly relaxed her fingers.

Even so, she was still willing to help Hughes.

She couldn’t quite explain why. She did admire the Count to some extent, but the feeling in her heart at this moment was more complicated.

Beatrice unladylike bit the feather of her quill, her thoughts drifting away.

She suddenly recalled Hughes’ expression when he introduced her to soap, pure joy and excitement.

He truly loved his work and dedicated himself to it wholeheartedly.

That made her... a little jealous.

Perhaps she also longed to become such a person, doing what she wanted, unburdened by responsibilities and shackles.

But unfortunately, she was weak.

Forget resisting, she even needed courage just to complain.

Beatrice cautiously looked around before tossing her quill aside and staring blankly at the letter.

”Uncle Yule, are we really only meant to be the Extraordinary? Is this the fate of the Joanne family?”

”I do not like the Church. Not one bit.”

She lay on the desk, her shoulders occasionally trembling.

After a long while, a voice suddenly came from the doorway, it was her maid.

”Miss Beatrice, Count Hughes wishes to invite you to the study to discuss the details of your return trip.”

Beatrice was startled.

She abruptly lifted her head from the desk, looking around in a slight panic before letting out a breath of relief.

Patting her cheeks, Beatrice forced herself to focus.

”I understand. I’ll be there in a bit.”

She quickly spread out the letter again, writing faster now, she didn’t have time to get lost in thought anymore.

”I plan to take some ‘soap’ to Rhine. I believe many people will love it, and I have no doubt that this wonderful little thing will become popular in salons.”

”If the Joanne family can collaborate with Castel, we could make a great deal of money.”

”Of course, that’s from a family perspective. From my own point of view, I simply want to help Count Hughes.”

”He is a good man and shouldn’t be confined to this little island. He is also a brave man, he does not fear the storms you told me to avoid.”

Beatrice’s fingers paused slightly before she let out a gentle sigh and continued writing.

”Uncle Yule, I heard you went to the Northlands for a vacation. How is it over there? Have you found the ancient ruins you mentioned?”

”I’ve heard that the White Scourge in the Northlands is severe. The three Grand Dukes’ territories are overwhelmed with refugees, and everything is in chaos. I hope you are safe. Knowing your abilities, I’m sure you’ll be fine.”

”After all, you are an Extraordinary of dual paths.”

Beatrice smiled nostalgically.

Uncle Yule, she had grown up listening to his stories.

”I will be returning to Rhine in a few days. I’ve heard that the political situation there is unstable, and the Church is on the verge of collapse. But don’t worry about me, I will bear the responsibility of the Joanne family.”

”Perhaps by the time you return, I will have become the Pope.”

Beatrice chuckled, then dipped her quill in ink and crossed out the sentence.

The Candlelight Church had never had a female Pope.

She was no longer a child and shouldn’t make such inappropriate jokes.

After writing the closing remarks, Beatrice melted the sealing wax, sealed the envelope, and tucked it into her pocket.

She tidied her attire slightly and prepared to leave.

But after taking a few steps, she seemed to recall something and turned back to the desk.

Carefully, she closed the lid of the gift box containing the soap.

Looking at the box, she smiled longingly before reluctantly turning away.