Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

The prince didn’t respond. He quietly flipped through the reports on the table, not even lifting his head as he said, “Galahad, make a trip to Castel Island.”

“When, Your Highness?”

“Soon. I spoke with them not long ago—they’re preparing to send Connor and his group back by ship first. You’ll go with them. Get a good grasp of the situation in Castel, and establish contact with Earl Hughes. I’ll inform them of your arrival.”

Galahad was stunned for a moment, then asked, “They’re only sending Connor back? You mean, Zoe and Erwin are staying here?”

It didn’t matter much if Zoe stayed, but Erwin? That man was clearly the military officer in charge at Castel. He was staying behind?

Galahad instinctively frowned.

Before he could say anything else, a commotion erupted outside. The two of them turned to look as a panicked servant ran over.

“Y-Your Highness! There’s been an incident at Blood Harbor!”

“High Priest, we have some news.”

Josh watched the white-haired little girl with amusement. She was politely reporting the information she had gathered, her small and skinny figure looking like a quiet cat sitting there—if one ignored the way she was slurping down her hot porridge.She seemed to be particularly fond of the rice porridge. Though her expression remained unreadable, she simply refused to let go of the bowl in her hands.

Feeling that sheltering this group of vagrant children might be a losing deal, Josh shook his head with a smile and pretended to listen seriously. “What news?”

“The group from Castel is preparing to leave Blood Harbor.”

Josh’s fingers trembled slightly, and the smile on his face faded.

He had been hesitating all along about whether or not to approach those people. He knew Erwin—back in the day, they were both fishermen. Now Erwin had climbed the ranks to become a captain. As for himself, he had borrowed a batch of goods from the lord but barely made any money and instead ended up becoming the head of a heretical cult.

He felt somewhat ashamed to face anyone from the past.

“They... they’re going back, huh...” Josh’s voice was dry and tinged with bitterness.

“High Priest, aren’t you going with them? Aren’t you from Castel too?” Gwen asked softly, still slurping her porridge.

Josh stiffened.

“H-How do you know?!”

Well...

Actually, it was because the people from Castel had been asking around about Josh everywhere, even reaching Gwen and the other vagrants. So she did a little digging. Josh hadn’t hidden it particularly well, so it was easy to find out.

But she didn’t want to say that outright.

“Just a guess.”

“Huh?”

“Only those Castel folks like reading so much. They even bring booklets when strolling around. People have mistaken them for priests multiple times.”

Gwen curled her lips. “You’re the one who organized literacy lessons in the Mystics. They say only the scariest, most evil cults do that—like the Moths Chasing Fire.”

“I-Is that so?” Josh scratched his head. He hadn’t done it intentionally. It was just that there were so many refugees from the North. When he first took them in, they were in bad shape and couldn’t find work in Blood Harbor.

Thinking they needed something to do, Josh remembered how Hughes had established schools.

He didn’t really understand what use schools had, but after attending night classes himself, learning to read, and seeing many wondrous machines, he found it fascinating and enjoyable.

So he imitated what he saw, setting up literacy classes among the refugees. Some advanced class students followed him as well, and after the basic literacy lessons, he naturally moved on to advanced topics.

When the incident with the dried sea occurred, the advanced class graduates who had originally sailed on the Black Pearl all stayed behind in Blood Harbor. After they joined, Josh was surprised to realize he had essentially gathered all the courses taught in the advanced classes.

Over time, rumors started spreading—they said his group was secretly learning knowledge.

This “evil” behavior was quickly labeled as heretical. Josh had originally intended to clarify things and dispel the rumors.

But he soon discovered that once he was branded a cultist, the surrounding powers suddenly became friendly. The bullies who used to pick on the refugees became strangely polite.

After that, Blood Harbor descended into chaos, and Josh had no choice but to play the part of a cult leader. He made up a random name and some doctrines, just to get by.

In the end, this act turned into reality—he became one of the major heretical cult leaders in Blood Harbor. Josh was bewildered by it all. He swore he had done nothing except distribute porridge.

The holy water? Just a made-up name. The doctrine? Full of obvious flaws. But the way the followers looked at him became more and more devout.

The rice porridge was just ordinary porridge. It could fill a belly, but cured no illness. Yet more and more people gathered around him.

“The Castel group won’t leave until a little later. They’re still staying in a mansion in the Upper District. Are you not going to see them?”

“Hmm, I’ll think about it.”

Josh hesitated. He planned to discuss it with his companions.

He was already a cult leader now. Castel probably had no place for someone like him anymore. But others were different.

There were still many members from the old advanced classes here. Surely Lord Hughes wouldn’t turn them all away?

Josh had long lost his family, but some of the others still had homes in Castel.

If they asked to return with the ship, that Erwin guy would definitely agree.

Josh pulled up his hood, found a few of his companions, and gathered them to talk.

“What!? They’re going back?” His companions nearly jumped at the news, their faces lighting up.

“That’s great! We’ve been out here for half a year—my old man must be missing me!”

“I heard the prince released them? Would he really be that kind? Whatever, going back is a good thing.”

“Josh, why don’t you come back with us?”

They all looked at him.

“I—I won’t go back.” Josh’s face was bitter. “Help me pass a message to the lord. I’ll slowly pay back the goods I owe him...”

“But you took in so many refugees for the lord. Lord Hughes wouldn’t make things difficult for you, right?”

Josh’s face darkened. “He asked me to shelter refugees, not heretics. If he finds out I’m bringing a whole ship of cultists back, he’ll explode. Even if he doesn’t mind, Miss Chloe of the Church of Candlelight definitely will.”

Josh and his group had left too early. Back then, Chloe was still presiding over the Church of Candlelight’s chapel.

Of course, there was now neither a Church of Candlelight chapel nor Chloe left on Castel.