Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Speaking ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍of which, as priests of the Silent Sanctum, they had smashed faith into the skulls of many heretics with chain flails before—but being on the receiving end themselves seemed to be a first.

All one could say was that the effect was indeed remarkable. The way they looked at Gwen became evasive and uneasy. The image of Gwen swinging the chain flail into a blur was etched deeply into their minds, and it was hard to say whether it would show up in their nightmares.

Ignati, too, cast a long, searching look at Nini.

When he was in the Northlands, he had once seen Banshees from afar. At the time, the situation had been urgent, and there was no chance to ask further questions.

Here, however, they Buriers were merely guests, and it would be improper to interfere too much.

The people of the Silent Sanctum did not know much about Banshees. Restricted by the distance limits of the Symbiotic Contract, the number of Banshees permanently stationed in the Northlands during combat had never been large, and they rarely participated directly in battle. Hughes had never positioned them as a primary battlefield force either.

As a result, although the Silent Sanctum had gathered intelligence about the Expeditionary Army, it was limited to mortal troops. They knew little about extraordinary beings such as Banshees.

What understanding they had now was all hammered in by Gwen.

Thus, when the Buriers looked at Nini, aside from instinctive wariness, there was also a trace of fear that came straight from Gwen.

“You are… um, an extraordinary being from the deep sea, then—”

“She has no pollution,” Nora interrupted.

“Not only does she have no pollution—none of the Banshees have any pollution. As for pollution in Castel… forget it. You’ll see for yourselves.”

The Buriers exchanged glances, then all turned to look at Nora. Her words were truly strange.

Pollution was pollution—was it really possible that there was no danger in Castel?

Or was Castel, like the Church of the Sea God in the past, attempting to approach the extraordinary by actively embracing pollution?

If that were the case, it would be extremely dangerous. Actively contacting pollution could indeed grant knowledge and power, but it would gradually erode one’s sanity. This process was irreversible—madness was only a matter of time.

As for the extraordinary being before them—

“I am Ignati, Patriarch of the Silent Sanctum.” After a moment of contemplation, Ignati clenched his fists, crossed them before his chest, and offered a formal salute.

This was the official etiquette of the Silent Sanctum, though it was rarely used. When the Sanctum’s priests went to battle, they preferred wearing armor—lifting a chain flail was usually considered salute enough.

Nini did not appear to be a crazed monster, and her current behavior was quite friendly. More importantly, there was Nora’s attitude.

Ignati knew very well that Nora would never return to the Silent Sanctum. Yet there was no direct conflict between them. On the contrary, she served as a bridge between the Sanctum and Castel.

And as for Nora’s character, Ignati trusted it. In the past, she had been willing to break with the Sanctum for the sake of the Resistance Army—this courage was something Ignati admired.

Earlier, Nini’s initiative in greeting them had also been an expression of goodwill. And so, the first contact between the Banshees and the Buriers passed in an atmosphere of calm.

On Nini’s side, things were calm—but within the Banshees’ Mind Link, it was as lively as a boiling pot.

『Oh no, the Silent Sanctum fell for it.』

『As expected of Nini—she really knows how to act.』

『When Nini’s newspaper comes out in a couple of days, I hope those priests can keep it together.』

『Two days? Did you not see that while Nini was shaking hands with both hands, her other four were furiously writing drafts behind her back?』

『Where’s the Lord? Save us—if Nini handles the reception, won’t the Banshees’ image be completely ruined?』

『Do Banshees even have an image?』

In his office, Hughes watched Nini’s live broadcast with a cheerful grin, showing no intention of interfering.

He had only vaguely guessed that Big Gwen might be able to awaken those dormant priests—but he hadn’t expected it to be this efficient.

The moment they were sent over, before he had even sat down in his office, an application from Gwen requesting steel helmets had already arrived.

Hughes opened the Mind Link and saw Gwen swinging her chain flail into afterimages. If Nora and Richard hadn’t been watching from the side, he would have wanted to stop it.

This awakening method was far too simple and brutal.

He had thought it would involve lighting incense, using the smoke to perform some extraordinary ritual—

Instead, it was lighting incense and then smashing heads together with the smoke.

That said, speaking of incense—

Hughes recalled the first time he met Nora. She had used incense to play him an introduction to the Northlands. Thinking about it now, she had actually been holding back. By Silent Sanctum tradition, perhaps she should have been smashing and broadcasting at the same time.

This method of information transmission seemed quite efficient. He wondered if it could be promoted—imagine teachers in schools walking into classrooms holding chain flails and hammering knowledge straight into one blank skull after another…

Strangely enough, it sounded kind of exciting.

After jotting this idea down on his to-do list, Hughes continued watching the broadcast with great interest.

After giving Ignati a brief explanation, Richard hurriedly left the hospital. The Testing Grounds had been extremely busy lately, with many projects reaching critical stages. He simply didn’t have the time to escort guests on a tour.

With Hughes’s tacit approval, Nini volunteered to introduce Castel to them. Nora and Gwen accompanied her.

Nora followed because of her status. Gwen followed for safety reasons—if someone panicked into madness, Gwen could perform emergency “treatment” with a chain flail.

As for whether Gwen herself might go mad… Hughes sighed. It would be good enough if she didn’t drive Castel mad.

And so, a peculiar procession was formed: Nini leading the way, Gwen carrying Nora in her arms, followed by more than a hundred Buriers.

According to proper etiquette, the priests of the Silent Sanctum should have waited here first for an audience with Hughes. But Nora’s words had sparked their curiosity about Castel. Having received consent relayed by Nini on Hughes’s behalf, they ignored formalities and set out to tour the place first.

Walking at the front of the group, Ignati’s eyes flickered. This somewhat impulsive decision had another consideration—he wanted to see the real Castel.

If he followed the local lord’s arrangements, he would only see what the lord wanted him to see. Ignati truly held expectations for Castel, and so he did not hesitate to appear somewhat rash just to witness it firsthand.

He could not quite say where this expectation came from. Perhaps, as Nora had said, he too had grown weary of the Sanctum’s endlessly repeating fate.

This world moved in a spiral—never upward.

Nini led everyone out of the room and toward the outside, casually beginning her introduction.

“This is the Hospital Knights. It’s where patients are treated. The Mr. Richard you just met is one of the acting directors here. He’s also responsible for research on the island—one of the busiest people in all of Castel.”

“One of them?” a Burier asked curiously. “There are other directors as well?”

“Yes. The other one is Ash. Though her medical skills are rather average.”

“Rather average? Is she in charge of administration, then?”

“No,” Nini replied. “She’s in charge of fighting.”