Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

It ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍was another nearby carriage. Inside, several technical priests from the Holy Guard were seated. They wore sacred emblems and priestly uniforms, so the girl recognized them at once.

However, the two were not praying at all. They were simply reading quietly.

“Oh, those are people of the Imperial Truth. Imperial Truth is indeed the church of Castel. You said they were praying?”

“Yes. Aren’t they flipping through the Church’s Holy Text?”

The booklets in their hands bore large Church insignias. They were indeed Holy Texts. Within the Holy Guard, regardless of rank or status, people often liked to flip through a few pages whenever they had free time.

Holy Texts were the kind of thing that felt new no matter how often one read them. New knowledge points were always being added, and those who didn’t read diligently sometimes found that the text updated faster than they could keep up.

“They are Holy Texts, but this doesn’t count as prayer. It doesn’t even count as a religious ritual. It’s just learning. Learning.”

Nini’s voice gradually lowered, and she suddenly froze in place.

If the doctrine of Imperial Truth was technology and knowledge, then wasn’t the act of learning itself… prayer?

They were truly reading the Holy Texts, truly practicing the doctrine. The actions of the believers were exactly what the Holy Texts described. Then wasn’t this a perfectly legitimate religious ritual?

And if reading the Holy Texts counted as prayer, then who exactly were they praying to?

Nini hesitated, then opened the Mind Link and pulled Hughes into a private channel.

『Lord, I have a question.』

『Speak.』

『If learning counts as prayer, then does science count as religion?』

『?』

『Does running schools count as preaching?』

『？？』

『I suddenly feel that Castel’s true churches aren’t those towering fortresses, but the schools themselves.』

『Uh… you’re not writing reports anymore and have switched to writing poetry? That’s fine too. Then should your War Correspondent Team be disbanded?』

『Nothing’s wrong, nothing’s wrong, of course the War Correspondent Team can’t be disbanded, I’ll hang up now, things are very busy here, goodbye.』

Nini jolted, cut off the Mind Link, and then lowered her head to look at the Burier in front of her.

“You, um—”

“My name is Jessica.”

“Alright, Jessica. They are indeed praying, but unlike other religions, they are praying to themselves.”

“T-to themselves?!”

Jessica’s mouth fell open as she stared blankly at Nini, unable to understand what she meant.

“Look, isn’t prayer about encountering trouble and hoping to get it resolved?”

“Uh…”

“These Castel people pray using the Holy Texts. After praying, they themselves become stronger, gain more knowledge, and then they can solve the problem.”

“…”

“So this is also a kind of prayer—praying that they themselves can become stronger, understand more, and handle all difficulties. Then they themselves respond to their own prayers, and they really do become stronger.”

“The more sincere the prayer, the more effort put in, the more response they receive. The longer they pray, the more knowledge they gain. And knowledge is power. Everything really does get better.”

“One will never abandon oneself, and one will always respond to oneself. That’s what learning is like. As long as you work hard, you’ll gain something.”

Nini folded her six arms around herself and nodded in a very convincing manner. “This is how the people of Castel pray.”

Jessica nodded blankly. She seemed to understand something, yet felt that even more questions had arisen.

Not only her—many others had heard the conversation as well, and all of them revealed thoughtful expressions.

If they were ordinary people, they would likely have taken it as a joke. But they were priests of the Silent Sanctum, proper clergy. They thought further, and deeper.

Suddenly, a slightly hoarse voice spoke up. Nini lifted her eyelids and realized it was Ignati.

“Knowledge is power? Indeed. Knowledge carries pollution. Step slightly off the path and one is eroded, comes into contact with pollution, and thus becomes stronger. This is, in fact, the Transcendent path.”

Nini froze for a moment before realizing what he was saying. Her eyes widened.

“There’s a difference, right? One gains tangible power, the other—”

“It is also tangible power,” Ignati said heavily. He reached out and knocked on the steel surface of the seat. A deep, solid sound rang out.

“Steel, machinery, weapons, vehicles—among Castel’s creations, which one is not a manifestation of power? Why must sanctuaries be built of stone? I think this carriage itself is a holy site, where believers pray devoutly, praying to themselves.”

Nini raised her eyebrows and carefully examined the man before her, as if meeting him for the first time.

This Patriarch of the Silent Sanctum… was not to be underestimated.

She had thought he would be so frightened by Castel’s creations that he’d faint on the spot. Now it seemed she had underestimated him.

This man seemed very capable of seeing the essence of things.

Perhaps he hadn’t found the correct path for the Sanctum, but he truly was a qualified Patriarch.

“We’ve arrived. Put me down now!” Nora’s scolding rang out from behind them. They both turned around and just happened to see Gwen, standing on her tiptoes and holding Nora up, awkwardly pulling her hands back.

“Lady Nora was a little motion-sick just now. I wanted to let her get some fresh air.”

“I was not!”

With a slightly grating braking sound, the subway slowly came to a stop. Then it gently reversed a few meters before halting by the platform and opening its doors.

“We’re here. This is the Air Harbor.”

Nini turned around, restored the folded seats to their original positions, lowered her head, and led the priests out of the carriage.

There were nearly a hundred priests from the Silent Sanctum, enough to completely fill two carriages. This was even with many people wandering around curiously and not sitting down at all.

After counting the numbers and confirming that none were missing or extra, Nini led them up the stairs toward the network path exit.

The hospital they had been at earlier was in Castel’s core area, within the fortress cluster. The network path entrance there had only been a small open space.

The Air Harbor area, however, lay on the very outskirts of Castel, even adjacent to the northern docks. When Gwen had previously summoned the Steel Ark, the airship had taken off from this very area.

As the priests of the Silent Sanctum emerged from the network paths, their eyes immediately lit up. This appeared to be a station. A canopy overhead cast shade, while the surroundings were vast open plains. Looking toward the distance, they could see the towering building clusters of the core area—dense fortress groups packed together.

“Did we come from over there? We’ve already gone this far?!”

“It was only about ten minutes. Compared to a carriage, this is unbelievably fast.”

“Do you remember what Nora said? Half a day to get from the Northlands to Blood Harbor.”

“This… this is incredible.”

“Wait, weren’t we here to see airships? Where are the airships? Why can’t we see any?”