Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍people of the Silent Sanctum gazed at the distant fortresses and marveled for a while. Then they noticed the faraway sea. The deep blue waters and the moist sea breeze were exceptionally pleasant. Many of them had never left the Northlands in their lives—let alone seen the sea of the southern lands.

After sighing in admiration for a time, they finally looked up at Nini. “Lady Nini, where are we going to see the flying airships?”

Nini blinked and revealed a mischievous smile. “Right above our heads.”

The priests of the Silent Sanctum raised their heads and looked toward the “station canopy” above them. Their expressions shifted from confusion, to doubt, and finally to blank shock.

They were not standing in a station at all. This place was merely the exit of the Network Path.

The enormous shadow casting shade over them was—

“The Celestial Behemoth. Castel’s largest flying airship. It was built for a special mission back then. After that, airships stopped being designed toward greater size, so it will probably remain the largest one in the future as well.”

Nini spoke unhurriedly.

Silence fell.

The Buriers of the Silent Sanctum seemed to turn into stone statues, standing in place with their heads tilted upward, staring blankly at the sky.

They had imagined flying airships before. Giant birds often flew across the skies of the Northlands. Sometimes ignorant farmers even mistook them for the legendary dragon hawks. Each one was as large as two carriages, and even a fully armed scout squad wouldn’t dare provoke them.

The priests’ greatest fantasy of a flying airship was nothing more than another giant bird—at most able to carry more weight, perhaps with a few extra wings. That alone already counted as an awe-inspiring behemoth.

Only now did they realize how laughable their imaginations had been.

If those “dragon hawks” were considered giant beasts, then what was the thing above them that blocked out half the sky?

This incomparably massive flying airship hadn’t drawn anyone’s attention at first, much like a distant island volcano. No one would assume that something so enormous could be a creation of mortals.

It was like the sky and the clouds—things that existed naturally, as though only the power of nature itself could give rise to them.

But when they lifted their heads and examined it carefully, they finally realized—

This was no power of nature at all.

A dark yellow outer skin floated among the clouds, yet it carried an oppressive presence far greater than any cloud mass.

Through the gaps in the clouds, one could vaguely make out the sharp, tooth-like paintwork, and higher up, a pair of cold eyes appeared and disappeared within the clouds.

Beneath the outer skin hung a ferocious bomb bay. The bay doors were closed, so the priests couldn’t see what lay inside, yet no one doubted its power. From high altitude, even simply dropping stones would be enough to punch through the hardest shield.

And would a flying airship of such scale really drop stones?

The Buriers’ eyes were filled with terror, as though they saw the airship dropping an entire mountain. Only then did they feel how insignificant they were standing upon the earth. Dizziness welled up, their stomachs churning.

Even without a mountain falling, just this colossal mass crashing down would be enough to crush a city, wouldn’t it?

“Flying… airship…”

The people of the Silent Sanctum murmured its name. Nini had no doubt that they would carve this scene into their memories forever.

“Yes. This is Castel’s flying airship—the Celestial Behemoth. A sky island above the land, a divine kingdom floating over the mortal realm,” Nora said, gazing upward.

“Do you understand now? Do you see your own shallowness and absurdity? Ha—you can only charge into the White Mist, relying on sacrifice to exchange for a future. Yet Castel has already created something like this!”

“If the Silent Sanctum possessed such a creation, how many people could be taken away from the White Calamity? How many lives could be saved? The Children of the White Raven would no longer be forced into endless migration. There would be no refugees, and so many people wouldn’t have to die…”

Nora’s voice grew hysterical. Tears welled in her eyes and slid down her cheeks, only to be gently wiped away by Gwen.

“This shouldn’t be the way. The Resistance Army fights day after day—endless battles, enemies that can never be fully slain. All the people of the White Raven Principality are crammed into the Northlands, like weeds packed together, cut down batch after batch. Human lives are like weeds.”

Her tone gradually sank, finally turning into a sob. None of the priests of the Silent Sanctum spoke. Shame colored their faces as they clenched their fists in pain.

No matter how it was justified, they had abandoned their believers. No matter how lofty the reasons, it was the Children of the White Raven who bled.

Weakness was the original sin. They had failed to resolve the White Calamity, and could only regret it within this pain.

“For a thousand years, we shouldn’t have ended up like this. We had far too many chances, all wasted in vain. Sacrifice is a noble thing, but if every step the Sanctum takes must rely on sacrifice…”

Nora’s gaze gradually hardened.

The Sanctum did not fear sacrifice, but it could not consist of sacrifice alone. If her compatriots chose to change, that would be for the best. If they remained stubborn—

Nora closed her eyes.

Then the Sanctum should perish.

Many people looked toward Ignati, but the Patriarch said nothing. He simply lifted his head and gazed quietly at the flying airship above, lost in thought.

“Of course, besides carrying people, flying airships also have offensive capabilities as war machines. They can drop bombs or strafe with machine guns,” Nini added once she saw that they had mostly come back to their senses.

“This Celestial Behemoth isn’t carrying out any combat missions right now. Or rather, we don’t have any task that requires deploying it. If you want to see it drop bombs, you’d need to apply to the Lord and go through the procedures—it shouldn’t be difficult.”

“What kinds of missions does it usually carry out?” Ignati asked calmly.

“There are quite a few. First are construction tasks. Many components are so heavy that only it can lift them—like hoisting the keel during cargo ship construction. Then there’s bulk cargo transport. The currents around Gem Bay are quite complex, making it hard for ships to enter and leave, so sometimes it’s used to transport ore.”

“Hoisting… and transporting ore? Castel clearly has such a powerful war machine, yet it’s only used for construction?”

“Construction? No, no, you’ve misunderstood. According to the Lord, Castel’s expansion doesn’t need to rely on force. When Castel only had force, we indeed had to depend on it. But now, Castel’s strength can no longer be demonstrated through war alone.”

Nini curled her lips into a smile.

“Patriarch Ignati—take this very moment as an example. Would you choose to resort to force against us?”

Standing behind Nini, Gwen cooperatively took out her chain flail and swung it a few times.

The priests of the Silent Sanctum lowered their heads to look at the chain flail and armor in Gwen’s hands, then lifted their gaze again to the Celestial Behemoth blotting out the sky above.