Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Fathers of the Silent Sanctum did not notice the casual chatter among Nora’s group.

They ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍simply walked forward in silence.

Ignati ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was at the very front. The Buriers could only see his back.

“Patriarch.”

Ignati ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍halted and turned around. At some point, the Buriers had all stopped and were now looking at him.

As ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Ignati’s gaze swept over them, the Buriers straightened their bodies and simultaneously clenched their fists, striking their own chests.

This was a gesture used only on the battlefield. After donning faceplates, the thick armor made speech difficult, so they struck their armor to declare their resolve.

Ignati’s throat bobbed slightly. He met their gazes and saw only pairs of resolute eyes.

The last time he had seen such a scene was when they faced the Empire’s Musket Squad. Back then, they wore heavy armor and prepared to charge into battle, none of them knowing whether they would return alive.

Now, the Buriers no longer wore Icefield Heavy Armor, nor did they hold tower shields or chain flails, yet the firmness in their eyes remained unchanged.

It was as if the battlefield still lay before them, as if they were still a band of fearless warriors.

Nini cast a deep look at the Fathers of the Sanctum, then leaned over to Nora’s side and whispered:

“They’re pretty loyal, huh.”

Nora glanced at her and snorted softly.

“Silent Sanctum. You can say they’re stubborn, conservative, ignorant, backward—but they have never lacked courage, whether in war or in change.” There was a trace of yearning and a hint of nostalgia in Nora’s voice. “They are warriors. Only fearless will can pierce the High Wall of Reality. Did you really think seeing all this would scare them into madness?”

After witnessing Castel’s power and apparent invincibility, the Buriers had indeed wavered. Their will had been put to the test.

But in the end, that test did not crush them. Instead, it bound the Buriers together more tightly. A will tempered by despair only grew sharper.

Nini nodded slowly.

Not only her—Hughes, and indeed everyone within the Banshee Network, had sensed the choice and transformation of this group. From the moment the Buriers awakened, Castel had been paying close attention to them. They were the first church faction to arrive in Castel, and their performance would, in a very real sense, influence Castel’s future attitude toward the outside world.

The Buriers themselves were not idle either. They had already begun gathering to discuss how to change. The White Calamity had stripped them of land and believers, but on the other hand, it had also removed many burdens and restraints. Perhaps the Silent Sanctum really would undergo reform.

It was just that Nini soon discovered the direction of their discussion was rather… interesting.

“.So we still have our advantages!”

“That’s right! Castel has only gone further in technology and industry. We understand pollution and the extraordinary far better—that’s our core strength.”

“Exactly. They’ve only ever faced mortal opponents. They don’t really understand true extraordinary power.”

The tip of Nini’s tail perked up.

『Nini, you get what I mean, right—』 A message from Hughes suddenly popped up in the Mind Link.

『Leave it to me!』

“Everyone, we can discuss these matters later. Let’s continue the tour first!” Nini forcibly squeezed into the circle of Fathers and said enthusiastically and loudly.

“Next, we won’t be looking at any mechanical constructs. We’ll just take a simple tour of Castel’s main cathedral—don’t worry, our church is completely open. You can even go see the Stellar Furnace at the power core!”

The main cathedral?

The Fathers of the Silent Sanctum immediately perked up. They exchanged glances and saw eagerness in each other’s eyes.

Industrial sanctums were one thing, but when it came to religion, to cathedrals—the Silent Sanctum had a tradition spanning thousands of years.

Wasn’t this exactly their area of expertise?

Several of the Buriers pondered for a moment and even showed cautious expressions.

It was probably Castel seeing that they had been overstimulated and now using gentler tactics—letting them regain a sense of superiority first, lifting them up, and then smashing them down hard.

Hiss, what a blend of soft and hard tactics!

As expected of Castel—even in winning hearts, there were such deep schemes!

The Fathers of the Silent Sanctum quietly exchanged several hand signals. Their expressions soon turned solemn. Silent communication had already been completed. No matter how unimpressive Castel’s performance might appear next, they would not underestimate it.

Ignati glanced at his already alert subordinates, then lifted his head with a smile and looked at Nini. “Then we’ll trouble you. We’ve heard that Castel has established a new church. To think we’d be fortunate enough to visit it today.”

“No problem, no problem. Let’s hurry over—let’s just take the train!” Nini pointed toward the station nearby.

Most of Castel’s transportation had been moved underground. After all, subway excavation costs here were extremely low, and the Banshees, when idle, would dig a few segments for fun, often exceeding their quotas.

Still, surface transport had not been completely abandoned—for example, freight trains.

Nini’s group had just finished touring the Air Harbor and happened to be not far from the docks. Castel’s docks had now been expanded significantly, with most maritime cargo being loaded and unloaded there.

Goods unloaded from ships were then transported away via the adjacent station.

Some large cargo items were inconvenient to move into the Network Path. Transporting them from the surface underground and then back up again would be pure waste.

Moreover, subway carriages were limited by the overall space of the Network Path and were smaller than surface freight trains, resulting in significantly lower carrying capacity. Carrying passengers was fine, but using them for freight was unsuitable.

Under Nini’s guidance, the Buriers walked toward the station. Nini pointed at a sculpture standing on the platform and said, “See that? I made that sculpture myself.”

The Fathers focused their gaze. It depicted a burly man in beautiful armor, raising a broken sword toward the front, his expression ferocious.

“Is this to commemorate some heroic warrior?”

“Looks like it. See, even with his sword broken, he still didn’t give up fighting!”

“Yeah, and that expression—anger mixed with fear, all twisted together. He must’ve mustered all his courage to fight to the death without retreat!”

“Should we pay respects to him? Feels like it’d be pretty effective.”

“You’re a Father of the Silent Sanctum—don’t worship everything you see!”

“Lady Nini, is this statue meant to honor a brave warrior?”

Nini blinked innocently.

“Nope. There was an embarrassing knight named Galahad who charged at a train here. He even snapped his sword and spent several days in the hospital. I specifically sculpted this to mock him.”

“.”

The previously chattering Fathers fell into awkward silence.

“A-anyway, he was still quite brave.”

Nini nodded. “Right. The brave get to enjoy the world first. Brave knights get to embarrass themselves first. You see, quite a few people later had episodes here too, so I didn’t put up any more statues. Oh right, you still don’t know about Castel Syndrome. Simply put, it’s when people go crazy just by seeing Castel.”

“They go crazy? Why?”

“I don’t know either. Look, the train’s here. Let’s hurry and go visit the Stellar Furnace!”