Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Nora ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍ultimately held herself back from speaking. On one hand, Nini was desperately gesturing at her from the side; on the other, Nora herself wanted to see the Sanctum embarrassed.

The ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Sanctum had abandoned her, abandoned the Children of the White Raven. No matter how many reasons they might have had, there was still a fire burning in her heart.

Sacrificing ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍oneself without consulting others was also a form of arrogance.

Since ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍they had chosen arrogance, they should swallow its bitter fruit. Nothing could better highlight how laughable their past choice had been than witnessing Castel’s strength.

Nora ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍nudged Gwen, signaling her to step back, and entered full spectator mode.

Gwen’s ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍eyes shone as she looked toward the cathedral hall. She had stayed in the Northlands for a long time, had encountered many Banshees, and had already witnessed the grandeur of the Prison of Calamity. Although this was her first time stepping into the Main Cathedral, the impact on her was much smaller.

Besides, if Gwen had truly lost herself in the Sea of Unawareness, perhaps the outcome would not have been the same as that of these priests from the Silent Sanctum.

Kyle and his group, who had been dragged here by Nini to clean, quickly withdrew. The hall of the Castel Cathedral returned to silence. At that moment, the Banshees praying at the front slowly rose to their feet.

More than a hundred Banshees straightened in unison and lifted their heads together. These already tall steel warriors seemed to grow even taller in an instant. Their six armored arms lowered gently, and the armor collided with the weapons hanging at their waists, producing the distinct metallic sounds of steel striking steel.

Only then did the Buriers notice that what they carried were not blades or other cold weapons, nor were they firearms, but unfamiliar weapons.

Castel’s formidable reputation in the Northlands was largely derived from its weaponry.

In the Northlands, the Expeditionary Army symbolized death—“death descended from the sky.”

One meaning referred to airships dropping bombs from above. The other referred to bullets falling like rain from the sky.

Upon seeing the weapons carried by these Banshees, the people of the Silent Sanctum suddenly realized something: if Castel could arm a powerful mortal Expeditionary Army, how could it possibly not provide even better weapons to the Banshees?

The Banshees were already powerful. Now, armed with weapons that crushed the Northlands—

In Helena’s mind, the image of Banshees charging into battle instantly transformed into an airship-version Banshee, swaying a serpent tail as it flew through the sky, all six hands hurling bombs downward.

After the solemn prayer ceremony ended, the Banshees turned their heads in unison to look at the people of the Silent Sanctum. As their necks rotated, the armor emitted sharp clicking sounds that echoed piercingly in the quiet cathedral.

Their gazes were as cold as ice. They looked at them, yet seemed to be looking at no one at all. The battlefield aura forged through countless fights required no deliberate display; the Buriers immediately felt their hair stand on end.

Nini nodded in satisfaction at the side. This particular movement had been voted in through the Mind Link as the most imposing pose. It had undergone multiple rounds of optimization and rehearsal.

Indeed, when it came to doing bad things, this group of Banshees was brimming with energy.

The Buriers, like startled kittens, almost reacted instinctively. Fortunately, Nini stepped forward in time, positioning herself between the two sides and making introductions.

“Clansmen, these are the Transcendents of the Silent Sanctum. They have come to visit. In the future, we may become partners, fighting together against evil and oppression.” Nini’s tone was so sincere it was almost excessive, as if she were performing in a stage play.

A Banshee opposite her coughed lightly, and Nini’s voice immediately became more normal.

“They are guests of the Lord, here to tour the church. What a coincidence, right? Everyone just happened to be here praying.”

“I apologize for the intrusion. I hope we did not disturb your prayers,” Ignati stepped forward and said.

“It is nothing. We were merely conducting our daily prayers. The church here is open to all. You may look around freely.”

A dull, hoarse voice came from beneath a Faceplate. It was Feniel who spoke. She was widely recognized for her smoky voice and had been voted to handle the replies.

After speaking, the Banshees filed out in sequence, forming ranks and dispersing outward in squads.

Only after the Banshees had disappeared from view did the priests of the Silent Sanctum collectively let out a breath of relief. The pressure exerted by those Banshees had been overwhelming. The synchronized prayer scene had even directly shaken their wills—there was more than a hint of PTSD.

At the mere sight of heavily armored Banshees, they felt instinctively tense. Quite a few cast grateful glances toward Nini. Nini really was kind—she had just spoken up for them.

“Thank you.” Ignati inclined his head slightly.

Nini smiled.

“You’re welcome. It’s what I should do. After all, the Lord asked me to show you around… Shall we take a look inside the church next?”

She casually glanced toward the distant courtyard. That direction led to the walkway entrance of the Stellar Furnace.

Only then did the priests of the Silent Sanctum begin to properly examine the interior of the cathedral. They had been so distracted by the Banshees that they had barely paid attention before.

With a closer look, the priests began to frown.

This… was a church?

The Castel Cathedral was quite large in scale. To facilitate the movement of the Banshees, the ceiling height was generous. From the inside, it appeared quite magnificent.

However—

“Isn’t this… a bit too plain?” one priest muttered.

“Lower your voice! This is someone else’s church. Don’t make reckless comments.”

The priest immediately closed his mouth, though dissatisfaction still lingered in his eyes.

Indeed, as a fortress, the Castel Cathedral was certainly qualified. But as a religious site, it was far too austere.

One should know that the Silent Sanctum was not a church that pursued lavish decoration or luxury.

Their sanctums were famously simple. Aside from the heavy, textured massive stones used in construction, there was little else worth mentioning.

Yet the Silent Sanctum, which had always championed pragmatism, had just witnessed what true pragmatism looked like.

The main structure of the Castel Cathedral was excellent—well-designed and spacious—but as for decoration, there was barely any.

No, not even decoration. The walls of the church had originally been the natural lead-gray color of reinforced concrete. Only recently had they been painted white. Beneath their feet were nothing more than simple stone-patterned tiles.

In churches with even a modest sense of refinement, stained glass mosaics forming intricate designs were merely basic standards. Some even embedded gold into floor tiles, or installed pipes and resonance chambers throughout the entire building, turning the whole cathedral into a massive instrument.

The Church of Candlelight’s great cathedral in Rhine was one such example. When the choir performed hymns, the organ pipes embedded throughout the church would resonate in unison. It was said that the sound could cleanse the soul, turning ordinary visitors into believers.

Compared to that, Castel’s cathedral was somewhat… lacking.

After all, it was a newly established church. It lacked a certain depth of heritage. There were hardly any supernatural elements present. In that case, how much different was it from a mortal building?