Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

After ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Zoe and Richard left, Hughes did not immediately summon Isaac to inquire about the situation—he was neither in Blood Harbor nor in Castel at the moment, but rather over in the Empire.

After ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the Northlands were reclaimed, Isaac and his Ashes’ Alliance had completely established contact with Castel. That intelligence organization had been thriving within the Empire, even having the spare capacity to support the Resistance Army.

After ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a brief period of rest in Castel, Isaac had returned to the Empire, leaving behind several channels for information transmission.

If ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Castel truly came into conflict with the Empire, at the very least, gathering intelligence would no longer be as laborious as it had been during the Northlands campaign.

Through ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍informants, Hughes had sent an inquiry to Isaac regarding this matter. A response would arrive soon enough. As for Hughes himself, after thinking for a moment, he shook the bell on his desk.

“Young ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Master Hughes.” Connor gently pushed open the door.

“Prepare a ship. I’m going to Blood Harbor.”

“Understood. Shall we use—”

“No!” Hughes’ expression darkened as he immediately cut him off.

He knew what Connor wanted to suggest. He had a private vessel, and the old steward was asking whether he wished to take that one.

Speaking of which, that ship had been Monica’s doing. Somehow, she had obtained a design blueprint that Tata had previously had rejected, and without hesitation, she built a prototype vessel.

Building a ship itself was nothing unusual—Castel did not lack steel. When Monica submitted the application, Hughes had not paid much attention and approved it casually.

At the time, he had thought, it was just a ship. Even if it sank, it would not matter. Hadn’t Tata sunk plenty before? He could treat it as practice for the kid.

Yet not only had it not sunk—it could actually sail. After several trials, it had indeed achieved its design objectives.

The only downside was that it used the design of Nine Dragons, Nine Serpents Pulling a Coffin.

Yes, that Assault Coffin.

When Hughes saw that vessel, he felt utterly unwell. A ship so explosive that even Nini’s reports would have made it headline material had actually been built in reality.

The Banshees had enthusiastically invited him to ride it. Hughes had originally wanted to stop the farce, but after a moment’s reconsideration, he allowed it.

He merely replaced the test rider with Tata.

On the day the Assault Coffin was launched, the harbor had been packed so tightly it was impenetrable. Quite a few people were squeezed into the sea yet stubbornly stayed afloat just to watch the maiden voyage.

In any case, there were Banshees in the water—no one would die.

It was said that even the sunken ships in the sea had nearly floated up to watch.

Hughes could no longer clearly remember the details of that day. He only remembered Tata howling like a coyote inside a Storm Generator.

From that day onward, Tata’s ship designs became far more conventional.

The past was too painful to revisit. In short, Hughes now had an additional ship. Theoretically, if he were heading to Blood Harbor, that Assault Coffin would be the fastest option. Therefore, whenever he was in a hurry to depart, Connor would always ask.

Hughes would rather swim to Blood Harbor than sit in the Assault Coffin.

In the end, Hughes boarded a cargo ship that was preparing to depart. Blood Harbor was not far from Castel, and vessels frequently traveled between the two.

This trip to Blood Harbor was mainly to visit the Prince.

The letter that Hughes had received had also reached the Prince. The Mystics had informants spread throughout Blood Harbor and had naturally noticed the matter long ago.

When Hughes arrived in Blood Harbor, the Prince was already waiting at the dock.

Hughes raised a brow as he looked at the Prince and his entourage at the pier. It was already growing late—surely he had not been standing here the entire time?

“How did you know I would take this ship?”

“Of course, because of this letter. Calculate the time it would take to reach you, then check the cargo ship schedule.” The Prince shrugged and handed over the letter in his hand.

Hughes gave it a cursory glance before lifting his head. “Exactly the same.”

“Now that’s interesting. This isn’t the place to talk.”

The Prince and Hughes went together to the customs building near the dock. They jumped into the elevator, and the Prince looked around with envy.

“Good stuff, good stuff.”

“The principle behind this isn’t complicated, and the cost isn’t high. I can send you a few sets.”

“The cost isn’t high, but someone still has to maintain it. The Steam Engine needs supervision too, right? You’d have to assign a dedicated team. Those manpower resources are better placed in factories to increase production. I’m not like Castel—manpower is in short supply here.”

The Prince said this with a smile, then shifted the topic abruptly. “How about leaving an office for me here?”

“…That works.”

Hughes’ expression grew slightly odd. Why did it feel like he had intended that from the very beginning?

Although the Prince had maintained close ties with Castel, he had always preserved considerable independence. While Blood Harbor had indeed been handed to Hughes, he had continuously trained his own forces.

It was clear he had never intended to become Castel’s vassal.

So why was he proactively drawing closer this time?

The customs building was one of Hughes’ primary offices in Blood Harbor. If the Prince truly had an office here, then at the very least, meeting Hughes would become far more convenient.

Hughes narrowed his eyes. His gaze suddenly paused on the letter.

“You’re preparing to go to war with the Empire?”

It was the most reasonable explanation. Blood Harbor was not only developing under Hughes’ influence; the Prince’s power had also grown considerably. Both sides had already passed through the most difficult reconstruction period. There was no reason to suddenly abandon independent development at this point.

The only likely reason to elevate cooperation with Castel was war.

Castel had successfully taken control of the entire Northlands, which must have placed considerable pressure on the Prince. Now, the letter from the Empire mentioned Moths Chasing Fire, Lina, and Beatrice Perlanis Rhine Joanne—each figure intricately connected to Castel.

The Prince might not know every detail, but he knew that if Castel conquered the Empire as well, there would likely be no place left for him on this continent.

Hughes glanced at the Prince. With his ambition, he might even intend to declare war first.

“You can’t hide it from you. That’s right. I want to return to Rhine. This time, I’ll fight my way in.”

The Prince spoke meaningfully.

There was a probing undertone in his words. If he were Prince William, it would mean stepping back into Rhine openly and honorably after assassinating the Empress.

If she were Isabella, it would mean reclaiming her throne and ruling her Empire once more.

Unfortunately, Hughes did not care.

Regardless of who the Prince truly was, it would not affect Castel’s future.

“We’ve arrived.”

Seeing Hughes unmoved, the Prince smiled helplessly and pointed outside the elevator. He had been here before and knew where Hughes’ office was.

The two leapt out at the right moment.

Entering the office, Connor served them each a cup of hot tea before turning to leave, closing the door behind him.

This was one of the highest-security locations in Blood Harbor. They could speak freely here.

Hughes did not beat around the bush. “So you’ve truly prepared for war? That makes sense. It’s been a year already. I hear you’ve recruited quite a number of people recently.”