Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

As ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍soon as the Writer spoke, the few people within the Mind Link fell silent.

Indeed, ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍the difference between structured speech and incoherent roaring was obvious. Once one paid attention to that point, it was easy to judge.

Fries: ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍『You mean she can’t speak now and can only roar?』

Writer: ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍『I can only say it seems very much like that.』

Fries: ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍『How could this happen?』

Fries: ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍『What exactly happened? What is Scepter’s situation right now?』

If it had been the previous Zoe, she likely would have been completely in the dark about this.

But now Zoe had already touched the extraordinary. Simply coming into contact with the Sea of Unawareness had granted her much knowledge. Moreover, she was in Castel. With the help of Hughes, the Transcendents of Moths Chasing Fire had also shared some fundamental knowledge of the Supernatural System with her.

Writer: 『She might be being tortured. Or she might have fallen into madness.』

Fries: 『What? Scepter has gone mad?!』

Writer: 『She is only in a state of madness for now. It may not be permanent. Madness is divided into temporary madness, irregular madness, and permanent madness. Temporary madness gradually eases over time until recovery. Cas—cough—certain states that induce madness will cause one to enter temporary madness.』

Hughes nodded. Castel Syndrome indeed made people prone to insanity, but generally speaking, lying in a hospital bed for one night was enough. It would not leave any aftereffects.

Writer: 『If one is stimulated multiple times within a short period, or encounters a source of pollution again while in temporary madness, it will develop into irregular madness. The symptoms are similar to temporary madness and it will also recover—but there is no telling when it might relapse. One cannot recover by oneself. Only with medication or a professional therapist is there a chance of a cure.』

Captain: 『A chance? It might not be curable?』

Writer: 『Yes. Irregular madness means the erosion has already gone deep. Rather than saying there’s a chance it cannot be cured, it would be more accurate to say most will eventually go completely insane. The erosion of pollution is like an abyss—once you fall in, it is difficult to climb back out.』

Writer: 『And finally, there is permanent madness. This kind of madness cannot be treated by any method. This person’s rationality no longer exists at all—no, at this point it cannot even be called a person, but should be called a monster. There is not a trace of reason in its mind. Its body is filled with pollution. A being who has fallen into permanence is itself a source of pollution.』

The people in the Mind Link continued discussing, but Hughes’ eyes widened.

He had never seen someone who had fallen into permanent madness.

But… a body filled with pollution?

He had indeed seen that before.

The Lord of Moths.

The Heretical God of Moths Chasing Fire. Originally, the Transcendents had summoned it into the Mortal Realm to absorb the pollution from their bodies—yet Hughes had accidentally purified it.

But it had clearly been a Heretical God.

Perhaps a Heretical God was precisely a being whose body was filled with pollution. Or perhaps…

Those who fell into permanent madness had some kind of connection with Heretical Gods.

That was interesting.

Hughes stroked his chin and silently noted it down, intending to ask someone from Moths Chasing Fire later. Come to think of it, he still did not know how the Lord of Moths had come into being.

After discussing for quite some time, the people in the Mind Link found no good solution. They did not know Scepter’s true identity, nor did they know where she was. After racking their brains, they could only continue observing.

Writer: 『…Let’s set Scepter’s matter aside for now. There’s another person in the link who isn’t here either.』

Fries: 『Gwen.』

Writer: 『She hasn’t even responded. It’s as if she’s no longer here at all.』

She truly was not here. Little Gwen’s thread was still being held in Hughes’ hand.

Speaking of which, Little Gwen was the only one who had seen through his identity. Worker Hughes and Lord Hughes clearly had no connection whatsoever—yet she had discovered it.

Perhaps, as a 【Named One】, Little Gwen was even stronger than Hughes had imagined.

Writer: 『Gwen… speaking of which, I do know a girl named Gwen.』

Fries: 『What a coincidence. I know one too.』

Captain: 『…』

Fries: 『Uh, could it be—』

Writer: 『Unlikely. The Gwen by my side is perfectly fine. And I asked around—Gwen isn’t an uncommon name in the Northlands. It’s normal to have the same name.』

Fries: 『Alright. I hope our Gwen is safe. It’s really been a long time since we heard any news from her.』

Fries: 『Sigh. A little girl surviving in this chaotic world—it’s just too difficult. She’s so young. If she runs into a bit of trouble, she might lose her life. What am I saying! In any case, I hope she can hold on. Let’s pray for her together.』

Writer: 『Mm.』

The Mind Link fell quiet as the few of them silently prayed for Gwen.

But Hughes’ expression suddenly turned strange.

He was certain that none of them were speaking within the Mind Link.

Yet voices were appearing in his mind.

『Gwen, you must be safe!』

『Survive survive survive survive』

『May the storm bless the poor. Little Gwen, if you survive, I’ll let you come to my ship and fire the boiler!』

『This damned world. If only Castel would unify the world sooner.』

『I even met a Big Gwen who summoned a Steel Ark. When I become captain of the ark—sorry, Black Pearl, I still prefer the bigger one…』

『Survive survive survive survive』

『I hope Gwen can solve her troubles, won’t go hungry, and won’t be bullied.』

『Survive survive survive survive』

『I wonder if the Gwen I know will… sigh, probably not. She’s so young… wait, Little Gwen, I think I know a—』

The voices in his mind became a chaotic mess. Hughes felt like the Monkey King being surrounded by three monks chanting the tightening-headband spell at him.

The human brain had a strange function—when too many people spoke at once, it simply went on strike. One could not make out a single word clearly.

Hughes rubbed his brow, trying to analyze what exactly was happening.

“Why can I hear their prayers?”

“Is this another issue with the Mind Link?”

“These three… wait. Don’t tell me they’re praying to me?”

It was entirely possible. Perhaps the three of them had joined some secret society—one that worshiped him.

Even if they had not, given Castel’s current trend of invoking Hughes’ name whenever facing uncertainty, perhaps they had instinctively prayed to him.

That was not the key issue.

The key was—if they were praying to him, why could he hear it?!

To be able to listen to others’ prayers…

Hughes’ expression grew increasingly peculiar.

To be honest, no matter how one thought about it, this did not seem right.

Didn’t that make him—

Like a God?