Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Hughes ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍raised his brows. “What’s wrong? Don’t panic. Catch your breath and speak slowly.”

Zoe ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was a Transcendent. For her to be running so hard that she was out of breath, it was obvious she was truly anxious.

“Lord, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍what I’m about to say—please don’t be afraid.”

Hughes ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍forced down a smile. “What could it be? Did that strange link connect again?”

Zoe ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍froze. After a long moment, she slowly raised a trembling finger and pointed at him. “C-Could it be… have you learned divination?”

Hughes ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍struggled to keep his face straight. “No. This was deduction.”

“Ah?”

“You returned with me on the same Cargo Ship. After we got back, you didn’t report to me immediately, which meant it wasn’t something that happened in the past few days. The area you’re in charge of is mostly administrative—hardly the sort that would produce a major incident. It couldn’t possibly be that Yami blew up the school, right?”

“And if it were a sudden crisis, the Banshees would have reported to me first through Mind Link.”

“After eliminating all impossible options, whatever remained—no matter how absurd—must be the truth. Something unique to you, serious enough to require immediate reporting—”

“The only possibility was that the link connected again.”

Hughes interlocked his fingers, covering most of his face. His calm tone sliced through the situation like a razor, peeling back layers to reveal the truth.

Zoe sat frozen in her chair, as if enlightenment had struck her. Her face was filled with shock.

A moment later, her cheeks flushed red. “Th-That was incredible! Lord! I’ve only ever seen scenes like that in detective novels!”

What a coincidence, Hughes thought. I’ve only seen it in detective novels too.

“Lord, could you teach me how to write novels—I mean, how to deduce like that? It was so cool!”

Of course. When you already knew the answer and then reasoned backward, it always looked impressive.

Hughes smiled faintly. “It mainly depends on talent. Of course, effort matters too. The reason I’ve come this far is entirely because of my own—cough, I’m getting off track. Tell me what exactly happened.”

Only then did Zoe remember why she had come. She hurriedly recounted the conversation that had just taken place within the link.

“In short, the reconnection of this link is extremely strange. The person behind it must have some massive conspiracy!” Zoe said firmly. “I even suspect whether this has something to do with Lina…”

The mastermind scratched his head. He really hadn’t thought that much about it—he just wanted to see if Beatrice was still online.

“Alright. I understand. I’ll pay closer attention. If anything happens again, report to me.”

“Yes!”

Zoe turned to leave, but Hughes called out to her.

“Wait.”

“Yes, Lord?”

“Zoe, I recall that you became a Transcendent without undergoing a Ritual, correct? Have you ever tested your abilities?”

Zoe paused, then spoke awkwardly. “N-Not yet. You know… my work doesn’t really involve Transcendents…”

Although she managed the school, Zoe herself wasn’t particularly passionate about pursuing knowledge. Within Moths Chasing Fire, she hadn’t gotten to know many people.

Granny had been familiar with her, but after teaching her some basic knowledge, she had left. Recently, Granny had joined the Ashes’ Alliance. Castel was expanding its intelligence network within the Empire, and since she had little to do on the island, even the Dragon’s Breath Cannon had been sitting idle from boredom. So she applied to go to the Empire to gather intelligence.

At that thought, Hughes suddenly felt something was off. Gathering intelligence was one thing—but hadn’t Granny applied for several Dragon’s Breath Cannons before leaving?

Was she planning to gather intelligence with Dragon’s Breath Cannons?

“A-Anyway, I don’t really know many Transcendents… I have some acquaintances among the Banshees, but they don’t seem that enthusiastic about Transcendence either.”

That made sense. The Banshees were busy running newspapers, practicing medicine, hosting live broadcasts—very few of them were fixated on becoming stronger as Transcendents.

Zoe’s face reddened.

It was true. Though she had taken on quite a bit of administrative work, she mainly dealt with Mortals and had few connections in Transcendent circles.

“Come to the island tomorrow. Go to the Main Cathedral. I’ll arrange for someone to conduct a comprehensive examination. Gaia will join as well—I recall she also became a Transcendent on her own.”

Thus, on the following day, Zoe returned to the island with Hughes.

She stood before Castel Cathedral, looking up at the churning dark clouds above. Pressing down the hem of her skirt against the fierce wind, she sighed to Hughes beside her, “Lord, is this how grand your tests usually are?”

Hughes also looked up at the sky. The corner of his eye twitched, but he said nothing.

At this moment, Castel looked like the end of the world. Thick black clouds pressed down from above, as if the entire sky were about to collapse.

Gales howled. The clouds rotated slowly like a vortex, and from time to time bright silver lightning tore across the heavens. Thunder roared as though it were about to pass judgment upon the world.

“Lord, Castel lies in the Storm Ocean, so I’ve seen storms before—but I’ve never seen one that only covered Castel.”

“Neither have I.”

Hughes turned helplessly and looked into the distance.

Though the island itself looked apocalyptic, farther out—beyond Castel—the sea was calm and bright. Gentle waves lapped against the shore, and even the seagulls gliding across the sky looked lazy.

“Still, I can roughly guess the reason,” Hughes said, glancing at Gaia, who stood atop the cathedral roof. He recalled the project approvals he had casually signed off on yesterday.

“Lord, the Storm Generator works quite well! I’ve already conducted lightning-strike tests on Castel Cathedral. The lightning rod system I added is quite effective.”

Gaia directed the researchers to slowly shut down the Storm Generator. More than a dozen rotating Coyotes staggered about in dizziness, their tongues hanging out.

“…Leaving aside the experimental results for now—how did you manage to implement a project approved yesterday by today?”

“Lord, didn’t you know? I’ve always been in charge of the lightning rod grounding system at Castel Cathedral. Richard’s modular Storm Generator is easy to dismantle and reassemble, so I transported it here. It was actually installed this morning. Since you happened to come by, let me show you my latest progress!”

Gaia had just taken over research and had been granted access to the Mechanical Sanctum. Naturally, she was brimming with motivation.

No—she might have been a bit too motivated. Wasn’t she leaving in a few days? And she still found time to conduct research?

“I improved the problem of uncontrolled lightning strikes from the Storm Generator. By using lightning rods to guide and accumulate the lightning, we can then release the stored lightning from the tip of the rod…”

Crackle—boom!

The lightning rod atop Castel Cathedral suddenly flared with electricity. A bolt of lightning shot outward, blasting a distant Target to pieces.