Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Frey ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍had imagined many possibilities about how the people of Castel would cross the Wall of Despair.

The ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍people of White Stone Fortress had grown up here since childhood, and thus many legends and fantasies about the Wall of Despair had been born.

For ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍example, that Transcendents would grow six arms and climb as nimbly as apes.

Or ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍that they would turn into spider-men, able to spit out silk and walk sheer cliffs as if they were flat ground.

But ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍he had never imagined that humans could set foot in the sky.

“We’ll ‍​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍take an airship across and have a look at this little fellow—the Unicorn Type 78. The ‘78’ refers to its length. In Castel’s war airships, seventy-eight meters isn’t much, but to cross the long Wall of Despair? Heh, it’s effortless.” Zoe looked at the long, narrow airship in the sky and smiled.

Frey stood there dumbfounded. Only at this moment did he shed his slick and slippery demeanor, revealing a few expressions that truly belonged to a boy his age.

“Wow.”

“Feels good, doesn’t it? It was produced at Gaia’s factory. It’s one of the recent auxiliary products of Castel’s military industry, balancing flexibility and payload. Whether it’s reconnaissance, surveying, or fire suppression, it performs quite well. As for the Wall of Despair…”

“It’s just incidental.”

The Wall of Despair, which the people of White Stone Fortress saw every day of their lives, had become merely “incidental” in her words. Frey should have been annoyed, but he was simply gazing in fascination at the slowly descending airship.

The oval hull carried beautiful curves. The passenger gondola suspended beneath it had firm yet elegant lines. It was the first time Frey had ever seen such a creation.

What he had seen growing up were mostly pitted stones and weathered walls. Even the residence of a noble lord had merely been coated with a layer of paint to disguise its roughness. When had he ever seen such orderly and graceful industrial craftsmanship?

Like a child—no, he was a child, merely too precocious—he rushed excitedly to the airship, touching here and looking there. Only after a long while did he reluctantly turn his head back.

“Lady Gaia, was this truly made by you?”

“It requires seventeen production lines, five assembly plants, and three testing workshops to produce it. Seven hundred workers each perform their own tasks to manufacture its parts. I am merely one cog in that chain. Alone, I couldn’t even make a single piece of outer plating. But when those workers and machines come together, they become this flying airship that soars across the sky.”

Gaia raised her head to look at the airship. As it descended, its propellers stirred gust after gust of wind, whipping her robes into a flutter. The girl’s slender figure stood firm and unmoving.

An indescribable feeling rose in Frey’s heart. Humans were so small before this airship—just as he had been when standing before the Wall of Despair.

Yet small humans had built the airship, conquered the sky and the earth. The Wall of Despair was merely another barrier.

Not a very tall one.

The Delegation had limited time and gave Frey no further opportunity to adjust—they directly hauled him aboard the airship.

There were no magical spells or supernatural abilities involved. But the instant his feet left the ground, waves of exhilaration surged through his heart.

He trembled, his whole body weak, yet he could not resist pressing himself against the porthole to look outside—fearful and excited at the same time.

White Stone Fortress grew smaller and smaller until it became a tiny snail shell.

It was a wondrous feeling. From aboard the airship, Frey looked down at White Stone Fortress—the entire world in which he had been born and raised. Now it was nothing more than a small ornament upon the desolate tundra.

In the distance stretched endless tundra. A slender railway track lay across it, extending far away, vanishing into the unknown.

“Lady Zoe, is Castel very far away?”

“Very far. Even that speeding train would have to run for a long time to get there. There is bright sunshine and azure seawater, and gentle sea breezes. You won’t see a trace of ice or snow.”

Frey listened quietly. Since childhood he had heard of many legendary places; Castel had been a relatively unremarkable one among them. Yet for some reason, at this moment, a faint longing was born in his heart.

“I know a pirate captain who has a new fast ship. Perhaps you should board his ship and venture into the wind and waves.” Gaia hugged her knees as she sat by the porthole, watching the scenery outside. “My brother has gone to sea with him a few times. Now he’s always running around everywhere. Perhaps he also wants to become a captain.”

The word “sea” felt unfamiliar to Frey, but it carried less fear than before. After all, half an hour ago, the sky had also been something beyond his reach.

A train passed below. Its long whistle, accompanied by the clanking rhythm, split across the vast tundra. Frey watched as the chimney trailed a line of black smoke, and suddenly asked:

“Lady Gaia, may I ask… does an airship also have a captain?”

Gaia and Zoe exchanged a glance and covered their mouths as they laughed softly. Beside them, Erwin, who had remained unsmiling the whole time, cast Frey an interested look.

The airship gradually climbed higher. The snow-covered Wall of Despair transformed from an impassable dead end into a mere decoration upon the earth. The group crossed over it with ease. That very existence, which had claimed countless lives and forcefully divided civilization, was no different from a small mound of earth on the ground.

They only glanced down at it briefly before losing interest and gathering together to discuss the next stage of their journey.

“We’ll take the airship to the vicinity of Rhine and deliver the documents. Before that, Frey and my subordinates will find a place to slip down in secret, sneak into Rhine City, and make contact with the Ashes’ Alliance.” Erwin spoke while pointing at a map.

“Won’t that be too high-profile?” Gaia asked with some concern.

“It needs to be high-profile. We must intimidate them. The Church of Candlelight and the Mechanical Sanctum are not easy opponents. If we have nothing to show, we’ll simply be devoured.”

“As for whether they will covet our technology… that’s precisely what we want. Whether it’s airships or various weapons, they are products of large-scale industrialization. Without a complete industrial system, they can’t be manufactured at all—not even in Rhine. We can boldly put them on the table for trade.”

“Is there any issue with the Ashes’ Alliance? I heard Ekesa still hasn’t been found.”

“Rest assured. The Ashes’ Alliance is a truly well-developed Intelligence Organization, not some empty shell.”

Isaac had devoted tremendous effort to the Ashes’ Alliance. Its members operated under a node-based system of communication and management. Even if someone went missing, the system would continue to function—only efficiency would vary.

During Isaac’s disappearance, intelligence from Rhine had continued to flow steadily to Castel. Thus, unlike their expedition to the Northlands, this time they had complete intelligence support from the very beginning.

“Then I’ll begin by explaining Rhine’s current situation. The following intelligence has been verified and is entirely accurate. I hope you won’t be too surprised.”