Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

“This ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍is one of the greatest sacred relics of the Mechanical Sanctum—the Gear Sage. He resides permanently within this Gear Sanctuary, lecturing day and night without rest. It is simply that the content he teaches is far too profound, and extremely obscure to comprehend.”

After ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍finishing the introduction, Hela frowned and thought for a moment before continuing:

“The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍believers of the Mechanical Sanctum attend lectures here. Occasionally, there are those who gain some insight from these obscure sermons. Unfortunately, such cases have become increasingly rare.”

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍group from Castel stood within the Gear Sanctuary, silent, staring intently at the machine “person” above who was delivering the lecture.

Castel ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍could use Steam Engines to propel massive locomotives, send colossal airships into the sky, and allow fully loaded cargo ships to sail across the sea—but it could not construct such an exquisitely refined humanoid machine.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍research team led by Richard had spent a long time studying the relevant technologies. Now, not only had they failed to complete it, they could not even produce a complete plan or coherent technical framework.

The electrical control systems were restricted, servo motor manufacturing was fraught with difficulties, and as for brain–machine interfaces, even Blue Star before Hughes’ transmigration had failed to produce them. Naturally, he could offer no assistance.

Forced by circumstances, their standards had been lowered again and again. In the end, they had only intended to build Nora a barely functional body—not precise manipulation, just something capable of dragging her head around. Yet even that proved impossible.

In other words, the machine before them, capable of writing and drawing upon the blackboard, had already surpassed Castel’s most cutting-edge technology.

Erwin and Zoe had merely heard of such things. Gaia, however, had immersed herself in frontier research institutes day after day. She understood far more clearly just how exaggerated this machine standing before the blackboard was in technical terms.

It was not fixed to the ground—it truly stood on two legs.

That was an inherently unstable structure, requiring constant adjustment to maintain balance. Upon closer inspection, one could see it making continuous micro-adjustments; its center of gravity was perpetually shifting.

This technology—calculating bodily state based on current conditions and adjusting in real time—if paired with a photosensitive component for fire-control and combined with a Gatling Gun, could achieve the sentry turret the Lord had once described.

That control precision, refined to the extreme—if used to create mechanical Coyotes, they could carry bombs and charge in place of soldiers.

Gaia suddenly felt a sense of absurdity.

She had once believed Castel to be the most advanced power on the entire continent. Yet the technologies before her—forget imitation, even if someone explained the principles to her, she might not be able to understand them.

Was the Mechanical Construct not lecturing right now?

It spoke in the Common Tongue. Gaia could understand every single word. It was simply giving a lecture—its vocabulary not particularly esoteric.

But when strung together, they became something grotesque and distorted.

What did it mean to shut down spinal pain signals on a pain-threshold floating-point array according to an annihilation protocol? What did it mean to construct a computational Mass-confession chamber based on a mayfly brain?

Gaia felt her temples throbbing painfully. This was a precursor to anchor destabilization within the Sea of Unawareness. She knew it all too well—

Castel Syndrome.

A mild cognitive deviation caused when one’s personal cognition failed to keep pace with overly advanced technology.

She had seen it countless times, each time smiling and reassuring the afflicted that they would get used to it—read more books, stabilize cognition, and it would gradually ease.

And now, she was the one whose cognition was insufficient.

“What’s wrong, Miss Gaia?”

Hela, standing beside her, noticed her abnormality and turned her head in confusion.

She turned too quickly. The veil was tugged aside, and when Gaia raised her head, she saw a face filled with intricate precision gears.

Gaia immediately shut her eyes tightly, ceasing all communication to prevent the situation from worsening.

Zoe and Erwin drew in sharp breaths—they naturally knew what this was.

“Arch-Mechanism Chancellor Hela, she is… ah, Castel Syndrome. It’s troublesome to explain. But surely your Gear Sanctuary has encountered quite a few such cases?”

“Encountered quite a few?” Hela’s mechanical face revealed no expression, but her tone carried confusion. “What do you mean?”

“This situation. Seeing that…”

“The Gear Sage.”

“After seeing His Excellency the Sage, no cognitive deviation? No madness?”

Hela paused, as though recalling something. In the end, she shook her head.

“There has never been such a situation.”

“What? How could that be…” Zoe’s eyes widened.

Even she could sense the terror of the Gear Sage. And yet there had been no so-called “Gear Sage Syndrome” here?

She was about to speak further when she felt a hand rest upon her shoulder.

Turning back, she saw Erwin patting her shoulder and shaking his head.

“Have you and I not also avoided falling into madness?”

“But that’s because we—” Zoe stopped midway, suddenly freezing in place. Her eyes widened abruptly.

She and Erwin had not fallen ill—not because they were stronger.

Quite the opposite.

It was because their level of knowledge was insufficient. They could not truly comprehend the greatness of the Gear Sage.

Castel had always been like this. Scholars arriving from outside had a high probability of descending into madness. Yet illiterate peasants landing on the island often showed little reaction.

They simply could not understand the greatness of what stood before them.

But…

The Gear Sanctuary had never produced such “Castel Syndrome”?

Did this mean that—

For all these years, not a single person in the entire Mechanical Sanctum had truly understood the greatness of the Gear Sage?

Zoe was a civil official. Erwin was a military man. It was understandable that they lacked technical knowledge.

But the entire Mechanical Sanctum—did it not have researchers?

Or was it that, guarding this Gear Sage who lectured day and night, their technological standards did not even surpass Gaia’s?

Zoe once again lifted her head to look at the Gear Sage who had been lecturing without pause.

A trace of pity suddenly rose within her heart.

It had lectured here day and night, for hundreds—perhaps thousands—of years.

Yet no one had ever understood.

The believers prostrated themselves in worship, yet they did not attempt to comprehend the knowledge he spoke.

She did not know what he felt when facing those chanting hymns in reverence.

Zoe herself was a teacher, having taught countless students. She would rather face their questioning than a hall filled entirely with pious believers.

Hela summoned a believer and lit the Forged Incense Burner.

It was an exquisite circular pendant. In size alone, it was similar to the Incense Burner of the Silent Sanctum, though its design was entirely different—at the very least, it bore no ram horns or blood grooves.

Accompanied by the clicking of gears and the humming of machinery, smoke rose from the incense burner and enveloped the group.

Zoe felt her mind clear instantly, as though a ticking sound echoed faintly by her ears.

She turned to look at Gaia and saw her expression gradually relax. After taking several deep breaths, Gaia slowly opened her eyes.

“I feel much better. Thank you, Your Excellency the Arch-Mechanism Chancellor.”

Hela merely nodded.

“I thought you were already accustomed to such things. After all, you also carry sacred relics with you, do you not?”