Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Beatrice ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍looked at the motionless Hela, her gaze gradually turning complicated.

She ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍stepped forward and gently brushed her fingers across Hela’s cheek. Metal gears, densely packed pipelines—cold, rigid, entirely different from the texture of skin.

“Sorry.”

Beatrice ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍murmured softly. She looked at Hela as if she still wanted to say something more, but suddenly her eyes widened.

“How ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is that possible! How—”

A ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍pulling sensation struck her, as if her soul had been tugged out of her body for an instant. It was a long-lost, strange feeling—Connection!

After Beatrice had been imprisoned, she had once fallen into despair. That suddenly appearing Connection had once been her last hope.

Unfortunately, that hope had vanished in a flash. The abruptly severed Connection had thrown all her plans into disarray, forcing her onto another path.

And now…

“If only it had come earlier. Unfortunately, I can no longer turn back.”

Her consciousness gradually rose. Beatrice knew that in the next instant, the Connection would be successfully established. And at that very moment, as her awareness left her body, she instinctively glanced along the direction of the pull.

Only a single glance—but that glance made her very soul tremble.

She did not know what she had seen. She only felt that the existence was immense, terrifying, incomprehensible, indescribable.

She thought that in that instant she would fall into complete madness. Shock and regret surged into her heart. Beatrice closed her eyes and waited for her end, but—

Her sanity stood firm as a rock, without the slightest deviation. It was even more stable than at any previous moment. No matter how violently the undercurrents surged within the Sea of Unawareness, she remained unmoved.

“How is this possible? Why?!”

Suddenly, Beatrice understood.

She lowered her head. That ancient, immense, indescribable existence—

was her Anchor.

Before she could think further, accompanied by another pulling sensation, her soul arrived at another abode.

The Connection was established.

Fries: 『Everyone, long time no see! How have you all been lately? Have you found a way to help Miss Scepter?』

Beatrice felt her nose sting and her throat tighten.

Here in Rhine City, she stood as both Pope of the Church and Empress of the Empire, yet everywhere she looked were enemies.

Within this Connection, she was merely an ordinary member. Yet these friends she had never even met still remembered her.

The kindness of strangers was the purest.

Writer: 『Actually, I really did find some clues…』

Scepter: 『Thank you all for your concern. My condition has improved considerably now.』

Fries: 『！！！』

Captain: 『！！！』

Writer: 『！！！』

Fries: 『Wait, Miss Scepter, you’ve finally returned to normal?』

Scepter: 『Returned… to normal?』

Fries: 『You didn’t know? The last time our Connection was established, your state was extremely strange—terrifying!』

Scepter: 『Mm, what kind of state was I in?』

Fries: 『You kept muttering strange whispers. No one could understand them. Some of it even sounded like wailing… We were all very worried at the time. We even speculated that you had been imprisoned, that someone was torturing you—』

She really had been imprisoned. They hadn’t guessed wrong, Beatrice thought to herself.

As for torture…

That was difficult to say.

Scepter: 『Mm… At that time, I was probably at a critical stage of a Ritual. I would lose consciousness for a period of time. Or perhaps I happened to be controlling a… shell. What you heard were the instructions I was giving her.』

In a room within the Gear Sanctuary, Zoe, who was lying on the bed pretending to sleep, frowned.

Although this Connection had come somewhat suddenly, it had not surprised her. It was also good news that Miss Scepter had recovered. It was just—

Why did she feel that Miss Scepter seemed somewhat different this time?

Previously, Miss Scepter had rarely spoken much about matters related to the Supernatural System. Even when she mentioned them, she would gloss over them.

Zoe understood that approach. After all, no one knew where this strange Connection truly originated, nor what kind of existence lay behind the curtain. Concealing one’s identity was the rational choice.

But this time, Miss Scepter no longer concealed anything and directly spoke of what she was doing.

Zoe faintly guessed that Miss Scepter might now have far fewer restraints and concerns.

After some careful consideration, she cautiously spoke:

“May I ask what kind of Ritual it is? I recently became a Transcendent as well and have some interest in it…”

She had already made up her mind—if Scepter showed the slightest sign of refusal, she would immediately apologize. After all, such a question was somewhat crossing the line.

But Scepter did not refuse. She let out a soft laugh:

『It is a Ritual to advance to 【Named One】. Didn’t I mention before that I encountered some trouble? As long as I become a 【Named One】, everything will improve!』

Zoe drew in a sharp breath. She knew the weight carried by the title 【Named One】. When she had still been a mortal, she had not felt much. Only after becoming a Transcendent did she understand how powerful someone like Isaac, who walked two Transcendence Paths, truly was.

Yet even someone like Mr. Isaac had stood no chance whatsoever against Lina. He had not even been able to escape. His soul had not even been reclaimed by 【Chrysalis】.

It was said that Lina was a 【Named One】.

There were no records about 【Named One】 on the island. Even Moths Chasing Fire, an organization highly versed in secret history, possessed only a few fragmented notes regarding this path.

If Miss Scepter truly became a 【Named One】, she might indeed resolve all problems…

But that was not the key point.

The key point was that she actually possessed a method to become a 【Named One】?!

While Zoe was still carefully organizing her words, Fries was already unable to restrain himself:

Fries: 『What is 【Named One】? Is that a Transcendence Path?』

Zoe could not help but secretly clench her fist.

Fries, well asked!

She had just felt that it might be inappropriate to pry too deeply, and now someone had immediately asked on her behalf.

Kenn was not a Transcendent. As a technician, he had previously been outside the island and had only recently entered Castel’s core circle. His understanding of the Northlands battles was limited to what was reported in the Newspaper. He truly did not know about 【Named One】.

Thus, when he heard Scepter’s words, he simply assumed it was an ordinary path and did not think too much about it.

Beatrice smiled faintly. The Ritual was about to succeed, and she had just received soap from Castel. She was in an excellent mood and therefore patiently began to explain.

Scepter: 『【Named One】 is not a Transcendence Path, but rather an ancient title. Their combat strength far surpasses ordinary Transcendents, and it is said that they also possess certain special authorities.』

Fries: 『Uh, so that means they don’t belong to any Church? No wonder I’ve never heard of the name.』

Scepter: 『【Named One】 indeed does not belong to any Church. But the reason you haven’t heard the name is something else.』

Zoe’s eyes lit up.

Here it was—this was exactly what she wanted to know.