Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Scepter: ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍『【The Named】 are extremely ancient beings. As far as I know, there were already records of their activities a thousand years ago. Every time they appeared upon the continent, they brought disaster. Sometimes an entire church was wiped out; sometimes a whole nation was plunged into the abyss. Gradually, their very appearance became synonymous with catastrophe.』

Scepter: ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍『It is precisely because of this that almost all organizations treat the matter as a great taboo. Organizations with long lineages, such as the major churches, classify all records concerning 【The Named】 as top secret—some are even directly sealed away, forbidden from being read.』

Captain: ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍『You mean to say that a single 【The Named】 can drive an entire nation or church to destruction?』

Scepter: ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍『Yes. 【The Named】 are just that powerful. Of course, they are not strong enough to slaughter every member head-on—that is not their level. But with their abilities, a slight application of schemes and methods is enough to ensure success.』

Silence ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍fell across the link for a moment. No one spoke. They were all stunned by the revelation.

【The ‍​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Named】 could truly be that powerful?

One person alone destroying an entire organization.

Zoe felt her lips go dry. She had always believed that Castel was already powerful enough—able to defeat the entire North and now even pointing its blade toward Rhine.

But that had required a complete industrial system and an elite expeditionary army. Could 【The Named】 truly accomplish such a feat alone?

On the other side, the Captain’s attention focused on something else.

Captain: 『Why would 【The Named】 do such things? To destroy a nation or a church—what meaning does that hold?』

Scepter: 『I do not know the reason. No one in this world knows, except for 【The Named】 themselves. Negotiation, submission, threats, even surrender—none of it has any use. Their existence seems to be solely for bringing destruction. Nothing can halt their steps.』

Fries: 『Then when you become one of 【The Named】 in the future, will you also be like that?』

Scepter: 『…』

Beatrice’s heart suddenly felt uneasy. Yes—no one knew why 【The Named】 brought destruction. When she became one of them, would she be forced to do the same?

Why was this so? Was it some kind of necessity? Or were 【The Named】 in truth being controlled?

If she cast off the shackles of the Church only to bind herself in another set of chains, then would that not render everything meaningless?

But Fries did not pursue the matter further. It had only been a casual question. Soon, another curiosity arose in his mind, and he spoke again.

Fries: 『Uh, Miss Scepter, I have another small question. Since 【The Named】 do things on such a grand scale, shouldn’t everyone know about them? Can the Church really suppress that completely?』

Miss Scepter responded after a moment. This time, her tone had grown more subdued, no longer as lively as before.

Scepter: 『The Church’s suppression is far tighter than you imagine. You have heard of Transcendents since childhood, have you not? In truth, that itself is rare. Within the Empire, the vast majority of people go their entire lives without knowing that the Transcendent exists. If the Church can conceal even the existence of the Transcendent, then it is only natural that 【The Named】 remain unknown.』

Fries: 『I see.』

Scepter: 『Besides, perhaps you have heard of one without realizing it. The Great Sage Bruno—you have heard of him, yes? He was one of 【The Named】.』

Zoe froze, her eyes widening abruptly.

She did know that the Great Sage Bruno was one of 【The Named】—that information had been in the materials Hughes had given her—but there had been almost no detailed description.

That alone would have been one thing, but—

The Great Sage Bruno was the founder of the former Mechanical Society, now the Mechanical Sanctum!

And Zoe was currently in Rhine, at the headquarters of the Mechanical Sanctum.

The Gear Sanctuary where she resided was considered a core district even within the Mechanical Sanctum.

Curled beneath her blanket, Zoe twisted and turned, unable to suppress her trembling. Her gains this time might be far greater than she had imagined.

Perhaps the Great Sage Bruno had hidden the secret to becoming one of 【The Named】 within the Mechanical Sanctum!

Fries: 『The Great Sage Bruno? I do not know much about him. I only remember that he seemed to have been burned to death?』

Scepter: 『Yes. Even with the Church’s strict suppression, his brilliance could not be concealed. Bruno was the first to bring machinery and industry into this world. He single-handedly founded the Mechanical Society. By utilizing machinery, he allowed ordinary people to stand in opposition to the Transcendents. The Mechanical Society—now the Mechanical Sanctum—is the only one among the Five Great Churches that possesses no Transcendent pathway.』

To allow ordinary people to stand against the Transcendent…

Ken felt his mouth go dry. He had only ever heard the title “Great Sage” attached to Bruno and had once wondered why he bore such a name.

Now it seemed that if he had truly accomplished all this, he more than deserved the title. The power of industry, the power of mortals—perhaps it was precisely because Bruno had successfully pried open a corner of the Church’s dominion that Castel had gained the foundation for its development.

Fries: 『And so he was burned to death…』

Scepter: 『Your guess is correct. The Church naturally could not tolerate him. Bruno was arbitrarily charged with a crime and burned to death. In that matter, not only did the Candlelight Society take action, but the other churches also lent their strength in secret. It was precisely for that reason that although Bruno was one of 【The Named】, he still perished under the combined efforts of the churches.』

Scepter: 『From that day onward, 【The Named】 would never again walk openly in the mortal world under their true identities. What they brought thereafter was only destruction.』

Zoe’s heart surged with emotion. So the Great Sage Bruno had been this great—no, even greater than that.

If the Mechanical Sanctum had truly been founded by his own hands, then the Gear Sage within the Hall of the Gear Sage had also been created by him?

Such a miraculous creation had come from his hands. Had this Great Sage not died at the hands of the Church, how many more wondrous inventions might this world have gained?

And now, one could only search through his legacy.

Scepter: 『Oh, right. There is something else—I noticed that Little Gwen has not spoken at all. She…』

Fries: 『Mm, Little Gwen has been missing for quite some time. During the period when we could not contact you, we also could not reach her. No idea how she is doing now.』

Writer: 『I remember she said earlier that she had already arrived somewhere safe. Perhaps she is busy with something else?』

Fries: 『No way? No matter how busy I am, I would not abandon the link to do something else.』

Writer: 『Do not forget—Little Gwen is still just a child. Children her age are the most playful. It is normal for her to neglect the link.』

Fries: 『That makes sense.』

They chatted for a while longer before bidding each other farewell and leaving the link.

This time, not only had they confirmed Miss Scepter’s safety, they had also learned many secrets. The harvest was plentiful.

But the one who had gained the most was…

“Beatrice wants to become one of 【The Named】?”

Hughes’ face was filled with shock.