Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

“Are ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍you people of Castel this cruel? Even if you were going to kill her, wouldn’t it be better to just throw her off the airship? Stuff her into a Steam Engine to burn? Since when do people serve as fuel?”

“Besides, ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍she’s completely saturated with Pollution right now. Wouldn’t she just wreck the Steam Engine?”

Beatrice ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Joanne wore a blank expression.

However, ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍she soon felt as though some kind of sound had begun to echo in her ears.

To ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍be honest, she could not quite understand it. It was not normal speech at all, but rather the collision of gears, the friction of rotating shafts, and the bubbling of steam all mixed together.

It ‍​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍was clearly just noise, yet she inexplicably sensed emotion within it. Yes… a rather irritable emotion.

The Steam Engine was cursing viciously.

It merely had a bad temper, liked to spit red-hot coal at the Stoker, and enjoyed singing with its steam chamber and whistle. It had never done anything evil—so why was it being treated like this?

Like this time. The fuel the Stoker had stuffed into it left it deeply dissatisfied.

It was indeed Pollution, but the purity was not particularly high. Within it lingered a stubborn will, tenaciously resisting the erosion of Pollution.

It was like discovering the fish on one’s plate was still struggling when trying to eat—awkward, to say the least.

And the Stoker had even said this was not to be burned, merely to help suppress it.

What did they take it for? It was a Steam Engine, not a medical kit!

The Machine Soul was displeased.

The Steam Engine rattled and cursed nonstop. Every gear and every component expressed its dissatisfaction. It cursed from the Stoker to the Mechanic, and only stopped after Erwin promised it high-purity Pollution produced in Castel.

But as it scolded, Beatrice inside the boiler widened her eyes in astonishment.

The Pollution constantly churning within her body suddenly became obedient.

She could even sense a kind of fear emanating from it, as if it had encountered its natural predator.

But… this iron machine was just a Steam Engine, wasn’t it? She had seen plenty of them in Rhine.

She had never seen the Steam Engines of Rhine curse at people.

Even if they did curse, how could the Pollution meekly endure the scolding like this?

Perhaps she ought to learn how to curse properly herself…

As Beatrice’s thoughts wandered wildly, her face suddenly turned pale. Struggling, she crawled toward the observation port of the furnace and poked her small head out.

The others had been relieved to see her condition stabilizing. But suddenly they saw her stick out her head, cheeks puffing up, and then—

“Blegh—”

She opened her mouth and spat out a large mouthful of Pollution.

After that, it became unstoppable. While being scolded inside the boiler, Pollution frantically escaped from her mouth, spilling all over the floor.

Everyone nearby stared in shock.

Zoe muttered blankly, “Can a Steam Engine vomit fuel?”

From the side, with Beatrice’s head obscured, it really did look like the Steam Engine was spewing Pollution.

The Steam Engine’s cursing immediately tripled in volume. A crack appeared in the steam chamber, and water from within sprayed toward Zoe.

Zoe clutched her head, apologizing while scrambling away. Chaos once again engulfed the airship.

Only after a fierce struggle did things gradually settle down.

Zoe had already retreated into another cabin and likely would not emerge again anytime soon to be scolded by the Steam Engine.

Beatrice still lay inside the furnace, her face devoid of hope, continuing to vomit Pollution.

Earlier, who knew how much seawater had poured back into her body? The Pollution within her had grown so dense she had nearly become a Heretical God. Now, it all had to be expelled bit by bit.

The Mechanic simply brought over a special iron barrel for collecting Pollution. By the looks of it, they would not be lacking fuel for this flight.

Further away, the Holy Guard of the Imperial Truth whispered among themselves, occasionally casting glances over.

“So nice…”

“As expected of His Holiness the Pope!”

“Is this the strength of the Empress of the Empire?”

“If every airship could be equipped with one…”

“How much can an airship even use? The factories over there consume the equivalent of 0.25 of His Holiness per day.”

“Oh? That’s a massive factory then. Our steel plant uses at most 0.15!”

“The output of one His Holiness could sustain half an industrial district… When is she going into the Stellar Furnace?”

“The Stellar Furnace might be too much, right? That thing suppresses Heretical Gods all year round and handles Pollution professionally. Stuffing Beatrice in there would definitely cure the erosion, but getting her out afterward might be troublesome…”

“The kind of troublesome that requires a shovel.”

Beatrice’s eyes turned numb, as if she had died.

Although the Holy Guard had politely chosen a small corner to gossip instead of speaking directly before her, she was a Transcendent—her hearing was sharp.

Freedom truly came at a cost. She might as well have died in Rhine. Why had she stubbornly struggled on until here?

Even the Steam Engine gradually quieted down and stopped cursing her. She even sensed a trace of pity.

Her mood worsened.

On the other side, the cabin door was left slightly ajar, and two heads peeked through the gap, one above the other, secretly observing.

Zoe and Gaia were clinging to the crack in an extremely ungraceful posture, watching Beatrice expel Pollution.

“Mm, Gaia, what do you think?”

“It doesn’t look good. The Steam Engine can suppress Pollution, but that’s not the Machine Soul’s main function. Her physical condition is still terrible.”

“I can see that. If I were her, if I could move at all, I’d have jumped off the airship already.”

The two fell silent for a moment, as though holding a moment of silence for the Pope.

“So what do we do? Actually send her into the Stellar Furnace?”

The Stellar Furnace suppressed Heretical Gods year-round. Dealing with Pollution was indeed its specialty. Stuffing Beatrice inside would cure the erosion—but retrieving her afterward might prove… difficult.

The sort of difficult requiring a shovel.

“Thinking about that is too far off. I doubt she can even last until she’s delivered to the Stellar Furnace. With her current condition, she could collapse at any moment,” Gaia whispered.

Indeed. Beatrice’s body had already reached the brink of collapse. If not for the Steam Engine’s Machine Soul suppressing the Pollution, she would likely have already transformed into a twisted monster.

Even with the Steam Engine’s assistance, it merely delayed the process. Though she appeared to be expelling Pollution, it was a drop in the ocean compared to the devastation within her.

When seawater had poured into her body, whirlpools had formed—who knew how much had been forced inside? That seawater was all Pollution.

“If she could somehow remain stable and vomit out half an ocean, maybe it would work. The key is that both her body and her mental state are too unstable.”

Zoe pressed her lips together, unable to think of a solution.

She was not particularly close to this Pope, but Beatrice had given them significant help and even provided technology from the Mechanical Sanctum.

At that thought, Zoe’s eyes suddenly lit up.

That was right—how had she forgotten? Perhaps the technologies of the Mechanical Sanctum might contain something useful.