Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

The ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍bundle of documents Beatrice Joanne had brought had already been opened. By the time Zoe came over, several Technical Priests of the Imperial Truth were already gathered around it, studying the contents. When they saw her approach, they all greeted her.

“Miss ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Zoe.”

“How ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is it? There’s nothing wrong with the materials, right?”

“It ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍doesn’t seem like there’s any issue. At least the content matches up. It’s just…”

The ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍Technical Priest hesitated in his tone. Zoe leaned closer, craning her neck to look at the documents herself. It did not take long before she understood why they were so conflicted.

“What ‍​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌​‍is all this mess?”

Although Zoe was a civil official, she had worked in Castel, a city steeped in industrial culture. The people she dealt with daily were mostly engineers and technicians. So when she saw this set of materials, the discomfort was especially strong.

“Ritual? Sacrifices? Burning lubricating oil? Swallowing furnace slag? Dancing while striking the furnace chamber with a wrench? And at a frequency of three hertz?”

Zoe looked around in confusion. The expressions on the others’ faces were just as strange.

“I thought it would be some kind of biological modification surgery plan. At worst, maybe techniques for fusing flesh and machinery. But this…”

Suddenly, Zoe recalled the first time they had summoned the Machine Soul. Chloe, Gaia, and Monica had circled around the steam engine, dancing.

At the time, she had thought they were just fooling around.

And now this was actually the orthodox ritual of the Mechanical Sanctum?

Yet what they had created was such a precise mechanical body.

It was like a heavy machine gun being picked up by a primitive tribe and then using a sling to hurl machine gun bullets—an oddly misplaced aesthetic.

“Wait, no. That’s not right. You’re telling me that so many mechanical structures can just be danced into existence? The gears aren’t going to mesh themselves, are they?”

Zoe suddenly reacted. There was no way these mechanical limbs were that simple!

“Actually, there are specialized modification surgery materials here. It’s just…” A member of the Holy Guard handed over a single sheet of paper, his face bearing an indescribable expression.

“???” Zoe was baffled. The rituals filled several thick volumes, yet the modification surgery was summarized on a single page?

It really was just one page. And Zoe finished reading it quickly. She even understood it—despite her mechanical knowledge being at a purely amateur level.

Now her own expression was just as indescribable.

The Mechanical Sanctum’s modification surgery was, in fact, extremely simple.

Under the requirements laid out in those thick ritual volumes, one was to arrange an extraordinarily complex ritual setting inside the operating room. Then, one simply placed parts onto the human body one by one.

The correct parts would receive the “bestowal” of the ritual. That way, one could determine which components were suitable for modification.

As for performing the actual surgery, it had to be done by a high-ranking 【Sage】. During the procedure, the Sage would consume a certain drug and, combined with the Mechanical Sanctum’s specially crafted incense, enter “a sacred state.”

Based on Zoe’s understanding of the supernatural, this was essentially taking hallucinogens to enter a half-mad state. The ritual itself would weaken the influence of the High Wall of Reality, bringing the practitioner closer to the Sea of Unawareness.

If a Transcendent did this, it would almost certainly result in loss of control.

But all the Mechanical Priests of the Mechanical Sanctum were Mortals. By nature, they possessed higher resistance to Pollution than Transcendents.

And so, in that frenzied state, they performed the surgery.

And somehow, it truly worked.

Once Zoe fully understood what she had just read, she felt utterly unwell.

The Mechanical Sanctum worshiped machinery so devoutly—yet its core technology was this?

If Beatrice were not currently still vomiting, Zoe would have gone to question her on the spot, to ask whether she had fabricated these materials just to toy with them.

It was simply too outrageous.

This kind of content would not feel out of place even in Nini’s newspaper.

“So… the Mechanical Sanctum’s technology is basically using various rituals to let machinery assemble itself and operate on its own?”

“That’s what it looks like so far…” The Technical Priest of the Holy Guard looked speechless.

Zoe fell silent. She felt she might finally understand the Gear Sage. If she had taught for hundreds of years only to produce students like this…

“F-fine. As long as it works. As long as it works… By the way, is there any technique here that can help Miss Beatrice? Her condition doesn’t look optimistic.”

“There is.” The Technical Priest flipped through the volumes. “To be honest, many of the techniques Miss Beatrice selected are quite practical. A lot of them are exactly what Castel needs. It’s just that… the implementation methods are rather absurd. Ah, found it!”

He pointed to a densely packed paragraph of fine print.

“Look at this ritual. It can please the Machine Spirit and enhance a machine’s performance. If I’m not mistaken, it should also work to please the Machine Soul.”

“And right now, Miss Beatrice is relying entirely on the steam engine to suppress the Pollution within her body. Enhancing the steam engine’s performance would indirectly treat her as well. Though I have no idea which aspect of the steam engine’s performance it would enhance…”

Zoe stroked her chin and nodded slowly.

After all, Castel’s Machine Soul summoning originated from the rituals of the Mechanical Sanctum. Perhaps it really would work.

And there was no harm in trying.

Soon, the passenger cabin of the airship grew lively once more.

Zoe and Gaia pushed open the door and stepped out, exchanging an awkward glance.

Both of them now had several symbolic markings of machinery smeared across their faces with engine oil. Behind them followed a team of mechanics holding wrenches and screwdrivers.

“A-are we really going to do this? This ritual looks completely made up!”

“There’s no choice. I also think it’s absurd, but who knows which step actually matters? Maybe it’s precisely these ridiculous actions that work in some unimaginable way.”

Zoe’s face twitched, and the markings she had just drawn on her face warped slightly with the movement.

“Fine. Let’s try.”

Gaia nodded. She did not feel much embarrassment—after all, when the Machine Soul summoning ritual had first been invented, Hughes had made her follow Monica around every day to summon the Machine Soul. She had long since grown used to humiliation.

Thus, the group slowly emerged from the doorway, striking various bizarre poses as they circled the steam engine and Beatrice, singing.

Beatrice had not stopped vomiting. As she spat Pollution into the fuel barrels arranged on the floor, she stared at the newly formed singing-and-dancing troupe with an incredulous expression.

Zoe felt utterly miserable.

Holding a wrench as she danced, she exaggeratedly mimicked repairing machinery while chanting the “holy hymn.”

The “holy hymns” of the Mechanical Sanctum were elegantly worded, filled with archaic and sonorous vocabulary.

But if one interpreted them purely by meaning, they were extremely straightforward.

They were essentially along the lines of “The steam engine is amazing, it works hard every day, keep it up, keep it up”—embarrassingly direct lyrics that made Zoe’s toes curl.

Since her movements could not stop, she gradually rose onto the tips of her toes, nearly inventing ballet in this world.

And the steam engine…

seemed to fall silent.