Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

When ‍​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌​‌​​​​​‌​‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌‌‌‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​‌​‌‌‌‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​​‌​​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌​​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌​‌​‌​​​‌​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​‌​​‌​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​‌​​‌​​​‌​‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌‌‌​‌‍Hughes opened his eyes, he found himself lying in bed.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍quilt had been produced by Castel’s Second Textile Factory. Though it could not compare to silk in smoothness, Hughes liked it very much.

Yawning ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍as he got up, Hughes casually pulled open the curtains. The morning sunlight instantly poured into the room.

He ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍narrowed his eyes and quickly pulled the curtains halfway back. Only then did the sunlight become less dazzling. He lifted his head and looked outside.

The ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍gentle sea breeze lifted the curtains. Several seagulls swept past the window, circled a few times above the cargo ships at the harbor, then suddenly dived toward the students heading to class in the Port District. One of them snatched a fry, drawing a chorus of angry curses.

Downstairs, ‍​‌​‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​‌‌​​​‌‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌‌​​‌‌​​​‌​​‌‌​‌​‌​​‌‌‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌‌‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​‌‌​​‌​​​​‌​​​​​​‌‌​‌​​‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌​​​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​​​​​​‌‌‌​​‌‌​‌‌‌​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌‌​​‌​‌​​‌​‌‌‌​‍a squad of Mystics night patrol members had just returned and were heading toward the fried-fish stall. The petite Bettys, wearing an apron, was placing fish fillets into the fryer.

Under her feet lay a copy of the Holy Text—she had originally needed four to stand on, but this year she had grown two centimeters taller, and the Holy Text had become three times thicker.

Beside the fried-fish stall, Banshees were hawking newspapers along the street. Workers brushed shoulders with Church Guard members, greeting each other with smiles—they had been sitting in the same classroom not long ago, scratching their heads in frustration.

Raising his gaze higher, Hughes saw that all of Blood Harbor was bustling with activity. Chimneys stood one after another, factories linked to factories, railways connected to railways.

This, too, had become an industrial city.

“How nice.”

Even though it was a sight he saw every day, Hughes felt heartfelt joy each time he looked at it.

In his previous life, these had been nothing more than ordinary things—perhaps even backward production capacity that polluted the environment. But here, they were symbols of hope.

On the desk in the room lay an ironed newspaper and tea. Hughes casually picked them up and sighed.

Old Connor was unbelievably stubborn about such matters. Though Hughes had dismissed all the servants, the old steward still insisted on doing these things. Hughes simply let him be.

As he flipped open the newspaper, Hughes brought the black tea to his lips. But then, as if recalling something, he suddenly paused.

He cautiously flipped through the newspaper first, confirming that it was not a special edition by Nini. Only then did he take a sip of the tea.

“Hmm, two testing grounds in Gem Bay exploded, Castel’s hospitals are overflowing and undergoing emergency expansion, the Tribunal of Blood Harbor’s strike attempt failed… Not bad. Another peaceful day.”

Setting the newspaper aside, Hughes walked out of the room in satisfaction, preparing to head downstairs to the cafeteria for breakfast.

This had become his recent habit. He no longer had breakfast delivered to his room. Eating in the cafeteria brought a bit more warmth and liveliness.

As for safety—poison was what Hughes feared the least. With the Symbiotic Contract in place, poisoning him was practically impossible.

Not to mention he had Banshees as personal guards.

At the thought of Banshees, Hughes changed direction and headed toward their duty room.

The duty room was noisy. A pile of playing cards lay scattered across the table in the middle—Hughes had invented them, but unfortunately what followed had long slipped beyond his control.

After all, Banshees had six hands. They could play against themselves in Landlord.

The Banshees had even created their own variation, with extremely complex rules. Hughes had once watched, and it felt less like playing cards and more like fighting.

“Four consecutive circles up to Ace!”

“Pass.”

“Seven Kings with five Sixes with four Threes with two Jokers!” Nini slapped a stack of cards onto the table with a smack.

“Can Jokers even be attached like that? Take them back!” Monica slapped the table angrily.

Hughes watched as Nini’s six hands flew deftly. While Monica was not paying attention, Nini secretly swapped five cards, casually tossed two under the table, grabbed a handful of fries into her mouth, and wiped the oil from her fingers on the tip of Monica’s tail.

At that moment, Monica was staring wide-eyed at her hand, completely unaware of Nini’s little tricks.

Hughes poked Monica at the waist.

“Eek!” Monica’s tail tip stiffened. She turned to glare at Hughes, fuming. “What are you doing! Don’t distract me while I’m playing!”

While she turned her head, Nini slipped the two cards from under the table into Monica’s hand. This time, it was Hughes whose eyes widened.

Monica turned back to her cards, tugging irritably at her hair. “It’s all your fault! I feel like my hand keeps getting worse!”

“Monica, let me give you some advice.”

“Hm?”

Seeing that Nini’s hands were already getting restless again, Hughes solemnly said, “I suggest you throw the cards in her face and then jump on her and beat her up.”

Nini froze.

“Hmm… makes sense!”

Hughes lowered his head to avoid the Monica flying through the air, ignored the clattering chaos behind him, calmly took a can of iced drink from the freezer, and walked out of the duty room humming a tune.

“Do one good deed a day.”

Unfortunately, as a lord, even with a full Civil Official System assisting him, Hughes still had plenty to handle. During the brief time he was eating, he casually approved two signed reports.

But he had no complaints. Compared to the Prince beside him, he was already far more at ease.

The Prince was also in the cafeteria—and much busier.

While eating, he listened to Johan’s report. Beside him, Galahad and several civil officials stood waiting in line.

After all, the Prince’s territory was larger and his manpower far more lacking—he did not have Castel’s complete education system. Many times, he had to wrestle with officials who had barely read any books.

Hughes sighed. Despite being this busy, the Prince still refused to have meals delivered and insisted on coming to the cafeteria. It was truly a painstaking effort.

Sure enough, the moment the Prince saw Hughes, his eyes lit up. He pushed the people beside him aside and hurried over at once.

“Go on, what is it this time? You’ve been waiting here just to catch me, haven’t you?”

The Prince grinned but did not answer. Instead, he asked, “How is the Delegation you sent to the Mechanical Sanctum doing?”

“Not clear yet. It’s too far from here—news doesn’t travel easily.”

Hmm, speaking of which, it was time to log into Worker Hughes’ account and check the Group Chat.

The last time Hughes checked, there had been no progress. Perhaps the Mechanical Sanctum was stalling for time. Who knew what they were thinking? Maybe this time there would be some changes.

The Prince nodded. He hoped for a result soon—whether the talks succeeded or collapsed, he could go to war either way.

He had not fought a war in a year. His whole body felt restless.

After finishing his meal—and refusing the Stargazy Pie Monica offered—Hughes returned to his office.

But today, his office doors had not been opened early.

“Ash, I’ve got a bit of a headache. I’ll rest for a while. If anyone comes, hold them off and let them come later.”

After giving the instruction, Hughes found a comfortable position and closed his eyes.

Worker Hughes, logging in!

Soon, the Hughes in the Northlands opened his eyes.