Industrial Cthulhu, starting from the island lord

Chapter 39 Home
The smoke surrounding the two of them did not spread much, floating gently like a huge ball of marshmallow. Xius took a deep breath.

This kind of smoke does not make people feel choking, but instead has a slightly spicy fragrance.

Hughes smelled the charred aroma of burning pine wood, the scent of roasted chestnut shells, and a very rich caramel smell, sweet, like brewing tea by a warm fireplace in winter.

This should be the incense used by the buried to ward off evil spirits. There is a related part in the common sense obtained by Zeus. It is said that the smell smelled by each person is different.

The girl's eyes showed confusion, as if she didn't understand why Zeus was exposed to pollution but was fine, but at least she was relieved.

Then she stopped turning her hands, and the smoke that was floating out was quickly sucked back into the incense burner. She nodded to Xiu Si and put the incense burner away.

Zeus felt the Banshee's extraordinary senses and found nothing unusual, so he smiled.

Okay, it looks like it’s basically done.

Then we can talk about things.

"Ms. Nora, one of my alien friends has been affected by the pollution and is now unable to recover from her injuries. If possible, I hope you can help treat her." Xius said to Nora.

Nora was silent for a long time, her beautiful white eyes trembled, and finally she closed her eyes and nodded.

Hughes felt a little strange, but didn't think much about it. He stood up and greeted Nora.

"That's great. Castel will not forget the help from the Silent Temple at this moment." Xius said seriously, "This is your home too."

He didn't ask Nora what she wanted in return, but he could guess roughly. In fact, he had long been aware of the current situation of the White Crow Principality, and the decision to contact the Silent Temple was made after that.

It's important to save people now.

Hughes and Nora discussed the details in a low voice, and Nora hurriedly said goodbye.

Some preparation is needed on both sides.

Hughes called Connor over and started making plans in advance.

The treatment definitely cannot be carried out in the manor. Not to mention the danger of exposing the secret passage, Xius needs to consider the possibility of the spread of pollution.

There are many people in the manor. If something unexpected happens, everyone will be wiped out. Xius can reopen it on the spot.

Finally, Hughes decided to do it in a cave on the coast.

It's not far from the manor, so it's not a problem to send Monica there. There is a passage in the cave that leads directly to the sea, so the banshees can hide underwater and take action in time if they encounter an accident.

In addition, Hughes also invited Sister Chloe of the Candlelight Society to visit the manor as an insurance policy in case Nora could not successfully treat the pollution or something went wrong, in which case she might have to seek help from the Candlelight Society.

For this purpose, Hughes specially prepared a carriage.

After making the arrangements, Connor left in a hurry. After giving a few instructions to the maid beside him, Zeus walked into the study, locked the door, opened the secret passage and entered the underground.

Zeus went down the slippery cave many times. He was quite familiar with it. Coupled with the extraordinary senses brought by the symbiotic contract, he could see things easily in the dark and walk in the dark and narrow secret passage as if it were flat ground.

"Lord Lord!"

"It's the lord, the lord is here!"

Seeing him coming, the banshees gathered near the water.

Hughes looked around but didn't see Ash.

"My Lord, Ash is too tired and has entered a dormant state." A blonde enchantress saw Zeus searching and took the initiative to speak, "You can call me Nini."

"Okay." Xius looked at her mature and steady appearance and nodded strangely.

Why does this name sound like something only a little girl would call out? "Can Monica move now? What's her condition? I've got someone to treat her, just a little to the south."

Xius's manor is almost on the easternmost side of the island. The pier where fishermen go out to sea to fish is in the north, and the south is relatively sparsely populated, which is just right for treatment and not easily noticed.

"As for the status." Nini's expression was a little strange. "We have made a new discovery."

Hughes raised an eyebrow.

"You know, our flesh and blood magic can forcibly maintain the body's constant state. Because of this, we can resist water pressure."

"And we discovered that flesh magic seems to be able to prevent the erosion of pollution, because..."

"The body will be kept in an uncontaminated state?" Zeus' eyes lit up. This was good news. No one knew how long the pollution would last and how big the impact would be. The banshees could maintain their flesh and blood magic without fear of pollution, so there was hope for a solution.

Nini continued:
"As for Monica, short-term movement is no problem. Her condition has stabilized now. We just need to constantly replenish the flesh and blood magic, which will take up a lot of manpower."

“How much do you need?”

"Almost all of it." Nini sighed. "Flesh magic consumes a huge amount of energy. After maintaining our own magic, we don't have much mana left. We can't even rotate it out for her."

"In other words, the margin for error is extremely low. If the pollution outbreak causes some people to be unable to release flesh and blood magic, Monica might even die on the spot?"

"Yes." Nini nodded seriously. "If the treatment requires suspending the Flesh Magic, it must be done quickly. If the Flesh Magic cannot be reactivated in a short time, Monica won't be able to hold on. She's too young."

It's a huge risk.

Xius bit his lip and asked hesitantly, "What if I sign a symbiotic contract with her? The pollution shouldn't be transmitted through the contract, right?"

Nini was silent for a moment, then she swam in front of Xius by swinging her tail.

"Monica is my best sister. Everyone in the tribe loves her. I love her as much as I love my own eyes. I'm willing to give my life for her." She said slowly, "You could say she's more important to me than you are. I hope you understand. After all, I've spent more time with her."

Xius nodded, this is human nature.

"But if saving her puts you at risk then I won't do it."

Hughes choked: "You didn't mean..."

"My Lord, you still don't understand what you mean to the Banshee." Nini said seriously, "Perhaps to you, thousands of years of slavery are just a number, a fleeting word, but to us, every minute and every second was torture."

“That pain makes me appreciate the present moment more.”

As she said this, she smiled.

"I'm more realistic than others. I don't care about the promised land, and I don't believe in vague prophecies."

"I just want a home."

"Home." Hughes muttered to himself.

"Yes, sir." Nini moved closer and looked at Xiu Si with an earnest expression. "Please don't let us lose our home again."

"For our homeland, no sacrifice is too great to be accepted, even by me, even by her."

Zeus looked at the banshees in silence, then looked at Monica.

"I see."

　Finally, the groundwork is almost done.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)