Industrial Cthulhu, starting from the island lord

Chapter 724 The ceremony begins

Upon closer inspection, one can see that the square-shaped exterior has many staircases and platforms.

Castells has considerable experience in building large industrial buildings. This energy hub was designed with maintenance and future upgrades in mind. It is highly modular and, with further improvements, could potentially be deployed on a large scale.

Of course, whether there is enough fuel is another issue, since there aren't evil gods everywhere to burn.

Grisha admired the energy center for a while, and then the Secret Order followers led some more people up until the area was full. Then the lighting ceremony officially began.

The first to appear were the two Noras. As Bazel's first victim, she naturally attended the ceremony. Grisha stood up and waved excitedly.

“Look, that’s Lady Nora. She’s the one who brought me out of the village. The White Disaster came so fast and suddenly that year. Without the Silent Church’s team, I probably would have starved to death long ago. Next time, I must buy some fried fish to bring to Lady Nora,” Grisha said to Betty, pointing at Nora.

Betty looked at Nora's head, then at Nora's headless body, and hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but couldn't.
She wondered if Nora, in her current state, would still be able to eat normally.
Or rather, which half of Nora should be eaten?

Nora's head was being cradled in Gwen's arms. Gwen was dressed in full armor, with a longsword at her waist, and her face was solemn.

Even the free-spirited Gwen became serious at this moment.

She carried Nora (above) to the podium and began her speech.

Oh, it's Nora's speech.

Nora accused Bazel of his crimes, and Gwen nodded in agreement. After Nora finished speaking, Gwen started talking, nodding up and down as she spoke.
Grisha found it somewhat amusing, a grin spreading across his face as his expression gradually relaxed.

Even after arriving at Bloodharbor and escaping the harshness of the North, he remained somewhat tense. However, upon seeing Nora and Gwen, he inexplicably felt less nervous.

In a flash, he felt as if he were back in the resistance, in the camp where Lady Nora and Gwen were bickering.

Everyone was there then. Nora was not good with words, and if she couldn't win an argument, she would get so angry that her face would turn red, and she would grab her flail and chase after Gwen.

Grisha, on the other hand, would occasionally hunt some prey with his bow and arrow, and everyone would happily praise him for his skill.

Those memories, along with those of my companions, were buried in the snow and wind of the North, and have not been touched for a long time.

Gwen, looking serious, and Nora, looking awkward, went downstairs, while another person came up.

No introduction was needed, and the surrounding people began to cheer. Grisha recognized him as Hughes, his current lord.

Such a young person.

Although it wasn't the first time he had met his lord, Grisha couldn't help but sigh.

I heard that he has only been the Earl of Castells for a few years, yet he has transformed the island and Blood Harbor into what they are today. He has a long life ahead of him; I wonder where he will lead Castells?

Grisha tried to think about it, but he couldn't figure it out. He had only ever seen such a large territory as the North, but now the North was under the control of this Earl.

perhaps
Grisha stared intently at the high platform above the energy center.

Not only him, but everyone in Blood Harbor was looking in that direction. The cheers lasted for a while, then gradually quieted down.

Hughes didn't rush to speak. He looked around, his gaze sweeping across the entire Blood Harbor, his eyes filled with relief and longing.

Blood Harbor was just a ruin when he first came here; he couldn't even find a decent chair when he negotiated with the prince.

Everywhere there were cries of agony; the city had been almost completely wiped out.

Now, factories rise from the ground, towering chimneys point to the sky, airships in the sky have replaced their bomb bays with hanging banners, and before him stand his people who support him.

This is an industrial miracle, a home built by people together with their own hands.

Hughes's lips gradually curved into a smile.

He came into this world wanting to see this scene; his journey was not in vain.

“My people,” Hughes began softly, his voice amplified by the ceremony, resounding in everyone’s ears.

"Thirty years ago, the Saint-Mir Empire established the Rhineland. It was initially just a barren land with a coal mine and an iron mine. It was close to a river, so transportation was relatively smooth. The empire built its first factory there." "People called it the City of Miracles."

“I’ve been there, a few years ago. There are magnificent palaces, towering churches, and factories with workers and steam engines. Like Blood Harbor, they have their own industry.”

"But unlike Blood Harbor, that land is already dead."

“Workers were subject to regular inspections by the Vatican, and any improvements or technological changes were directly rejected, rejected without trial. The steam engine was subject to regulation, and church priests would inspect every part; all alterations were considered sinful.”

The people present fell silent, their eyes filled with disbelief.

Whether they were workers, students, or members of the missionary corps, most of them had never been to the Rhine, let alone heard of these things. In their view, industry was constantly innovating and progressing. They couldn't imagine what a factory that was completely shut down and stagnant would look like.

Hughes chuckled softly.

"Everyone."

“You think it’s terrible? Not at all, it’s the best Rhine I’ve ever seen.”

“A while ago, Castells’ delegation went to the Rhine, which is now Candlelight Church territory, the entire Rhine—”

"It turned into a huge church."

"And industry is nothing more than a toy for the Papacy."

People gradually became restless. They lived in Blood Harbor, where industry changed everyone's fate, providing them with food, clothes, and shelter, and allowing them to pursue everything they loved.

Now, they discover that all this beauty has been carelessly erased by the Vatican.

Hughes's gaze gradually turned cold. He waved his hand to the side, and a fully armed banshee emerged carrying Bazel.

"I used to think that as long as there was development, that technological progress would bring happiness to everyone."

"But a letter, and a head appeared on my desk."

“The Earl of Bazel in the North has provoked me and declared war on Castell—I’ve never even met him, and Bloodharbor is thousands of miles away from the North.”

"At first I was just angry, I just wanted to avenge my comrades."

"But today, I've figured it out."

"In this world, there are too many people who, like parasites, leech off the people. They are not ashamed, but proud, and in order to continue to leech off the people, they will block anyone who wants to move forward or make progress."

“The Rhine was built by the workers, but now when people mention this name, they only think of the Papacy.”

"Those who build this city have no place to live in it, and those who grow food don't have enough to eat at home."

"I used to think this was normal. The world was just that backward, and people starving to death was something that couldn't be helped."

“Until I came to this land.”

Hughes laughed, unable to suppress the anger in his eyes.

“I levy eighty percent of the taxes, and the people praise my generosity; I pay those who perform corvée labor, and they begin to sing my praises; I give them some grain that is about to rot, and they are willing to fight for me; I scatter Leo to build cities, leaving nothing for myself, yet the treasury is overflowing with money.”

"Castel is a miracle, Blood Harbor is a miracle, but how many miracles are there?"

“I was just doing my duty. Castells couldn’t find any rivals on this land.”

"My people, this world is not lacking in geniuses or heroes, but there are too many parasites that weigh them down and prevent them from raising their heads."

"And today, I caught one."

Hughes turned to look at Count Bazel.

(End of this chapter)