Industrial Cthulhu, starting from the island lord

Chapter 322 Josh's Hesitation

The prince did not respond. He quietly flipped through the reports on the table and said without looking up, "Galahad, go to Castel Island."

"When, Your Highness?"

"Soon. I spoke with them not long ago. They're planning to send a ship to take Connor's group back first. You'll go with them to learn more about Castell's situation and make contact with Count Hughes. I'll talk to them about it."

Galahad was taken aback, then asked, "They're only sending Connor back? You mean Zoe and Erwin are going to stay here?"

It doesn't matter if Zoe stays, but Erwin is clearly the military attaché in charge of military affairs in Castel, so why should he stay?

Galahad frowned instinctively.

Before he could say anything, a commotion arose outside. The two turned to look, and a servant came running over, looking flustered.

"Your Highness! Something has happened at Blood Harbor!"

"High Priest, we have some news on our side."

Josh looked at the white-haired little girl with amusement. She was politely telling him about the information she had gathered. She was thin and small, and sitting there, she looked like a quiet cat—if you ignored the fact that she was slurping up hot porridge.

She seemed to particularly enjoy the rice porridge, though she didn't show it at all in her expression, she just wouldn't put the bowl down.

Feeling that taking in these homeless children would be a loss, Josh smiled and shook his head, then put on a serious listening expression: "What news?"

"Those Castel ships are leaving Bloodport."

Josh's fingers trembled slightly, and the smile on his face faded.

He had been hesitant about whether to make contact with those people. He knew Erwin; he used to be a fisherman and had now risen to the rank of captain. On the other hand, he himself had bought a batch of goods on credit from the lord, but he hadn't made much money and had instead become the leader of a cult.
He felt somewhat ashamed to face the situation.

“They…are going back.” Josh’s voice was dry and tinged with bitterness.

"High Priest, aren't you going back with us? You're a Castel too, aren't you?" Gwen asked softly, slurping her porridge.

Josh's body stiffened.

"How...how did you know!"

Well...
Actually, it was those Castel people who were asking about Josh everywhere, even about the homeless children on Gwen's side. So she investigated, and since Josh didn't try to hide it much, it was easily discovered.

But that's hard to say.

"Guess."

"what?"

"Only those Castel people would enjoy reading so much. They carry a booklet with them when they go out shopping, and they've been mistaken for priests several times."

Gwen curled her lip. "High Priest, you're organizing literacy classes within the Secret Order. It's said that only the most terrifying and evil sects do that, like the Moths of Flame."

“Is that so?” Josh scratched his head. He didn’t mean to do this, but the main reason was that so many refugees from the North were in poor condition when he first took them in, and it was difficult for them to find work in Bloodharbor. Josh thought of finding something for them to do, and that’s when he remembered Hughes establishing the school.

Josh didn't really know what the point of building a school was, but he went to night school, learned to read, and saw many amazing machines. He found it very interesting and liked it a lot.

So he followed suit and started literacy classes among the refugees. Many of the advanced course students had come with him, and after teaching the literacy classes, he naturally began teaching the advanced course material. After the sea dried up, the advanced course graduates who had been on the Black Pearl stayed in Blood Harbor. After they joined, Josh was surprised to find that he seemed to have gathered all the courses that could be learned in the advanced course.
Gradually, rumors began to circulate that they were secretly learning new knowledge.

This evil behavior was immediately identified as a cult of evil gods. Josh originally came to explain and refute the rumors.

But he soon discovered that after being labeled a cult member, the surrounding forces suddenly became friendly, and those who had bullied them, the refugees, suddenly became polite.

Then, Bloodharbor descended into complete chaos, and Josh had no choice but to pretend to be a cultist, making up a name and doctrine, and begin to eke out a living in Bloodharbor.

As a result, by hiding and hiding, he ended up becoming one of the largest cult forces in Blood Harbor. Josh was confused. He swore that he had done nothing but distribute rice porridge.

Even though the name "holy water" was just made up and the doctrine was obviously flawed, the believers looked at him with increasing devotion.

The rice porridge was just ordinary rice porridge; it could only fill one's stomach and couldn't cure any illness, but more and more people were gathering around Josh.

“Those Castel people won’t be leaving until later; they’re still in their mansion in the Upper City. Aren’t you going to go find them?”

"Well, I'll think about it."

Josh hesitated for a moment, then decided to discuss it with his companions.

He has become the leader of a cult, and Castells probably has nowhere to hide, but the others are different.

There are many former members of the advanced class here. Lord Hughes wouldn't turn them all away, would he?

Josh has long since lost his family, but many others still have homes in Castells.

If they ask to return with the ship, that guy Erwin will definitely agree.

Josh put on his hood and gathered his companions together to discuss the matter.

"What?! They're going back?" The companions almost jumped up when they heard this, and their faces lit up with joy.

"That's great, that's great! I've been away for half a year now, my dad and the others must have missed me a long time ago!"

"I heard the prince released them? Would the prince be so kind? Oh well, it's good that they can go back."

"Josh, why don't you come back with us?"

The group looked over together.

"I... I think I won't go back," Josh said with a bitter expression. "Please pass on a message to the lord: I'll pay back the goods I owe him slowly."

"You've helped the lord take in so many refugees, Lord Hughes won't make things difficult for you, will he?"

Josh's face darkened: "He asked me to take in refugees, not cultists. If he knew I was taking a boatload of cultists back, he'd be furious. Even if he doesn't care, Miss Chloe from the Candlelight Church would mind, wouldn't she?"

Josh and the others left too early; at that time, Chloe was still presiding over the candlelight vigil at the church.

Of course, there is neither a candlelight church nor Chloe in Castel now.

(End of this chapter)