The launching ceremony of the new ship had drawn quite a crowd.
Hughes had originally thought not many would come to watch, but to his surprise, nearly every resident of the island who could make it had shown up.
The entire dock was packed with people. The temporarily deployed Holy Guard and Banshees were maintaining order to prevent any stampede.
A single ship floated alone at the dock. The remaining vessels were still undergoing retrofitting—only this one had been rushed to completion.
This type of steam-powered sidewheeler wasn’t entirely novel. The residents of Castel had seen similar structures before, though those had never been driven by a steam engine. The temporary modifications were rather crude. Hughes’ only requirement for the designers had been that it could reliably make round trips between Castel and the mainland.
This ship was merely a stopgap; the real centerpiece was the shipyard being built in the southern harbor.
Even so, the islanders of Castel had come out in full enthusiasm to see it off.
After all, Castel had been isolated from the outside world for so long, and this was the first time a vessel was being dispatched outward.
Hughes was slightly caught off guard by the islanders’ excitement. A sudden feeling welled up in him. After a moment of weighing, he stepped forward.
He walked directly to the bow of the ship and waved toward the crowd. The people cheered at first, then gradually quieted down.“Everyone, what do you think of this ship?”
There was a brief pause among the crowd, then hesitant responses began to rise: “A fine ship.” “Yes, quite decent!”
“It’s pretty big.”
“Not as good as the *Black Pearl*!“ shouted a child, who was immediately swatted hard on the butt by his mother.
Hughes grinned. “He’s right. This ship was originally an ordinary sailing vessel. After retrofitting, it doesn’t even have sails anymore. Frankly, it’s unimpressive—I also think it can’t compare to the *Black Pearl*.”
“But it’s steam-powered.”
The crowd fell into immediate silence.
The residents of Castel had already witnessed the power of steam engines. These noisy, steel behemoths only needed to swallow black fuel to unleash unimaginable might.
Thanks to these machines, the factories could produce goods that piled up like flowing water.
“Of course, what we have now is still a rudimentary and inefficient application. But our shipyard in the southern harbor is already under construction, and I believe all of you know what’s coming next: brand-new steamships will soon be produced and iterated at an astonishing speed!”
The crowd erupted in cheers once again, this time far more fervently. What Hughes spoke of wasn’t some empty promise—it was the very industrial miracle they had already witnessed many times over.
“The new ships will be forged from steel. The entire vessel will be made of steel—enormous, larger than any ship you’ve ever seen. It will be like an island floating on the sea, powered by steam engines, fueled by contamination, with a body of steel!”
Breaths became heavy among the crowd, as if they could already see that steel island appearing before them.
Suddenly, in the distance, the *Celestial Behemoth* sounded its steam whistle.
Everyone instinctively looked up to see it slowly moving, its massive form blotting out the sun.
A steel ship upon the sea, and a giant airship in the sky.
The islanders swallowed hard, an inexplicable surge of emotion welling up in their hearts.
Unknowingly, this remote little island called Castel had already become so powerful.
“Everyone, we’re doing well now. We won the war. We have enough to eat and wear. Everyone has work, and everyone has access to education.”
“But I’ve just received news. Across the sea, the Tis Territory—now the *Principality of Tis*—has fallen into chaos and war!”
A stir rippled through the crowd. Most of Castel’s population had ancestral roots in Tis. Even if it had been a generation ago, the word “Tis” still held deep meaning for them.
“Castel has been shut off for too long. Perhaps many of you don’t know what’s been happening outside.”
Hughes looked around, his voice rising.
“The Empress was assassinated. The Church seized the opportunity to usurp the Empire. Tis and several northern territories have declared independence. The seas have dried. Cultists run rampant. The entire continent is in chaos!”
The crowd was stunned by the series of revelations, standing in disbelief. Some whispered arguments, some shouted angrily, some quietly wept.
Hughes said nothing, waiting patiently for the people to digest the news.
Only after a long pause did he speak again: “Everyone, although Castel is still safe for now, there are so many others still suffering. My heart aches for them.”
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The crowd grew restless. Many of the Holy Guard members who had left with the airship had families, some of whom were right there in the crowd.
They were already moved just hearing the names of their loved ones. Now, after hearing Hughes’ words, many couldn’t help but weep openly.
War always came with sacrifice. Many had already begun mourning in silence. But now, suddenly, they saw a glimmer of hope.
They hadn’t been forgotten. Their lord still remembered them. Castel still remembered them.
Those who have lost something know best how to cherish it.
Hearing the sounds of weeping in the crowd, Hughes’ expression gradually grew solemn.
“Everyone, this mission will be accompanied by Banshees. They will report back to me regularly, and I will publish updates on the investigation and search every day.”
“The island will soon have its own newspaper. The progress of the investigation will be featured on the front page daily.”
“Besides that, I promise you now—Castel will soon open several routes to the outside world: west to Tis, north to the four northern territories—there will be connections.”
“All islanders living here, or anyone who has worked for Castel or plans to settle here, may bring their families to the island. Travel expenses will be covered by me!”
Standing on the ship, Kyle was momentarily stunned. He looked at his lord in disbelief. Just then, Hughes turned his head slightly and winked at him.
At first, Kyle didn’t react when Hughes mentioned the islanders—after all, he was from Rhine.
But when Hughes said “worked here” and “settle here,” Kyle suddenly understood.
Looking at Hughes’ smiling face, Kyle stood there in a daze.
This big man had come to Rhine with his parents at the age of five and had lived there for more than a decade.
From the slums to the lower districts, he had fought hard, but never found a foothold. In the end, he had to join a factory. The workers there rarely lived past thirty, but at least it had given him a bowl of food.
Yet here, in Castel, this remote island—he’d only been here six months, and it had already opened its arms to him.
This place felt more like home than Rhine ever had.