Industrial Cthulhu: Starting as an Island Lord

Chapter 30: Chloe

The Church did not put up any resistance, only offering a verbal protest?

This is not right, this is very wrong.

One must understand that the Church is not something that can be easily manipulated.

As the state religion of the Empire, the Candlelight Church has a history even older than the Empire itself.

The Church’s control over the Empire’s various territories is in no way inferior to that of the royal family.

Even on a small island like Castel, there is a church, one that was not newly built. Even when pirates governed this place, the Candlelight Church had already extended its influence here.

In many remote areas, farmers may not even know who the Emperor of the Empire is, but they do know how many priests and nuns reside in the small chapel next door.

No matter how one looks at it, the Church’s reaction does not resemble what a massive institution like it should display.

There must be some unknown secret behind all this.

"We’ve arrived, my lord, this is the place." Connor pulled on the reins and stopped outside the church’s courtyard.

Hughes reined in his horse and looked up at the church before him.

It was a tall, spired building. Aside from the metal insignia on top, which still appeared relatively new, the entire church bore the marks of time.

Simply put, it was quite old and worn.

"My lord, there used to be a bishop-priest here, but he passed away unexpectedly due to illness. The Church never sent a replacement, so now only a single nun remains to handle daily affairs."

A bishop-priest was essentially the head of a church in a remote area. In the Church's hierarchy, they ranked at the third level.

Small local churches like this typically had limited contact with the higher Church authorities. It was uncertain whether the Church was even aware of the situation here.

Hughes’ gaze fell on the church’s shattered glass windows and the wooden planks crudely nailed in place. Without making any comment, he stepped forward and entered.

He had not announced his visit in advance, so naturally, no one came to greet him. As he walked along the path, his eyes fell on the small vegetable garden in the courtyard. Unexpectedly, he felt a strange sense of familiarity.

Though slightly run-down, the place was clean and well-maintained, reminding him of his old home back on Earth.

But that was something from who-knows-how-long ago.

Pushing open the church’s doors, the rotten door bolt let out a creaking sound, and a clear female voice came from inside, speaking urgently: "Don't push! Lift the door slightly before you push! Otherwise, you'll knock it off its hinges."

A girl dressed in a dark nun’s habit quickly ran over, glared at Hughes, and propped the door back into place.

"How many times have I told you, why do you still, hmm? Who are you?"

The girl secured the door against a triangular wooden block before placing her hands on her hips and looking at him.

Then, a look of confusion appeared in her eyes as she glanced up and down at Hughes and Connor’s finely tailored clothing.

Her gaze lingered on the emblem at Hughes’ collar, and she froze for a moment.

A second later, she suddenly clapped her hands together, as if she had figured something out, and showed an expression of realization.

"You’re that newly appointed lord, um…"

"Hughes."

"Yes, yes, Hughes. I heard from the people who come for confession that you said you would teach them knowledge for free."

Then, she seemed to realize that standing with her hands on her hips and questioning him was inappropriate.

She quickly dropped her hands, pressed her legs together, and subtly hid her mud-stained leather shoes behind her.

"Lord, it is a pleasure, no, an honor to have you come to the church for confession."

She tried to soften her voice, making an effort to sound delicate, at the very least, not too fierce. She had to be careful not to scare away this new lord, after all.

"Are you here to… donate money?"

‘Of course not. Get lost, I’m practically broke.’

"Yes." Hughes smiled elegantly and gestured for Connor to take out a coin pouch. With a pained expression, Connor counted out a few coins and handed them to the nun.

The nun had initially wanted to take them immediately but hesitated, turned around, and took out a ledger to record the donation first before accepting the money.

"Thank you for your support of the Church. The Candlelight will forever guide you in the darkness. May you be fearless in your pursuit of the light."

She intertwined her fingers and bowed to Hughes.

Looking at the serious-faced young girl before him, Hughes found it amusing.

"Is it just you in the church now?"

"There is also an assistant priest, but he was injured before and is unable to manage the church’s affairs. So, if you need anything, you can speak to me."

She lifted her head.

"My church name is Chloe."

Chloe, the stormy petrel. The name came from a seventy-two-line poem describing the myth of creation.

Very few people chose this as their name, as it carried a tragic undertone. Petrels spent their entire lives chasing storms, only to perish in them.

Hughes smiled without comment.

He strolled through the church, noting the old yet spotless benches, and then asked Chloe,

"What kind of activities does the church conduct now?"

"Activities?"

Chloe tilted her head in confusion.

"There are only two of us in the church now. If we can gather enough people, we hold services. You know, most of the believers here are fishermen, they depend on the sea, so when the weather is good, they have to go out fishing and can’t attend."

"I remember that the island has more craftsmen who brew sweet fruit wine, doesn’t it?"

"Yes, but their livelihoods are more stable. The island never lacks fruit for winemaking, as long as they work hard, they can make wine and control their own fate. Why would they come to the church?"

Hughes was taken aback and turned to look at Chloe.

The girl’s expression was indifferent.

"It’s just the truth, sir."

Hughes had not expected the nun to have such a clear understanding.

Indeed, people only turned to prayer when faced with things beyond their control. The terminally ill in hospitals tended to be the most devout believers.

This was also why clergy often doubled as doctors.

But hearing such words from a nun’s mouth was a bit strange.

Hughes gave Chloe a deep look but did not dwell on the topic.

"Does the church conduct any teachings on doctrine?"

This was his true purpose for coming here. He did not know much about the Church, so it was best to start with its doctrines. If he could learn how the Church described non-human races, that would give him a clear understanding of its stance.

"Doctrine…"

Chloe’s expression turned troubled, and she bit her lip lightly before speaking hesitantly.

"I’m just a nun. I don’t know much about doctrine. I usually just listen to confessions and keep the church running."

"Isn’t there another priest in the church? I recall he is a priest, correct?"

To be called a priest, one must at least be of the second clerical rank. They were required to pass doctrinal examinations and had a solid understanding of scripture. Teaching doctrine should be an easy task for them.

"His situation is a bit… special."

Chloe seemed hesitant.

Just then, a sound came from the inner door of the church.

A tall man opened the door.

Hughes’ gaze settled on the priest’s long robe.