Chapter 19 - Ancient Technology

The first to react after the bird had stopped flying was Rook, whose expression of disbelief was so profound it seemed like his jaw might drop.

“How?! How is that possible?!”

He exclaimed while approaching the middle-aged man, who seemed as confused as everyone else and even a bit frightened by the other man's approach. Then, as if the mechanical bird in his hands understood the nervousness and its cause, it launched into flight again, this time heading toward the engineer, fluttering around him and attempting to peck at him.

“What? Hey, stop it!”

He tried to shake off the creature by waving both arms vigorously, but it was so small and fast that it was impossible to catch. Nonetheless, it was worrying and quite unusual.

"Please, stop!"

Sebastian exclaimed in a strangled shout, unsure if there was anything he could do to stop the mechanical bird from causing more trouble. To his surprise, his words actually seemed to work, as the bird immediately obeyed and flew back to his hands, leaving a bluish trail in its wake.

Once still, it began to settle and shake its fine copper feathers as if it were a real animal—something both endearing and unsettling.

“Hey, tell me what you did, the Aviatrix models do not have that kind of appearance, did you use a Mechanomancy runic system on it? Were you part of the Arcanotinker Crew all along?”

A cold and even angry look had appeared on Rook's face. It was well known, at least to those familiar with the society in the Free Lands, that the industrial guilds ‘Steamcraze Tinkerers’ and ‘Arcanotinker Crew’ had a very tense relationship due to their different approaches to blacksmithing and engineering techniques. Thus, the suspicion of being a possible rival was a very serious accusation.

"No, I'm not *Gulp* I was trying to repair it, and it started moving on its own after I..."

Stammered the old man, leaving the little bird on the table with extreme caution but getting interrupted by the pirate.

"You’re lying, it’s not possible that you managed to get something working that absolutely no one on my team, including myself, could fix"

Rook said, his voice filled with disbelief. Now he had taken his enormous hammer in both hands and was approaching with clear intentions towards the machine that rested just a few feet away from him.

"No, please, let me explain. I placed its parts where they seemed to fit, but I also added something else. I think that might have been it. Please, don't do anything to it and take a look."

Sebastian pleaded, turning back to the desk and placing his right hand on the bird, moving two plates on its back and causing its back to open through an automatic mechanism.

"This was it. I accidentally added this because I was just trying to measure something"

By that point, not only had the bearded engineer reached their position, but the rest of his group had also approached, looking concerned. It was then that everyone could see what Sebastian had been talking about: within the system of small springs and thin layers of metal, there was a small gear with a very bright blue color. What could that thing be? For some reason, it seemed vaguely familiar to Adam, but he couldn't quite place it at that moment.

"What in the name of the cursed ocean is that?"

The pirate asked, noticeably dismayed to be witnessing something unfamiliar. After all, even if the color matched, that little thing didn't behave anything like the runic artifacts powered solely by electrical energy.

"It's a gear I made on the ship... When the mechanical snake attacked us and lost its head, a lot of metal and parts fell on us. A small plate of this material got caught in my clothes, and I didn't realize I had it until we were freed."

He said, recalling as many details as he could and explaining the origin of that strange component, but that wouldn't be all.

“It wasn't until I was helping out in the ship's small workshop that I finally got a chance to examine it. It wasn't my intention to keep it, but once there, I realized it was a very malleable material. Despite having the consistency of a copper sheet, it molds like clay, so I managed to cut a piece and shape it into a pattern resembling a gear, just to keep it as a memento.”

“That doesn't explain why it worked or even how you managed to place it in such a precise mechanism as an Aviatrix automaton. For most machines to function, they require all their components to be standard. You can't have added anything in a normal way.”

Rook remained skeptical and continued questioning what he was seeing. It was very difficult for him to believe that it had all been just a stroke of luck. It was impossible that his entire team hadn't noticed that a piece was missing.

“I know the little one didn't need any additional pieces; there was just a connection I wasn't understanding. So, I took out the gear to make a measurement, even though it was larger than the original parts. But then it slipped from my fingers as if a magnet had attracted it and joined the main frame. After that, all the parts began to reassemble themselves, making space and fitting together correctly... Then it powered up and flew away.”

“That doesn’t make any sense at all.”

As strange as the world they lived in was, Rook refused to believe that something like that had happened, especially when it involved a piece from a sea monster, mysterious creatures about which they had very little information except for reports and scarce samples provided by the Leviathan Hunters.

However, although he couldn't believe it, in the eyes of three young people behind him, they did believe in Sebastian, especially when a window popped up before their eyes, showing the new information card about that bird and additional data specifically for Adam.

⌠Small Ancient Aviatrix - Rank C⌡ ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠A tiny steam machine resembling a sparrow: its brass-plated wings flutter with intricate gears and pistons, powered by a compact steam engine and an “Ocean Soul”. It has a very fast flight and the ability to recognize its owner, whom it will follow basic commands from. It possesses the skill [Mimic Voice Lv2], which can be used if ordered to.⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision Knowledge⌡ ⌠Being in the "Ancient" category, it provides its owner with the "Novice Antiquarian" title.⌡ ⌠Hidden: The Aviatrix “soul” can improve with time and experiences from its owner.⌡

That resonated strongly with the bespectacled student, as the term "Ocean Soul" closely resembled a term he had read in the legend of the Necrogear Citadel. Although it had a slightly different name, it shared similarities in etymology and effect—the ability to impart “life” to lifeless creations.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Wait a moment! We can identify what's happening—it's an Ancient Aviatrix.”

Drake suddenly exclaimed, stepping in to prevent any confrontation that might occur. This surprised and even alarmed Adam, as while his companion's statement was true, it made no sense for him to know that all of a sudden without explaining the use of the '[Analyze]' skill, something that could further worsen the situation with someone who was already mistrusting them.

However, Rook's response was completely unexpected. He stopped abruptly, considering what had just been said, and then hurriedly pulled a small device resembling a monocle from one of his pockets and brought it to his face.

"We'll see about that."

⌠Focus Glass - Rank C⌡ ⌠Additional Information⌡ [Mid-tier specialized item. When worn, it fits comfortably over the user's eye. It amplifies any information-gathering skills the user possesses and raises it by 1 level.]

[Skill: Artisan Appraisal Lv5] [No info available]

Two small screens popped up before Adam's eyes, announcing the name of the device and the skill that seemed to have been used. The engineer appeared to have his own version of the '[Appraisal]' skill, perhaps a superior version to the one available in the system store and at a much higher level than his, and an incredible treasure that further improves it.

This indicated something that he still struggled to get used to, as he feared the use of such skills might be unusual for the inhabitants of the story, only to be reminded that they were in a completely fantastical world where no one would find such things strange and that, in reality, they were the ones out of place.

"Well, shiver me gears! How did that happen? Mate, do you have any idea what you've just accomplished?"

Sebastian looked puzzled by the pirate's words, not really knowing how to respond and thinking the man was still angry. However, the pirate immediately broke into a wide grin.

“Ancient Technology is quite rare, but examples are scattered around. These incredibly powerful artifacts operate on principles we still don't understand. However, none I've ever seen have been as small or as uniquely functional as this one… But what surprises me more is that you have a part of a sea monster's "core". Those are nearly impossible to obtain because they must be destroyed to defeat the creature, and no real use for them has ever been discovered.”

Rook continued, shrugging and finally tucking his monocle back into his pocket, seemingly content after witnessing something so unusual, then Adam spoke.

"Never before has it been tested with any machine similar to these... Automatons?"

"Of course, they've been tested, not just by us. Even those arcane lunatics who think they know it all have conducted numerous experiments with the cores we've been able to analyze over the years, but they don't work. They've even been tested on other pieces of Ancient Technology, and nothing... Anyway, I'm a man of my word. Take it if you want; after all, it has recognized you as its owner, just like any automaton.”

The man finished addressing Sebastian, then turned around and returned to where he was before, this time in much better spirits.

After that surprise, minutes passed without much incident. Although there were many interesting artifacts all around, they ended up buying two curious mechanical-looking pistols, one for Drake and another for Nikolai, as well as some nice chainmail gloves for the blonde boy.

⌠Thunderbolt Zapper - Rank F⌡ ⌠Additional Information⌡ ⌠Crafted from polished brass and adorned with intricate cogwheel engravings, it features a sleek barrel and a crystalline chamber that glows with electric energy when activated. Upon firing, it releases a crackling bolt of electricity that can cause the status effect "Stun" on the target.⌡ ⌠Cursed Vision Knowledge⌡ ⌠Warning: Due to its power requirements, it has a recharge time of one minute per shot, be cautious and ensure each discharge is strategically timed⌡

Paying a substantial amount for both, and a bit extra to help Kazue install her battery into the gauntlet she had purchased, everyone left satisfied with their acquisitions. Although the girl insisted that Adam also choose something, he calmly declined. Even though practically any type of weapon would be useful, he lacked confidence in his ability to use any effectively.

"Alright, if you're sure then that's fine. On the contrary, I want that sword that's been catching my eye since we arrived."

They left the store shortly after, each carrying their new possessions, with Rook bidding them farewell from a distance.

"Good luck, and never return!"

The steel doors thunderously closed behind them, and the entire group exited the workshop. It was indeed unlikely that they would need to return anytime soon, but they couldn't deny that it had been an... interesting experience.

"We have everything, and sunset isn't even close yet. Do you want to keep looking for something? There's still some money left."

Kazue asked, jingling the bag of coins, now reduced to a small handful. They didn't have much budget left, but still had enough time for a few more hours of strolling. However, despite everyone seeming to think it was a good idea, Adam shook his head in refusal.

"I'm sorry, but I'd like to go to the city library. We can meet at the ship when it starts to get dark. I just ask that you accompany me to find the place first so we don't get lost."

There were no complaints, at least none apparent, and as far as he knew, Nikolai or Mr. Sebastian might not have fully understood due to how quickly he had spoken and the noise of the streets. However, they ended up walking together for a while longer, taking the opportunity to see what other wonders they could find.

The journey was long but entertaining, as they encountered all sorts of characters, objects, strange smells, and sounds. At one point, a distracted Drake nearly walked face-first into the legs of a massive machine resembling a giant spider, driven by a one-eyed woman. Meanwhile, Sebastian's mechanical bird flitted around whenever it had the chance, drawing looks of confusion and curiosity, but nothing that affected them.

Eventually, they reached their destination, a rather large building even by the standards of that place. Although it was smaller than the workshops they had seen along the way, it bore no distinctive symbol, indicating that any particular guild didn't own it.

"This is where I stay. I'll try to find out more about all of this and let you know if anything important comes up. See you on the ship."

Adam said his goodbyes while the others did the same before continuing their exploration, hoping to find something more interesting than just books. Meanwhile, the boy approached the entrance and was about to enter when he was stopped by a young, slender man guarding the main door.

"Hey, hold on there. Entry is five Iron Shillings per person"

The young man said, stopping him and stretching out his hand, demanding the entry fee.

“Oh, I’m sorry, of course.”

He had anticipated something like this might happen, so he was grateful he had saved a few coins. He counted out the five he needed from his pouch and handed them to the man, who did not accept them.

"Per hour..."

Five coins per hour? That place was expensive. Well, in any case, he had twenty coins, so he could afford four hours in the library. With a bit of sadness but knowing it was the best investment, he handed over the entirety of his remaining funds.

“Okay then, welcome to the Librarby.”

“Don’t you mean Library?”

“Yes, that, now come in.”

Hurrying him inside, Adam didn't hesitate and entered the establishment, immediately sensing that classic smell of dampness and paper, typical of an old library. It was no surprise, as shelves sprawled everywhere and the walls were lined top to bottom with books of all shapes and sizes as far as the eye could see.

“Hey, kid, over here!”

A familiar voice reached his ears from one of the adjacent aisles, revealing itself to be the same pirate with mechanical eyes who had helped him on the ship.

"Mr. Chrono, good to see you again. I had to stop by a few other places before coming to the library."

Adam greeted warmly as he approached, greeted in return by a genuine smile from the pirate.

"It's good to see you finally decided to come in. I saw you standing at the entrance. What happened?"

"Oh, I was just paying the entrance fee."

"The what? Kid… This is a public place, the entry is free."

The man clarified with a hearty laugh.