Extra Chapter 6 - Sebastian likes to take things slowly

Sebastian was resting on a bench in the middle of an empty hallway while Falk, his small mechanical bird, busied itself darting between his fingers like a real bird would. Truth be told, these past few days had been a real adventure. He hadn't stopped doing things since he arrived in that white room, went through his time as a prisoner and then a guest on the pirate ship, and later took on the role of an improvised mechanic—something he hadn’t done or felt in many years.

A melancholy look crossed his face, and his eyes welled up with tears for a moment. He was certain that all of this was nothing more than a dream—a fevered fantasy he had after going to bed, not wanting to see another day. How else could he explain everything so extravagant and cinematic that he was experiencing right now? In any case, he didn’t mind. He was happy to be able to experience something like this one last time, after all, he had met some very colorful people and a group of youngsters who reminded him so much of his own misadventures when he was young. He even had a small replica of his beloved old pet now—what more could he ask for?

As he pondered all of this, Falk decided to stretch its wings and flutter around, chirping just like Sebastian's pet canary used to do when it was happy. This brought a pleasant and warm feeling to the old man's heart.

"Careful with the walls, Falk, don’t bump into any."

He said softly and with a genuine smile on his face.

However, the Aviatrix's circular and somewhat erratic flight ended abruptly when a strange figure appeared from around a corner, colliding hard with the mechanical bird. While this clearly caused no injury or even pain to the newcomer, it did surprise it enough to make it back up a few steps. Seeing this, Sebastian's smile faded, replaced by a concerned look for what had happened. He struggled to get up from his seat and made his way toward the mysterious man.

"I'm terribly sorry; please forgive my carelessness. This young friend still doesn’t know how to control himself."

As he got closer, Sebastian could clearly see who had been struck: a young adult with a slim build, dressed in perfectly arranged formal attire, with pale skin and a neatly slicked-back hairstyle. Before either of them could say anything else, the small mechanical bird recovered and started flying in circles around the young man, chirping in annoyance while leaving its characteristic blue trail as it moved through the air.

"Falk, please behave!"

Said Sebastian, completely embarrassed, tried in vain to catch the small automaton, which remained quite defiant and intent on continuing its complaints. However, instead of getting upset or scolding, the young man simply began to laugh softly at the scene unfolding around him. He raised one of his arms intending to touch the mechanical creature.

All of Falk's fussing stopped immediately upon noticing this, and it frantically flew back to its owner's hands, hiding among his fingers as if it were frightened. The old man, feeling a bit guilty, held the bird and then apologized to the young man once more.

"Please, don’t apologize. It was no problem at all. If anything, I should be the one apologizing to you, I think the impact might have caused your automaton to malfunction."

“Oh, no, don’t worry, Falk is just a bit scared, it is very shy with new people.”

Sebastian responded, feeling embarrassed. Even though he was told it was no problem, he still felt responsible for interrupting a young man who looked so important in such a manner.

However, the young man remained thoughtful, with one eyebrow raised, as if he was struggling to understand what Sebastian had just said.

“Shy? How is it possible for an automaton to be shy?”

"Oh, I’m sorry, but that’s just how this little one is."

The old man replied as his small Aviatrix peeked out from between his fingers and chirped at the young man in a higher-pitched tone as if complaining. This was enough to spark the newcomer’s curiosity to its highest point, and he wasted no time in finally introducing himself.

"I understand, and I apologize for not introducing myself earlier. My name is Thaddeus Volta. It’s a pleasure to meet such a skilled arcanomechanic as yourself."

Thaddeus was greatly surprised when Sebastian, still with an embarrassed smile, introduced himself and mentioned that he didn’t know what "Arcanomechanic" referred to. The old man truly knew nothing about the elite team made up of the best scientists and blacksmiths from the Allied Kingdoms, known as the 'Arcanomechanic Hub', a group that was in direct opposition and competition with the pirate guild 'Arcanothinker Crew,' dedicated to the construction of automatons and weapons through Mechanomancy.

"If you’re not an arcanomechanic and don’t seem to have any knowledge about mechanomancy, may I ask how you came to have such an unusual automaton as this?"

"Oh, it’s actually not as impressive as you make it sound. You see, I’ll tell you..."

After this, Sebastian proceeded to recount in detail everything that had happened, from the moment he found the piece of metal from the sea monster to when it was attached to Falk's mechanical shell and brought to life. He had no reason to hide anything and was pleased to be able to speak with someone without having to struggle to understand. Although he somehow knew English, it wasn’t his strong suit, and he appreciated that everyone else spoke German like him, which was odd to him but, well, arguing with the logic of a dream seemed pointless.

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"I see, I see. I must say, you are truly exceptional. By any chance, are you currently under an offer from the Ironclad Armada? Even if you are, I insist, would you be interested in working for 'Stratos Technology'? I’m sure someone with your talent would be very useful to the world."

Sebastian didn’t quite understand what he meant by that, but he noticed that the boy was giving him more credit than he thought he deserved. After all, it had just been a series of accidents, including the moment when the information to repair the medical equipment at the pirate camp came to him for no apparent reason, which could be attributed to the few rules that exist in a dream. However, Thaddeus simply invited him to sit on the same bench he had been on moments ago and proceeded to explain the situation.

"You see, normally, automatons are just devices with fixed behaviors based on what an arcanomechanic inscribes into them. In your case, your small Aviatrix model behaves as if it were a real animal, even considering that its core is the same as that of a mechanical beast. Only a handful of the very best in our company have been able to manipulate the material you used to achieve such results... *Ahem*"

For a moment, it seemed Thaddeus had become a bit too excited and was about to say something he shouldn’t. Fortunately, he stopped in time, clearing his throat somewhat embarrassed. This caused Sebastian to chuckle a bit, seeing a reflection of someone he knew in Thaddeus’s actions.

Minutes flew by as the two continued their discussion on the topic, with Thaddeus thoroughly impressed by the knowledge Sebastian had about what he referred to as "the most basic branch of Mechanomancy," which the old man attributed solely to his experience as a "watchmaker." In truth, it was something he remembered with bittersweet feelings.

Years ago, Sebastian had been a renowned watchmaker, holding certifications of the highest quality, such as the Geneva Seal and approval from the Swiss Official Chronometer Control—achievements that were nearly unthinkable for a single individual but of which he was immensely proud. His work had consumed his life to the point of regret. Yet here he was again, discussing aspects of his past and having a pleasant moment with a young man who shared his passion for the subject, even though it was tied to painful memories.

Even Thaddeus didn’t notice when his composure and polite manner of speaking gave way to disordered questions and childlike curiosity that made his eyes shine. Sebastian observed this with increasing melancholy, as it reminded him of the rare afternoons he spent at home, sitting on the porch and watching the sunset while his young son asked about everything concerning his work. The boy was always fascinated by each answer, saying that one day he would be just like his father.

"The principle you suggest could have a multitude of applications in both medical and industrial fields. It’s wonderful, it’s, it’s... *Ahem*”

Eventually, the young man realized that in his excitement and agitation, he had even gotten a bit disheveled—something that had never happened to him before, not even when he spoke with his father as an equal in the scientific field.

"I hope you’ll forgive me. I... I shouldn’t have gotten so worked up; it’s not like me to act this way. It’s just that it’s the first time I’ve been able to talk with someone who has such extensive knowledge of the basics. I’d even dare to say that my father doesn’t have such well-defined foundations as you do."

Thaddeus said, trying to calm himself and smoothing his hair with one hand.

"Is your father also a mechanic? If so, I'm sure you both can always enjoy discussions about a shared topic you both love."

"You truly don’t know who I am or who my father is, do you?"

For someone like Thaddeus, it was quite strange that the old man hadn’t reacted to his name at first. It was unthinkable that anyone wouldn’t know the name ‘Stratos Technology’ or at least be aware of its significance and influence in the world. So someone like Sebastian, with so many obvious questions and such little interest in the offer he had made, was an even greater curiosity than the Aviatrix itself.

"I’m really sorry. All I know is that your company works directly with the Armada. I apologize if I’m downplaying your work."

Sebastian apologized again, feeling embarrassed, with Falk now perched on one of his shoulders.

"Please don’t apologize. It’s just refreshing to talk with someone without the need for formalities because of my position. As for my father... Unfortunately, we can’t talk much. Our views on how to help the world differ greatly. We disagreed about it a long time ago. Sometimes I feel like he doesn’t understand the true needs of the world and is just focused on continuously pushing forward."

Those words resonated deeply in Sebastian's heart. It was as if he were seeing a part of his past reflected before his eyes, something quite common in dreams. He was grateful that, in this case, he could relive memories so vividly, even if it was through an analogy involving young Thaddeus and his own son.

"Please don’t say that. I’m sure your father does understand. Just because he’s focused on his work doesn’t mean he doesn’t want to look back. I’m sure it’s difficult for him, or maybe he trusts you to handle it... It’s what I would have done, what I wish I could have done."

After saying this, Sebastian lowered his head with a bitter smile, recalling past events and imagining things he wished had happened. Meanwhile, the young man took a deep breath before speaking again.

"I doubt it very much. I know my father has the best intentions for the world, but his vision is inflexible. I even doubt he considers me important for his plans."

"Don’t say that. I can assure you that even if it seems otherwise... No father in the world doesn’t think about his children in moments of loneliness. You are a wonderful person, a young genius with a great hunger for knowledge."

As he said this, the elderly man gave him a very kind smile, finally finishing what had been on his mind, as if the person before him were his actual son.

"I'm sure he's proud of you... I’m proud of you."

Thaddeus remained frozen with his eyes wide open for a few seconds before suddenly standing up and turning his back to Sebastian.

"I understand. I think we've talked enough, and I have a very important appointment in just a few minutes... I apologize, but I must take my leave, Mr. Sebastian. It was a pleasure talking with a fellow scientist like you."

The young man said, not looking at him, though he couldn’t help but quickly bring his right hand to his face as if to wipe something away. He didn’t waste any more time and started to walk away, but not before stopping after a few steps and delivering a final message.

"Seriously, consider my offer to work with 'Stratos Technology.' We’ll need people like you to help improve the world after what’s to come."

Sebastian didn’t understand what the boy was referring to, but he calmly bid him farewell with a smile.

"I'll consider it. Thank you very much for your time and the kind offer."

It had been a wonderful experience, quite cathartic indeed. Sebastian hoped he would have the opportunity to chat with such a pleasant young man again. To his great surprise, a few minutes later, when the team came to collect him and inform him that they needed to head to the main hangar, he found himself face-to-face with Thaddeus once more. Thaddeus greeted him with a warm and genuine smile.