“Organise your lab?” Dellen said. “That seems like…” He trailed off. That seemed like the kind of work a new initiate should be performing for their master. Precisely the sort of thing he had implicitly agreed to when he’d agreed to become Thaddeus’s disciple.

“Something about this entire scenario makes me feel happy,” Gilgamesh said.

Dellen ignored him.

“That seems like a task worthy of my time,” Dellen said, putting a fixed smile on his face. He had a possibly life-or-death fight coming up that evening, but here he was.

He couldn’t help but wonder how he would have felt about this if he could remember his life. He wondered if he would have seen it as beneath him.

“Excellent,” Thaddeus said, a touch of the gruffer nature from their first meeting peaking through. “This should only take a few hours.”

“Any particular place you want me to start? Dellen said.

“At the beginning,” Thaddeus said. He took a seat in a large chair and closed his eyes.

Dellen received the near immediate impression of Electrical Aether flowing through and around Thaddeus. He looked at Thaddeus a minute longer, wondering whether more explicit instructions were forthcoming, then moved on to the workshop.

The workshop was spacious, filled with unusual devices, and work benches littered with tools and diagrams. In the centre of the room was a designated training area marked off by a worn, circular mat on the floor.

Dellen elected to ignore the training area; it was almost clear of superfluous objects.

The workshop itself was a chaotic array of devices and scattered tools. He looked on with a mixture of interest and trepidation, it looked like a lot of work, but there was a chance that he would lay hands on something that would serve as inspiration for his own progress.

Dellen began by collecting and sorting the most recognizable tools. Various wrenches, screwdrivers, pliers, and hammers. Common in any workshop and easy to categorize. He placed them in wooden toolboxes, organizing them by type and size.

Next, he came across an assortment of more specialized tools that he thought Thaddeus used for Aetheric manipulation. Aetheric Tweezers, designed to handle delicate components charged with Aetheric energy, and a set of insulated gloves to protect the wearer from discharges of Electrical Aether.

He also found gear pullers and alignment tools, essential for working with the delicate clockwork mechanisms often found in Aether-powered devices. Dellen organised them by size and complexity, placing them in drawers with custom-fitted compartments to prevent damage and ensure easy access.

Dellen also found tools for precision measurements, micrometers, calipers, and Aether gauges. Tools vital for ensuring that components were built to exact specifications and that Aetheric devices functioned at peak efficiency. He cleaned the delicate instruments and placed them in a protective case, which he stored on a shelf near Thaddeus’s primary workbench.

Next, Dellen turned his attention to the diagrams that lay strewn across the workbenches. He carefully examined each, and realised that they were blueprints and schematics for Aetheric devices. Some were incredibly detailed, with precise measurements and annotations, while others appeared to be rough sketchs or initial ideas waiting to be fleshed out.

Dellen took a methodical approach, organising the diagrams into piles based on their level of detail and complexity. He found several copies of certain diagrams, indicating that Thaddeus had likely been working on multiple iterations of the same concept, refining and improving the design with each generation.

He took care to keep the different versions together, ensuring that Thaddeus could easily track the progression of his ideas.

Once he sorted the diagrams into their respective categories, Dellen set about finding a suitable storage solution. He discovered a set of empty wooden file cabinets with wide, shallow drawers that seemed perfect for storing the large, delicate sheets of parchment. He labeled each drawer according to the type of diagram it would contain, making it simpler for Thaddeus to locate the appropriate schematic.

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As he carefully placed the diagrams into their designated drawers, Dellen couldn’t help but be amazed by the breadth and depth of Thaddeus’s knowledge and creativity. The designs ranged from, relatively, simple gadgets to complex devices that seemed to defy the boundaries of conventional engineering.

Gilgamesh had been atypically quiet while Dellen cleaned. “You are surprisingly good at cleaning.” He said. “For some reason, I’d expected you to feel like it was almost beneath you to do a good job here.”

“An organized lab is important for progress,” Dellen muttered quietly under his breath.

Most of Dellen’s attention was focused on a growing admiration for Thaddeus’s intellect and expertise, as well as a renewed desire to grow his own skills.

With the tools and diagrams organised, Dellen surveyed the rest of what covered the benches. Thaddeus’s works in progress.

He focused on keeping this attempt as methodical as possible. Dellen picked up each device and attempted to discern their purpose and function. Some were simple to identify, like Aetheric Lamps, while others were enigmatic, their purpose unclear to Dellen’s untrained eye.

Whenever he could connect a device to a stack of schematics that he has previously cleared away, Dellen retrieved the schematics, and placed them, tidily, beneath the device, using it as an impromptu paperweight.

Dellen remained determined, sorting devices based on size, form, and complexity. He cleared off an entire workbench, laying out a series of labeled sections to group the devices according to their presumed or guessed-at purposes. He placed the more straightforward devices, like the lamps, in one area, while the more intricate and obscure devices he placed in another.

He made notes of anything that he was unable to categorize. He planned to consult with Thaddeus later to gain a better understanding of what he was organizing.

Moving on to the larger devices, Dellen was confronted with an array of complex machinery and experimental prototypes. Some appeared to be partially disassembled or in various stages of construction, while others seemed to be abandoned projects, left to gather dust in the corners of the workshop.

With the larger devices sorted, Dellen decided to reorganise the workshop itself. He designated specific areas for different types of projects, devices in active development were gathered on one workbench, albeit spread out to prevent clutter. At the same time, items that appeared to be complete were relegated to shelves.

By the time he had finished, the workshop was transformed. The space no longer felt chaotic, with every tool, diagram, and device in a proper place, even if it wasn’t the place that Thaddeus would have chosen.

Dellen stepped back to consider the results of his labor. Something felt incomplete. He turned his attention to the training area.

Thaddeus had a disorganized collection of dummies and targets arranged in a jumble. Dellen organized the training equipment, placing the striking dummies and pads to maximize the efficiency of the next training session.

“Do all of the Northcotes clean like this? Why do you even need staff?” Gilgamesh said. “Don’t answer that; I know you don’t remember.”

Dellen ground his teeth together and didn’t answer.

Ignoring Gilgamesh, he turned to see Thaddeus opening his eyes. Thaddeus rose to his feet and walked over to inspect his space without saying a word.

His eyes scanned every detail of Dellen’s work. He examined sorted tools, carefully arranged diagrams, and meticulously organized half-built projects. He even noticed that Dellen had moved the practice dummies.

“You’ve done well, Lord Northcote.” Thaddeus said in a near grumble, his voice low and gruff. “I didn’t expect you to be so thorough. Most highborn see this sort of work as beneath them. I wanted to know that you were still willing to listen and obey enough to be a good student.”

Dellen’s eyebrows shot up. He’d assumed this was busy work given to a disciple, not a test of his personality. “Is there anything else you want of me?”

Thaddeus took a seat. “Keep working with that cube. Once you progress enough, we can look at more complicated exercises.”

Dellen gave him a nod and took his leave. He had a few hours before he was to meet with Miranda and Marcus.

He took another carriage, this time headed to the Northcote Estate.

“What are you doing here?” Gilgamesh said just before they landed.

“Just some fresh clothes before the fight and avoiding Stefan; I don’t need him tying me down with a fresh responsibility just as I leave the premises.”

They landed, and Dellen walked to his rooms in the main house and decided to take a shower.

The walls were covered in detailed tiles of blue and gold; in one corner stood a clawfoot tub, and opposite the tub was an elaborate shower. The overall effect was only slightly spoiled by the handful of fallen tiles that had not been repaired or replaced. The shower was a brass affair designed to provide a steady, adjustable stream of hot water.

Dellen stepped under the shower head and let the water wash over him. Tension in his muscles began to ease as the water enveloped him, washing away the grime and sweat from his training. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, inhaling the faint aroma of his soap.

He let his thoughts drift, consciously releasing his worries and anxieties built up through the days. He imagined the water carrying away his stress, leaving him clear and focused. He visualized his upcoming matches, not with dread or anxiety, but with calm determination.

With each slow, deep breath, Dellen felt more centered and more at peace. Standing in the warm water, he could feel his confidence building.

Refreshed and rejuvenated, Dellen finished his shower, turned off the water, dried himself, and pulled on his clothes for his upcoming match.