The Silver Seer

Chapter 12: Withering Joy

Reko opens his eyes as he hears the faint sound of footsteps grow louder, and a key being inserted into the lock belonging to the discipline chamber's door. As a sliver of light appears on the floor- just missing the boy's feet which are outstretched in front of him as he sits on the ground against the right side of the bed, he recognizes a familiar silhouette.

Their voice confirms Reko's observation. "I don't know what kind of food you like, but I brought you something sweet. Just a small collection of cookies that came out of the oven several minutes ago." Sigfried closes the door and walks over to the boy, handing him the plate before taking a seat to his left. "How are you?"

Reko looks at the cookies, and sets the plate to his right side, not interested in eating anything at the moment. He just blankly stares at the wall in front of him, thoughts about what he did running through his head.

Stealing. From his captain's office, of all places. The things he took made the young man furious beyond anything Reko could imagine. He thought Felix would gently scold him and maybe assign him to laundry duty for a few days. But the discipline chamber for two weeks?

That was two weeks Thilo would have to spend working on that mechanical lookalike alone, and it would probably draw out the process to a month and a half- time they didn't have. The Russians are going to launch their first attack at the end of the month if terms of peace are not meant. All they want is a mechanical soldier, so they're going to get a "fake", and be satisfied with that. The only thing it won't have is the knowledge of how to create more copies of itself so Russia won't become a more powerful military. Though, if they ended up with the same fate as Finland...Reko wouldn't mind.

Clearing his throat, Sigfried breaks the silence. "I believe General Alderic feels deep remorse for how he treated you. He didn't quite seem like his usual self while talking to us officers before going to Moscow. I don't know if that helps you or anything, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to let you know he's aware of and regrets his actions."

The mechanical soldier shifts his gaze to the floor. His captain does not have the right to feel so guilty- Reko is the only person who should feel such, and he does. He should not have stolen from his captain's office in the first place or even set foot inside without his permission. Why did he steal? Was it really because he was curious, or was it because he was concerned for his captain's safety and wellbeing? A mix of both? Neither?

"Oh, and Lieutenant Haegel is in the hospital with a minor leg injury. He says a clumsy recruit handled a loaded pistol, but I don't remember him ever training the new soldiers. I didn't pry any further into the matter- I just heard Elena talking about it as she gave me the plate of cookies." Reko's head whips to face Sigfried, his eyes now wide.

Thilo is injured and in the hospital? That means the mechanical soldier will be nothing more than an exoskeleton for who knows how long? It screws up their plan for peace with Russia. If only Reko hadn't stolen anything in the first place, none of this would have occurred. If Russia goes to war with Switzerland, it will be Reko's fault, and only the soldier will know that, as his captain will deny it and assure Reko that it is not his doing. Just like how Reko assured Felix the events in Forchheim weren't his fault when they-

Bringing his hands up to the side of his head, the boy clutches his hair with his fingers, squeezing his eyes shut. No. Do not think such thoughts- Felix almost took his own life after Forchheim, purely because he believed the entire ordeal was a result of his actions and decisions. Reko's reassurance saved his life, and that is the reason he is here today. Reko would never wish for his captain's death- he will die before his captain does- it is programmed into his system to protect him, no matter the cost.

"Lieutenant Erkki, are you alright? Do you need Elena or Emilia to check up on you?" Sigfried's voice brings the boy back to the present, and he shakes his head before returning his hands to the floor and turning back to face the officer.