The Greatest Mecha-Chapter 65: The Man Charles Vans

Being the disciple for a mech designer was nothing short of remarkable, though not unheard of it actually meant that he would be learning under the said person. But to someone as notable as Professor Alberta it was an honour, those chosen by the fabled silver seat were called the legacy disciples or in others words their protégés who would take over after their master in future. This was what Charles Vans had been seeking for years, his father had been a merchant from a neighbouring planet who usually traded with planet Soto and at times the mech division. freёnovelkiss.com

In one of this instances he had accompanied his father and happened to come across Alberta, knowing who she was he decided to be her disciple. He idolised her and her work, striving always to meet her standards. At that time Eleven was also with her but something was always strange about the young man, he was always by her side but never once acting like her disciples or one with such grand aspirations. Try as he may Charles Vans was never able to discern the true relationship between this two but he did not let that stop him.

He would spend countless hours studying and perfecting his crafts, overworking himself, always seeing a future with him by the professors side. And then came along a young man with no background in mech designing whatsoever. The first time he set his eyes on Alto he had pity on his situation and could relate with it to some extent but he did not want to seem too friendly with him, he felt there had to be boundaries between a senior and a junior. But he never expected the boy who was never interested in mech designing, who showed no passion or talent for it now beginning to surpass him. In the span of three years Charles Vans had only nurtured hate towards this bright young man and now after losing everything to him hate was an understatement of what he felt towards him.

All the times he went for the competition he never once managed to enter the top hundred let alone the top ten, he felt he had shamed his master so he sharpened his skill over and over. He learnt from online tutorials and extensive teaching and he was certain that this was his time to shine. This was his chance and here this inconvenience came like an inconceivable variable and ruined his chances. Looking at Alto he felt fear for the first time, fear that he had lost everything, fear that he would surpass even him, fear that he would be forgotten.

Charles Vans rose to his feet, his face fallen and devoid of life or any other emotion, just gloom. He could not even raise his head to face anyone in the room, he walked forward past Alto, past Eleven who silently watched as always and stopped before the professor, he opened his mouth to speak but words failed him, his will was broken.

The professor placed her hand gently on his shoulder and said. "You’re relieved for today." She understood how heart wrenching it must have been for him to be upstaged by a newbie in the field of mech designer. She understood the depth of his pain because she never once taught any of them since they were never her formal disciples, this meant that all three of her so called followers had achieved their worth themselves. One reason why she refused to teach them personally was because she could not be the cause of their victory in the competition. As a silver seat she valued genius more than everything, what use was taking up a disciple who achieved everything through her? It was remarkable to see how far Charles Vans had come on his own but he still lacked something, the spark all mech designers possessed.

Charles Vans gave what seemed like a nod but his head just dropped down, he walked to the door shamelessly. His feets fell heavy, dragging him back. His pride shattered, he remembered Eleven clearly saying at one time that Alto might be significantly better what Charles Vans was unclear to was to the how and why. Knowledge wise and experience wise he was better, or was Alto a fraud? He doubted the professor aided him in any way but he could not deny that she had some feelings towards him, affectionate ones. As he reached the door he challenged his pride and took one bold look at the one who had shattered his dreams. To his utmost surprise Alto was looking away, he angered him to see that Alto would even if it’s him after destroying his future. As he left the room he muttered to himself, "You will pay, I swear to the heavens you will."

After the door closed Alto was still looking back, he felt guilty and responsible at the same time. Sure Charles Vans was a proud fool but he had dreams and visions just like Alto had aspired for the top he was sure that Charles Vans had the same dream, and he just shattered it. Alto ever since his time in the orphanage was always an optimistic light hearted boy who dreamed about his future, he dreamed about growth and success and knew what it felt like losing one’s vision of their own future. It had occured to him the time he lost the x gene factor, he had been depressed and felt like dieing. He could not help but think Charles Vans would go through the same torture and all because he wanted to achieve his own dreams.

His lips felt dry and for a reason sealed shut, it took a bit of effort from his mind to even pry them open and ask. "Will it always be like this, climbing to the top I mean?"

Professor Alberta lit a cigarette and put it in her mouth, she let out a few puffs before saying. "Kid being a mech designer is all about sacrifice, you can’t be the best just by being acknowledged alone and climbing to the top. Being number one means climbing up the ladder if failures, the ladder of recognitin, a ladder creates from the corpses of your defeated adversaries. Being number one means you have defeated everyone beneath."

Alto felt heavy in his heart mostly because it was true, this was the reason why there were certain hierarchy in life. "It’s a huge burden to bear." Alto said truthfully.

Alberta was not surprised by his innocence and care but she was also not impressed by it. "Life itself is a burden, it is a force of nature that did not want to be extinguished by death and be forgotten, but what is life if not death. To become more recognised you build on the death of others, the death of their dreams, this is what fuels true power in the world. I got to where I am today not because I was a do-goodie-two-shoes, I pretend on the dreams of others and grew from it. As a mech designer we wear our pride on our sleeves and in our hearts, what do you do when your dream is shattered."