The wristwatch wasn't an automatic; it appeared to be a manual-wind type.
Devoid of any superfluous decoration, its white face and simple black numerals gave it an antique appearance in Jin’s eyes.
The second hand was not coaxial with the hour and minute hands. Instead, it was a small sub-dial positioned at the bottom of the face, between the center and the six o’clock mark.
The manufacturer was Company S—a major watchmaking brand that Jin knew well.
The glass was cracked, likely the result of a hard impact or being dropped at some point.
"We aren't entirely sure what its purpose was, but given the intricate craftsmanship and the fact that it was a favorite of the Magus, it has become a cherished family heirloom," Fadon explained.
His words snapped Jin back to reality.
"This is..."
"Do you recognize it, Jin?" Goose asked. Even for someone as well-traveled as him, the object was a mystery.
"...It’s a wristwatch."
"A watch? Now that you mention it... but a watch? This thing?"
Jin offered a simple explanation. "Yeah. It’s a small clock you wear on your arm like a bracelet."
"...Then what do these needles represent?" Goose pointed to the second hand.
"Let's go in order. This short needle—the hour hand—shows the hours. The long one is the minute hand, which shows the minutes."
In this world, the shadows serving as indicators on sundials and moon dials took a full day to complete a single rotation. On this wristwatch, however, the hour hand circled the dial every twelve hours.
It was hardly surprising that no one had recognized it as a clock, even if they noticed a passing resemblance.
"Does that mean this... dial? Is it divided into two-hour increments?"
It was a logical question given their frame of reference.
"No, the hour hand on this clock completes one rotation every twelve hours," Jin clarified.
Goose let out a sharp cry of realization. "Ah, I see! We talk about eight in the morning and eight in the evening. This 'wristwatch' simply goes around once for each half of the day. It makes sense—there's no way you'd confuse eight in the morning with eight at night."
"Exactly. Good catch, Goose."
Jin praised his intuition and continued. "Now, the long hand—the minute hand—circles the dial once every hour."
"No way!"
"H-How is that possible?"
Both Goose and Fadon stared in disbelief. They couldn't fathom how hands that appeared to emerge from the same point could move at entirely different speeds.
"They’re on the same axis, but they have separate gears to change their rotation speeds, right?"
"O-Oh... right."
The explanation coming from Hanna of all people left Jin momentarily speechless.
"And finally, this tiny hand is the second hand."
"What? It can measure seconds?"
While the units of hours, minutes, and seconds existed in this world of sundials and moon dials, there were precious few opportunities to actually measure them. Goose’s shock was well-founded.
"...What is the point of measuring time in such tiny increments?" Fadon asked. It was a fair question; they knew the word for 'second,' but had never found a practical use for it.
"Well..." Jin searched for an easy analogy. "Are you familiar with the relationship between distance, speed, and the time it takes to travel?"
"You mean how multiplying speed by time gives you the distance covered?" Goose answered. Bailiff Fadon nodded in agreement beside him, showing he followed the logic.
"Exactly. Which means if you divide the distance by the time, you get the speed."
"Naturally," they replied in unison.
"So, if you know the distance and use a clock to measure exactly how long it takes to cover it, you can determine your speed." Technically, he was talking about average velocity, but the point stood.
"Ah, I see! So the concept of a 'second' exists to make those measurements and calculations more precise!" Goose exclaimed, clapping his hands together.
"That's the gist of it. But beyond that, I hope you can see how it would be necessary in all sorts of situations."
"Hmm. As expected of a possession belonging to the Magus," Goose muttered, looking thoroughly impressed.
The others took a moment to digest Jin's explanation. Elsa and Saki were particularly focused. Even though Hourai Island had clocks, nothing this small or mechanically sophisticated existed there yet.
It was a stark reminder: at least for now, this level of miniaturization was beyond what Jin and his companions could replicate.
"Nidou-dono," Bailiff Fadon said, his tone turning noticeably more respectful. "Since you were able to identify this relic as a 'wristwatch' at a single glance, are you indeed someone related to the Magus?"
Jin took a moment to consider his answer. "I'm certain we share the same homeland. However, I never knew him personally."
"I suppose that would be the case."
If Jin claimed to have known a Magus from a millennium ago, it would have been beyond belief. Fadon nodded, accepting the explanation.
"I came here to Fusou because I wanted to learn more about him."
"I see. Given that you likely share a homeland, that is perfectly understandable," Fadon replied warmly. He paused to think. "As for clues regarding the Magus... I believe it would be best for you to head further north to Dahhate."
According to the Bailiff, Dahhate served as the capital of Fusou.
"There are several ancient documents said to have belonged to the Magus there, and there is a high probability that other relics are being preserved as well."
This was a major breakthrough. It was far more efficient than searching town by town.
"Thank you very much," Jin said. He finally had a concrete lead.
"Still... to be from the same homeland as the Magus..."
"Does that trouble you?" Jin asked.
"Well, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious," Fadon murmured. "But knowing the answer doesn't really change the present, does it?"
To him, the Magus was a legendary figure from a thousand years ago; while he respected the man's legacy, where he was born wasn't a pressing concern. It was a perspective Jin found slightly hard to relate to, but he accepted it nonetheless.
"By the way, regarding this 'wristwatch'... can it be fixed?" Fadon looked at Jin expectantly.
"I don't think it’s impossible, but it will be quite difficult," Jin answered after a pause. "It would also take a considerable amount of time."
Jin had never actually performed a full overhaul on a mechanical watch. On a scale this small, repair would be impossible without specialized tools. His only hope was to let the Mini-Smiths handle it.
Still, the watch’s construction fascinated him. He wanted to understand how it was made.
"If you could lend it to me for a day, I could at least give you a better assessment..."
"Hmm..." Fadon thought for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I will trust you, Nidou-dono. You may take it."
"Thank you." Jin took the box containing the watch.
As Fadon and his attendants left the room, Goose leaned in. "The Bailiff is putting a lot of trust in you, Jin. Make sure you find a way to fix it!"
"I know," Jin replied.
He carried the box to his guest room and placed it carefully on the low table. He then turned to Reiko.
"Reiko, contact Laojun. Tell him I need five Mini-Smiths transferred here."
"Yes, Father."
Reiko sent the message via her internal manacam.
Within a minute, the five Mini-Smiths appeared. Jin immediately set them to work, ordering the disassembly, analysis, and repair of the wristwatch.