After the meeting concluded, Ryuzen and Venus stepped out into the night air, the city lights of the upstart district gleaming faintly behind them. Waiting at the curb was a sleek, steam-age carriage humming with quiet energy. Its bronze-and-iron frame bore the charm of a bygone era, but the soft thrum beneath the floorboards revealed a modern marvel—Mana Engines, powered by refined Mana Crystals, pulsing like the heartbeat of a machine half-alive.
The driver, an older man with silvered hair and gloves that had seen decades of use, tipped his cap wordlessly and turned the wheel with practiced ease. The vehicle set into motion, gliding over the cobblestone road with a low whir, lanterns flickering on the sides like gentle fireflies.
