The east gardens of House Darsha had never seen such activity.
Silken banners swayed gently in the summer breeze. Rows of stone benches, draped in estate colors, lined the demonstration path. Enchanted braziers glowed faintly, not for warmth, but ambiance. Servants bustled. Apprentices nervously adjusted signs that read:
"A NEW WAY TO MOVE"Presented by: Lord Sharath Virayan Darsha
Lady Ishvari had suggested something more modest. Sharath insisted: If we don't name the idea, they'll name it for us.
❖ Audience and AtmosphereThe guest list was carefully curated:
Minor nobles and stewards from nearby houses.
Master craftsmen and guild representatives.
Court scribes and one very skeptical transport official.
And, as luck (or Thermo) would have it, a few curious cats.
Sharath stood just out of view, hands clasped behind his back, tunic freshly ironed, hair brushed by both Mina and his mother.
"Are you ready?" Lady Ishvari asked.
"No," he replied. "But I'm prepared."
She smiled. "That's my boy."
❖ The DemonstrationThe tricycle gleamed in the sun.
Polished oak frame. Reinforced copper joints. The wheels spun silently. The front held the family crest carved into a shield plate, just above the handlebars—Sharath's compromise with his father, who insisted on some nobility in the design.
Sharath walked it out alone.
Gasps echoed through the garden.
It looked unlike anything they'd ever seen. A sculpture on wheels. A weapon of thought. A machine without magic.
He climbed on. Placed his feet on the pedals. Pushed.
The tricycle moved forward.
Evenly. Smoothly.
He turned.
It obeyed.
He sped up.
The chain held.
He skidded to a slow, graceful stop before the central fountain.
Silence.
Then—
Applause.
Genuine, stunned applause.
❖ Reactions and RipplesMaster Hendrick clapped slowly. "The boy did it."
One steward leaned to another. "It's faster than a pony at short range."
The court scribe whispered, "If this reaches the cities…"
A noblewoman stood. "Can it be scaled? Carriages? Carts? Does it need magic?"
Sharath stepped down and addressed them clearly:
"This is motion by design. Not enchantment.It is built with tools your smiths know.It can be taught. It can be shared.It is… for everyone."
Mina and Dayo brought out two more trikes. Children from visiting families were invited to try. Laughter echoed through the garden. Servants murmured.
And far at the back, a messenger from the King's Guild of Transports watched with narrowed eyes.
❖ A Turning PointLater, as the sun began to dip, Sharath sat alone near the fountain.
His mother approached, carrying a cup of lemon tea.
"You did well."
"They saw," he said softly.
"They did."
"Some were afraid."
She nodded. "They always are, when things move too fast."
He stared at the spinning wheel beside him.
"I can't slow down now."
"No," she said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "But now you'll need allies. And caution."
He looked up at her.
"I think it's time to leave the estate. Time to see the kingdom. Their roads. Their cities."
"And their resistance," she added.
He smiled. "Exactly."
❖ Log Entry – Demonstration OutcomeDemo Success: ConfirmedPublic Reaction: Mixed awe + inquiryOpposition Risk: Activated
Opportunities:
Craft guild interest
Urban transport potential
Letters requested by estate scribes
Concerns:
Central Guild watching
Magical aristocracy uneasy
Next Objective: Secure travel permission. Build compact demo kits. Begin mapping city infrastructure weaknesses.
Sharath stared at the stars that night, wondering which town, which street, which mind would next be moved by wheels and will.
End of Part II: First ExperimentsSharath had set the wheels turning—literally and metaphorically. But invention alone could not change the world. For that, he would need strategy. Vision. Diplomacy.
And perhaps… a bit of luck.