Morning light slanted through the carved stone windows of the dwarven inn, the soft golden hue reflecting off soot-streaked walls and dust motes that danced lazily in the air. The smell of mountain springwater, stone oil, and something faintly metallic wafted through the lounge, mixing with the comforting aroma of dwarven hearth-bread and mushroom stew from the kitchen.
Yuuna sat in a corner booth of the lounge, notebook open, pen already at work. A near-empty cup of warm black tea rested beside her, long since forgotten. Her black hair fell slightly forward, casting a shadow over her pale, impassive face as she focused intently on the diagram unfolding beneath her hand. Her eyes moved with quick precision, every line a calculation, every shape a piece of the greater mechanism she envisioned.
The table in front of her was scattered with references: mechanical sketches, fragments of enchanted blueprint scrolls she borrowed from a dwarven archive, and one odd piece of charcoal she'd used for quick shading. The sketch she was working on had already taken shape,no beasts in sight. Just a complex structure of lines and wheels, arcs of suspension joints, and a square chamber for the core.
The carriage design was unconventional, to say the least.
Three wheels on each side, big enough to crawl over boulders. Suspension shafts curved to absorb impact from rough terrain. An enclosed middle section with window slots and reinforced panels,clearly intended for the girls. Ahead of it, a compact driver seat with space for two, open-air but with the option of mounting a foldable leather roof. Behind it all, a rear open wagon, also with hooks for a detachable canopy.
The words "stability under chaotic input" were underlined three times.
"...And definitely no bulls," Yuuna murmured.
Fahleena was the first to approach. Her twin-tails bounced with every exaggerated step as she struck a dramatic pose beside Yuuna's table.
"Oh prodigious Blue Magister of Dimensional Prowess, what arcane construct dost thou conjure on this morn of forge-blessed dawn?"
Yuuna didn't look up. "A carriage."
"Without steeds?"
"Correct."
"...Marvelous."
Before the dramatic monologue could resume, Jessica slid into the seat beside Yuuna with quiet curiosity, her katana resting against the edge of the booth. "You're really going to build it?"
Yuuna gave a slow nod. "No animals. Just machinery and mana. I want a self-moving vehicle. Fully automagic, with the option for manual override."
Kyle appeared next, munching on what was probably a leftover cheese roll. He squinted at the drawing. "Wait. Six wheels? Why six?"
"Stability and elevation traversal. With three wheels on each side, it'll adapt better to slopes. Center wheels get lift with suspension. It's designed for mountainous terrain."
Sinryo leaned over his shoulder, already calculating seat assignments. "Why is there a 'rear open section for extra passengers' label?"
Yuuna paused mid-sentence. "That's for overflow."
Kyle and Sinryo locked eyes. "We're the overflow, aren't we?"
"Yes."
Kyle crossed his arms. "This is discrimination."
"It's structural hierarchy," Yuuna replied.
"Still discrimination," Sinryo muttered.
Fuhiken arrived with Sakura, who carried two of her magically sealed food bags under one arm like picnic baskets. Fuhiken tilted his head at the sketch. "No livestock?"
"No," Yuuna replied.
"No cheese-powered propulsion either?"
She didn't dignify that with a response.
"Fair," he muttered.
Gabyola, Orchid, and Adiw arrived shortly after, forming a circle around Yuuna's table. Gabyola folded her arms and smiled. "It looks elegant, for something with that many wheels."
"It has layered plating," Yuuna explained. "Mana-powered drive shaft. Internal control rod. Driver doesn't need to steer unless something goes wrong. Uses a extra Fire mana stone as fuel. I'll need iron, enchanted timber, and refined stones."
Orchid peered over her shoulder, then pointed at a hatch symbol near the core chamber. "Is that where the cheese goes?"
Yuuna's face remained impassive. "No. That's the ventilation port. And for the last time, no cheese. Especially not your cheese."
Jessica nodded in quiet agreement. "that cheese imbued with hallucinations."
"The walls are still whispering," Sakura added, blinking twice.
Yuuna cleared her throat. "Anyway. We'll need to collect parts. The shop stones are low-quality. For proper propulsion, we need mana stones, a high quality one is better, we can get it from monsters."
Adiw cracked his knuckles. "So we hunt?"
"Eventually."
"But first," Fuhiken interrupted, "we need a proper craftsman."
"Already thought of that," Yuuna said, closing the notebook.
---
They made their way through the narrow, bustling corridors of the dwarven craft sector. Stone-cut alleyways twisted between smithing halls and material warehouses. Bright flame crystals lit the paths above, and the constant ringing of metal filled the air. Steam vents hissed from underground channels, warming the lower walkways.
Eventually, they reached a broad, semi-circular forge embedded into the stone wall itself. Above the entrance, a wooden sign hung with charred edges that read: "Durfvn & co. - Iron, Stone, Flame & cow milk".
The sound of rhythmic hammering echoed from within.
Durfvn himself was a dwarf of medium height but massive presence. His red beard was tightly braided into twin cords, adorned with silver beads shaped like little anvils. His muscular arms were bare save for leather straps and soot stains. He paused his work the moment the elf party stepped inside.
"Well, I'll be... The Elflings!" he bellowed, voice booming through the stone like a war drum. "Haven't seen your lot since the griffon rumors!"
He stepped forward, wide smile breaking beneath his bushy mustache. "Still alive, still dramatic, and,by the forge,still dragging that pink-haired hurricane around? hohoho--"
Fahleena saluted dramatically. "The Dreamweaver returns."
"Stars help me," Durfvn muttered, then chuckled.
Yuuna stepped forward and handed him the open notebook. "I need help building this."
Durfvn's eyes scanned the sketch, his thick red brows climbing steadily with each new line he examined. He leaned in closer, the soot on his gloves smudging the edge of the page as he traced the contours of the carriage design with a calloused finger. The six-wheel layout, the suspension curves, the reinforced mana chamber, each detail made his expression shift from casual curiosity to genuine intrigue. By the time he reached the note labeled "no livestock, ever", a low whistle escaped through his teeth. His eyes lit with the gleam of a craftsman seeing something fresh, something bizarre, and more importantly, something challenging.
"No horses?"
"No."
"No axles?"
"Internal gear pulleys."
"No reins?"
"Driver wheel, if necessary."
Durfvn scratched his beard. "And it runs on mana?"
"Yes."
He whistled low. "Never seen anything like this. You elves bring something interesting... This is new. I like it."
He turned to his forge, gesturing at a large empty table. "We'll need iron sheets. Strong ones. For the wheels, you'll want steel-laced outer rims,otherwise they'll crumble on Dwargo's mountain passes. The wood needs to be enchanted pine. Grew only in West Hollow."
"There's a cave with an iron core not far from here," he continued, now sketching a materials list on a metal plate with chalk. "You'll want to go there. For wood, there's the Hollowpine woods south of the cliff path. Dangerous, but nothing your lot can't handle."
Yuuna nodded. "Mana stones?"
"I sell standard ones. Good enough for lanterns and heaters. For your kind of thing?" He tapped the notebook again. "You'll need monster-grade stones. Fresh from the source. Might be ogres or worse hoarding them."
Kyle pumped his fist. "Time for hunting!"
Adiw grinned. "Now we're talking."
Durfvn handed Yuuna a simple forged permit slate. "Take this. It'll let the miners know you're not just scavengers. And if you see my idiot apprentice Darnul at the mine, tell him to stop eating the flux powder."
Yuuna stored the slate in her bag. "We leave tomorrow."
Durfvn clapped his hands together. "I'll prepare the forge for your return. You bring the goods, and I'll make sure this magic wheel beast of yours gets built."
---
Back at the inn, Yuuna sat once more at the table, redrawing her sketches with improved calculations. She now had proper forge dimensions, confirmed alloy strengths, and terrain profiles to consider. Outside, laughter echoed as Kyle and Sinryo argued about who would get the cooler seat. Fahleena performed an impromptu monologue from the top of a chair. Gigih accidentally ignited a piece of paper. Orchid brewed something. Again.
Sakura sat beside Yuuna, sipping soup. "You haven't eaten much."
Yuuna didn't look up. "I'm working."
"That stew's good today. Real meat, no weird mushrooms. You should eat before Kyle gets seconds."
"I have rations in my bag."
Sakura tilted her head. "What kind? You always eat the same stuff."
Yuuna paused. "Dried root slices. Smoked riverfish. Nut bread. Salted fruit bits if I find any."
Sakura blinked. "That's kind of... plain."
"Plain doesn't surprise you. Plain doesn't fight back."
At that moment, Orchid's latest dish burbled from the kitchen. The pot let out a puff of purple smoke.
"Like that," Yuuna added dryly.
Sakura held back a laugh. "Noted."
A moment passed. Then Yuuna glanced sideways.
"…If there's any stew left later, maybe I'll have some."
Sakura smiled. "I'll save you a bowl."