The second batch of trikes hadn't even cooled from varnish before word spread—again.
This time, it wasn't just curious nobles or scribes.
It was merchants.
And among them, none loomed larger than Gorin Silvane, Guildmaster of the Western Exchange, known across three counties as the man who could turn anything—grain, gems, goats—into gold.
He arrived with no warning, no entourage, and no interest in pleasantries.
"I hear you make wheels that move," he said, stepping into the workshop like he owned it.
Sharath looked up from polishing a pedal chain. "Technically, I make machines that use wheels to move."
Gorin grunted. "Same thing. Show me."
❖ The Test RideMina brought out City Glide Mk. II, the model optimized for smoother terrain and longer hauls.
Gorin examined it the way a hawk might examine a rabbit—sharp, calculating, unimpressed.
Then he climbed aboard.
The trike groaned faintly—he was a large man—but it held. He pedaled. Slowly at first, then faster.
By the end of the loop around the training yard, he wore a thin smile.
"Functional," he said.
"Efficient," Sharath replied.
"Expensive?"
"Not if you sell two dozen a week."
Gorin stepped off and dusted his sleeves. "Let's talk."
❖ The First NegotiationThe estate's parlor was turned into a war room.
Lady Ishvari and Lord Varundar attended. So did Mina, who now handled workshop inventories. Dayo was banned for "accidentally" handing out cookies mid-meeting last time.
Gorin laid out his offer:
Centralized production through guild-funded workshops.
Distribution via existing trade caravans.
Exclusive first-option rights for city merchants.
Sharath countered:
Only partial exclusivity, with room for artisan-run hubs.
Workshop oversight to ensure design integrity.
Training licenses, not just product.
Gorin chuckled. "You're not just smart. You're dangerously smart."
Sharath shrugged. "If I weren't, we'd both be making broomsticks."
❖ Understanding the WebThe talks stretched over two days. In between, Sharath learned more than he expected:
Trade routes weren't just roads—they were relationships.
Some guilds paid tolls in silver. Others in favors.
The real power lay not in who made the goods—but in who moved them.
He mapped every region Gorin mentioned:
River routes along the Selnar.
Pass roads through the Grey Ridge.
Highway spurs connected to farming collectives.
Each was a potential highway for wheels.
❖ The First ContractsBy the third day, a contract was signed:
Agreement of Mutual Intent: Turning Circle Co. & Western Exchange Guild
Gorin funds 3 local workshops.
Sharath supplies blueprints, training, and oversight.
Guild agrees to sell trikes in 5 test towns.
Profits split based on tiered volume thresholds.
It was sealed with wax.
Then Gorin pulled a folded parchment from his coat.
"Also," he said, "there's a merchant's meet in Velinport. Two weeks from now. Show your invention. Win investors. Or rivals."
He left with a trike strapped to his caravan.
Sharath stared at the contract, then the departing wheels.
"Did we just become a company?" he asked Mina.
"No," she said. "We became a threat."
❖ Log Entry – Merchant Alliance InitiatedNew Contact: Gorin Silvane – GuildmasterStatus: Friendly, Interested, Dangerous if cornered
Trade Insights Learned:
River + Ridge + Farm routes = key hubs
Guilds use leverage more than loyalty
Speed sells—but trust scales
Contracts Signed: 1Workshops Funded: 3Territories Accessed: 5
Next Steps: Prepare for Velinport Merchant Meet. Build demo models. Study merchant rivalries and guild politics.
Sharath rolled a blank scroll out across the desk.
Above it, he wrote:
Phase Two: Wheels to Markets
Then he began sketching a collapsible version of the trike.
Because soon, he'd need to pack invention in a box—and let the world open it.