Ten.
Not three. Not five. Ten full bicycles.
That was the number lined up in the Turning Hall, perfectly polished, freshly greased, and standing like a small army waiting for deployment.
Sharath looked at them like a proud parent watching children march off to college… if those children had wheels, gears, and hand-forged chains.
"These," he said, "will ride into history."
"They better not ride into a ditch," Mina muttered, adjusting the alignment on the seventh unit.
❖ The First RolloutSharath, Mina, and Dayo selected the first riders carefully:
A market courier named Jil, known for balancing packages taller than herself.
Two village stewards with long routes between farmland checkpoints.
A baker's son whose job it was to deliver bread—and whose legs were famously faster than most dogs.
A skeptical but game temple scholar named Rin who wanted "to test theology at higher speeds."
Each early adopter received:
A bicycle suited to their terrain.
A half-day training session on balance, turning, and emergency stopping.
A signed scroll of usage rights and a repair guarantee.
Some fell off. All got back on.
And within days, they were faster, less tired, and extremely vocal about how their lives had improved.
❖ Immediate ImpactOne week later:
Jil delivered three markets' worth of goods in half the usual time.
The village stewards returned early and requested more check routes.
The baker's son had become something of a local legend.
And Scholar Rin returned with a bruised knee and a theological theory that divine intervention must ride on wheels.
Sharath documented it all.
They weren't just riders—they were evidence.
❖ Velinport PreparesMeanwhile, preparations were underway for the Velinport Merchant Meet, a multi-day trading fair attended by guilds, financiers, inventors, and opportunists.
Sharath was invited under the designation:
"Innovator – Mechanized Travel Class I"
Lord Varundar had agreed to fund the trip. Lady Ishvari had arranged discreet bodyguards. Uncle Aldric had sent a note that simply read: "Try not to break the economy."
❖ The Problem with SuccessBack at the estate, a different issue emerged.
More requests were coming in than they could fulfill:
Trike orders from southern farmers.
Bicycles for a traveling minstrel troupe.
A marriage proposal for Sharath from a noblewoman impressed by his gears. (Sharath choked on his tea.)
The team gathered in the workshop.
Mina pointed at the schedule: "We're three weeks behind."
Dayo pointed at the metal reserves: "We're two shipments short."
Sharath pointed at his notes: "We're… scaling too fast."
It was a good problem.
But still a problem.
❖ Strategic ResponseSolutions were sketched, debated, discarded, redrawn:
Shift to modular components for faster assembly.
Develop a "build-your-own" scroll set for village carpenters.
Introduce a traveling trainer program to teach local mechanics.
But all would take time.
Sharath knew what had to happen next.
"We must go to Velinport," he said, "not just to show what we've built, but to find allies who can help build more."
Everyone nodded.
Even Thermo, from his perch on the windowsill, meowed softly in approval.
❖ Log Entry – The Shift BeginsFirst Full Batch: 10 bicyclesTraining Completed: 6 riders, successful outcomesDemand: 3x production capacity
Key Outcomes:
Courier speed increased 80%
Village task cycles improved
Religious approval (unofficial, but amusing)
Next Steps:
Expand workshop hiring
Prepare Velinport pitch
Investigate merchant partnerships with supply focus
"Innovation is not just what you make.It's what others do when they finally believe it's real."
Sharath rolled up the scroll.
The wheels were already turning.