The first major production batch rolled out after just ninety-three days—over two hundred new cycles, crafted to spec, each embedded with traceable Darsha seals and accompanied by handwritten maintenance guides.
They spread like wildfire.
One reached a border village struck by landslides; it helped deliver food faster than ox carts ever could. Another reached a healer in need of swift transport between towns. Children of minor nobles began racing each other down market avenues, their laughter mingling with the hum of spinning gears.
But not all were toys.
Many found their way into public service. Local lords purchased them for emergency messengers. Healers outfitted them with lockboxes of tinctures. Some units were modified to carry light cargo, others to seat two riders. The machines adapted—and so did the people.
The city of Velmire issued a declaration: "All Darsha-model vehicles are now approved for sanctioned courier use."
It was a turning point.
The wheel wasn't a novelty anymore. It was infrastructure.