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Kring, kring, kring!
The sound of a bicycle bell echoed across the vast backyard of Twilight Manor, catching everyone's attention. Lefiya, with a satisfied smile on her face, pedaled her bike around the front yard several times, letting everyone catch a glimpse of her new "miracle." The wheels of her pink bicycle spun smoothly over the rocky ground while a gentle breeze swayed the ends of her neatly braided, light brown hair.
On the other side of the backyard, Shirou had just dismounted his bike and parked it calmly. He slipped his hands into his pockets, watching Lefiya, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying the moment. From her cheerful expression, Shirou knew exactly what was going on—Lefiya was deliberately showing off her bike. He shook his head gently with a smile. Well, let her have her fun for now… he thought.
Meanwhile, from inside the Manor, several members of the Loki Familia began to notice the commotion outside. From the third floor, Raul and Aki, who were relaxing on the balcony, exchanged confused glances.
"What is Lefiya doing…?" Raul muttered, leaning forward.
Aki squinted, examining the strange vehicle Lefiya was riding. "I… don't know. It's not a horse, not a carriage… but it moves on its own?"
Not just them, Alicia, Sylvie, Alinda, and Arwen—all members of the Fairy Force—were also curious. The windows of their rooms on the upper floors opened one by one, and they stared down with equal surprise.
"Is that… a new vehicle from the Hephaestus Familia?" Alicia asked, trying to guess.
"It doesn't seem to use any magic… is this something from outside Orario?" Alinda wondered aloud.
"Why does Lefiya look so happy riding it?" Arwen added, chuckling a little as she watched her usually cheerful comrade basking in the attention.
However, the most enthusiastic reaction came from Tiona, who was standing on the second-floor balcony at the time.
"WOAAAH! WHAT IS THAT, LEFIYA?!" Tiona shouted excitedly.
Without a second thought, she leaped from the balcony, her body soaring down before landing smoothly in the backyard.
Bam!
Tione, who had just stepped out onto the balcony, let out a long sigh as she watched her twin act without thinking. "Tiona… can you stop jumping around recklessly?" she said, before gracefully leaping down herself to follow her sister.
Lefiya, who was still pedaling her bike, finally slowed down and looked at them proudly. "It's a bicycle!" she said cheerfully.
Tiona's eyes sparkled with excitement. "A bicycle? What's that? How does it move without being pulled or pushed?"
Lefiya grinned broadly, pleased that more people were interested. She pressed the bell again. Kring, kring!
"Shirou made it! Cool, right?" Lefiya said with a tone full of pride, glancing briefly at the red-haired young man still standing near his bike.
Shirou, who had unintentionally become the center of attention, simply shrugged casually. "I just replicated technology from my homeland," he replied simply.
Tiona grew even more excited. "I want to try it too! Lefiya, let me ride it for a bit!"
Lefiya suddenly panicked. "Eh? B-but…!"
However, seeing Tiona approaching with her eyes full of enthusiasm, Lefiya realized it would be hard to refuse the reckless Amazoness's request…
Lefiya wasn't the type to be stingy—not at all. But this bicycle was different. It was the result of her hard work with Shirou, something she had learned and built with great effort. There was a strong sense of ownership in her heart, especially since Shirou had made it specifically for her. That's why, when she saw Tiona so eager to try it, Lefiya felt a little wary.
It wasn't that she didn't want to share, but… Amazonesses were strong! Especially a Level 6 like Tiona, who could accidentally break something without realizing it! What if the bike got damaged or the wheels came off?
Lefiya bit her lower lip, trying to come up with a gentle way to refuse. But before she could open her mouth, someone came to her rescue—as usual.
"Oi, Tiona," Shirou's calm voice broke the tension. He walked over, his expression relaxed, but with a small smile at the corner of his lips. "How about you try something more suited for you?"
Tiona, who was about to grab Lefiya's bike, stopped in her tracks. "Eh? What do you mean, Shirou?"
Tione, standing beside her, also looked at Shirou with curiosity. "You have something more suitable?" she asked, folding her arms across her chest.
Shirou raised his hand, exhaled softly, and then uttered his signature spell.
"Trace on."
A faint blue light appeared in his hand, forming construction lines that slowly assembled something in mid-air. In a matter of seconds, a tandem bicycle—with two saddles and two sets of pedals—stood before them. Its iron frame was sturdy, stronger than a regular bicycle, though perhaps not enough to withstand the energy of two energetic Amazonesses.
Lefiya blinked several times, as amazed as ever by Shirou's abilities. Meanwhile, Tiona stared at the bike with her mouth agape, then quickly approached it.
"WOAAAH! That's so cool! It's a bicycle, too, right? But why are there two seats?" she exclaimed joyfully.
Shirou smiled faintly. "This bike is designed for two people. Since you two are twins, I thought this would be more suitable. You can pedal together, and it's much more difficult to control than a regular bike."
Tiona's eyes sparkled, and without a second thought, she was about to jump onto the front saddle. But before she could—bruk!—Tione swiftly pushed her aside and sat down first.
"Hey! Tione!" Tiona protested.
Tione simply flicked her long hair gracefully. "You're too reckless. Let me handle the steering," she said with a confident tone.
Tiona frowned, then looked at the handlebars. Only then did she realize—ah! The one in front controls the handlebars and steers the bike.
"Eeeeh! That's cheating!" she grumbled.
Tione just smiled smugly. "It's not cheating, it's being smart."
But Tiona wasn't about to give up so easily. She immediately sat on the back saddle, then turned to Lefiya, who was still watching them in confusion.
"Oi, Lefiya! Let's race!" she shouted enthusiastically, her hands gripping the handles behind Tione's saddle tightly.
Lefiya was startled. "Eh?! R-race?"
Tiona's eyes gleamed with challenge. "Yeah! Me and Tione against you and Shirou! You up for it?!"
Lefiya glanced at Shirou, who simply sighed softly and shrugged. It seemed refusing wasn't an option…
Shirou gave a faint smile, turning to Lefiya, who was still hesitating. "I won't join the race," he said casually.
"Huh?" Lefiya looked at him in confusion.
Shirou nodded toward the Manor, where more and more members of the Loki Familia were gathering, watching them with curiosity. Some were leaning on the balconies or pressing their faces against the windows.
"It looks like I'll be busy projecting more bicycles," he added with a small smile.
Lefiya turned and saw the curious faces of their Familia members. Raul and Aki's eyes were wide open from the third-floor balcony, while the Fairy Force members like Alicia, Sylvie, Alinda, and Arwen were whispering among themselves, seemingly in disbelief at the strange vehicle now in the backyard.
Lefiya nodded in understanding, then firmly gripped her bike's handlebars and pedaled over to Tione.
Tione, now comfortably seated on the tandem bike with Tiona, glanced at Lefiya with a sly smile. In a low voice, she whispered, "So this is the result of your secret project, huh?"
Lefiya's face immediately turned red. "Eh? I—"
But before she could answer, an enthusiastic shout came from behind.
"START!!!"
Suddenly, Tiona pedaled with all her might, causing the tandem bike to shoot forward at a surprising speed.
"Eh?! Eh?! EHHH—TIONA!!" Tione screamed in panic, her hands gripping the handlebars tightly as she desperately tried to control the bike, which was almost tipping over from Tiona's sudden burst of energy.
Lefiya, watching the scene, couldn't hold back her laughter. She covered her mouth for a moment, then shouted with excitement, "Wait for me!"
Quickly, she began pedaling her bike, chasing after the Amazoness duo who had already sped ahead. Her bike's wheels spun rapidly over the backyard ground, kicking up a cloud of fine dust behind her.
Meanwhile, Shirou could only sigh and shake his head at his friend's antics. However, the corners of his lips remained curled in a small smile.
Then, he turned toward Twilight Manor and, in a voice loud enough for everyone watching to hear, called out, "Do you all want to try it too?"
For a moment, there was silence.
Then, almost simultaneously, enthusiastic voices erupted from all directions.
"I want to!"
"Me too!"
"Shirou, make another one!"
Shirou could only smile resignedly. It seemed his work for the day wasn't over yet.
As the enthusiastic voices of the Loki Familia members echoed across the backyard, those who had been watching from the upper floors now rushed toward the exit. The sound of hurried footsteps filled the hallways, shoes clattering against the wooden and stone floors. Some even ran down the stairs, eager to see the bike up close—or perhaps even try it themselves.
However, their steps suddenly came to a halt.
Someone was walking leisurely from inside the Manor, their aura so strong that everyone instinctively made way without a second thought.
Their captain, Braver, Finn Deimne, stepped outside with his usual calm expression. Despite his small stature as a Pallum, no one dared to underestimate him. His sharp blue eyes scanned the backyard with curiosity.
Behind him, with a relaxed gait and both hands tucked into the pockets of her shorts, Goddess Loki followed. Her signature sly smile was plastered across her face as her snake-like eyes gleamed with interest at the bicycle.
Without a word, all the Loki Familia members who had been eager to approach chose to remain silent and wait, letting their captain and goddess take the lead.
Finn and Loki finally stopped in front of Shirou, who was still standing beside his bike.
Finn examined the two-wheeled vehicle with an analytical gaze, then in a calm and slightly rhetorical tone, he said, "So, this is one of the things from your world, huh?" His finger lightly tapped the bike's frame as if trying to understand its mechanism through touch alone.
Shirou nodded. "Yes. It's a bicycle." He smiled slightly. "But this one is just a projection."
Loki, who had been observing, now stepped closer and, without hesitation, began inspecting Shirou's bike. Her hands touched the saddle, then the pedals, and finally the wheels. Her sharp eyes immediately caught something.
"Hoo~ So this one's just a projection," she murmured, looking up at Shirou with a curious expression. "Then the pink one Lefiya's riding must be the real deal, right?"
Shirou nodded again. "Yes. We made that one together."
Loki raised an eyebrow. "Heh? You made it?"
Shirou then pointed to the wheels of Lefiya's pink bike, which were still spinning in the distance. "Lefiya helped me a lot with Alchemy to create the base materials. Without her, I'd probably still be struggling to make suitable tires."
Finn smiled faintly, looking increasingly interested in the object. He then glanced at Shirou and asked, "May I try it?"
Without hesitation, Shirou nodded. "Go ahead."
Some of the Loki Familia members watching from the front of the Manor began whispering among themselves. The sight of their captain riding this foreign object was definitely a rare and intriguing sight.
Finn approached the bike provided for him and after a brief assessment of the saddle height, he made a small calculation. As a Pallum, his height wasn't exactly compatible with the bike.
But Finn wouldn't be Finn if he couldn't overcome such a minor issue.
With a single, precise movement, he effortlessly hopped onto the saddle, landing perfectly without losing his balance.
Some of the onlookers held their breath, but Finn simply began pedaling calmly. Within moments, he was circling the backyard with remarkable stability, as if he had ridden a bicycle before.
The atmosphere was quiet for a moment before a small cheer erupted from the Loki Familia members, impressed by their captain's quick adaptation. Even Loki herself chuckled, watching Finn enjoy this little experiment.
After circling the backyard a few times, Finn finally slowed down and steered the bike back to its original spot. With a light and practiced movement, he parked the bike beside Loki and Shirou before hopping off effortlessly, landing with perfect balance.
Loki, who had been observing Finn's expression with curiosity, immediately asked, "So, what do you think, Finn?" Her tone was casual, but there was clear curiosity in it.
However, instead of giving a simple answer like "fun" or "enjoyable," Finn responded with a more technical analysis, as expected by those who knew him well. "This bicycle has potential, but it has limitations," he said, placing a thumb on his lips. "Its speed can't match the running speed of an adventurer Level 3 and above. For those accustomed to moving quickly, this bike would feel slower."
Shirou had anticipated such a response and simply smiled faintly. "But it's more energy-efficient, right?" he said casually.
Finn gave a small nod. "That's true. Compared to constantly running or walking long distances, using a bicycle would save stamina. In the Dungeon, it might not be very useful due to the many obstacles and uneven terrain, but for daily life, it could be very helpful. Especially for civilians and novice adventurers."
Shirou nodded in agreement. "That's what I thought too. If it can be mass-produced, it might help improve mobility for many people in the city." He rubbed his chin for a moment, thinking. "I plan to share the design with other blacksmiths so it can be produced on a larger scale."
But before Shirou could continue, Loki quickly raised her hand. "Wait a minute!" she exclaimed, causing Shirou to turn to her in confusion.
"Why?" he asked.
Loki looked at Shirou with a half-amused, half-concerned expression. "You don't realize it, do you? If you just share this design without thinking, there are consequences you'll have to face."
Shirou grew more confused. "What do you mean?"
Loki sighed softly before explaining, "If you just give this design to anyone, don't be surprised if someone else claims it as their own invention. You don't want your hard work stolen, do you?"
Shirou fell silent for a moment. He hadn't thought about that before.
Loki continued, "That's why you should patent this design with Altena first. That way, if anyone tries to take it, they'll have to acknowledge it as yours."
Shirou shook his head. "But I'm not the original creator of this bicycle. I just replicated a design from my world," he admitted honestly.
Finn and Loki exchanged glances for a moment before smiling faintly. Finn then spoke in a gentle but meaningful tone, "That's true. But in this world, you're the first to introduce it. Technically, you can still claim it as your innovation."
Loki nodded in agreement. "Besides, if you patent it, you'll have an easier time collaborating with merchants in Altena. They'll help with mass production. Trust me, blacksmiths in Orario are already busy with weapon orders for adventurers. They won't have much time to make bicycles in large quantities."
Shirou fell silent for a moment, processing their words. He had never thought about profiting from this idea, but if it could help more people and ensure the bicycle didn't fall into the wrong hands, maybe it was worth considering their suggestion.
"Alright," he finally said. "I'll think about it more seriously."
Finn and Loki smiled contentedly. They knew that with Shirou's typical way of thinking, he might not be interested in personal gain, but if it was for the greater good, he would definitely consider it earnestly.
With a deep breath, Shirou extended his hand and activated his power.
"Trace, on."
In an instant, a shimmer of prana enveloped the air around him. A faint blue light flickered, and one by one, the frames of bicycles began to form in front of him. Wheels, gears, chains, pedals, saddles—each part assembled with precision as if being put together by invisible hands. The process repeated rapidly until two dozen bicycles stood neatly in the backyard. Twenty-four identical bikes, ready to be ridden.
Shirou exhaled softly, feeling the strain of projecting so many at once. Bicycles weren't swords, and that meant their structure wasn't part of the "concept" he deeply understood. A sword could be projected in an instant without much difficulty, but a bicycle… that was a different story. Before receiving his Falna, exerting this much prana might have left him breathless, but now, his magical energy capacity was far greater. All he felt was a slight fatigue, nothing more.
Once he felt stable enough, he stepped forward and turned to the Loki Familia members who were still watching eagerly. In a calm voice, he said, "Alright, you can try them now."
"Hooray!!"
However, just as they were about to touch the handlebars, a figure stood firmly in front of them, blocking their way.
Loki.
With a relaxed expression but an undeniable aura of authority, the goddess raised her hand dramatically. "Wait a minute!" her voice echoed, loud enough to stop everyone in their tracks.
The crowd, which had been full of excitement, now fell silent, confused by the sudden intervention. Some even looked a little anxious, knowing that Loki wasn't one to forbid something without a good reason.
Loki swept her gaze across her Familia members before grinning. "Listen up, everyone. These bicycles are not to leave the Manor grounds. You can only ride them in the backyard. Understood?"
Some people exchanged glances, trying to understand the reasoning behind this order.
Alicia, standing at the front, finally raised her hand hesitantly. "Err… Why? Wouldn't it be more fun if we could ride them around Orario?"
Loki turned to the elf with a sly expression. "Because we're going to patent this first." She crossed her arms and continued in a more serious tone. "So, the design can't leak to outsiders."
They all began to understand Loki's point, but before anyone could protest further, the goddess opened her usually closed eyes. Her sharp red gaze swept across the crowd with an intensity that sent shivers down their spines.
"And if anyone carelessly leaks this design… be prepared to pay a fine equal to the potential profits of this bicycle!"
For a moment, the atmosphere turned chillingly silent.
Some of the members who had been so excited now swallowed hard, their expressions shifting from enthusiasm to anxiety. They had been part of the Loki Familia long enough to know how serious their goddess was about business. If anyone broke this rule and the design leaked into the wrong hands… the fine would be enormous.
Brrrr… The entire group shuddered in unison, then obediently nodded and murmured their agreement. Not a single one dared to challenge Loki's order now.
From the side, Shirou, who had been watching all this, could only sigh softly. His eyes glanced toward Finn, who was standing beside him.
"So, in the end, it's about money too, huh?" he thought to himself.