Seeing that his old man had actually taken an interest in this bicycle—something utterly ordinary in Zelandia—Garvin, who had been scrambling for a topic of conversation, was more than happy to explain. He swung onto the bike and said:
"It's called a bicycle. It's a very popular means of transport in Zelandia. Its biggest advantage is that it doesn't need any beast of burden to pull it. See these pedals? Just press them lightly. Once the bike picks up speed, inertia makes it easier to pedal. Look—like this. One push, and it starts moving."
"Zelandia? Never heard of it." Far beyond Garvin's expectations, George was extraordinarily keen on this vehicle. "Let me try it! Let me try it!"
Garvin hesitated for a moment. "This two-wheel mode is for flat ground, but its balance isn't suited to beginners. Let me switch it to another mode."
When he pressed the mode-switching button on the handlebars, eight spider-like metal limbs sprang out with a click before George's astonished eyes. The two wheels transformed, folded up, and retracted, making it look exceptionally sleek and advanced—a fantastical creation from the future.
With Garvin supporting him, George climbed onto the bike. Before long, he had the metal-spider-like bicycle moving, and just as Garvin had said, it took very little effort.
Yet the easier it was, the less excited George seemed to be. He asked thoughtfully, "Such an advanced alchemical creation must cost a fortune, right?"
Garvin smiled. "They're just factory assembly-line products. How much could they be worth? Pretty much every household in Zelandia has one. I'd guess half a month's wages could buy one. Boss even gave me this one offhand before I left."
That utterly unimaginable answer delighted George at once.
"Then is Zelandia far from Water-Drawing City? I want to buy a batch