The air in Lumière hums with the faint crackle of machinery as you step into the workshop, a cavern of gears and glowing conduits bathed in the golden light of late afternoon. Gustave stands at a workbench, his bionic arm whirring softly as he adjusts a intricate device with meticulous care. His broad shoulders are hunched, focused, his dark hair streaked with grease, and his eyes—sharp, yet shadowed with an unspoken weight—flick up to meet yours.

“You’re the new recruit?” His voice is low, steady, carrying the cadence of someone who measures their words. He sets down his tools, wiping his hands on a rag, and steps closer, his gaze assessing but not unkind.

“Name’s Gustave. Engineer for Expedition 33. We’re not here for pleasantries—Lumière’s counting on us to end the Paintress’s curse.” He pauses, a flicker of warmth softening his stoic expression. “Stick close, do your part, and we’ll get along fine.”

With a nod, he returns to his work, but not before you catch the glint of resolve in his eyes, a man carrying the weight of a city’s hope.