MariaDB indices do not start at 1 after removing database and re-creating it
Looking at the current content, there are 4 records with id from 24 to 27. After dropping the db and going through the creation, I see the same values. Ok, so somehow their base hasn't changed - but why don't the autogenerated indices start at 1?

As the database is recreated by he application, and the application is inserting those rows as part of the recreation, it's completely in the hands of the application. It's possible the application does recreate the tables with auto_increment=1, but then inserts those rows and deliberately specifying the PK values. Or, it's recreating the table, but with auto_increment=24, so when it inserts the rows, they start at that value. You could try to recreate the table manually yourself without any rows and auto_increment=1.

Browsing around, I came across information_schema.TABLES which has a record for this table and AUTO_INCREMENT indeed shows the value that the next record got when I manually created one. I have verified that dropping the DB also deleted that record, but it must have &quot;hidden&quot; somewhere else...

Yes, it seems the start values are hidden inside the application.