Episode 103 — Debugging Capital and Technology

—Ding-dong.

The electronic chime echoed through the living room, immediately followed by the sound of an ear-piercing shouting match happening on the other side of the door.

"For the last time! Walking into a residence looking like you were just rolled in a coal bin is fundamentally uncivilized. Garam, do you possess even a shred of basic social decency?!"

"Hah?! And you! Stop sprayin’ that suspicious perfume everywhere! My nose is gonna rot off, and it's messin' with my work precision, you penny-pinching bean counter!"

I took a sip of my Cola and let out a long sigh.

(My prospective COO and CTO already have a toxic dynamic. It’s the classic siren song of a venture startup imploding before they even clear the pre-seed round. Then again, I’m the one who told Garam to bring someone strong with logic and numbers.)

"Just come in. The door’s unlocked."

I tossed the words toward the intercom. The door swung open violently, and two men tumbled in. One was the usual Garam, wearing a leather apron stained with soot and sweat. The other was a man wrapped in a polished silk cloak, fanning himself irritably with a folding fan.

The man stopped as soon as he entered the living room. He spared a glance at my pajamas before turning a sharp, appraiser-like gaze toward the monitor glowing dimly in the corner of the room.

"...A pleasure to meet you. I am Edmon. I heard quite the tale about you from this stone-brained monster yesterday. Now I finally understand how that young Lord, Gustav, suddenly became a master of logic over the last few months. You were the one holding the reins, weren't you, Zect?"

"...I wouldn't say I'm holding the reins. I'm more of a consultant. Nice to meet you, Edmon. You're the head of the Merchant Guild, right? Want a Cola?"

Ignoring Garam, who cut in with an "I want one too!", Edmon sat gracefully on the edge of the sofa.

"Forgive me. I am a merchant. I tend to be cautious around wisdom that has no clear origin. However, looking at the bizarre furnishings and the sheer presence of this room, it feels more irrational to doubt you. ...Well then? Shall we hear about this new 'industry' this muscle-bound oaf was babbling so excitedly about?"

I leaned my recliner back slightly and spread a large blueprint onto the table.

"Edmon. Up until now, manufacturing in this world has relied way too much on the individual skill of a single artisan. Garam makes one perfect item. That’s a beautiful 'craft,' but it doesn't have the power to change the world. What I’m proposing is a systemic overhaul—the 'Industrial Revolution'."

"Industrial Revolution...? I’ve never heard that incantation before, Zect."

(...It’s not an incantation. It’s a social structure update.)

Ignoring Garam’s confused look, I continued.

"To put it simply, we do it in three steps. First, Centralization of Power. Until now, craftsmen moved their tools with their own limbs, right? We’re going to outsource that to this massive waterwheel. As long as this thick rod on the ceiling is spinning, every machine in the factory will move on its own. Humans will be liberated from the drudgery of generating energy."

"...I see. Decoupling human labor from the power source. That alone would cause the output per capita to skyrocket."

Edmon’s eyes began to move rapidly, as if he were scanning a spreadsheet. As expected of the top merchant.

"Next is the Division of Labor. Until now, a single craftsman handled every single step, from cutting raw lumber to the final polish. We’re going to break that pipeline down. One guy just cuts. One guy just sands. At each station, we set up a 'jig'—the perfect mold Garam designed that makes it impossible to fail. The workers just feed wood into a spinning machine. You don't need years of intuition or experience."

"Hoh... so you’re taking the pride of a craftsman and stripping it down into simple tasks..."

Edmon glanced at Garam as he spoke, closing his eyes for a moment to process the idea. Finally, he snapped his fan shut and leaned forward.

"Magnificent...! This is the democratization of technique. It's the mass production of wealth."

"Exactly, Edmon. That’s what the 'Industrial Revolution' is all about."

"I'm the one building the machines," Garam cut in, sounding a bit self-conscious. "But the stone for a building this size? Managing the workers for the riverfront construction? Just thinking about that makes my brain stall out. ...That’s why I brought you here."

"You want me to be the one to clean up after this muscle-bound oaf?" Edmon furrowed his brow.

"It's not cleaning up. It's a symbiotic relationship," I clarified. "Garam will be on the floor, making sure Edmon doesn't cut too many corners on safety costs. Edmon will be watching the books, making sure Garam doesn't waste materials on unnecessary flourishes. ...Garam also knows that there isn't another person in Felsen capable of managing a project of this scale besides you, Edmon. That’s why he brought you here today."

Garam groaned, tugging at his beard several times before spitting out his reply.

"...Hmph. It burns me to say it, but he’s right. This cold fish could look at the most brutal construction schedule and summarize it in a ledger without blinking an eye."

"...Intriguing. It seems sitting across from this stubborn brute might actually be worth my time. Zect, consider me in on this project."

Edmon turned toward Garam as he spoke, offering a small, mischievous smile.

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