Episode 56 — Outsourcing and the Knight Variable

—Ding-dong.

The intercom rang as usual. It was Bartos, who had just been released from his cell after finishing his "Basics of Logic" course, and a very weary-looking Gustav.

"Please excuse me... Master Zect. ...I have caused you... a great deal of trouble..."

When Bartos entered the living room, he lacked his usual boisterous energy. He was clutching a book titled *Introduction to Logic* given to him by Gustav as if it were a holy scripture, his eyes seemingly fixed on some distant, philosophical truth.

"Oh, hey Bartos. Head cooled down?"

"...Yes. Or rather than 'cooled,' it feels as if my thought circuits have been reconfigured. ...'To betray, or to remain silent? If that choice depends on the rationality of the opponent, then in what variable should Knighthood be stored?' ...Master Zect, I have touched the sanctuary known as Logic."

...Oh great, he's broken. His brain is bugged.

I guess game theory was a bit too much stimulation for a dead-serious knight.

"Mr. Zect... Ever since then, he's been scribbling things that look like mathematical formulas on the walls of his cell while questioning the very definition of a knight..."

Gustav added with a haggard expression. I leaned back into my chair and took a sip of cola.

"Well, valuing logic is the right path for an engineer... I mean, a knight. But, you know, try to keep it in moderation. ...Anyway, how’s the progress?"

"Right. According to the information the prisoners spilled, the headquarters of the 'Black Lodge' is located in the Capital. They use it as a base to pull the strings of slums and black markets in various regions."

"The Capital, huh? Remote access from a distance is a pain."

I gazed at the map displayed on the monitor.

The Capital of this world is a massive pile of legacy systems. If I were to move an army there from here, there would be too many political "procedures" and "strings attached." Who knows how many months it would take to resolve?

"By the way, did you find Volg?"

"No. His whereabouts are still unknown. ...He vanished faster than anyone else by taking advantage of the chaos in the Old Town. It’s almost as if he completely predicted our movements."

(...Volg. He’s not just a petty crook. He’s a professional of the underworld... a 'Dark System Architect,' so to speak. It’s a waste to have him as an enemy. If I catch him, I’d almost want to hire him as a moderator for the 'Tax-Free Special Zone' I’m trying to build.)

Let a pro handle pro-level work. That’s the optimal solution.

"Alright. For the headquarters in the Capital, put out a request to the Adventurers Guild. If we use 'freelancers,' they can move without being bound by the Capital’s annoying regulations, right? Have them physically demolish the headquarters and cut off the connections."

It’s lower cost and lower risk to deploy a high-firepower, small elite group rather than moving the regular army.

"Understood. I shall put the request into the Guild immediately—"

Just as Gustav was about to stand up, Bartos dropped to one knee with a silent but sharp movement.

"Master Zect! ...I have a proposal! Regarding that mission to the Capital... would you allow me to accompany them!?"

"Bartos? Aren't you still suspended?"

"Yes. However, I must verify this. I must see what kind of trajectory this blade called 'Logic' draws in actual combat! I must see how the variable of my Knighthood derives a solution within the massive computation known as the Capital!"

...Wow, he’s starting to say really intense, STEM-bro sounding stuff.

"Bartos, you are the Captain of the Felsen Knights. You can't just leave your post whenever you want."

Gustav scolded him, but Bartos’s eyes held a fierce will seeking "verification."

"...It’s fine, Gustav. Let him go. However, Bartos—this time, you’re strictly an assistant. Follow the adventurers' instructions. Solo action is strictly prohibited."

"Yes, sir!! I swear upon this logic, I shall perfectly trace Master Zect’s optimal solution for you to see!"

Bartos stood up with vigor and left the living room like the wind. ...Is it just me, or did his movements get sharper? Did he logically trim away the wasted motion?

"...Tama. Do you think Bartos evolved in a weird direction?"

"Mrow. (...Well, he’s certainly more full of motivation than you are.)"

Tama was flicking her tail back and forth.

I sank back into the Throne of Sloth and stared at the coordinates of the Capital on the monitor.

"Debugging the Capital, huh? Good grief. I’m definitely not moving from this spot."

"Mrow. (I know. You weren't going to move anyway.)"

Tama gave a single cry, hopped off my lap, and slipped out through the crack in the window.

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