Episode 65 — Balancing Incentives and the Horizon of Truth

I was sinking into my Throne of Sloth, watching one of those satisfying videos where someone balances coins on their edges one after another.

Tama was curled up on my lap, looking perfectly content. Thanks to the "Tama-recharge period" of the last few days, my mental state was excellent—fully charged, so to speak.

Ding-dong.

I checked the monitor and saw Gustav, Bartos, and Elishua lined up outside.

(...Oh, three of them today. I was a bit cold to them the other day because I just wanted to play with Tama. I should probably behave; these guys are the premium clients who fund my shut-in lifestyle. Fine, I'll actually listen to them today.)

I unlocked the door and invited them in.

"It has been a while, Master Zect."

Elishua entered the living room and sat primly in a chair, acting uncharacteristically modest. Usually, she’d be flaunting her self-portraits and bragging about her beauty, but today she was strangely quiet.

"Mr. Zect, my apologies. I'm sorry for dropping by so suddenly."

"Forgive the intrusion, Master Zect! Knight Captain Bartos, reporting as ordered!"

I sat on the sofa, stroking Tama while looking over the three of them. I noticed Bartos seemed to have reverted to his usual, stiff-necked knight persona.

"Hey, Bartos. ...Did you give up on that 'logical' act already?"

When I asked with a smirk, Bartos’s face turned bright red instantly, and his eyes started darting around.

"Ugh... w-well, that is... through the battle at the Capital headquarters, I realized that the duty of a knight is not something to be processed by the head, but something to be etched into the soul... I am deeply embarrassed for the unsightly display I made back then..."

Bartos’s ears were as red as his face as he spoke, clearly trying to hide his shame. Honestly, I was relieved to have the hot-blooded knight back.

Gustav tightened his expression and got down to business.

"Regarding Volg's treatment. He is currently under our surveillance... Mr. Zect, to be honest, I don't trust him. That story about being 'discarded by the organization' when he joined Bartos in the Capital might just be a lie to worm his way into our confidence."

"Gustav, whether Volg is lying or not is irrelevant to me."

"...Irrelevant?" Gustav echoed, looking stunned.

I didn't stop stroking Tama as I continued flatly.

"Listen. Whether Volg is itching to betray us or his entire story is a total fabrication, as long as it doesn't affect the system, it’s just background noise. The benefits of utilizing his talent far outweigh the risks."

"His talent?"

"His management skills. He ran that black market from the shadows at a young age. Letting the skills required to organize such complex interests go to waste would be a poor use of resources. Let’s put Volg in charge of the Tax-Free Zone in the new city. If someone has to do the job anyway, it’s only rational to use someone with experience."

"B-but... what if he betrays us?"

"We make sure he doesn't... by giving him 'official' interests. Control over trade within the zone and a status recognized by the Lord. If he betrays us to start another shadow organization, he loses all the legal profit he currently holds. You just have to design the system so that the 'benefit of obedience' outweighs the 'return on betrayal.' For Volg, making money out in the open as the leader of my special zone will be more lucrative than scraping for coins in the dark. Once he realizes that, he’ll defend that zone more fiercely than anyone. The only thing I trust is the calculated result of his own greed."

"...So, instead of human goodwill, you weigh their desires. I see... I understand. I will issue the official appointment for Volg as the 'Manager' of the Special Zone."

(Logically speaking, it doesn't matter if he's a liar. ...But based on the reports, my gut tells me that high-pride types like him don't usually bother with petty lies.)

"Intuition"—a variable an engineer shouldn't really need.

Once the policy was settled, I turned to Elishua, who had been unnaturally quiet until now.

"...By the way, Elishua. You haven't said a word. What's up?"

"Actually, Master Zect... I must return to the elven village for a short time soon. I have to report the results of the magical infrastructure construction in the new city to the village elders."

Elishua let out a slightly gloomy sigh.

"There are still many conservatives there who grumble about 'what business we have helping a human city.' Therefore, I need to make them visually understand just how historic this grand undertaking is... and just how beautifully I am shining within it!"

She leaned toward me eagerly.

"That is why I need those 'Miracle Portraits' you gave me before! If I show the elders the latest, most perfect portraits of myself—I mean, of the Felsen cityscape—it should shut them up. So, well... I was wondering if I could ask for a few more..."

(I wondered why she was being so well-behaved. She just wanted 'souvenirs' for her trip home and was desperate not to annoy me. Same as ever.)

I gave a dry laugh and told her, "Fine, I'll print some out for you later," and Elishua’s face lit up instantly.

"In that case, the shots we absolutely cannot miss are—"

"Alright, alright. Just go take as many as you want until you're satisfied. In exchange, make sure you take some photos 'of the city' too. Bartos, sorry, but could you go with her?"

After the three of them left (Elishua looking particularly satisfied), I buried my face in Tama’s back.

"Meow. (...You're soft.)"

"What is it, Tama? So much meowing. Are you hungry?"

"Mrrp. (The way you handled Volg, and Elishua...)"

"There, there. ...Alright, Tama. It’s time for your brushing."

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