Episode 90 — Felsen Trial Version “Early Release”

I said we were entering the diplomacy phase, but I honestly didn't know the first thing about diplomacy in this world—or even back in my old world, for that matter.

(I should probably check the Isekai Wikipedia for how diplomacy works here.)

"Gustav. How exactly does diplomacy work in this country? I mean, how do you deal with the neighboring lords? Is it just sending letters and signing papers in a boardroom?"

At my question, Gustav made a slightly troubled face, as if he had just remembered a particularly "heavy task."

"Not exactly, Mr. Zect. Diplomacy in this country—or rather, among the nobility—is more... roundabout. It revolves around social etiquette. Inviting and being invited. That is where everything begins."

"Inviting and being invited?"

"Yes. Hosting tea parties or banquets at your own manor and inviting neighboring lords and their families. Or, attending their events. It is within those casual conversations that you probe the state of their finances, display your own strength, and handle the behind-the-scenes maneuvering."

(What? What kind of excessively analog spec is that? Is it less about the meeting and more about the after-party? Is this like Shōwa-era corporate golf?)

"Meow. (...There you go again, making that face. It’s just dressing up and eating good food. You should go outside once in a while.)"

Tama, curled up on my lap, let out a cry as if she sensed my despair.

"So, you’re saying it’s a breach of manners to just send them the main proposal directly?"

"Especially right now, Felsen looks like an 'eerie frontier that suddenly began to prosper rapidly' to those around us. If we were to push conditions on them out of nowhere, they would likely fortify their defenses out of fear. First, we must invite them to Felsen and slowly let the 'wealth' of this city sink into them through social interaction."

As I listened to Gustav's explanation, I redrew the roadmap in my head.

(I see. We need some 'social engineering.' First, show them the trial version, bait them with high-end novelties, and turn them into fans—no, addicts—of the Felsen system.)

"I get it. Basically, we throw a lavish party and trick them into thinking, 'If we stay on Felsen's good side, we can live this well too.'"

"Trick them... well, phrasing aside, that is precisely it."

(Yeah, there’s no role for me here. It’s most efficient to leave diplomacy—the most irrational and human-centric process of all—to the high-spec noble lord, our very own frontend.)

"Gustav. You’ve got a tough job."

As if realizing exactly what I meant by that, Gustav gave a wry smile and shrugged.

"By the way, what was diplomacy like for Felsen before this?"

"Felsen is a frontier territory, so to be honest, we haven't had anything new or interesting to show. My only priority was to follow the protocols of the other territories, making sure not to be rude or embarrass myself. It was all I could do just to keep up."

"I see. You were busy just matching their protocols. Well, that’s going to change significantly now."

I leaned back slightly, and Gustav let out a confident, almost playful smile.

"Indeed. Rumors of the new city’s transformation have already begun to spread, and I hear that the expectations from the surrounding nobility are quite high. They must be dying to see Felsen’s 'power' with their own eyes."

"The next event is everything, Gustav. Let's install Felsen's overwhelming system specs directly into their brains."

"Meow. (...There they go again, both of them making that same look...)"

With Tama's apparent agreement, all that was left was to prepare a surprise or two to make it perfect. I’d provide some intense "intellectual entertainment" to ensure the demonstration diplomacy for the new city was a success.

If this were a standard isekai story, Reversi or Shogi would be the go-to, but to hack the pride of this world's nobility, I needed to use a little more "prestige" as a wrapper.

I operated my phone and typed into the search bar of Lumina Shopping (Japan Edition).

"Mrow. (...Tapping on that little board again. What kind of junk are you planning to buy this time?)"

Ignoring Tama’s meow, I unhesitatingly threw a "High-End Ebony Chess Set" into the cart.

A few seconds later, it arrived at the front door. I brought it into the living room, and Gustav leaned in with interest.

"Mr. Zect... is this another magic tool? Those carved stones are lined up quite nicely."

"It’s a strategy game called 'Chess.' Complex rules, sophisticated movement of pieces, and above all, it has zero elements of luck—just cold logic. ...Well, I don’t even know how the pieces move, actually."

For a while, we tried playing with the rulebook in one hand. As amateurs, we traded wins and losses, but Gustav, perhaps possessing a tactical eye as a lord, was an incredibly fast learner. Before long, I couldn't keep up with him.

"What do you think, Gustav? Will the other nobles find this acceptable?"

"Mr. Zect! This game is fascinating! And the shapes of the pieces are beautiful. It will definitely become a trend!"

I called over Argo, who had been quietly organizing accounting documents in the corner of the room to stay out of our way.

"Argo. You were watching, weren't you?"

Argo adjusted his glasses and stared intently at the black and white pieces on the board.

After a few matches, Argo showed no hesitation. From the very first game, he overwhelmed Gustav and won every single match. On the board, the Queen Argo had placed completely cut off any escape route for Gustav's King.

"I give up. Checkmate."

Gustav raised his hands in surrender, and Argo bowed his head apologetically. But deep in his eyes, there was a quiet yet sharp light, like the glow of a solved equation.

"Argo. You’ve already completely understood the game, haven't you?"

At my question, Argo looked at the pieces on the board one by one, almost with affection.

"Yes. This board is a world of pure calculation, condensed into sixty-four squares. It is a game where luck is irrelevant, and victory belongs only to those who stack the best possible moves. ...Mr. Zect, this is a 'cruel proof of intellect' disguised as a game. For someone like me, who only feels at home among numbers... it is an incredibly comfortable world."

(A world of calculation... I bet even a world champion wouldn't be able to beat this math genius.)

"Gustav. Our strategy is set. This genius is the final piece."

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