Episode 13 — The Black Knight Order and the Sage’s Debugging

—Ding‑dong.

The electronic chime echoed through the living room.

I set down my bag of chips and used the remote to check the gate camera.

There stood Bartos and Elishua—

shoulders slumped so low they were practically kneeling already.

“Oh, you again? Yeah, whatever, just come in. The gate’s unlocked.”

I spoke lazily through the intercom.

The gate opened with a metallic *grrk*.

The two exchanged a shocked glance before stepping nervously inside.

“P‑pardon our intrusion… Master.”

They entered the living room and, just like last time, sat stiffly on the very edge of the sofa.

Still in my pajamas, I placed two chilled colas from the fridge in front of them.

“Here, drink. So? What’s up today?”

Bartos eyed the fizzing bubbles like they were a magical hazard, then straightened his back.

“Master. We have come bearing an official message from Lord Gustav.

His Lordship wishes to invite you to Felsen Castle to express his gratitude personally.”

“…Ah, no. I’m not going.”

I answered instantly.

Bartos let out a tiny “Eh!?”

“I mean, going outside is a pain. I’ll get sunburned.

Besides, I have to stay here and watch… uh… world events. (Lie.)”

“B‑but His Lordship insists!

He cannot allow a noble being such as yourself to remain hidden in the forest—!”

“Please allow me to remain hidden. I love being left alone.”

Bartos tried to persist, but when I looked at his face, I frowned.

He had dark circles under his eyes.

Elishua was trembling so badly she was using her magic staff as an actual cane.

“…Hey. Sorry to interrupt, but… are you two okay?

You look way worse than last time.”

“W‑we are perfectly fine, Master.

The Knight Order will endure any hardship for our lord’s command—”

“No, I’m not talking about spirit.

I’m asking if you’re being crushed between your lord and me.

Like… workplace harassment?”

Elishua whispered in a faint voice:

“N‑no, not harassment…

It is simply that the forest’s mana has become active, so border surveillance against the demon lands has intensified…

We mages are maintaining wide‑area mana detection twenty‑four hours a day…

And the Knight Order patrols the forest in full armor without rest…

To ensure no threat approaches Felsen…”

“…Huh!?

No rest!?”

I nearly sprayed cola everywhere.

Apparently Elishua had been trying to detect even the movement of *small animals*, frying her brain,

and the knights had been walking the entire forest “inch by inch.”

“That’s just a black company.

Horrible efficiency.

You’ll all die of overwork before any demons show up.”

The moment I said it, an unpleasant memory surfaced.

—A fluorescent‑lit office at midnight.

—A supervisor’s silhouette looming too large.

*“You lack commitment.”*

*“Sleep is weakness.”*

*“You’re replaceable.”*

(…Yeah. I knew people like that.

The type who brute‑force everything and force their subordinates to do the same.)

(If I hadn’t quit back then, my brain would’ve fried like Elishua’s.)

“B‑but! We cannot compromise on defense!”

“I’m not saying compromise. I’m saying optimize.”

I spread paper and a pen on the table.

“Okay, Elishua.

You’re exhausted because you’re trying to detect *everything*.

Filter the mana signatures.

Ignore anything below… let’s say human‑sized.

Just ‘will it’ that way.

Turn notifications off.

That alone will cut your mental load by 90%.”

“F‑filter…?

Such low‑precision detection is—”

“You only need high precision when something actually happens.

Next, Bartos.

Stop sending every knight outside.

Exhausted soldiers are worse than scarecrows.”

I scribbled a rough diagram.

“Introduce shifts.

Three teams.

Eight hours each.

Guaranteed sleep and days off.

Then instead of wandering the forest, build outposts at key points.

Use them as bases and set up detection stakes—

I mean, magical sensors.

Only respond when something triggers them.

This is ‘on‑demand defense.’”

“Shift… on‑demand…?”

Bartos and Elishua stared at my messy diagram like it was divine scripture.

“With this, you can maintain better defense with half the manpower.

Use the extra time to sleep.

And eat something good.”

“Master…

That you would worry so deeply for our humble devotion…”

“No, I just don’t want you collapsing and sending *someone else* to bother me.

Anyway, take this plan to your lord.

Tell him:

‘I cannot visit the castle because I am busy,

but I have bestowed upon you the ultimate defense strategy.’

That should smooth things over.”

(This should bury the castle invitation.

Perfect plan.

Another easy win.)

“…I am astonished.

Master , you grasp not only magic but the very principles of military administration…”

(What magic?

What military?

This is just… workplace scheduling.)

Elishua clutched the diagram with trembling hands.

Bartos’s eyes filled with tears as he bowed deeply.

“Understood!

We shall present this divine shift system to His Lordship and transform Felsen into an unshakable fortress!”

“No, it’s not divine.

Also, want a cola refill?”

“Meow. (Says the man who makes Lumina do everything while he never moves.)”

Tama looked up at me from the floor.