Revolution Through Statistics
……The Floating Island inn. A restaurant thousands of meters in the sky, practically a haven for named adventurers—and it was there that Rohakan pored over the hard-won report on Deculein.
Statistics of Fact: The Path the Continent Will Take
The continent has entered an era of upheaval. The uncharted lands are no longer content to remain in that place as the Mieolji. Rather, as time passes, they will creep right up to our doorstep.
Thus, not only the fissures plaguing the Empire from within, but also the new challenges surging in from beyond the continent...
……Therefore, I propose an entirely new theory to control these external threats.
This theory completely excludes the element of 'luck' and is based solely on empirical observations.
I hope you will study, understand, and accept it, for the benefit of generations to come.
Explanation of collision values, page 157. Monster wave calculations based on collision values, page 53.
The combined 210 pages of equations made Rohakan's head spin.
"Ahem……."
"Having trouble understanding it, old timer?"
The woman across from him, scratching her head, spoke up.
"……Who knows."
Twin red tails and typical martial artist's garb. It was Ganesha.
Adventurers who weren't mages weren't normally allowed on the Floating Island, but her adventurer team had used an unofficial route.
"I can do the calculations. But my brain must be too stiff with age—I just can't grasp the logic behind deriving these collision values. When did that Deculein kid become a full-fledged scholar?"
"……Huh? That's all you've got to say? Do you know how hard it was to get that? Read it properly. These days, you can't even buy one if you wanted to. It's got fans and haters everywhere."
Ganesha narrowed her eyes. Rohakan cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Ahem. What am I supposed to do if it won't stick?"
"Come on~ It cost 300,000 elne even through the adventurer guild."
"Oh yeah? Who asked you to get it, huh?"
"……You told me to bring it."
"Enough. Take the thing I promised."
Rohakan handed Ganesha a prosthetic arm. She grumbled as she took it, inspecting it this way and that before nodding.
"……Made by Al Ross, alright. Thanks, old timer."
Ganesha's tone turned deadly serious. Rohakan pointed to the kid dozing against the table beside her.
A boy named Karos. Not even ten years old, missing one arm.
"What happened to that little blood clot?"
"Lots of stuff happened~"
Ganesha dodged the question and stowed the prosthetic. Rohakan didn't press further.
Then someone spoke up.
"Can I read it too?"
A cute voice—Lia. The adorable girl pointed at the paper in Rohakan's hand.
"……Sure. Give it a read."
Rohakan smiled kindly and handed over the theory.
"Thank youuu!"
Lia snatched it up and dove in, her eyes gleaming like they were shooting lasers.
Ganesha and Rohakan watched fondly as dessert arrived.
"……?"
Lia's focus shattered.
A sweet on the inn table. Something fragrant and sugary.
"……!"
The macaron-like scent shook her to the core.
"……."
Dazed, entranced, she reached out. Grabbed the macaron, slowly popped it in her mouth. Her puffy cheeks wobbled as she chewed.
"Hng……."
Rohakan chuckled at the melting girl.
"Did you read the paper properly?"
"Ah!"
She snapped to. Lia nodded vigorously.
Rohakan stroked his chin.
"What do you think?"
"Wellll…… Professor Deculein's smart, so we can trust it, right?"
The equations were tough, sure, but the main quest had a 'hardcore trigger': a sudden event where hordes of monsters from the Mieolji surged south.
Even if not, with the main quest looming, better safe than sorry.
Who knew Deculein would be this helpful?
"Heh. I see."
Rohakan gazed at Lia a beat longer, tracing her compact, delicate features.
"……You really do look alike."
"Huh?"
The words tumbled out. As Lia tilted her head, Ganesha chimed in.
"His ex-fiancée or whatever, right? We've heard. You'll hear it a lot more."
"……Haha."
Rohakan chuckled silently and rummaged in his bosom. Lia's eyes locked on.
"Take this."
A single scroll emerged.
"What you want is in the north. Head there—I'll clear the path."
"!"
Lia's eyes widened at Rohakan's words.
Advance
At last, the main scenario truly began.
I began developing the northern extremity.
The design and scale rivaled a full knight order, and I didn't need to ship in materials. The northern conifers were top quality.
The framework went up in a day. Thanks to Ihelm's division—not to mention Ifrin, Drent, and other skilled mages—their work outpaced thousands of laborers.
"This will do."
I devoted my Telekinesis solely to the mansion's construction. I had no desire to share space with prisoners, even for a day.
"Whoa……."
Ifrin, Allen, Drent, and the thirteen members of Ihelm's division gawked up at the mansion.
A five-story grand mansion, built with Aesthetic Sense, harmonizing with the northern woods.
Satisfactory, even to my eye.
"Damn. Insane. How'd you build this in a day?"
Ihelm marveled. I opened the entrance silently. The mages trailed after me.
"Interior's empty…… We'll fill it later. More importantly, Deculein."
Ihelm kept yapping. His sudden familiarity grated.
"Heard the rumors? You made a fortune in stocks, beat Her Majesty, and even weirder stuff."
I glared at Ihelm. He grinned, unfazed.
"They say you know which house tried to poison Her Majesty……?"
"……."
In this timeline where Sophien overcame the poison, it remained an attempted regicide.
Even that was a crime warranting a house's annihilation. Right after my game with Sophien, the palace had been in uproar.
"Ihelm, get out."
"Aw, c'mon. Build me one too? Or let me crash here. I can pay rent."
"……Before I kill you—"
"Fine, fine~ So sensitive. Plenty of rooms. Hey, let's go!"
Ihelm dragged his division out. My disciples—Ifrin, Drent, Allen—looked up with sparkling eyes.
Ifrin asked.
"Um…… Professor. Should we…… go too……?"
"You three stay on the first floor."
"Yesss…… I mean, yes~! We'll grab our stuff~"
The trio scampered off.
A grand mansion in nature's heart.
Standing at the entrance, I surveyed Recor Dak and the vast conifer forest.
To Magnate Tycoon, this spot wasn't the worst. Golden flecks occasionally shimmered.
Perfect base camp for Mieolji expeditions.
"……Better build facilities first."
Priority one: construction. Transform this hellhole prison into a self-sustaining outpost. Develop it as Julie's foundation.
Doable enough.
[Even a Squint-Eyed Fool Knows: Stocks, Volume 1]
Julie studied in her office, scribbling notes in a borrowed book.
"……Stock principle one: Never lose money."
Seeing Deculein seize Recor Dak in a flash, transforming it dramatically upon arrival—she was bitterly disappointed in her past financial ignorance.
"Principle two: Never forget principle one."
Knight's Way shunned wealth.
Was she too trapped in that outdated view?
Money protected comrades, sustained knight orders.
"So hard…… Never lose money."
Knight's Way forbade chasing money, but ignoring it was wrong too.
Good it wasn't too late.
Pausing her notes, Julie glanced up. Reyli read on the office sofa.
"Reyli."
"Yes?"
She turned. Julie hesitated, then shook her head.
"……Never mind."
"What? Oh, studying stocks?"
Reyli closed her book and approached. She smiled at Julie's notes on the desk.
[Never Lose Money: Basic Market Analysis. Stock trading basics exploit human psychology…….]
"Studying hard, as always. You're so diligent, our knight."
"……."
The praise warmed her, but Julie checked the clock impassively.
9 AM. Time for Deculein's briefing soon.
"But stocks? Best avoid 'em. More losers than winners. Deculein's the freak. 400 million elne? 500 million?"
"I know. So study hard, start small."
"……Alright then……."
Reyli shrugged. Julie stood.
"Time. Let's go."
"Huh? You're really going?"
Deculein's briefing: All Recor Dak staff gathered to hear his will and orders.
He seemed content with the broad structure, even recognized Julie's status—but as a regular knight, attendance wasn't required.
She held 49% shares, Phairden blood.
"No need to skip. If he issues absurd orders, only I can stop him."
"……True. Okay, let's go~"
Julie and Reyli headed out.
Clomp clomp—
Walking Recor Dak's shabby halls, a thought flashed in Reyli's mind. Clap! She tapped Julie's shoulder.
"Oh right! Knight, know this?"
"No idea."
"Way back, that regicide attempt on Her Majesty?"
"……Yes."
Julie nodded gravely. Biggest palace shakeup since the Empress's assassination.
"But Her Majesty said during Go with Deculein that he knows the culprit……!"
Reyli hardened her face. Julie frowned.
"……Really?"
"Yes! Palace is chaos now. If revealed—and if it's a noble house…… Ugh. Just imagining."
Reyli shuddered; Julie pondered.
They reached the training grounds.
Palace knights, wardens, captains, mages arrayed. Deculein already on stage.
"Greetings. No preamble or speeches. As owner of Recor Dak, I issue tasks and orders."
He spoke like lecturing.
"This winter's steady mission: 'Culling'. Advance into Mieolji, preemptively slay monsters. Kill as many as possible before waves begin. First goal."
No amplification magic, yet his voice reached all Recor Dak, charisma dominating.
"For these detachments: Four knights, one mage per team. Use desired prisoners freely."
Tap tap—someone nudged Julie's arm. Gwen.
Long time? she mouthed. Julie nodded.
Then.
"Who chats now."
Deculein's icy voice stabbed. Gwen coughed; Julie bowed silently.
"……Also, once weekly, full Recor Dak force advances to wreck monster habitats. Overall command."
Deculein scanned the knights.
Gwen, Rafel, Syrio, even palace knights loyal to him.
Plenty of candidates.
──But.
"To Knight Dayah."
He chose Julie anyway. Her combat leadership was unmatched.
All eyes turned. Julie nodded silently, accepting.
Reyli whispered in awe beside her.
"Whoa…… You two really separate work and personal?"
"……."
Julie clenched her fist unseen.
Recor Dak life, day three.
My routine here: simple.
Cold mornings: magic training. Expend mana moderately, then write in the mansion. Spare time: map or hunt game.
Miscellany handled by my three assistants—much like capital life.
The Values This Era Pursues
Magic of Statistics
The Economy of Magic
Principles of Economics
This harsh winter strangely aids writing.
Russia's great authors owed to brutal cold? I get it now.
Harsh days, nothing to do but write.
"……What's all this, Professor?"
Early morning, Ifrin pointed at desk manuscripts, borrowing books. Face lit with curiosity.
"Read them. Fill your empty common sense. No harm."
"Huh? No……."
Ifrin's face soured.
"Mine's not empty! Why always talk like I'm trash……."
"What word for stupid but 'stupid'? Hate it? Study harder, stop being stupid."
"Ugh, really. How many times with 'stupid'? I'm out."
Yet she pocketed a manuscript.
"……Culling starts tomorrow. I volunteered."
I nodded at her.
"Don't die."
"……Yeah. Won't."
"Lose limbs? Prosthetics work. Live on."
"No…… Geez, geez. I'll come back alive~ Thanks for worrying."
Ifrin pouted out.
"……."
Silent, serene study. I glanced out the window.
Training grounds below: Julie sparring Gwen, blades and mana clashing.
Clang—clang—clang—!
Mana-metal friction. Sparks and light flares—then Gwen pointed up.
─Huh? Julie. Look. Your ex-fiancé's there.
That damn woman.
─…….
Julie looked up.
Our eyes met. I gritted my teeth, scowled, dropped the curtain.
"……Tch."
Leaned back, took pen. Strangely, heart ached, pounding.
Hide it—no one knows. It'll pass soon.
Deculein was designed cold-blooded, after all……
……Same time.
"Whoa."
In Recor Dak's first-floor lounge, Ifrin gaped, mouth agape.
Cause: Deculein's borrowed treatise, Magic of Statistics.
Its concepts fired her neurons and synapses, racing to peripheral nerves.
"This…… revolutionary."
Statistics fused with magic. As a well-learned mage, Ifrin felt it instinctively.
Interpret magic statistically—predict damage and scale via formulas as 'probability'.
"I, I wanna learn this."
Ifrin yanked out a pen. Her flurry drew eyes.
Many mages here for missions.
"……Excuse me? Professor Deculein's assistant, Ifrin, right?"
"Huh? Oh, yeah."
"What's up?"
"Uh? Well—"
"Whatcha reading? Mind sharing?"
"……Huh? I haven't finished—"
"Whoa, Professor Deculein's work?"
"Huh? Uh, yeah, but—"
"For real? Just one line together. One line."
"……Yes?"
Starting with one or two from Ihelm's division, then Phairden combat mages, curious knights and officers.
Nearly all high-rankers on the first floor swarmed. Kind-hearted Ifrin relented.
"O-okay. Together then……."
They read Deculein's principles side by side.