"Oh… I see you're not wearing your coat today," the King remarked with a warm smile.
I immediately bowed. "Forgive me, Your Majesty. I wasn't prepared for a formal summons today."
He chuckled lightly. "Well, you look fine either way, child."
Then, with a subtle shift in tone, he stepped forward, holding a pendant in his hand—its golden shimmer catching the light of the grand hall.
"Today," he began, addressing the nobles, "I have called you here not only to speak of what transpired last night, but also to acknowledge something I've long delayed in making public."
His gaze shifted briefly toward the Ironhart family. Luke stood just behind his father, his bruises still visible despite his efforts to mask them with a straight posture.
"In light of his actions, and more importantly, his capabilities, I now formally announce _Alve Westberg_ as the Royal Accountant. I believe he is more than qualified to manage this kingdom's wealth."
A murmur swept through the nobles, some of them raising concerns in restrained tones—but the King silenced them with a raised hand.
"This is my final decision. I'm choosing to avoid any public scandal, and I trust Viscount Ironhart will have the necessary conversation with his son."
Basil Ironhart bowed slightly—hesitant, but compliant.
King Leontius stepped down from the dais and approached me directly.
"Stand, Alve," he said with a nod.
I rose to my feet.
"Here," he continued, handing me the pendant—a mark of my official appointment. "Make sure to serve the kingdom well."
"I will, Your Majesty. I promise to give my best from this day forward."
Though in my heart I still longed for a quiet life—repaying Roman, laying low, and maybe sipping tea in peace—I knew that while I held this position, I'd give it everything I had.
Let work be the anchor that keeps my mind from drifting.
---
Word spread quickly.
A summoned outsider, now working in the royal palace? Rumors flew like arrows, but I kept to my duties—Ignoring minding my business.
I made the royal library my base of operations. There, I pored over ledgers, checked trade balances, reviewed donation records, and managed the treasury. Days passed with ink-stained fingers and sleepless nights. I buried myself in paperwork.
In the afternoons, I had another responsibility.
"Sir Alve, we're here for today's lesson!"
Prince Edward and Princess Maya arrived right on time, smiling with their notebooks in hand.
I guided them step by step—starting with basic arithmetic, then teaching how trade routes work, how tax policies shape the kingdom, and how wealth flows through borders and markets.
It wasn't just tutoring—it was legacy. A small way to repay the kindness I'd received from the King and this world. One day, when I'm gone, maybe they'll remember what I taught them.
And in the quiet moments, when the palace stilled…
I found solace in books.
Magic tomes, ancient scrolls, and world history—especially one name that kept appearing again and again:
> _"Lilith Raven – the greatest magician the world has ever seen."_
She piqued my interest. There was something hauntingly powerful about her story, A legend of the world's best magician.
"Guess learning more about this world's history isn't such a bad way to spend my time," I mumbled to myself.
---
And that's how my first week in the palace passed—
**Working. Teaching. Reading. Learning.**
Somehow… it felt like I was finally starting to find a rhythm in this world.
Even if I still didn't belong to it.