"Well, Alve, may I ask you one more thing?" King Leontius said, glancing over at Edward.
"Edward, would you like to learn how to manage and calculate our finances?"
...I think I know where this is going. He didn't even look at me to confirm.
"Yes, Father. I would love to," Edward replied enthusiastically.
Then the princess chimed in as well, "Father, may I learn too? I can help when brother is busy!"
With a smile, the king turned to me.
"How about it? You can help manage our trade accounts and teach them whenever you're free."
...So I'm not _just_ teaching now. I'll be managing royal finance too.
I wanted to say no and laze around for a few days, but I still had to repay the kindness Ramon showed me.
"Alright. I can start from tomorrow," I replied.
"Good. If you'd like, you can work in that same library," he added.
I nodded in agreement.
---
### **Walking Back**
After lunch, Seraphina and I exited the royal palace together.
"It was a good meeting," Seraphina said.
As we walked through the palace gates, I asked,
"Miss Sera, about earlier... is something wrong?"
"As you know, we're at war with the demon race, and the Hero's Party is doing everything they can to defeat the Demon King. Managing our finances is vital—not just for our kingdom, but also to support the Hero's gear, resources, and strategies," she explained.
Hearing her words, it made sense. Running a country, funding the Hero's Party, and maintaining trade with other nations... It's all connected by money. Getting a grip on those finances early on could be the difference between victory and disaster.
But... that's not _my_ problem right now.
"Miss Sera, I think I'll head to one of the open baths you showed me earlier. I need to get my clothes cleaned too," I said as we parted ways.
---
### **A Moment of Peace**
Wandering through the streets, I found the bathhouse and laundry shop Seraphina had pointed out before. I took my time enjoying the warm bath while my clothes were being cleaned.
To my surprise, the place was full of people.
"Wow… Magic really _is_ amazing."
My clothes came out not only spotless but also completely dry. Talk about convenience.
Feeling refreshed, I strolled for a few minutes until I reached the pub Miss Sera had recommended.
"It's getting dark… maybe I'll grab a quick meal before heading back."
---
### **The Pub**
As I stepped inside, I was greeted warmly by a waitress.
"Hello! How may I help you?"
"Any empty table for one person?" I asked.
"Yes, please follow me," she said, leading me to a corner table.
Perfect. I like eating alone—and corners are the best for that.
Once I sat down, she handed me a small menu.
"What would you like, sir?"