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Waking up, I checked my mana crystal count. It had become a habit—one of those things you can't help but do first thing in the morning.
90,883 mana crystals. That was after deducting expenses and the 100 mana crystals I'd promised to transfer to the laboratory.
That left me with 90,283 mana crystals. My gold reserves would drop to 182,500 after sending Lucia the promised 300,000 gold coins.
I tapped my chin, pondering. Should I sell 283 mana crystals to make tomorrow's math easier?
These little routines were my anchor. After all, waking up in this world—a place so different from the one I remembered—had reshaped how I thought about everything.
A soft knock interrupted my musings. Still in bed, I groaned inwardly. Dressing quickly, I called for them to enter.
Lucia walked in with a girl I didn't recognize. The newcomer was… pleasant to look at. Pretty face, modest figure, taller than Lucia but not by much. I couldn't imagine what she wanted. Morning visits? Not exactly a service I signed up for.
Lucia stepped forward, looking unusually tense.
"Your Majesty, I'd like to delegate some of my responsibilities. I've failed to meet your expectations and can't handle the workload alone."
Ah, so that was it. And here I was hoping for the impossible.
Clapping my hands together, I smiled.
"That's to be expected. Do as you see fit. You have my full authority—don't let me down."
Relief washed over her face. Bowing slightly, she left with her assistant.
No sooner had the door shut than Lucas entered—my newest acquisition from the last trade deal, a four-star military advisor. Without preamble, he spread a map across the table.
"My lord," he began, his tone grave. "Our four walls of defense are sturdy, but the area they enclose is vast. We lack the manpower to maintain law and order effectively. With new dungeons appearing, additional forces are essential. Adventurers, as you know, aren't the most law-abiding citizens."
He was right, of course. This problem had been nagging at me for weeks. My army already outnumbered the civilian population, and still, it wasn't enough. Unable to decide, I decided to consult Benny.
Benny took his sweet time arriving. By then, I'd counted my gold coins at least fifty times in impatience. When he finally entered, he looked unreasonably cheerful. Was it the 500,000 gold coins I'd sent him recently? If so, he'd better not expect more. I wasn't swayed by smiles.
Shaking off the thought, I got to the point.
"Benny, we need more civilians. I want to expand the army."
Without hesitation, Benny responded, "Create more jobs with better pay. Or expand the kingdom into areas with denser populations."
I dismissed the latter suggestion with a wave.
"Focus on the jobs and pay. Expansion can wait until our army is less… meager."
Benny nodded, asking no further questions, and left shortly after.
As I leaned back, ready to take a much-deserved nap, Barns burst in. Is today "Visit Your King Day?" I sighed.
"My lord!" he exclaimed. "My master requests an audience."
Master? Curious, I motioned for him to proceed. The "master" in question entered, and I recognized her immediately. She was the girl I'd dismissed as Barns' assistant—a mistake, judging by the way Barns bowed to her like she was royalty.
Barns excused himself, leaving us alone. Before I could ask why she was here, something about her shifted.
Her ears elongated, growing far beyond the limits of any human.
My thoughts raced. An elven transformation? Right here? Is this an assassination attempt?
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