"High Archmage Leon, step forward."
Leon's brain went blank. This was happening now? Right now? He'd been expecting some kind of ceremony later, not immediately upon arrival, not in front of thousands of people-
The Sword Saint's elbow touched his arm, barely a nudge, but enough to jolt him back to reality.
Right. The protocol. He'd asked her about this days ago, desperate to not embarrass himself at whatever formal ceremony awaited.
Leon stepped forward and knelt, grateful that he'd at least practiced this part. The kneeling, the positioning, the proper way to hold oneself before a monarch.
King Alderon drew his sword - ceremonial, ornate, probably hadn't seen combat in generations - and rested it lightly on Leon's right shoulder.
"Leon of Pelenna, you have served this kingdom with distinction and honor. You have demonstrated courage in battle, wisdom in counsel, and dedication to the protection of our realm. By the power vested in me as King of Aldoria, I hereby name you Knight of the Realm, with all the privileges and responsibilities that title entails."
The sword lifted, touched his left shoulder, then returned to rest on his right.
"Do you swear to uphold the laws of this kingdom, to defend its people, and to serve with honor in all your endeavors?"
"I do so swear," Leon said, managing to keep his voice steady. The words felt surreal coming out of his mouth, like he was playing a role in a historical drama rather than making an actual commitment.
"Then rise, Sir Leon, Knight of the Realm and High Archmage."
Leon stood. The crowd erupted in cheers.
He'd done it. He'd actually done it. Knighted before the entire court without falling over or saying something stupid or otherwise revealing that he had no idea what he was doing.
Small victories.
The celebrations lasted well into the night.
The great hall was transformed into something that would have bankrupted a modern event planner - tables laden with enough food to feed several villages, musicians playing from a gallery above, nobles and knights and merchants all mingling in a carefully choreographed dance of social hierarchy.
Leon worked the crowd because that's what was expected. He made small talk with people whose names he'd forget within minutes. He accepted congratulations from lords who probably thought he was their ticket to power. He smiled and nodded and said appropriately modest things while internally counting down the minutes until he could escape.
The music was... fine. Live musicians playing instruments Leon half-recognized from his world's history. Lutes and flutes and drums creating melodies that were pleasant enough but lacked something fundamental.
Bass. They lacked bass. Speakers that could shake your ribcage .
Leon found himself wishing for speakers with an intensity that surprised him. Just one decent sound system. Just one night of music that had actual beat to it instead of this polite medieval dancing stuff.
But he kept that thought to himself and continued smiling at nobles whose names he'd already forgotten.
"Sir Leon!" Another lord, another congratulation, another conversation that followed the same basic script. "Your tactical genius at the gate - simply remarkable! You must tell me about the formations you developed."
"I'd be glad to ," Leon said diplomatically. "The techniques are complex but reproducible."
"Remarkable! And your magical prowess! - I've never heard of such a power!"
"I'm still studying the phenomenon myself," Leon said, which was both true and conveniently vague.
This continued for hours.
It was exhausting in a completely different way from the battle .
Finally, finally, the king retired, which gave Leon permission to do the same. He extracted himself from a conversation with a duchess who'd been hinting very unsubtly about marriage prospects and made his way toward the residential quarters.
A servant met him at the entrance. "Sir Leon? Your chambers have been prepared. If you'll follow me?"
Leon followed through corridors that were somehow both utilitarian and ornate, decorated with tapestries and paintings but clearly designed for function first. They climbed stairs, passed guards who saluted, and eventually arrived at a door marked with Leon's new coat of arms - something involving a stylized gate and magical symbols he'd had no input on but was apparently his now.
The servant opened the door and Leon stepped into what had to be the nicest accommodations he'd ever been given.
It wasn't just a bedroom. It was a suite. A sitting area with comfortable furniture faced a fireplace already burning despite the warmth of the season. The bedroom beyond was visible through an open archway, featuring a bed that could have slept four people comfortably. And beyond that, floor-to-ceiling windows offered a view of the inner courtyard and the city beyond.
"Holy shit," Leon said, then caught himself. "I mean - thank you. This is... adequate."
The servant, well-trained, showed no reaction to Leon's near-profanity. "The bath is through that door, sir. Fresh water has been prepared. If you need anything, pull this cord and someone will attend you immediately."
"Thank you," Leon said again, and the servant bowed and left.
Leon stood in his new quarters and slowly rotated, taking it all in. The furniture was real wood, hand-carved, the kind of craftsmanship that would cost thousands in his world. The fabrics were rich - velvet and silk and materials he couldn't identify. The view was genuinely spectacular, offering a panorama of the castle grounds lit by torches and magical lights.
His intern salary back home could never have afforded such luxury. His tiny apartment in Tokyo, with its cramped kitchen and bathroom barely large enough to turn around in, seemed like a distant dream. Even his engineer's salary after graduation hadn't bought him anything close to this level of accommodation.
Leon walked to the window and looked out at the medieval fantasy city that was apparently his home now. The cobblestone streets, the spired towers, the life continuing below even this late at night.
It was beautiful. Genuinely, undeniably beautiful in a way his world had lost- or never had, depending on how you looked at it.
But it was also missing so much. No electricity. No internet. No trains that could take you across the country in hours instead of months.
Leon was a knight now. Living in luxury that rivaled nobility. Given honor and respect and a view that people would pay good money to see.
And all it cost was pretending to be someone he wasn't, in a world that was both more and less than the one he'd left behind.
Leon pulled off his formal robes - stiff, uncomfortable, designed for appearance rather than function - and collapsed onto the bed.
It was, he had to admit, incredibly comfortable.
He stared at the canopy above and tried to process the day. The arrival, the flowers, the ceremony, the knighting, the celebrations. All of it felt surreal, like he'd wandered into someone else's life story.
Tomorrow he'd have to figure out what being a knight actually meant. What responsibilities came with the title. What was expected of him now.
But tonight, in his five star room with its amazing view and complete lack of modern convenience, Leon let himself rest. still good?
He'd survived another day of pretending to be the High Archmage.
That had to count for something. .