Gil Blas advances from provincial hardship to reliable household administrator and then to a court appointment through patronage and demonstrated competence, entering the service of a powerful minister. The narrative follows his practical duties, procedural reports such as an inquiry into a villa fire, and the social maneuvering that wins him favor. Interwoven are courtly episodes and sketches of other figures, including an elderly enchantress pursued by a young secretary, which reveal hypocrisy, desire, and ambition among elites. The volume balances episodic adventure with satirical observation of patronage, social climbing, and the moral compromises of life at court.