They moved from the garden to the training grounds on the Marquis’s estate.
Rest and the butler stood at opposite ends of a circular clearing, while the Marquis and his two daughters watched from a short distance away.
On one side stood Rest.
To the Rosemary sisters, Viola and Primula, he was their savior—and the boy toward whom they were beginning to harbor the first stirrings of love.
Opposite him was the butler of the Rosemary household.
The man, named Dieble, was a master of magic and a formidable warrior. Among the forces at the Marquis’s disposal, he was easily one of the most elite.
The two were about to clash, but no matter how one looked at it, the butler’s victory was a foregone conclusion. Even if Rest was exceptionally talented, he was still only a fifteen-year-old boy. He lacked the years of practical experience and raw power that Dieble possessed.
"Father! What is the meaning of this!?"
"This is cruel, Father...!"
Viola and Primula turned on their father. They were clearly incensed that he had imposed such an unreasonable trial on the boy who had saved their lives.
"Why are you being so mean to Rest?! I won't forgive you unless you have a very good explanation!"
"I won't forgive you either... even if you are my father...!"
"C-Calm down, both of you! I will explain everything!"
Cornered by his beloved daughters, Albert Rosemary—head of the Marquis House and the Captain of the Court Mages—actually recoiled. As a father who believed he was deeply trusted and loved by his children, this was the first time he had ever faced the full brunt of their fury.
"L-Listen. This is necessary! As the head of this house, I must determine his true caliber!"
Albert desperately made excuses to his daughters, whose faces were contorted with unprecedented rage. From his perspective, he wasn't doing this out of spite. It truly was a necessity.
The Royal Academy was an institution designed to cultivate the future leaders of the state—royalty, nobles, knights, and bureaucrats. At its inception, commoners were barred from entry, but the rules had later been relaxed to allow them in if they possessed a recommendation from an influential figure.
When a noble recommended someone, the public viewed that person as a representative of the noble’s "house." In his own student days, Albert had recommended a vassal of the same age so the boy could attend as his personal aide.
"This isn't a matter of emotion. If he is to receive our family’s recommendation, he must prove he has the strength to back it up."
That was the truth... he certainly wasn't letting his personal feelings cloud his judgment. He absolutely was not acting out of paternal jealousy just because his daughters were so fond of Rest. He hadn't demanded this duel out of pettiness.
"But...!"
"However...!"
"I never said I wouldn't write the recommendation if he lost, did I?! I simply want a guarantee that he can actually make it into the academy! If someone recommended by the House of Rosemary failed the entrance exam, our prestige would be tarnished!"
Albert spoke forcefully to his dissatisfied daughters.
"Besides, that butler is one of the finest experts in my service. He’s a former Court Mage who retired to serve our house. No matter how much magic that boy can use, there's no way a child could defeat him."
He wasn't demanding a victory. If Rest could put up even a decent fight, Albert would gladly provide the recommendation.
"If he truly has the power to repel a White Fenrir, there is no need for concern. I'm sure he'll show us suitable results..."
A heavy thud cut him off mid-sentence.
Startled, Albert and the sisters turned their eyes toward the clearing, only to find the butler they trusted so implicitly rolling across the ground.
"Guh... ugh..."
"Shall we call this my win?" Rest asked.
"Not... yet..." Dieble groaned. "I cannot bear to show such a pathetic display before my master."
"In that case, shall we continue?"
"Yes... here I come!"
The butler lunged forward with renewed vigor, and Rest moved to intercept him. The Rosemary family could only watch in a daze as the intensity of the battle escalated.
"Impossible... For Dieble to be struggling this much... just who is that boy!?"
"He really is strong...!"
"Rest-sama is amazing...!"
Stunned, the three of them stared intently, unable to look away from the fierce combat unfolding before them.