(What incredible intuition and 'vision'... This young man is a literal personification of talent!)
As he instructed Rest in the ways of magic, Dieble—the butler of the House of Marquis Rosemary—couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
Watching Rest closely, Dieble observed the boy testing the magic he had just been taught.
(I knew he had potential when we sparred before the Marquis. I could see he was a promising youth. But... to this degree?)
"Um... like this? Am I doing it right?"
"...Yes, quite. It’s activating perfectly."
"Thank you! I'll try it one more time, so please keep an eye on me!"
Only an hour had passed since the anti-personnel combat training had begun.
Dieble had started with a lecture to steel the boy's resolve for battle, followed by a curriculum of spells specifically tailored for combat against humans. To be honest, he hadn't expected things to proceed quite so smoothly.
No matter how gifted a mage might be, mastering a new spell usually took at least a week. For high-level magic, it wasn't uncommon for the process to take months or even years. This was why most mages chose a specific attribute and focused their lives on mastering its spells.
(But... how is he mastering these spells after seeing them only once!?)
"There, that should... do it."
Rest activated his newly acquired spell.
His form flickered and vanished—the magic of Stealth. It was a technique favored by scouts and assassins, and one many Court Mages avoided, sneering at it as "the magic of lowly thieves." Dieble, however, had insisted on it, knowing its immense value in a real fight.
Along with Stealth, Rest had already mastered Accelerator, Smoke Screen, Darkness, and Amplification. Every single one had been memorized after a single demonstration. Dieble had to fight to keep his composure, his face nearly twitching with shock.
(We cannot let this man slip through our fingers... No matter the cost, he must be bound to the House of Marquis Rosemary!)
Ever since their initial mock battle, Dieble had been in favor of Rest marrying Lady Viola or Lady Primula. He saw a talented young man and simply wanted the young ladies—whom he doted on like his own granddaughters—to be happy with the man they loved.
But after witnessing Rest’s true potential today, his perspective had shifted.
Rest wasn't merely a "talented candidate for the family." He was an "indispensable asset who must be secured at any sacrifice."
"Dieble-sensei, what should I do next?"
"Ah... well now..."
Dieble trailed off, deep in thought.
At this rate, he was going to run out of magic to teach the boy in no time. That was fine in itself, but there was another matter weighing on his mind.
(Come to think of it... I've had him cast spell after spell, and yet his mana hasn't shown the slightest sign of decreasing. I should gauge the depths of his reserves.)
"Use Physical Enhancement," Dieble instructed. "And push it as hard as you can."
"Like this?"
Rest complied immediately. To a trained eye, the result was clear—a shimmering film of mana coated his body like a second skin.
"In combat, Physical Enhancement is both the foundation and the pinnacle of the craft. Maintain this state for as long as you can without letting the magic dissipate."
"I just need to keep my concentration from wavering, right? I've got it, Sensei!"
Rest held a combat-ready stance, fists raised, keeping the enhancement active.
(A clean, perfect application. A novice might last five minutes; even a seasoned Court Mage would struggle to pass thirty. Now then, let's see how long his mana and focus can endure.)
Dieble watched him with a keen, analytical eye.
The result was staggering. An hour went by before Rest finally deactivated the spell. Even then, it wasn't because he had run out of mana; his concentration had simply wavered.
Rest’s mana reserves showed no sign of depletion. Dieble wasn't just impressed anymore—he felt as though his very soul had been shaken by the boy's terrifying potential.