Led by his biological father, Lucas, Rest was ushered into the reception room of the Honorary Viscount Ebern House.
The mistress of the house, having belatedly realized Rest’s identity, let out a piercing shriek. She was currently being physically restrained by a butler, but Rest ignored the commotion as he strolled down the hallway.
He took a seat on the reception room’s sofa, settling in across from the man he had once called father.
"It has been a long time, Honorary Viscount Ebern. Or perhaps I should call you 'Father'?"
"..."
When Rest posed the question in a mocking tone, Lucas’s brow furrowed more deeply.
Normally, such an inquiry would have been met with shouting, berating, or perhaps a physical blow. But today, Rest was an official messenger from the Marquis Rosemary House. As the man was serving as the Representative of Marquis Rosemary, if Lucas dared to raise a hand against him, his head would likely roll.
"I never expected that—er... that you would be the Marquis’s representative. It seems you’ve done well for yourself, which is... good."
"You don't seem to have changed much, either. Oh, wait—I don't see Cedric. Where is he today?"
"That..."
"I’d love to see him after all this time. Is he out?"
"..."
Lucas fell silent.
Rest offered a thin, mocking smile, wondering if he was being a bit too cruel. He already knew from Marquis Rosemary that Cedric had failed the Royal Academy’s entrance exam. He could guess the rest: the boy was likely locked in his room, being forced to study for next year’s attempt.
"Well, no matter. More importantly, I’ve come today to give a report to Honorary Viscount Ebern."
"...I am listening."
"First, a minor update. I recently passed the entrance exam for the Royal Academy. I’ll be enrolling as a freshman starting next year."
"What?!"
"That’s a lie!"
Lucas’s voice cracked, and from the corner of the room where the butler held her, Liza let out a screech like nails on a chalkboard.
"Impossible... No, I never heard a word about you even taking the exam!" Lucas blurted out.
He had slipped back into using 'you' rather than a formal title, but Rest ignored the breach in etiquette and pressed on.
"I was admitted under the Commoner Category. Besides, my parental rights have been officially transferred to Marquis Rosemary, so there was no need to report anything to you, was there?"
"Guh... That may be true, but as parent and child, surely a report..."
"As parent and child?" Rest’s eyes narrowed into cold slits. He twisted his lips into a cynical sneer. "As parent and child? Did such a relationship ever exist between us?"
After his mother passed away, he had been taken in by the Honorary Viscount Ebern House, but that was where any family bond ended. At this estate, he had been relegated to the stables and forced to eat like a dog. Did this man really think there was any room for parental affection now?
"Ugh..."
"It’s impossible!" Liza screamed again. "Cedric failed! How could a magicless failure born from a lowly maid pass the exam?!"
"Silence, Liza! If you’re going to cause a scene, get out!" Lucas barked at his wife.
He knew that if she stayed, she would only dig their grave deeper with her insults. He signaled the butler to drag her out of the room.
"By the way," Rest added, dropping the next bomb, "my department is the Magic Department."
The Ebern couple froze.
"The Magic Department...!" Lucas gasped.
"No way!" Liza shrieked, struggling even as she was being hauled away. "How?! Why?! Why would a filthy, trashy piece of garbage pass the Magic Department exam that Cedric failed?! It’s a mistake! I won't believe it!"
"I told you to shut up! He is an envoy of Marquis Rosemary! Cease your impudence!" Lucas hurriedly rebuked her, though he was still referring to Rest as 'he' with clear disdain.
Rest had clearly struck a nerve. The couple was so pathetically unhinged that he felt a sudden impulse to see just how far he could push them.
Oh, this is getting fun. I didn't realize I had such a mean streak.
"It’s the truth. You’ll understand once you see this."
Rest raised his index finger. Four spheres—red, blue, yellow, and green—materialized and began to orbit above his head.
"A Quartet?! How can you use such an advanced technique?!"
Fire, water, wind, and earth. To see the simultaneous activation of four attributes—a feat difficult even for a veteran Court Mage—Lucas’s face twisted into an expression of utter, pathetic despair.
"You... you... No, your excellency... Were you not magicless?"
"I was a baby when my mana was last measured. You of all people should know that mana grows as a person does."
"B-but... for it to increase so drastically... and to use four spells at once... What incredible talent..."
Lucas sat in a daze, muttering to himself. Finally, he took a sharp breath and straightened his posture, looking Rest in the eye with a new intensity.
"Rest-dono... No, let me be bold enough to call you Rest."
"What is it, 'Father'?"
"Return to this house. I want you to become the heir to the Honorary Viscount House."
"..."
"Dear?!" Liza shrieked before Rest could even open his mouth. She was still putting up a fight against the butler at the door.
She really should just leave. Though, wait... maybe he’s letting her stay for my sake?
Rest recognized the butler holding her. They hadn't spoken much when Rest lived here, but the man had been one of the few servants who would occasionally sneak him food.
When their eyes met, the butler gave him a subtle wink. Apparently, the old man had a bit of a mischievous side himself.
"What do you mean by that, 'Father'?" Rest asked. "This house already has an 'exceedingly excellent' heir, does it not?"
"Cedric failed the academy exam. Even if he passes next year, there’s no guarantee he has what it takes to be a Court Mage. But you... you are a guaranteed success."
"Well, I suppose that’s true."
"Succeed the Ebern name. Become a Court Mage and elevate this house to a full Viscountcy. Fulfill my life's ambition for me."
"..."
The sheer gall of the request was staggering. After years of cold-blooded mistreatment, he was ready to do a total 180 the moment he saw talent. It was so transparently selfish it was almost refreshing.
But then again, this is exactly who Lucas Ebern is.
To a man who had clawed his way up through his own magical prowess, talent was the only currency. If someone had it, they were worth something—even if they were an illegitimate commoner. If they didn't, even a legitimate son was disposable. In a twisted way, he was a man of firm, if repulsive, convictions.
But we’ll never see eye to eye.
At the very least, Rest didn't need a family like this. The moment Lucas had abandoned his mother, the concept of a 'father' had died for him.
"It’s a tempting offer... but I decline, Honorary Viscount Ebern."
Reverting to the formal title, Rest let a cold sneer touch his lips.
"Why? It isn't a bad deal for you. You would be a Viscount and the head of a house."
"That’s impossible. You see... the house I’m going to succeed has already been decided."
"What? What do you mean by that?"
"I’ve already agreed to enter the Marquis Rosemary House as a son-in-law. Therefore, I won't be taking over this place."
Rest spoke the words clearly, a pleasant, bright smile on his face.
"That’s my other report. Since I’m going to be the next Marquis, I have absolutely no interest in a mere viscountcy."