"Next stop, a cafe! I heard a place with a wonderful atmosphere just opened up nearby!"
"O-Oh... sure."
After being dragged through two hours of clothes shopping, Rest emerged from the boutique looking like he had barely survived a battle.
In contrast to the bedraggled Rest, Viola and Primula were practically glowing with energy. Rest trailed behind them with bags hanging from both hands, relegated to the role of a glorified porter.
(I guess men are the only ones who find this draining...)
Fatigue is non-existent when you're doing something you love, whether it’s recreation or a hobby. On the other hand, being the one dragged along saps your energy far faster than necessary. Rest was currently living proof of that.
"Rest-sama, are you alright?"
"Yes, of course."
Primula had noticed his state, so he forced a smile to reassure her.
Physically, he was fine. He could easily use magic to recover from exhaustion. This was more of a mental fatigue—the spiritual toll of a marathon shopping session.
(Answering questions about girls' clothing is just... exhausting. You never know where the landmines are hidden.)
Does this outfit look good? Which do you like better? Which color suits me? Having to provide an opinion every time they tried on a new outfit had left him completely spent.
"Hm...?"
As he followed Viola and Primula down the street, he suddenly sensed something unsettling behind them. Life Search, the magic he kept active at all times, had picked up a disturbance.
(Two presences caught in my detection... I recognize one, but what about the other...?)
He had a bad feeling about it.
Just as Rest increased his vigilance, Viola unfortunately turned into a secluded alleyway.
"This way. It's a shortcut."
"Mm..."
Rest frowned slightly but followed without a word. The moment they entered the alley, the presences behind them immediately closed the distance.
"Viola, Primula, stay in front of me."
"Eh? What's wrong?"
"Rest-sama?"
Rest signaled for the sisters to keep moving and turned around, shielding them with his body. A trio of men entered the alley right after them. They were rough-looking ruffians, the kind who clearly lived to cause trouble.
"Freeze."
They were clearly up to no good, so Rest didn't hesitate to cast his spell.
"Whoa!?"
"What the—!?"
Ice instantly encased the men's legs, pinning them to the ground from the knees down. He hadn't frozen them completely solid; once he deactivated the magic, their legs would remain intact.
"A mage!? What the hell do you think you're doing!?"
"You were following us. Did you have business with us?"
"That's..."
The men faltered.
Suddenly, another pair—a man and a woman—appeared from a different direction and stood behind the hoodlums.
"Apologies. We are late."
"You're..."
Viola blinked in surprise.
These newcomers were the other group Rest had detected trailing them. They were retainers of the Marquis Rosemary House, acting as the sisters' covert guards.
"No, I was just being a bit hasty. Since you were here, I suppose I didn't need to do anything."
Rest had known about them through his magic, but since he recognized them as part of the Marquis's household, he had left them alone. Even if Rest hadn't acted, these guards would have likely handled the situation the moment the ruffians tried anything.
"W-Who are you people!? Where did you all come from...?"
"Silence. Why were you tailing the young ladies?"
"Y-Young ladies...?"
As the guards began their interrogation, the thugs exchanged nervous glances. It seemed they had no idea their targets were the daughters of a high-ranking Marquis.
"We didn't know anything! We just saw some pretty girls and were waiting for the right moment to talk to them..."
"You were planning to hit on women accompanied by a man?"
"T-That..."
The men stammered.
In all likelihood, they had planned to knock Rest out and kidnap the sisters. They weren't just flirts; they were kidnappers.
"Can I leave these men to you?" Rest asked.
"Yes, leave it to us," the guards replied with a nod.
"We will hand them over to the Military Police. Young ladies, please continue to the shop ahead."
"Very well. Thank you," Viola replied with casual grace, pointing further down the path. "Let's go. The shop we're looking for is just there."
"Right."
Rest and the Rosemary sisters stepped out of the alley toward their destination. As they left, he could still feel the men's lingering gazes.
The thugs had looked away in frustration once they saw Rest, but had the sisters been alone, the men certainly would have made their move. Apparently, just walking down the street was a hazardous activity for beautiful girls. Sisters as stunning as Viola and Primula acted like beacons for trouble.
(All this just from a little shopping trip... I can't let them walk around outside on their own,) Rest thought with a wry smile, keeping his eyes peeled to ensure no further danger approached.