"Welcome home, Rest!"
"Welcome back, Master Rest!"
"Oof!"
As the conflict drew to a close and Rest returned to the Royal Capital, he was greeted by the overwhelming embrace of the Rosemary sisters.
The civil war had ended with unexpected speed; he was back home a mere three days after marching out. Despite the short separation, it seemed the two had been deeply worried. The force of them both clinging to him at once sent Rest tumbling to the floor right at the entrance, making for a rather ungraceful homecoming.
"Rest, are you hurt? Does anything at all feel painful?"
"Master Rest, Master Rest, Master Rest...!"
Viola and Primula cried out as they clung to him. Faced with a more passionate welcome than he had anticipated, Rest did his best to soothe them, even as the muscles in his face twitched from the intensity.
"Ah, er... I'm home. I'm sorry for making you both worry so much. As you can see, I'm safe and uninjured, so please, rest easy."
"Thank goodness..." they whispered in unison.
"Yeah... I'm happy to see you two as well. Truly, from the bottom of my heart."
Relief spread through Rest’s chest, accompanied by the warmth of the two girls. He had steeled his heart and gone to the battlefield intending to be ruthless, yet he hadn't been able to fully discard his emotions and become entirely cold-hearted. He felt it acutely now; his heart, which he couldn't completely cast away, was being filled, and his nerves, frayed by the realities of war, were being healed.
(I'm really glad I came home... Having people who say 'Welcome back' to you is a greater happiness than I ever realized.)
He had not been blessed with a family in his previous life, but he had found one in this world. A family whose hearts were connected. A true bond where he could feel that he was loved and that he loved in return. The presence of an irreplaceable family was undoubtedly far more valuable than titles or territories.
"Viola, Primula..."
"Rest..."
"Master Rest..."
Rest and the sisters gazed into each other's eyes, their faces slowly drawing closer. They were just about to share a cramped, three-way kiss when a dry "Ahem" cut through the air.
"Er... Rest-kun. If you have returned, isn't there something you should report to me, the head of this house, first?"
"Ah..."
Rest and the sisters froze simultaneously. The one who had dampened the moment with a bitter expression was Albert Rosemary, the Head of the House of Marquis Rosemary.
Furthermore, since they were in the main entrance hall of the Rosemary estate, they were not alone. Dieble and the mages of the house who had fought alongside Rest and returned in triumph were present, alongside the maids and the butler who had lined up to welcome them. They all wore uniformly awkward expressions, and a few of the younger maids were blushing bright red.
"...Come to my office. Give me the details of the rebellion."
"...Understood."
He had made a total fool of himself in front of his father-in-law. Rest detached himself from the sisters and followed Albert with his head bowed low.
"E-Er... you must be hungry."
"W-We will have a meal prepared for you!"
Viola and Primula spoke up awkwardly before scurrying away toward the kitchen.
When Rest entered the office with Albert, he found the Marchioness, Eilische Rosemary, already waiting there.
"You have returned, my son, though not by blood."
"...It has been a while, Madam."
"Call me Mother."
"...Gibo-ue."
Since she had abruptly challenged him to a duel during their first meeting, Rest was still somewhat uncomfortable around Eilische. It wasn't that he disliked her; she simply lacked a "healing" presence, making him feel constantly on edge.
(She is the polar opposite of a soothing personality... that's for sure.)
"I have already received a brief report, but I want to hear the full turn of events on the battlefield. Leave nothing out; I want every detail."
Taking his seat at the desk, Albert prompted Rest to sit on the sofa. Rest took a deep breath and began to recount the circumstances of the rebellion.
"The battle began with my opening spell. Following the orders of His Highness the Crown Prince, I fired the same magic used to defeat the magical beast Subnock into the enemy lines."
The Rosemary couple listened to Rest's report in silence. Once the story reached its conclusion, they both let out heavy, synchronized sighs.
"How should I put it... Your performance was even greater than the rumors suggested."
"As expected of our son-in-law! You fought in a way that wouldn't shame the Rosemary name. I am satisfied," Eilische said, laughing proudly.
Faced with such contrasting reactions—Albert looked as though he were fighting off a migraine—Rest scratched his cheek awkwardly.
"Er... was it perhaps a bad thing?"
"No... for the Kingdom, it is not a problem. In fact, you produced results far exceeding our expectations," Albert explained with another sigh. "However, I do not know if this is a fortunate outcome for you personally. It seems you have drawn more attention than is strictly necessary."
The center of the Kingdom—the King, the Crown Prince, and Marquis Catreia—had intended to hold Rest up as a Hero to divert the public's eyes from the Royal Family's failures. That was why they had entrusted him with the First Spear. However, it seemed he had achieved far too much merit.
"Wiping out seven thousand enemy soldiers with the First Strike... well, that can be managed. Thanks to that, the battle turned in our favor and was settled in half a day. But taking down Prince Rodel in a duel was excessive. You stood out too much."
Officially, the fact that Rodel had sided with the rebels was being kept a secret. While rumors would inevitably spread, the official announcements from the Royal Family would name Marquis Eiger as the sole mastermind, omitted Rodel entirely.
However, when people witness something legendary, they cannot help but tell others. The duel between Rest and Rodel was exactly that. As the crowning achievement of the campaign, it was destined to be passed down as a heroic epic.
"By standing out so much, the name of the man you defeated—Third Prince Rodel—will also spread. It is no longer possible to hide his complicity. While it is his own fault and not something you should be blamed for, his name will forever be remembered as a traitor."
"Ah... did I do something unnecessary? Will the Royal Family be angry with me?"
"No. Had you not fought, His Highness the Crown Prince might have been in grave danger. No one can blame you for that. Rather, there will likely be far too many people trying to curry favor with you now."
Despite saying Rest wasn't at fault, Albert’s gaze remained paradoxically reproachful.
"It has already been decided that you will be promoted to Count for your merits in this war, but even that might not be considered enough of a reward. While granting you a rank higher than Marquis is practically impossible, you will instead be given a massive reward and significant territories on the plains."
"I see. It sounds like the land development will take a lot of work."
"Well, that’s one thing. But more importantly..."
Albert’s face soured further. As Rest tilted his head, wondering what was troubling his father-in-law so much, Eilische spoke up in his stead.
"In short, it is highly likely that a swarm of brides will be sent your way. That is what he means."
"Eh... brides?"
"An increase in territory brings those complications. Since mana is hereditary, there will be women seeking nothing more than your seed, to say nothing of the families vying to have their daughters installed as official wives or concubines."
Rest sat in stunned silence at her blunt explanation. He had demonstrated too much power. Now, the eyes of the entire nobility were fixed on him. Seeking money, land, or a powerful blood connection, countless women would soon be pushed toward him.
Albert was clearly agonizing over the fact that his future son-in-law was about to be pressured into taking many wives, even if it was politically unavoidable.
"E-Er... Viola and Primula are more than enough for me..."
"Political marriage is a duty of the nobility. If the Royal Family acts as the intermediary, you cannot refuse," Albert said sternly.
"That is..."
"Regardless, I will not forgive you if you make my daughters unhappy. I absolutely will not stand for it."
Rest slumped his shoulders, lost for words. He had always wanted a large family, but he had never asked for a swarm of wives. He remained in a daze, overwhelmed by the weight of his own success.