They moved from the garden to the training grounds within the Marquis's estate.
In a circular open area, Rest and the butler stood facing each other, while the Marquis and his two daughters watched the battle from a short distance away.
On one side stood Rest, the young boy who had saved the lives of Viola and Primula—the Rosemary sisters—and who was now beginning to stir faint feelings of affection in them.
On the other side was the butler who worked for the Marquis of Rosemary. The man named Diebel was a master of magic and also an excellent warrior. Among the forces the Marquis family possessed, he was one of the best.
The two were about to face off in combat, but no matter how you looked at it, the butler was certain to win. Rest, despite his strength, was just a fifteen-year-old boy with inferior experience and skill.
"Father! What is the meaning of this!?"
"This is terrible, Father...!"
Viola and Primula demanded an explanation from their father, clearly outraged that he had imposed such an unreasonable challenge on the boy who had saved their lives.
"Why are you being so mean to Rest!? Depending on your answer, I won't forgive you!"
"I won't forgive you either... even if you are our father...!"
"C-Calm down, both of you! I will explain properly!"
Pressed by his beloved daughters, Albert Rosemary—the head of the Marquis family and the chief of the Royal Court Magicians—was flustered. Albert, who considered himself a father trusted by his daughters, had never before experienced such anger directed at him from them.
"L-Look, this is necessary! As the head of the Marquis family, I must assess his abilities!"
Albert desperately tried to justify himself to his daughters, who were now angrier than he had ever seen them.
Albert wasn't making them spar out of malice. This was genuinely necessary. The Royal Academy was an institution created to train people involved in state administration, such as royalty, nobles, knights, and bureaucrats. When the academy was first established, commoners were not allowed to enroll. However, the doors were later opened, allowing commoners to enter if they had a recommendation from someone influential.
When someone receives a noble's recommendation, they are regarded as a person of that noble's "house" by those around them. Albert, too, had once given a recommendation to a retainer of his own age, allowing him to enter the academy as his attendant.
"This isn't about sentiment. If he is to receive our family's recommendation, he must show that he possesses the appropriate strength."
Indeed... this was not about mixing personal feelings with official duties. It was certainly not because he was jealous as a father seeing his daughters take such a liking to Rest. Nor was he demanding a mock battle out of spite.
"But...!"
"Still...!"
"I never said that I wouldn't write the recommendation letter if he doesn't win, did I!? I just want assurance that he will surely get into the academy! If someone recommended by the Marquis of Rosemary were to fail the exam, it would tarnish our family's reputation!"
Albert sternly retorted to his disgruntled daughters.
"That butler is one of the best in our household's service. He's a former court magician who retired to serve us. Even if the boy can use magic, there's no way he can win against him."
He wasn't saying that Rest had to win. If he could put up a decent fight, Albert would gladly recommend him.
"If he has the power to repel a White Fenrir, there should be no worries. He should surely show a..."
Mid-sentence, there was a loud thud. Albert and the Rosemary sisters turned their gazes to see their trusted butler rolling on the ground.
"Urgh... Oof..."
"May I take this as my victory?"
"Not... yet... I cannot show such disgrace before my master."
"In that case, shall we continue?"
"Yes, let us proceed...!"
The butler lunged with renewed vigor, and Rest met his attack head-on. The Rosemary family stood in stunned silence, watching the intensifying battle unfold.
"Impossible... Diebel is struggling? Who is that boy!?"
"He's so strong...!"
"Rest is amazing...!"
The Rosemary family watched in astonishment as the fierce battle between the two continued.