"Ugh..."
Rest fell forward, collapsing after taking the butler's blow.
It had been an attack of such speed that the eye could barely register it—almost like teleportation. The butler of the Rosemary Marquis household, Deeble, had used his ace magic: High Accelerator to deliver a lightning-fast strike.
"Rest!"
"Rest-san!"
Seeing Rest fall, the Rosemary sisters cried out in anguish.
They rushed over to him immediately and began checking his body. While he had some bruises, there didn't appear to be any serious injuries.
"Hey, Deeble! That was too much, don't you think?"
"That's right! You didn't need to go that far!"
The sisters glared daggers at the butler.
Facing their intense anger, the butler didn't make any excuses. Instead, he bowed deeply, his back bent at a right angle.
"...I deeply apologize, my ladies."
"Calm yourselves, daughters. What just happened was part of a mock battle. Don't blame Deeble."
"Father!"
"More importantly... attend to his injuries."
"...!"
The sisters, still flustered, quickly started healing Rest.
As Deeble straightened up, he gave a respectful nod to his master, Albert, who had defended him.
"Think nothing of it. More importantly... what do you think of him?"
"...I believe my opinion aligns with yours, Master," Deeble answered respectfully to Albert's question.
"That boy... Rest-sama possesses the strength befitting the support of the Rosemary Marquis household. I can guarantee that."
"I see... I thought so too."
Albert had been thinking the same thing. Rest was a remarkably skilled mage for his age. Although he might still lack experience and knowledge, in time, he would likely surpass even Albert, who was currently the top court magician.
"That boy will become a great mage whose name will be etched in history... It might be worth considering him as a suitor for one of the daughters of our house."
"..."
The butler whispered softly so that the sisters wouldn't hear.
This was something Albert had also considered. The Rosemary Marquis household had two daughters but no sons. Eventually, one of the sisters would have to marry to continue the family line.
As someone who deeply loved his daughters, Albert wished for them to choose their partners freely, without being bound by family status. Ideally, he hoped they would marry someone with exceptional talent as a mage, which is why he encouraged them to interact with boys like Cedric and others of their generation.
(That boy, Rest, would be perfect. However...)
Rest was strong. He was still rough around the edges, but with more experience and learning, he would surely flourish as a mage. He was someone who should unquestionably be brought into the marquis household. However, despite these thoughts, Albert found himself feeling somewhat unsettled.
"It's okay, Rest. We'll heal you right away!"
"We're here for you, Rest-san. You'll be fine...!"
Viola and Primula, Albert's beloved daughters, were closely attending to the fallen Rest, tending to him with utmost care. It was clear that both of them had developed feelings for Rest, not just one but both.
(Making him a son-in-law wouldn't be so bad... But could it be that he might take both daughters?)
Viola and Primula were close as sisters, yet their personalities were opposites. However, at their core, they were very much like Albert's wife—the Marquise of Rosemary. In other words, they had a stubbornness that wouldn't allow them to give up on something important. No matter if it was the older or younger sister, neither would yield once they had set their sights on a man.
(Rest, I acknowledge your talent. I'm grateful for what you did to protect my daughters, and I'll write a letter of recommendation for you to take the academy entrance exam. But...!)
"...I never said I'd give you both of my daughters!"
Seeing his two daughters clinging to Rest as if he were their beloved, Albert, the Marquis of Rosemary, cried out, tears of blood streaming down his face.