A few days later.
Rest visited the royal palace, invitation in hand.
It wasn't that he had been eagerly awaiting this day... but the day had finally come for him to be granted a peerage, in recognition of his feat of subjugating the magic beast Sabnock.
Riding in the carriage of his guardian, House Rosemary, Rest arrived at the royal palace.
Rest was not one for dressing up... but today being a special occasion, he was dressed in the refined, elegant attire befitting a noble.
The Rosemary sisters walking beside him were no different. Both wore formal dresses, looking absolutely radiant.
"Come! This day has finally arrived!"
"Your accomplishments, Lord Rest, are being recognized by everyone... I'm so happy!"
For some reason... Viola and Primula seemed to be looking forward to this day even more than Rest himself.
"Shall we go? I'll be taking your arm."
"May I have the honor of your escort?"
"Of course... here you are, my ladies."
Rest escorted Viola and Primula, one on each arm, and made his way into the royal palace.
Guided by a butler, he walked along a corridor lined with white marble walls and pillars... and arrived before the door to the room.
The place where the investiture ceremony would be held. The audience chamber where he would meet His Majesty the King.
"Guh..."
Before the doors of the audience chamber.
One of the people already there had a strained look on their face.
"Don't go 'Guh' the moment you see someone. What a rude way to greet someone you've just met."
"Shut up... Having women flanking you on both sides, and somehow I'm not supposed to get goosebumps?"
The one grimacing while rubbing both his arms was the 'woman-hating Sword Saint'... Wilhelm Lubeth.
While Rest was dressed in noble-style formal attire, Lubeth wore clothes of a somewhat rugged design. He was in ceremonial knight's uniform.
Unlike Rest, he hadn't escorted a partner — he had come alone.
"It's not even a party, and you're escorting a woman in a dress... Aren't you embarrassed? Unbelievable."
"If it were a party, could you escort a woman, Lubeth? You, with your phobia of women?"
"Like hell I could! And for the record, I'm not 'afraid' of women — I hate them!"
Lubeth snapped back viciously.
From beside Rest, Viola quietly leaned in and whispered in his ear.
"Rest... could this person be..."
"Yeah. Lubeth, first year in the Knight Department."
"...Not what I expected. I heard he was an incredible swordsman."
Indeed, there was not a trace of fearsome swordsmanship to be found in the current Lubeth.
Whenever he was in a space with women, he became instantly weak.
"Oh, Rest. Looks like you've arrived."
"Ugh..."
Likewise, a woman who had been standing before the audience hall called out.
In a flustered manner, Lubeth withdrew.
Taking his place, a beautiful woman dressed in men's knight attire stepped forward.
Eyes that radiated a strong light, a noble countenance with a straight nose. Had it not been for the curve of her chest, one would have judged her not a woman but a handsome man.
"Hello, Senior Carbelt."
Isis Carbelt.
A third-year in the Knight Department and the leader of the student council enforcement.
With her sharp features and commanding presence, she was the type more popular with women than men, and she even had a fan club within the academy.
"So you were also invited to the royal palace, Senior Carbelt."
"Yeah. I'm being ennobled as a 'baron' too. Apparently, it's officially credited as the third-greatest merit in the subjugation of Sabnock."
Isis curled her lips upward and smiled wryly.
"As the leader of the student council enforcement, I took the initiative in leading the students' rescue efforts, and that was apparently recognized... But it rings hollow being told it counts as subjugation merit when I never even encountered the magic beast Sabnock."
The merits of the Sabnock subjugation. First was Rest, second was Lubeth. Third, it seemed, was Isis.
This time, three students from the Royal Academy were to be ennobled.
"We were involved in the frontier development of the Sabnock Plains, and apparently we'll be granted domain for that as well... But before that, there's apparently a big event coming up."
"Hmph... It's probably about crushing some stupid pests. It's deplorable that such noble personages have to be there."
Lubeth clicked his tongue in irritation as well.
It seemed both of them had been informed about Marquis Eiger's rebellion.
"You two will also be participating in the subjugation of the traitor, I assume?"
"Of course. I am, after all, a member of House Rosemary."
"As knights, how could we leave a traitor who betrayed the royal family unpunished?"
"Is that so... It's a great relief having you two, Rest and Wilhelm. By the way... um..."
Isis suddenly let her gaze wander and trailed off.
Just moments before, she had been speaking with a composed expression, so this change in demeanor was peculiar.
"You two... well, are you any good at sniping monsters or anything like that?"
"Sniping...?"
"Yeah, with magic, you know... like, shooting from a distance where you can't even see them..."
"............?"
Why was she suddenly asking about something like that?
Could it possibly be related to the subjugation of Marquis Eiger?
"I can only use a sword. I've never done anything like sniping."
"It's actually a bit of a specialty of mine. Why do you ask?"
"I-Is that so... No, if that's the case, then that's fine. Yeah."
"............?"
Isis abruptly cut the conversation short and turned away.
"Senpai Carbelt...?"
"W-Well! We have an audience with His Majesty the King coming up! Both of you, try not to stiffen up from nerves!"
"...Ah, that's right."
Isis's behavior was strange, but... the audience and investiture ceremony were about to begin. They couldn't afford to be distracted.
"Hmm..."
Beside Rest, who straightened his back and composed his posture, the Rosemary sisters narrowed their eyes with guarded expressions.