Leaving the garden behind, they headed to the training grounds located within the marquis's estate.
In a wide, open circular clearing, Rest and the butler stood facing each other, while the parent and three children watched the fight from a short distance away.
One of those facing off was Rest.
The boy who had saved Viola and Primula's lives — the Rosemary sisters — and to whom they were beginning to direct their budding feelings of love.
The other was a butler in the employ of House Rosemary.
The man named Diebl was a master of magic and, at the same time, an outstanding warrior.
He was one of the finest among the fighting forces the marquis's house possessed.
The two of them were about to cross blows, but... no matter how you looked at it, the butler was sure to win.
Rest might be strong, but he was still a fifteen-year-old boy — inferior to Diebl in both real combat experience and overall ability.
"Father! What is the meaning of this!?"
"This is terrible, Father...!"
Viola and Primula cornered their father with their questions.
They were visibly furious that he had imposed such an unreasonable burden on the boy who had saved their lives.
"Why are you being so cruel to Rest!? Depending on your answer, I won't forgive you!"
"I won't forgive you... even if you are Father...!"
"Wh-why don't you calm down, both of you! I'll explain the reason properly!"
Pressured by his beloved daughters, Albert Rosemary — the head of House Rosemary, who was supposed to serve as chief court mage — faltered.
For Albert, a father who believed (at least in his own mind) that his daughters trusted him, having them direct such intense anger at him was an entirely new experience.
"Now, listen. This is a necessary measure! As the head of the marquis's house, I simply must assess his true strength!"
Albert frantically tried to justify himself to his daughters, whose faces had taken on an unprecedented look of fury.
It wasn't as though Albert was making the boy fight a mock battle out of pure malice.
This was truly a necessary measure.
After all, the Royal Academy was an institution designed to train personnel who would be involved in governing the nation — royalty, nobles, knights, bureaucrats, and the like.
When the academy was first founded, commoners had been unable to enroll, but later its gates were widened, and those with a recommendation from an influential figure were allowed to enter as well.
When one received a recommendation from a noble, those around them would consider that person to belong to the recommending noble's "house."
In fact, Albert himself, during his student days, had given a recommendation to a retainer of the same age and enrolled him as an attendant.
"This isn't a matter of sentiment. If he is to receive our house's recommendation, then I must see that he possesses strength befitting it."
Yes... he was absolutely not letting personal feelings cloud his judgment.
He was absolutely not jealous as a father simply because both his daughters had taken such a liking to Rest.
He was not demanding a mock battle out of spite.
"But...!"
"But sir...!"
"I never said I wouldn't write the recommendation letter if he didn't win, did I!? All I want is assurance that he can definitely enroll in the academy! If someone recommended by House Rosemary were to fail the entrance exam, our family's prestige would be damaged!"
Albert pressed his point in a firm tone to his clearly dissatisfied daughters.
"In the first place, that butler is one of the finest fighters among our household's retainers. He is a former court magician who retired to serve our family. No matter how much magic the boy can use, there's no way he could defeat an adult."
He wasn't telling Rest to go out and lose.
If the boy could put up even a decent fight, Albert would be more than happy to recommend him for enrollment.
"If he truly has the strength to repel a White Fenrir, then there's nothing to worry about. I'm sure the result will be appropriate to—"
Mid-sentence, a thunderous boom rang out.
Albert was startled, and when the Rosemary sisters turned their gaze toward the scene... the butler they trusted was rolling across the ground.
"Gu... ugh..."
"Would it be alright if I call this my win?"
"Not... yet... I can't show such an unsightly display in front of my master."
"Then shall we continue?"
"Yes, here I come...!"
The butler lunged forward with fierce momentum, and Rest moved to meet the charge head-on.
The Rosemary parent and child stared in dumbfounded awe as the battle between the two intensified.
"Impossible... Diebl is struggling? Who on earth is that boy!?"
"As expected, he's strong...!"
"Lord Rest is amazing...!"
The Rosemary parent and child stood in stunned silence, captivated by the fierce battle unfolding before them.