(What an extraordinary sense and pair of 'eyes' this man possesses... He's practically a mass of pure talent...!)
As he taught Rest magic, Diebl — the butler serving House Rosemary — was inwardly astounded.
Diebl's gaze was fixed on Rest, who was testing the very magic he had just been taught.
(Ever since that mock battle in front of the Master, I knew this was a young man with real potential. I understood he had a promising future. But... I never expected it to be to this extent.)
"Um... This is correct, right? Did I do it properly?"
"...Yes, there's no problem at all. You cast it correctly."
"Thank you! I'm going to try it one more time, so please watch!"
It had only been one hour since Diebl began Rest's combat training.
First, he had delivered a lecture on the fundamentals of how magicians fight, giving him a stern pep talk, and then it was decided he would teach Rest the magic useful for fighting against humans.
Honestly, he hadn't expected things to go this smoothly.
No matter how talented a magician might be, acquiring a new spell normally took about a week.
For advanced magic, it was not uncommon for the process to take anywhere from several months to years.
Therefore, magicians tended to select magic aligned with their preferred element and devote themselves to mastering it.
(But... how can this man master magic after seeing it only once...!?)
"There... that should do it."
Rest cast the magic he had just learned.
The [Concealment] spell caused Rest's figure to vanish entirely.
It was a spell favored by spies and assassins. Most court magicians avoided learning it, dismissing it as "thieves' magic" — but since it was extremely useful in combat against people, Diebl had taught it to him anyway.
Beyond this spell, Rest had already acquired [Acceleration], [Smoke Screen], [Darkness], and [Amplification].
He had memorized every spell after seeing it only once, and Diebl could barely keep his expression from twitching.
(I must not let this man get away... I have to bring him into House Rosemary no matter what...!)
Diebl had supported the idea of Rest becoming Viola and Primula's husband ever since their mock battle.
He had thought the young man was talented, and he wanted the granddaughter he doted on like his own to be united with a man she loved.
But... having witnessed Rest's true ability firsthand, his thinking had changed.
Rest was not merely "someone worth welcoming into House Rosemary." He was "someone they absolutely had to recruit, no matter what the cost."
"Master Diebl, what should I do next?"
"Ahh... let me see..."
Diebl fell into thought.
With such an aptitude for learning, the spells he could teach would run out in no time.
That was fine in itself, but there was something else on his mind.
(Come to think of it... I've been having him cast spell after spell, yet his mana doesn't seem to have decreased at all. Let me have him measured first to see how much mana he actually carries.)
"Please cast the [Body Reinforcement] spell. As strong as you can manage."
"Like this?"
Rest activated [Body Reinforcement] exactly as instructed.
Anyone with a trained eye could see it — a membrane-like layer of mana coated his entire body.
"In personal combat, [Body Reinforcement] is both the foundation and the ultimate technique. Please maintain this state for as long as possible without letting the magic dispel."
"So I must not break my concentration? Understood, sir!"
Rest kept [Body Reinforcement] active and held a fighting stance with his fists raised.
(What a clean, even enhancement spell. A novice magician can barely maintain [Body Reinforcement] for five minutes. Even among court magicians, few can hold it for more than thirty... Now then, let's see how far his mana and concentration will carry him.)
Diebl continued to observe Rest as he maintained his magic.
In the end, Rest dispelled [Body Reinforcement] after roughly one hour.
It was not because he had run out of mana, but because he had lost his concentration.
There was not the slightest sign that Rest's mana reserves had diminished. Rather than being merely impressed, Diebl found himself shaken to the core.