At House Rosemary's townhouse in the royal capital, Rest was being interrogated by two beautiful young ladies.
"How should I put this... Lady Celestine really is something else. When the moment calls for it, her resolve is on a completely different level..."
"They haven't even finalized the engagement yet and she went and bathed with him... How terrifying."
Being pressed by Viola and Primula, Rest had spilled every last detail of what had happened in the fishing village.
Well, perhaps not every last detail — but the vast majority of it concerned bathing together with Celestine, and how she had subtly hinted at an engagement between them.
When the Rosemary sisters had finished hearing his account, they both pursed their lips and wore sulky expressions.
"Um... A-Are you angry?"
"We're not angry."
"No, we're not."
They didn't seem to be angry.
They were clearly in bad moods, though.
"We're not angry, but... I do feel like all the distance she gained over us was suddenly closed in one go."
"Lady Celestine was engaged to that Prince Rodele and endured it for ages. Her mental fortitude truly is something else."
"Ah... I heard you two had already accepted that I'd be getting engaged to Celestine, so..."
"Yes, that's right."
"We did give our consent."
At Rest's words, the sisters nodded in unison.
He had heard in the hot springs that they had already given their permission... and it seemed that was indeed the case.
"I may have mentioned this before, but Mother keeps trying to push a whole bevy of mistresses onto Rest. So we figured it would be better to bring in Celestine, who is our friend, as well."
"If my sister and I — along with Lady Celestine — hold down the fort, then the mistresses who come after won't be able to steal a march on us. It should also contribute to the prosperity of House Rosemary and House Clover."
"I see..."
Rest made a somewhat conflicted face.
Even though he was engaged to two women, Rest still hadn't shed his commoner sensibilities.
He simply hadn't become enough of a noble to accept polygamy and mistresses as a matter of course, the way the two of them did.
"Besides... Celestine is our friend. I don't want to just stand by and watch her end up unhappy."
Viola let out a sigh, her expression tinged with sadness.
"House Crocus is connected to the royal family. There's no way a lower noble could marry her. Most men of comparable rank and age are already married or engaged... and if Rest were to refuse, she'd remain single for life or be married off to someone rather undesirable."
For instance... a man far too old for her.
Or someone powerful in the Gaiselle Empire, their allied nation.
The former was out of the question, and the latter could become a sacrificial pawn depending on how international relations shifted in the future.
Nobody who was close to Celestine — who had already suffered through an engagement with that fool of a prince — was going to allow her to be saddled with yet another terrible match. That was the unanimous sentiment among those who cared about her.
"Prince Andrew, the Second Prince, seems reluctant for some reason, and the Crown Princess is famously jealous. So when you add it all up... Rest really does seem like the best option."
"I share my sister's opinion. I want Lady Celestine to find happiness."
"I see..."
In other words, the outer moat had already been filled in.
All that remained was the inner moat — the matter of Rest's own heart.
(It's not that I don't want to... I mean, Lady Celestine is beautiful and her personality is wonderful. That's exactly why I wonder if someone like me is enough for her...)
"...I'll do my best to handle it."
Rest nodded, even as he agonized over it.
He wanted Celestine to be happy — and Rest felt exactly the same way.
Throughout this trip, he had been shown time and again just how capable she was, and how she could fill in the gaps where he fell short.
"Two marquis's daughters and one duke's daughter... I'm going to have to make one heck of a rise, aren't I?"
Not just a count — he'd need to reach an even higher rank to be worthy of these jewel-like young ladies.
Rest was struck anew by just how dramatically his position was shifting.
"If only the three of them would be enough..."
"That would be nice..."
Viola and Primula exchanged glances and smiled wryly at Rest.
"I have a feeling it might go up by one more."
"Yes... and soon, at that."
"Hm? What do you mean?"
Rest tilted his head in confusion — but in the very next instant, the door to the room burst open with a bang.
"Hey, everyone! I'm back!"
Bounding in was a familiar girl — a classmate and friend, Yuri Cattleya.
"L-Lady Cattleya. This is rather improper...!"
"In that state of yours... oh no, the floor!"
Trailing behind her, House Rosemary's servants came rushing in with panicked expressions.
Rest's confusion lasted only a moment before he was made to understand the reason.
"W-What happened, Yuri?! You're covered in blood!"
"Lady Yuri!? Are you hurt!?"
The clothes of Yuri, who had burst into the room, were drenched in blood.
From the looks of it, she didn't appear to have any serious injuries — but even so, she looked like someone who had just walked out of a gruesome murder scene.
"Well, I got into a little fight with my father. Oh, don't worry about it. I won, fair and square."
"Her father... Don't tell me — the Marquis of Cattleya!?"
Iljas Cattleya — the Marquis of Cattleya, knight commander, and the kingdom's greatest warrior.
Could it be... that she had fought that extraordinary martial artist and come out on top?
"So anyway... Rest!"
"Y-Yes?"
"Marry me!"
"...I'm sorry, what?"
A sudden confession.
Rest was floored by the unexpected words, letting out a stunned, hollow voice.
"Exciting, exciting...!"
Yuri leaned in close with eyes sparkling like stars, waiting breathlessly for an answer.
Looking for all the world like a child eagerly awaiting Christmas, she left not only Rest but also Viola and Primula completely at a loss for words.