Rest had been fed cake like a baby bird and enjoyed the tea party, but... just as the small gathering was about to come to an end, a man appeared.
"Well now, you must be young Rest?"
The one who appeared was a middle-aged man wearing a monocle.
He was well-dressed, clad in a suit that looked expensive without being gaudy.
An air of elegance radiated from his entire being, making it clear at a glance that he was a gentleman of high standing.
"Father..."
Viola called him her father.
It seemed this person was the master of the estate — Marquis Rosemary.
"Ah, pardon the intrusion. My name is Rest...!"
Rest hurriedly rose from his chair and bowed deeply in greeting.
"My, my, how proper of you to greet me so well. You're nothing like your elder brother."
"My brother... you mean Cedric?"
"Yes. I've spoken with him before — he was introduced to me through the honorary viscount of House Eberun. He was a rude child who couldn't even bow to his elders. Since he's just a boy and had been scolded by his father, I had hoped he might have improved at least somewhat."
"...My brother was rude."
"No, there's no need for you to apologize. I've already heard from my daughters about what happened in the forest the other day."
Marquis Rosemary took a seat in the empty chair.
A maid immediately brewed tea for the master and placed it on the table.
Rest was urged by Marquis Rosemary to sit back down in his chair.
"He asked if he could arrange a meeting with my daughter since they'd be taking the entrance exam for the same academy next year, and I reluctantly made time for them to meet, but... I never imagined he'd drag her into the forest without any escort. The man is an excellent magician, but he goes soft in the head whenever it comes to his son. Thanks to that, I very nearly lost my precious daughter."
"........."
"Ah, don't look so apologetic. You're the one who saved my daughters, aren't you? As a father, I want to thank you. Truly."
Marquis Rosemary lowered his head in a bow.
Rest hastily waved both hands.
"Please raise your head! That was all caused by someone in my family—I didn't do anything worthy of your gratitude, my lord!"
That whole ordeal had been entirely Cedric's fault.
Being thanked by the marquis only made him feel more guilty.
"No, no, that fool—rather, the daughter who followed after Cedric is also partly to blame. Please accept this as a token of thanks. I'd like you to have it."
Marquis Rosemary raised his head and placed a pouch woven from fine fabric on the table.
With permission, Rest opened it to check the contents and found ten large gold coins inside.
(Large gold coins... It's my first time seeing one...)
Rest swallowed hard without meaning to.
He knew they existed, but they were a currency that commoners almost never had the chance to lay eyes on.
A single large gold coin was worth a million yen.
In other words, this pouch held a staggering ten million yen.
"...I can't accept this. This is far too much."
Rest held back the hand that had almost reached out of its own accord and pushed the pouch of gold away.
"I only cleaned up the mess my foolish brother made. I didn't do it for a reward. I'm not worthy of accepting this."
Honestly, I want the money.
When I thought about becoming an adult next year and living independently, no amount of money would ever be enough.
Even so, ten large gold coins was still a lot.
This world didn't have anything like a bank. I couldn't very well walk around carrying that much wealth, and leaving it in the stable made me uneasy too.
When I thought about it being stolen, or worse, taken by my father, I couldn't very well accept it in good conscience.
"Hmm... You're not greedy, are you? But I really must insist that you accept this."
Marquis Rosemary kept his gentle expression but let his gaze sharpen just slightly.
"If word got out that I failed to repay anything to my daughter's benefactor, it would tarnish the name of House Rosemary. If you don't need money, is there something else I can do for you? I'd appreciate it if you'd speak freely — think of it as me saving face."
"When you put it that way... hmm."
Once he brought up honor, I couldn't just shake my head and refuse.
I wracked my brain for a reasonable request... and there happened to be something I'd been wanting all along.
"Ah..."
"Oh? Is there something?"
"Well... in that case, there is one thing I'd like to ask of you..."
Rest paused for a beat before voicing what he had wanted for so long.
"Would you be willing to write me a letter of recommendation to the Royal Academy of Magic? I'm hoping to take the entrance exam next year. Under the commoner quota."
"Hmm? Of course, I have no objection to writing a letter of recommendation... but the commoner quota?"
"Yes. My father despises me and refuses to acknowledge me as a member of House Eberun."
If he had his father's backing, he could sit the exam as a noble. But since that wasn't possible, his only option was to obtain a recommendation from someone with social standing and take the exam under the commoner quota.
"Ah... Forgive me, but I did have your background looked into. You're the illegitimate child born to a maid, correct?"
"............Yes."
"In that case, I can understand why your father refuses to recognize you as his son."
"Father! That way of speaking..."
"He has no fault whatsoever! Rest-sama bears no responsibility!"
The sisters who had been listening from the side interjected.
"Oh, no, no. I didn't intend to insult him. I was just thinking he might be the type to take such an accusation seriously."
Accused by the daughters on either side, the Marquis of Rosemary quickly tried to smooth things over.
"The Honorary Viscount of Eberun is a new noble. A noble with a title but no territory to his name. Those who rise from nothing, like him, tend to be excessively concerned with the authority of nobility. Even though your own family is practically commoners, you cling fiercely to your noble status. Mocking illegitimate children, or desperately trying to ingratiate yourselves with the blood of great houses..."
The Marquis of Rosemary turned back to Rest and bowed his head once more.
"I had no intention of insulting you or your mother. Please forgive my poor choice of words."
"No, it's quite alright. It is a fact that I am a maid's child."
"Is that so? Well then, about that letter of recommendation..."
"Please write it for him!"
"...Since my daughters are saying this as well, I suppose I will write it."
Although the Marquis of Rosemary wore a complicated expression, he ultimately agreed to write the letter of recommendation.
"Thank you... You've been a great help!"
With this, the condition for entering the academy was fulfilled.
Of course, he still had to pass the entrance exam, but Rest's ability with magic far surpassed Cedric's.
If it was an exam that Cedric could pass, Rest should be able to clear it without any problems.
"However... before I write that letter, would you allow me to test your abilities?"
「Huh?」
「Father, what are you talking about?」
「Yes! This is supposed to be our way of thanking you for saving my sister and me!」
The two daughters protested against Marquis Rosemary's sudden imposition of conditions.
「Of course, I want to repay you. However... writing a letter of recommendation means that House Rosemary will be your backer. If I recommend someone who lacks sufficient ability, it will damage our family's prestige.」
「But...」
「I hold the position of head court magician. I cannot recommend someone for academy enrollment without first verifying their abilities. Can you understand that?」
「...Yes, I understand perfectly.」
Rest nodded.
Rather, recommending him unconditionally simply because he was his daughters' benefactor would be seen as a conflict of interest.
「Understood. What would you like me to do?」
「Nothing difficult.」
When Marquis Rosemary raised his right hand, an elderly butler stepped forward.
「This man is my most trusted subordinate and an exceptional mage. I would like you to fight him.」
「Fight him...?」
「Yes. There's no need to win by any means necessary. Just show me that you have enough power for our family to warrant recommending you.」
「Understood... Please allow me!」
If it meant receiving that letter of recommendation and taking one step closer to glory, then this was a small price to pay.
The butler of Marquis Rosemary, who served as the head court magician.
His abilities were surely considerable, and this would serve as excellent experience in person-to-person combat.
Rest was actually delighted to accept the marquis's proposal.