**Chapter 21: Taken in by the Marquis House**
Rest faced off against the butler in a mock battle at the suggestion of Marquis Rosemary. Although he suffered defeat, he was granted a letter of recommendation from the marquis, and that day, he was to stay at the marquis’s residence. The next day, while contemplating whether it was time to return home in the guest room, he was summoned to the marquis’s office.
“…And so, it has been decided that you will be taken in by the House of Marquis Rosemary.”
“Wait, what do you mean by that!?”
Rest’s voice cracked in surprise at the marquis’s somewhat bitter proclamation.
“Yay!”
Beside Rest, Viola and Primula clapped their hands and jumped in excitement. The twin sisters, differing in hair color and personality, bounced in unison, their joyful voices filling the room.
“So, that means we can live together with Rest-kun from now on!”
“Rest-sama, would you like to play chess with me? Cards would be fine too!”
“Now, now, Primula. Rest-kun didn’t come here to play! He’s going to live here to study!”
“Of course, I understand. But… can’t we at least enjoy the first day? He did get hurt during the mock battle yesterday.”
“Hmmm… that’s true! Then how about we talk in my room? I have so many questions for Rest-kun!”
*Ahem!*
The marquis cleared his throat loudly, drawing the attention of the excited girls.
“Rest-kun is to be employed strictly as an apprentice servant. Any further discussions will come after he has been accepted into the Royal Academy. Both of you, please keep that in mind.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Understood!”
“Now then… Rest-kun.”
The marquis glared at Rest with a piercing gaze.
“You will sleep in a room within our estate as our servant, and under the guise of vocational training, you will study for your exams. While I cannot offer you a salary… in return, we will take care of your food and lodging.”
“Of course, I don’t mind… but is that really alright? I mean, it’s a benefit for me, not you…”
“You saved my daughter’s life. That much is the least I can do. Besides… since you will be taking our recommendation for your entrance exam, it would be troublesome if you were to fail.”
“That’s right, Rest-kun! Don’t hold back!”
“I truly appreciate it, but this is hardly enough to repay the favor.”
Viola and Primula chimed in to support him.
After all, they were one of the kingdom’s most prominent noble families. It must be a simple matter for them to accommodate one servant in their mansion.
“If you have any other requests, I will do my best to fulfill them. However… I will not entertain any wishes such as ‘I want to sleep in the same room as my daughter!’”
“I-I wouldn’t say such a thing!”
Rest waved his hands in a panic. They were welcoming him into their mansion and supporting him until the entrance exam. There was no way he could ask for anything more…
“Ah…”
Suddenly, a request came to mind. The marquis raised an eyebrow, his monocle glinting.
“It seems you have something in mind. Speak up.”
“Um… if it’s not too much trouble, I would like to ask that butler to teach me how to fight.”
“Oh? You wish to learn how to fight?”
“Yes, during the mock battle the other day, I realized that I lack experience in combat. I would like the butler to instruct me in that regard…”
“Hmmm…”
The marquis turned his gaze toward the entrance of the room. The butler standing by the door nodded deeply.
“I also believe Rest-dono has great potential for training. If that is your wish, I would be happy to oblige.”
“Diable has mentioned the same, so as long as it’s between your studies, I have no objections. After all, the exam includes practical tests as well.”
“Thank you very much.”
Rest bowed his head in gratitude to both the marquis and the butler.
“Now, that should be the end of our discussion! We need to prepare a room for Rest-kun!”
“Is it alright if it’s the room next to mine? It would be convenient for teaching him.”
“No way, Primula! Rest-kun will stay in the room next to mine!”
“Sister, that’s nonsense. I’m the one who can teach better, so my room would be more suitable!”
“Wah!”
The Rosemary Sisters grabbed Rest’s arms and began to argue. Caught between the two sisters, Rest’s eyes darted in confusion.
“Rest-kun… I trust you understand that if you lay a hand on my daughter, I won’t take it lightly…”
“Yikes!”
To make matters worse, the marquis gripped Rest’s shoulder, wearing an oddly intimidating smile as he warned him.
(What… am I supposed to do…?)
The sisters were showering him with affection, while the marquis glared at him with jealousy. Surrounded by the three, Rest was left in a state of utter bewilderment, his eyes spinning in circles. Having been mistreated at the Ebern House, he found that even good fortune could lead to its own kind of suffering. After a lengthy discussion, it was ultimately decided that Rest would stay in a room on the same floor as the sisters, but a little farther away.