Chapter 21: Taken in by the Marquis Family
Rest accepted the proposal from Marquis Rosemary and faced off against the butler in a mock battle. Although he was defeated, he received a recommendation letter 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 head 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 Rosemary Marquis House.”
“What do you mean by that!?”
Rest’s voice cracked in surprise at the words spoken by Marquis Rosemary, who wore a somewhat bitter expression.
“Yay!”
Beside Rest, Viola and Primula clapped their hands and jumped up and down. The twin sisters, differing in hair color and personality, cheered in unison, bouncing with joy.
“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 that. But… can’t we at least enjoy the first day? He did get hurt during the mock battle yesterday.”
“Hmm… you have a point! Then how about we chat in my room? I have so many questions for Rest-kun!”
Ahem!
The marquis cleared his throat loudly, interrupting the excited girls.
“…Let me make it clear, Rest-kun will be employed as an apprentice servant. Any further discussions will come after he is accepted into the Royal Academy. Both of you, please keep that in mind.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Understood!”
“Now then… Rest-kun.”
Marquis Rosemary fixed a sharp gaze on Rest.
“You will sleep in a room within our mansion as our servant and will engage in your studies under the guise of vocational training. While I cannot provide you with a salary… in exchange, we will take care of your food, clothing, and shelter.”
“Of course, that’s fine… but are you sure it’s alright? I mean, I would be the one benefiting from this arrangement…”
“You saved my daughter’s life. I would like to do at least this much for you. Moreover… since you will be taking our recommendation for the entrance exam, I cannot allow you to fail.”
“That’s right, Rest-kun! Don’t hold back!”
“I truly appreciate it, Rest-sama. This is hardly enough to repay you.”
Viola and Primula chimed in to support him.
After all, they were among the most prominent nobles in the kingdom. It must be easy 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 wanting to share a room with my daughter!”
“I-I wouldn’t say such a thing!”
Rest hurriedly waved his hands in denial. They were welcoming him into their mansion and supporting him until the entrance exam. There was no way he could ask for more…
“Ah…”
Suddenly, a request came to mind. Marquis Rosemary raised an eyebrow, his monocle glinting.
“It seems you have something to say. Speak up.”
“Um… if possible, I would like to learn how to fight from that butler.”
“Oh? You wish to learn how to fight?”
“Yes, I realized during the mock battle that I lack experience in combat against others. I would like the butler to teach me in that regard…”
“Hmm…”
Marquis Rosemary glanced 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.”
“Since Dibble agrees, I have no objections as long as it fits into your study schedule. After all, the practical exam is part of the entrance requirements.”
“Thank you very much.”
Rest bowed his head in gratitude to both Marquis Rosemary and the butler.
“Now, I believe we’re done discussing matters! We need to prepare a room for Rest-kun!”
“Is it alright for him to stay in the room next to mine? It would be convenient for studying together.”
“No way, Primula! Rest-kun will stay in the room next to mine!”
“Sister, that’s nonsense. I’m the better student, so it makes more sense for him to stay in my room!”
“Wow!”
The Rosemary sisters grabbed Rest’s arms and began to argue. Caught between the two, Rest’s eyes darted in confusion.
“Rest-kun… I trust you understand that if you lay a hand on my daughters, there will be consequences…!”
“Yikes!”
To make matters worse, the marquis gripped Rest’s shoulder, wearing an oddly intense 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 bewilderment, his eyes spinning in circles. Having been mistreated at the Evern Honorary Viscount House, he found that even good treatment could lead to its own kind of suffering.
After a lengthy discussion, it was decided that Rest would stay in a room on the same floor as the sisters, but slightly farther away.