Chapter 31: Family Meeting of the Rosemary Marquis House
After being thoroughly beaten by Airish at the Training Ground, Rest was promptly carried to his room to receive treatment. His spine was nearly broken, and his internal organs were on the verge of rupture, but fortunately, his life was not in danger. In fact, it seemed he had been precisely battered to the point just before healing magic could save him.
“Rest-kun…!”
“Rest-sama…!”
Viola and Primula—the Rosemary Sisters—gathered around Rest, tending to him. It was a scene reminiscent of a past redo, but what lay ahead was different. The sisters caring for Rest were soon summoned by their mother and led to the parlor within the mansion.
“…Is there something you need, Mother?”
“Muu…”
The two glared at their mother as they entered the parlor. Faced with the resentful gazes of her beloved daughters, Airish chuckled softly and crossed her legs on the sofa.
“Don’t glare at me like that, my dear girls.”
“But, Mother…”
“To go that far is simply cruel…”
“I intended to hold back. If I had been serious, his insides would have been all over the place.”
“‘…………’”
“It’s a joke. Don’t glare at your mother so much.”
Airish tried to soothe her daughters, but Viola and Primula’s expressions remained stern. They were evidently still upset about Rest being injured.
“Both of you, just sit down.”
The voice that interrupted was their father, Albert, who was also present.
“I called you here because I have something to discuss. Sit down.”
“…………”
“…Excuse us.”
The sisters cautiously took their seats on the sofa facing their parents. Once they settled, Airish opened her mouth.
“Well then… I’m not good at sugarcoating things, so I’ll be direct. Viola, Primula… you two will bear Rest’s children.”
““…………!?””
“Wha—Hey! There’s a way to say that!”
Viola and Primula were left speechless by their mother’s bombshell announcement, while Albert hurriedly stood up.
“It would be better if you wrapped it in something more… delicate…”
“Being straightforward is faster than beating around the bush. We’ve decided to welcome him as the son-in-law of the Rosemary Marquis House. Both of you will marry him. Make sure to have at least three children.”
“Mother… is it really alright?”
Primula asked hesitantly. Viola, on the other hand, was frozen in shock, her mouth agape like a clay figurine.
“Welcoming Rest as our son-in-law… I’m happy about that. But is it really okay for both of us to accept him so easily…?”
Airish’s proposal was, in fact, what they desired. Primula had already decided to marry Rest, and she expected her sister would feel the same. Yet, it felt too convenient, leading her to doubt the sincerity of her mother’s words.
“There’s no need to be wary. I have no ulterior motives.”
Faced with her daughters’ skepticism, Airish’s expression softened slightly.
“Originally, I intended for Viola to take a husband and inherit the family, while Primula would marry into another family to create connections. However… if we’ve found someone of Rest’s caliber, that changes everything. It would be more beneficial for the Rosemary Marquis House—and for the prosperity of this nation—to have as many children as possible who carry his blood.”
“Mother… you seem quite taken with Rest.”
“I can usually gauge a person’s worth through a good fistfight.”
Airish shrugged.
“In the past… I once fought against a magician known as the ‘Heavenly Emperor.’ He was the chairman of the Council of Sages and the strongest magician in the world. While Rest still has much to learn and his inexperience is evident, I sensed something in him that resonates with that powerful figure.”
“The ‘Heavenly Emperor’…”
“If I can bring in a magician with qualities equal to his, then having two daughters is a small price to pay. Even if you both cried and protested, I would have tied you up and offered you to him.”
“…………Hey.”
Albert frowned at his wife’s ambiguous statement, unsure if she was joking or serious.
“It’s fortunate that it didn’t come to that. If you both like him, then it’s simple. Once the entrance exams for the Royal Academy are over, the three of you will be engaged. You’ll marry after graduation and start having children right away.”
Airish continued to speak as if it were all settled, pointing firmly at her daughters.
“Premarital relations are fine, but be mindful of contraception. Children born before marriage will not have inheritance rights, which will cause them hardship!”
“…I won’t allow premarital relations.”
The relaxed mother and the father muttering in resentment. As the conversation progressed, Viola, who had been in a daze, finally spoke up.
“Is it really okay? Can we really marry him, the three of us…?”
“That’s what I explained.”
“So… after graduation, I can be with Rest and Primula forever?”
“Sister…”
“I’m so happy…!”
Viola beamed like a blooming rose, embracing her sister. Primula smiled in response, gently stroking her sister’s back.
Even though they were close twin sisters, they wouldn’t be able to be together forever. Eventually, they would have to choose separate paths and drift apart. Yet, by having one man, Rest, between them, they could now walk together through life ahead. The joy of marrying the man they loved was equally matched by this newfound bond.
“Primula…!”
“Sister…!”
Overcome with emotion, the sisters embraced each other, their faces a mix of tears and laughter. Albert, who had been sulking over the thought of losing his daughters, sighed in resignation at the sight of them.
The parlor was enveloped in a warm and happy atmosphere.
“Oh… by the way, I almost forgot to mention.”
However, with Airish’s next words, that peaceful atmosphere was shattered.
“He will also be fathering children with several other women. We’ll pick suitable daughters from branch families and vassals… and if necessary, I’ll gather concubines from other families with whom we have connections. Make sure to get along with them as well.”
““Eh!? ””
Just when it seemed everything had settled, her statement turned everything upside down. The parlor erupted with angry voices as the family argued, and the heated debate continued late into the night.