**Chapter 14: Meeting the Marquis**
Rest had been treated like a fledgling bird, fed cake and enjoying the tea party, when a man suddenly appeared just as the small gathering was drawing to a close.
“Ah, you must be Rest,” he said.
The man who appeared was a middle-aged gentleman wearing a monocle. He was well-dressed in a suit that exuded a sense of luxury without being ostentatious. An aura of nobility surrounded him, making it clear at a glance that he was a man of high status.
“Father…” Viola called him.
It seemed that this man was none other than the master of the estate, Marquis Rosemary.
“Ah, I apologize for the intrusion. I am Rest…!”
Rest hurriedly stood up from his chair and bowed deeply in greeting.
“Yes, yes, it’s commendable that you can greet properly. Quite unlike your brother.”
“Brother… Cedric, you mean?”
“Indeed. I have spoken with him once, introduced by the Viscount of Honor Ebern, but he was a rude child who couldn’t even bow to his elders. I had hoped that after being scolded by his father, he would have matured somewhat, but…”
“…My brother was indeed rude.”
“No, you needn’t apologize. I’ve heard from my daughters about the incident in the forest the other day.”
The Marquis took a seat in the chair he had opened. A maid promptly poured tea for him and placed it on the table. Rest was also encouraged by the Marquis to sit back down.
“Since you will be taking the same entrance exam for the academy next year, I was asked to arrange a meeting with my daughter. I had no choice but to make time for it, but I never expected to be taken into the forest without any guards. He is an excellent magician, but when it comes to his son, his judgment seems clouded. Thanks to that, I almost lost my precious daughter.”
“……”
“Oh, don’t look so apologetic. You helped my daughters, didn’t you? As a father, I must thank you. Thank you.”
The Marquis bowed his head. Rest, flustered, waved his hands.
“Please, raise your head! That incident was caused by my family, so there is no need for you to thank me, Marquis!”
The incident was entirely Cedric’s fault. Being thanked by the Marquis only made Rest feel more apologetic.
“No, no, that fool—rather, Cedric—wasn’t the only one at fault; my daughter who followed him shares some blame as well. Here, take this as a token of my gratitude.”
The Marquis raised his head and placed a finely woven bag on the table. When Rest obtained permission to check its contents, he found it filled with ten gold coins.
(Gold coins… I’ve never seen these before…)
Rest couldn’t help but swallow hard. He knew of their existence, but they were a currency rarely seen by commoners. Each gold coin was worth a million yen in Japanese currency. In other words, this bag contained a staggering ten million yen.
“…I cannot accept such a large sum.”
He resisted the urge to reach for the bag and pushed it away.
“Helping your daughters was merely cleaning up after my foolish brother. I did not do it for a reward. I have no right to accept this.”
Honestly, he wanted the money. Considering he would be an adult and independent starting next year, he could use all the help he could get. However, five platinum coins were still too much. There were no banks in this world. Carrying such a large sum was risky, and leaving it in the stable made him anxious. He couldn’t simply accept it, fearing it might be stolen or taken by that father.
“Hmm… You are quite selfless. However, I must insist that you accept it.”
The Marquis maintained a gentle expression but slightly intensified his gaze.
“If I cannot repay the benefactor of my daughter, it would tarnish the name of the Marquis family. If you truly do not want the money, is there anything else you desire? Please, do not hesitate to speak up, thinking of my reputation.”
“Even so… Hmm.”
When the matter of reputation was brought up, Rest couldn’t simply shake his head. He wracked his brain for a reasonable request and, fortuitously, he had something in mind.
“Ah…”
“Oh? What is it?”
“Um… If possible, I would like to ask for a favor…”
Rest paused for a moment before voicing his long-held desire.
“Could you write me a letter of recommendation for the Royal Magic Academy? I wish to take the entrance exam next year, as a commoner.”
“Hmm? Of course, I can write a recommendation, but… as a commoner?”
“Yes, my father dislikes me and does not recognize me as a member of the Viscount Ebern House.”
With his father’s backing, he could take the exam as a noble, but without that, he had no choice but to take the exam as a commoner with a recommendation from someone of social standing.
“Ah… I’m sorry, but I had to look into your background. You are the illegitimate child of a maid, correct?”
“………… Yes.”
“Then it makes sense why the Viscount of Honor Ebern would be reluctant to acknowledge you as his child.”
“Father! That’s not fair…!”
“That’s not true! Rest has no responsibility for that!”
The sisters, who had been listening from the side, interjected.
“Oh, no, no. I did not mean to insult him. I only thought he might do something like that.”
Faced with the accusations from his daughters, the Marquis hurriedly tried to clarify.
“The Viscount of Honor Ebern is a newly risen noble. He is a noble without land, merely holding a title. Those who have risen to nobility often cling tightly to their status, despite being close to commoners themselves. They tend to look down on illegitimate children and are eager to incorporate the blood of great nobles.”
The Marquis turned to Rest and bowed his head once more.
“I did not intend to insult you or your mother. Please forgive my poor choice of words.”
“No, it’s fine. It is true that I am the child of a maid.”
“I see. Now, regarding the letter of recommendation…”
“Please write it for me!”
“…The girls are saying it too, so I will write it for you.”
Though the Marquis wore a somewhat reluctant expression, he agreed to write the recommendation.
“Thank you… This is a great help!”
With this, the conditions for entering the academy were set. Of course, he still needed to pass the exam, but Rest was far ahead of Cedric when it came to magic. If the exam was something Cedric could pass, Rest should have no problem succeeding.
“However… before I write the recommendation, may I test your abilities?”
“Eh?”
“What are you saying, Father!”
“Yes! This is a reward for helping my sister and me, right?!”
The two daughters protested against the Marquis, who suddenly added a condition.
“Of course, I want to express my gratitude. However, writing a recommendation means that the House of Marquis Rosemary is backing you. If I were to recommend someone without the appropriate abilities, it would tarnish our family’s reputation.”
“But…”
“I hold a position as the head of the Court Magicians. I cannot recommend someone for entrance to the academy without confirming their abilities. Do you understand?”
“…Yes, I understand very well.”
Rest nodded. If he were to recommend someone unconditionally just because they were a benefactor to his daughters, it would be seen as favoritism.
“Understood. What must I do?”
“Simple enough.”
The Marquis raised his right hand, and an elderly butler stepped forward.
“This is my trusted subordinate, an excellent magician in his own right. You will be fighting him.”
“Fighting…?”
“Yes. There is no need to force a victory. It will suffice if you can demonstrate that you possess the strength worthy of our recommendation.”
“I understand… Please let me do this!”
If this meant receiving the recommendation and taking the first step toward glory, it was a small price to pay. The butler of the head of the Court Magicians, the Marquis of Rosemary, must possess considerable skill, and it would also serve as good experience in combat.
Rest accepted the Marquis’s proposal with joy.