**Chapter 34: Licensed Mastery Achieved**
A year had passed since then. Rest dedicated himself to studying for the entrance exam to the Royal Academy. He pored over reference books countless times, not only asking his sisters for help with the parts he didn’t understand but also researching in the library. Simultaneously, he engaged in daily sparring with his butler, Diable. He had already mastered most of the spells that Diable had acquired.
Sometimes, Viola and Primula would join in the training, and occasionally, even Madam Irish would join the fray, playfully chasing him around. Thanks to the ample practical experience he had gained, Rest could now win against Diable about half the time. While he still struggled in hand-to-hand combat, he had already surpassed Diable in basic magical prowess. He received a resounding endorsement, confirming that he could easily become a Court Magician at any moment.
“With your current abilities, Rest, you should pass the entrance exam without any issues. However… beware of complacency. It is when you feel at ease that you must remain vigilant.”
“Right… no matter how weak the opponent may be, I mustn’t let my guard down, right, Diable?”
“GAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
A deafening roar drowned out Rest’s musings. From the depths of the forest, several grotesque humanoid figures emerged, charging toward him. With grayish-brown skin and bald, smooth heads, their bloated bodies resembled balloons, yet were encased in thick muscle armor. They were not human; they were the monsters known as ogres.
The ogres, emerging one after another from the forest, let out furious battle cries as they charged at the waiting Rest.
“Let’s fight!”
He was already fully prepared. The enemies were eager for battle. There was no reason to wait. Rest activated his magic and kicked off the ground.
“[Body Enhancement], [Accelerator]!”
He cast spells to enhance his physical abilities and increase his speed simultaneously. With the parallel magic of Duo, he dashed forward at a speed that was almost imperceptible, closing in on the lead ogre.
“GUH?!”
“[Wind Cutter]!”
The blade of wind unleashed at point-blank range severed the ogre’s head, sending it soaring through the air. Seeing their comrade fall, another ogre swung down a club it was wielding.
“GAAAH!”
“[Earth Shield]!”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Rest cast his spell. A wall of earth erupted from the ground, intercepting the ogre’s descending club.
“From there—[Earth Thorn]!”
“GYAN!”
Touching the earthen wall for support, he activated his next spell. A pointed stake shot out from the opposite side of the wall, piercing the attacking ogre.
“[Fire Bolt], [Ice Bolt], [Thunder Bolt]!”
He unleashed long-range magic against the ogres that were further away. Red, blue, and yellow flashes of light shot forth, piercing through the bodies of the ogres.
“““GAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”””
Realizing they could not win individually, several ogres leaped at him all at once, attempting to crush Rest with their overwhelming weight.
“[Smoke Screen]!”
A cloud of white smoke erupted around Rest, concealing his figure.
“““GAAH?!”””
The ogres, now enveloped in smoke, began to panic. They swung their clubs wildly, inadvertently striking each other in confusion.
“Ha!”
Amidst the chaos, Rest crouched low and dashed forward. Thanks to the magic of Life Search, he could easily detect his enemies even within the smoke. He deftly dodged the flailing fists and clubs of the ogres, casting spells to take them down one by one. Soon, most of the ogres that had emerged from the forest lay defeated.
“Looks like this isn’t the end…”
“GUUGYAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!”
A particularly loud scream echoed from the forest. An ogre, much larger than the ones he had just defeated, emerged, trampling trees in its path. Its red body suggested it was likely a mutated variant, a creature known as the Ogre General.
(A creature superior to the White Fenrir. If it appeared in a human settlement, it could wipe out one or two villages without a trace.)
If Rest had just been taken in by the House of Marquis Rosemary, he might not have been able to defeat it. However, he was not the same Rest as before. Without a hint of panic, he focused his magical energy on the Ogre General.
“[Body Enhancement], [Power Boost]!”
He cast spells to strengthen his body and enhance his arm strength.
“[Earth Wear]!”
He coated his body in earth magic. His right arm, from the elbow down, was enveloped in soil, forming a massive glove. The tip of the earth glove was adorned with sharp spikes, increasing its power.
“[Accelerator]!”
Then, he cast the spell to boost his speed. In an instant, he closed the distance to the Ogre General and swung his right arm.
The spiked glove sank into the Ogre General’s thick torso, the sound of cracking bones echoing through the air.
“GUUGYAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!”
The Ogre General screamed in agony. Rest, who had been far away just moments ago, had closed the gap in the blink of an eye, landing a devastating blow. The creature likely couldn’t comprehend what had just happened.
(Still got some fight left in you, huh…!)
“[Fire Bolt]!”
As a finishing blow, he unleashed a fire spell from the tip of his embedded fist.
“FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!”
Flames erupted from the Ogre General’s mouth, nostrils, and eyes. A soundless scream escaped as the creature was burned from the inside out, collapsing onto its back.
“…I won.”
Just to be sure, he used Life Search to scan the area. There was only one presence remaining, aside from his own. It seemed all the ogres had breathed their last.
“Impressive.”
Applause echoed, and a presence hidden in the shadows of the trees revealed itself.
“Your performance was remarkable. I must give you a passing grade.”
“Thank you, Diable.”
The figure that emerged was a man in a butler’s uniform. It was Diable, Rest’s mentor in combat. The horde of ogres that had charged from the forest had been driven out by none other than Diable himself.
For some time now, Rest had been training in actual combat alongside Diable, facing powerful monsters. They had frequently embarked on expeditions based on information acquired through the connections of Marquis Rosemary, who had ties to the Court Magician.
“Mastery achieved. There is nothing more I can teach you.”
Diable smiled with satisfaction as he spoke those words.
“Next week is the entrance exam for the academy. From now on, you will meet many people at the academy, gain experience, and hone your skills in your own way. I am truly glad to have been able to teach you.”
“The pleasure is mine, sir. I’m grateful to have learned from you…”
Rest fought back tears, taking a deep breath to steady himself. Since coming to the House of Marquis Rosemary, he had encountered nothing but wonderful experiences. He resolved to repay this debt over the course of his life.
“Now, let’s return. The young ladies are waiting for us.”
“Yes. They should be back from their exams soon.”
The entrance exam for the Royal Academy was held a week earlier for nobles than for commoners. Today was the exam day for the two girls, and they would likely have returned to the mansion by now.
“While I’m sure they’ll be fine, I can’t help but worry. Let’s hurry back.”
“Indeed. Shall we race to see who reaches the mansion first?”
“Bring it on.”
Rest and Diable enhanced their speed with magic and sprinted toward the city. A multitude of ogre corpses lay scattered at the edge of the forest, soon to be cleared away by the servants of the marquis’s household who would arrive afterward.