**Chapter 84: The Work of the Marquis Family**
On that day, Rest had taken a break from his academy classes and traveled to Valerie County in the northern part of the kingdom. His purpose was to assist his future father-in-law, Albert Rosemary, with his work. They were tasked with exterminating a type of monster known as the “Locust Imp,” which appeared annually around Valerie County.
The Locust Imp was a menace to farmers, wreaking havoc on their fields. They would appear just before harvest time, devouring crops and causing significant damage. Valerie County, with its vast granaries, faced a massive outbreak of these creatures every year. Consequently, the House of Marquis Rosemary, being nearby and possessing many skilled magicians, was called upon for aid.
“We’re getting grain at a low price in exchange for exterminating the Locust Imps. It’s a mutually beneficial arrangement,” Albert had explained to Rest before they arrived.
Thus, Rest had applied for a leave of absence from the academy and joined Albert and Diable in their mission to Valerie County.
By the way, it was not uncommon for noble students to take leave from the academy due to matters concerning their territories or families. The faculty understood this, so as long as a prior application was made, the absence would be marked as attended. Kind teachers would even provide summaries of the lessons missed.
“Fire!”
At Albert’s command, the magicians hidden in the bushes unleashed their spells in unison. There were just under twenty of them—private soldiers belonging to the prestigious House of Marquis Rosemary. While they usually remained in their territory, they were summoned under Albert’s command in times of crisis.
“Squawk!”
“Good! Keep it up! Let’s wipe them out!”
“Yes!” the magicians responded in unison.
With Albert’s orders, the magicians leaped from their hiding spots. One by one, they cast their spells, taking down the Locust Imps that had been ravaging the fields. Although the Locust Imps had been attacking in swarms, they began to scatter in an attempt to escape the magical onslaught.
“Rest! Go ahead!”
“Understood… [Body Enhancement], [Accelerator]!”
Rest enhanced his physical abilities with magic and charged forward. With the combined effects of the two enhancement spells, his leg strength surged, allowing him to close the distance to the Locust Imps in an instant.
“Squawk…”
“[Wind Wear]!”
Before the Locust Imp could let out its dying scream, Rest’s hand, imbued with wind, severed its head. The attack, sharp as a finely honed knife, dispatched the creature in an instant.
“Ha! Yah!”
One after another, Rest took down two, three, then four Locust Imps. Just then, reinforcements arrived, and the battlefield became a chaotic mix of allies and foes.
“[Wind Cutter]!”
“[Earth Thorn]!”
Across the vast fields, battles erupted between the fleeing Locust Imps and the magicians of the House of Marquis Rosemary. The Locust Imps had low combat abilities, so there was little worry of them retaliating; however, their high reproductive rate posed a significant threat. If they were allowed to escape, another massive outbreak could occur.
“[Life Search], [Amplification]!”
Rest enhanced his detection magic, expanding his sensing range to nearly three hundred meters. He scanned the area for any Locust Imps trying to slip away unnoticed by his allies.
“There!”
“Squawk?!”
He spotted a Locust Imp crouched low and hidden, swiftly decapitating it. He continued to hunt down the remaining hidden enemies, taking them out one by one. Within an hour, the battle came to an end. Most of the Locust Imps had been eradicated, and tranquility returned to the expansive fields.
“Alright… battle’s over. Everyone, good work!”
Albert clapped his hands, praising the magicians. A wave of relief swept through the group, and the magicians gathered around him.
“Phew… it’s done.”
“I was worried about the numbers this year, but it turned out to be surprisingly easy.”
“We managed to hunt them down without letting any escape, thanks to our son-in-law, right? Truly impressive, Diable’s disciple.”
Several magicians approached Rest, patting him on the shoulder.
“When the young ladies suddenly took a liking to you, I wondered what kind of person you were… but you did well. Quite remarkable.”
“Thank you,” Rest replied sincerely to the older magician’s praise.
One of the reasons Rest had been summoned was to meet these magicians. The House of Marquis Rosemary owned residences in both the royal capital and their territory. Viola and Primula lived in the mansion in the capital, where Rest worked as a butler apprentice. The territory was primarily managed by a steward, with Albert and his wife, Airishu, returning occasionally to oversee it. The magicians present were all private soldiers stationed in the territory, and Rest had rarely had the chance to meet them before.
“Hmph… a commoner, yet…”
While many magicians praised Rest’s magic, a few wore displeased expressions. Most of them were young male magicians who seemed to resent Rest’s accomplishments, clicking their tongues in discontent.
“Now then… everyone, thank you for your hard work. With this, the extermination of the Locust Imps for this year is complete. Thanks to you, we have fulfilled our obligations to our ally, the House of Marquis Valerie. I appreciate it.”
Albert clapped his hands again, addressing his subordinate magicians. Standing nearby was Diable, a middle-aged man in a butler’s outfit, who had appeared without anyone noticing.
“I will be heading to greet the Marquis of Valerie with Diable here before returning to the territory of the House of Marquis Rosemary. You all may head back first. Rest assured, rewards will be given later. Of course, I will cover the cost of the return carriage, but… if you’re short on funds, feel free to run back using [Body Enhancement]!”
Laughter erupted among the magicians. Although Albert was a son-in-law, he seemed to be well-liked by his subordinates.
“Well then, see you later… dismissed.”
It seemed their work was done. Rest had contributed once again to the House of Marquis Rosemary. He let out a sigh of relief before deciding to return to the territory as Albert had instructed.