**Chapter 117: The Reward for Slaying the Lion**
“Though I mentioned it in advance, I have come today to convey something to you, Rest. It concerns the subjugation of the Subnock,” Celestine said with a gentle smile.
She had informed them beforehand of her visit to the Townhouse of the House of Marquis Rosemary. The purpose of Celestine, a duke’s daughter, coming personally was to discuss the defeat of the Subnock with Rest.
“Good day, Celestine. Please, have a seat,” Rest greeted her warmly.
“Good day, Lady Celestine,” Viola and Primula chimed in, welcoming her with bright smiles. The two, especially Viola, had grown quite close to Celestine, their tone and demeanor softening in her presence.
“Hello, Celestine,” Yuri waved casually, greeting her with a friendly gesture. It seemed that the four of them, excluding Rest, had frequent interactions, having held tea parties and salons without the boys during their time at the academy. As a result, Rest found himself feeling slightly out of place, surrounded by four beautiful girls.
“Ah… hello. Thank you for coming all this way to inform me, Lady Celestine,” Rest replied, a hint of nervousness in his voice.
“No, it’s my pleasure. Originally, there was to be a formal message from His Majesty the King, but I apologize that this has turned into an informal report from me. I will explain the details later, but the royal palace has been rather busy,” Celestine said, placing her palm against her cheek and tilting her head apologetically. Each of her movements was refined and elegant as she settled onto the sofa opposite Rest and the sisters. A maid promptly placed tea and sweets in front of her.
After taking a sip of her tea to moisten her lips, Celestine continued, “First of all, the content I am about to share has been decided upon through discussions between His Majesty the King, the Prime Minister, and Marquis Rosemary. Although it has not yet been officially announced, formal procedures will follow once things settle down.”
This meant that Albert Rosemary, Rest’s father-in-law, had also given his approval. Albert had been staying at the royal palace day and night to deal with the aftermath of the Magic Hunt Festival and had not returned to the estate.
“Hmm? Is it alright for me to hear this?” Yuri blinked in surprise. Though friends, he was not connected to the House of Marquis Rosemary.
“If the three of you are fine with it, then there’s no problem. Of course, I would appreciate it if you kept this information to yourselves…” Celestine replied.
“I’m fine with it. You two don’t mind, right?” Viola asked, looking at Rest and Primula, who both nodded in agreement.
“Then, let’s proceed,” Celestine said, taking a moment before turning her gaze back to Rest. “Rest, you have been recognized for your efforts in defeating many monsters as part of the rescue team, saving the lives of students. Furthermore, remnants of the Lord of the Demon Territory, the Subnock, were found among the defeated monsters. As a result of these achievements, you will be awarded one hundred thousand platinum coins.”
“One hundred thousand platinum coins…?” Rest echoed, astonished.
One platinum coin was worth one hundred gold coins. A typical monthly salary for a commoner was one gold coin, roughly equivalent to one hundred thousand yen in Japanese currency.
(That means one thousand million yen worth of platinum coins… one hundred billion yen?)
“Isn’t that a bit excessive?” Rest asked, still in disbelief.
“It’s hardly enough,” Celestine replied, shaking her head as if taken aback.
“By defeating the Subnock, the development of the plains has become possible. If we can eliminate other monsters before the next Lord of the Demon Territory is born, the Aiwood Kingdom will gain a vast and fertile granary,” she explained.
The Subnock Plains were a magic territory, a land where monsters were born easily. However, if cultivation succeeded, it could become a bountiful land where crops thrived. If the kingdom could secure a granary capable of sustaining its people, the profits from crop exports would be immense. Compared to the income that could be generated, one hundred thousand platinum coins was not an excessive reward.
“Additionally, Rest will be granted the title of Viscount and a territory. This means you will join the ranks of the nobility,” Celestine added.
“Eh!?” Rest and the Rosemary Sisters exclaimed in unison, their eyes wide with shock. Yuri, too, was taken aback, his eyes widening.
“A noble? But Rest is supposed to become the husband of the House of Marquis Rosemary!?” Viola exclaimed.
“Does this mean we can’t marry him…?” Primula added, leaning forward, concern etched on her face.
Celestine chuckled at their questioning, shaking her hands in a calming gesture. “Not at all. I have no intention of hindering Rest from marrying into the House of Marquis Rosemary. Think of it as an increase in the titles and territories that your children can inherit.”
In other words, Rest would hold the position of head of the House of Marquis Rosemary while also being the head of a newly established Viscount family. It was not uncommon for high-ranking nobles to hold multiple titles.
“As for the territory, one-third of the soon-to-be-developed Subnock Plains will be granted to you, Rest. The remaining two-thirds will be divided among the royal family and other noble houses. Lord Lyubase, who fought alongside you against the Subnock, will also be awarded the title of Baron and a territory as the second-highest achiever. A formal ceremony for the awarding of titles will take place at the royal palace later,” Celestine explained.
The Woman-Hating Sword Saint… Wilhelm Lyubase. It seemed he too would rise in status due to this achievement.
(So he’s one step closer to becoming the captain of the knights… that’s quite the fortunate turn of events.)
“One-third of the plains. That’s quite a generous amount,” Yuri remarked, his expression curious.
“While it’s a fitting reward for defeating the enemy commander, isn’t the title of Viscount a bit low for such a vast territory?” he questioned.
The size of the territory and the title did not seem to match. If one were to receive one-third of such a vast land, a title of at least Count would be appropriate. Following Yuri’s comment, Primula raised her hand as well.
“I agree with Yuri. Moreover, even with the backing of the House of Marquis Rosemary, if a commoner like Rest suddenly receives such a large territory, wouldn’t there be many who would envy him?” she expressed with concern.
Many were already envious of Rest simply for inheriting the House of Marquis Rosemary. If he were to receive such a vast territory, he might face relentless harassment from other nobles.
“There’s no need to worry. The land will also be divided among the prominent nobles close to the royal family. Besides… nobles who openly oppose the royal family will soon find themselves dealt with,” Celestine reassured them.
“Dealt with…?” Rest inquired, his gaze questioning.
With a somewhat exasperated expression, Celestine replied, “The leader of the opposition faction, Marquis Aiger, has instigated a rebellion. He has declared war against the royal family, rallying the Third Prince Rodel as his banner.”