Chapter 3: Exploring the Demon Realm
"It might seem sudden, but we are going to begin developing the Subnock Plains."
On a certain day, Rest was summoned by the Student Council President, Andrew Iwood.
The meeting took place in the student council office after school. Viola, Primula, and Celestine were also present. Unsurprisingly, Yuri and Urula—neither of whom belonged to the council—had not been brought along.
Gathered inside the office alongside executive members and officers were more than a dozen other students. All of them were scions of renowned noble houses, class representatives, or top-performing students from their respective departments.
Addressing these prominent figures of the academy, Andrew had delivered his opening declaration without preamble.
It was an announcement that they would begin developing the Subnock Plains—the very monster-infested wilderness that had served as the stage for the Monster Hunt Festival.
"As you all know... now that the master of the realm, Subnock, has been defeated, that vast stretch of land is finally open for development. Therefore, our student body will take the lead in pioneering this untamed wilderness."
"Just us...? Are you saying students are going to do this alone?"
One of the gathered students raised a hand to ask the question.
"Developing a wild frontier sounds like a project on a national scale..."
"Indeed, you are quite right," Andrew replied, shrugging his shoulders. "However... I am entirely serious. I wouldn't make a joke about something like this."
He was certainly not the type of person to make foolish jokes.
As his surname Iwood indicated, Andrew was royalty—the Second Prince of the realm.
He was the half-brother of the foolish Prince Rodel. Sharing the same bloodline, their facial features were not entirely unalike.
Their personalities, however, were polar opposites. Unlike Rodel, Andrew was gentle, serious, and sincere.
"As you are all aware... certain nobles within our kingdom have recently begun making unsettling moves. Regrettably, my brother appears to be involved as well. The royal court is currently fully occupied dealing with them, meaning they are in no position to undertake the development of the Subnock Plains."
He was referring to the nobles of the Queen Dowager Faction, including Marquis Eiger, alongside Rodel.
While the rebellious elements continued their suspicious maneuvers, they had yet to take decisive action. For now, both sides remained locked in a tense standoff.
"If we leave the territory abandoned as it is, a new master might be born in the wilderness. Should that happen, the land will become impossible to pioneer once more—which would be an absolute tragedy."
"So... we are the ones who will pioneer it?"
"Precisely."
Andrew gave a firm nod in response to the student's question.
"After all, the one who defeated the master of the wilderness was a student of this academy. If that is the case, shouldn't we be the ones to take the lead in pushing this development forward?"
"..."
The gazes of every student in the room converged upon Rest.
Having dozens of eyes fixed on him simultaneously was almost overwhelming, but he couldn't afford to make an embarrassment of himself in front of Viola and Primula. Straightening his posture, Rest put on a brave front.
"Of course, we aren't being left completely on our own," Andrew added, lightly clapping his hands together. "Rest assured, the royal court will provide personnel, supplies, and financial support."
At the sound of his applause, everyone's attention shifted back to the prince.
"A portion of the Subnock Plains has already been slated for cession as territory to several individuals, including Rest-kun. However, we intend to reward anyone who distinguishes themselves during the development with titles of nobility and land. Naturally, His Majesty the King has granted his approval for this as well."
"...!"
Several students gasped in shock.
The expressions that had been clouded with confusion were now instantly mingled with desire and ambition.
Not everyone present was in a position to inherit headship or estates from their parents. There were second and third sons among them, as well as commoners who were not born into nobility at all.
Dangled with the golden opportunity for advancement—the promise of peerage and personal land—the flames of their motivation erupted furiously.
"I'm glad to see your enthusiasm," Andrew said with a smile. "We will issue further details at a later date, so please reach out to your fellow students and gather anyone willing to assist with the development. I am counting on all of you."
With those concluding words, the gathering was dismissed.
Rest exited the student council office alongside Viola, Primula, and Celestine.
"Developing the Subnock Plains, huh...? It feels like it's finally happening."
"You've already been promised your own territory, after all," Viola said, her voice bright. "So it's certainly not someone else's affair to you."
Walking right beside him, she peered up into his face with animated eyes.
Rest had been granted the rank of viscount for his achievement in slaying the Demon Beast Subnock, along with the promise of a portion of the plains as his personal domain. Sooner or later, his participation in the development was a foregone conclusion.
"Pioneering such a vast stretch of land is going to require a massive workforce..." Rest admitted, a tinge of anxiety in his tone. "I wonder if everyone will be willing to help out."
"There is no need to worry about that," Celestine assured him with an elegant smile.
"After all, we are the ones extending the invitation. There is simply no way people will fail to gather."
Celestine puffed out her impressive chest with complete confidence.
Her words sounded slightly arrogant on the surface... yet they were nothing short of the truth. House Rosemary and House Crocus were two of the premier noble families that the Kingdom of Iwood took pride in. If both houses formally requested assistance, who could possibly refuse?
To have their names remembered by two such influential families, students would undoubtedly rush forward to volunteer.
Chatting back and forth about the upcoming venture, the four of them strolled leisurely back toward their classroom.
"Hey, Rest! Is it true that we're gonna pioneer the plains?!"
"Whoa!"
The moment he set foot inside the classroom, several of his classmates swarmed toward him.
"We heard you can get your own territory if you perform well! That's not just a rumor, right?!"
"Ah... Yeah, it's true," Rest stammered, caught off guard. "Word travels fast..."
Andrew had only just delivered the announcement minutes ago... To think the news had already spread in the short time it took them to walk back from the office.
...Was someone eavesdropping outside the student council office or something?
"Count me in! I'm definitely doing this!"
"Hell yeah! This is my chance to become a landed noble!"
"We can get peerage titles too, right?! I'm gonna give it everything I've got!"
A group of students was working themselves up into a frenzy.
Even though Rest hadn't even begun recruiting anyone yet, they were flocking to him entirely on their own initiative.
"Rest, I'm going to help out too!"
"Yuri..."
"I won't let you leave me out! No matter what anyone says, I'm absolutely participating!"
Yuri marched right up to Rest's side and made her bold declaration.
"Mm..."
Immediately after, Urula scampered over and gave Rest's coat a gentle tug.
"Lady Lavender, don't tell me you..."
"Doing it."
Without waiting for Rest to finish his sentence, Urula cut in flatly.
"I will do it too. I will help."
"I-I see... Thanks?"
Rest gave a somewhat strained smile, answering with a questioning tone.
Her doll-like, expressionless face made it impossible to tell what was going through her mind... and yet, an intense, unspoken pressure saying I'm not yielding on this! radiated from her loud and clear.
"Hey, Rest. Count me in to help too."
"Luid... and Maurice as well."
His friend Luid Zistal called out as he walked over, with Maurice Wood following right behind him.
"Aren't you the heir to a landed noble family?" Rest asked. "There shouldn't be much of a benefit for you to join, right?"
"It's to make some pocket money," Luid replied with a laugh. "It's not just titles and land—we're getting paid cold hard cash, aren't we?"
"Ah... Yeah. I suppose they will."
"My family isn't exactly rolling in wealth. My allowance is pretty slim, so I don't have play money. Since the opportunity is right here, I might as well earn some."
"Besides, it allows us to put the royal family and high-ranking nobility in our debt," Maurice added, giving a self-satisfied snort. "There's no reason not to do it!"
He huffed proudly through his nose.
It was a thoroughly mercenary perspective. Still, it was only natural for nobles to act out of calculation and self-interest, so Rest couldn't really blame them.
"Viola-san, Primula-san. May we help as well?"
"Lady Celestine, please allow us to lend our modest assistance."
A group of female students had gathered around Viola, Primula, and Celestine.
It seemed helper hands had assembled entirely unbidden. In the end, over half of Class 1-A ended up joining the development initiative.
"Alright then, everyone," Rest said, bowing slightly to his classmates. "I'm counting on you all."
One week later.
Rest and his companions stepped foot into the Subnock Plains once more.
◇ ◇ ◇
A massive crowd had gathered at the entrance to the monster-infested Subnock Plains.
The development force numbered nearly one thousand people—with overall command being assumed by the Second Prince, Andrew Iwood.
The core fighting force driving the development consisted of students from the Royal Academy. Students from the Magic and Knight Departments served as combat personnel, those from the Clergy Department acted as medical staff, and students from the Civil Official Department were tasked with back-end administrative work, such as managing the budget and replenishing supplies.
Among the development corps were even students from the Arts Department, despite the fact that nobody had invited them.
Joined by supporters dispatched from the royal court and influential noble houses, a thousand-strong pioneer corps had officially been formed.
"Now then... we shall now commence the development of the Subnock Plains," Andrew addressed the crowd assembled before the entrance of the plains. "I assume you have all read the materials distributed beforehand... I expect each of you to devote your full effort to your assigned duties."
Standing before the lined-up pioneer corps, the prince spoke with authoritative clarity.
"First, the vanguard units will be responsible for subjugating monsters. Each squad is to clear out the beasts within their assigned sector. The task itself is identical to the Monster Hunt Festival... but this is not a competition. You are expected to coordinate with other squads as necessary while performing your work."
Two young women standing beside Andrew stepped forward.
"Command of the vanguard units will be handled by Rilanda and Isis. Should anything arise, seek instructions from them."
One was Rilanda Marker, a third-year student in the Knight Department and a student council officer.
The other was Isis Carbelt, a third-year student in the Magic Department and squad captain in the Executive Branch.
Though both were women, they were exceptional individuals whose accomplishments surpassed those of most men.
Rest had only spoken with Rilanda once or twice... but he always held the impression that she was standing dutifully at Andrew's side.
"The rearguard units will recover and butcher the monsters defeated by the vanguard, then handle the procedure of selling the materials to the Merchant Guild," Andrew continued. "Additionally, they will oversee purchasing supplies and surveying areas cleared of monsters. You are to inspect the terrain, the presence of water sources, drainage quality, and whether the soil is suitable for farmland, searching for appropriate land to establish towns and villages. Command of that division will be entrusted to Lady Celestine."
Following his cue, Celestine stepped forward with poised elegance.
Although Celestine was still a first-year student, her brilliant capability was known to everyone. Coupled with her standing as a duke's daughter, not a single person voiced any complaint.
"Furthermore, regarding the students of the Arts Department..." Andrew turned his gaze toward a corner of the assembled force. "What exactly did you come here to do?"
He looked over at the group holding brushes, pens, and canvasses.
There stood the Arts Department students, clutching sketchbooks, canvases, and various tools of their trade.
"We are here to immortalize as art the land reclaimed by human hands, as well as the vanishing paradise of monsters!" one student declared dramatically. "We shall act as we see fit, so pray do not mind us."
"I have come to gather inspiration for my poetry," another chimed in smoothly. "I wish to capture all of you in your natural state through words, so please pretend I am not here."
"Art is an EXPLO-SION, yes! I shall capture everything down to the absolute finest detail, yes!"
"...I see," Andrew replied, his face settling into an indescribable expression at the answers from the canvas-bearing youths.
He looked as if he desperately wanted to retort What on earth are you talking about?...
Yet having historical events recorded for posterity in paintings and sculptures wasn't inherently a bad thing.
Besides, artists were notorious for refusing to listen even if ordered to stop. Andrew promptly gave up on trying to make sense of them.
"...Well, just make sure you aren't attacked and injured by monsters. Should anything happen, it is entirely at your own risk."
Since they had come uninvited of their own volition, the least they could do was avoid causing trouble for everyone else.
"Now then, we shall hereby commence the development of the Subnock Plains! I wish you all the best of luck!"
"" " " "Yes, Your Highness!" " " " "
Following Andrew's declaration, everyone immediately set to work on their designated tasks.
Amidst the bustle, Andrew finished his greetings and walked over to where Rest was standing.
"Rest-kun, do you have a moment?"
"Yes, Your Highness. What is it?" Rest asked, turning to face him.
"I would like your group to survey the central area of the plains," Andrew instructed. "Although the master of the realm, Subnock, has been defeated, its kin likely still remain. You don't need to force yourselves to subjugate them, but I want you to assess their population and locate their nests."
Just because the leader of a pack had been slain did not mean its subordinates had been wiped out.
There was even a slight possibility that a new leader had already been born. Of course, it would take considerable time for any new leader to grow to a size comparable to Subnock.
"Aside from Subnock's kin, there may be other powerful monsters residing in the center of the wilderness. Exercise extreme caution."
"Understood. We'll be careful," Rest agreed with a firm nod.
He gave his word without hesitation.
Rest's group comprised Viola, Primula, Yuri, Urula, and several classmates from the Magic Department.
It was a dangerous assignment... but with Rest, who had personally slain Subnock, present, there shouldn't be any major issues.
"To be extra safe... I'm relying on you as well. Accompany Rest-kun."
"...Understood," came a sharp response.
And with that... another companion was officially assigned to their party.
The young man summoned by Andrew was Wilhelm Ryubass—the misogynistic 'Sword Saint' who had fought alongside Rest to defeat Subnock.
"Ryubass, huh?"
"We meet again."
"It's reassuring to have you with us," Rest said warmly. "I'm counting on you."
"Hmph..."
Ryubass snorted softly and turned his head away.
He was brusque, but he was a man who pulled his weight when it mattered. Rest understood that well from fighting alongside him against Subnock.
"Rest-kun, we're all prepared," Viola called out as she hurried over.
"We can set off whenever you are ready," Primula added, arriving right behind her sister.
The twin sisters trotted over to join them.
The rest of the members appeared to have finished their preparations as well. It was time to head out.
This was Rest's second time stepping into the depths of the Subnock Plains... but this time, Viola, Primula, and the others were with him. He had to be extra vigilant to ensure none of them suffered any harm.
"Alright... Let's head out, everyone!" Rest called, psyching himself up as he led his companions toward the depths of the wilderness.
◇ ◇ ◇
The central sector of the Subnock Plains.
The location that had once served as the personal territory of Subnock—the very monster beast from which the land derived its name—was a spot where subterranean veins of mana gushed forth, known as a 'Dragon Vein.'
In the vicinity of a Dragon Vein, vegetation flourished with extraordinary vigor, and powerful monsters were easily spawned.
Furthermore, since ancient times, cities constructed atop Dragon Veins were said to prosper immensely, sometimes giving rise to fierce wars waged solely to claim control over such land.
"GAAAAAAAAAAAH!"
"【Wind Cutter】!"
The blade of wind unleashed by Rest sliced cleanly through the monster.
Tasked with surveying the area, Rest's squad fought their way deeper into the plains, advancing until they were just a short distance from the very center.
Rest and his companions confronted the wolf and bear monsters blocking their path.
"Here we go, Primula! 【Fire Cutter】!"
"Yes, Sister! 【Water Cutter】!"
Viola and Primula invoked their spellcraft in unison.
The magical blades released by the sisters slashed through their respective targets, silencing them instantly.
While they paled in comparison to Rest, both were daughters of House Rosemary, a renowned family of mages. Their skill as spellcasters was indisputably top-tier.
"Take this! 【Fireball】!"
"Pierce through! 【Ice Lance】!"
"Blast 'em! 【Stone Bullet】!"
Their classmates launched a barrage of spells one after another, shattering the surrounding foes.
Though still students, every one of them was an honor student. As pupils of the Royal Academy destined to support the kingdom in the future, none proved to be dead weight.
...Well, they are Class 1-A students, after all. Everyone is remarkably capable... especially this guy, who's in a league of his own...
"Armacain Sword Dance... 'Scatter Blossom.'"
Ryubass unleashed a flurry of strikes that crisscrossed the air seamlessly.
In the blink of an eye, a massive monster was carved into pieces, collapsing onto the ground in a shredded heap.
Throughout their journey to this point, Ryubass had slain more monsters than anyone else.
He was the top student among the first-year knights. His swordsmanship rivaled even upperclassmen, and his razor-sharp technique was truly worthy of the title 'Sword Saint.'
...Surveying the center of the wilderness with only students would normally be a suicidal ordeal, but with a lineup like this, we should be fine...
"Haaah!"
Yuri flipped her body vertically, delivering a devastating axe kick like a descending guillotine.
Without relying on weapons or magic, she split the monster's body clean in two... effectively finishing off the last beast blocking their way.
"Still... a wilderness is really a strange place," Yuri said, wiping sweat from her forehead after felling the final beast. "I can understand monsters growing stronger by absorbing mana, but why would a city prosper because of it? Does the mana leaking from a Dragon Vein have the power to strengthen a town too?"
She tilted her head, pondering the mechanics of the land.
"Maybe humans grow stronger just like monsters do? If a town is full of powerful people, I can definitely see how it would flourish!"
"...It's not that simple of an issue. And in the first place, your voice is way too loud."
"Mm...? Did you say something, Ryubass?!"
"N-Nothing! Hey... don't get any closer to me, you busty woman!"
"There's no reason to run away! Come on, we're comrades, so let's deepen our friendship!"
"Stay back! Hey, stop bouncing those massive heaps of flesh right in front of my eyes!"
Ryubass screamed as he scampered backward to escape Yuri.
Despite potentially being the strongest fighter in the Knight Department, Rest couldn't help but wonder why the guy was so terrified of women.
"Goodness... If you two make such a racket, you're going to attract more monsters, you know?" Viola admonished gently.
"To answer your question, Yuri-san, a Dragon Vein doesn't directly cause a city to prosper," Primula explained smoothly. "By utilizing the mana gushing from the Dragon Vein, one can maintain powerful barriers that prevent monster incursions, natural disasters, and plagues. As a result, the region flourishes."
While Viola scolded them, Primula offered her insightful explanation.
"Ah, I see... That makes total sense! As expected of you, Primula."
Yuri crossed her arms, nodding in deep admiration.
With barriers suppressing natural disasters and monsters, and crops growing abundantly in the surrounding soil, there was no way such a domain wouldn't thrive.
Of course, knowing that it was destined to become a prosperous metropolis, it also stood to reason that nations would wage wars to seize it.
"Come to think of it... this is around the spot," Rest muttered softly as they arrived at the site. "Where I fought Subnock."
He gazed around the familiar terrain.
Right before their eyes lay a massive crater gouged into the earth by 【Amaterasu】, with violent scars from that fierce battle scorched across the surrounding area.
"So this is the place... Incredible."
"W-What kind of magic do you even have to use to cause something like this...?"
"This is amazing! Absolutely mind-blowing!"
Everyone other than Rest and Ryubass stared with wide-eyed shock.
The destruction etched into the ground was so severe that it was hard to believe a human had wrought it.
It served as a stark testament to how far beyond common sense the clash between Rest and Subnock had been.
"I already knew how powerful you were, Rest-kun... but seeing this again, it's truly breathtaking," Viola gasped.
"It is only natural since it is Lord Rest... but it truly is a harrowing sight," Primula added.
Even Viola and Primula, who were intimately familiar with Rest's strength, caught their breaths.
As everyone stood frozen in place without realizing it, someone lightly tugged on Rest's sleeve.
"...Let's go."
It was Urula who whispered the small prompt. Because of her child-like appearance, the other members had naturally sheltered her, leaving her with no chance to join in the fights, so she urged them forward instead.
"Ah, right... Everyone, the central area of the plains is just ahead," Rest called out, turning to the group. "There might be powerful monsters, so stay on your guard."
"..."
Leading his unusually quiet companions, Rest pressed deeper into the wilderness.
After walking for about thirty minutes while fending off monster encounters along the way, the group arrived at the heart of the plains.
The center of the Subnock Plains was covered in grass that grew as tall as an adult man.
This was Rest's first time visiting this exact spot. Faced with the unnaturally overgrown flora, he stared in dumbfounded amazement.
"This... isn't a forest, right?" Rest asked, blinking in disbelief.
"It's supposed to be a plain," Ryubass replied. "Though it certainly doesn't look like one."
He answered Rest's murmur with a skeptical grimace.
Looking closely at the towering grass lushly blanketing the ground before them, it was actually the exact same species of common weeds they had seen on their way here.
However... it was ridiculously huge.
Just how much rich nutrition had it absorbed to grow like this? The weeds had expanded to an abnormal scale, packed so densely together that they blocked vision, making it impossible to see even a single meter ahead.
"I see... So this is the center of the wilderness," Rest remarked, grabbing a handful of grass and ripping it off with brute force. "Just as I heard, it's a bizarre place."
As he tore the stalk, tiny golden particles resembling fireflies dripped from the severed cross-section.
The plants were packed with mana so concentrated that it was visible to the naked eye. As expected, these weeds had grown by absorbing the raw energy of the Dragon Vein.
"Oh, wow! Is that beautiful light mana...? Even I can see it!" Yuri exclaimed in delight, plucking stalks of her own to release the glittering motes.
"The mana is so dense it feels almost suffocating..." Primula murmured, covering her mouth as her face turned slightly pale. "It truly is a demon realm."
The rest of the group was also looking around the central sector with curious, intrigued expressions.
"Everyone, this isn't the time to play around," Rest warned his companions sternly. "Stay sharp."
He called out to remind everyone of the danger.
The surrounding mana was far too concentrated for his 【Life Search】 spell to function properly. Between the disrupted senses and the poor visibility caused by the overgrown grass, it would be almost impossible to detect approaching monsters until the moment they struck.
"We don't know when an attack might come. Whatever you do—"
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
"Ngh...!"
A monster twice the size of a lion suddenly burst out from the thick grass.
It had blue fur, six legs, and compound eyes. Corrosive saliva dripped continuously from its maw.
It was a Corrosive Beast—a monster of the same kin as Subnock—and it pounced directly toward Yuri, who happened to be standing closest.
"Tei!"
"Gyan!"
Without a hint of panic, Yuri delivered a crisp roundhouse kick straight into its head.
Struck squarely in the face, the beast let out a brief yelp and flinched back.
"【Wind Cutter】【Amplification】【Accelerator】!"
"Gyah..."
Rest unleashed his spellcraft without delay. The Trio-Cast spell sliced the black lion cleanly in half as it stood stunned.
"Yuri, are you hurt?" Rest asked quickly.
"I'm fine!" she replied with a grin. "It startled me coming out so suddenly, though!"
"...More."
"Huh?"
Urula patted Rest near his hip.
"More coming. Lots of them."
"!"
As if confirming her warning, the dense foliage rustled violently.
"Everyone, brace yourselves! They're coming!" Rest shouted.
His companions took up their battle stances instantly.
A moment later, multiple Corrosive Beasts leaped out from the grass.
"" " " "GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" " " " "
"Watch out for the Corrosive Beasts' saliva!" Rest barked.
He called out to remind everyone of their counter-strategy.
True to their name, these black lions spat highly acidic saliva like pressurized water jets. Rest had informed his party beforehand and devised a countermeasure.
"【Earth Wall】!"
"【Water Wall】!"
Viola and Primula cast their defensive barriers simultaneously.
The earth wall stood on the inside, while the water wall covered the outside—a two-layered defensive spell shielding Rest's group.
"GYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"
The Corrosive Beasts fired jets of acidic spit, but the outer water wall broke their momentum and diluted the acid, while the inner earth wall stopped them cold.
"Alright, now!"
"【Fire Bolt】!"
Peeking out from behind the walls, Luid, Maurice, and the others bombarded the beasts with long-range magic.
The strategy worked flawlessly, dropping several Corrosive Beasts where they stood.
"Haaah!"
"Slashing."
When a few beasts breached the barrage and drew close, Yuri repelled them with a swift leg strike while Ryubass cut them down with his blade.
Without a single misstep, the Corrosive Beasts were steadily thinned out.
"Yeah, we should be fine at this rate," Rest muttered comfortably as he observed the fight.
He nodded in satisfaction.
Rest's role was reserve security—to eliminate enemies making unexpected moves and to provide healing magic if any comrade was injured.
Just as he felt a sense of relief, thinking he wouldn't need to step in, Urula tapped his hip once again.
"Big one coming."
"...Understood!"
Rest braced himself instantly.
From the underwear thief incident to today... he knew her words were far more than baseless intuition.
...She can see something that I can't... and that's how she perceives the enemy...
He was curious about what she saw... but he refrained from prying.
Instead, he focused on waiting for the arrival of whatever was coming.
"GYAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Accompanied by a deep, thunderous roar, it charged forward at terrifying speed.
Trampling through the tall grass and kicking aside the corpses of its brethren, a Corrosive Beast more than twice the size of the others tore into view.
It was far larger than normal Corrosive Beasts, yet smaller than Subnock.
"I see... So this is the new 'master,'" Rest muttered, narrowing his eyes.
He took in the massive creature's presence.
This massive beast was undoubtedly the new master of the wilderness—the next generation's Subnock.
With Subnock slain, it was the new king rising to claim the land.
"So it had already been born..."
Though an unexpected foe, Urula's warning had allowed Rest to remain composed.
The new master was certainly large, but it was nowhere near Subnock's scale. It clearly hadn't had enough time to grow to full power.
"I'll slay it before it fully matures... It ends here."
Rest held out his palm, summoning a black orb roughly the size of a basketball.
It was a celestial orb of pure darkness that swallowed everything around it—Rest's original spell, 【Star Eater】.
The area dimmed as light converged into the orb.
"【Amaterasu】!"
A decisive, lethal beam released from the condensed mana.
The light absorbed by the dark orb was focused into a solar laser and fired in a single concentrated beam.
"GYA..."
Pierced straight through the head before it could even move to attack, the new master of the wilderness uttered a brief death cry and collapsed.
Shortly after claiming its reign as king, the new master of the domain was effortlessly slain.
◇ ◇ ◇
Having defeated the new master, Rest's squad set about cutting down and burning the surrounding vegetation.
Although monster attacks occurred several more times, no creature stronger than the Corrosive Beasts was present in the area.
They hunted down the monsters without mishap, successfully completing the groundwork to pioneer the central sector of the plains.
From here on out, detailed land surveys and investigations would be conducted, paving the way for full-scale town construction.
By utilizing the abundant mana of the wilderness, a metropolis rivaling the royal capital itself might one day be built here.
"Whew... That's one job done," Rest let out a breath as his party returned to the entrance of the plains.
Having finished their duties in the central sector, they made their way back to the camp.
By the time they reached the pioneer corps headquarters established near the perimeter, the sun was already setting.
Numerous participants had pitched tents across the campground, busy cooking meals over fires in large pots.
"I'm truly exhausted... I feel like lying down right this instant," Maurice admitted, his shoulders slumping with fatigue.
"I'm all about food," Luid said, patting his stomach. "Smelling that cooking is making me starve. I want to eat until I burst."
The rest of their companions also appeared visibly worn out.
The only ones still brimming with energy were Yuri—a monster of physical stamina—and Ryubass, the knight student.
"Tents should be prepared for everyone to rest," Rest told the group. "Please go ahead and relax in your designated spaces."
He offered them his sincere thanks.
"Thanks to all of you, clearing out the monsters went smoothly. Thank you."
"You're welcome! ...By the way, what should we do with these?" Luid asked, pointing to the loot brought back from the central sector.
He indicated the monster materials they had gathered. While they had discarded what they couldn't carry, they had harvested as many remains of the Corrosive Beasts as possible.
Monster parts were valuable resources with no waste. Meat was for consumption, claws and fangs for weapons, hides and bones for armor, and even organs and blood fetched high prices for medicine.
"There's a material delivery station over there, so please carry them over," Rest instructed. "If there's any material you want for yourselves, feel free to take it. I'm going to report to Prince Andrew now."
"Got it. See you later then."
Luid and the others headed off to deliver the materials.
"See you later, Rest-kun," Viola called out warmly.
"We'll prepare dinner in the meantime," Primula added.
"Au..."
Viola and Primula gently held Urula by her hands and led her along.
"Alright! Dinner time! Ryubass, if you'd like, why don't you—"
"Not a chance!"
"Ah! He ran!"
Yuri tried to invite Ryubass to eat as well, but when he flatly rejected her, she chased right after his sprinting form.
"Why are you following me?! Stay back, don't act so overly familiar!"
"Because you're running away! When I see something running, I just feel compelled to chase it!"
"What are you, a wild beast?!"
The two of them dashed off into the distance.
Considering how much physical exertion they had already endured today, their endless vitality was truly remarkable.
"Now then... I should get moving."
Rest made his way toward the largest tent standing prominently at the center of the camp.
Guards were stationed outside, so he asked them to announce his arrival before receiving permission to enter.
"Excuse me," Rest said, stepping inside.
"Ah, Rest-kun. I see you have returned."
Inside the grand tent sat Andrew, the commander-in-chief of the development corps, at a large table. Beside him stood Rilanda Marker, working closely shoulder-to-shoulder with him on paperwork.
"Hmm...?"
...Those two seem unusually close, don't they?...
Although Rilanda was supposedly his aide, their posture suggested an intimacy far beyond a standard superior and subordinate relationship.
...Come to think of it, Prince Andrew doesn't have a fiancée...
For royalty, engagements were often decided before reaching the age of ten, yet no fiancée had ever been officially announced for Andrew.
...Unlike the foolish Prince Rodel, there were no bad rumors about Andrew. If he had an influential fiancée, he might be able to vie for the throne. Rumors said he disliked the idea and chose not to take a fiancée, but maybe there's another reason...
Perhaps he was involved in a romance that transcended social class with his female aide.
While harboring such idle speculations, Rest kept his expression neutral and proceeded with his mission report.
"We have completed the subjugation of the monsters in the central area of the plains," Rest reported concisely. "The plant life had grown abnormally due to the wilderness's mana, so we cleared it out."
"I see. Were there any casualties or injuries?" Andrew asked.
"No, everyone is uninjured."
"That is wonderful news. Excellent work."
"Also... here is a rough map of the central sector. I lack formal surveying knowledge, so it is quite rudimentary, but please use it as a reference."
Rest handed over a rough sketch of the terrain and detailed what he had observed in the center of the plains.
He reported the overgrown vegetation fed by dense mana.
The fact that sensory magic like 【Life Search】 was disrupted by the thick mana environment.
How some team members felt unwell from the suffocating concentration of mana.
The subjugation of the Corrosive Beasts—Subnock's kin.
And the possibility that remnants of the beasts might still remain hidden.
"...I see," Andrew murmured, resting his chin on his hand as he pondered the report.
He absorbed the information thoughtfully.
"The central sector of the wilderness is indeed not easily subdued. Will the dense mana persist unless we establish barrier magic circles?"
"Most likely," Rest replied. "If we have magic circles absorb the excess mana, it should improve the situation significantly."
"Understood. I will arrange with the royal court to send skilled barrier specialists... As for your team, please continue surveying the center and thinning out any remaining monsters."
With that, Andrew placed a document he had been holding onto the table.
Rest involuntarily glanced at it, but realizing it might be confidential, he quickly averted his eyes.
"You may look if you wish. It isn't anything major," Andrew said with a sardonic smile, turning the paper toward him.
Rest blinked as he read the heading.
"Is this... a request to dispatch additional personnel?"
The document contained requests from several nobles offering to send labor for the plains development.
"Honestly... it's quite bothersome at this late stage."
"Is there a problem?" Rest asked. "Isn't it a good thing to have more workforce?"
"The ones offering help are fence-sitting nobles who have kept their distance from the crown until now," Andrew replied, shrugging sarcastically. "Their intention to 'create an obligation' is blatantly obvious."
He let out a dry sigh.
Frontier development promised vast vested interests, and opportunists were eager to snag a piece of the pie.
"They offered zero cooperation before, yet the moment they smell profit, they come groveling with rubbing hands. Rather than giving a share to such vultures, we are better off handling this with students alone. Wouldn't you agree?"
"...Indeed," Rest conceded softly.
Regrettably, the kingdom was not a monolithic block.
There were nobles uncooperative with the crown, and others like the Queen Dowager Faction showing outright rebellion. Having them swarm in only when there was profit to reap was nothing short of a nuisance.
"Speaking of nobles who keep their distance from the royal family... Rest-kun, I hear you are quite close with the granddaughter of Margrave Lavender."
"...Do you mean Lady Lavender?"
"Yes, Urula Lavender... How has she been acting?" Andrew asked.
"How, you ask...? She is clumsy with her emotions, but she is a good girl," Rest answered. "She lent us her strength today as well."
"...Hmph."
Andrew let out a soft snort through his nose.
His demeanor gave the impression that he was far from satisfied with Rest's explanation.
"...Was there a problem with my explanation?" Rest inquired.
"No... but it would be wise not to lower your guard around Lady Lavender."
"...Why is that?"
"House Lavender is also among those noble houses uncooperative with the crown... No, phrasing it that way is somewhat unfair. How should I put it...?" Andrew paused, deliberating over his words.
He took a breath before speaking again.
"They are sworn in loyalty to the Kingdom of Iwood. There is no doubt about that. However... their idea of loyalty differs vastly from the crown's policy."
"I don't quite understand..." Rest said. "Specifically, how does it differ?"
"Because they insist that developing this nation through military might is the true path of loyalty," Andrew explained. "They firmly believe that obliterating the Geisel Empire, northern barbarians, and every hostile force threatening our realm to expand our territory is the ultimate justice. For our kingdom, which maintains a moderate diplomatic policy, they are a constant source of headache."
Enriching the nation through military power—national prosperity and martial strength.
While certainly a valid perspective of justice, it was a thorny path soaked in blood.
Rest could easily understand why the current moderate royal family kept them at arm's length.
"They had continuously demanded an invasion of the Geisel Empire, yet suddenly they sent their daughter to the academy... I cannot help but feel there is some hidden motive at play."
"...Are you suggesting Lady Lavender is scheming something?"
"The possibility is certainly high."
"..."
Rest recalled Urula's behavior at the academy.
Collapsing with a nosebleed upon their very first meeting, following him around like a child clinging to a parent, or offering subtle guidance during battles with monsters.
At the very least, the young lady named Urula Lavender in Rest's eyes did not look like someone hatching evil schemes.
"You have a face that says you aren't convinced... Well, that is fine," Andrew remarked with a bitter chuckle, picking up on Rest's inner thoughts.
He gave a mild, understanding smile.
"I mind not in the least if you become close with Lady Lavender. However... do take care that you aren't manipulated or drawn into their agenda."
"...Understood."
Though he still had reservations... it was the word of royalty. Rest offered a nod of assent.
"I shall keep your warning in mind... Excuse me."
Bowing deeply, Rest took his leave from Andrew's presence.
“...Looks like he dislikes me now. How troublesome.”
Inside the tent where Rest had departed, Prince Andrew gave a wry smile.
“I suppose anyone would react that way when hearing their friend spoken ill of... Especially since he already seems to have a soft spot for women.”
“...I believe this could have been avoided if Your Highness had simply exercised a bit more discretion with your words, you know?” Rilanda remarked sourly.
The one offering the bitter counsel was Rilanda Marker, Andrew’s close aide.
Rilanda was not only his subordinate but also a long-standing childhood friend. An air of familiar intimacy lingered between the two.
“Well, I don’t particularly mind if he dislikes me. I’ve left the duty of keeping him tethered to the royal house to Celestine.”
“...Lady Celestine again?” Rilanda cast a reproachful glare at him. “You do nothing but place burdens upon her shoulders.”
Rilanda directed a critical, accusing gaze toward him.
For years, Celestine had been forced to clean up the messes left by that fool of a prince, Rodel.
Even after Rodel was whisked away by Marquis Eiger, freeing her from that heavy burden... now she was being used as a wedge to bind Rest to the royal family.
As a fellow woman, Rilanda clearly harbored deep sympathy for Celestine’s plight.
“I don’t think there’s any need to worry that much... Celestine actually seems surprisingly fond of Rest-kun.”
“Is that so?” Rilanda asked. “I fail to see what common ground could possibly exist between him and Lady Celestine.”
“Nonsense, they have plenty in common,” Andrew countered smoothly. “Both of them have suffered immensely, and both are constantly jerked around by the whims of those in power.”
“...”
“It was a joke! Please, don’t glare at me like that,” Prince Andrew pleaded defensively.
As Rilanda’s piercing stare intensified, Andrew raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.
“Still... to be perfectly frank, it was a huge relief that Celestine gravitated toward Rest-kun.”
“Ah... come to think of it, she was one of Your Highness’s prospective betrothed candidates, was she not?”
“Most reluctantly, yes,” Andrew admitted with a grimace.
A look of profound distaste washed over Andrew’s face.
Celestine was a duke’s daughter. In the kingdom’s current state, devoid of any princesses in the royal family, she was a noblewoman holding status second only to the queen.
Her social standing matched Andrew’s perfectly. Had Rest not entered the picture, Andrew would almost certainly have been forced into an engagement with Celestine.
“Despite how it might look, I’m deeply grateful to him... And not just regarding Celestine. He’s also kept the sisters of Marquis Rosemary’s house and the daughter of Marquis Catleia close to his side.”
“Every single one of whom was a prospective candidate for Your Highness’s betrothed,” Rilanda noted.
“Hahaha! Thanks to that, I can avoid being forced into an unwanted marriage!”
Andrew let out a hearty laugh, his voice bubbling with uncontainable joy.
“You know as well as I do, don’t you? There is only one person in this world whom I love! Marrying anyone else is completely out of the question!”
“...Political marriage is a duty for royalty,” Rilanda countered pragmatically. “You could simply accept a wife as His Majesty requests, then keep your true beloved as a secret lover in the shadows.”
“Don’t even joke about that—absolutely not!”
Andrew clicked his tongue loudly, as though disgusted by the very suggestion.
“My principle is to love one partner with all my heart! I am not skilled enough to split my affection between two people at once... and you of all people should know that full well!”
“...”
Rilanda quietly averted her eyes from her passionately preaching master.
She understood Andrew’s feelings all too well. It pained her to admit it.
Yet... she also understood, to a sickening degree, that his feelings would never be accepted by his father, the king.
“...Let us leave this topic at that,” Rilanda said quietly. “If you will excuse me, I shall take my leave now.”
“Hmm? Ah, excellent work today. Make sure you get a good rest.”
“Yes, Your Highness. Farewell...”
Rilanda bowed respectfully before taking her leave from Andrew’s presence.
Just as she was about to step outside the tent... she nearly collided with a man walking in from outside.
“Whoops, my bad.”
“I’m sorry, Youthgoss.”
The man who entered was large and well-built.
He was a long-time friend of Rilanda’s as well as a fellow officer serving under Andrew.
He was a man named Youthgoss Betras, who also served as a secretary for the Student Council.
“Heading back, Rilanda?”
“Yes, night has fallen already. Good night.”
“Ah, good night.”
The two exchanged a brief greeting before parting ways.
Passing by Rilanda, Youthgoss stepped into Andrew’s tent.
“I have returned, Prince Andrew.”
“Ah, my honey! I’ve been waiting for you!”
Andrew spoke with delight as he stood up from his chair.
He walked over to Youthgoss and wrapped him in a passionate embrace.
“Y-Your Highness... so sudden.”
“It couldn’t be helped. I’ve been waiting for you all this time... Don’t worry, I’ve dismissed everyone else.”
“Your Highness...”
“Youthgoss...”
Why the Second Prince, Andrew, had no fiancee... Only a select few individuals, including Rilanda, knew the true reason.
And so, today as well, Andrew continued to nurture his secret love away from prying eyes.
◇ ◇ ◇
After completing his report to Second Prince Andrew, Rest headed toward the tent assigned to him.
Having become a noble, Rest had been provided with a fairly large tent, furnished inside with a simple bed, table, and chairs.
(It feels a bit like glamping... Once in a while, something like this isn’t so bad.)
Soldiers were patrolling all around, so safety was not an issue. It promised to be a comfortable night in camp.
“Ah, Rest-kun! Welcome back!”
“Lord Rest. Thank you for your hard work.”
In front of the tent, Viola and Primula were making a fire and cooking.
A splendid barbecue grill sat before them, and meat and vegetables sizzled enticingly over red-hot charcoal on the grate.
“Is that... a barbecue?”
“Yes, we heard that people cook like this outdoors!”
“It’s our first time, so we aren’t sure if we’re doing it properly, but...”
“No, it smells incredibly delicious... Wow, I suddenly feel starving...!”
At the savory aroma of roasting meat, Rest’s throat gulped audibly.
A wave of hunger he hadn’t felt until now surged through him all at once.
“By the way... where is Urula?”
Recalling his earlier conversation with Andrew, Rest asked.
Urula was nowhere to be seen around the barbecue grill. That eye-catching purple hair of hers was something he couldn't possibly miss.
“If you mean that girl... look, she’s inside.”
“Hmm...?”
Peering into the tent... he saw a small figure letting out peaceful sleeping breaths right in the middle of the unadorned bed.
It was Urula, curled up into a ball on the bed, fast asleep.
“She’s sleeping...”
“She must be exhausted. Her little body pushed so hard to keep up with us on the march.”
“Ah... right. That makes sense.”
Rest nodded at Primula’s words.
Urula was still just a child... or so she appeared. She didn’t look like the athletic type either, yet she had forced her way through a forced march right into the middle of the plains alongside Rest and the others.
Even if she had been reinforcing her physical body with magic, she was bound to be terribly exhausted.
“I didn’t notice... I feel bad for pushing her.”
“There’s no need to feel bad. She is a noble too, and she insisted on following us of her own free will. She must be prepared to accept the responsibility.”
Viola spoke sternly. Her tone was sharp... but it was undoubtedly the truth.
Born as nobility, whether child or woman, one had to fulfill the duties placed upon them. That was the price paid for holding privilege.
“The food is cooked. Shall we eat?”
“Ah, thank you.”
Primula handed over a plate piled high with grilled meat and vegetables.
Rest accepted it and decided to dig in right away.
“Mm, this is delicious.”
“I’m so glad. Well then, let’s eat as well.”
“Ah, so good! Adding plenty of salt was definitely the right choice!”
The three of them relished the barbecue.
Having sweated heavily and depleted their salt levels, the rich, savory seasoning soaked deeply into their tired bodies.
“I wondered how eating outdoors would be... but it’s far more pleasant than I expected.”
“There’s such a wonderful sense of freedom. The breeze feels so refreshing.”
For the Rosemary sisters, highborn noble ladies, this was likely their first barbecue.
Both of them thoroughly enjoyed dining in the open air.
“Ah, what an incredible smell! The savory scent of roasting meat!”
Yuri arrived, her eyes shining brightly with excitement.
She carried a large bundle wrapped in cloth in both hands.
“Did Ryubass manage to escape from you?”
“Yeah, he sprinted off somewhere! I wonder why he was so desperate to get away?”
“Well, that’s just how he is... More importantly, do you want to eat too, Yuri?”
“I do!”
Yuri answered without a moment’s hesitation.
Grabbing a plate, she impaled the sizzling food on the grate with her fork.
“Haff-haff! Delicious! This is so good! The meat, the veggies, even the mushrooms... Hot!”
“Hey, hey, don’t eat so fast!”
“You’ll burn yourself, Yuri-san.”
Watching Yuri shovel meat and vegetables into her mouth, the Rosemary sisters voiced their fond exasperation.
“Eating together with everyone makes the food extra special! It’s super delicious!”
“I’m glad to hear that... but you’re wolfing it down a bit too greedily.”
Yuri’s eating pace was ferocious. At this rate, the ingredients would vanish in no time.
“Ah, in that case, let's grill the meat I brought too!”
Yuri unwrapped the cloth bundle. From within emerged a massive chunk of raw meat.
“What’s that?”
“I got it from the supply quartermaster! It’s monster meat!”
“Monster meat...?”
Monster meat was known as a delicacy. While some people felt a strong aversion to it and certain monsters carried poison, depending on the creature, it was traded at high prices as a luxury ingredient.
“It doesn’t seem poisonous. I don’t mind eating it, but...”
“I don’t mind either. Right, Primula?”
“Yes, I have no objections.”
“Alright then, let's grill this too.”
Rest accepted the chunk of meat from Yuri. Just to be safe, he cast a 【Poison Search】 spell to confirm it was harmless before using wind magic to slice it into manageable portions.
“Huh, it’s quite tender. It’s got good marbling, almost like beef.”
He didn’t know what monster it came from, but it didn’t seem bad at all. Rest placed the cut meat onto the grill.
“Ooh...!?”
“Woah...!”
The moment it touched the heat, a juicy, savory fragrance wafted into the air.
Even before adding any seasonings, an astonishingly rich and fragrant aroma filled the surroundings.
This is going to be delicious... Conviction welled up inside him before even taking a bite. His throat swallowed automatically.
“R-Rest! Hurry, cook it faster!”
“Yuri, don’t rush me! Hold your horses!”
“Ah, I’ll season it! Sprinkling salt and pepper...”
“Come on, let's eat!”
With hearts beating with excitement, the four of them scooped meat onto their plates.
And as if competing against one another, they brought the meat to their mouths.
“~~~!”
Rich flavor exploded across the mouth the instant they bit into it. Juices burst forth as the tender meat fibers yielded effortlessly.
That it came from a monster didn’t matter in the slightest. It was like fatty bluefin tuna belly. To be honest, it was the finest meat Rest had ever tasted in this world.
“Delicious...!”
“This is incredible...”
“It really is amazing...”
“Nom nom, munch munch...!”
The three of them voiced breathless admiration, while Yuri stuffed meat into her mouth with single-minded devotion.
It was no wonder they were rendered speechless. The savory perfection of the meat was just that extraordinary.
“Mm...”
“Ah, Urula. Did you wake up?”
While they were savoring the meat, Urula emerged, rubbing her sleepy eyes.
“Food...?”
“Yeah. Come over here, Lady Lavender. Let's eat together.”
“Mm.”
“Whoa?”
Without a moment’s hesitation, Urula sat right down onto Rest’s lap.
““Mmh...!””
“Munch, munch...”
The Rosemary sisters knitted their brows simultaneously. Despite their contrasting personalities, both sisters wore the exact same expression of discontent.
Yuri paid no mind to the scene, staring intently only at the meat.
“Urula...”
“...Want to eat.”
Urula casually demanded food without caring about the glares.
Letting out a sigh, Primula handed over a fresh plate heaped with meat.
“...Here you go.”
“Thanks.”
“You’re very welcome... But it’s unseemly, so please refrain from clinging so tightly to a gentleman.”
“Mm.”
Giving a vague reply that left it unclear if she understood, Urula speared a piece of meat with her fork.
Chewing the meat gently with her small mouth, she let out a quiet murmur of praise.
“...Yummy.”
“Right? We were just saying how delicious it is.”
“Mm... Corrosive beast, yummy.”
“Huh...?”
At Urula’s words, Rest blinked in astonishment.
“Corrosive beast... wait, what?!”
“Ah, that’s right. This is that black lion,” Yuri chimed in belatedly while chewing a mouthful of meat.
“I was curious what it would taste like, so I asked the supply quartermaster to let me have some! My instincts were spot on—it’s super delicious!”
“T-This... is that monster...?”
“Ah, wait, really...?”
Viola and Primula froze with twitching faces, their forks stopping midair.
It was certainly delicious. It was extraordinarily delicious... but they hadn’t expected that what they were eating was a monster that secreted saliva capable of melting human flesh.
No matter how tasty it was, an underlying sense of horror remained separate from the flavor.
“W-Well, the meat itself is innocent enough...”
“I suppose... yeah...”
“Lord Rest is right...”
Despite their words, the speed of their forks slowed down noticeably.
“Munch, munch, gulp!”
“...Yummy.”
Unlike those two, Yuri and Urula continued eating without the slightest care.
Corrosive beast meat.
This was the exact moment when “Subnock Meat”—later counted as one of the Seven Great Delicacies of the World—first graced human palates.
◇ ◇ ◇
“Oh my, have you finished dining already?”
Just as they finished eating and tidied up, Celestine made her appearance.
“Celestine, you’re late,” Viola noted.
“I’m sorry. It would have been wonderful if you could have joined us...” Primula said apologetically.
“Please, think nothing of it. I managed to grab a bite between duties,” Celestine replied with an elegant duke’s daughter smile.
Leading the civil officer department students to handle logistical work behind the scenes, Celestine faced no life-threatening dangers like Rest and the others, but her busyness was by no means lesser.
In fact, though she concealed it skillfully, signs of fatigue flickered across her face.
“Fufu, you two have grown quite close, haven’t you?” Celestine remarked, glancing down at Rest’s lap.
Urula was still sitting there. Her belly full, she had grown drowsy and was nodding off, her head bobbing gently.
“Ah... well, I wonder why,” Rest scratched his head awkwardly.
“I understand,” Viola admitted. “Rest-kun carries an aura that makes one feel at ease.”
“Being with him makes you feel so relieved, yet makes your heart flutter at the same time. It’s practically unfair, isn’t it?” Primula agreed warmly.
Viola and Primula nodded in unison, echoing Celestine’s words.
Rest himself was completely oblivious, but some unspoken understanding seemed to pass among the young women.
“By the way... a shower trailer for women has been set up over there. Would you ladies care to use it?”
“Oh, how wonderful! I was just hoping to wash off the sweat!”
“Let’s go! I was worried about how I smelled!”
“Is it alright if I use it too?”
“Of course, Yuri-san.”
The girls exchanged cheerful, excited chatter.
“Well then... I am terribly sorry, Rest-san. The shower trailer is strictly for women...”
“Ah, don’t mind me at all. Go ahead and take your time.”
“Come on, you’re coming too!”
“Nn...”
Viola woke Urula up and pulled the sleepy girl along by the hand.
Left alone after the women departed, Rest gave a brief “Alright” and stood up, stepping into the spacious interior of his tent.
In the center of the tent sat a large bed, accompanied by a simple desk and chair.
(This place is far better furnished than my room in my previous life... It almost makes me tear up.)
Recalling his unfortunate past life, Rest swallowed his tears.
Pulling himself together, he took off his clothes and activated his magic.
“【Water Ball】, 【Fireball】.”
A duo-cast spell activation. Two spheres—one of water, one of fire—manifested in midair.
“Combine these... alright, perfect.”
The two spheres merged into one, generating steam in the room. By combining water and fire, he created hot water. After moving into the Rosemary townhouse he no longer needed to do this, but back when he lived in the stable of his birth house, he frequently used magic to create hot water and wash his body.
Temperature adjustment was second nature to him. It was neither too hot nor too cold, just right.
“Phew...”
Undressing, he wiped his body down with a towel soaked in hot water. If it were just removing dirt, a 【Clean】 spell could handle it easily enough, but washing with warm water was a special comfort.
“Alright, nice and refreshed. Now to clean the inside of the tent... yeah, that should do it.”
Discarding the used water outside, he used 【Clean】 and 【Dry】 spells to sanitize and dry the inside of the tent.
Changing into fresh undergarments and clothes, he poked his head outside... the sun had completely set, and night had fallen.
It was still early, but he decided to call it a day and turn in.
“Alright, time for bed.”
The women would likely return to their own tents to rest after finishing their showers.
Securing the tent entrance tightly, he lay down on the bed.
“Nnn...”
The moment he lay flat, drowsiness washed over him.
Without resisting the temptation, Rest surrendered his consciousness... journeying into the realm of sleep.
◇ ◇ ◇
“Suu... suu...”
“Huh...? Rest-kun, are you already asleep?”
How much time had passed? Someone entered the tent and called out quietly.
Deeply asleep, Rest did not awaken. His eyelids remained tightly shut.
“In that case, shall we slip in beside him as well?”
“W-Why does my heart beat so fast...? Is it really alright for us to do this?”
“I think you should sleep in a different tent, Sister. I’m going to rest right here.”
“I-I’m not giving up either! I won’t yield Rest-kun’s right side to anyone!”
A soft, warm sensation pressed against the right side of Rest’s back-lying body.
Immediately following... a similar sensation pressed against his left side.
“Is that so? Then I shall take the left side... What will the rest of you do?”
“I’m sleeping too! This spot is mine!”
“Fufufu... Well then, I shall take this edge. It’s a bit cramped, isn’t it?”
Next, a creaking sound echoed from a slight distance away.
At the succession of presences appearing around him, Rest’s brow twitched slightly.
“...I want to sleep too.”
“Guh...!”
Suddenly, a weight mounted on top of his body.
Even Rest was snapped wide awake by this, taking in the scene right before his eyes.
“Wh—Wh-Wh-What are you all doing?!”
Spread out before him was an intoxicatingly glamorous scene.
Women surrounded Rest. Four... no, five of them.
To his right were two: Viola pressed right up against him, with Yuri lying beyond her.
To his left, similarly, lay Primula and Celestine.
And... mounted directly atop his torso was Urula.
All five wore flimsy negligee-like garments—an attire far too defenseless to present before a young man.
“What are we doing? We simply thought we would rest as well. Is there a problem?” Primula tilted her head with a serene smile. Beside her, Celestine offered a mischievous grin of her own.
“D-Did we wake you? I’m sorry,” Viola stammered, her face flushed red with tension. Surprisingly, when it came to seducing Rest, Primula was far bolder and more aggressive than her elder sister.
“Suuu...”
Out like a light within three seconds... Yuri was already breathing softly in deep sleep. Rest knew from experience that saying anything to her would be futile.
“No... no matter how you look at it, isn’t this bad?! Unmarried men and women sharing the same bed is problematic for noble ladies, isn’t it?!”
“Not at all,” Primula answered smoothly.
“...It isn’t,” Viola added a moment later.
“I-It isn’t?!”
“We are betrothed, after all,” Primula explained. “Some people dislike premarital intimacy... but ultimately, it comes down to whether the head of the house permits it.”
“...Father is strict, but Mother is telling us to go all out. She wouldn’t say a word about sleeping in the same room.”
The head of House Rosemary was the sisters’ father, Albert Rosemary, but he was a married-in husband. Their mother, Irishe Rosemary, held far greater authority in the household.
Irishe was whole-heartedly in favor of Rest marrying the twin sisters. In fact, she even held the eccentric view that he ought to take concubines as well.
“What about Celestine...”
“I have obtained permission from my father as well. Please do not pay it any mind,” Celestine stated calmly.
Celestine, too, nonchalantly delivered such a declaration.
A duke’s daughter carrying royal blood—he wondered if it was truly acceptable for a noble lady to behave like this, but Celestine’s gaze held not a flicker of hesitation. Nor was she the type to tell a lie.
“Suuu... I can’t eat another bite...”
“Yuri, you and your cliché cartoon sleep-talking again...”
Muttering a ridiculously trope-filled sleep-talk, Yuri was currently in the middle of running away from home, far from her parents.
Rest turned his gaze to the final person... Urula.
“Lady Lavender...”
“...Don’t like that.”
Mounted atop Rest’s chest, Urula looked up at him with upturned eyes, pleading softly.
“I want ‘Urula’ too.”
“Huh...?”
“‘Urula.’”
“Rest-kun, doesn’t she mean she wants you to call her by her given name?” Viola chimed in from the side.
Indeed, addressing only Urula by her family name felt distant and formal.
Though he didn’t feel they were close enough to call each other by given names in the first place... as he thought this, Urula intensified her stare, glaring at him pointedly.
“‘Urula’... Friends, close friends call by given name...!”
“A-Alright, I got it... Urula. Is that fine?”
Yielding to an unusually firm tone from her, Rest dropped the formal honorific and called her by her given name.
“Mm... satisfied.”
Urula nodded contentedly and buried her face into Rest’s chest.
“Hey, doesn’t this mean...”
“Yes, there’s no doubt about it... We’ve gained yet another rival...”
Viola and Primula exchanged whispered words.
Assailed by a mysterious sense of mental exhaustion, Rest looked back and forth between the sisters beside him.
“What... what are you talking about?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Nothing at all~”
Answering with a touch of annoyance, the sisters snuggled closer against Rest’s arms.
“Guh...!”
Body heat transmitted through the close contact. Fragrances like floral perfume, and the faint scent of sweat, reached his nose.
And... try as he might to ignore it, the soft tactile sensation of their figures pressed against him.
(Even though we’re the same human beings... why do men and women feel so completely different to the touch?)
Maybe a girl’s body is made of marshmallows... Even such a silly thought floated into the corner of his mind with terrifying realism.
“...It’s been a while since we slept snuggled up with Rest. It feels somehow fresh and thrilling.”
Viola murmured from his right side. Clinging to his arm, Viola’s heartbeat was slightly fast, revealing her excitement at this rare situation.
“It’s a strange feeling. Rest-san, you’re so warm...”
Primula on his left was the same. Her heartbeat was slightly calmer than Viola’s. Her body temperature was marginally higher, and the soft pressure against his arm was just a little more generous...
“Cough, cough-cough...!”
“Are you okay, Rest-kun?”
“Is something wrong, Lord Rest?”
“No... it’s nothing. Maybe the air is just a bit dry...”
(This is bad... I don’t feel like I can fall asleep at all...!)
His consciousness was completely wide awake.
His five senses were sharpened to the absolute limit, allowing him to vividly register the body heat, breathing, and scents of all five girls.
(If this keeps up, things are going to get dangerous... teenage youth instincts are going to run wild...!)
Rest was a rational young man, but he was still a teenage boy in the full bloom of adolescence.
Sharing a bed with girls his age—and exceedingly beautiful maidens at that—there was no way he could remain calm.
(If it’s come to this, I have to use my last resort...!)
“【Sleep】.”
He whispered softly so no one else could hear.
It was, literally, magic that invited a person into the realm of sleep.
Though categorized as status ailment magic, it had a short effective range and rarely affected anyone with high mana capacity. It was a spell with virtually no combat utility.
(If I cast it on myself and accept the spell without resisting... it should... work...)
“Suu...”
Though he had been aroused by the five maidens clinging to him, Rest’s consciousness rapidly drifted away.
Without taking much time at all, his mind sank into a deep sea of slumber.
“Huh...? Rest-kun, did you already fall asleep?”
“He must have been terribly exhausted.”
Unaware that he had used magical brute force to fall asleep, the Rosemary sisters spoke softly from either side.
“Fufu, what a cute sleeping face. He’s so strong, yet when he sleeps, he looks just like a child.”
Primula poked Rest’s sleeping cheek with her finger.
Blushing in the darkness, her features softened with deep affection.
“Snooooore... snooooore!”
“T-This one over here really is like a child,” Viola giggled.
Beside Viola, Yuri was fast asleep, letting out vigorous sleeping sounds.
Both of them were fast asleep; it didn’t seem like anything short of a tremor would wake them.
Viola and Primula clung tight to Rest’s arms, preparing to follow them into the world of sleep.
“By the way... may I ask a question?”
Amidst the quiet, Celestine, lying next to Primula, spoke up.
“What is it, Celestine?” Viola asked.
“No... the one I wish to speak with is Urula-san.”
“Mm...?”
Glued to Rest, Urula raised her head slightly.
Blinking her purple eyes silently, she prompted Celestine to continue.
“Urula-san, you have stayed by Rest-san’s side all this time. Is that by the will of Margrave Lavender?”
“!”
It was a direct, point-blank question.
Viola and Primula caught their breath.
It was a question both sisters harbored in their hearts, yet had been unable to ask directly.
House Lavender occupied a unique position among the nobility.
Great borderland nobles guarding the eastern frontier. The linchpin of trade with the Geisel Empire, yet simultaneously the embodiment of vengeance, despising the Empire to the core.
Unlike moderate factions such as House Rosemary, House Catleia, or House Crocus, they belonged to the hawkish War Faction advocating active external campaign.
While they didn't hold dangerous extremist ideologies like the Queen Dowager Faction... even so, one couldn't help but feel wary when House Lavender, long silent, suddenly began to act.
“Pardon my intrusion, but I had your background looked into. It is said that you were sickly, bedridden for years, and unable to appear on the public stage, correct?”
“...”
“However... in the first place, your father, the current Margrave’s son, went missing nearly twenty years ago. Rumor has it he ran off with a traveling dancer—a romantic story, to be sure.”
“...”
“Margrave Lavender has no other children. Yet you, his granddaughter, suddenly appeared. In an aristocratic society that values bloodlines, adoption requires formal application to the crown, and yet...”
“...”
“Are you truly Margrave Lavender’s granddaughter? Is your enrollment in the academy... becoming our classmate... truly a coincidence devoid of political motive?”
Gentle in tone, yet sharp and unyielding, leaving no room for evasion.
Viola and Primula held their breath, waiting for Urula’s response.
“Doesn’t matter.”
“!”
Urula, silent until now, offered a terse reply.
Casual... as though, true to her words, it really didn’t matter to her at all.
“I am Grandfather’s granddaughter. Grandfather told me to come to academy... but doesn’t matter.”
“Doesn’t matter...?”
“What do you mean by that?” Viola and Primula asked in wonder.
However, receiving the spotlight of all three, Urula rubbed her cheek against Rest’s chest with complete disinterest.
“Doesn’t matter... everything, everything doesn’t matter...”
“Ah...”
Celestine let out a soft sigh.
Urula’s explanation was no explanation at all. In fact, it was unclear if she even intended to explain.
However... there was one thing that could be stated with absolute certainty.
“You... truly are attached to Rest-san, aren’t you?” Celestine said, half exasperated and half impressed.
That Urula harbored genuine affection for Rest... that was undeniably true.
Seeing Urula nuzzle her face against him like a puppy affectionate toward its mother, no one could believe her feelings were feigned.
“Why do you care for Rest-san so much...?”
“Because he is pretty.”
To that question, an instant response came back this time.
“Because he is pretty. Because he is beautiful. So, so, so very pretty...!”
“I-I see...”
Faced with that passionate breath, Celestine flinched slightly. Viola and Primula’s expressions twitched as well.
Indifferent to how she taken aback the others, Urula continued nuzzling her cheek against Rest repeatedly.
“Haa... How should I put it, I feel a bit foolish for worrying...” Viola sighed.
“Indeed...” Primula agreed.
Normally, the sisters would have felt jealous, but seeing Urula’s attachment look less like romantic rivalry and more like a small animal’s affection, their suspicion evaporated.
“As long as this girl isn’t Rest-kun’s enemy, I don’t mind. I’m curious about Margrave Lavender, but our mother is just as hot-blooded after all.”
“We don’t say it in front of Father, but... Mother is part of the War Faction too, isn’t she?”
Picturing their unconventional, fight-loving mother in their minds, the sisters shared a wry laugh.
“It seems I asked an uncalled-for question... Please forgive me.”
“Mm.”
When Celestine offered her apology, Urula gave a tiny reply without stopping her nuzzling.
“No matter what happens, we are on Rest-san’s side... As long as that is confirmed, that is more than enough.”
“Mumble mumble... Don’t worry, Rest. I’m here for you~”
“Fufu, it seems Yuri-san agrees as well,” Celestine giggled.
Deeply asleep, Yuri answered in her sleep. Quiet laughter echoed within the tent.
“Shall we sleep for tonight? We can continue another time over tea...”
“Yes... good night.”
“Good night...”
“Mm... good night.”
The conversation ended, and silence descended in the darkness.
Night deepened around Rest and the five girls.
Despite being outdoors, there was no chill to be felt—only a hot, flushed night.
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