Kays Translations

Chapter 144: Recruiting Talent at the Academy

“Rest, be careful!”

“Rest-sama, please don’t stray too far!”

When Rest told Viola and Primula that he was going to the academy, they immediately insisted on accompanying him. Once they arrived at the academy, they stuck to him like personal bodyguards, not leaving his side.

“Um… you don’t have to stick so close. It’s not like we’re in a cage with wild beasts…”

Rest gave a wry smile. He came to the academy to scout for talent for his territory’s development. They were already on the grounds, walking towards the school building, but Viola and Primula seemed overly vigilant.

“Um… are you worried about female students approaching me?”

“Yes… you never know where they might come from, so stay alert!”

“Sister, there are two girls in the shadow of the building on the right!”

“Roger! Three more are coming from behind. Be careful!”

“Are you on the lookout for assassins or something? Isn’t this a bit much?”

How much did they dislike other women approaching Rest? While being jealous, Rest couldn’t help but feel somewhat happy about being so loved.

“… It’s fine. Whether it’s wives or concubines. I’m a noblewoman, and Rest is strong and impressive.”

“That’s right… The problem is women with no value approaching.”

Viola and Primula spoke with unusually serious expressions.

“If it’s a politically valuable woman, or someone who’s talented and can support Rest, it’s okay if they approach.”

“The problem is… women who are only after money and aiming to be concubines.”

Viola kept a vigilant eye on the surroundings while Primula pouted.

“It’s troubling if women just try to seduce Rest-sama, get supported by him, and only take money, dresses, jewelry, or mansions. We can’t allow women who would only corrupt him to get close!”

“Yeah… there might be people like that.”

Rest currently had enough wealth to support a whole town of women. To the predatory ladies, he must seem like a very tempting prey.

“… I’ll be careful. I won’t fall for any weird honey traps.”

“Yes, please do. So, what are we going to do now? Go to the classroom?”

“Let’s wait in the cafeteria until lunch break. There might be students who don’t have classes at this time.”

Although the academy’s classes had resumed, Rest had no intention of attending. Now that he was a Count and part of the nobility, he needed to prioritize developing and managing his territory. Of course, the academy had given him permission for this.

There were other students in similar situations who, due to family circumstances, rarely attended classes. Some had even stopped coming altogether, only keeping their enrollment status. Although he had been given plenty of assignments in lieu of attending, this was inevitable.

In fact, it was so lenient that it seemed overly generous, as simply completing the assignments meant one could graduate without ever attending a single day.

(Because it’s a noble school… I suppose they can be flexible.)

“We’ll scout in order. First, my classmates. Then, classmates from other classes. Upperclassmen and students from other departments. For now… I’ll offer rewards and recruit those willing to hunt monsters. Given their classes, it will probably only be on weekends.”

Even temporary part-time work would be fine. Rest planned to broadly recruit people willing to help. For those who performed well, he could then ask them to become his retainers, now that he was an earl.

When he previously visited the academy, some students had approached him with hopes of serving under him. However, many of them were likely just seeking to benefit from his success. Among this mixed pool of talent, Rest’s task was to have them work and identify the truly capable individuals.

“I’ll try to gather people through the Ladies’ Society. There must be some looking for positions for their lovers or fiancés.” 

Viola suggested.

“I’ll consult with the student council. I can reach out through the connections of the council members.” 

Primula added.

“The student council… Right, that’s another avenue.” 

The student council’s executive committee was an elite group of students at the Royal Academy, particularly skilled in combat. They had also been active as a rescue team during the recent monster hunt festival.

“They should be experienced with monster hunting. I’ll approach them later.”

With the plan set, it was time to take action. Flanked by Viola and Primula, Rest entered the school building.

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