Leila paused for a breath and finally began to mention the main question.

''Why did the Prosperous Dragon King Knights send me to this town? Let me explain.

　I gulped and waited for the next statement.
　I had a bad feeling that the Dragon King's Knights would send someone - even a girl - to me.

''But before that, could you please tell me how far you guys know about the situation?
Okay. I'll explain.

　We can't let go of the initiative forever.
　As the most important party, I should do this much.

　--The thing that happened is that the Silver Winged Knights and the Golden Fang Knights thought to knight me and add me to their ranks.

　This matter had been postponed until the end of the Demon King's War, according to the decision of His Majesty the King who administered the order, but that war has finally come to an end.

　The royal palace wanted to prevent the relationship between the two knights from deteriorating, and thought that by having the dragon king's knights, who are superior to them, take advantage of their superiority, they could force both sides to give up on me.

You will be able to find out what is the best way to get the most out of your new member. I guess.
'That's largely accurate. There are a few things that need to be corrected.

　Layla corrects my explanation from her people's perspective.

'Even before this matter was brought to us, we were divided into three factions. The traditional faction, which advocates adherence to traditional policies, and the reform faction, which argues that we should recruit a wide range of people, and we are admirable as we seek a compromise between the two.
You said that's not the way it works.

　It seems that my case was just a new spark thrown into the original conflict structure that was in place.

　For me, it's the same either way, but for Leila, it doesn't seem to be the case.

''My Hyndman family is a neutral party. We want to avoid putting a crack in the knightly order and rejecting the request of the royal court. As for me personally, I don't mind either way, as long as His Majesty is satisfied with the ...... excuse me, I digress.

　Leila made a small coughing gesture - not that she actually coughed - and brought the conversation back to the main point.

'We take outsiders into our ranks and then let them join the group. There are many ways to do that, and there are multiple precedents for this ...... but those are all cases of taking in people who were knights in the first place.
So you think that's hard to apply to a commoner like me?
Yeah, that's why they sent me.
......?

　I still don't understand the situation for the moment.
　Just as I was about to ask for a more detailed explanation, Leila quickly added a few more words.

''Whether or not you are the right person for the Dragon King's Knights. My first role is to find out if this is the right person for the Dragon King's Order.
That way, it's easier to convince traditionalists to go to ......?
'Yes, sir. So it wouldn't have been a great deal of harm for them to know of our purpose. Of course, it would have been better if they hadn't known.

　Indeed, if the goal is to get to know my personality up close and personal, it doesn't make much difference whether or not I'm aware of Leila's true identity.

　If the process is that I wanted to join the group of my own volition and was sent to do the screening, then it's more convenient to keep my real title hidden.

　This is because in order to pass the examination for membership, you might act differently than usual and it would be impossible to make an accurate assessment.

　However, this time, things are only working for the convenience of the Knights and the Royal Court, and I myself am not hoping to join the Dragon King Knights.

　Also, in this situation just before the opening of the branch office, there's no way I'm going to 'dare to act incompetent in order to avoid the scouts'.

　That's why Leila is still maintaining an unhurried, noiseless and generous attitude even after Garnett has discovered her true identity.

"If you want to cancel my employment, feel free to do so. But you can go to .......
I won't take it back. It would send the wrong message to the Royal Palace and the Dragon King's Knights, and as an employee, you're going to work properly, right?
'That's of course. Do you have any other questions?

　Layla looked over at me as well as Garnett, Sylvia and Sakura.

'Oh, um!　Can I start with you?!

　The first to ask a question was Sylvia.

'Leila-san came through the intermediary of the Sundial Chamber of Commerce, right? How far does your grandmother ...... know about the situation, Chairman Dorothea?
'No, nothing in particular. I was brokered on the same terms as a regular worker. You may have been aware of the situation without explaining it to me, but I'm afraid I can't tell you that much.

　Sylvia exhaled briefly, looking relieved.

　She was probably worried that her own grandmother might be involved in a political conspiracy, because she was her immediate family.

'You mentioned earlier that you have a primary role, but if you have a second and third role as well? If so, I would appreciate an explanation.'

　It was Sakura who opened her mouth next.

　As he was the closest third party in the room, his questions were objective and calm.

''Yes, there is another important role to play. Adoption and marriage are the easiest means of incorporating an outsider into the family. However, since adoption will affect the inheritance and the succession of the family, we must also consider the possibility of having them take over the family.

　Literally, an adopted child is meant to be a legal child.

　I've heard that if the biological child dies out for whatever reason, the adopted child will take over the reigns of the family, and conversely, the adopted child can take over the reigns of the family because there is no biological child.

　That's why we have to be cautious as a means of bringing in outsiders.

''In other words, the way to bring you into the clan is--''

　A bad feeling runs down my spine.
　I don't turn around to look at Garnett, who is sitting next to me.

　Previously, Commander Carmine had also said that this(-) person(s) of(-) law(s) was the most likely.

'-- The Hyndman family is the leading neutral party. You will marry me, the only unmarried woman among them, here.
What?
Nah. ......!
Huh?

　The three girls simultaneously let out a heartfelt cry of surprise.

　Garnett's reaction was especially tremendous, so much so that the impact of her poking her hand into the table and leaning forward was enough to cause the table top to crack and almost shatter.

'You!　So that's what the other part is!　Hey, you're here to get your fiancé's goods!

　Garnett sings out furiously, propelled by the astonishment of his skills to the point of outburst.

'A prospective fiancée, to be precise. Because the veto power is not only given to Lord Luke, but to me as well. Only after I've observed the person up close and personal and decided that I want to be your mate will you move on to the next step.

　However, Leila remained blissfully calm and collected and stared back at Garnett sharply with her red eyes.

　Neither disgust nor shame could be felt at all from her words and actions.

''Our Hyndman family is not trapped in the old-fashioned ways like the Traditionalists and the Silverwing Knights. Political marriages against his own will are a substitute for His Majesty Alfred's reign.

　If you ask me, that might be true.
　Because the story of how His Majesty Alfred became king is the result of an attempt to destroy such a marriage.

　The former king decided to give the princess and the throne to whoever found a particular artifact, and the princess rebelled against it, hid her identity and went down to the fields, where she acted and fell in love with His Majesty when he was an adventurer.

　When the princess was brought back to the former king and formally declared the spoils of war (a trophy), His Majesty overcame all odds to win the throne.

　The reason he became king was a weakness he had fallen in love with - I well remember the look on his face as he shyly told me once when I had an audience with His Majesty.

What did you think of meeting him in person at ......?

　Garnett glares at Leila with a mixture of indignation and a fake smile on his face.

''Honestly, it's not exactly my preference as a member of the opposite s*x. Because my ideal lord is His Majesty Alfred. His physical toughness is as if it were lacking.''

　Leila, who quietly states that.
　I think that if I used that man as a comparison, I'd be out of scope for the majority of men in this world.

"I think I have a relatively good face and personality, but I can't help but notice the lack of muscle mass: ...... Um, why am I being stared at?

　Don't ask me. Please don't ask me.