What took you so long? I'm getting tired of waiting.

　As soon as I left the room after finishing my exchange with Gilbert, Garnett came running up to me.

　He spoke as if he was angry, but his expression and tone of voice did not show any anger at all, but rather he seemed to be in a good mood.

　I can roughly imagine why.
　It may not be a good way to say it, but the criteria I just told Gilbert about is like a good mood to Garnett, so to speak.

　If you don't get in a good mood, it's more trouble for us.

What the hell did you say to her?　It's not something I could ever teach you, is it?
'I was even reminded to tell you too. I'm sure you'll be able to find out more about this when you get home. But the rest of the story will have to wait until we get home.

　There were two different topics that Garnett had exchanged after leaving the room, both of which were related to the activities of the Golden Fang Knights.

　Both the test delivery of a new weapon to the Golden Fang and the Golden Fang's views on the mysterious golem under the Demon King's Castle were difficult to talk about in a place where there were many outsiders.

　So I decided to finish my business at the branch office and then head back to the White Wolf Store on the ground.

Then, let's get right to it. Tell me what you and Gilbert were talking about when you were alone with Gilbert.

　After laying the cup of pre-made herbal tea on the table, Garnett sat down in a chair on the other side of the table and cut in as if he were begging for a souvenir.

'I know, I know. Well then, let's start with .......

　He recounts the contents of his conversation with Gilbert in order from the beginning.

　That there was a request for a test delivery of the throwing spell ammunition.
　He was unsure of the amount of work Noir and Alexia could undertake, so he put his reply on hold to confirm with them.

　I was asked for my opinion on the doll-shaped golem in the Demon King's Castle Underground Labyrinth, and I gave my personal opinion as it came to me.
　The purpose of this question was to test the extent of my strategic judgment.

　And - that the mission given to the newly established knights will probably be something related to the Demon King's Army and The True Enemy.

　While he told them each one in turn, Garnett's expression became more and more serious.

'...... and well, that's about it. Is there anything else you want to ask me?
No, enough.

　Garnett leaned his weight on the back and exhaled for a long time, brushing one hand through his golden hair.

'I thought it might be a possibility, but when someone in Gilbert's position tells you that, you'd think it might be serious.
You mean the new Order's mission?
Ah. It's a very good idea to have a good idea of what you're going to be doing. So if you think about what will be assigned to you, of course you'll end up getting involved in it.

　Apparently, Garnett had arrived at the same conclusion through the exact same thought process as Gilbert.

　If I dare to point out a difference, this one is the speculation of a frontline knight who has left the center of the knight's group, and that one is the speculation of a knight leader who is in a position to obtain core information.

　If both of them came to the same conclusion, then the persuasive power would be quite strong.

''It's not like they've decided to send you to the front lines for anything. There are only twelve of us, even if we are borrowed one person from each of the knights. The work they'll be assigned will be commensurate with the number of people, won't it?
Of course I do.

　Although I tried to say something reassuring, Garnett still had an unflattering expression on her face.

It's not just the ...... demon king's army, but also those who have no idea what they are, or even what their purpose is, are lurking around the corner. It's a good thing that you don't know what's going to happen to you. I'm sure you'll be able to find a way to get your head in there.

　Garnett's concerns are legitimate.

　So far, I've maintained my stance of being a 'weapon shop that also accepts restoration requests' and I've been able to stand around and not step out of that as much as possible.

　It's a good thing that the entire town of Green Hollow was cooperating with each other, and my activities were a part of that cooperation.

　...... As a result, I ended up directly confronting the heart of the Demon King's army, but that was only a result.

　But as a knight's order, if you get involved as a knight commander, you will surely not be able to stay in such a step back position.

''It's okay to be a little more optimistic, isn't it?　Like the Silver Wing, where the focus is on ground missions, or maybe the 'true enemy' is the enemy of the Demon King's army but not the human enemy.
You don't say. You're the most optimistic person I've ever met in my life.
Mu...... Don't hit the hardest part to argue with.

　I felt as if my heart had been seen through.
　As Garnett said, the enemy of my enemy might be an opponent for whom the theory that the enemy of my enemy is my friend is valid, and that kind of optimism does not suit my nature.

　It's a good idea to have the possibility that the demon king's army and the 'true enemy' will reconcile with humanity as their common enemy.

　Should I say that they are well understood despite their short relationship of almost a year, or should I say that the time was dense enough to allow them to deepen their understanding to this point?

　-- I'm sure it's the latter.

　A year spent exposing and confronting each other is definitely stronger than a decade spent in thin association.

　I'm sure that if you think back to the fifteen years that I lived as an adventurer, there is no one that I got more involved with than Garnett.

'Hey, white wolf. I'm going to be honest with you, ...... I don't want you to get your head around something dangerous.

　The strength in my hands caged in my grip on the cup filled with herbal tea.
　Garnett looked down lightly and only raised his gaze as if he were looking for my reaction.

I don't care if it's an escort mission or not. I know that this is a self-serving argument. I trust the power of the 【Restoration】 skill more than anyone else. But even so, I still think it's a good idea to go to .......
...... Thank you for being so concerned about me, but I have no intention of retreating even though I know it's dangerous. But I have no intention of retreating even if I know it's dangerous. If you asked me to go to the underground frontline with the Golden Fang, I don't think I would refuse.

　Garnett looks up in surprise.

　I laughed at Garnett before she could say anything, consciously trying to reassure her.

'I made a promise to your father, too, you know. I'll be active enough to live up to your expectations and be a man worthy of you, and I'll be recognized as your official betrothed. That's why I agreed to the knighthood. I won't let you get away with my cuteness.

　Garnet's white cheeks pale in color.

　However, Garnett didn't try to break his usual gruff demeanor and chuckled back at me with his pale blushing cheeks.

...... It's a shame. You're the one who says the hardest thing to argue with.

　Both the knighthood and the establishment of the new Order are uncharted territory for me.
　Naturally, I'm worried. As has been said many times, the danger is also great.

　But even so, there's no way I'm going to just run away from them because I've lost my nerve.

　The circumstances that led us to this point may have been the product of the intentions of the "top", far more than my own, but it was my own will that made me decide to accept it.

　All of this is in order to become a man worthy of standing next to this girl.