That night, in the entertainment room reserved for the leaders and deputy leaders within the castle, three knights were having a secret meeting.
This exclusive high-level entertainment room, accessible only to a select few, was lavishly decorated. The spacious room's floor was entirely made of black walnut, shining with a deep brown hue and making a pleasant sound with each step. At the back of the room, multiple chessboards and a billiard table were placed, with tables and chairs arranged so as not to obstruct them. Each piece of furniture was a masterpiece crafted by skilled artisans.
Sitting in one of the luxurious velvet chairs, Cyril, the First Knight Captain, spoke up.
"…So? How is our new recruit?"
Desmond, the Second Knight Captain, who was responding, swirled the glass in his hand and answered succinctly.
"Can't tell."
Upon hearing the answer, Cyril leaned in towards Desmond.
"What do you mean! You said you would check it out yourself, being the top of the military police. I've been sitting on my hands, waiting for you. You've had one-on-one sessions with her three times during chess time. You should have a conclusion by now!"
"Calmdown. You're ruining the calm and composed image of the First Knight Captain."
"Hmph, you know that's just a rumor. I'm the most combative and aggressive man in the knight corps."
"Don't say that about yourself. …Fia, right? She doesn't fit any of the types I've encountered before."
Desmond downed the amber liquid in his glass in one gulp and asked the waiter standing by the counter for another.
Desmond, the Second Knight Captain, was the highest-ranking officer responsible for the castle's security and also served as the head of the military police, which was composed of multiple units. The military police's job was to investigate and apprehend intruders and suspicious individuals not only within the knight corps but also among the populace. Desmond himself was a master of interrogation and torture.
His harmless and kind appearance was just a facade; all the information on spies and suspicious individuals who infiltrated the castle was brought to light by his hands.
"Do you know? Torture instruments are always named after women. Like 'The Duke of Exeter's Daughter' or 'The Witch's Wedge.' Why? Because women are always the ones who bring disaster. That's why I don't trust women just because they're women."
"Hold on, Desmond. That's just your personal bias because your fiancée left you for your younger brother! Before you hold a bias, you should look at your own charm!"
"Shut up! I'm not the type to beat myself up. Even if I looked at my own charm, it would only lead to a miserable result. Who would do that!"
Desmond grabbed the new glass placed in front of him and took a hearty sip.
"Let's get back to the topic. Fia is a special type. For example, in chess. She loses when playing against a strong opponent. That's normal. But when playing against a weak opponent, she wins by a very small margin."
"What do you mean?"
"Normally, your strength doesn't change, so if the opponent is very weak, you win overwhelmingly, and if the opponent is almost equal, you win by a narrow margin. But Fia, whether the opponent is very weak or almost equal, always wins by a narrow margin."
"That's interesting."
"When I pointed it out, she was surprised, so it's an unconscious action. Probably, she unconsciously measures the opponent's strength and adjusts to win by a small margin. It's a habit. …But I don't know why or when she developed this ability."
"I've never heard of a case where even you couldn't analyze a person's behavior."
Cyril was genuinely surprised.
"…I saw the old injury on the Chancellor's left foot, didn't I? No one usually notices that. I deduced it from the Chancellor's slight movements in a short time. It's extraordinary. But when observing Fia, she doesn't show any sharpness at all. She didn't even notice that Fabian had cut his hair. It's impossible! The hair of someone she sees every day was three centimeters shorter. Not noticing that! So, if we classify her normally, she's extremely dull."
"In summary, she can measure the opponent's strength in battle and tries to win by a small margin. She has a keen eye only for injuries. …It's a very unclear profile."
"Exactly. That's why I can't tell."
Desmond emptied his glass and ordered two more.
"So? What about you, Enoch?"
The man who had been quietly enjoying his drink alone looked up.
He was a man with long, neatly styled purple hair. His narrow, intelligent eyes were said to be capable of understanding all phenomena in the world, but unfortunately, it was rumored that his skull was filled only with magical formulas.
Enoch, the Third Magic Knight Captain, nodded slightly.
"The sword in question, upon verification, turned out to be an effect-variable sword that could only be made during the 'Super Golden Age' 300 years ago. In other words, the stronger the wielder, the greater the attack power and speed."
"Seriously!! It's a genuine treasure sword!!"
"Effect-variable swords, there are only three in the kingdom, and all three have been passed down through the royal family for 300 years. No other such swords have been found in the past 300 years. How could such a sword be found now?"
"Dolph, the deputy captain, said he found it in the manor's armory, but his family hasn't been a knight family for even 100 years. Why would a 300-year-old treasure sword be there? It's strange!"
"But, both Dolph and Fia gave consistent testimonies, right?"
In response to Cyril's question, Desmond narrowed his eyes.
"That's right. I verified both of them directly. Neither of them was lying."
Then, Desmond, in his habit of thinking, lightly ran his fingers through his hair.
"…It's creepy. Probably, these mysterious points are connected by a single line. But I can't see that line."
"Perhaps there's a factor hidden that you can't even imagine. …By the way, can you stop bothering Fia now? She belongs to my unit. I only allowed you to interview her, not to this extent."
"Understood. Probably, there's nothing more to learn from Fia. But, I was disappointed. In the mock battle with the Chancellor, she aimed for his weaknesses to win, but then she talked about chivalry. I was looking forward to seeing what kind of devious person she was, but she turned out to be surprisingly simple and honest."
"That's a good thing, isn't it? So, please stop following Fia around."
"I was doing my job! Stop treating me like a creepy stalker."
The two arguing knight captains and the one enjoying his drink.
Thus, the night in the high-level entertainment room wore on.