The question from Aunt Heidi was expected by Gawain, and he knew that Aunt Heidi actually had a clear understanding of the answer—she was asking on behalf of others present.
"Every one of us knows the strength of Cecil," Gawain surveyed everyone in the conference room, from the Agricultural Manager Norris to Hummel in charge of steel smelting, and then to the senior clerks of the Administrative Office and other department heads. These familiar faces were all witnesses and promoters of Cecil's growth until now, "Then every one of us should also know that Cecil's strength is built on the foundation of 'magical industry' and advanced social systems, built on an order distinct from traditional aristocratic territories."
