Even if you're a corrupted magical girl, you still have to try to redeem yourself.

However, the council chamber is cleaned by designated personnel every day so that it can be put into use at any time in the future.

But Mizuno Yu never dreamed that the council chamber would be used in this way.

The solemn table in the council chamber, usually used to hold battle reports and confidential documents, was now piled high with wine and roasted meat. The spilled wine and grease made the long table, which exuded the aroma of sandalwood, look particularly ugly.

This was, of course, the monarch's order, an order so foolish that Mizuno Yuu once doubted whether the clear look in the monarch's eyes when they first met was just her imagination.

Upon entering the council hall, the monarch immediately ordered the silver-haired guard behind him to place wine and meat on the table, and the silver-haired guard obediently complied.

The food placed on the table only made up a small portion, but this alone did not seem to satisfy the monarch, so she ordered her personal guards to bring more delicacies.

Baqi went out several times, but returned quickly each time, bringing in a huge amount of food until the table was filled with food far exceeding the appetite of two people.

No, even if I ate with that guard, or even if we brought in a few more big eaters, we still wouldn't be able to finish all that food on the table.

Every time Baqi went out, the monarch would calculate the time and make a bet with the general about it. The person who guessed wrong would have to drink a cup of wine as a penalty, but the monarch always lost.

After the table was completely full, the monarch, who had drunk several large cups, waved his hand, signaling his personal guards to stand behind him and wait for orders.

Mizuno Yu is now standing in place, just like the bodyguard, but she is standing behind the general.

Seeing the table laden with food, the monarch shouted with delight and began drinking with the general.

But clearly, the general seemed distracted and not very interested in enjoying herself. Her victory in the riddle-solving segment was only because the monarch's guessing time was ridiculously long.

With no news yet about Sakura Hanako, let alone the general, no one had the interest in feasting here—except for the monarch and her many subordinates who were complete strangers to Sakura Hanako.

But the general hasn't moved yet, nor has he made any comment. So, no matter how anxious Mizuno Yu is, she can't urge him.

No matter how displeased Ren Shuiye was, he could only watch as the monarch ate while ordering the general to eat and drink, and desperately chugging wine down the general's throat.

This went on for a long time, and Mizuno Yu, who was extremely anxious, didn't even know how much time had passed.

"belch."

After drinking half a barrel of wine by herself, the monarch burped, then gagged a few times, as if something was trying to rise from her stomach back up to her throat.

As Mizuno worried that the monarch might vomit into the wine glass in front of her and onto the carefully protected council table, the monarch patted his full chest, suppressing the somewhat nauseating urge.

Then, the monarch burped again, and even though there was some distance between Mizuno Yu and the monarch, a strong sour smell of alcohol could be smelled from the monarch's open mouth.

The general frowned almost imperceptibly, gripped his wine glass tightly, and used the wine to suppress his displeasure.

But the bodyguard didn't even blink, as if he had seen this scene many times before.

Before the monarch could raise his wine cup to his lips, the general, unable to bear it any longer, stopped him, blocking the cup with his hand.

"Your health is the most important thing. You've already had enough to drink today, so it's best if you don't drink anymore."

"I'm not drunk!"

The monarch roughly pushed the general's hand away, spilling wine all over the general's arm and soaking into the extremely formal clothes he was wearing, leaving a large, unsightly stain.

But the general's obstruction was successful. The monarch had no more appetite for the wine, and with a thud, he smashed the half-full wine glass on the ground, shattering it into pieces.

Now she had nothing to hold the wine.

"I'm not drunk."

The monarch repeated the words, looked around as if searching for a substitute, and craned his neck to stare intently at the tightly closed door of the council chamber.

The monarch, seemingly having discovered something, staggered to his feet. Bachi immediately went to the monarch's side, seemingly wanting to help him move, but was rudely pushed away by the monarch.

The unsteady monarch staggered to the door, pushed open the council chamber door, and walked out.

Seeing the monarch rise, the general could no longer remain seated. He quickly stood up from his chair and headed towards the door, trying to catch up with the monarch's retreating figure.

Before the general had even gone halfway, he saw the monarch swaying as she returned.

"Why are you getting up? We haven't finished drinking yet. Sit down, sit down!"

Once the monarch had given his orders, the general obediently returned to his seat and stood before it, waiting for the monarch to return to the seat of honor before slowly sitting down himself.

"An open door is not a good place to drink," Mizuno Yu thought, walking towards the door to close it.

"Halt!" the monarch shouted, stopping Mizuno Yu. "Keep the door open, it's cool here!"

Mizuno Yu obediently walked back and stood behind the general. She didn't know whether she should say "yes" or "as you command," but she realized that she had already missed the best opportunity.

The monarch seemed completely unconcerned that Mizuno Yu hadn't given any reply; all she cared about was the wine.

But the monarch's hand grasped at empty air; her wine cup had already been smashed on the ground.

However, the monarch discovered an even simpler method—wine barrels.

She picked up the wine barrel, tilted her head back, and poured the crystal-clear liquid inside into her mouth.

The monarch's plan was good, but it didn't work. The spilled wine soaked her entire front, causing her luxurious dress to cling tightly to her curves and accentuate her stunning figure.

Even with a stunning figure, reeking of alcohol and coughing several times from the spilled wine, she didn't look attractive at all.

"Damn it," the monarch cursed viciously, though it was unclear who he was cursing at.

Then she started shouting loudly, calling out her guard's name: "Baqi! Baqi!"

"Your Majesty, I am here."

The fully armored guard stepped forward half a step, his eyes remaining unusually calm.

What a loyal guard, Mizuno thought to himself. If his general had become like this, he probably would have quit long ago.

"Get me another wine glass, and... and some dancers. Yes, pick out a few of the prettiest ones for me. If your taste isn't good, have Yuuki pick them. She has the best taste, yes, the best. Do you understand?"

The monarch leaned back in her large chair, issuing orders while pounding her fists on the greasy table like a drunkard.

She was a drunkard, even though she was a monarch. She was still a drunkard, more arrogant and domineering than any other drunkard Mizuno Yu had ever seen in the city.

If such a drunkard were caught on the street, he would definitely be locked up in jail for a few days to reflect on his actions.

Even so, the drunkard was still the monarch, and the orders of this drunkard monarch were absolute. Her personal guards left without hesitation in accordance with her orders.

"Tch, clumsy."

The monarch snorted coldly at Baqi's departing figure. Mizuno Yu believed that Baqi heard it, but she did not react at all.

"I don't believe in these so-called most loyal guards, nor do I believe in those ministers who are devoted to the country. It's all bullshit! The only ones I believe in... hiccup... are you who fought alongside me to conquer the world."

The monarch burped, easily pulled the incredibly heavy chair he was sitting on to the general's side, and put his arm around the general's shoulder.

"It's... Yumimoto, and... Saito..."

I had heard of Saito Mizuno Yu, whom the monarch had mentioned. She was the prime minister and had always been a loyal advisor to the monarch.

It was this Saito, the monarch, and the shogun who together seized power. The monarch ruled the country, Saito shared the monarch's burdens, and the shogun held the largest military force, serving as the monarch's solid support.

“But, the Prime Minister…” The general tried to say something, but was interrupted by the monarch’s stern voice.

“Shut up and listen to me. That mad dog won’t be gone for long, and we don’t have much time either, so shut up like your tongue has been cut out and listen to me until she comes back.”

The monarch's voice suddenly turned cold and calmer, and her usual loud voice was gone. Even Mizuno Yu, who was standing behind the general, could barely hear her.

Mizuno Yu thought it was just her imagination, but the monarch's incredibly clear eyes reappeared.

"I sent you a letter, you should have received it, the one the raven delivered," the monarch said, mentioning the letter that had made the general lock himself in his room for a whole day.

“Saito was assassinated and is now in a deep sleep. I can’t trust anyone left in the city, not a single one. Who knows what evil schemes they’re plotting? So the only person I can trust is you. You will be my prime minister, understand?”

"But……"

“I told you, shut up and listen to me. Your little one has also fallen into a deep sleep. What does that mean? It means that the traitor is right among my men!”

The monarch interrupted the general once again, listing off the names of Mizuno Yu that were both familiar and unfamiliar.

“Nishio? My Minister of Home Affairs, she may be young, but she’s quite capable. She’s always been critical of my spending, and she’s also critical of Saito, who’s obedient to me. Maybe she’s only taking action because she thinks the Prime Minister is too subservient to me, the monarch!”

"Yuki?" The ultimate intelligence chief—she knows everything about enemy states, their subjects, their servants, even which woman has slept with someone else. Her influence extends throughout the entire country. Who knows if she has designs on the throne?

"Tianlei? She's a good girl, brave and strong. But when it comes to trust, I'd be willing to trust her... if I hadn't slaughtered her whole family. Ha, the child of a traitor, I'm so magnanimous to keep her by my side; she might be eyeing my head right now."

"Or perhaps it's one of Miyashita's henchmen who wants to avenge me by killing her with my own hands? Or maybe it's a remnant of those damned nuns? There might be more than one. Who cares who she is? Someone's got their eye on me. Saito is just the beginning. If she's gone, it'll be much easier to take my head."

“Idiots, a bunch of idiots! Do you think I have no one I can trust? I still have you, Yumimoto. You have to be my prime minister. Everyone knows that the reason I came to you is to make you prime minister.”

“But I want you to do more than that, Yumimoto. I want you to find that bastard who’s been hiding there, tear her to pieces, and avenge Saito.”

"Do you understand? I don't trust anyone else, I only trust you, and only you can do this."

This seems to be the third time the monarch has said these things.

"Yes, and you too, Yumimoto's most prized little guy." The monarch's gaze swept over Mizuno Yu, like a boulder pressing down on Mizuno Yu's chest, making it hard for her to breathe.

"You, later, tell everyone who knows about that... whatever she is, that sleeping brat, and everyone who knows about her, to keep their mouths shut. Of course, you should too."

"Also, you have to come with us. Yumimoto thinks highly of you, and I trust her judgment. Nobody knows you, so it will be much easier for you to move around than for us. You'll also hear more things that we can't hear, so you can't let Yumimoto down."

"Oh, and you can't betray my trust either."

Chapter 107 A Third Meeting

On the day Mizuno Yu arrived in the monarch's city-state with the general, she learned the meaning of the monarch's words, "Do not betray my trust."

In this royal city, there are quite a few people who want to gain Mizuno Yu's trust, as well as Mizuno Yu herself.

On her very first day here, Mizuno Yu received three invitations.

The first invitation, to be precise, wasn't an invitation at all, but rather an uninvited visit to my bedroom.

The person who arrived was the pink-haired girl whom Mizuno Yu had seen in the monarch's procession, who later continued to host banquets for the monarch. She was also the country's intelligence chief, known as the Pink Devil, Yuuki Yukino.

Yuuki Yukino has absolutely no presence or authority in this city, or even in this country. Anyone would gossip about her behind her back.

She held no official position and never participated in any political affairs. Although she would occasionally appear with the monarch, she was not a member of the monarch's harem.

She performed a job similar to that of a personal servant, such as managing banquets for the monarch, but her status was much higher than that of a servant.

In the eyes of most people, Yuki Yuki rose to power because of the lord's guilt towards his beloved. Some people also say that Yuki Yuki was the lord's secret lover because she had entered the lord's room late at night.

In short, no one would bother this mysterious girl who could freely come and go anywhere, and Yuuki Yukino wouldn't bother anyone because of the rumors about her.

If the monarch hadn't revealed Yuki Eri's true job to the general when no one was around, Mizuno Yu would never have known that this seemingly weak, innocent, pink-haired girl actually had such a dark secret identity.

On the contrary, it was precisely because Mizuno Yu knew Yuuki's other identity that she felt Yuuki was even more dangerous at this moment.

As the chief intelligence officer, she always appears in front of others openly, enduring all kinds of rumors, which makes Yuuki Yukino's identity and her actions both believable and reasonable.

"Don't keep staring at me. Is there something on my face? I get shy sometimes, after all." Yuuki Yuen picked up a cherry from a bowl of cherries and popped it into her mouth.

"I don't understand, what is Lord Yuuki's purpose in seeking me out?" Mizuno Yu asked in a deep voice.