An Audience

Among the magical girls in the Magic Kingdom, there has always been a certain stereotype about the advantages of each of the Five Great Institutes' job positions.

The most relaxed Research Institute has little power; the most powerful Investigation Institute is overworked; the most well-connected Finance Institute cannot gain prestige; and the most prestigious people's Civil Governance Institute lacks connections.

The four main academies each have their own advantages and disadvantages, requiring every magical girl to carefully consider her career path: Am I suitable for this job? Can I get what I want working here? Are my qualifications suitable for advancement within this system?

However, when the topic turns to the Magic Affairs Institute, this stereotype takes on a completely different appearance...

"Hello, Your Excellency Cornflower. It's been a long time. I am Zhe Helan, Flower Card number 13011. I currently work at the Magic Affairs Institute as the Standing Education Selection Office."

After the group of magical girls knelt and bowed to the Larkspur, the magical girl who was leading the group and appeared to be the tallest straightened up and introduced herself.

Judging from her movements, she seemed to have intended to stand up after bowing, but after her gaze briefly swept over the top of the Larkspur's head, she lowered herself again without changing her expression, quickly changing her posture to half-kneeling on the ground. "The Magic Affairs Institute has long been without a scepter, and has been leaderless, indulging in debauchery, with everything in need of rebuilding. Your arrival has greatly excited everyone. We were just gathered together discussing the bright future of the Magic Affairs Institute, so we neglected to greet you properly. Please forgive us."

After the magical girl who called herself "Zhe Helan" finished speaking, a slightly shorter girl beside her, who looked like a literary girl, spoke up, "I am Letter Card 13314, Delphinium, the head of the External Affairs Department of the Magic Affairs Institute. We have been looking forward to your arrival. We salute you, Cornflower."

After introducing herself in a rather proper manner, the girl paused for a moment. Seeing that the other magical girl beside her hadn't responded, she kicked the person next to her from what she thought was an angle where Larkspur couldn't see.

The magical girl who had been kicked seemed to only then realize it was her turn to speak, and hurriedly said, "Ah, oh, Letter Card number 13877... My code name is Rosemary. I... uh, I'm the vice-minister of the Publicity Department. I've always hoped that our department could have its own scepter. Welcome to take charge, Lady Cornflower!"

"Hello, Lady Cornflower, I am Letter Card, Snowball 14053..."

"Letter Card number 13692, Bird of Paradise..."

The kneeling magical girls announced their numbers and names one by one, and no matter how welcoming their words were to the arrival of the "Sapphire Scepter Candidate," they all displayed a polite and restrained enthusiasm.

To be honest, this was the first time Larkspur had ever witnessed such a scene.

These magical girls who greeted her and even expressed their loyalty in their words were all at least at the rank of "Letter Card). For most Magical Girl Squad in the Material Realm, being a "Letter Card" was already a level that qualified them to be squad leaders. Judging from their self-introductions, besides high-ranking figures like Zhe Helan, there were also many other positions such as department heads and vice-department heads. Even the least senior magical girls were employees in important positions.

Even though she was once the captain of the City Defense Army squad, a department head in a company, and now the director of the Fangting City Anomaly Countermeasures Bureau, she has never felt the power as deeply as she does now.

However, while she was experiencing these feelings, she had absolutely no sense of reality about her situation.

Just ten minutes ago, she was on her way to an unknown destination, completely unaware of her upcoming journey. Now, ten minutes later, she is here receiving the allegiance of a large group of members of the Magic Affairs Institute, as if they were about to make her take office as the Sapphire Scepter. The contrast is too great; she hasn't even had time to adjust her mindset before being forced to face this abrupt reality.

Besides that, there was another fact that concerned her greatly.

"... You revealed my true identity?" She couldn't help but turn her head to look at the Emerald beside her, and questioned it in a low voice.

"Yes, but I only said it here."

Emerald remained unfazed and said matter-of-factly, "Don't worry, everyone here is a friend, one of us. No one will tell anyone about the 'Cornflower returning to its Kingdom'."

"I remember you made the same promise to me back then?"

"There have to be exceptions for necessary matters. Alright, why don't you listen to their report first?" Emerald smacked her lips lazily, casually changing the subject.

When Emerald finished speaking, the group of employees from the Magic Affairs Institute had only completed half of their self-introductions. After each person finished speaking, the next person would immediately follow suit, the whole process so natural that Larkspur couldn't find an opportunity to interrupt them.

After all, she had already heard some of them introduce themselves, and if she interrupted the process and acted as if she didn't want to continue listening, it would seem disrespectful to the remaining guests.

"... Please rise, everyone."

Therefore, it wasn't until the last magical girl finished her self-introduction that Larkspur finally had a chance to speak, indicating that they didn't need to continue bowing.

For anyone who craves power, the scene of people kneeling and pledging their loyalty would likely be enough to satisfy them. If their willpower were not strong, they would probably be immediately blinded by their lust for power. However, in Larkspur's mind, such a feeling was only fleeting. After thinking it over, she felt that this was somewhat inappropriate.

So, after everyone stood up, she continued:

"I have heard all your self-introductions. You are all pillars of the Magic Affairs Institute, and I thank you for welcoming me in this way. However, I was merely a candidate for the Sapphire Scepter, not the actual Gem Scepter. I am somewhat unworthy of such formality. Therefore, there is no need for you to be so respectful to me; let's treat each other as colleagues."

These words immediately stunned the people of the Magic Affairs Institute, who had been immersed in an atmosphere of "harmony between ruler and subject, and great mutual pleasure."

Even the seemingly most opinionated Zhe Helan was rendered speechless by Larkspur, and could only blink before silently glancing at the Emerald beside her.

"Alright, now that everyone's here, you don't need to be so modest."

Fortunately, Emerald did speak up in time, "This is something we've already agreed upon. I will help you regain some of the power of the Magic Affairs Institute. Everyone here has already recognized you, which is why we've gathered here."

"But I'm really not the Sapphire Scepter," Larkspur insisted.

"That's truly perplexing, young man. How do you plan to take over, or under what pretext, the power of the Magic Affairs Institute, and command them to work for you?"

Emerald spread her hands and said, "Do you want to command them as the Magical Girl Squad?"

"The Royal Court would never have agreed to me sitting in this position in the first place, so it doesn't matter what pretext I use." Larkspur squinted.

"The Royal Court will not know," Emerald said abruptly.

"What did you say?"

I said the Royal Court wouldn't know.

Emerald repeated, "As I said, only those of us present will know about today's events. No one else will be able to find out about this dinner party through any other means. From tomorrow onwards, everyone here will still be a free-spirited magical girl who upholds the 'interests of the Research Institute '."

"The darkest place is under the lamp?" Larkspur blurted out the phrase instinctively.

"Uh-huh."

Emerald gave a snort in affirmation, "So what are you planning to do? Or are you going to tell me that you actually have no interest in power and don't want these things?"

The Larkspur remained silent for a moment.

No one knew what she was thinking, and Emerald didn't urge her, the other magical girls from the Magic Affairs Institute could only watch with Larkspur breath and a hint of trepidation. Fortunately, she quickly closed her eyes as if she had made a decision:

"I need to know which parts of the power those present wield."

Her words, though ostensibly a question, were tantamount to a definite answer.