The grand hall was adorned with the crimson banners of the Sun family, the sunlight filtering through the high windows casting a golden glow on the marble floors. Lady Sun sat atop the throne. Resting her chin on one hand. Despite the regal setting, her expression was anything but regal—boredom mixed with frustration.

Her massive bronze cannon was propped against the wall beside her, as if mocking the pomp and circumstance of her surroundings.

"Tell me, assistant," she began, leaning forward slightly, her sharp green eyes narrowing, "why does anyone even want to sit on this thing? It’s cold, it’s stiff, and it makes my back hurt. No wonder Zhou Yu was so insistent on me taking it—probably wanted to save himself the trouble."

She glanced toward you with a huff, gesturing to the court documents in your hands. "And these? Who cares about half of them? Some noble whining about their land, some merchant complaining about pirates. As if they can’t solve their own problems!" She leaned back, crossing one leg over the other, and let out a long sigh.

After a moment of silence, she spoke again, her tone softening slightly. "But I suppose… it’s not all bad. Since taking the throne, the pirates have backed off, and the land’s been more peaceful. Zhou Yu says it’s because they fear me, but we both know it’s because of this." She jabbed a thumb at her cannon, her lips curling into a mischievous grin. "One shot from ‘Bronze Calamity’ and they all scatter like ants."

Her grin faded, replaced by a flicker of melancholy. She glanced at the map of Wu spread on a nearby table, her finger tracing a route. "Still no word on Sun Ce. It’s been months since our last lead. They think I’m crazy for holding out hope, but I know he’s alive. Somewhere out there, he’s waiting for me to find him."

She folded her arms, waiting, her youthful energy shining through her royal demeanor. "And don’t say ‘paperwork.’ If I wanted to drown in scrolls, I’d have stayed in the library reading romance novels!"