"I often tell others that the Fleet Admiral is my idol." Finn sat at the banquet table, smiling at Fleet Admiral Sengoku and the assembled guests. "Over the years, the Fleet Admiral has nurtured me. I can sit in the Admiral's position today thanks to the Fleet Admiral's support and care, along with my colleagues'..."
"You little brat, isn't it a bit late to flatter me now?" Fleet Admiral Sengoku smiled, raising his wine glass.
Anyone could see he was genuinely in excellent spirits. After all, he'd achieved the Marines' highest position, becoming Fleet Admiral. He commanded tens of millions of subordinates. With a single order, thousands of heads could roll.
The Fleet Admiral's promotion ceremony had concluded.
The ordinary reporters and spectators who'd attended the event had gradually dispersed.
But the important figures still needed to sit down and share a meal together.
At this moment, many influential people occupied the table, including Queen Stussy of the CP Agency, President Morgans of the World Economic Journal, Queen Otohime of Fish-Man Island, and several allied kingdom royals Finn didn't personally know but had heard maintained good relations with the Marines.
Of course, the protagonists remained the Marine leadership.
"Hahaha, what flattery? I'm just speaking the truth." Finn laughed, his tone light.
Fleet Admiral Sengoku spoke with genuine emotion. "Although I do care for you greatly, it's because you, Finn, possess both ability and talent..."
Then not only Finn, but also Borsalino and Sakazuki followed suit, praising Fleet Admiral Sengoku.
The atmosphere at the table remained excellent. Today was a momentous occasion. Borsalino had become Admiral and Sengoku had become Fleet Admiral. Naturally, both became the primary targets for toasts and congratulations.
Even Morgans mustered the courage to approach and offer them drinks.
The meal stretched on for twelve hours, lasting until evening.
Nearly all the Marine leadership became thoroughly drunk.
Finn was no exception. He had no idea when he'd lost consciousness.
When Finn opened his eyes again, it was already noon the next day.
The headache brought by the hangover made him open his eyes with considerable discomfort.
Familiar ceiling. Familiar environment. Familiar mattress.
It seemed he'd been sent home last night.
Without thinking too deeply, Finn sat up from the bed, clutching his head. Then, with a casual glance sideways, he spotted another figure beside him.
Gion must have gotten drunk too, right? Yesterday had truly been a joyous day. Hahahaha.
Long pink hair spread across the pillow.
Wait.
Doesn't Gion have long black hair? When did she dye it?
Finn's hangover instantly evaporated. He carefully lifted the corner of the blanket and saw the delicate face that lay carelessly exposed beneath.
Finn's expression froze completely.
What the hell is this?
Finn swallowed hard and didn't dare make any loud noise that might wake Hina, who slept peacefully beside him.
He tiptoed to the floor, surveying the clothes scattered everywhere—his own garments and the crimson suit Hina had worn yesterday. Finn drew a deep breath, gently opened the door, and slipped out.
When he reached the living room, he found Gion humming an unknown tune while cutting fruit into pieces and tossing them into the juicer beside her, apparently preparing fresh juice.
After seeing Gion, Finn became even more confused. What was going on?
He'd initially thought Gion had gotten drunk last night, so Hina had sent him home and some unexpected incident had occurred.
But looking at Gion now, she didn't appear drunk at all, did she?
As if hearing movement behind her, Gion turned and looked at Finn's bewildered expression. She smiled. "Awake?"
"Yeah, I'm awake..." Finn responded instinctively, then recovered his senses and said hesitantly, "Inside..."
"Is Hina awake?" Gion asked calmly.
"No... still sleeping." Finn frowned deeply. "What's going on?"
Gion didn't answer immediately. She simply rolled her eyes at Finn and tossed the fruit chunks into the juicer before asking, "Feeling better?"
"Uh... much better." Finn's response carried obvious guilt.
He quickly walked behind Gion and asked in a low voice, "Did I do anything bad yesterday?"
Gion turned around again, looked at Finn seriously, and said flatly, "Yes."
"Shit!" Finn muttered instinctively, then ruffled his messy hair like a scumbag trying to shirk responsibility. "Even if you weren't drunk, don't you know how to keep an eye on me?"
"After Hina drank too much, she wrapped herself around you like an octopus. You couldn't pull her off. She also unconsciously used her Devil Fruit ability to lock herself onto you." Gion's tone was helpless.
"And then?" Finn swallowed.
"Then? Then I could only leave you both in the bedroom. I wanted to get hot water so you could wipe off the alcohol smell, but when I brought the hot water back... you two were already..." Gion's face flushed with embarrassment as she trailed off.
Is that even possible when drunk?
After a brief hesitation, Finn looked at Gion with profound guilt. "Why aren't you angry?"
Although he knew Gion had long been aware of his unclear relationship with Queen Stussy, he'd never been too intimate with Stussy in front of Gion.
But this time was different. Although it was Hina, Gion had witnessed it personally.
Logically speaking, shouldn't Gion be furious?
How could she still have the mood to hum tunes and make juice?
Was her relationship with Hina really that strong?
Just as Finn contemplated this, Gion said with a slightly embarrassed expression, "You... you were calling my name at the time."
What?
I can still pull off that kind of trick?
I didn't expect to be so clever while drunk.
Suddenly, Finn understood everything. He must have been heavily intoxicated and mistaken Hina for Gion in this familiar house.
When Gion discovered them, he'd already been with Hina.
But Finn had been drunk and called out Gion's name, so Gion immediately realized he'd confused them.
In this situation, not only was she not angry, but she felt somewhat embarrassed toward Hina.
After all, Hina had inexplicably taken the fall for her...
Finn took a sip of the freshly squeezed juice, then went to the bathroom on the other side and quickly washed up. He found a fresh set of clothes in the wardrobe, put them on, and walked back out.
"I'm going to lay low for the next few days, in case Hina wakes up and tries to kill me..." Finn said to Gion with obvious guilt.
Gion looked at Finn's embarrassed state and wanted to say something, but then seemed to think of something else and smiled. "All right. Where are you going?"
"I'll stay with Chief Instructor Zephyr for a couple days." Finn considered briefly.
After saying this, he didn't dare linger, afraid Hina would wake up and come out to stab him...
Not long after Finn departed, Hina emerged from the bedroom with a flushed face, eyes wide, angrily searching the house for someone.
When she walked into the living room and saw Gion, the fury on Hina's face instantly vanished, replaced by guilt.
In truth, she'd still retained some consciousness last night and hadn't completely blacked out like Finn.
She actually could have easily rejected Finn's advances, but for some inexplicable reason, she'd gone along with it.
Hina remembered this now, so after seeing Gion, she felt like a mistress caught by the legitimate wife.
"You're up?" Gion asked without turning around.
Hina nodded awkwardly. "Yes, Sister Gion."
"You drank so much last night. Come have some juice to wash it down." Gion handed the glass to Hina.
Hina accepted the juice with considerable awkwardness.
My goodness, what's happening here? I slept with your man last night, and after waking up, you're making me juice to drink?
There isn't poison in it, is there?
Despite feeling uneasy, Hina obediently drank the juice, then looked at Gion with guilt. "Sister Gion, last night..." As she said this, Hina felt some pain in her lower back.
After all, it was her first time.
After a brief pause, Hina gritted her teeth, steeled herself, and said, "Last night Hina —"
"All right, stop talking. How could I not know the little thoughts you've had over the years? If I really minded, I would've asked Finn to transfer you away long ago. How could I let you stay by his side as his adjutant?" Gion interrupted.
Hina sipped her juice with embarrassment, face flushed.
"Although I was mentally prepared..." Gion seemed unable to fully express her feelings. She shook her head. "Anyway, now that things have reached this point, what are your thoughts? Are you ready to fight Finn to the death, or have you gotten what you wanted and are ready to move on..."
Hina froze momentarily, then understood what Gion meant. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but after seeing Gion's eyes, she felt genuinely sorry. But ultimately, she gritted her teeth, closed her eyes, and declared, " Hina don't want to move on. Hina want to stay with the Admiral!"
"Hmph!" Gion snorted with displeasure, then reached out and knocked Hina on the head. "Then you have to listen to me from now on!"
Hina was stunned briefly, then quickly hugged Gion's arm, speaking flatteringly. "Of course Hina will listen to you, Sister Gion. Hina always listen to you."
"You said it. If I find out you're conspiring with that vixen Stussy, I'll be truly angry!" Gion glared.
"Yes, yes, Hina understand!" The shameless Hina immediately threw Queen Stussy under the bus.
After the two discussed this matter for a while, Hina asked curiously, "Where's the Admiral?"
"Him? He felt so guilty, afraid you'd wake up and stab him, so he ran away. Said he was going to stay at Zephyr's for a few days to avoid the storm." Gion's tone carried amusement.
Hina was furious upon hearing this. "What an irresponsible guy! Can he avoid the monk but not the temple? I don't believe he won't come to work!"
Meanwhile, at Zephyr's residence, Finn took a sip of tea, looked at his teacher, and said, "I really don't have anything urgent. I just wanted to stay with you for a few days to deepen our teacher-student relationship..."
"Come on, do you think I'll believe that?" Zephyr rolled his eyes at Finn, then asked, "What kind of trouble have you gotten yourself into? Did you make Gion angry? I'm telling you, I've been through this before. Tell me everything and I'll analyze it for you. Maybe you can still be saved..."
Finn looked at Zephyr with some skepticism, but then considered—it seemed accurate. Although the teacher lived alone now, he'd actually been married with children before...
"Then I'll tell you..." Finn hesitated.
Chief Instructor Zephyr nodded seriously. "Go ahead."
"I drank too much last night, and then Hina and I..." Finn recounted the entire incident.
Zephyr, however, stared at Finn with genuine shock. After a long pause, he patted Finn's shoulder and said gravely, "There's really no saving you this time. You're dead. Farewell."
"Hey, Teacher! I'm your most prized student! Can't you think of another solution?" Finn asked with rising panic.
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