Chapter 33

What happened after that was a rampage. Neila turned into an unstoppable force. Kakashi wasn’t sure where all that strength came from. Stats-wise, hers shouldn’t exceed Four, Astill, and Syorin, but they couldn’t deny the sights they watched.

“BOW BEFORE ME!”

“RUNNN!” Soldiers scattered in all directions as Neila picked up a table, which looked quite heavy, and threw it straight into a group of soldiers. It was so bad that the girls needed to destroy the furniture in flight, or else she might actually kill someone.

“Neila, stop!” Astill shouted, using magic to tear apart the grand piano that flew through the sky.

“Is that really the princess!?”

“I don’t know, but that doesn’t matter! If you want to live, then run! Just run!”

Four ran on the wall and destroyed some flower pots, protecting the soldiers. The soldiers looked surprised. Four turned to them and said, “Run.”

They heed her words, ignoring their true orders and running as far as they could from the palace.

“Do we really need to waste our energy dealing with Neila?” Astill shouted.

“I don’t know…”

Neila was sending the soldiers out of the palace, fleeing for their lives. It should make the way forward easier for them, but if she didn’t stop the rampage, she might end up bringing down the palace itself.

“HAHAHAHAHA! NEVER GO AGAINST ME EVER AGAIN!” Neila cackled maniacally. It felt like some kind of alter ego took over her.

“Uh…!” Some of Baronnt’s guard tried sneaking around her, but she jerked her head their way and ran straight for them.

They screamed, running away and heading deeper into the palace. Four rushed as fast as she could and picked them up before Neila could hit them with a door. She threw them outside into a tree. Neila lost interest in them and continued journeying deeper into the palace.

“We need a way to stop her!” Four said, everyone else agreeing. The problem was the fact that they struggled to take her on when she was normal drunk. This super drunk? There’s zero chance.

Previously, they just held Neila in place until the alcohol wore off, but they didn’t have the luxury this time. It wouldn’t be long before Neila killed someone, and considering the kind of person she is, that might seriously hurt her.

The princess of an enemy destroying another country’s palace would also not look good on her efforts for peace. Rather, anything she did now had chances of souring future chances at a better relationship.

“Neila, stop!” Four shouted again and again.

“You idiot! Get a hold of yourself!” Astill added, yet Neila ignored both of their pleas.

“Stop them!” They ran straight into an ambush. Of course, Kakashi was less worried about them being defeated and more about the well-being of the soldiers who attempted the ambush.

“GET OUT OF MY WAY!”

Without even slowing down, Neila ripped apart a window frame, shattering the window in the process. She didn't care about the tiny pieces of glass landing on her and threw the frame straight at the group of soldiers. The group of soldiers screamed in fear and leaped out of the way.

The frame smashed straight through the wall, leaving a huge crack.

“Don't be afra- Whoa!”

Neila effortlessly picked up a soldier and threw him into his friend. His friend was torn between dodging out of the way or catching him, and couldn't decide in time. The two stumbled and fell, leaving three more. The last three were very much afraid.

“Please forgive me!”

“I have a family!”

“Mom!”

The three ran away.

“COME BACK HERE!” Neila shouted, chasing after them.

“Neila, stop!”

“How did she get so strong!?” Syorin voiced everyone's question.

“I don't understand, either.”

“Have you not been travelling with her, Astill?”

“I've only been with her for a while, and we agreed to never let her touch alcohol!”

Since they didn't allow her to touch alcohol in the first place, they never knew how crazy she would be when she did touch something as intense as vodka. When the empire's reformed, someone must add the rule of never giving the empress a bottle of alcohol. No one wanted to imagine the hell she would unleash upon the world.

The three soldiers took them straight to the palace's kitchen. They tried closing the door behind them, but Neila effortlessly pushed through.

“Play dead!” Four shouted from behind. When Neila passed the door, all three looked lifeless. Kakashi hoped they were not actually dead. Still, they played it convincingly enough that Neila believed them. She went back out, her eyes looking around for new targets.

It was the perfect time to capture her, but no one dared. Everyone was afraid, including Four and Astill.

A mischievous grin appeared on Syorin's face. “... Astill, you said you wanted to kill her,” she whispered in an ever so small voice.

Astill's eyes widened in shock at this sudden betrayal, but she didn't have a lot of time to process this, as Neila's eyes turned toward her.

“...”

“COME HERE YOU LITTLE TRAITOROUS SHIT!”

“SYORIIIIN!” Astill screamed as she darted away. Neila ran after her, while the rest followed suit.

“You really let your intrusive thoughts win…” Kakashi murmured, not sure how to respond to this. Syorin gave him a wry smile.

“That is pure evil, Syorin,” Four said, and Syorin could only react with a chuckle.

“Astill! Bring her toward Baronnt!”

“You think I know where he is!?” Astill shouted from far in front, genuine fear in her eyes.

As they passed through the hallways, they met a soldier who had wandered into the path. He shrieked in fear and planted himself into the wall as much as possible. Astill and Neila passed him, but Syorin, Four, and Kakashi stopped.

His eyes widened in terror, surprised that his pretty obvious hiding spot had been uncovered.

“Do you know where Baronnt is?” Kakashi asked.

“In the rear garden!”

“Thanks.”

Kakashi and the girls continued on their chase, leaving the frightened soldier alone.

“Astill, he's in the rear garden!” he shouted, but Astill couldn't hear them. She made a sharp turn into a room. The room had a staircase leading down. Everyone chased after her. They were shocked at the sight they saw when they arrived.

Astill kneeled near the entrance of the room, facing away from it while holding her head with her eyes shut. It had clean, sterile white walls, with numerous tables and books on the side. Steel bars formed six different spaces. They were mostly empty, with only one occupied by people. A boy was slumped on the wall, breathing heavily.

The sight was enough to take Neila's attention. She forgot about Astill and headed for the large rock placed at the far end of the room. She took it and smashed it with her bare hands. The rock crumbled into many tiny pieces.

Syorin went in and assisted Astill, using magic to heal her. Neila turned to the steel bars holding the boy and ripped them apart.

The boy looked up, exhaustion clear on her face. Four quickly came close, intending to help. Her eyes widened in surprise when she saw the boy's face.

“...Five?”

“Sis…?”

Four rushed in and hugged him tight. “I'm so glad you're alright.”

Even if there were no words traded, everyone understood the implications of this reunion and kept silent. Even Astill forced herself up and hugged the boy.

It was a touching reunion. Even drunk Neila knew not to mess things up. Instead, her eyes were filled with even more anger than before. She slowly walked out of the room, Syorin and Kakashi following after her. Much to that soldier's lack of fortune, he had reappeared right in front of Neila.

“Where is Baronnt?” Neila asked, calmly. Eerily calm considering the state she was in.

“Re- re- rear garden!”

“Thanks.”

She walked past the soldier, Syorin and Kakashi following behind her. This time, she didn't run. She didn't shout anything. But, in her calmness, there was a terrifying air around her. Even more terrifying compared to when she's just rampaging.

“Let's go.”