Chapter 4

"Oh, so you're gonna get rough, huh? Percy, you really think a bunch of worthless idiots like these can scare me?" Gretta sneered.

With a sudden flick of her wrist, she splashed the poisoned wine right onto the face of the lead guard.

"Ah!" The guard screamed, clutching his face and rolling on the ground as white smoke billowed from his face.

"Tsk tsk, that's some potent stuff. It's almost like corpse-melting liquid," Gretta snarked.

Then, she slammed her hand on the table and bellowed, "Listen up, everyone! Someone's trying to skip out on their bill and wreck our business! Are we gonna stand for that?"

"Hell no!" A bellowing chorus of voices answered.

Suddenly, a dozen or so crew members burst out from the kitchen, behind the counter, and down the stairs.

The blind chef gripped two cleavers, his ears twitching as he locked onto the guards with uncanny precision.

The crippled accountant held a heavy iron calculator. Each button was sharp and ready to be hurled as a weapon.

The mute waiter hefted a thick wooden pole, his muscles bulging like a beast.

These weren't just tavern workers. This was a secret syndicate hiding in plain sight.

Percy was dumbfounded at how he never knew this dumpster was crawling with badasses.

"Go! Take them out! Don't let a single one get away!" Percy shouted hysterically, his voice trembling with fear.

While barking orders, he backed away a few steps and hid behind a pillar.

"Lock the doors! Beat the bastards!" Gretta barked.

At her command, the doors slammed shut with a thunderous boom.

A wild brawl erupted inside The Gilded Hall.

This wasn't a fair fight. It was a one-sided beatdown.

The blind chef whirled his cleavers like a windmill, aiming right for the guards' belts.

"Oh crap! My pants! Pervert!" The guards exclaimed.

The guards were left holding up their pants with one hand and their weapons with the other, their combat skills instantly halved.

The crippled accountant hurled the buttons on his calculator. They whizzed through the air, aimed straight at the guards' kneecaps.

"Ah, my knee!" One of the guards cried out.

The guards were on their knees everywhere, looking like they were begging for forgiveness.

The mute waiter was even fiercer. With one swing of his pole, he smashed guards and their blades straight into the wall, lodged so hard they were practically glued there. Nobody could pull them down.

Meanwhile, Gretta had her eyes locked on Percy.

She gripped her cleaver, crunching over the shattered furniture, and advanced on him step by step.

"Hey, Crown Prince, don't bother hiding. We're not done here. You still owe me," she said, her voice icy and threatening.

Percy's legs went weak with fear as he scrambled around the pillar, circling it in a panic while Gretta chased after him.

"Gretta! Let's talk this out! I'll pay! I'll pay, okay?" he pleaded, his voice trembling.

"Now you wanna pay up? Too late! This was just a money problem before, but now it's a full-blown crime! You showed up with armed goons, wrecked my place, and tried to murder your creditor. I'll make you regret this!" Gretta snarled.

She chopped her knife into the pillar, splinters flying everywhere.

"Stay back! I'm the crown prince! If you kill me, they'll wipe out your entire bloodline!" Percy stammered, fear shaking his voice.

"Wipe out my bloodline? Please, I'm a lone wolf. My whole family's been dead for ages!" Gretta scoffed.

"You're the one who owes money and is dragging the royal name through the mud. Let's see if your old man doesn't snap your legs in half when he finds out!" She sneered.

Suddenly, Gretta lunged like a hungry tiger, snatching Percy by the back of his collar.

"Come here, you!" She snarled.

Suddenly, a sharp tearing sound echoed. Gretta had torn a massive chunk out of Percy's priceless royal robe.

Underneath, he was rocking a bright red silk undershirt, embroidered with a pair of cutesy ducks splashing around.

The whole place went dead silent.

Even the crew and guards in mid-brawl stopped cold, all staring in shock at Percy's ridiculous red undershirt.

"Well, well, my dear Crown Prince, hiding all that sass under your royal robes? Rocking red for good luck, huh?" Gretta teased, whistling in amusement.

Percy was mortified, clutching his chest as he let out a shrill scream that echoed through the hall, "Aaaah! Gretta! I swear, I'm gonna fight you to the bitter end!"

Percy lunged at Gretta like a wild animal, hands reaching out to throttle her.

But after all that wine and women, Percy was soft as dough. There was no way he could take on Gretta.

Gretta twisted his arm behind his back and pinned him face-down on the greasy table, making him get up close and personal with the leftover scraps.

"Fight me? With what? That squishy belly of yours?" Gretta taunted.

She gave his butt a smack with the flat of her knife.

"No cash? Then you'll pay with your dignity. Felix, strip him down!" Gretta barked.

"On it!" Felix replied, practically bouncing with excitement.

Felix darted over and, with lightning speed, had Percy down to nothing but his underpants.

The guards tried to help, but the blind chef and the crippled accountant held them back so firmly that nobody could get anywhere near Percy.

"Hang Prince Percy right at the door! Let all of Veridia see what happens to those who skip out on their debts!" Gretta barked.

Gretta dragged Percy out the door like he was a scrawny chicken, totally helpless.