Holenia stormed out of the hall like a human cyclone, her feet pounding the floor as if she were reprimanding fate itself. She didn't bother opening the doors; instead, she gave them a "parting kiss" with a kick that shattered the wood.
"To hell with the Asis System for obstructing me!" she roared. "If it weren't for these futile constraints, everyone would be under my thumb! I'll make that monkey of a Duke wish he were never born for stopping me from breaking the bones of those harlots! Bring the carriage, you pack of clowns!"
A voice emerged from the shadows, cutting through her rage: "Still acting like a savage, even in the Imperial Palace?"
She spun around sharply, her eyes narrowing with disdain. "You filthy snake, what are you doing here?"
The Minister approached calmly. "Calm yourself, my little vixen. Things in Maury are progressing perfectly on your lands."
In an instant, her fury vanished, replaced by imperial vanity. Holenia laughed, running her fingers through her hair haughtily. "I knew it! I am brilliant and clever as always." Then, she paused. "What about the Duke of the East? Did he announce the theft at his manor?"
The Minister replied anxiously, "No, and that is what worries me. Either he knows who we are, or he is planning to retaliate... in a 'creative' way."
The two briefly imagined scenes of being bound and whipped, a cold shiver running down their spines. "Shut up!" Holenia snapped. "You bring me more bad luck than I already have!"
"I will not do anything to you..."
A deep, resonant voice froze the blood in their veins. They turned slowly to find the Duke of the East standing there in his majestic blue suit.
Holenia swallowed hard, putting on a poor act of innocence. "What do you mean? I have no idea what you're talking about! My God, I think people in their fifties go senile early. I hope I never reach your age and become like you!" Her eyes darted everywhere, avoiding his gaze.
The Minister tried to save the moment with a strained smile. "Greetings, Lord Duke! How can we assist you on this beautiful night?"
The Duke replied icily, "Some 'charming' thieves visited my home recently and stole land deeds. Do you know who they might be?"
As the Minister began to stammer, Holenia stepped forward and kicked him sharply, whispering, "You're exposing us, you idiot! Speak like a human!"
The Minister groaned, "When have you ever seen me as a human? At this moment, I've officially become a domesticated herbivore!"
The Appearance of the Human Punching Bag
Suddenly, a young man with light brown hair and hazel eyes stepped forward. "You've become quite insolent, even toward Lady Leticia, you fool!"
Holenia looked him up and down. "Who are you to speak to me so condescendingly?"
He replied in shock, "Don't you recognize your fiancé, you moron?"
Holenia recalled the novel's details: this was Johnny, the fiancé obsessed with the Count's daughter. Johnny began mocking her dress, calling her a "dead crow."
In that instant, Holenia's eyes flashed crimson. A "punch" icon practically appeared over her head as she smirked darkly. "I've found you... my personal punching bag!"
She seized him by the collar and hauled him toward her, delivering a "lead" punch that flattened his nose. She then ground her heel into his hands, snarling, "This dead crow will make you wish you never came back to life! Who are you calling a fool, you hideous ape? You academic waste! I'll show you who I am!"
She hoisted him up and rained down blows, plucking his hair out like a chicken's feathers. The Minister and the Duke rushed to pull her off, but she kicked her legs in the air. "Let me go! I haven't had enough! I want to skin this monkey alive!"
In her frenzy, she bit the Duke's hand to make him let go, then delivered a kick to the Minister's face. Taking advantage of the chaos, Johnny tried to bolt. Holenia ripped off her shoe and aimed it at his head with sniper-like precision. "Today, I'll make you wish you were a vase instead of a human!"
The Ending: A New Tree Ornament
The Emperor emerged to witness a terrifying sight: Holenia was perched atop her fiancé, plucking his hair. The Minister was clutching his face where the shoe had landed, and the Duke was nursing his bitten hand. Holenia had hiked up her skirt to her knees to chase Johnny down.
"She has lost her mind!" the Emperor gasped. "She's like a rabid dog! Catch her before she commits a crime!"
But it was too late; she had already tied Johnny up and hung him by his ankles from a tree, using him as a high-quality human punching bag.