The Psychotic Girl’s Revenge

“I won’t tell you, and I won’t let you come along,” Paige said.

“…”

Enrico was exasperated.

“I’ll bring along the essentials we bought at the supermarket, okay?”

Paige knew he was a bit upset, so she shook the clear travel bag in her hand, inside of which was her toothbrush.

What’s the point of bringing essentials?

Enrico leaned against the headboard, one hand behind his head, silently watching her.

“I should bring that little vase too, right?”

As Paige spoke, she got up and headed towards the door. But as soon as she opened it, she was startled to see a group of people kneeling on the floor outside.

The nine members of Peak Club were kneeling in a triangular formation, all looking at her pleadingly, with Nick at the front, hands clasped together.

“What are you all doing?” Paige asked, puzzled.

“I’m using my sincere heart to sense the floor, the door, the sofa, the TV, and the air around us, hoping they will tell you, Sister Paige, that we truly want to go with you to River Town,” Nick slowly said, opening his eyes with hands still clasped.

“…”

Paige wanted to kick him into the Pacific Ocean.

As she turned to leave, Mira, kneeling on the side, grabbed her leg and clung to her, whining, “Sister Paige, please let us go with you. We won’t cause trouble. We’ve never fought side by side with you before.”

Paige tried to pull her leg free, but then Cynthia and Carrie grabbed her hands. The two girls, about her age, looked at her with hopeful eyes, like children begging for candy.

“You’re getting more and more audacious,” Paige said coldly, unable to move.

“Sister Paige…”

David and Derrick, the twin brothers, also looked at her. “Please let us go with you. If you don’t, we won’t sleep well, we won’t eat well, and we won’t be able to focus on anything.”

“Are my words just going in one ear and out the other?” Paige glared at Carrie. “You too? Joining in their nonsense?”

Carrie, usually the sensible one, raised her head to look at Paige. “Sister Paige, we just want to see up close the path you’re walking.”

“…”

Paige fell silent.

The others nodded in agreement, and Carrie continued, “For people like us, life has always been neither too good nor too bad. We’ve never reached the top levels, nor have we experienced the ugliest depths. You, Sister Paige, opened our eyes and showed us that life doesn’t have to be lived in a fog.”

“…”

“But you protect us too much. Even when you need us, you always give us the safest tasks.”

Still kneeling, Carrie tightly gripped Paige’s hand. “Sister Paige, we want to be your comrades, not little chicks under your wing…”

“Chicks!” Nick added, noticing Carrie was at a loss for words.

“…”

Paige looked at them, suddenly unsure of what to say. She hadn’t realized how deeply she had influenced them.

“Sister Paige, even if you don’t say it, we know. You’ve already taken down the biggest corporation on your own and only gave us the leftovers we could handle,” Rey said.

“But this time, the unknown force is the biggest obstacle. And just like three years ago, you want to bear it all alone again.”

As Bobby spoke, everyone’s expressions darkened.

“We’ve been at the Temple in Heaven long enough to understand the history of the slums and feel the struggles of the people there. We’ve made it our ultimate goal to help rebuild the slums,” Lamont said, breaking the silence. “So why not let us be involved in every step?”

Paige stood there, her expression shifting as she listened to them. Her gaze deepened.

Finally, she sighed, “In these three years apart, your speaking skills have improved.”

Her voice was full of helplessness.

As soon as she said that, everyone’s faces lit up. Carrie stood up. “Sister Paige, are you letting us go with you?”

With the conversation at this point, could she really say no?

“No, you can’t all come,” Paige said.

“You’re leaving people behind to guard The Capital, right? We’ve already thought about that.”

Nick jumped up, pulling a handful of folded paper slips from his pocket. “We’ll draw lots. After a month of careful planning, given the current situation in The Capital, no one will suspect us. Four people will stay behind to hold the fort.”

Five would follow her to River Town.

Paige glanced at the slips of paper, speechless. “So, you were sure I’d agree all along?”

How impressive.

“We considered it. If all else failed, we’d just cling to you,” they said, smiling awkwardly.

“…”

Paige pulled her hands free. “Fine. What are we waiting for then?”

“Come on, time to draw lots. Whoever gets picked stays here to guard the base, and no one should notice we’re gone!”

The nine of them, all dressed in loose, comfortable clothes, sat cross-legged in a circle.

Nick dramatically shook the paper slips in his hands before tossing them onto the floor.

A pile of folded slips fell to the ground.

“Ladies first,” Nick called out.

Mira, Carrie, and Cynthia exchanged glances and each picked up a slip.

A second later, Mira let out an excited scream, “Ahh! I got ‘go’! Ahh!”

Paige winced at the noise. Beside her, Cynthia opened her slip, which read “stay,” and her shoulders slumped.

Carrie also picked “go,” and Mira immediately hugged her in excitement.

With two of the five “go” slips picked, the remaining guys looked at each other, then dove toward the pile, fiercely grabbing for the slips.

They opened them.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

In an instant, the room erupted with shouts of excitement, loud enough to raise the roof.

In the end, the ones going were Nick, Carrie, Mira, Rey, and Bobby.

Were they really that happy?

Paige rubbed her ears and walked toward the study. After a few steps, she turned back to see the group sitting there. Nick and Rey were teasing Cynthia and the twins, making faces at them, only to be chased and hit in return.

“Nick, what are you doing? Why are you biting my ear?”

“It wasn’t me!”

“Then was it a dog?”

Rey shouted, “I’m not a dog, I’m your dad!”

Soon, all the guys were wrestling, turning the place into a mess.

The three girls quickly stepped aside to watch, with Mira occasionally sneaking in a kick, while Carrie and Cynthia laughed uncontrollably.

“…”

Paige watched, a helpless smile tugging at her lips.

These people… they always manage to stir up trouble wherever they go.

Smiling, she raised her voice, “Enough! Go to your rooms and sleep. We’re flying tomorrow.”

“Owwwooo!”

Their response was something like a pack of howling dogs.

The lights in the hall shone brightly. Outside, the night was calm, and a full moon hung silently in the sky.