Releasing a groan of agony, Ignis pushed himself to his feet, wiping the frozen blood from his neck before asking, a look of genuine confusion on his face,
"I don't understand, Your Majesty. What crime have I committed to deserve execution?"
His expression appeared so convincingly confused that it made Voltrex raise an eyebrow, if only for a moment.
"You have disrespected the Snow Goddess in the sacred courtroom," Voltrex declared, his voice cold and authoritative. "A crime that demands no mercy for the perpetrator."
"I had no intention of disrespecting anyone, Your Majesty," Ignis countered, nervousness etched across his face. "I merely asked for a reward for my achievements."
"And you asked for Lady Nymeria as that reward!?" Voltrex replied, every word laced with restrained fury. "Not only is she a goddess, but she is also the one who will rule the Hundred Sky Mountains alongside Taranis in a few years."
