Lord Epquen decision

With the entrance of the imposing, old, muscular man, everyone in the room immediately knelt down and greeted him with deep respect.

"Long live Lord Epquen. Thank you for all you've done for the Suquen family," they chorused in a display of gratitude.

Lord Epquen scrutinized his subjects with a piercing gaze, then spoke, his voice, though soft, carried a weightiness that resonated with everyone present. It reminded me of the first time I encountered the original Sendra, but it lacked her overwhelming intensity.

"Stand up, all of you, and let me see your faces," he commanded in a tone that left an uneasy silence in its wake. The Suquen family members exchanged uncertain glances, waiting for someone to break the silence.

After a tense pause, Lord Epquen's gaze settled on me. He stared at me, his scrutiny making everyone in the room shift uncomfortably. Finally, he spoke, his words laced with authority and a hint of dictatorship.

"Xzson, is that your name? Give me a straight answer. If your response displeases me, you'll experience a pain unlike any other, and no one will ever know you set foot in our land," he declared coldly.

"I have a question before I answer yours," I responded, attempting to maintain a composed demeanor despite the tense atmosphere. "Why did you bring me here and issue a death threat? Are you not afraid that Sendra will not forgive you for your actions?"

My words hung in the air like a heavy weight, causing everyone in the room to react with shock. They were not surprised by my question, but rather by the fact that I had dared to utter their goddess's name directly, something that was considered taboo.

Gameya and Sameya stood to the side, their expressions filled with fear, knowing that I had crossed a line that should never have been crossed. Yogan, on the other hand, swallowed hard and forced a nervous smile. "Does this human not possess a brain? How dare he call our goddess by her name and think she would harm our family? Lord Epquen is a disciple of the Ice Goddess, as are the other two family heads. She will never harm our family. Human, you've signed your own death warrant."

Epquen's eyes flared with anger, his face contorting in a mixture of fury and frustration. He had tried to be civil, but my disrespect had pushed him to his limit. His voice trembled with rage as he responded, "Human, I asked you a simple question politely, but you have crossed a line that I cannot ignore. I had considered making you my slave because the goddess had shown interest in you, but you have squandered that opportunity."

"Become your slave? Why would I ever want to be your slave?" I retorted, not holding back my disbelief. "And are you not afraid that Sendra, who is now my wife, would punish you for such audacity? She will not accept this."

Epquen's initial reaction was to chuckle, a condescending laughter that seemed to mock my words. I could hear Yogan joining in with a low, mocking laughter of his own. The others in the room regarded me as if I had just uttered the most foolish statement imaginable. Gameya and Sameya wore perplexed expressions as they continued to stare at me.

But then, Epquen's laughter subsided, and his expression turned serious. He addressed my misconception. "You humans believe that our goddess has actually married you? She has always regarded men with disdain and has never shown any interest in them. Even when I, her disciple, suffered greatly under her judgment, she never looked at me with anything but contempt. She may have taken you as her spouse for her own inscrutable reasons, but I assure you, she will never look upon you again."

I absorbed this revelation, realizing that Sendra's feelings toward males were far from favorable. It was a stark contrast to our initial encounter when she had seemed curious about me, especially when I defeated her ice soldiers. Yet, even if she had no intention of ever acknowledging me again, it left me puzzled as to why I had been summoned here.

With a sigh, I decided to inquire further. "Lord Suquen, if your Ice Goddess will never again acknowledge me, then why have I been brought here?"

"It seems you've finally grasped the gravity of your situation," Epquen sneered at me, reveling in my apparent despair. "Human, it's too late for you now. Tomorrow, you shall meet your end. Spending the intimidating night with our goddess and having the audacity to call her name directly, not once but twice, is a crime that carries only one punishment: instant death!"

His words struck fear into my heart, knowing that the punishment for my supposed crimes was as severe as death. Epquen signaled to a guard, ordering them to take me away.

However, Luna, who had been silently observing the exchange, suddenly burst into the conversation with fiery determination. She challenged Epquen's accusations head-on. "Wait! The Ice Goddess willingly spent her night with my brother, and he had no qualms about calling her name. I see no crime here. It's clear that you're using this as an excuse to execute my brother!"

Luna's voice, like a small kitten challenging a pack of lions, drew the attention of everyone in the room. Their gazes shifted from me to her, instantly recognizing that Luna was attempting to defend me, even if it meant questioning the validity of my supposed crimes.

Surmo, who had been observing quietly until now, directed his attention to Luna. He questioned her with a hint of curiosity and a tinge of dismissal. "Elf, who are you, and why do you support this human? He has nothing to do with you. If you leave him now, you can return to wherever you came from."

Yogan, Surmo's son, took this as an opportunity to voice his own desires. With newfound confidence, he chimed in, "Father, there's no need to send her away. She's a beautiful girl, and it would be advantageous to have her join our family. We have no other elves left since the last one disobeyed our orders."

Amidst the growing tension, Luna vehemently protested, her anger evident. She locked her arm around my waist protectively, defying the guards who attempted to separate us. "Don't touch her! If anyone tries to take her away, they'll have to go through me!" Luna's fierce declaration put Gameya and Sameya on edge, prompting them to intervene. However, it was Janifer, their mother, who chose to speak up.

The tension in the room seemed to reach its peak, and all eyes were on Janifer, the mistress of the Suquen family. Her unexpected intervention surprised everyone present. Janifer, known as one of the most beautiful women in the ice realm, was not known for engaging with strangers or taking sides in family matters.

Janifer addressed Lord Epquen with surprising politeness, gently expressing her thoughts. "Lord Suquen, please allow her to stay with him until tomorrow. Let her spend the night with him before his execution."

Epquen was taken aback by Janifer's request. He had not anticipated her siding with the humans, especially given her usual demeanor. Still, he couldn't bring himself to deny her request and reluctantly nodded his agreement.

The guards, who had drawn their weapons in anticipation of a confrontation, stepped back in response to Janifer's command. Yogan, frustrated by yet another failure, clenched his fists and muttered curses under his breath.

Janifer continued to watch as the guards escorted me out of the room. Her unexpected support had bought me a little more time, but my fate remained uncertain.

As I was led away, I couldn't help but think about Janifer's actions. Her willingness to stand up for me had been surprising, and it raised questions about her true intentions. In the midst of these thoughts, I decided to consult the system.

"System, please show me Janifer's information and create a scene with her."

(Okay, host.)

(Scene complete.)