The room was filled with a collective sense of astonishment as the soldiers grappled with the unexpected question. Proud of their comrade's boldness, they exchanged congratulatory slaps on the back, their eyes gleaming with excitement as they fixed their gaze upon the perplexed Ragnar.
Time seemed to slow down as the soldier who had posed the question, lance in hand, began to advance towards Ragnar. Each step he took heightened the suspense that hung in the air, intensifying the atmosphere within the room.
"What's taking you so long to answer, Ragnar?" The soldier's voice dripped with sarcasm as he closed in on Ragnar, his every movement amplifying the tension that consumed the space.
"Don't tell me you were lying earlier," he taunted.
As the soldier approached Ragnar, he halted. With deliberate slowness, he raised his lance, its sharpened tip aimed menacingly at Ragnar's throat.
"Fight back, and you shall pay a steep price of 5 Gold Coins and an eternal existence as a One-Eyed Monk above the treacherous Hills of Fraustpeak," the soldier warned, his voice dripping with malice.
Mockingly, he continued, "Imagine the thrill of living in frigid mountain peaks, where temperatures plummet below zero. It's an experience like no other."
The soldiers standing behind him chuckled, their mocking laughter piercing through the air, adding insult to injury for Ragnar.
"Now that you've deceived us, you'll be sentenced to a life as a Mole Rat, toiling underground, mining coal to fuel our technology. How does that sound to you?" one of the soldiers taunted.
Ragnar's disgust for the soldier intensified as he stared back at them, each laugh blending into the next. However, the atmosphere abruptly changed when a loud slam resonated from one of the tables. It was the lady.
"My soldiers were never intended to torment civilians. Regardless of his deception, I will personally take responsibility for him." The young lady's voice boomed with anger, her tone ethereal yet commanding.
The soldiers' energy swiftly transformed from mockery to sheer astonishment, as they had momentarily forgotten that young Ana was present among them.
In a matter of seconds following her command, the soldiers humbly dropped to their knees before her, displaying the utmost respect and carefully placing their lances beside them.
"We beg for your forgiveness, Young Ana. Our actions were thoughtless and inexcusable. Rest assured, we shall never repeat such behavior again." The soldier in the front kneeled with unwavering determination, his tone now filled with calmness.
The room fell into a profound silence, akin to the depths of the ocean. Ragnar's gaze fixed on the sight of the soldiers obediently kneeling before young Ana.
"Apologies accepted. Never repeat this transgression, for the consequence shall be death." Young Ana's voice grew calmer and softer, yet it carried a weight of authority.
"You are all dismissed," she concluded, granting them permission to leave.
The soldiers rose to their feet and bowed respectfully to Ana before exiting the room, each one carrying their lance. Ragnar cautiously stepped aside to allow them to leave, watching as they departed one by one.
Ana gestured towards one of the soldiers, the last one to leave.
"Damian, please stay. We need you to ensure that this man does not leave. Before anything else, ask one of your comrades to summon the local priest of this village. We may put him on trial if he is indeed an evil spirit," she said in a hushed tone.
"I will, young Ana," Damian replied, bowing respectfully with his lance at his side before hurrying off to gather the local priest.
Damian donned leather attire, reinforced with steel for safety on his chest and legs. His striking dark blue hair and piercing green eyes completed his distinctive look.
Ragnar's eyes followed the soldier as he departed, a mix of curiosity and apprehension in his gaze.
"You may take a seat." Ana's voice echoed through the room, causing Ragnar to swiftly turn his attention towards her.
"Attempt to escape; be warned that eternal torture awaits you," she continued in a low, ominous tone.
Ragnar made his way to a nearby seat, moving slowly and with difficulty due to his injuries. As he sat down, he stretched his legs, but a sharp pain shot through his body, causing him to wince audibly.
"Ouch," he whispered to himself, though Ana was able to hear it.
Ana took a seat beside him, her gaze fixed on Ragnar.
"It must have been excruciating to endure those bruises. I can see that the ghouls have taken a significant chunk of your flesh," Ana spoke in a gentle, empathetic voice.
"Don't worry, we'll tend to your wounds once we're finished here," she continued, her tone carrying a sense of genuine concern.
The room fell silent as they waited for Damian to arrive. However, the stillness was soon broken.
"By the way, what I said and did earlier was all in jest," Ana spoke, her cheeks turning pink as she looked at Ragnar.
"Is that so? I'll be sure to remember that," Ragnar replied, a smile forming on his lips as he gazed back at her.
The room once again fell into silence, leaving only Ana and Ragnar within its confines. Ragnar observed Lady Ana's impatience as she impatiently flicked the wooden chair.
Suddenly, the sound of loud, hurried footsteps echoed through the room. Damian finally arrived, visibly exhausted, as he took a deep breath to regain his composure.
"I have to apologize, my lady," he panted, catching his breath.
"I know you asked me to tell one of the soldiers to call the priest, but I went with them to ensure it was done promptly to avoid further impatience." He leaned on the door frame, visibly tired.
"However, the priest is currently unavailable, as he is conducting a ritual for the entire season," he explained as he took a wooden seat in front of the lady.
The lady was momentarily surprised, a reaction not lost on Ragnar, but she quickly regained her composure.
"For the whole season, you say? Then so be it. The lives of the innocent are far more important than ensuring one man's purity," she said calmly, sitting formally with her hands between her thighs and her legs parallel to each other.
"Then, what should I do? Where should I stay for the night?" Ragnar asked, looking confused.
The lady chuckled softly. "You'll be staying with me," she said with a smirk.
"But, my lady, we should lock this man up to ensure the village's safety. We don't want you to get in trouble." Damian stood up, clearly frustrated with the announcement.
Lady Ana cast a sly smile at Damian.
"I don't want this man to endure bullying from soldiers again, Damian," she said softly.
"Why? My lady, I assured you it wouldn't happen again," Damian defended.
Lady Ana paused, gazing downward as she took a breath to compose herself before admitting, "I don't trust my soldiers, Damian."
The room fell into confusion and shock as she spoke. Ragnar was visibly stunned, while Damian looked at her with a mix of confusion and guilt.
"It was a joke, Damian. I do have my reasons for not letting Ragnar stay with all of you; I just won't share them," she laughed, finding the moment amusing.
Damian took a deep breath to calm himself as he glared at Lady Ana with anger.
"Lady Ana, don't ever joke about something like that," Damian said, his tone filled with anger towards Ana.
Lady Ana continued to laugh and slammed the wooden table, leaving Ragnar confused.
Damian closed his eyes, clearly annoyed with Lady Ana.
Lady Ana stopped laughing, took a deep breath, and with a sly smile said, "You are all dismissed. Ragnar, you may do as you please in this village, even if it means harming innocent lives or robbing adults." She stood up, stretching her arms.
Ragnar stood up too, with his legs still aching and his wounds hurting. She stood up in front of Lady Ana as she stretched her arms.
Finally, she stopped stretching, gazing towards Ragnar. They stood parallel with each other and had warm emotions inside them. Their heights are quite far, which is visible since Ragnar is a gigantic person.
Ragnar gazed downwards at Lady Ana's face as she smirked.
"You seem to look like an innocent fellow, but always, chilliness is just a facade for warmth waiting to be revealed."