The crowd’s restless murmurs fell to a deep hush. The attention in the vast stadium shifted to the three Royal Judges seated upon their thrones, each holding a golden scepter.
Every eye was on the judges, awaiting the verdict that would shape the pride of the Frost and Doom families.
As per Royal Court tradition, after hearing the arguments from both sides, the judges would share their opinions, after that the final vote by the crest family heads will be casted. The court stadium, which just moments ago had been filled with noisy remarks and heated debates, now felt like a vacuum—silent, cold, and tense.
The judge on the right stood first.
“This masked young man, Kent Hall has agreed before this Royal Court that he did, in fact, kill the crest wizards of the Doom family. And, threatened the life of Princess Chuli. Whether he did so in self-defense, out of desperation, or for a thousand other reasons, the fact remains: the threat to the princess’s life was real.”
A wave of murmurs swept through the crowd, growing louder with each passing second. The Doom nation’s people, seated in the right half of the arena, started whispering excitedly, their voices growing more and more boisterous.
“More than anything,” the judge continued, his gaze fixed on Kent’s masked face, “this young man has already admitted to killing several crest wizards. His killing intent was clear and undeniable in this matter. Therefore, I find it difficult to believe that he is anything but guilty of this offense.”
The judge’s words sent ripples of excitement through the Doom side of the stadium. Loud cheers and mocking jeers filled the air as they celebrated prematurely, already treating the verdict as decided.
“He’s guilty!”
“Execute him!”
“Frost family should kneel!”
The cacophony grew louder, the noise rising into a frenzy of excitement. Doom family members, common folk, and even influential allies of the Doom nation shouted slurs at Kent and Ragnar.
King Ragnar’s face remained stoic, his sharp eyes fixed ahead as if unaffected by the noise. Lily, standing next to him, clenched her fists in tension.
The judge seated on the right side sat down after delivering his damning opinion.
The middle judge raised his hand. “Silence!” His command reverberated through the stadium, immediately bringing the crowd back to order. The noise faded, though not without lingering whispers and sneers.
The left-side judge, a woman with striking silver hair and piercing blue eyes, rose to speak next. She seemed more deliberate in her movements, her gaze sweeping across the sea of faces in the audience before settling on the Doom family, then Kent.
“Threatening the life of a princess, let alone a crest family member, is undoubtedly a grave offense,” she said, her voice firm but with a hint of understanding. “However, we cannot overlook the context of this case. We all know the history between the Frost and Doom families.
There has been tension between them for generations, and as such, it is plausible that the crest wizards of the Doom family acted with prejudice when they encountered the young man, Kent Hall.”
The Doom side began murmuring again, but this time with uncertainty. The Frost family’s supporters perked up, listening closely as the judge continued.
“Let us not forget that the wizards of the Doom family were the first to deny Kent Hall entry, despite him being in the company of Lady Lily Frost. They also attempted to extort a dragon from him—an action that clearly provoked the altercation. It is also worth noting that King Ragnar, as a member of the royal family, would never intentionally endanger another crest family.”
Her voice grew stronger. “Kent Hall had the chance to kill Princess Chuli, yet he did not. He only fought to defend himself from being unjustly attacked. That shows restraint, not intent to harm. For these reasons, I believe that Kent Hall is NOT GUILTY.”
A roar of approval erupted from the Frost family’s side of the arena. Cries of “King Ragnar!” and “Justice for the Frosts!” echoed from their ranks, filled with merchants, family heads, and loyal supporters. Even some of the more neutral spectators began nodding in agreement, murmuring in support of the Frost family.
“That’s right!”
“He didn’t kill the princess!”
“They attacked him first!”
The Doom family’s supporters bristled at the turn of opinion, many of them hurling insults and sarcastic remarks, trying to regain control of the narrative. The two sides of the stadium began exchanging barbed words, tension rising like a tide as emotions flared.
The main judge, seated in the center, stood at last. His presence alone was enough to command instant silence from the crowd, his stature tall and his face lined with age and wisdom. He gripped his scepter firmly and looked over the crowd as if weighing their very souls.
“Everyone is equal before this court,” he began, his voice deep and filled with authority. “No matter their status, no matter their family crest. Once a person leaves the Royal Family, they stand as equals before the law.”
He turned his gaze toward Kent. “As per Royal Law, not only killing but also threatening the life of a crest family member is a punishable offense.”
The Doom family began to nod in agreement, their hopes rekindled as the main judge’s words seemed to favor them. King Hoon Doom even smirked slightly, thinking that the verdict was all but sealed.
“Princess Chuli,” the judge continued, “did not issue an order to kill Kent Hall in the first instance. And it is true that he threatened her life.”
The murmurs from the Doom side grew louder, excited whispers about their impending victory circulating rapidly. Princess Chuli stood straighter, a victorious smile threatening to break across her face.
But then the judge’s tone shifted, growing more contemplative, almost stern. “However,” he said, and the word hung in the air like a dagger ready to fall, “Princess Chuli is not without fault. She is a Supreme Magus, a powerful sorcerer in her own right, not some helpless victim. Additionally, we must consider that Kent Hall had only just arrived in our realm as of yesterday.
He bore no crest or family insignia and was unaware of our realm’s laws and customs.”
The crowd’s excitement dimmed, confusion spreading through the Doom side.
“Furthermore,” the judge’s voice grew sharper, “King Ragnar stood before us today, accepting this sudden Justice Call without protest. He brought his family and his allies here, demonstrating his respect for the law.”
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The judge turned toward Kent one last time. “Considering all of this, the evidence presented, and the circumstances of the encounter, I believe that Kent Hall is ‘not guilty’ of the charges brought against him.”
A deep, stunned silence filled the stadium. Both sides of the crowd, Doom and Frost, seemed frozen in shock. For a moment, it was as if the world had stopped.
Then, slowly, the murmurs started. On the Doom side, disbelief and outrage took hold. On the Frost side, quiet relief and vindication spread through the ranks. Lily let out a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. King Ragnar remained silent, though a small, satisfied gleam flickered in his eyes.
The main judge raised his scepter one final time. “Now, the vote by the crest family heads will continue. Let justice be done.”
The tension only grew as all eyes turned to the 31 crest family heads, waiting to cast their votes. The fate of both the Frost and Doom nations now rested in their hands.
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